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☆ Parade — the inclusive underwear brand beloved by Gen Z and self-styled as 'the internet's favorite' — is coming to Target
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Mary Hanbury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Inclusive underwear brand Parade is launching at 400 Target stores this week. The brand is popular with younger consumers, but wants to grow its reach away from its Gen Z core. Self-described as the "Internet's favorite brand," Parade has built itself up around its community of Gen Z nano influencers, who promote and offer feedback on new items. "Our ambition is to be the leading underwear brand for all people," cofounder and CEO Téllez told Business of Fashion. Insider reached out to both Target and Parade for further comment, but did not immediately hear back.

☆ Pete Buttigieg's presidential hopes make him an easy target for Republicans — and his slow response in Ohio gave them plenty of ammo
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hasn't ruled out running for the White House again. He's in the spotlight and the hot seat far more than most other transportation secretaries before him. The search-engine test shows Buttigieg has become a high-profile target who finds himself in the spotlight far more than most other transportation secretaries before him. However, no transportation secretary has likely entered the job with more star power. After he strode onto the stage of The Late Show last fall, host Stephen Colbert noted that not many transportation secretaries have been guests on late night talk shows.

☆ DeSantis saw Harvard and Yale degrees as 'scarlet letters' when running for office: book
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis worried when running for Congress that his Ivy league degrees would work against him. He had been in the Navy after attending Yale and then Harvard Law School, and was concerned voters would be suspicious of his "elite" educational background, he wrote. "I viewed having earned degrees from Yale and Harvard Law School to be political scarlet letters as far as a GOP primary went," DeSantis wrote in the book. In his book, DeSantis credits his extensive door knocking with wife Casey DeSantis for helping him win in a crowded primary. "I am one of very few people who went through both Yale and Harvard Law School and came out more conservative than when I went in," DeSantis said.

☆ Democrats target New York in 2024 battle for the House
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Bridget Bowman | Bridget Bowman Is A Deputy Editor For Nbc'S Political Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Democrats are in a New York state of mind when it comes to the battle for the House, with outside groups signaling this week that they'll be targeting freshman New York Republicans in competitive seats. On Wednesday House Majority PAC, the main Democratic super PAC that spends in House races, announced it would spend $45 million in New York. The group's non-profit arm, House Majority Forward, announced Thursday that it is launching a "six-figure" digital ad and billboard campaign in more than a dozen House districts, including all six New York seats, targeting Republicans on their plans to cut Social Security and Medicare. Also on Wednesday, EMILY'S List, which backs female candidates who support abortion rights, announced it is targeting 10 House Republicans, including the six freshmen from New York. They flipped four House seats there.

☆ Michigan Republicans tap election denier to lead state party
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Kristina Karamo, a candidate for the Michigan Republican Party's state party chair, speaks to delegates ahead of their vote on the key party leadership position, in Lansing, Michigan, U.S., February 18, 2023. "The election baggage is going to make it hard to move the party forward," said John Clark, a professor of political science at Western Michigan University. "We cannot wait to get work done as one Michigan Republican Party," said Karamo, a local Republican activist who ran an unsuccessful campaign for secretary of state in 2022. The state party chair's main responsibilities include guiding the party's messaging and raising millions of dollars to help fund mass mailing campaigns and support candidates. She has yet to concede he loss to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who won November's election by 14 points.

☆ Two GOP election deniers who were soundly defeated in the 2022 midterms are the top candidates to lead Michigan's Republican Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two 2020 election deniers are the top candidates to lead the Michigan GOP headed into 2024. The state party on Saturday will decide on a leader to replace outgoing chair Ron Weiser. But the outlet also reported that the state GOP had over $2.3 million in outstanding debts in its main state campaign account. Former President Trump is backing Matthew DePerno to lead the Michigan Republican Party. "We must start by supporting Matt DePerno for chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

☆ Far-right Republican groups surge in swing state Michigan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/6] Candidate for district party chair for Michigan Republican Party Jon Smith speaks with guests during a fundraiser in Hillsdale, Michigan, U.S., February 8, 2023. "What's going on in Michigan is a microcosm of what is going on with the Republican Party nationally," said Michael Traugott, a professor at the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan. The judge declined to intervene, leaving it up to Michigan Republican Party officials to set the rules on delegate selection. The top two candidates for state party chair have both promoted conspiracy theories in support of Trump's false claims about voter fraud. "There's some people that are thinking this is the end of the Republican Party," he said.

☆ How a family's struggle to help their son gave rise to controversial $400 million psychedelics giant Compass Pathways
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

Today, Compass Pathways, the for-profit company they launched in 2016, is a Nasdaq-listed firm worth about $400 million. Compass Pathways Show lessIt could also boost the dozens of psychedelics companies inspired by Compass that have been formed in recent years. Insider spoke with more than a dozen industry participants to chart the rise of Compass Pathways and its role in the psychedelics boom. He recalled the 2018 Quartz article that detailed the growing alarm around Compass Pathways' "magic mushroom monopoly." Were it not for his decision to take a break from college, and his parents' efforts to find a treatment, Compass Pathways might not exist.

☆ The ChatGPT AI hype cycle is peaking, but even tech skeptics don't expect a bust
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Even the skeptics of the latest hype cycle recounted during the Town Hall numerous examples of how AI is already embedded in more efficient business processes. The arrival of ChatGPT and generative AI only a few years after the hype cycle over the metaverse has attracted both the AI bulls and bears as tech pursues its next big thing. Another executive who works with lawyers and accountants said the sentiment right now is that AI is not to replace lawyers, but "lawyers using AI are gonna replace lawyers." And what generative AI does, is really help you crunch, take your machine learning to, you know, the 'nth' level of the finite level. That may also place AI in the crosshairs of ESG investors, making sure that the ethics part is part of the mission of companies using it.

☆ GOP voters pick DeSantis over Trump in hypothetical head-to-head matchup for 2024 presidential nomination, poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Ron DeSantis would beat former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup for the 2024 Republican nomination, GOP voters said in a new poll released Thursday. That hype was echoed in the survey from Monmouth University: In a hypothetical head-to-head fight, 53% of Republican voters said they would pick DeSantis, versus 40% for Trump. "An overwhelming majority of polls show President Trump with significant and dominant leads both nationally and statewide," Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement to CNBC. Cheung also pointed to a series of other recent poll results showing Trump leading the prospective GOP field by double digits. Trump still holds major sway over the Republican Party, more than two years after losing his reelection bid to President Joe Biden.

☆ New York constituents flooded the hallway outside George Santos' office in Congress, demanding he be removed from office: 'We're not being seen'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The group was seen flooding the hallway outside Santos' room in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday. "We are not comfortable with the lies, and the deceit," said the woman, who was wearing a shirt from the nonprofit organization Courage for America. After Burra went back into Santos' office and shut the door behind him, the people gathered outside started to clamor for a response. A spokesperson for Courage for America told Insider that 45 constituents from New York traveled to DC together to try to meet Santos. On Tuesday, Courage for America tweeted that a letter with close to 1,500 signatures from Santos' constituents was delivered to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

SYDNEY, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Australia will replace the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on its A$5 banknote with a new design to reflect and honour the history of its Indigenous culture, the country's central bank said on Thursday. The decision follows consultation with the federal government, which supports the change, the Reserve Bank of Australia said in a statement. The Reserve Bank said it would consult with Indigenous groups in designing the A$5 banknote. The A$5 banknote is the only Australian banknote to carry the image of the Queen. Australian coins are mandated to carry the image of the British monarch and new coins will have the effigy of King Charles.

☆ Volunteers who used digital ads to counter Russian propaganda about Ukraine plan to fight misinformation in countries like Syria and Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A group of volunteer 'spammers' who used ads to counter Russian propaganda about Ukraine plans to expand the campaign. Rob Blackie, organizer of the Breaking Putin's Censorship campaign. Earlier this month, the Kremlin said that anyone found simply posting a link to the banned independent Russian news site Meduza could face a six-year prison sentence. An example of one of the Breaking Putin's Censorship ads, which reads, "Why have 141 countries condemned Russians invasion of Ukraine? Breaking Putin's CensorshipThe group, which has now grown to around 60 volunteers, is already structured similarly to an ad agency.

☆ The mouse that roared: New Zealand and the world's 2% inflation target
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Since it's arrival in 1990, the 2% inflation target phenomenon has sailed from Wellington around the globe to become the accepted norm among central banks, large and small, for grounding public expectations for what inflation ought to be. The adoption of the inflation target was followed by aggressive monetary tightening, with 90-day rates climbing to 15% in 1990. A year later, inflation had fallen to 2% and New Zealanders' inflation expectations adjusted quickly to the new paradigm. Initially there was debate about whether interest rates or money supply should be the target, but it was decided it was better to target the ultimate goal: inflation. "They did all the hard work and I just got all the glory and the title of being the most despised man in New Zealand," Douglas said.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 28, 2023. In Columbia, Trump spoke to about 200 people in the state's capitol building, with Governor Henry McMaster and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina flanking him. There were several conspicuous absences in South Carolina, including the state party chairman, five Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Reporting by Gram Slattery in Columbia, South Carolina and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin, Daniel Wallis and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 28, 2023. New Hampshire and South Carolina are among the first four states to hold presidential nominating contests, giving them outsized influence as candidates jockey for position. Several top Republicans in both states that Trump visited on Saturday - including New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley - are weighing presidential campaigns. There were several conspicuous absences in South Carolina, including the state party chairman, several Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Reporting by Gram Slattery in Columbia, South Carolina and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin and Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Trump said in New Hampshire that Stephen Stepanek, the state's Republican Party chairman, would join his campaign as a senior adviser. Both New Hampshire and South Carolina are seen as potential kingmakers, as they are among the first to hold their nominating contests. In South Carolina, where Trump will appear alongside Graham and Governor Henry McMaster, there will be a number of conspicuous absences. Among those not attending are the state party chairman, at least three Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Reporting by Gram Slattery in Columbia, South Carolina and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin and Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Film academy reviewing Oscar campaigns after surprise nomination
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Hollywood's film academy said on Friday it was reviewing this year's campaigns for Oscar nominations, a day after a media report raised questions about the surprise nod for British actress Andrea Riseborough. Media newsletter Puck reported on Thursday that the unexpected nomination had sparked questions about whether an aggressive campaign for Riseborough had violated lobbying rules set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The academy limits how studios can reach out to voters, how often and what they can say in any communications as part of their Oscars campaigns. Dozens of A-list stars then "sang her praises and helped win her the coveted nomination," Puck said. "We have confidence in the integrity of our nomination and voting procedures, and support genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performances," the academy statement said.

Trump will speak first at the New Hampshire Republican Party's annual meeting in Salem before heading to Columbia, South Carolina's capital, where he will unveil his leadership team in the state. In New Hampshire, Republican Governor Chris Sununu has said he is having conversations about a primary bid, and many high-ranking Republicans there - including those who supported Trump previously - say publicly they are looking for an alternative. In South Carolina, where Trump will appear alongside Governor Henry McMaster and Senator Lindsey Graham, there will be a number of conspicuous absences. Among those not attending are the state party chairman, at least three Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott, who has himself been floated as a potential Republican presidential candidate.

☆ Here's everything you need to know about the history and meaning of drag
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Drag culture has centuries of history behind it, from Ancient Greece to the Harlem Renaissance. Here's a guide to drag culture in the US and how what it means today. But in drag, cis men don't have to present as women, and cis women don't have to present as men. But at the end of the day, Giuliani wasn't actually participating in drag culture, Walsh said. There's been a lot of grassroots-level organization around drag recently, Walsh said, partly in response to the uptick in violence against drag culture.

But members gathered here at the party’s winter meeting say that once all the votes are counted, the tensions are unlikely to quickly subside. McDaniel and Dhillon supporters who spoke with NBC News acknowledged Dhillon is facing tough odds to unseat McDaniel. For nearly two months, RNC members, particularly those backing McDaniel, have been inundated with emails from Dhillon supporters pleading with them to back the insurgent candidacy. “He’s very well thought of and carries a lot of weight here,” Bill Palatucci, an RNC committeeman from New Jersey who is backing Dhillon, told NBC News. Regardless, he expressed concern that most RNC members were choosing to ignore the grassroots backlash to another McDaniel term.

☆ 'Trump fatigue' in New Hampshire complicates 2024 White House bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Tim Reid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

"Donald Trump right now is a distraction for the Republican Party in trying to go forward. Yet the willingness of Republican party members to criticize Trump in conversations with Reuters is striking. She worked on his New Hampshire primary campaign, knocked on doors for him, urged anybody she met to vote for him. Despite signs of weariness with Trump, he will still be a formidable candidate in the New Hampshire primary, some party strategists said. His influence is still fairly significant," said Jim Merrill, a veteran New Hampshire Republican strategist.

☆ Republicans reelect Trump-backed McDaniel as party chairperson
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Tim Reid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel reacts after being reelected at the winter meeting of the Republican National Committee in Dana Point, California, U.S., January 27, 2023. REUTERS/Mike BlakeDANA POINT, Calif., Jan 27 (Reuters) - The Republican National Committee reelected Ronna McDaniel to a fourth term as chairwoman, giving a mandate that would keep the Donald Trump-backed candidate in the top party post through the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. McDaniel beat challenger Harmeet Dhillon by 111 votes to 51 for another two-year term at an RNC members meeting in Dana Point, California, according to a party official. During her first three terms as Republican party chair, McDaniel has overseen Trump's 2020 presidential election defeat as well as a weaker-than-expected performance in the mid-term elections last November. Trump endorsed McDaniel for RNC chair in 2017 after she helped deliver her home state of Michigan in the 2016 presidential election in which he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

☆ From PayPal to Facebook, Silicon Valley has long been obsessed with the idea of company "mafias." Take a look at ex-Square staffers who have created more than $40 billion of startup value.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The idea of Silicon Valley "mafias" first emerged with the Oracle, Facebook, and PayPal mafias. Former Square staffers have gone on to launch startups worth nearly $40 billion cumulatively. Silicon Valley insiders have long been obsessed with the idea of startup "mafias." The "PayPal mafia" was perhaps the most infamous company that spawned the founders of tech giants like YouTube, Yelp, Tesla, and LinkedIn. Facebook and Oracle also have their own mafias of former employees that have produced iconic tech companies like Salesforce, Asana, and GoodRx.

☆ Trump seeks to shift his idling White House campaign back into gear
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Gram Slattery | Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Florence Regional Airport in Florence, South Carolina, U.S., March 12, 2022. Key South Carolina allies U.S. They include two with possible White House ambitions of their own, former Governor Nikki Haley and U.S. But I think it’ll be dominated by DeSantis and Trump for a while,” said Rob Jesmer, a campaign strategist and former executive director of the Republicans’ Senate campaign arm. Among other prominent elected South Carolina Republicans, a spokesperson for U.S. Representative Ralph Norman said he would not attend due to a pre-existing conflict, while representatives of three other House Republicans from South Carolina did not respond.

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