Brigadoon Daily | Nov. 4

Brigadoon Daily

Your daily dose of the emerging issues + independent thinkers shaping commerce + culture

November 4, 2021

The battle to control the metaverse

TOP FIVE

1. How South Korea became a cultural juggernaut

2. Havana Syndrome demonstrates the power of suggestion

3. NASA’s new rovers will be a fleet of mobile robots

4. Did Lady Gaga really stay in character for 18 months?

5. Dusty Baker still not ready to walk away

BRIGADOON EVENT

Brigadoon Author Talk | November Call

Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative

When: 2:00 - 2:45 pm ET | Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Speaker: Florence Williams | Author of The Nature Fix

Watch: What happens when you spend just 5 minutes in nature?

Go outside. Go often. Bring friends. Breathe.

An intrepid investigation into nature’s restorative benefits by prize-winning author Florence Williams.

Click here.

GLOBALIZATION + STATECRAFT

Introducing the chokepoint economy, when shortages start to matter
Bloomberg

China is rapidly accelerating the expansion of its nuclear stockpile and is likely seeking to quadruple its number of nuclear warheads by 2030, according to the Pentagon's annual report to Congress on China's military power.

Bloomberg: China’s latest Delta outbreak its most widespread since Wuhan

Analysis: Xi's 'common prosperity' feels the heat as economy fizzles: Divide the cake or make it bigger? Debate returns to China.
Nikkei

Bipartisanship on Chinese tech hits a snag: Consensus on Congress’s flagship bipartisan issue looks increasingly elusive, as the GOP expresses frustration over Democratic reluctance to tighten restrictions on research and technology flowing to China.
NJ

What the new China focus gets wrong: Competition requires balance
Richard Fontaine

+ A European Parliament group landed overnight in Taiwan, in a move likely to provoke fury in Beijing and refocus attention on EU-China relations

+ The trip comes days after Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu visited Brussels, where he met with members of the European Parliament and Belgian parliamentarians, having earlier in the week visited the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

OTD: In 1839 the first Opium War between China and Britain began, with the Battle of Chuenpi. HMS Volage and HMS Hyacinth defeated 29 Chinese vessels.

Japan’s voters endorse getting tough on China: The weekend elections defied predictions—and gave Prime Minister Kishida room to step up defense spending, regional exercises, and more.
Bruce Klingner

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday he will try to arrange a meeting with Biden soon, possibly by year-end, following up a chat on the sidelines of the United Nations climate conference.

From BTS to ‘Squid Game’: How South Korea became a cultural juggernaut: The country was once largely known for cars and smartphones, but a global audience has become mesmerized by its entertainment, and creators say success didn’t happen overnight.
NYT

France's Macron pays tribute, bids 'adieu' to Merkel: DW reports French President Emmanuel Macron took Germany's Angela Merkel to the Burgundy town of Beaune as part of her farewell visit. He was also to present her with France's highest award, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.

OTD: In 1985 two French secret service agents pleaded guilty to manslaughter related to the bombing of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand, on July 10, 1985. The ship was in the area to protest about nuclear testing in the Mururoa atoll, French Polynesia.

Ethiopia declares state of emergency as conflict escalates: FT reports authorities in Addis Ababa prepare for a possible military assault by forces from Tigray.

Bloomberg: How Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed went from Nobel Peace Prize to Tigray crisis

+ Failure to manage ethnic tensions at the root of Abiy’s troubles

+ Bond yields soar as rebel troops threaten the capital city

Born in Blackness by Howard W French review – Dehumanised in the age of discovery: The scale of the west’s exploitation of Africa and Africans in the pursuit of economic power is laid bare in this painful, passionate retelling of Eurocentric history.
Guardian

Havana Syndrome demonstrates the power of suggestion: Researchers are finally learning why US spies and diplomats are suffering from noise-related illnesses. The explanation seems to lie with neuroscience, not fiendish weaponry.
Faye Flam
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-11-03/havana-syndrome-demonstrates-the-power-of-suggestion

Marines will overhaul recruiting, retention in shift away from a young, ‘replaceable’ force, general says: The service is going to have to “treat people like human beings instead of inventory,” said the Marine Corps commandant, Gen. David H. Berger.
WP

POLITICS + CAMPAIGNS

AP: Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey narrowly won reelection

AP: Biden says Virginia race wasn’t blowback against him

The next Democrat reckoning
Gabriel Debenedetti

Democrats need to face up to their public school problem: Education should be helping Democrats, not hurting. What happened?
Jonathan Chait

Terry McAuliffe bet on voters hating Trump. Turns out they dislike Democrats more. Glenn Youngkin’s victory should send shock waves through the Democratic Party, which continues to alienate once-dependable members of its base.
Charlie Sykes

One simple reason for the Republicans’ good day: Political parties always struggle in off-year elections when led by an unpopular president like Biden. But politicians will draw more complicated conclusions, and these will guide future behavior.
Jonathan Bernstein

A sobering reality hits Democrats after election losses
Dan Balz

The Hillary playbook does not work
Sarah Jones

Youngkin’s win in Virginia started with Biden’s debacle in Afghanistan
Marc A. Thiessen

Fortune: Oddsmakers: Republicans are now the clear favorite to win the House and Senate in 2022

WP: US hits another wrenching milestone in the pandemic: 750,000 deaths

+ A new Gallup Poll finds 51% of Americans say the coronavirus situation is getting better, up from 20% in September.

+ However, 51% think pandemic disruption will continue throughout 2022.

DISRUPTION + INNOVATION

Pentagon wants AI to predict events before they occur: Haven’t we seen this film before?
IEEE Spectrum

COMMERCE

Kirsten Lynch, a Chicago city kid, is ready to run Vail Resorts: The resort operator’s new CEO on the importance of data, diversity, and little-known ski areas.
Bloomberg

They started with $10,000. Now they're taking on ESPN: How the brothers behind the scrappy startup FloSports are going big by going small. For now, at least.
Inc.

Amazon’s new TV sets are about more than selling hardware
Variety

Facebook wants to build a metaverse. Microsoft is creating something even more ambitious: FC reports rather than ruling one metaverse, Microsoft wants its Mesh platform to be the glue that holds a multiverse of many worlds together.

The battle to control the metaverse: Microsoft vs Meta: Office workers will decide which tech giant dominates the more immersive virtual world.
FT

Why Facebook is more worried about Europe than the US: Whistleblower Frances Haugen’s revelations aren’t sparking a European move to regulate the social media giant — they’re sealing it.
Politico

Google to pursue Pentagon cloud-computing contract: WSJ reports the company pulled out of bidding for a similar project three years ago amid employee complaints about doing military work.

Axios is now worth $430 million.

Black Rifle Coffee, which aspires to become a right-wing Starbucks, will go public via a SPAC.

Allbirds raised $303 million at a $2.4 billion valuation in its IPO.

The crypto exchange FTX hired Mark Wetjen, a former CFTC commissioner, to run its policy and lobbying operations.

Nike wants to sell sneakers in the metaverse.

Considering a ‘neobank’ or fintech? The lowdown on the fees, perks, and long-term prospects of challenger banks
Fortune

Gallup: Early US holiday spending plans look similar to 2020

+ Americans expect to spend $837 on gifts, similar to last year's estimate

+ Nearly two-thirds say their holiday spending will be the same as last year

+ Metrics point to an average year for holiday retail sales

‘The Great Resignation’ misses the point: The phrase has come to describe record levels of job turnover. But it overlooks the bigger story: a radical rethinking of our relationship to work.
Wired

SPACE + SCIENCE

NASA’s new rovers will be a fleet of mobile robots that work together: Deploying autonomous mini-rovers could help us explore places where conventional ones can’t go.
TR

PERFORMANCE

Lessons in constructive solitude from Thoreau: The writer used his self-quarantine at Walden to pursue an intensive course in self-education. In the present pandemic moment, there’s plenty to learn from standing still.
NYT

CULTURE

Damon Galgut wins 2021 Booker Prize for fiction: DW reports it was third time lucky for the South African author, who was also shortlisted in 2003 and 2010. His book "The Promise" was the overwhelming favorite for the prize.

AFP: For Stella McCartney, fashion must ditch leather or die trying

Gucci’s Hollywood romp: The brand takes over a tourist block for glamour with a seedy edge.
Cathy Horyn

Madness in her method: Did Lady Gaga really stay in character for 18 months? Lady Gaga inhabited her role in the upcoming drama House of Gucci off-screen and on for a year and a half. Was the ‘psychological difficulty’ she suffered as a result worth it?
Guardian

Water bear fossil and grizzly bear selfie — October’s best science images: The month’s sharpest science shots, selected by Nature’s photo team.

SPORT

DFP: Detroit Grand Prix to return downtown in 2023 under contract approved by City Council

Dusty Baker has devoted his life to baseball. He’s still not ready to walk away. By almost any measure, Dusty Baker is one of the great managers in baseball history. But he is still known as much for what he hasn’t done as for what he has.
WP

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Curation and commentary by Marc A. Ross | Founder @ Brigadoon

Get Brigadoon Daily in your inbox.

Subscribe here.

Brigadoon Daily Email.

Your daily dose of the emerging issues + independent thinkers shaping commerce + culture

Brigadoon Author Talk | November Call

Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative


When: 2:00 - 2:45 pm ET | Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Speaker: Florence Williams | Author of The Nature Fix

Cost: $25.00 - $45.00

Brigadoon Members and their guests attend free

$45.00 ticket price includes a copy of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative.


ATTEND

Book your spot today - click here.


WATCH

What happens when you spend just 5 minutes in nature?

Go outside. Go often. Bring friends. Breathe.

An intrepid investigation into nature’s restorative benefits by prize-winning author Florence Williams.

Click here.


REVIEWS

"A thoughtful, refreshing book with a simple but powerful message."
-- Kirkus Reviews

"[Williams] presents the benefits of spending time outdoors… entertainingly but with enough scientific detail to satisfy the expert."
-- New York Times Book Review

"Williams’s findings are eminently reassuring and perversely specific."
-- Atlantic

"[A] lively exploration of what modern research has to say about the myriad health benefits of the great outdoors. . . Ms. Williams resists the tendency of so much nature writing towards easy epiphanies, adopting a tone that is, instead, pleasingly puckish. . . [She] puzzles out the pros and cons, concluding, on balance, that there's a good case for connecting with nature to extend both the quantity and quality of life. . ."
-- Danny Heitman, Wall Street Journal


ATTEND

Book your spot today - click here.

Brigadoon Daily | Nov. 3

Brigadoon Daily

Your daily dose of the emerging issues + independent thinkers shaping commerce + culture

November 3, 2021

“Virginia is For Lovers”

TOP FIVE

1. Ethiopia declares state of emergency

2. Virginia goes Youngkin

3. Patagonia doesn’t use the word ‘sustainable’

4. ‘Vax’ is Oxford’s word of the year

5. The traveling friendship of Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar

ROSS RANT

"Do I need a communications advisor?"

Full post here.

GLOBALIZATION + STATECRAFT

Ethiopians mobilize as advance of rebel groups toward capital threatens wider civil war
WP

Ethiopia declares state of emergency as Tigray forces claim advances: DW reports the Ethiopian government has declared a national state of emergency amid fears that Tigray insurgents are preparing to march on the capital, Addis Ababa. The UN called for an "immediate cessation" of hostilities.

The Times: Residents in Ethiopian capital urged to take up arms against rebels

Long-winded at COP26: Ignoring the three minutes allocated for each global leader, Emmanuel Macron spoke for 10:53 minutes. But Joe Biden outdid even that, speaking for 11:25 minutes.

+ 100 countries pledged to end and reverse deforestation by 2030

+ US and EU unveil plan to slash methane emissions by 2030

Biden and his allies look past China on climate: The president and European leaders are looking to countries like Indonesia, India, and South Africa for climate change breakthroughs after failing to move Beijing at the G20 summit.
Politico

+ Biden said at a COP26 press conference on Tuesday that Chinese leader Xi Jinping made a "big mistake" by not showing up to the UN climate summit, suggesting that Beijing has "lost an ability to influence" other countries as a result.

How Russia is cashing in on climate change: Global warming may pose grave dangers around the world, but as one tiny Russian town on the Arctic Ocean shows, it can also be a ticket to prosperity.
NYT

The Netherlands is due to announce new COVID restrictions this week, with vaccine passports expected for sports venues, museums, and amusement parks, and the government urging people to work from home, at least part-time. On Sunday, the Netherlands reported the highest number of infections since July.

Germany coalition talks: What are the biggest sticking points? Negotiators enter tough talks on climate, taxation, and foreign policy as SPD, Greens, and FDP look to nail down the ‘traffic light’ coalition.
Politico

Why Britain and France can’t stop fighting about fish: It suits both Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron for the post-Brexit row to continue.
Politico

How Italy introduced the world to espresso – archive, 1953
Guardian

Satellite images show new Russian military buildup near Ukraine: Politico reports the deployments come as tension is rising between Moscow and the West.

When it comes to China, don’t call it a ‘Cold War’
Joseph S. Nye Jr.

+ Nye coined the term “soft power” in 1989 and is a professor @ Harvard University

Nikkei: New Zealand signals shift in China stance by opening door to AUKUS

+ Diplomat indicates a willingness to collaborate on technology outside of nuclear subs

Shutting down historical debate, China makes it a crime to mock heroes: Under a new law, China has zealously prosecuted even the perceived slander of Communist figures, broadening Xi Jinping’s campaign to dominate party orthodoxy.
NYT

China tells citizens to stockpile food as Covid controls are tightened: FT reports the communist party newspaper says no reason for alarm but admits families running low on supplies.

China’s climate goals hinge on a $440 billion nuclear buildout: China is planning at least 150 new reactors in the next 15 years, more than the rest of the world has built in the past 35.
Bloomberg

SCMP: China has already had its best year for space launches, and leads the US

+ 40 launches by the end of October is one more than the country managed last year, while the United States has had 39

Hawley proposes $3 billion per year for Taiwan: Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) and expected 2024 GOP presidential candidate has proposed a bill to give Taiwan $3 billion a year to boost its defenses ahead of a potential Chinese invasion. The Arm Taiwan Act would establish the Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative and conditions future arms sales on the island purchasing weapons to counter Beijing’s military plans.

Nikkei: As China campaigns to cut off Taiwan, Honduras poised to flip next

+ Beijing woos Central America and the Caribbean with vaccines and infrastructure

North says no more sanctions in return for end-of-war talks: Korea JoongAng Daily reports North Korea demanded that sanctions be lifted as a condition for negotiations to discuss a formal declaration to end the Korean War. The North’s stipulation for beginning talks to formally end the war was confirmed during an audit of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) conducted by the National Assembly’s intelligence committee.

South Korea plots its next entertainment blockbuster: Having given the world K-pop, Parasite, and Squid Game, it now wants to create global platforms to distribute its content.
FT

Singapore wants to become a global crypto hub: “We think the best approach is not to clamp down or ban these things,” its top banking regulator said.

The perils of military brinkmanship in the age of AI
Henry Kissinger + Eric Schmidt + Daniel Huttenlocher

POLITICS + CAMPAIGNS

Republican Youngkin takes Virginia election in blow to Biden
Bloomberg

ABC News: Republican Glenn Youngkin projected to win Virginia governor's race

+ It's the first time a Republican has won at the top of the ticket since 2009

WP: Republican Glenn Youngkin projected to win Virginia governor’s race

Politico: Republican Glenn Youngkin won the Virginia governor's race, a sign of the GOP's comeback after losing the presidency and the Senate in the last election

+ AP_Politics: BREAKING: Republican Glenn Youngkin wins election for governor in Virginia

+ VA Dem chair @SusanRSwecker to national Dems: "wake up" I would encourage those people across the river that could pass legislation to give relief to working families that maybe they better wake up & think about what next year is gonna look like now," she tells @jmartNYT

+ @Nate_Cohn: Biden has nearly the worst approval ratings of any president on record at this stage of his presidency. Just something to keep in mind if you're struggling to understand what happened tonight

+ @Redistrict: Needless to say, tonight's results are consistent w/ a political environment in which Republicans would comfortably take back both the House and Senate in 2022

+ Joe Biden won Virginia by ten points in 2020

Percentage that approves of Biden’s performance:

April 53%
August 49%
October 42%

Percentage that believes the country is headed in the wrong direction:

August 63%
October 71%

-- HT NBC News

Today: Biden returns from his European trip

Today: Nikki Haley will deliver the 2021 Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture at the Heritage Foundation

+ Nikki Haley (R-SC) is a former US Ambassador to the United Nations and former Governor of South Carolina, plus an expected 2024 GOP presidential candidate

Democrats must look beyond Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for 2024: The party’s historic deference to establishment candidates invites losing to Donald Trump.
Janan Ganesh

Liberals read, Conservatives watch TV: Explaining why Trump emerged on the right, why only liberals debate filibuster reform, how anti-vax became a partisan issue, how David Shor is half right, "Dems are the real racists," and much else.
Richard Hanania

Pence says James Madison and the Bible helped him certify election results against Trump’s wishes
WP

Banks tried to kill crypto and failed. Now they’re embracing it (slowly). Digital payments technology is forcing the financial system to evolve. Banks feel their power waning and want to regain control.
NYT

+ The companies standing behind over $100 billion in stablecoins — cryptocurrencies linked to the dollar — are effectively banks and should be regulated as such, according to an important new report released Monday by the Treasury Department

+ Treasury officials warned that without more oversight, the rise in reliance on stablecoins could result in bank runs, consumer abuse, and payment snafus, and potentially threaten the wider financial system

+ The Fed is expected to release a report on the prospects of a central bank digital currency in a couple of weeks

+ Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said that he would take his next paycheck “100% in Bitcoin"

+ A cryptocurrency inspired by “Squid Game” soared, spectacularly, before the money vanished

Reshuffle the Fed board now: Under the leadership of Jerome Powell, the US Federal Reserve seems headed for a massively consequential monetary-policy mistake. The best way to prevent it is to replace Powell with Lael Brainard, a Fed governor since 2014.
Simon Johnson

America has lost the plot on COVID: We’re avoiding the hardest questions about living with the coronavirus long term.
Sarah Zhang

DISRUPTION + INNOVATION

Is carbon capture here? A Swiss company is operating a device in Iceland that sucks CO2 from the air and shoots it into the ground, where it turns into rock.
NYT

COMMERCE

Hey, Facebook, I made a metaverse 27 years ago: It was terrible then, and it’s terrible now.
Ethan Zuckerman

Facebook plans to shut down its face recognition system in the "coming weeks," Meta announced Tuesday, citing the "many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society."

Microsoft takes on Facebook by launching metaverse on Teams: FT reports users will be able to appear as animated cartoons in meetings and visit virtual workspaces.

Into the metaverse: How sci-fi shapes our attitudes to the future: From the Terminator to Japanese manga, powerful narratives drive fear or reassurance around tech.
FT

WSJ: Hertz says Tesla is delivering cars to fleet, Elon Musk says there is no signed deal

+ Elon Musk’s net worth jumped $24 billion Tuesday, to $335 billion - he is by far the world’s richest person

Fear and loathing in cryptoland
Nick Maggiulli

What happens to your crypto when you die?
AP

China’s popular electric vehicles have put Europe’s automakers on notice: NYT reports by selling battery-powered SUVs and luxury sedans in places like Germany and Norway, China is striving to become a force in the global auto industry.

How car shortages are putting the world’s economy at risk: Because so many jobs depend on automaking, the industry’s production problems are causing the pain to ripple.
NYT

Bloomberg: Under Armour says transporting goods is now its biggest concern

Supply chain crisis risks taking the global economy down with it: New Bloomberg Economics gauges show the extent of the global supply shortages that are pushing prices higher and putting economic recoveries at risk.
Bloomberg

Nikkei: Apple trims iPad production to feed chips to iPhone 13

+ US tech giant produces 50% fewer tablets than planned in September-October

Bloomberg: Zillow shuts home-flipping business after racking up losses

Greedy bots cornered the sneaker market. What now?
Slate

Nike files to sell digital sneakers: WSJ reports the sneaker company’s trademark applications indicate it wants to offer virtual goods as part of videogames and other online platforms.

Lyft had 18.9 million active riders in the latest quarter.

LAT: The Golden Globes want to make a comeback this year. Hollywood isn’t buying it

Axios told staffers in an internal note that the company raised a series D funding round from Cox Enterprises, valuing the company at $430 million.

MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS

Patagonia doesn’t use the word ‘sustainable’. Here’s why: At Patagonia, we don’t use the word “sustainable”. Why? Because we recognize we are part of the problem.
Beth Thoren

+ Beth Thoren is the Environmental Action & Initiatives director, EMEA @ Patagonia

SPACE + SCIENCE

London cabbies’ brains are being studied for their navigating skills. It could help Alzheimer’s research.
WP

Related: Uber can't find my house: Without a doubt, London's taxi service is the best in the world. No doubt this is in part because cab drivers working in London must know the quickest routes through London's labyrinthine road network. There are thousands of streets and landmarks within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross - the junction in the city where six routes meet. Anyone who wants to drive an iconic London cab must memorize them all - they must have the Knowledge.
Full post here

PERFORMANCE

What motivates lifelong learners
John Hagel III

CULTURE

Check our Maya Lin's Ghost Forest, a towering stand of forty-nine haunting Atlantic white cedar trees curated as a public artwork in New York City's Madison Square Park.

These sneaker silhouettes have redefined what we consider to be luxury fashion
Quartz

What it's like to have a record deal and Justin Bieber for a fan at age 14: Prentiss Furr taught himself to make music in Jackson, Mississippi by editing YouTube videos. Now he's playing shows in L.A. and Skrillex wants to work with him.
GQ

‘Vax’ is Oxford’s word of the year, as pandemic’s ‘Fauci ouchie’ and ‘inoculati’ enter the lexicon: WP reports the coronavirus's influence on language — and now vaccine availability — spawned terms such as “vaxxident,” “anti-faxxer,” "vaxinista” and "vaxxies."

The traveling friendship of Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar: A conversation on Cabo, starting a tequila brand, and flying private during the pandemic.
WP

SPORT

Watch Patagonia’s classic film "Mountain of Storms" - click here.

+ In 1968, five friends set out on a 5,000-mile road trip in a white Ford van bound for South America. They packed surfboards, skis, and climbing gear and documented the whole trip on a 16mm Bolex camera. From Ventura, California to the first ascent on Cerro Fitz Roy, with a stop for sand skiing and 31 days in an ice cave in between, Mountain of Storms not only prefigured the modern adventure movie, but it also serves as the mythological origin story behind the Patagonia name and philosophy.

DW: Ex-FIFA bosses Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini charged with fraud in Switzerland


Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Curation and commentary by Marc A. Ross | Founder @ Brigadoon

Get Brigadoon Daily in your inbox.

Subscribe here.

Brigadoon Daily Email.

Your daily dose of the emerging issues + independent thinkers shaping commerce + culture

Brigadoon Daily | Nov. 2

Brigadoon Daily

Your daily dose of the emerging issues + independent thinkers shaping commerce + culture

November 2, 2021

You’re never going to be “caught up” at work

TOP FIVE

1. Boris Johnson, an unlikely Captain Planet with global ambitions

2. Youngkin now slightly favored in Virginia

3. Mark Zuckerberg knows Facebook is boring

4. Neuromarketing: The booming business of pushing people’s buttons

5. Lewis Hamilton plans to revolutionize Formula 1

GLOBALIZATION + STATECRAFT

Global leaders have gathered in Glasgow for COP26 — the United Nations climate change conference that runs until November 12.

G20 backs stronger climate action, but won’t end coal use: Politico reports the summit sends a mixed signal to COP26 climate talks opening in Glasgow.

Biden says Russia, China ‘didn’t show up’ on climate change commitments: Politico reports at the close of G20 summit, US president says Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia have not done enough.

+ India has set a target to reduce greenhouse emissions to “net zero” by 2070

China’s Xi to address COP26 climate talks in writing only: Politico reports the leader of the most polluting country won’t be at COP26 or make a video address.

The Times: Boris Johnson tells COP26: It’s last chance on climate

Boris Johnson, an unlikely Captain Planet with global ambitions: At first glance, the British Prime Minister is an unlikely eco-warrior. So what’s really behind his green crusade?
SMH

Why the COP26 climate summit won’t save the planet: Efforts to stop warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius may already have slipped away.
Politico

Will Glasgow be the climate breakthrough we need?
Justin Gillis

If COP26 fails, our future is hot and angry: Nations that cling to coal and destroy rainforests should expect to become pariahs as tensions turn into blame games.
William Hague

UK-French rivalry puts the west at risk: The problem is not fish or Northern Ireland — it’s Brexit. And it’s time for the US to stage an intervention.
Gideon Rachman

Macron and Biden patch up France-US relations: Politico reports with a meeting in Rome, the presidents said they are moving past a recent diplomatic feud.

Éric Zemmour, Macron’s far-right rival, wins backing from Russia: The Times reports the Kremlin has anointed a new favorite in the French presidential election: Éric Zemmour, the far-right insurgent campaigner who says that Moscow is far more reliable than the Americans, the British or the Germans. After gushing coverage by Kremlin-backed media of the polemicist’s rise in polls to second or third place, a Moscow think tank close to President Putin has endorsed him, saying he could bring Russia into a new European order.

Liz Truss pulls no punches about ‘genocide’ of Uighurs by China
The Times

Taiwan is the main problem for Xi-Biden talks, Chinese observers say: SCMP reports Foreign Minister Wang Yi said ‘political preparations’ were needed for the next phase of exchanges, in a meeting with Antony Blinken in Rome.

What will drive China to war? A cold war is already under way. The question is whether Washington can deter Beijing from initiating a hot one.
Michael Beckley + Hal Brands

+ An investigation found USS Connecticut, the nuclear-powered submarine sailing in the South China Sea, hit an uncharted sea mount on Oct. 2.

How the US should deter China’s nuclear ambitions: While recent advances in the size and sophistication of the Chinese arsenal are worrying, the US should avoid a destabilizing arms race.
Bloomberg - Editorial

China locks 30,000 visitors inside Shanghai Disneyland after one guest got COVID-19: WSJ reports guests are required to take coronavirus test to exit after a positive case shuts down the park

+ The global death toll from COVID-19 has reached 5 million

Another warning sign for China’s economy: DealBook reports factory activity fell for the second straight month, with analysts attributing the drop to weaker domestic demand, rising commodity prices, and slowing construction activity.

Silicon Valley wants to power the US war machine: Amid rising tensions with China, a cadre of defense insiders and tech players want to remake the Pentagon in Silicon Valley’s image.
Fast Company

When the Soviets set off the biggest nuclear bomb, JFK didn’t flinch: A new study offers insights into how the United States reacted to Tsar Bomba, a planet shaker that made the deadly Hiroshima blast look tame.
WSJ

POLITICS + CAMPAIGNS

Youngkin now slightly favored in Virginia: Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball just changed its rating for Virginia’s race for governor from Leans Democrat to Leans Republican.

Virginia prepares for a long Election Day as polls show dead heat between McAuliffe, Youngkin: WP reports voters are headed to the polls to pick a new governor in a neck-and-neck race that has drawn national attention for what it might reveal about the state of electoral politics in the first year of the Biden presidency — and how the Democratic party may fare in the 2022 midterms.

Tight Virginia governor’s race tests party strategies
WSJ

WP: VA went big for Biden, but on eve of another election, many voters say Democrats have not delivered

Virginia governor's race could show the way for Republican congressional campaigns
Reuters

The forces behind Biden’s problems: Four parties, zero trust: Faced with a split in his party, the president is stumbling as he tries to get his big domestic agenda passed.
Gerald F. Seib

Tim Scott says he’ll support Trump in 2024: Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) — who is often mentioned as a presidential candidate in 2024 — said that he would “of course” support former President Donald Trump if he ran for president again, the Charleston Post and Courier reports.

How Big Business got woke and dumped Trump
Time

DISRUPTION + INNOVATION

How two new supercomputers will improve weather forecasts: Each of the upgrades by the US National Weather Service is the size of 10 refrigerators, has the capacity of 12.1 petaflops, and will help predict storms made worse by climate change.
MIT Tech Review

COMMERCE

Q&A: Michael Bastian just wants to make Brooks Brothers even 'Brooksier': "And if it kills me," the company's new-ish creative director says, "I'm going to make this brand everything it ever was, if not better."
Esquire

2021 DealBook Online Summit: The NYT is making it free to join. The event is set for November 9-10, 2021. Register here.

Web Summit is kicking off: More than 40,000 ticket holders will descend on the Altice Arena for Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.

The real reason Facebook changed its name: Mark Zuckerberg wants to be the hero of the metaverse because he knows Facebook is boring.
Atlantic

Wall Street, long a Facebook fan, was doubting its Meta pivot: The company has lagged rivals on a key measure of investor confidence.
Bloomberg

TikTok owner ByteDance shortens China work hours, discouraging notorious ‘996’ routine: The company is one of the first to end the punishing work schedule that has characterized the Chinese tech industry.
WP

Fintech startup Bolt sees valuation surge to $6 billion: Bloomberg reports the company says it’s building a universal checkout login that will help retailers compete with Amazon’s speed. European expansion is next.

Reuters: Amazon-backed EV startup Rivian targets over $53 bln valuation in US IPO

Jes Staley leaves Barclays over Epstein ties: DealBook reports Barclays announced that Jes Staley had stepped down as CEO after he and its board learned of the results of a two-year investigation by British regulators into his ties to Jeffrey Epstein

Ryanair is considering delisting from the London Stock Exchange, citing lower trading volumes as a result of Brexit.

Apple has too much power over its rivals: Users have welcomed the company’s privacy changes, but it should not have so much sway over competitors.
Brooke Masters

Farewell offshoring, outsourcing. Pandemic rewrites CEO playbook. Uncertainty in the global supply chain is driving executives to seek operations away from cheaper countries to locales affording greater control.
WSJ

MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS

Neuromarketing: The booming business of pushing people’s buttons: Major corporations are applying the lessons of cognitive neuroscience to get the American public buying.
Neo.Life

SPACE + SCIENCE

Jeff Bezos pledges $1 billion to protect 30 percent of the Earth’s land and sea: Bezos’s large donations are transforming climate philanthropy — even as Amazon’s cloud-computing business and shipping operations have a significant carbon footprint.
WP

PERFORMANCE

You’re never going to be “caught up” at work. Stop feeling guilty about it.
Art Markman

CULTURE

Oi! Reading recommendations for Ted Lasso and the AFC Richmond crew
NYPL

The comedians you should and will know in 2021: These are the 22 comics who industry insiders predict will be the superstars of tomorrow.
NY Mag

Matthew Rhys on why he restored a wreck he bought on eBay: A desire to imitate Ernest Hemingway’s ocean-going exploits led the actor to a four-year passion project, he tells Andrew Billen.
The Times

SPORT

Lewis Hamilton, star Formula 1 driver, plans to revolutionize the sport: On his way to becoming the most dominant Formula 1 champion ever, Lewis Hamilton overcame more obstacles—and took curves harder—than any other driver on the circuit. Now he wants to make the sport more diverse than ever.
WSJ

The Red Bull Big Wave Awards just wrapped and this is who bagged the wins
RB

The NBA’s most surprisingly valuable player: Suns backup Cameron Payne was out of the league. Now he’s a star in his role on a nearly $20 million contract. Even he can’t believe it.
WSJ

NFL player Aaron Rodgers will receive a part of his salary in Bitcoin and give away $1 million of the cryptocurrency to fans as part of a promotion with Square-backed mobile payments service Cash App, he announced in a tweet.

Oh great, another cranky column about baseball games taking too long: Still, the point remains. On its biggest stage, the World Series, baseball’s got to speed up its action.
Jason Gay


Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Curation and commentary by Marc A. Ross | Founder @ Brigadoon

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