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☆ Chartreuse, a green herbal liqueur, has skyrocketed in popularity. But monks make it and they refuse to meet demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Chartreuse, a centuries-old liqueur, is made by the Carthusian order of monks in the French Alps. In 2019, the monks capped production to lower their environmental impact and focus on prayer. "It used to be something you could rely on being available, so I never really paid much attention to it," Joshua Lutz, a loyal lover of the liqueur, told the Times. According to the New York Times, the Carthusian monks implemented a production cap in 2019, in order to limit their environmental impact, and focus more strongly on solitude and prayer. Michael K. Holleran, a former monk who oversaw Chartreuse production in the 1980s, told the Times.

☆ Funeral homes may soon be forced to post prices online: 'People are at their most vulnerable when they're grieving'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Funeral homes must provide pricing information in person and over the phone under federal regulation. Now, the Federal Trade Commission is looking to broaden transparency for funeral pricing. The Federal Trade Commission is considering an update to a federal rule that forces funeral homes to disclose prices in person and over the phone, the New York Times reported. "People are at their most vulnerable when they're grieving," Lina M. Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, told the Times. According to the FTC, less than a quarter of all funeral homes provide full price lists on their websites, and many provide little to no pricing information.

☆ Amazon shoppers rally against new fee for some returns made via UPS: 'They need to learn to ship things better then'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon will begin charging for returns via UPS in some cases. "They need to learn to ship things better then," one Twitter user wrote. "They need to learn to ship things better then," one Twitter user wrote. So if they're going to charge a fee they may want to make sure their shipping partners are doing their part," one user wrote on Twitter. UPS joined Amazon in similarly responding to such comments and offering assistance as needed.

☆ 'Human-grade' dog food is on the rise, as pet owners ditch traditional kibble in favor of high-end brands promising health benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pet owners are giving up typical kibble for food that more closely matches a human diet. According to a new report from The New York Times, pet owners are giving up dry food, and in many cases even canned food, in favor of nourishment that more closely resembles a human diet. Companies like The Farmer's Dog and Ollie have led the charge, marketing high-end dog food to pet owners and calling it "human-grade," according to the Times. But in the eyes of some pet experts, the new trend is little more than a gimmick looking to disrupt an industry where pet food has been tested by decades of use and research. Still, for many pet owners, human-grade food seems like a strong option to keep their dogs healthy, and show that they care about their pets' health and diet.

☆ The San Francisco cafe that inspired 'Bob's Burgers' closes its doors after 43 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Just For You Cafe, the San Francisco joint that inspired "Bob's Burgers," has closed its doors. According to SFGate, the restaurant closed after rising inflation and mounting debt brought the establishment to its knees. In the mid-aughts, "Bob's Burgers" creator Loren Bouchard and writer Nora Smith wandered around San Francisco, searching for inspiration for the setting of their developing cartoon. In an interview with SFGate, Bouchard said he took photos all around San Francisco, but nothing quite matched Just For You. "I looked in the window and saw something big," he told SFGate last year.

☆ Food delivery drivers say they aren't being tipped enough by customers to make a living
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Delivery drivers expercienced a boom during the pandemic, but many say that luck has run out. But without being able to see exactly how much they'll be tipped, drivers say it's a gamble. Since the height of online ordering in the thick of the pandemic, delivery drivers have slowly seen their once-lucrative profits fade away. Now, drivers say they still have a hard time turning a profit unless the tip is worth it. According to the New York Times, Uber and DoorDash drivers figure they're paid about $3.50 per order, plus $1 per mile they have to drive.

☆ These are the 15 worst places to buy a home if you want it to increase in value. Almost all of them are in the Midwest.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Markets in Michigan and Ohio rank among the worst for home value growth, according to a SmartAsset study. Flint, Michigan ranks worst in the country, according to the study. According to a new SmartAsset study, some markets in Ohio and Michigan rank among the worst for home value growth and stability. The study took stock of 400 US housing markets and the amount the values of homes increased over the past 25 years. If you're looking to buy a home, here are the 15 US markets with the worst return on investment you might want to avoid:

☆ Pilot shortages and increasing travel demand are causing backups at major airports. The solution may be as simple as using bigger planes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Airlines are putting passengers on bigger planes, as a pilot shortage and congestion at major airports continues. But there may be a simple solution — flying bigger planes. Still, a United spokesperson told CNBC the airline would fly about 3,600 domestic flights with large or wide-body aircraft. "Not every gate is equal," Cox told CNBC. Even as airlines like United put bigger planes at their gates when possible, passengers and congestion are still piling up.

☆ Inflation is squeezing some seniors — so they're coming out of retirement to work as hosts and cashiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

As wages increase in service jobs, seniors are getting in on the action to offset inflation, according to USA Today. As inflation squeezes them out of retirement, many are taking jobs as cashiers, retail associates, and hosts at local restaurants, among other service industry jobs. "The extra money is helpful," Steve Weeks, a 69-year-old Florida resident who reentered the workforce after five years in retirement, told USA Today. "I still had some work left in me," Weeks told USA Today. Silvija Martincevic, CEO of scheduling software company Deputy, told USA Today that older workers are often better in customer-facing roles.

☆ Milk consumption is down 20% among younger generations: 'I feel like this is another punch line about us'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gen Z milk consumption is down 20% compared to other generations. To combat the drop, the dairy industry is scrambling with campaigns and other efforts to increase milk's popularity. But even some of the poster children for dairy milk aren't drinking the stuff, the New York Times reported. She said she began avoiding dairy milk after she learned of its negative impacts on her sports-induced asthma, and after her sister became a vegan. Still, using figureheads like Zapata, the dairy industry wants milk to be in the good graces of millennials and Gen Z.

☆ General Motors will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in future EVs, opting to introduce its own Google-supported system
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be phased out of future GM electric models. The manufacturer plans to replace CarPlay with its own Google-supported system. Instead of CarPlay, GM will offer its own Google-based software for drivers, including access to Google maps and Google Assistant. GM executives told Reuters the company intends to separate cars from cell phones by phasing out technology like CarPlay. Additionally, GM plans to implement a subscription model for services like Google Maps and Google Assistant several years down the line, Reuters reported.

☆ Starbucks fired the worker who led unionization movement, just days after former CEO grilled by Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rizzo sparked what has become a nationwide labor movement when she worked to unionize two Starbucks stores in Buffalo, New York. Alexis Rizzo, the Buffalo-based Starbucks worker who began the Starbucks Workers United campaign, was fired after seven years with the company, Starbucks Workers United tweeted Saturday. In an interview with CNBC, Rizzo said she was fired after her shift Friday, and that managers cited four times she was late for work. —Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) April 1, 2023Rizzo's firing follows former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's recent appearance before Congress, where he was questioned by senators over alleged widespread union busting. Starbucks Workers United posted a GoFundMe page for Rizzo Friday, pulling in nearly $7,000 for Rizzo in a day.

☆ Fast food workers are unionizing, but some of the biggest chains in the country are fighting to stop them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Meanwhile, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was brought before Congress for union busting. Union organizers at Starbucks have continuously called out the cafe chain for attempting to stop unionization at its stores. Through around two hours of questioning, Schultz was steadfast in his claims that Starbucks never violated the law. First, we make decisions based on our people, and we have the track record to prove it," Schultz said. But workers who testified later in the hearing took a different tone.

☆ A popular brand of hoverboard was just recalled, nearly a year after two sisters died in a fire authorities linked to the toy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The 42-volt model of Jetson Rogue Hoverboard was recalled this week. Following the fire in April, the Hellertown Borough Fire Marshal determined the Jetson Rogue Hoverboard started the blaze, local station WPVI reported. In a notice posted on its website on Thursday, the CPSC urged customers to immediately stop using the 42-volt version of Jetson Rogue Hoverboard. The recalled Jetson Rogue hoverboards were sold at Target stores nationwide and on the Jetson Rogue website, according to the CPSC. The Kaufman family purchased the hoverboard at Walmart, Lehigh Valley Live reported.

Apple launched its own buy now, pay later service this week. The system is integrated into the company's existing Apple Pay setup, meaning merchants won't have to opt-in to provide Apple Pay Later to customers, according to the company. "Many people are looking for flexible payment options, which is why we're excited to provide our users with Apple Pay Later." The study also found that those who are younger and with lower income are more likely to use buy now pay later services. "A common misconception of Buy Now, Pay Later borrowers is that they lack access to other forms of credit.

☆ Starbucks is probably 'the best first job in America,' former CEO says as Congress probes the chain's treatment of unions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Aidan Pollard | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Starbucks is "one of the best, if not the best, first job in America," former CEO Howard Schultz said. "Starbucks is probably one of the best, if not the best, first job in America." "It's unprecedented, and that's why Starbucks doesn't need a union," Schultz said. But Wednesday's hearing showed that some current and former Starbucks employees don't agree with that assessment. Jaysin Saxton, a former Starbucks barista who lost his job in August at a Starbucks in Augusta, Georgia, also spoke at the hearing.

☆ Nokia will launch 4G internet on the moon later this year to help expand lunar exploration
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nokia plans to put a 4G/LTE network on the moon later this year, CNBC reported. The network will help potential lunar explorations, including plans to look for ice on the moon. Nokia is set to launch 4G internet on the moon later this year, CNBC reported, part of the company's ongoing relationship with NASA. The Finnish telecommunication company intends to launch the network on a SpaceX rocket later this year, CNBC reported. Nokia's plan to introduce 4G to the moon includes an antenna-equipped base station on the moon and a solar-powered rover.

☆ San Francisco is forcing couple to remove sidewalk 'obstruction' — or pay $1,400. It's a little free library.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A popular little free library in San Francisco was ordered to be removed, the Wall Street Journal reported. The order was prompted by a call to a city hotline used for complaints about regulatory violations. The library is part of a crackdown in San Francisco on unpermitted objects that interfere with public ways, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Meyers' library is still standing, the Journal reported, as the city sorts out new rules for the small box and many like it. In the end, Susan Meyers told the Journal the original hotline complaint may have been a catalyst for the city to rethink its regulations.

☆ A Mississippi meteorologist prayed on-air for small-town residents as a deadly tornado barreled toward them: VIDEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A deadly tornado ripped through Mississippi and Alabama Friday, killing at least 26 people. As the storm neared the small city of Amory, Mississippi, a local weatherman prayed for residents' safety. He prayed for the residents of Amory, Mississippi — pleading on air for people to stay safe just minutes before the tornado reached them. Amory is a small town of about 6,500 in northeastern Mississippi situated between Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee. The tornado left a trail of destruction in Amory, directly hitting the city's water department, according to the New York Times.

☆ Snack Wraps Return Just Not to McDonald's
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Wendy's announced a new grilled chicken ranch wrap this week. 'There are many who've tried to master the grilled chicken wrap,' a Wendy's executive said. But after seven years, a grilled chicken ranch wrap is coming back — just not to McDonald's. Wendy's plans to sell a grilled chicken ranch wrap at stores, the company announced this week. The wrap appears to closely mimic McDonald's iconic snack wrap, which came in several varieties, including a ranch flavor.

☆ 'I'd really prefer it if he stayed out of our way': Starbucks union organizers lash out at CEO's promise to work behind the counter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Starbucks' new CEO Laxman Narasimhan announced he'll spend a half-day every month pulling coffees. Seven Starbucks stores announced they have begun the unionization process Thursday. During the annual Starbucks shareholder meeting Thursday, Starbucks Workers United announced seven new stores had filed for union elections. Workers at those stores said they hope the move shows that the labor movement at Starbucks isn't lost on Middle America. "Union Starbucks partners are here to stay."

☆ NHL fans are not happy about the league's new choice for its jerseys. Photos of Fanatics gear show why
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The NHL announced Tuesday that it chose sports apparel brand Fanatics as its official on-ice uniform partner, replacing Adidas. "Coming 2024: NHL 🤝 Fanatics," the league wrote on Twitter this week. "The NHL going from Adidas jerseys to Fanatics jerseys," one user quipped above a photo of a poorly drawn horse. One user slammed the NHL and Fanatics as a natural partnership because they're both "fan unfriendly, low quality, and cheap." I had a Fanatics NHL jersey in my car and someone broke into my car and left two more," a Seattle Kraken fan account wrote on Twitter.

☆ Nearly 80% of Americans think their children may end up with worse lives — up from around 40% who said the same thing 20 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Americans have lost confidence that their children will be better off than they are, according to a new poll. A collaboration between the Wall Street Journal and NORC, the poll underscored a pessimistic outlook on the US economy. According to a new Wall Street Journal/NORC poll conducted this month, a majority of people believe their children's lives may be worse than their own. "No matter how much they increase your pay, everything else is going up," Kristy Morrow, who lives in Big Spring, Texas, told the Wall Street Journal. Respondents' outlook on their children's futures was worse in this year's survey than any other year since its start in 1990, the Wall Street Journal reported.

☆ Panera Bread to start using handprints to greet you by name and suggest menu items
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Panera Bread will allow customers to link their handprints to loyalty accounts, the company announced. Panera will use handprints to greet customers by name and suggest menu items based on preferences. It allows Panera employees to greet customers by name and suggest menu items based on their preferences, a company press release said Wednesday. Go customers have the option of linking their palm print to their Amazon accounts, or using a credit card or app. The use of Amazon One technology will be optional at Panera Bread, the company stressed, and private data obtained through the new technology will be protected by security controls.

☆ A 4-month old calf escaped a slaughterhouse and roamed the streets of Brooklyn. Now she'll live out her days at a sanctuary.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A cow roamed the streets of Brooklyn this week after escaping slaughter. The four-month-old calf was wrangled in by passersby after she was seen wandering around the streets of South Brooklyn Tuesday, ABC 7 reported. Skylands Animal Sanctuary And Rescue announced on Wednesday that the loose cow will officially be relocated to its facility. THE OWNERS HAVE AGREED TO LET HER COME AND LIVE OUT HER LIFE ON THE SANCTUARY," Skylands wrote in a Facebook post. Now, the four-month old calf will live out her days among fellow rescued animals and livestock.

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