NYT Technology: Apple Plans to Buy $75 Billion More of Its Own Stock
Apple Plans to Buy $75 Billion More of Its Own Stock The company said it would add to its record returns to shareholders, most likely fueling an intensifying debate over corporate spending.
NYT Technology: Facebook, Shifting Toward Private Communications, Focuses on Groups
Facebook, Shifting Toward Private Communications, Focuses on Groups The social network rolled out a redesign, in the most visible signal of how it is starting to emphasize private communications.
NASA Image of the Day: New Mission Ready to Extend NASA's Study of Carbon
New Mission Ready to Extend NASA's Study of Carbon The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3, or OCO-3, sits on the large vibration table (known as the "shaker") in the Environmental Test Lab at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
On Facebook, the Dead Will Eventually Outnumber the Living. What Does That Mean for Our Histories?
The dead will eventually outnumber the living on Facebook, according to a new study whose authors want us to think more about the importance of preserving our collective digital histories.
The phenomenon could take place within the next 50 years, though will likely take longer, according to a research paper from the University of Oxford Internet Institute published April 23 in the journal Big Data & Society. The study's authors, Carl J. Öhman and David Watson, used a combination of data, including projected morality and population rates from the U.N. as well as Facebook's user growth over time. It may take a little longer than 50 years to reach the tipping point, the authors admit — that calculation assumes Facebook's user growth stopped after 2018, but the company continues to grow. Still, it's likely to happen "in the first decades of the 22nd century," they say.
Öhman and Watson hope their work will serve as "an opportunity to respond with thoughtful and effective policy interventions" when it comes to handling what we leave behind online when we die, they wrote.
"The personal digital heritage left by the online dead are, or will at least become, part of our shared cultural digital heritage," the authors wrote, "which may prove invaluable not only to future historians, but to future generations as part of their record and self-understanding."
The researchers say they didn't conduct the study as a critique of social media, but to begin a dialogue on digital estates and identity. "We wanted to bring in a more societal perspective and ask what the phenomenon of people dying on the internet means for us on a collective level," Öhman told TIME in an email.
A Facebook spokesperson said that, while the company disagrees with the study's predictions, it is aware of the larger issue. "We have a deep respect for our unique position in people's lives and take our role in the conversation on building legacy in a digital age seriously," the spokesperson told TIME in a statement.
Facebook has taken several measures to handle a user's death. Once the company becomes aware of a user's passing from a friend or family member contacting Facebook, their account becomes a special memorial-style page, according to the site's help center. Facebook now has hundreds of thousands of memorialized accounts, the spokesperson said. "As Facebook and its family of apps and services continues to grow, we remain committed to supporting people coping with loss," the spokesperson said.
Facebook is also working on the problem of having the profiles of living users' deceased friends and family show up on the site in distressing or disturbing ways, like in the "suggested friends" feature or when sending event invitations. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg wrote in a press release on April 9 that the company hopes to remain "a place where the memory and spirit of our loved ones can be celebrated and live on."
Like a kind of living will, Facebook users can plan in advance who can access their page in the event of their death. Users can also choose to have their account be deleted when they die. However, the feature isn't available to minors, so parents who have lost children under 18 need to request access to their child's account. To prevent anyone from abusing this feature and targeting someone who is still alive, the memorialization request process requires documentation — family members are asked to upload or provide a link to an obituary or other proof of death for verification before a team from Facebook reviews the request, according to the memorialization request form.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, also memorializes the profiles of deceased users upon requests from loved ones. But the accounts are then frozen — nobody can log in, the account won't appear on Instagram's "Explore" page, and its original privacy and visibility settings will remain. Twitter, meanwhile, only allows family members to request that a deceased user's account be deleted.
Öhman and Watson are concerned with matters beyond a single individual's digital history. Their paper opens with a quote from George Orwell's 1984, which envisions a dystopian future with ubiquitous government surveillance and omnipotence. "We, the Party, control all records, and we control all memories," the quote reads. "Then we control the past, do we not?"
1984 is a fitting comparison, Watson argues, because the sum of our individual histories make up a more significant societal history. "Control over the past is no small matter, and consolidating that power in a single firm or a small number of powerful companies is every bit as problematic as handing it over to a totalitarian government," Watson told TIME in an email.
Öhman said their choice to include Orwell's quote isn't a judgment of Facebook, but a warning about what could happen if we're not careful about who owns our collective histories. "We need to build the proper institutions and infrastructure to deal with these questions now," Öhman told TIME in an email. Part of that work may include soliciting the help of historians, archivists and policy advocates, Watson says. He believes this problem is simply too big for Facebook to deal with on its own. "The idea that an American corporation trying to post quarterly profits could possibly be relied upon to handle the world's digital legacy on its own is unrealistic," Watson says.
Not Everyone Was So Motivated By Chase’s Monday Motivation
When Chase Bank attempted to get in on the popular Monday Motivation hashtag with a tweet on Monday, it backfired.
In the tweet ending with the hashtag "Monday Motivation," customers of the bank theoretically think to themselves, "why is my balance so low?" The bank, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase, proposed people could think about cutting back on going out to eat, buying coffee from a shop and taking cabs instead of walking.
The full text of the original tweet said, "You: why is my balance so low / Bank account: make coffee at home / Bank account: eat the food that's already in the fridge / Bank account: you don't need a cab, it's only three blocks / You: I guess we'll never know / Bank account: seriously?"
After garnering criticism on the social media site — some users felt the company was "poor-shaming" — Chase swiftly deleted the tweet and shared a statement on its timeline. "Our #MondayMotivation is to get better at #MondayMotivation tweets," the company wrote. "Thanks for the feedback Twitter world."
Even Sen. Elizabeth Warren spoke out against the meme. The 2020 Democratic contender highlighted rising costs of living, low wages and the government bailout of JPMorgan Chase amid the 2008 recession as reasons for a low balance.
Rep. Katie Porter of California also called the company out for its tweet, writing, "Families aren't spending frivolously; they're trying to pay rent." It's not Porter's first public squabble with the bank. Earlier this month, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon appeared in a hearing with the House Financial Services Committee, in which a group of top bank heads were questioned about their salaries compared to their workers' wages. In the hearing, Porter questioned Dimon regarding how a mother working for the bank would be able to support her family.
Hey @Chase, try paying your workers more. Families aren't spending frivolously; they're trying to pay rent. pic.twitter.com/XwQi2GisU5
Me: Why is my balance so low? Bank: Here's another $12 monthly fee because you don't have direct deposit Me: My job doesn't offer direct deposit Bank: Oh well, now here's a snarky tweet to help you save money… Me: Time to close my Chase bank account#MondayMotivationpic.twitter.com/RQCbuKXRud
That awkward moment when you're an antiquated institution that tries to relate by insulting customers….Excellent work @Chase🤦🏼♀️I feel super motivated to NEVER use y'all again. #MondayMotivationpic.twitter.com/McgMgR5ywT
Making coffee at home, packing my lunch, and walking the three blocks to close out my Chase account after they decided it was a great idea 2 shame ppl who are financially struggling. Rich coming from a company that benefited from a $12mil bailout financed by those same poor ppl.
U.S. biomass-based diesel imports down for second consecutive year in 2018
U.S. biomass-based diesel imports down for second consecutive year in 2018 U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel, which include biodiesel and renewable diesel, totaled 22,000 barrels per day in 2018, down 42% from 2017, and 64% lower than the all-time high set in 2016. Although increasing Renewable Fuel Standard targets have driven biomass-based diesel demand in recent years, imports have fallen sharplylargely because of U.S. Department of Commerce import duties imposed on foreign biodiesel volumes sourced from Argentina and Indonesia, countries which made up 60% of total U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel in 2016.
NYT Technology: Alphabet Falls $1 Billion Short of Revenue Forecasts, Blaming Strong Dollar
Alphabet Falls $1 Billion Short of Revenue Forecasts, Blaming Strong Dollar The company said it expected foreign currency to be an issue again in the current quarter, and its stock slid in after-hours trading.
NASA Image of the Day: Opportunity's Final Traverse Map
Opportunity's Final Traverse Map This final traverse map for NASA's Opportunity rover shows where the rover was located within Perseverance Valley on June 10, 2018, the last date it made contact with its engineering team.
Burger King’s Meatless ‘Impossible Whopper’ Is Going Nationwide
Burger King's meatless Impossible Whopper will soon be available across the country.
After testing the meatless version of its signature Whopper in Burger King locations around St. Louis, Missouri this month, the fast food company said in a statement that it plans to continue tests in additional markets "with the intention of nationwide distribution by the end of the year."
"The Impossible Whopper test in St. Louis went exceedingly well and as a result there are plans to extend testing into additional markets in the very near future," the company said. "Burger King restaurants in St. Louis are showing encouraging results and Impossible Whopper sales are complementing traditional Whopper purchases."
It is not immediately clear where else the Impossible Whopper will be tested and how soon it will be available at further Burger King locations. Currently, 59 stores around St. Louis carry the meatless Whopper option.
The nationwide introduction of a vegetarian Whopper signals a more mainstream effort to include more meat-free options at national chains. Impossible Foods, the Silicon Valley company that created the "meat" used in the meatless Whopper, has also made its product available at White Castle. The plant-based meat used in the burgers gets its bloody look and sizzle from an ingredient called heme. Beyond Meat, another company that offers plant-based meat options, has made its way onto the menus of several other restaurants, including Carl's Jr., Del Taco and TGI Fridays.
NYT Technology: ‘996’ Is China’s Version of Hustle Culture. Tech Workers Are Sick of It.
'996' Is China's Version of Hustle Culture. Tech Workers Are Sick of It. Chinese programmers once embraced working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. But online, discontent is brewing.
Panama Canal expansion allows more transits of propane and other hydrocarbon gas liquids
Panama Canal expansion allows more transits of propane and other hydrocarbon gas liquids In June 2016, the Panama Canal Authority, the body that operates the Panama Canal, opened a third set of locks that facilitated transit of larger ships, the first such expansion since the canal was completed in 1914. In the years since the canal was expanded, the largest change in petroleum flows through the canal has been the increase of hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL), especially propane, from the U.S. Gulf Coast to destinations in Asia
Southwest Says It Wasn’t Told by Boeing That a Safety Alert on the 737 Max Had Been Deactivated
Southwest Airlines says Boeing did not disclose that it had deactivated a safety feature on its 737 Max jets until after one of the airliners crashed last year.At issue is an alert that tells pilots if a sensor — called an "angle of attack" (AOA) indicator — is transmitting bad data about the pitch of a plane's nose. The sensor's alerts had been operational in previous versions of the 737 but were switched off in the 737 Max.The news first appeared Sunday in The Wall Street Journal. The Journal also reported that Federal Aviation Administration safety inspectors and supervisors did not know about the change either. The FAA declined to comment.
In a statement Sunday, Southwest said that the safety feature was "depicted to us by Boeing as operable on all Max aircraft." Only after a Lion Air 737 Max crashed in Indonesia last Oct. 29 did Boeing say the feature wasn't turned on, Southwest said.
The Max was grounded after a second crash, involving an Ethiopian Airlines jet, on March 10.
In response to the Journal story, Boeing said that as the Max planes return to service "all customers will have the AOA disagree alert as standard."
Earlier this month, an Ethiopian government report found that a malfunctioning sensor sent faulty data to the 737 Max 8's anti-stall system, forcing down the nose of the jet. The pilots could not regain control of the aircraft; 157 died in the crash. Last year's Lion Air crash killed 189.
NYT Technology: Which Tech Company Is Uber Most Like? Its Answer May Surprise You
Which Tech Company Is Uber Most Like? Its Answer May Surprise You It's not Lyft or Didi Chuxing or another ride-hailing firm. Instead, Uber sees itself as the Amazon of transportation.
Price: Free Rating: 4.0 Category: Games Version: 1.7.7 Created: April 27, 2019 at 04:30AM
Description: Heroes! Tune up your ninja senses, sharpen your slashing skills! The #1 slashing puzzle iSlash is back with new deadly gameplay elements, fearless bosses, stunning graphics and lots of challenging levels! ADDICTIVE GAMEPLAY Be Warned! iSlash Heroes features the same addictive slashing gameplay that kept millions of ninjas awake! And now it's packed with new features, new enemies and new challenges. 2 MODES // 860 LEVELS (more to come) Master your skills in Casual mode and when you are ready unleash your inner Ninja for ultimate destruction. Easy to learn yet challenging to master, iSlash Heroes features two modes with 860 levels packed with hours of fun! DEFEAT THE EVIL BOSSES iSlash Heroes introduces deadly evil bosses that rule the land with fear. Each one has vicious skills in their sleeves but no one is invincible. Fight and defeat them with your slashing craft. Your fate is at your fingertips! SOCIAL NINJA Success means nothing when no one is around! Satisfy your social ninja by connecting to Facebook. Help each other when needed but always show them who is the best slasher! Indulge your slashing cravings in this addictive, challenging and fun journey! NEED HELP? Please feel free to contact us from the settings page of the game if you need any support. We'd be more than happy to assist you! Keep S/la/sh/in/g!
NYT Technology: Apple Cracks Down on Apps That Fight iPhone Addiction
Apple Cracks Down on Apps That Fight iPhone Addiction Last year, with much fanfare, the tech giant unveiled a screen-time tracker of its own. Then it quietly began purging competitors from its store.
NYT Technology: Chasing Growth, a Women’s Health Start-Up Cut Corners
Chasing Growth, a Women's Health Start-Up Cut Corners Nurx, an online prescribing app, drew attention with its pitch about female empowerment. Former employees said it took a laissez-faire approach to women's health.
NYT Technology: Slack Discloses $141 Million Loss as Messaging Start-Up Joins Tech Listing Rush
Slack Discloses $141 Million Loss as Messaging Start-Up Joins Tech Listing Rush Unlike most other Silicon Valley darlings going public this year, Slack is not holding an initial public offering, where it sells shares to the public.
NASA Image of the Day: Hubble Snaps a Crowded Cluster
Hubble Snaps a Crowded Cluster This sparkling burst of stars is Messier 75. It is a globular cluster: a spherical collection of stars bound together by gravity. Clusters like this orbit around galaxies and typically reside in their outer and less-crowded areas, gathering to form dense communities in the galactic suburbs.
NYT Technology: Slack Discloses $141 Million Loss as Messaging Start-Up Joins Tech Listing Rush
Slack Discloses $141 Million Loss as Messaging Start-Up Joins Tech Listing Rush The company disclosed in its offering prospectus that it collected $400.6 million in revenue in the year through January. It had 88,000 paying customers.
NYT Technology: The Week in Tech: Data Doesn’t Support Sri Lanka’s Social Media Blackout
The Week in Tech: Data Doesn't Support Sri Lanka's Social Media Blackout Social media platforms have a role in inciting violence, but there's little evidence to suggest that shutting them down prevents escalation.
The Northeast leads the country in net-metered wind electricity generation capacity
The Northeast leads the country in net-metered wind electricity generation capacity Since 2011, net-metered wind electric generating capacity in the Northeast has grown faster than in the rest of the United States. Like small-scale solar photovoltaic systems, many of which are net-metered, net-metered wind systems are much smaller than their utility-scale counterparts. Although the amount of net-metered wind in the United States is smalljust 0.2% of all U.S. wind capacity in 2017much of it has come online in the past few years because of state policies that encourage the adoption of small-scale wind turbines.
72,000 Passengers Stranded After Scandinavian Airlines Pilot Strike
(COPENHAGEN, Denmark) — Pilots for Scandinavian Airlines on Friday launched an open-ended strike following the collapse of pay negotiations, forcing the company to cancel virtually all its flights — 673 of them, affecting 72,000 passengers.
The Stockholm-based carrier said talks on a new collective bargaining agreement with the SAS Pilot Group, which represents 95% of the company's pilots in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, collapsed early Friday.
In airports throughout the region, SAS staff in yellow vests were assisting stranded passengers to rebook or obtain refunds.
Mina Kvam Tveteraas and her friend Bettina Svendsen were stranded at Stavanger Airport in Norway after their flight to Copenhagen was canceled.
"We have booked a hotel for three nights and the rooms are not refunded," Kvam Tveteraas told Norway's TV2 channel. "I have no idea what to do and I'm mad."
The pilots' negotiations that started in March mainly centered on salary increases and working hours.
Details have not been released but the pan-Scandinavian union says it wants salaries to be in line with the market rate, while SAS negotiators have called the requests "unreasonable and extreme." SAS spokeswoman Karin Nyman said the pilots' demands "would have very negative consequences for the company."
Wilhelm Tersmeden, chairman of the Swedish pilots association, said SAS employees are facing "deteriorated working conditions, unpredictability in planning work hours and insecurity for their own job."
"Almost one in four SAS flights is flown by subcontractors and we want to know what our future looks like," he told Sweden's TT news agency.
Jacob Pedersen, an analyst with Denmark's Sydbank, estimated the strike in average would cost between 60 million and 80 million Swedish kronor ($6.3-8.4 million) a day.
The strike "makes it clear that SAS is more vulnerable than we previously expected," he said. "Competition is tough, and with a European economy moving at a slower pace, SAS may also fight harder for profits this year."
The company said the strike doesn't include flights operated by SAS partner airlines, making up approximately 30% of its departures, and is not expected to affect other airlines' departures and arrivals.
NYT Technology: Uber Aims for Valuation of Up to $91 Billion in I.P.O.
Uber Aims for Valuation of Up to $91 Billion in I.P.O. The world's largest ride-hailing company, which has not yet made a profit, kicked off the last stage of its journey to list on public stock markets.
NYT Technology: Magic Leap Raises $280 Million From NTT DoCoMo
Magic Leap Raises $280 Million From NTT DoCoMo The maker of augmented-reality goggles said it has garnered $280 million from NTT Docomo of Japan, as part of a new partnership with the telecommunications giant.
NYT Technology: Regulators Around the World are Circling Facebook
Regulators Around the World are Circling Facebook Facebook revealed that it expects a record fine from the F.T.C. That could be one of many moves against the company by governments on four continents.
NYT Technology: Amazon’s Profit Jumps, and It Plans More One-Day Prime Shipping
Amazon's Profit Jumps, and It Plans More One-Day Prime Shipping Most revenue still comes from website sales, but other services, including cloud computing and advertising, provide an outsize chunk of profits.
NYT Technology: Uber Said to Plan I.P.O. Price Range Valuing Company as High as $90 Billion
Uber Said to Plan I.P.O. Price Range Valuing Company as High as $90 Billion The world's largest ride-hailing company was said to be planning an initial pricing of $44 to $50 a share.
NYT Technology: New York Attorney General to Investigate Facebook Email Collection
New York Attorney General to Investigate Facebook Email Collection The social media company's latest dust up with regulators is tied the company's collection of email lists from new users.
NASA Image of the Day: Station Crew Views the Frozen Southern Tip of Hudson Bay
Station Crew Views the Frozen Southern Tip of Hudson Bay The International Space Station crew snapped this image of the Hudson Bay's frozen southern tip.
NYT Technology: Canada Says Facebook Broke Privacy Laws
Canada Says Facebook Broke Privacy Laws An investigation by Canadian regulators found that Facebook did not protect user data in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and has ignored recommendations since.
New wind and solar power projects tend to come online at the end of the year
New wind and solar power projects tend to come online at the end of the year New electricity generating capacity is brought online throughout the year, but December has historically been the most significant month for both onshore wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity additions in the United States. Over the past nine years (20102018), 43% of all onshore wind capacity and 33% of all solar PV capacity have been added in December. U.S. wind and solar capacities receive a production tax credit (PTC) and an investment tax credit (ITC), respectively, which may provide incentives to come online at the end of the year.
NYT Technology: Who Owns Huawei? The Company Tried to Explain. It Got Complicated.
Who Owns Huawei? The Company Tried to Explain. It Got Complicated. The Chinese tech giant wants to put to rest concerns that it is susceptible to influence by the country's government. That has been no easy task.
NYT Technology: Microsoft’s Cloud Business Drives Strong Financial Results
Microsoft's Cloud Business Drives Strong Financial Results The company's most recent quarter exceeded Wall Street expectations across the board, pushing shares up more than 5 percent in after-hours trading.
Tesla Posts Surprisingly Large $700 Million Net Loss for Q1
Tesla posted a surprisingly large $702.1 million net loss in the first quarter as sales of its electric cars slumped and demand appeared to be waning.
The company lost $4.10 per share from January through March, when deliveries fell 31 percent from the fourth quarter. Tesla had warned it would lose money after turning two straight quarterly profits last year for the first time in its 15-year history.
Excluding one-time items and stock-based compensation, the company lost $2.90 per share, worse than Wall Street estimates. Analysts polled by FactSet expected a loss of $1.15 per share. Revenue rose almost 40 percent over a year ago to $3.5 billion. But it still fell short of analyst estimates of $5.42 billion.
CEO Elon Musk last year predicted quarterly profits in the future. But Tesla had trouble cutting the cost of its Model 3 mass-market electric vehicle.
The company said it ended the quarter with $2.2 billion in cash, $1.5 billion less than the end of last year. Tesla attributed the cash decline to a $920 million bond payment and an increase in the number of vehicles in transit to customers at the end of the quarter, postponing that revenue.
Tesla has lost more than $6 billion since setting out to revolutionize the auto industry 15 years ago, but CEO Elon Musk foresees a profitable future fueled in part by a ride-hailing service made up of electric cars driven by robots.
The mind-blowing concept is something Musk first outlined in a master planthree years ago, but now he believes Tesla's technology is capable to turning his dream into reality. And that terrifies some critics who worry Musk's plan to transport passengers in self-driving Teslas without a human to take control in emergencies will maim and kill people.
But if Musk can deliver on a promise that he made Monday to deploy self-driving vehicles and start the ride service next year, the business model might just work. And that could help Tesla finally put its long history of losses in its rear-view mirror.
Such a service "could conceivably boost demand for Tesla vehicles by highlighting some of the (autonomous vehicle) value unlock propositions," Citi analyst Itay Michaeli wrote Tuesday in a note to investors.
Another problem for Tesla is fading sales of its higher-priced models S and X as the vehicles age. Tuesday night, the company announced updates to both, including a new drive system that increases the range by 10% per electric charge. Long-range versions of the S will be able to go 370 miles per charge while the X can go 325, the company said. The vehicles also will get new adaptive suspensions, faster acceleration and more comfortable rides, Tesla said.
NYT Technology: You Can’t Stop Robocalls. You Shouldn’t Have To.
You Can't Stop Robocalls. You Shouldn't Have To. Today's solutions for fighting spam and scam calls are ineffective. But the onus should be on the phone companies, not you, to solve this problem.
NYT Technology: Facebook Expects to Be Fined Up to $5 Billion by F.T.C. Over Privacy Issues
Facebook Expects to Be Fined Up to $5 Billion by F.T.C. Over Privacy Issues Facebook and the F.T.C. have been in negotiations over a financial penalty for claims that the company violated a 2011 privacy consent decree with the agency.
NYT Technology: Facebook Expects to Be Fined Up to $5 Billion by F.T.C. Over Privacy Issues
Facebook Expects to Be Fined Up to $5 Billion by F.T.C. Over Privacy Issues Facebook and the F.T.C. have been in negotiations over a financial penalty for claims that the company violated a 2011 privacy consent decree with the agency.
NASA Image of the Day: Landslides in Mars' Cerberus Fossae
Landslides in Mars' Cerberus Fossae Cerberus Fossae is a steep-sided set of troughs cutting volcanic plains to the east of Elysium Mons, Mars. This image was captured by the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
NYT Technology: Sliding Backward on Tech? There Are Benefits
Sliding Backward on Tech? There Are Benefits Pamela Paul, editor of The New York Times Book Review, decided to downgrade her tech two years ago. It has worked out, with paper and DVDs instead of the latest apps and gizmos.
The United States exported a record volume of ethanol in 2018 for second consecutive year
The United States exported a record volume of ethanol in 2018 for second consecutive year The United States exported 112,000 barrels per day (b/d) of fuel ethanol in 2018, surpassing the record high of 91,000 b/d set in 2017. At the same time, U.S. imports of fuel ethanol decreased about 30% in 2018 to less than 4,000 b/d, which resulted in the United States exporting more fuel ethanol than it imported for the ninth year in a row.
NYT Technology: Made in China, Exported to the World: The Surveillance State
Made in China, Exported to the World: The Surveillance State In Ecuador, cameras across the country send footage to monitoring centers to be examined by police and domestic intelligence. The surveillance system's origin: China.
Pulling Flavored E-Cigs Hurt Sales in a ‘Very Meaningful’ Way, Juul Founders Say
Juul founders Adam Bowen and James Monsees, who were named to the 2019 TIME 100 list, called vaping's potential for helping adult smokers ditch combustible cigarettes "one of the greatest opportunities for public health in the history of mankind" at the TIME 100 Gala on Tuesday.
Juul has dominated the e-cigarette market with its sleek devices, which deliver nicotine without many of the harmful, cancer-causing substances in combustible cigarettes. But while the devices are designed to give adult smokers an alternative to cigarettes, Juul and other brands have developed a massive following among teenagers — despite laws that prohibit anyone younger than 18 from buying them.
Widespread use by teenagers, which has been called an "epidemic" by top public-health officials, has prompted concerns about nicotine addiction among young people. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March introduced proposed regulations meant to significantly restrict the sale of many flavored e-cigarettes, which are thought to be especially appealing to young people. A few months before that proposal was officially announced, Juul elected to stop selling many of its flavored e-cigarettes in stores and shut down its U.S. Facebook and Instagram accounts, which have been criticized for appealing to teenagers.
Monsees said removing many flavored products from retail stores has had a "very meaningful and definitely measurable impact on [sales]," but declined to say by how much they have dropped. He also said the company supports proposed legislation to raise the legal age for buying tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to 21, even though that policy would "absolutely" have an impact on sales.
"We're more than willing to take any cut in sales or revenue to do the right thing and prevent underage use," Bowen said.
Bowen and Monsees got the idea for Juul when they were Stanford grad students in 2004. It didn't take long to take off. They sold 16.2 million of their devices in 2017 alone, enough to secure a $12.8 billion investment from tobacco giant Altria in 2018.
The partnership raised eyebrows from critics who questioned the company's decision to partner with a tobacco company.
Monsees called that a "reasonable gut reaction," but said Altria "has the capabilities to accelerate that mission" of helping adult smokers switch to e-cigarettes. "We get access to their database of approximately half of all smokers in the United States," Monsees said. "That allows us to target the switching message directly to consumers that are using cigarettes."
The duo also said the company remains focused on cutting down on youth use. Juul recently unveiled a track-and-trace program, through which authority figures can report products that were illegally used by minors to help the company determine how they're getting into teens' hands.
"Any underage use is unacceptable, ultimately," Monsees said.
Even for adults, Juuling may not be harmless. While a recent Juul-funded study found that the devices can help current smokers quit, which could reduce rates of lung cancer, preliminary evidence has also uncovered some potential health risks associated with e-cigarettes, including cardiovascular and respiratory issues.
NYT Technology: Wing, Owned by Google’s Parent Company, Gets First Approval for Drone Deliveries
Wing, Owned by Google's Parent Company, Gets First Approval for Drone Deliveries The company's effort, approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, will be limited to parts of southwest Virginia.
S&P 500 and Nasdaq Closed at Record Highs, Recouping Last Year’s Major Losses
(NEW YORK) — The S&P 500 index is closing at a record high, surpassing the peak it set last September and recouping all the ground it lost in a nosedive late last year.
The Nasdaq index also closed at a record high Tuesday.
The market has risen sharply since bottoming out on Christmas Eve, driven by greater confidence in the economy and reassurances that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates this year.
The gains Tuesday came as big U.S. companies began turning in solid results for the first quarter. Hasbro soared 14.2% and Twitter jumped 15.6%.
The S&P 500 rose 25 points, or 0.9%, to 2,933.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 145 points, or 0.5%, to 26,656. The Nasdaq added 105 points, or 1.3%, to 8,120.
Walgreens to Raise Minimum Age to Purchase Tobacco After Federal Criticism
Walgreens has decided to raise its minimum age for tobacco sales several weeks after a top federal official chastised the drugstore chain for violating laws restricting access to cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. said Tuesday that it will require customers to be at least 21 years old to purchase tobacco in any of its more than 9,500 stores nationwide. The policy starts Sept. 1.
Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in March that Walgreens was a top violator of tobacco sales laws among pharmacies that sell those products. Rival CVS Health Corp. stopped several years ago.
Laws restricting tobacco sales vary nationally.
Most states have set a minimum age of 18, while a dozen have raised that to 21, according to the American Lung Association. Alaska and Alabama set their minimum ages at 19. Many cities and counties also have passed local laws establishing the minimum at 21.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week that he plans to introduce legislation to raise the minimum age to 21 nationally. The Kentucky Republican called the legislation a top priority.
NASA Image of the Day: Formation of the Southern Crab Nebula
Formation of the Southern Crab Nebula In celebration of the 29th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope on April 24, 1990, astronomers captured an image of the tentacled Southern Crab Nebula.
U.S. petroleum product exports set record high in 2018
U.S. petroleum product exports set record high in 2018 U.S. exports of total petroleum products set a record high in 2018, reaching an annual average of 5.6 million barrels per day (b/d), an increase of 366,000 b/d from 2017 levels. The three largest petroleum product exports from the United States in 2018 were distillate, propane, and motor gasoline. U.S. exports of motor gasoline (including blending components) and propane reached record highs in 2018, and exports of distillate reached their second-highest volume on record, following the high set in 2017.
NYT Technology: After the Bust, Are Bitcoins More Like Tulip Mania or the Internet?
After the Bust, Are Bitcoins More Like Tulip Mania or the Internet? To understand where cryptocurrencies are going, it helps to look beneath the price gyrations to see how people are actually using the technology. The data provides reason for both hope and concern.
NYT Technology: This Estonian Start-Up Has Become a Thorn in Uber’s Side
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Published in partnership with ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom based in New York.
Katie Meyler, the CEO and founder of More Than Me, has resigned six months after a ProPublica investigation revealed her charity missed opportunities to prevent the rapes of girls in its care by a senior staff member, Macintosh Johnson, with whom Meyler once had an intimate relationship.
Meyler, who founded the charity in 2009 to save vulnerable girls from sexual exploitation, had been on a leave of absence pending the results of three separate inquiries by the charity and the Liberian government into ProPublica's report, which concluded that Meyler and charity officials gave Johnson significant power over vulnerable students, were not transparent about the extent of his abuse and failed to make sure that all of his potential victims were tested after it came to light that he had AIDS when he died.
The findings of these inquiries have yet to be made public, but Meyler announced her departure Friday evening on Facebook:
"Over the past few months, false allegations have been circulating around the horrific mistreatment of girls in our program. Some of the false allegations suggest I knew or should have known what was happening to these girls. That's simply not true," Meyler wrote.
"Here's the truth: I first learned about these crimes in June 2014 and immediately ensured the perpetrator was reported to the Liberian authorities; he was in jail four days after I learned of his abuse. I cooperated fully with the police investigation and did everything I could to protect our students.
"However, I recognize that my public role as CEO has become a distraction from the critical mission and incredible and proven work of our team which is why I recently made the difficult decision to resign."
After the publication of ProPublica's story and documentary film, More Than Me for the first time apologized, admitting in a statement that it had failed girls in its care and acknowledging, "Our leadership should have recognized the signs earlier."
The charity said it would provide school-wide HIV testing for students at its academy in Monrovia, the Liberian capital.
The chairman of the U.S.-based board of directors, Skip Borghese, resigned, along with a second U.S. board member and a member of the charity's Liberian advisory board. Three separate inquiries were announced: One by a committee of U.S. board members, which retained a law firm to conduct an "in-depth, external audit;" one by a panel convened by the charity's Liberian advisory board; and one announced by the Liberian government, which named multiple agencies that would take part in its probe.
In an interview this month, Liberian Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Alice Johnson-Howard said the multi-agency report was still in progress.
A More Than Me spokesperson said on Friday that there would be more information about the charity's reports next week and confirmed Meyler's resignation.
This is the full text of Meyler's Facebook statement:
In 2009, I founded More Than Me with a single goal: help the young women and girls of Liberia. Since then, we've founded a Girls Academy, partnered with public schools across the country, and educated thousands of students. Our focus has always been on helping these girls and putting them first.
Over the past few months, false allegations have been circulating around the horrific mistreatment of girls in our program. Some of the false allegations suggest I knew or should have known what was happening to these girls. That's simply not true.
Here's the truth: I first learned about these crimes in June 2014 and immediately ensured the perpetrator was reported to the Liberian authorities; he was in jail four days after I learned of his abuse. I cooperated fully with the police investigation and did everything I could to protect our students.
However, I recognize that my public role as CEO has become a distraction from the critical mission and incredible and proven work of our team which is why I recently made the difficult decision to resign.
More Than Me has always been an organization focused on doing what's best for young women and girls in Liberia. While my role as CEO has concluded, I urge every More Than Me supporter to redouble their efforts to help these vulnerable girls. They need our support.
More Than Me Girls: I started this organization because of my deep and profound belief in you. Please know, nothing can or ever will change that. No one can stop you. You make darkness shutter. Rise, powerful, courageous girls, rise! The world is waiting for you!
NYT Technology: Beyond Meat Details Plans for Initial Public Offering
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NYT Technology: Samsung Postpones Rollout of Galaxy Fold
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NYT Technology: Google Employees Say They Faced Retaliation After Organizing Walkout
Google Employees Say They Faced Retaliation After Organizing Walkout Two Google workers who called for an employee protest over the company's treatment of sexual harassment said they were demoted or told their role would change.
NYT Technology: Samsung Postpones Rollout of Galaxy Fold
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The WNBA Just Signed a Deal With CBS Sports That Will Nearly Double Its National TV Exposure
(NEW YORK) — The WNBA is nearly doubling its national TV exposure with a multiyear deal with CBS Sports.
CBS Sports Network will broadcast 40 WNBA games beginning next month when the season opens. The Minnesota Lynx vs. the Chicago Sky on May 25 will be the first game on the CBS Sports Network.
"Through our partnership with CBS Sports Network, the WNBA is joining an elite lineup of premium sports programming," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "We thank CBS Sports for making such a meaningful commitment to women's basketball and for providing another platform to showcase the world-class athletes of the WNBA."
The league, which will begin its 23rd season on May 24, also has a deal with ESPN to show 16 regular-season telecasts, including three on ABC. Last year, the WNBA had a strong regular season with combined average viewership across ESPN2 and NBA TV up 31% over 2018.
All-Star Sue Bird and the defending WNBA Champion Seattle Storm will make six appearances on CBS Sports Network this season. That includes a WNBA Finals rematch against former league MVP Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics on June 14.
The TV channel will use local broadcast feeds for now, similar to what NBA TV does for WNBA games. NBA TV showed 49 games last year. The upcoming NBA TV schedule of WNBA games has not been finalized yet.
"We are truly excited to partner with the WNBA, bringing the country's premier women's sports league to CBS Sports Network. This partnership is one of the biggest and most impactful women's sports programming arrangements ever at CBS Sports, offering national exposure of 40 games per year," said CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus. "This agreement provides great live content throughout the summer in prime time and on weekends, and aligns two great brands in the WNBA and CBS Sports. We look forward to working with the WNBA for many years to come."
CBS executive vice president of programming Dan Weinberg said the WNBA was exactly what CBS was looking for to bolster its schedule.
"We are looking to partner with established brands that are growing with dedicated fan bases," he said in a phone interview. "The WNBA checks every one of those boxes. (Playing in the) spring-summer lends itself to our programming schedule. We are clearly and obviously talking about the best basketball players in the world at the highest level. Associating ourselves with WNBA, it's a great powerful established brand with popularity across the country."
The sides are still discussing expanding the coverage to include features and other WNBA programming.
"It's going to be beyond highlights," said David Denenberg, who is the Senior Vice President, Global Media Distribution and Business Affairs for NBA Entertainment. "Whether it's features we develop or CBS develops, we want to do more."
It's unclear how the WNBA will decide which games will air on ESPN or CBS Sports Network going forward after this year. The league didn't seem too concerned.
"Suffice it to say we have enough games we think we'll put together a robust schedule for everyone," Denenberg said. "We'll announce the CBS schedule, ESPN schedule. I think we're going to well serve all our partners."
Samsung Is Delaying the Galaxy Fold After Reports the Foldable Phone Was Breaking
(Bloomberg) — Samsung Electronics Co. will delay the planned launch Friday of its first foldable smartphone until at least next month, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Galaxy Fold, priced at almost $2,000, was hit by early reviews that showed several problems with test versions of the device. The new rollout is expected in the coming weeks, though a firm date has yet to be set, the Journal reported. A spokesman for Samsung declined to confirm the report when contacted by Bloomberg.
The problems with the phone, which was meant to rejuvenate a flagging market and showcase the Korean company's technology expertise, stemmed from issues concerning the hinge and display. Some reviewers had unknowingly ripped off part of the phone's display, confusing it with a protective cover.
Pre-orders began earlier this month for a marquee device that's expected to usher in a wave of smartphones that can unfurl into tablets. A delay would mark another setback after the company suffered a black-eye with a previous major launch in 2016, when it recalled the Galaxy Note 7 after consumers reported issues with batteries that burst into flames.
While it's still too early to predict consumer demand for smartphones with flexible screens, Samsung and others are eager to gain an edge over Apple Inc. in the $495 billion industry. Samsung had forecast it will produce at least 1 million foldable phones this year, a fraction of its overall shipments in 2018.
NYT Technology: Tesla to Investigate Car That Appeared to Burst Into Flames in Shanghai
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U.S. energy trade with Mexico involves importing crude oil, exporting petroleum products
U.S. energy trade with Mexico involves importing crude oil, exporting petroleum products Energy trade accounted for 12% of the value for all U.S. exports to Mexico and 5% of all U.S. imports from Mexico in 2018, based on the latest annual data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Energy trade between Mexico and the United States has historically been driven by Mexico's sales of crude oil to the United States and by U.S. net exports of refined petroleum products to Mexico.
Stop & Shop Strike Ends as Employees and Company Reach Tentative Agreement
(BOSTON) — Stop & Shop supermarket workers and company officials reached a tentative contract agreement Sunday that includes wage increases for all associates and maintains health coverage, according to news releases from both parties.
The company said the agreement ends employee strikes that started April 11 at 240 Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
The tentative three-year agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers union is subject to ratification votes by members of each of the union locals, the company said.
"Our associates' top priority will be restocking our stores so we can return to taking care of our customers and communities and providing them with the service they deserve," the company said. "We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers during this time, and we look forward to welcoming them back to Stop & Shop."
The union said "today is a powerful victory for the 31,000 hardworking men and women of Stop & Shop who courageously stood up to fight for what all New Englanders want." It said workers were on strike to protest the company's proposed cuts to health care, take-home pay and other benefits.
"Under this proposed contract, our members will be able to focus on continuing to help customers in our communities enjoy the best shopping experience possible and to keep Stop & Shop the number one grocery store in New England," the union said. "The agreement preserves health care and retirement benefits, provides wage increases, and maintains time-and-a-half pay on Sunday for current members."
The company limited its offerings amid the strikes. Stop & Shop President Mark McGowan said in a letter April 16 that most stores would remain open for 12 hours, seven days a week. However, he said bakery, customer service, deli, seafood counters and gas stations would not be operational.
The limited offerings impacted Passover shopping in New England, as Stop & Shop is the region's largest supermarket chain and has deep roots in the local Jewish community. A number of rabbis in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island advised their congregations not to cross picket lines to buy Jewish holiday essentials.
"The food that you're buying is the product of oppressed labor and that's not kosher," Rabbi Barbara Penzner, of Temple Hillel B'nai Torah, a reconstructionist synagogue in Boston, said last week. "Especially during Passover, when we're celebrating freedom from slavery, that's particularly egregious."
Stop & Shop is a subsidiary of Dutch supermarket giant Ahold Delhaize, with 415 stores across the Northeast. Workers at company stores in New York and New Jersey were not on strike.
Multiple public figures came out in support of the workers. Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren stood on a picket line April 12 in Somerville, Massachusetts, saying she would fight for the "dignity of working people."
Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, both Democrats, supported Stop & Shop employees in Connecticut. Former Vice President and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden met with workers outside a store in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.
Two more Democratic 2020 candidates, South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, visited stores in support of the workers as well.
A former NHL player for the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche, defenseman Ray Bourque, was caught in the middle of the strike when he was seen crossing a picket line to shop at a Massachusetts store. Bourque apologized for crossing the line and promised to walk the picket line in solidarity with Stop & Shop workers once his medical issue was resolved.
SpaceX Crew Dragon Test ‘Anomaly’ Sends Plumes of Smoke Over Cape Canaveral
Smoke reportedly rose from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Saturday after an engine test caused a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to malfunction, possibly setting back previously scheduled crewed missions.
SpaceX told Florida Today that the malfunction, and subsequent smoke, was brought about by an "anomaly."
"Earlier today, SpaceX conducted a series of engine tests on a Crew Dragon test vehicle on our test stand at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida," SpaceX said to Florida Today. "The initial tests completed successfully but the final test resulted in an anomaly on the test stand."
SpaceX has given no word on what went wrong during the test.
Photos taken from a beach near the Florida test site showed plumes of smoke rising from Cape Canaveral.
BREAKING: #SpaceX Crew Dragon suffered an anomaly during test fire today, according to 45th Space Wing. Smoke could be seen on the beaches.
"On April 20, an anomaly occurred at Cape Canaveral AFS during Dragon 2 static test fire. Anomaly was contained and no injuries." pic.twitter.com/If5rdeGRXO
The Crew Dragon, or Dragon 2, spacecraft completed its first successful uncrewed test flight in March, setting the stage for a return to manned flights from American soil. NASA has been launching its astronauts to the International Space Station with the help of Russia since the space shuttle program ended in 2011.
SpaceX had previously planned to launch NASA test pilots aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft in July. They have given no official word whether or not this "anomaly" will affect those plans.
"Ensuring that our systems meet rigorous safety standards and detecting anomalies like this prior to flight are the main reasons why we test. Our teams are investigating and working closely with our NASA partners," the company stated, according to Florida Today.
NYT Technology: Free Speech Puts U.S. on ‘a Collision Course’ With Global Limits on Big Tech
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NYT Technology: Silicon Valley Came to Kansas Schools. That Started a Rebellion.
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Ancestry Pulls Ad After Criticism That It Romanticized Slavery
The DNA testing company Ancestry has taken down an ad showing a white man and a black woman who are in love attempting to escape what appears to be the the Civil War-era South.
The 30-second commercial, entitled "Inseparable," shows the couple running to a secluded spot.
"Abigail, we can escape to the North," the man tells the woman. "There's a place we can be together across the border. Will you leave with me?"
As the ad ends, text appears on the screen saying, "Without you, the story stops here."
Backlash was swift as critics accused the company of offering a romanticized version of American history. Most biracial or multiracial children born at the time were products of rape of women by slave owners, research has found.
While it's true that 1 in 4 black folks who test their male line through DNA end up finding a white man, it ain't because of no damn slavery love story. I'm so tired of y'all. https://t.co/UwknpDDniL
Interracial coercion and sex was widespread in the Antebellum South, where slave owners often propositioned girls in their teens, according to an article in the Journal of African American History. A 2016 study looking at the history in the DNA of African Americans today found evidence that white slave owners fathered children with the women they held as slaves in a common practice that appeared to cease around the end of the Civil War.
What the hell is this @Ancestry? Why do white people insist on romanticizing my Black female ancestors experiences with white men during slavery?
They were raped, abused, treated like animals, beaten, and murdered by white men. Stop with the revisions.pic.twitter.com/cDEWdkzJPm
Ancestry took the ad down from its YouTube channel. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement to CBS News, the company said: "Ancestry is committed to telling important stories from history. This ad was intended to represent one of those stories. We very much appreciate the feedback we have received and apologize for any offense that the ad may have caused. We are in the process of pulling the ad from television and have removed it from YouTube." Mahita Gajanan
NYT Technology: The Week in Tech: Do You Prefer Free Speech, or a Perfectly Clean Internet?
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U.S. natural gas inventories end withdrawal season at lowest level since spring 2014
U.S. natural gas inventories end withdrawal season at lowest level since spring 2014 Working natural gas in storage in the Lower 48 states at the end of March totaled 1,137 billion cubic feet (Bcf) according to EIA's Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report. As of March 31, the usual end of the natural gas withdrawal season, working natural gas inventories were 30% lower than the previous five-year average for that time of year. This end-of-season level was the lowest since 2014, when working natural gas inventories at the end of March 2014 totaled 837 Bcf.
NYT Technology: After Social Media Bans, Militant Groups Found Ways to Remain
After Social Media Bans, Militant Groups Found Ways to Remain Hezbollah and other groups classified as terrorist organizations by the United States have changed their social media strategies to stay on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
Corporate America Gears Up for ‘Weed Day’ Celebrations on April 20
LOS ANGELES — Potheads have for decades celebrated their love of marijuana on April 20, but the once counter-culture celebration that was all about getting stoned now is so mainstream Corporate America is starting to embrace it.
No, Hallmark doesn't yet have a card to mark "420." But many other businesses inside and outside the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry are using April 20, or 4/20, to roll out marketing and social media messaging aimed at connecting with consumers driving the booming market.
On Saturday, Lyft is offering a $4.20 credit on a single ride in Colorado and in select cities in the U.S. and Canada. Carl's Jr. is using a Denver restaurant to market a hamburger infused with CBD, a non-intoxicating molecule found in cannabis that many believe is beneficial to their health.
On 420 last year, Totino's, a maker of frozen pizza snacks, tweeted an image of a microwave and an oven with the message: "To be blunt, pizza rolls are better when baked."
"I think brands that associate themselves with cannabis kind of get that contact high. In other words, they're just considered to be cooler by association," said Kit Yarrow, consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University. "As pot becomes more legal, more discussed, more interesting to people, more widely used, then 420 becomes more mainstream as well."
Marijuana normalization has snowballed since 2012, when Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational use. Eight more followed, including California, Oregon and Michigan. Medical marijuana is legal in two-thirds of the states, with conservative-leaning Utah and Oklahoma among recent additions.
Meantime, the CBD market has exploded. CBD oil can be found in candies, coffee and other food, drinks and dietary supplements, along with perfume, lotions, creams and soap. Proponents say CBD helps with pain, anxiety and inflammation, though limited scientific research supports those claims.
U.S. retail sales of cannabis products jumped to $10.5 billion last year, a threefold increase from 2017, according to data from Arcview Group, a cannabis investment and market research firm. The figures do not include retail sales of hemp-derived CBD products.
Ben & Jerry's was one of the earliest big brands to foster a connection with the marijuana culture through marketing. The Vermont-based ice cream company features Cherry Garcia and Phish Food, honoring late Grateful Dead member Jerry Garcia and the band Phish. Both bands are favorites of the marijuana-smoking crowd.
To mark 420 in recent years, Ben & Jerry's debuted taco and burrito inspired ice cream sandwiches. This year the company partnered with a San Francisco Bay Area cannabis retailer to give customers who place delivery orders on Friday and Saturday a free pint of Half Baked, a combination of cookie dough and fudge brownie.
"We have a lot of fun, never being overt, but really playing into the moment of 420," said Jay Curley, the company's global head of integrated marketing.
Last year, Ben & Jerry's also turned more serious, asking consumers to call on lawmakers to expunge prior marijuana convictions and press for pardons or amnesty for anyone arrested for smoking pot. This year the company is using the holiday to call for criminal justice reform.
"We're actually using this as an opportunity not to tell a stoner joke like we have in the past, but to raise what we see as a much more serious issue around justice," Curley said.
Those in the marijuana marketplace also are ramping up advertising around 420. Much of the marketing about cannabis or related products takes the form of online ads, emails, text messages and social media. Shops typically offer discounts. Some host parties with food and entertainment. The larger 420 events can draw thousands of people.
Verano Holdings, whose businesses include cannabis shops, sponsors street festivals in Chicago and Tulsa, Oklahoma, where attendees can learn about marijuana products, listen to music and grab a bite. The company expects this Saturday's festival in Chicago, going on its third year, will draw more than 4,000 people. Last year, it drew 1,500, said Tim Tennant, Verano's chief marketing officer.
In San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, Hippie Hill will again be the site of a 420 celebration. Last year, more than 15,000 attended the event, which has transformed from a small informal gathering into a full-blown festival of corporate sponsors and commercial booths selling smoking devices, T-shirts and food.
Roger Volodarsky, whose Los Angeles-based Puffco makes portable vaporizers, has celebrated 420 since he was a teenager. Back then, he said, "420 was the day that you splurged on yourself and got high in interesting ways. It was the day that you made a gravity bong and coughed your brains out."
Volodarksy likes that some Main Street brands are getting into the industry and the holiday.
"What's important to me about these ad campaigns is they're speaking to people who aren't users and they're normalizing the space to people who aren't users," he said.
Even as popularity grows, some companies will stay away from 420 as a marketing tool, said Allen Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce, a marketing consulting company.
"If you're talking about a big brand that needs to appeal to everybody and is very risk-averse, then probably not," he said. "I don't think you'll see large financial institutions doing it."
Uber’s Self-Driving Arm Has Received a $1 Billion Investment Ahead of Its IPO
Uber Technologies Inc. secured a $1 billion investment from three Japanese companies, ahead of an initial public offering expected next month.
Denso Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp.'s Vision Fund bought stakes in the self-driving unit, valuing the arm at $7.25 billion, according to a statement. The deal will help Uber, which tallied a $3 billion operating loss last year, to continue funding a very costly endeavor.
Uber publicly filed a prospectus to go public last week and is expected to begin a road show to promote the stock before the end of the month. The offering could value Uber at roughly $100 billion, people familiar with the matter have said. The autonomous-car investment is the second major deal struck in the weeks leading up to the IPO. Uber Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said last month that the company had agreed to acquire Middle Eastern rival Careem for $3.1 billion.
With Uber remaining the majority shareholder in the autonomous-car venture, public investors will still be exposed to a substantial expense. Uber spent $457 million last year on technology investments, including the self-driving car business. However, the pre-IPO deal will help the company argue that the autonomous program is a valuable component of its business.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, Uber said. Together, Toyota and the auto supplier Denso will invest $667 million, while the SoftBank Vision Fund will chip in $333 million for the self-driving unit.
SoftBank was already the largest shareholder in Uber, with a 16 percent holding. Toyota has a smaller stake. SoftBank hasn't been able to take two board seats at Uber that were granted as part of its investment more than a year ago. Due to an impending U.S. national security review, SoftBank may never get those seats, but it will have rights to join a new board as part of the autonomous-car deal.
The new corporate entity will have a board compromised of six Uber-appointed members, one appointed by Toyota and one from SoftBank's Vision Fund, a person familiar with the matter said. That seat will also require U.S. security approval.
NYT Technology: Investors Value Uber’s Self-Driving Cars at $7.25 Billion
Investors Value Uber's Self-Driving Cars at $7.25 Billion A billion-dollar investment is meant to prop up a money-losing unit before Uber makes its pitches ahead of a planned I.P.O.
NYT Technology: Amazon Gives Up on Chinese Domestic Shopping Business
Amazon Gives Up on Chinese Domestic Shopping Business The company had long struggled to gain traction in China despite operating there for more than a decade.
The National Enquirer to Be Sold to Former Hudson News Owner
(NEW YORK) — The National Enquirer is being sold to the former head of the airport newsstand company Hudson News.
Tabloid owner American Media says it is selling the supermarket weekly to James Cohen. The deal comes after a rocky year for the tabloid in which it was caught up in a federal probe of illegal campaign contributions to Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016.
The tabloid has also been accused by Amazon chief Jeff Bezos of trying to blackmail him by threatening to publish explicit photos of him. The tabloid denies the charges.
Financial terms were not immediately disclosed for the deal, which also includes two other American Media tabloids, the Globe and the National Examiner.
NYT Technology: Samsung Will Investigate New Folding Phone After Reviewers Find Problems
Samsung Will Investigate New Folding Phone After Reviewers Find Problems The company said some of the problems described in reviews of its nearly $2,000 Galaxy Fold phone might be attributed to the removal of a protective film from the display.
NASA Image of the Day: A Rainbow and the Cygnus Launch
A Rainbow and the Cygnus Launch A rainbow is seen at launch Pad-0A after the Northrop Grumman Antares rocket launched, Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
EIA expects 2019 summer average residential electricity use to be lowest in five years
EIA expects 2019 summer average residential electricity use to be lowest in five years EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts that the typical U.S. residential household will consume about 3,080 kilowatthours of electricity this summer (June through August), down 5% from the average summer consumption in 2018. If this forecast is realized, it would be the lowest level of electricity consumption per customer since 2014 and the second-lowest level since 2001. EIA expects summer electricity consumption will be lower than in 2017 because of milder projected temperatures.
India’s Struggling Jet Airways Has Grounded All Flights
India's Jet Airways announced Wednesday that it will be cancelling all flights due to a lack of funding.
The airline has been struggling to stay in business, and was informed on Tuesday night by a group of lenders, led by the government-run State Bank of India, that no more loans would be made to the company, reports CNN.
"Since no emergency funding from the lenders or any other source is forthcoming, the airline will not be able to pay for fuel or other critical services to keep the operations going," the airline said in a statement released Wednesday.
The company is seeking a private investor to buy 75% of the company so it can restart flight operations, according to CNN.
"Jet Airways is hopeful that it will be able to bring the Joy of Flying back to its guests as soon as possible," the airline's statement said.
The cancellations, which the company calls "temporary," apply to both domestic and international flights. The company said that all guests will be notified of flight cancellation via text message or email.
