Brigadoon Daily
March 12, 2021
Brigadoon Daily | Exclusively for Brigadoon Members
Happy Bonus Friday
TOP FIVE
1. Tech giants' dreams of free internet wither in African backlash
2. Postcard from Tohoku: Lessons to learn 10 years after tsunami
3. A war over Russia has erupted at the Atlantic Council
4. Professor Scott Galloway just raised $30 million for an online school
5. So you bought an NBA Top Shot NFT. What do you actually own?
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GLOBALIZATION
Tech giants' dreams of free internet wither in African backlash: Bloomberg reports authorities are curbing the use of social media to stifle opposition.
Postcard from Tohoku: Lessons to learn 10 years after tsunami: Melanie Brock writes in my quest to find a way to help the communities of the tsunami-ravished north-east of Japan, I discover a lot about community and perseverance.
Blinken, Austin to make first overseas trip to Japan, South Korea: The Hill reports Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel together to Japan and South Korea next week, the State Department said in a statement Wednesday, the first overseas trip for senior Cabinet officials.
Beijing summons UK envoy Dame Caroline Wilson for defending ‘fake news’: The Times reports Beijing delivered a public dressing down to the British ambassador yesterday in protest at an article she posted on Chinese social media supporting the role of a free press. The Foreign Ministry summoned Dame Caroline Wilson to make “stern representations” and made a statement accusing her of arrogance, double standards, bias, and manipulation.
Chinese lawmakers approved an extensive overhaul of how Hong Kong chooses its leaders, a momentous step in Beijing’s efforts to curb opposition in the Asian financial hub’s political system. The National People’s Congress passed near-unanimously a proposal Thursday to change the size and composition of the body that picks the city’s chief executive, and have it nominate local legislators. The rubber-stamp parliament also established a vetting committee to ensure candidates in the former British colony are “patriots,” effectively ending China’s only experiment with open elections.
Copenhagen’s new artificial island hits rough seas: Feargus O'Sullivan writes Swedish officials have joined Danish critics in registering concerns that an island-building plan — a signature test of Copenhagen’s development model — could have environmental risks.
WP: Women in Britain demand change after police officer is questioned on suspicion of killing a woman walking home
Sarah Everard vanished in south London on the night of March 3.
Battle royal: Harry and Meghan’s modern brand of revenge by Freddy Gray.
Meghan and Harry go to war: Helen Lewis writes the Oprah interview proved that the duchess won’t be silenced.
The UK is preparing a wide-ranging review of financial markets to defend the City of London’s global pre-eminence after Brexit. In an interview with Bloomberg, Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen said the government isn’t going to stop after overhauling rules covering initial public offerings and fintech firms. It is also preparing to consult businesses on “detailed proposals for wider reform to the capital markets” in the summer.
Bloomberg: Global CEOs are more optimistic about UK growth after Brexit
Key findings from the survey include:
The US, China, and Germany are seen as the top markets for growth
13% of Chinese CEOs selected the UK as their main target, compared with 3% in 2019
25% of India’s CEOs ranked the UK number one, compared with 9.5% previously
Adam Curtis cancels the future: Amar Ediriwira writes Curtis’s new BBC series, Can’t Get You Out of My Head, depicts the repetitive bleakness of individualism, but how can we collectively envision an alternative?
COVID
Denmark has suspended its use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of ‘a possible serious side effect in the form of fatal blood clots’. But the Health Ministry warned 'it is currently not possible to conclude whether there is a connection.'
Italy has created a hospital train with 21 intensive care beds to transfer sick patients between hospitals across the country.
Dr. Anthony Fauci told the Today Show that he would have been “shocked” to hear a year ago that the US coronavirus death toll would surpass 500,000.
Biden faces pressure to distribute vaccine globally: WP reports Russia and China are winning goodwill by shipping vaccines to needy nations. The Biden administration has been unable to match that because of domestic political pressures and health needs.
Slavitt: I would ‘tip my hat’ to Trump’s Operation Warp Speed: Politico reports “We’re grateful for the work that came before us and are doing the best we can to continue it and accelerate it,” Slavitt said on Fox.
@aslavitt46: Vaccination update: With 2.5 million new vaccinations reported today:
First doses:
25% of adults
63% of those > 65
72% of those over 75
Second doses:
13% of adults
32% of those over 65
42% of those over 75
This represents the daily work of so many across the country.
DISRUPTION
It’s time to reshape the food pyramid to save the climate: Dr. Michael Shank writes new agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack should change the dietary recommendations to include more plant-based food.
POLITICS
WP: Biden signs $1.9 trillion stimulus into law, some to see stimulus payments this weekend
“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country.”
@WHCOS The enrolled bill arrived last night — so @POTUS is signing it today — we want to move as fast as possible. We will hold our celebration of the signing on Friday, as planned, with Congressional leaders!
WSJ: Congress eyes antitrust changes to counter Big Tech, consolidation
Antitrust laws could get biggest makeover in decades—if lawmakers find consensus.
There are now 59 Democratic lawmakers in New York calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign, in light of a sixth sexual harassment allegation against him, Axios reports.
A war over Russia has erupted at the Atlantic Council: Politico reports it's rare to see a public fight at a prominent DC think tank, but Koch funding and human rights policy toward Moscow has pushed grievances out in the open.
Charles Koch, chief executive officer of Koch Industries, who advocates for less American intervention abroad, donated $4.5 million over five years to the Atlantic Council.
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COMMERCE
Why Amazon is fooding the country with $15 minimum wage ads: Edward Ongweso Jr writes Amazon’s lobbying for a $15 minimum wage is a PR boon, hiring strategy, anti-union tactic, and move against competitors all in one.
More than 8,000 US stores closed last year, and experts predict 10,000 possible closures in 2021.
Vertical farming company Kalera acquired Vindara, a company that breeds seeds for flavor, texture, and nutritional content using machine learning and computational biology.
Restaurant POS software company Toast is filing for IPO, planning for a $20B valuation with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase.
Section4, an edtech company with a focus on business education, raised $30M from CVC WarnerMedia Investments and VC firms Genesys Partners and General Catalyst.
TC: Professor Scott Galloway just raised $30 million for an online school that upskills managers fast
The company is premised on the belief that millions of workers need help to stay competitive and employable, yet not all have access to, or interest in, costly graduate school programs.
Apple has a tried-and-true approach to launching new products: The company designs in-house, sources its own components, and works with a contract manufacturer to assemble them for sale. As the tech giant plots a foray into the car market, it could adopt a similar strategy -- working with a lesser-known contract manufacturer -- after talks with some automakers stalled.
What went wrong at Gimlet by Nicholas Quah.
New Financial Times: When the global newspaper of finance and business calls for a reset of capitalism, it’s serious. Roula Khalaf, the first female editor of the Financial Times since its founding in 1888, talks with Brunswick’s Caroline Daniel.
SPACE + SCIENCE
The very concept of dark matter itself questioned in new research by SciTechDaily.
PERFORMANCE
Amanda Mull broke breakfast: She reports Americans eat a narrower variety of foods for breakfast than anyone else. It doesn’t have to be this way.
CULTURE
The bizarre tale of the world's last lost tourist, who thought Maine was San Francisco by Andrew Chamings.
The last cassette player standing: Addison Del Mastro writes in our globalized economy, the death of technology can be more interesting than its life.
TRAVEL
What are the world’s best airline brands by One Mile at a Time.
SPORT
So you bought an NBA Top Shot NFT. What do you actually own? Jeff John Roberts writes buyer beware: People are paying thousands of dollars to "own" NBA highlight NFTs. But ownership in this case might mean a lot less than you think.
Sports changes that should outlast the pandemic by Washington Post Staff.
An often-overcrowded Everest has reopened to climbers. Antonia Noori Farzan reports some are questioning the decision.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Curation and commentary by Marc A. Ross | Founder @ Brigadoon
Happy Bonus Friday | Brigadoon Daily
