Monday, October 12, 2020

Eskimo Pie renamed after nearly a century to Edy’s Pie

Amid a nationwide push for companies to drop racial stereotypes from their products, the makers of Eskimo Pie have announced a new name for its frozen dairy dessert. About three months ago, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream said in a statement that it would be rebranding the dessert after acknowledging the name the company had been using for nearly 100 years was “derogatory.”  Starting in early 2021, the chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar will be called Edy’s Pie. “The name Edy’s Pie was chosen in honor of one of our company’s founders, candy maker Joseph Edy, as well as a form of tribute to the entrepreneurial origins of this treat,” according to the Head of Marketing for Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream. Along with a new name, the packaging will move away from its traditional use of a young boy dressed up using indigenous attire references. According to the Alaska Native Language Center, the term “Eskimo” comes from an Ojibwa word meaning “to net snowshoes.” The center says the term is commonly used in Alaska to refer to all Inuit and Yupik people of the world, but is considered derogatory in many other places. This is because the name was given by non-Inuit people. The word is also interpreted to mean “eater of raw meat.” The company added that it hopes to have Edy’s Pie frozen dairy bars back on store shelves by early 2021. (NASDAQ)

The number of whales visiting the waters around the Big Apple has surged in recent years

Scientists think that the whales, many of whom appear to be juvenile, are visiting areas near New York and New Jersey because the local population of one of their favorite meals, a fish called Menhaden, is increasing thanks to cleaner waters and stricter conservation laws. Gotham Whale, a New York-based whale research group, recorded 400 sightings of 300 whales in 2019, up from just three sightings of three whales back in 2011. (Associated Press)

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the United Nations’ World Food Program. The Norwegian committee said the WFP was being recognized “as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.” Other nominees for the prize included the World Health Organization, President Trump, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. (The New York Times)

IBM to split into two companies

International Business Machines (IBM) is planning to split itself into two public companies as it focuses on areas like cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The move will mark the biggest-ever business exit for the century-old tech giant, spinning off a “slower-growth” unit that manages corporate computer systems. CEO Arvind Krishna says the company is “redefining the future of IBM,” which plans to become a leader in hybrid-cloud software and services that allow clients to store data. (The Wall Street Journal)

**MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES!!**

Louisiana priest arrested for alleged threesome on church altar

A Louisiana priest, who is also the chaplain of a nearby Catholic high school, was arrested for obscenity recently after getting caught having sex with two dominatrices on the altar of his church, court documents revealed. A witness in Pearl River, northeast of New Orleans, called police on September 30th after allegedly viewing the 37-year-old Reverend through a window engaged with two high-heeled, corseted women while partially dressed in his priestly attire. The group had allegedly set up stage lighting and appeared to be recording the encounter on a cellphone. The witness said they became suspicious when noticing the lights at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church were on late at night. The alleged incident was recorded by the witness and showed to police. The priest, who has been the pastor at the church since last year, was arrested for allegedly having sex in a publicly visible location. He was released from jail on a $25,000 bond and could face up to three years in prison. The two accused women, a 41-year old who is an adult film actress and a 23-year old, were also arrested. A social media post from the older woman the day before her arrest said she was going to New Orleans to meet another dominatrix and “defile a house of God”. The Archbishop went to the church days later for a church ritual to restore the altar’s sanctity. (New Orleans Advocate)

WarnerMedia plans big job cuts

WarnerMedia plans to cut costs by 20%, which would mean job cuts are imminent for thousands of its employees. The overhaul is expected to start in a few weeks and impact Warner Bros. studios, as well as the HBO, TBS and TNT networks. The pandemic has taken a toll on the entertainment industry; this is the second wave of cuts at the company, it laid off more than 500 people at Warner Bros. in August. (The Wall Street Journal)

America’s wealth gap is growing

The 50 richest Americans have now amassed as much wealth as the poorest 165 million people, roughly half of the entire U.S. population, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. New Federal Reserve data shows a dramatic rebound for the super wealthy during the pandemic, while job losses hit lower-wage service workers — and the virus disproportionately infected and killed people of color. Part of the wealth disparity may be to decreasing exposure to the stock market for upper middle-class Americans. (Bloomberg)

Amazon showed off its electric delivery van, created in partnership with Rivian

The vehicles feature sensor detection, a 360-degree outside view of the vehicle, highway and traffic assist, and Alexa integration that can give drivers hand-free information. The vans are expected to be delivered starting in 2022 – Amazon ordered 100,000 of the vehicles last year. Amazon invested $700 Million in Rivian last year and took part in the startup’s recent $1.3 Billion round. Amazon has also ordered 1,800 electric vans from Mercedes-Benz for its European operations. (CNBC)

The White House presented a new $1.8 trillion stimulus bill to the House Democrats

Last week, the Democrats passed a $2.2 trillion bill, but the White House refused to allow such a massive increase in government spending. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin negotiated for 30 minutes on Friday as they attempt to bridge the gap. The offer is rumored to include less money for local and state governments than the $436b requested by the Democrats and less money for federal unemployment insurance. Other areas of continued disagreement include food aid, tax credits, and funding sources. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has been pressing Congress to pass a stimulus bill warning of the potential adverse effects on businesses and households should they fail to do so. (CNBC)

Are you ready for WFH dress codes?

Recent research showed about half of people working from home don’t follow their employer’s dress code. The issue is that 80% of people wearing work clothes felt productive, compared to 70% in gym clothes and 50% of those in sleepwear. Additionally, some employers may be concerned with how casual some workers have become on video calls. The issue may lead to these bosses looking into dress codes for remote workers, according to one expert. (Coupon Follow)

Resisting the urge to multitask

For workers worldwide, the pandemic presents fresh demands on our time, our attention and our resolve. We may find ourselves attempting to do several things at once, which is a recipe for doing nothing particularly well. How can we resist the allure of multitasking? A researcher at the University of Texas at Austin recommends we take an honest look at our environment, our tools and our priorities. Make your work area is as comfortable and distraction-free as possible; decide what needs to get done first; and ditch screens in favor of pen and paper occasionally to give yourself a digital breather. (Fast Company)

Mystery of killer whales ramming boats off coast of Spain in ‘orchestrated’ attacks

There have been at least 33 of the bizarre attacks since July, with orcas surrounding smaller craft and deliberately ramming their rudders, causing severe damage and in some cases disabling the vessels. Baffled scientists are trying to work out why killer whales seem to have declared war on Spanish fishing boats. Most have taken place off Spain’s north-west coast, but six vessels were rammed by the mammals in the Straits of Gibraltar and five in Portuguese waters. The problem is becoming so severe that the Spanish authorities have advised small boats not to set sail along that stretch of coastline. At least 61% of the incidents seem to involve the same group of orcas, named Gladis Black, Gladis White, and Gladis Grey by researchers. Two other orcas, believed to be adults, may also have been involved in some of them. The animals appear to be injured – but whether they are attacking the boats in revenge because they were previously hurt by a collision with a boat or just wounded when they deliberately ram boats at high speed remains a matter of guesswork. The orcas seem to have a consistent method – targeting the boats’ rudders. This is generally the weakest part of a vessel, but it may simply be that the marine mammals are attracted to the noise the rudder makes under water. (The Daily Star)

The second presidential debate between President Trump and Joe Biden has been cancelled

The Commission on Presidential Debates canceled the Florida debate Friday after President Trump declined to participate. Due to the president’s recent COVID-19 diagnosis — organizers decided to move the October15th debate to a virtual format, saying it was to “protect the health and safety of all involved.” However, President Trump said he won’t “waste [his] time” with a virtual debate. Instead of that debate, Joe Biden will be participating in a solo town hall on ABC. The presidential debate commission says it is now preparing for the final debate which is still set for October 22 in Nashville, TN. (CBS News)

Monday is brought to you in part by:

• Columbus Day
• Day of the Six Billion
• Drink Local Wine Day
• Farmer’s Day
• Free Thought Day
• International Day Against DRM
• International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
• Kick Butt Day (2nd Monday)
• Online Banking Day (Second Monday)
• Native American Day (Second Monday)
• Savings Day
• Stem Cell Awareness Day
• Vermont Day
• World Arthritis Day