oh, chicago
Make way for the new outdoor dining
To make more space for outdoor dining, six Chicago streets, including Randolph’s restaurant row, will be closing to vehicle traffic. | learn more
fun facts
Rodents becoming extra aggressive in search of food
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that rodents are becoming increasingly aggressive as they scavenge for food amid a mass closure of restaurants caused by the coronavirus outbreak.” | learn more
fun facts
The great work-from-home migration
Redfin’s survey (n=900, probably biased) data shows, “more than 50% of people in New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Boston would move if work-from-home became permanent.” | learn more
fun facts
How tax policy gave us fuzzy-bottomed Converse
Last year we learned how tax policy gave us White Claw. Today we learn how tax policy gave us Converse sneakers with fuzzy felt soles. The fun term is called tariff engineering. | learn more
on the blockchain
JPMorgan will now bank Crypto exchanges
“While its CEO once called bitcoin a fraud, U.S. banking giant JPMorgan Chase has added its first cryptocurrency exchange customers, Coinbase and Gemini.” | learn more
big ideas
Innovation can’t be forced, but it can be quashed
Our favorite rational optimist Matt Ridley is back with more interesting writing. “To solve 21st-century problems, innovators need the freedom to experiment without the burden of overregulation and the abuse of intellectual property rights by vested interests.” | learn more
thoughts of food
The death of the all-you-can-eat buffet
I really like modern salad bars, and I realized this week during a visit to Whole Foods that they’ll probably be gone from the scene for a while. “The all-you-can-eat buffet is unlikely to survive the pandemic in its current […]
under the microscope
New T-cell raises prospect of universal cancer therapy
T-cell therapy has been a game changer for cancer therapy, but its applicability has so far been very narrow. “Cardiff University study describes unconventional immune cell which could open up treatment of wide range of cancers in all patients.” | learn more
under the microscope
Building muscle and preventing obesity without exercise or dieting
“A compelling new study, led by scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has found a novel gene therapy can prevent obesity and build muscle without the need for additional exercise, in mice being fed a high-fat […]
retail therapy
The Hertz Corporation files for bankruptcy
From the restructuring industry newsletter Petition: “Much like most other COVID victims, Hertz could be described as having mild pre-conditions that made it generally more susceptible to the virus. For years now, the company has been attempting to effectively treat […]