Brigadoon ITK | Oct. 19

NATO to expand focus to counter rising China: Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg reveals significant broadening of alliance’s objectives to include Beijing.
FT

+ Stoltenberg said Russia and China should be viewed as a joint threat: “First of all China and Russia work closely together,” he said. “Second, when we invest more in technology … that’s about both of them.”

Brits are increasingly worried about the cost of living and energy crises, UK consumer confidence has dropped substantially, and people are starting to blame the government as they prepare for a difficult winter, according to Kekst CNC polling shared with Politico.

+ A whopping 90 percent of those polled say they expect the cost of living to go up in the next three years and 88 percent think taxes will rise.

Nuclear fusion edges toward the mainstream: Long-shot money is flowing into start-ups that seek the energy of the stars. Driving the investments is a rising alarm about global warming.
NYT

Bitcoin resumed its climb toward all-time highs with asset manager ProShares poised to launch the first Bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund.

+ The SEC has not formally approved the ETF, but the agency also did not block this development

The days of US tech companies fighting back against authoritarian regimes are long gone: Companies like Apple must now reckon with how oppressive governments use their technologies to extend their power and control.
WP

Why birds can fly over Mount Everest: A story about oxygen, evolution, and our planet’s fate.
Nautilus

Esther Perel: How to navigate the ‘next normal’ at work: Understanding more about human relationships will help business leaders minimize the pandemic’s after-effects on staff, writes the psychotherapist and podcast host.
FT

‘More visceral’ and a lot tougher on Eric Clapton: A plan for reviving Rolling Stone: With Web-savvy new editor Noah Shachtman, the boomer-rock bible wants to shrug off dusty magazine conventions — and take on sacred cows.
WP

FIFA is ending its long-term exclusive partnership with Electronic Arts as it looks to widen its gaming and esports portfolio. The two parties first struck a deal in 1993 that will expire in 2022. FIFA is reportedly seeking more than double its current $150 million annual licensing fee.

+ The “FIFA” series is estimated to be worth more than $2 billion annually to EA

The NBA's top 10 earners this season will pocket a combined $714 million, up 28% from last season.

+ Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James is set to earn $111.2 million this upcoming season between his $41.2 million salary and an estimated $70 million from off-court ventures

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Watch: Ocean depth comparison

Brigadoon ITK | Oct. 18

Africa begins to emerge as car industry hub: After the European car industry moved much of its production into Eastern Europe, some believe the next step is Africa, both for production and a growing consumer market. Should Germany's eastern neighbors be worried?
DW

Melbourne, which by some accounts has spent more time in lockdown than any other city in the world, will start easing its stay-at-home orders from Thursday.

China tests new space capability with hypersonic missile
FT

+ Launch in August of a nuclear-capable rocket that circled the globe took US intelligence by surprise

Washington hears echoes of the ’50s and worries: Is this a Cold War with China? Incursions into Taiwan’s air zone, a space launch, and what looked like a prisoner swap raise a question that is about more than just semantics. It could signal a dangerous new mindset.
NYT

How close are flying cars? Joby Aviation Founder JoeBen Bevirt talks about how to make sky taxis as cheap as those on the street and why the machines are so quiet.
Kyle Stock

+ Czech auto manufacturers will produce about 250,000 fewer cars this year due to the global shortage in chips.

Intel’s turnaround and the future of chipmaking: America’s historically hermetic semiconductor giant opens up—and tries to shake up its industry in the process.
Economist

Samsung Electronics wants to dominate cutting-edge chipmaking: The South Korean dynasty’s third generation is taking on TSMC and Intel. Can it succeed?
Economist

+ Zillow acquired more than 3,800 homes in the second quarter

The off-roading astronauts of Apollo: The later moon missions didn’t grab as much attention as the first landing in 1969, but they had something very cool on the gear front: the lunar rover, a lightweight go-kart that gave crews unmatched mobility on another world
Outside

+ More than 130 million people have watched the Squid Game on Netflix

Iohan Gueorguiev, ‘Bike Wanderer’ of the wilderness, dies at 33: He gained a following online for his lyrical appreciation of the open road while biking through remote landscapes and braving extreme conditions.
NYT

+ The Chicago Sky battled back from a second-half deficit to beat the Phoenix Mercury in a WNBA championship thriller. They were unlikely champions after a .500 record during the regular season.

The NFL needs to handle its truth: A racist email and other ugly missives from Jon Gruden can’t be the end of a story that began in Washington.
Jason Gay

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Get to Know: André Hueston Mack

André Hueston Mack is an American sommelier, winemaker, and author.

He is the first African American to win the title of Best Young Sommelier in America (2003) and was the runner-up for Best Sommelier in North America in 2004.

Despite having a successful career with Citicorp Investment Services, Mack decided to leave his “desk job” to pursue his passion for wine. While working as a sommelier in San Antonio, Mack discovered the joys of introducing guests to the little-known vineyards that first attracted him to the business and “the instant gratification of a guest’s reaction.”

While still in Texas, Mack was awarded the prestigious title of Best Young Sommelier in America by the highly regarded Chaine des Rotisseurs. This recognition led to a job as a sommelier at Thomas Keller’s world-renowned French Laundry in Yountville, California. Mack went on to accept the position of Head Sommelier at Keller’s equally famed Per Se in New York City, where he managed a 1500-selection award-winning wine list and regularly consulted with Chef Keller on the menu and pairing development.

Based on the success of his wine labels, in 2011, Mack established Get Fraiche Cru, a boutique graphic design firm, for which he serves as creative director.

Mack has been married since 2008 to author Phoebe Damrosch, whose New York Times notable book, Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter, detailed their courtship and collaboration in opening Per Se restaurant. Mack is an ardent wine educator who hosts seminars and leads panel discussions at several of the country’s most prestigious food and wine gatherings, including Aspen Food and Wine and Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival.

Mack has been featured in major publications such as Food and Wine, Wine & Spirits Magazine, New York Times, The Huffington Post, and Wall Street Journal.

Three reasons why André Hueston Mack inspires and motivates the Brigadoon network:

+ He is the first African American to win the title of Best Young Sommelier in America (2003) and was the runner-up for the title of Best Sommelier in North America in 2004

+ Honored in 2007 with The Network Journal’s 40-Under-Forty Achievement Award

+ Author of 99 Bottles: A Black Sheep’s Guide to Life-Changing Wines

Bonus: Watch Mack try 20 red wines under $15 - click here.