Business

Americans’ New TV Habit: Subscribe. Watch. Cancel. Repeat. This kind of behavior will have major ramifications. Will the streamers introduce longer non-cancellable subscriptions at discount? Will credit card issuers create a feature that can protect consumers from accidental subscriptions? If subscribers pay to binge watch a certain show, how should streamers and producers market their products?

Nike Reverses Course as Innovation Stalls and Rivals Gain Ground. I found it interesting that Nike hired 3,500 people in its data analytics team to conduct “demand sensing” and fired them when the business ran into trouble while its current CEO had a consultant background.

The Way Airlines Charge for Bags Is Becoming More Complex and Expensive. “There is also some tax advantage to the bag fees. Unlike fares, those fees aren’t subject to a 7.5% federal ticket tax.” One way to avoid bag fees is to have airline-branded credit cards and the airlines do generate revenue from the card programs.

‘Pay Later’ Lenders Have an Issue With Credit Bureaus. BNPL providers’ reluctance to share usage data with credit bureau, I suspect, comes mostly from their concern over loss of business. Many consumers like BNPL because repeated usage won’t hurt their credit score. As a result, sharing data with credit bureaus will hurt that appeal. If you need evidence, just look at Apple. They may make some money from their BNPL offering, but it’s pretty much a rounding error. So, they didn’t have any issues in sharing data with Experian.

TSMC’s debacle in the American desert. It’s hard to paint a worse picture of TSMC’s working culture than what this article has to say. Right now, the company is on top of the world as THE global chip factory. But what if the tide went out? What if some major technological breakthroughs came out and rendered TSMC outdated? Does the company have the culture to withstand such changes?

Inside the Brutal Business Practices of Amazon—And How It Became “Too Toxic to Touch”. I’d be shocked if Andy Jassy or Jeff Bezos or both wouldn’t be hauled in front of Congress in the next two years.

Other Stuff I Find Interesting

Golden Visa Programs, Once a Boon, Lose Their Luster. Some European countries used the appeal of their citizenship and the freedom to travel within the Euro zone and many other countries to attract investments. Now, they felt the unintended consequences of such policy and start to roll it back.

The world runs on deep sea Internet cables that are vulnerable to unpredictable movements on the ocean floor. This long article (The Invisible Seafaring Industry that Keeps the Internet Afloat​) sheds light on the people and ships located strategically across the globe that work tirelessly to keep the world running.

How a wild corner of southern Utah became the last place to be mapped in the US. Absolutely gorgeous.

Airlines required to refund passengers for canceled, delayed flights. First of all, I expect the airline industry to challenge this rule in court. Second, while I appreciate the intent of this rule and I am frustrated with airlines at times, there is a chance that flying will become more expensive than it already is because of the higher expenses.

Court upholds New York law that says ISPs must offer $15 broadband. This is a win for poor and under-serverd communities. Access to decent Internet is vital to giving such folks a chance to make a living and change their lives. It doesn’t sound like ISPs and their lobbyists will take it up to the Supreme Court. I hope they won’t. What I’d like to see next is that the authority, either state governments or the FCC, will stop ISPs from punishing other customers and overcharging them to make up for lost revenue.

Stats

5.9% of the US population have depression, among the highest in the world

The personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy increased 2.8% from a year ago in March