• Around two-thirds of imported respirator masks from China failed to meet safety standards, according to a report from a nonprofit that the safety and quality of healthcare equipment. 
• Researchers tested nearly 200 KN95 style respirators and found they filtered out fewer than 95% of particles, the minimum requirement for US safety certification. 
• Sub-par respirators can offer better protection than nothing at all, but they could leave healthcare workers vulnerable to infection while working with coronavirus patients, experts say. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

During the pandemic, the FDA has granted emergency-use orders to allow millions of N95 and KN95 face masks to be imported from around the world to help combat a dire shortage of protective equipment in the US.

But, according to a report published online September 22, as many as 60-70% of those masks imported to the US from China may not meet America's minimum safety standards.

Researchers at ECRI, an independent nonprofit researching safety and cost-effectiveness in healthcare, tested nearly 200 KN95 masks from 15 different manufacturers.

They found that a significant majority filtered out fewer than 95 percent of particles, a standard the helps protect healthcare workers and first responders from possible coronavirus infection. 

That could indicate that of the hundreds of thousands of masks imported from China during the pandemic, up to 70% may be less protective than advertised, the study said. 

"We're finding that many aren't safe and effective against the spread of COVID-19," Dr. Marcus Schabacker, president and CEO of ECRI, said in a press release. "Using masks that don't meet U.S. standards puts patients and frontline healthcare workers at risk of infection."

The study follows another that found that as many as 60% of imported N95 and KN95 style masks failed minimum safety requirements, according to testing by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which sets the standards. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of the issues with some imported masks, and have released a guide to spotting subpar products that may be misrepresented as meeting US standards. 

Faulty face coverings may still offer better protection than some cloth masks

Even sub-standard masks offer better protection than poorly-constructed DIY cloth masks or nothing at all, experts say. 

However, a quality seal is crucial.

Masks that have head and neck straps provide more protection than those with ear loops, according to ECRI, since they create a tighter seal on the user's face. KN95 masks, which are designed to Chinese standards that different slightly from NIOSH's, often have ear loops. 

For people who are treating or exposed to someone who has COVID-19, masks that aren't certified at 95% particle filtration should be used only as a last resort.

"KN95 masks that don't meet US regulatory standards still generally provide more respiratory protection than surgical or cloth masks and can be used in certain clinical settings," Michael Argentieri, vice president for technology and safety at ECRI, said in the press release.

"Hospitals and staff who treat suspected COVID-19 patients should be aware that imported masks may not meet current US regulatory standards despite marketing that says otherwise."

In some cases, US healthcare workers are managing the shortage of certified masks by reusing (sterilized) N95 respirators, or using respirators that have expired. Research suggests these may be better protection than alternatives, including surgical masks. 

Read more:

Wearing a mask doesn't reduce your oxygen levels, and 6 other mask myths you should stop believing now

56 coronavirus cases were linked to a Starbucks in South Korea. But employees who were wearing masks didn't get infected.

The US government sent out a shipment of expired face masks to health workers. Here's how face masks can expire, and when they're still usable.

• NASA plans to use its Orion spacecraft to fly astronauts to the moon.
• But first, engineers have to figure out how to make the capsule's toilet less stinky.
• A model of the toilet is launching to the International Space Station next week, where astronauts will test it out.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

NASA is actively preparing to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time since 1972. The agency plans to send a crew on a 10-day flyby around the moon in 2023 on its Orion spaceship, followed by a mission to land people to the lunar surface in 2024.

But on those missions, the astronauts will need a way to go to the bathroom. This presents a unique challenge for Jason Hutt, engineering lead for the Orion capsule.

Hutt is responsible for ensuring that Orion's toilet, called the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), can function within the confines of the spacecraft without creating excessive mess or smell. Given that Orion is only the length of a small powerboat and must house four waste-expelling adults for nearly a month, the system has to be compact, efficient, and not too stinky. 

"If you want to recreate that used spacecraft smell, take a couple dirty diapers, some microwave food wrappers, a used airsickness bag, & a few sweaty towels, put them in an old school metal trash can and let it bake in the summer sun for 10 days," Hutt wrote on Twitter in August. "Then open the kid & breathe deep."

A version of the new toilet is launching to the International Space Station next week, where astronauts will test it out by installing the system it next to one of the current ISS toilets.

Astronauts' pee could float in space forever

The UWMS design isn't too different from other space toilets. Because there's no gravity in space to help flush waste downward, it uses motorized fans to suction away astronauts' urine and feces.

The poop would remain stored on Orion until the ship returns to Earth. But there won't be room to store pee, and the spaceship can't recycle it into water the way the space station can —there's not enough space for that kind of filtration system.

So the plan is for Orion astronauts to vent their pee into space, where it could float frozen forever (the temperature is -455 degrees Fahrenheit).

NASA has vented astronauts' pee into space before — the Space Shuttle toilet did the same thing. But during those flights, the urine froze onto the vent. This time, engineers are adding heaters into the system to prevent immediate freezing. 

Because Orion is small and weight requirements are extremely strict, the toilet has to be lightweight, as do its fans and motors. But relying on small motors for powerful suction forces them to be very loud. Plus, since Orion is mostly made of aluminum alloy – it's "a big aluminum can," Hutt told Business Insider – the noise of whirring fans, clicking valves, and clanking machinery machine reverberates throughout the ship. 

That makes for a noisy toilet, but there's an upside: Toilet users get some privacy, since Orion's bathroom has only a thin door separating it from the rest of the ship. 

Astronauts can't use Febreze 

Storing human waste on the Orion capsule for weeks at a time means engineers have to figure out ways to tamp down the stench.

Any filters NASA uses for this have to be effective yet compact so they don't add too much weight.

"Odor is really caused by the chemical compounds released from human waste breaking through the filter that's supposed to remove those compounds," Hutt said. 

If odors do escape, astronauts have very few options to combat them.

"You can't just open a window whenever something smells bad," Hutt said.

NASA also can't allow chemical deodorizers, like Febreze, on spacecraft — they would pollute the air too quickly, potentially harming the astronauts inside. Plus, pressurized canisters aren't allowed given the risk they could explode. 

"Spaceflight has its share of bumps, and we don't want anything in the cabin that could become a hazard," Hutt said.

So Hutt's team tests many potential deodorizer options. So far, the safest one they've experimented with is activated charcoal, a powdered charcoal that absorbs odors without requiring electricity or chemicals. The substance can be put into a filter in the ship's ventilation system.

These tests, of course, require human noses. NASA employs "certified sniffers" at its White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, who, true to their title, are paid to smell the toilets after they've been used to evaluate whether odor-control measures are working.

These sniffers are the "unsung heroes of the space program," Hutt said. 

• Whether you're looking to set the mood or freshen up the scent of a room, a candle can do the job. And, it makes a great gift.
• If you think candles are old-fashioned, our favorite candle brands are sure to show you otherwise.
• Read on to learn more about our favorite candles and where to buy them online.

Whether it's the mood lighting or the fresh scents it provides, candles are worthwhile additions to any home.

Of course, not all candles are created equal. Nor do they have to be the size of your head and smell sickeningly like a pumpkin spice latte. Rather, if you're looking for an elegant, classic candle that can elevate rather than overwhelm the senses, you'll want to keep a few things in mind. Read on towards the end of this guide for what to consider when choosing a candle.

Candles can feel like a dime-a-dozen, but as someone who has tried many brands, I can tell you that not all candles are the same. I've narrowed down our list to the best candles — ones that offer something unique. Diptyque makes our favorite candles, but you should also check out Le Labo, Otherland, Voluspa, and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day for reasons outlined below.

Here are our top picks for the best places to buy candles:

• Best overall: Diptyque
• Best affordable: Voluspa
• Best high-end: Le Labo
• Best seasonal: Otherland
• Best natural air-freshening: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scented Soy Candles

Prices and links are current as of 9/23/20.

The best candle overall

Diptyque candles are not only pleasant to smell, but they're also beautiful to look at, making them the absolute perfect candle.

My colleague Sally Kaplan described Diptyque as the "Cristal of the candle world," and I couldn't agree more.

What truly separates a Diptyque from other candles are the unique scents. You could opt for the best-selling Baies (French for berries), which combines blackcurrant leaves and rose petals for a fragrance that is warm, welcoming, and sophisticated. Or, you could opt for the newer Lys scent, which is floral without the sickly sweetness that generally comes from candles. Diptyque describes Lys as being akin to "a huge bouquet of fresh-cut lilies, like a shower of white petals," and while these descriptions are over the top, this is surprisingly fitting.

And as lovely as the Diptyque scents are, what makes the candles popular is the attractive trademark packaging — it's classy yet understated, discrete enough to fit in with any decor. While many of these candles come in clear glassware, some other options come in opaque black or white containers that are equally elegant. As for sizing, the Diptyque candles come in quite a range, from small, single-wick to double- or even triple-wick candles.

Pros: Pleasant scents, elegant packaging, wide array of sizes

Cons: Expensive, limited variety of scents

The best affordable candle

Fancy candles don't have to be expensive to be worth your money, and Voluspa proves that.

Looking for a candle company that offers a wide range of scents, sizes, and containers, but doesn't come close to breaking the bank? Enter Voluspa.

Voluspa offers not only classic scents that are available year-round (like my favorite, the Bergamot Rose, which smells exactly as it ought to), but also sells holiday-specific fragrances. These candles come in different sizes, so you can choose how many wicks or how much wax you want to work with. If you're fond of a particular scent, you may want to choose a larger size and make it last a bit longer.

Similarly, you can also customize the packaging of certain candles by choosing different containers and colors. Sure, that might result in a bit of paradox of choice for some, but if you're one who prefers more optionality to less, then this is certainly the way to shop for a classic candle.

Voluspa's candles can also be purchased in sets of miniatures, which makes them ideal for gifting.

Pros: Affordable, wide range of sizes, wide range of scents

Cons: Packaging may be a bit too flashy for some

The best high-end candle

If you're looking to move away from floral scents or are in search of something more masculine, Le Labo's collection of earthy scents is sure to please.  

Not only does Le Labo make the soaps and lotions of my dreams, but they also make some of the best candles. And while my boyfriend generally makes his own candles (seriously, with pine sap), the only other scents he allows into his home are ones from Le Labo.

Le Labo's scents tend to veer toward woodier notes. While that's not manly, it is more gender-neutral than, say, a bouquet of fresh flowers. For example, Le Labo's signature Santal 26 scent offers a smoky, leathery fragrance, and doesn't bear any cloying sweetness or lingering artificiality. Instead, it's a pure, simple smell that would work just as well in a kitchen as it would in a bathroom. So not only are these scents gender-neutral, they're location-neutral as well.

I've also noticed that you don't have to burn a Le Labo candle for the fragrance to become noticeable. That isn't to say that it's overpowering, but simply that its scents are noteworthy and quickly dispersed throughout a room.

Le Labo candles are undeniably a splurge, but if you're looking for a gift for a special occasion that will last for months on end (and realistically, years, if you don't light it much), I would definitely spring for the concrete candle. This incredibly unique offering is actually poured into a concrete pot and is enormous at nearly 10 inches tall and 10 inches wide (and it's also enormously expensive). But for a candle that doubles as a conversation piece, this is the way to go.

If you're looking for something a bit less imposing, the majority of Le Labo candles are packaged in a chic glass cup with a wide base and slightly tapered top. Once you've burned out the candle, these little containers are absolutely beautiful as vases or as a home for your succulents.

Pros: Gender-neutral scents, quick-dispersing, beautiful packaging

Cons: Like Diptyque, these Le Labo candles are very expensive

The best seasonal candle

For candles that reflect the changing times of the year, you have to go with Otherland.

If you're always in search of the freshest new scent or scouring the candle market for the fragrance that no one else has, then your journey must begin and end with Otherland.

This candle purveyor not only makes some of the most wonderful-smelling scents I've ever encountered, but it also does so on a purely seasonal basis, which means that you're almost certainly assured a unique scent. Of course, that comes with its downsides — if you fall in love with a particular fragrance, you may have to buy in bulk; you never know when you might encounter that particular candle again.

These candles induce rather unique sensory experiences. One of my favorites currently being offered is the Kindling candle, which has notes of wood, clove, and smoke. It's a rich scent that is unlike most other candles and is interesting enough to keep you coming back for more.

Equally interesting is Chandelier, which evokes champagne, saffron, and leather notes. While those certainly aren't scents that I would ever put together, something about the combination is extremely beguiling, and I certainly wouldn't mind burning this candle for hours on end.

Otherland candles can be purchased either individually or as a three-pack, and the packaging is as colorful and whimsical as its fragrances.

Read more about Otherland in our full review and learn why it makes a great gift.

Pros: Wide range of scents, creative packaging, frequent new offerings

Cons: Limited edition scents go quickly

The best natural air-freshening candle

If you care more about scent than looks, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scented Soy Candles are affordable, all-natural air-freshening solutions that are easy to find.

Admittedly, most of the candles on this list are a bit flashy, and we know most people don't want to spend $50 or more for something that won't last forever. But if you're looking for a no-nonsense candle that smells terrific and is easy to find, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scented Soy Candles are our favorite.

Mrs. Meyer's is known for making household products that use natural ingredients and are cruelty-free. The wax in its candles are derived from soy, cottonseed, and vegetables, so you don't have to worry about toxic ingredients (there's no lead and the wick is made from cotton). They come in basic glass jars, however, they look more country-home utilitarian than decorative penthouse apartment. These candles are all about making a room smell nice.

Available in small and large, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scented Soy Candles cost less than $10. In our experience, the candle does a good job staying lit (the company states a 35-hour burn time, but we can get about two weeks' worth of on-and-off use). When the wax melts into liquid, the candle's scent increases, naturally. Of the scents available, we find Lemon Verbena to be the most pleasant and strongest, but ultimately, scents are subjective. If this floral scent isn't your thing, there's Basil, Geranium, Honeysuckle, and Lavender.

Best of all, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scented Soy Candles are sold at most big-box stores and supermarkets.

Pros: Affordable, made with natural ingredients, widely available, great scents

Cons: Not decorative, may not last long if burned continuously

What to consider when buying candles

First and foremost, what kind of scent are you after? Our favorite candles tend to smell a bit earthier and somewhat floral, without any artificial additives that result in a cloying sweetness. Sandalwood is often a pleasant scent, as are jasmine or gardenia.

Second, in what situations are you most likely to burn a candle? If you're looking for something to complement dinner, you'll probably be looking for a different candle than the one that performs best in the bathroom.

You'll also want to consider the amount of light you want your candles to emit. Whereas some candles have only one wick, others have two, three, or more, which can offer a warmer glow in the evening.

Finally, you'll want to keep the packaging in mind. Some candles are (almost) too pretty to burn, which could be useful if you're looking to display candles as decor.

Check out our other related buying guides

The best throw blankets

A good throw blanket will be cuddly soft, cozy and warm yet breathable, and durable enough to last you multiple seasons. The best throws will resist holding onto smells, moisture, or mildew to minimize the number of times it needs to be washed throughout the season. These are our favorite throw blankets.

---

The best wine clubs

Wine clubs have been around since the early 1970s. But in recent years, a few startups have started to personalize the process of buying wine even further, introducing quizzes and algorithms to better predict what kind of wine would best suit your palate. These are the best wine clubs.

---

The best places to buy affordable fine jewelry

Fine jewelry will nearly always cost a bit more than the costume variety, but that doesn't mean you have to go bankrupt in order to have the ring or necklace of your dreams. These are the best places to buy affordable fine jewelry.

---

The best online flower delivery services

Nothing says, "I love you!" or "Happy Birthday!" quite like a bunch of flowers. Whether it's Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, or some other special occasion, freshly cut flowers are always a hit. These are the best places to order fresh flowers online.

• Nikola fell 22% on Wednesday amid a report from The Wall Street Journal that potential partnership talks have been put on hold after weeks of controversy.
• Shortly after a short-seller report from Hindenburg Research alleged that Nikola was deceptive and misled investors, founder Trevor Milton stepped down from the company.
• Nikola was in talks with BP and other energy companies about a potential partnership to build hydrogen-refueling stations.
• Those talks have since "stalled," according to the report.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As JPMorgan put it last week about Nikola: "there's never a dull moment with this stock."

First, it was a $2 billion partnership announcement with General Motors that sent the stock soaring more than 50% in a day.

Then, it was a short-seller report from Hindenburg Research that alleged Nikola was deceptive and misled investors.

Then, it was reports of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice opening an investigation into Nikola to see if the company deceived investors.

Then, it was the founder of Nikola Corp., Trevor Milton, stepping down from the company as its executive chairman. 

Read more: Legendary trader Randy McKay turned $2,000 into $70,000 in just 7 months. Here are the 7 trading rules that contributed to his multi-year run of million dollar-plus returns.

Now, there is a stall in talks between Nikola and potential partners amid the swirling controversy.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal published Wednesday, talks regarding potential partnerships with energy companies like BP recently "stalled" out.

Nikola was in discussions with energy companies about forming a partnership to build out a network of hydrogen re-fueling stations that would help support the eventual rollout of Nikola's hydrogen-powered trucks.

Executives at the start-up car company "felt they were making progress" toward a potential deal until the short-seller report from Hindenburg "cast doubt on the company and its statements about the readiness of its technology," according to The Journal.

Now, the talks have been put on hold, but a deal is still possible, The Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Nikola has said that a partnership to build out a network of hydrogen-refueling stations would be key to its launch of a fleet of hydrogen-powered trucks.

Nikola Chief Financial Officer Kim Brady told investors on a call on Tuesday that it has discussed hydrogen-station plans with energy companies, industrial gas companies, and truck stop operators, according to the report.

Shares of Nikola fell as much as 22% to $22.25 in Wednesday trades. Nikola is down as much as 46% since the Hindenburg short report was released.

Read more: Buy these 15 stocks right now before they rally higher, says the Morgan Stanley equity chief who nailed his call for a short-term market meltdown

• You can fix a disappearing Dock on a Mac computer through a few troubleshooting methods.
• Your Mac Dock keeps a selection of commonly used apps along the bottom edge of your screen for quick access.
• While the Dock is usually visible on the screen, it can disappear with no clear way to get it back. 
• Your Mac's Dock doesn't show up in full screen mode, and it can be set to disappear automatically, so troubleshoot these issues first. 
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

The Mac Dock comes pre-loaded with some of your system's most-used applications. You can also customize which applications are included in the Dock. 

Sometimes that Dock can disappear, making navigating your Mac more tedious. The upgrade to Mac's Catalina OS, for example, has seen users complain that their settings are automatically changed, so the Dock disappears by default. 

If you're in full screen mode, it's important to note the Dock will not show up. To do so, disable fullscreen mode by hitting the "Esc" key and hitting the green button in the top left corner. 

You can also check whether your Dock is set to hide automatically by moving your cursor over the bottom edge of your screen and seeing if it reappears. 

If neither of these things is the reason, sometimes adjusting your settings can often make your Dock reappear. Here's how to get your Dock back. 

How to fix a disappearing Dock on a Mac in System Preferences 

1. Click the Apple logo in your Mac's upper left corner.

2. Scroll down to "System Preferences."

3. Select "Dock."

4. If "Automatically hide and show the Dock" is checked, uncheck the box next to it. 

How to fix a disappearing Dock on a Mac by restarting the Dock

1. Click on your desktop screen until you see the "Finder" menu appear in the top left corner. 

2. Click on "File."

3. Select "New Finder Window."

4. Select the "Utilities" icon.

5. Launch the Terminal.

6. Paste or write "killall Dock" into the Terminal window to turn off the Dock and automatically restart it.

How to fix a disappearing Dock on a Mac by resetting the Preferences list

1. Click on your desktop until you see the Finder toolbar.

2. Select "Go." 

3. Scroll down to and choose "Go to folder."

4. Type "~/Library" into the search bar that appears and hit enter. 

5. Click on the "Preferences" folder.

6. Type "com.apple.dock.plist" into the Preferences window search bar. 

7. When you find the file, drag it into the trash.

8. Restart your computer.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to hide the dock on your Mac computer in 2 different ways, to get rid of the application icons on your screen

• How to change the size of the Dock on your Mac computer in 2 ways, along with its position and behavior

• How to use Siri on your Mac computer to search the web, play music, and more

• How to turn off software update notifications on a Mac or set your computer to update automatically without notifications

• 25 essential Mac computer keyboard shortcuts to help streamline your work

• Tesla's network experienced a brief outage Wednesday, owners said online, affecting their ability to pair their phones with cars. 
• Downdetector shows a surge in reports around 11 a.m. Wednesday. 
• The issues do not affect traditional keys, only the ability for drivers to use their phones as keys. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tesla's network appeared to suffer an outage on Wednesday morning that left many owners unable to connect to their car with the company's mobile app.

The blog Electrek first reported on the issues, with editor Fred Lambert saying he was unable to access his Tesla vehicles.

—Fred Lambert (@FredericLambert) September 23, 2020

Bloomberg also confirmed the outage, with at least one Tesla owner telling the news site that he had accidentally locked his keys in his car and could not get into the vehicle.

A spike in reports on outage-tracking website Down Detector shortly after 11 a.m. confirms his suspicions, with plenty of others chiming in on Twitter to commiserate — and ask CEO Elon Musk for further information.

—Tyler Hartzheim (@thartzheim) September 23, 2020

Importantly, the outages only affected owners' ability to use their phones to control their cars' locks and other features. Physical keys assumably still worked during the network hiccups. It's not clear if any of Tesla's driver-assistance features like Autopilot were affected by the outage.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

—mikæl21 (@mikel21) September 23, 2020

Shares of Tesla have slid 15% this week, both in anticipation of and following the company's "Battery Day" presentation on Tuesday, which appeared to largely underwhelm investors.

• Qantas listed bar carts packed with wine, snacks, and candy for just over $1,000 each, and they're all sold out. 
• The carts came off of the Australian airline's Boeing 747s, which it recently retired. 
• With demand for air travel down significantly, many airlines and suppliers have decided to sell excess inventory — like pajamas, meals, and snacks — to bring in some extra cash. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

With air travel decimated and revenues in the gutter, airlines and their suppliers have been selling off unneeded bits of inventory, to bring in whatever extra cash they can find. 

Thai Airways and Cathay Pacific have turned to selling in-flight meals as standalone products. GNS Foods, a supplier to United Airlines, sold excess mixed nuts to the public for bargain-bin prices in late August. 

Qantas, though, has outdone them all. After retiring its fleet of Boeing 747s, the Australian airline decided to sell off the bar carts that once rode aboard the Queen of the Skies. And it didn't just offer the hunks of metal and plastic: It also packed the trolleys full of booze, candy, and savory snacks, among other treats. 

In addition to 160 miniature wine bottles, two bottles of champagne, and various snacks, Qantas threw in four amenity kits, two first-class blankets, and four sets of pajamas with each cart purchase. 

Qantas listed the carts for 1,474 AUD — just over 1,000 USD at current exchange rates — and they're all already sold out. Apparently, plenty of aviation fanatics are willing to spend top dollar to spruce up their home bars or make their flight simulators a bit more realistic, even if they showed the normal wear and tear you'd expect from a cart that took countless trips up and down the aisle.

Qantas has also attempted to shore up its coffers by selling business-class pajamas along with sightseeing flights that land right back where they started. 

• Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer, said Facebook doesn't get "any credit" for its role in major social movements, according to leaked audio obtained by The Verge.
• "The brave women who spoke out on Me Too, the brave people who spoke out on Black Lives Matter, the brave people who organized the Women's March — they needed the tool," Sandberg reportedly told Facebook interns in July. "There's a reason this is happening now and it didn't happen before."
• Facebook has played a role in many movements, like Me Too and Black Lives Matter, over the years. But it's also hosted misinformation and conspiracy theories, and posts on the platform often paint an incorrect picture of society's sentiments. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Sheryl Sandberg said Facebook doesn't get "any credit" for its role in major social movements like Black Lives Matter and Me Too. 

The Verge's Casey Newton on Wednesday published a trove of leaked recordings from internal Facebook Q&As over the past several months, including an annual session Sandberg has with Facebook interns in July. During the event, Sandberg addressed Facebook's role in social movements, both as a communication tool and a platform for raising money for causes. 

Sandberg's comments appeared to express frustration that Facebook isn't acknowledged for how it helps activists, while also seeming to position Facebook as the reason these movements have taken hold. 

"We don't get credit for any of those movements," she said, according to The Verge. "We don't get credit for any of it. But the brave women who spoke out on Me Too, the brave people who spoke out on Black Lives Matter, the brave people who organized the Women's March — they needed the tool. There's a reason this is happening now and it didn't happen before."

Facebook has become a key platform for organizing events like protests and marches. In 2017, the Women's March on Washington was organized on Facebook, launched out of a post by a former lawyer named Teresa Shook. Following the election of President Donald Trump, Shook posted in the Facebook group "Pantsuit Nation," a pro-Hillary Clinton group, that someone should organize a pro-women march, according to the Washington Post. The event blew up overnight, and on January 21 as many as 470,000 people marched in Washington, DC.

Facebook played a role in the Me Too movement as well, when in 2017, survivors of sexual assault and harassment took to social media to show their support with the hashtag "#MeToo." The movement was founded in 2006 by Tarana Burke, but the hashtag went viral after sexual assault and harassment allegations emerged against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. In the case of Me Too, Facebook was one platform for users to share their stories, but the hashtag blew up on other platforms as well, particularly Twitter.

In the case of Black Lives Matter, the phrase originated on Facebook: In July 2013, community organizer Alicia Garza used the phrase in a Facebook post following the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon Martin. In recent times, Facebook has been used to organize Black Lives Matter protests, and when George Floyd was killed by white police officers in Minneapolis, the full video of his death was posted to Facebook. 

Particularly when it comes to the Black Lives Matter movement, however, Facebook has also hosted extremist content and conspiracy theories, and the type of content that becomes popular on the platform isn't always reflective of society's sentiments. As The New York Times' Kevin Roose points out, though a majority of people in the US support the Black Lives Matter movement, The Times found that in June, 7 out of 10 of the most-shared Black Lives Matter posts over the month prior criticized the movement. 

In July, an internal civil rights audit found that the company hadn't done enough to address civil rights issues on the platform, particularly around political speech. 

"While the audit process has been meaningful and has led to some significant improvements in the platform, we have also watched the company make painful decisions over the last nine months with real world consequences that are serious setbacks for civil rights," the report said. 

• Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster on Wednesday told CNN that he wishes President Donald Trump would recognize that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not his friend. 
• "I wish President Trump would just realize…Vladimir Putin is not his friend," McMaster said to CNN's Jim Sciutto. "It's self-delusion…Putin is the best liar in the world."
• Trump at a rally on Monday told supporters: "I like Putin. He likes me."
• The intelligence community has repeatedly warned that Russia is engaged in ongoing efforts to interfere in the US electoral process. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump's former national security adviser H.R. McMaster on Wednesday told CNN that he wishes the commander-in-chief would recognize that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "not his friend."

"I wish President Trump would just realize…Vladimir Putin is not his friend," McMaster said to CNN's Jim Sciutto. "It's self-delusion…Putin is the best liar in the world."

This came a day after McMaster warned that efforts from Trump and GOP leaders in Congress to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 election benefits Putin's agenda. 

"It's just wrong...it's really important for leaders to be responsible about this because, really, as you know Putin doesn't create these divisions in our society, he doesn't create these doubts, he magnifies them," Trump's former national security adviser told CNN's Jake Tapper.

—CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) September 23, 2020

—The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) September 22, 2020

Similar to McMaster, Trump's former director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, in a New York Times op-ed last week warned about the dangers of undermining the legitimacy of the electoral process in the US. 

"If we fail to take every conceivable effort to ensure the integrity of our election, the winners will not be Donald Trump or Joe Biden, Republicans or Democrats," Coats wrote. "The only winners will be Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Ali Khamenei. No one who supports a healthy democracy could want that."

FBI Director Christopher Wray last week told House lawmakers that Russia is "very active" in its efforts to interfere in the 2020 election, and aiming to sow discord and "denigrate" former Vice President Joe Biden. 

The CIA has also reportedly concluded Putin is likely directly involved in these efforts, with the aim of bolstering Trump's chances of being reelected. 

Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on the intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, and brushed off warnings about the Kremlin's ongoing meddling in the US electoral process. 

In one of the most controversial moments of his presidency, Trump in July 2018 appeared to side with Putin over the US intelligence community on the subject of election interference, prompting bipartisan criticism. 

More recently, Trump publicly admitted he did not confront Putin over an intelligence assessment that Russia has paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan to kill US soldiers, and he has remained remarkably silent on the poisoning of Russia's top critic, Alexei Navalny. 

For years, Trump has behaved in a more amicable manner toward Putin — and other authoritarian leaders — than many top US allies.

In some cases, Trump has even defended Putin. Trump in a 2017 interview with Fox News downplayed Putin's record of violently going after dissidents, stating that the US also has "killers."

"There are a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?" Trump said.

—Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 21, 2020

At a rally in Ohio on Monday, Trump said, "I like Putin. He likes me."

Though Putin is widely regarded as an autocrat and enemy to democracy worldwide, Trump said it's "smart" to get along with the Russian leader. 

"Wouldn't you say it's smart to get along?" Trump said.

• Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren blamed the nation's largest banks for the lack of activity in the Main Street Lending Program.
• The program can provide up to $600 billion worth of credit to small and mid-sized businesses, but only less than $5 billion has been used. 
• "None of the nation's largest banks ... are currently active in the program," he said. 
• The Boston Fed Chief also said he expects a slow economic recovery and believes additional stimulus is "very much needed."

• Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.

Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren blamed the nation's largest banks for the lack of activity in the Main Street Lending Program. 

The MSLP is designed to provide up to $600 billion worth of credit to small and mid-sized businesses that were hurt by the pandemic, but Rosengren said less than $5 billion of loans have been used. Large banks haven't participated in the program at all, he added. 

"Banks making at least six loans in the Main Street Program have been banks with assets under $20 billion. None of the nation's largest banks, by this metric, are currently active in the program," the Boston Fed chief said in a transcript of a speech he delivered Wednesday in an online forum organized by the Boston Economic Club.

Read more: These 13 Israeli cybersecurity startups have raised a collective $847 million in funding this year for new tools that protect remote workers

An important component of the program is the banks' willingness to participate, said Rosengren. The MSLP "should be attractive to banks" because the Fed buys out 95% of every loan.

He added: "I continue to urge the nation's financial institutions to work with the Federal Reserve to help provide a bridge for pandemic-affected businesses and nonprofits to better times, avoiding more lasting economic damage to communities and workers." 

The Boston Fed chief also said economic activity "still faces serious headwinds" given the threat of a second wave of the coronavirus and the difficulties associated with workers who have lost their jobs and need to transition to new positions. His expectation of the unemployment rate is less optimistic than the median forecast of Federal Open Market Committee participants, which sees unemployment at 7.6% by the end of 2020.

Rosengren also said additional stimulus from Congress is "very much needed" despite encouraging economic data released this summer.

• A bear market occurs when there’s been a significant, continuous fall in stocks or another asset, usually at least 20%.
• Bear markets generally indicate low investor confidence and a sluggish economy.
• Despite their negative reputation, bear markets can offer good buying opportunities for patient investors.
• Visit Insider's Investing Reference library for more stories.

To the average investor, a bear market can be as terrifying as a seven-foot-tall grizzly. It's synonymous with bad news, economic downturns, and overall negativity. 

But bears are a natural part of the ebb and flow of the financial markets. Let's track their movements.

What is a bear market?

A bear market is defined as a prolonged period in which investment prices plummet at least 20% from their historical average. A market must fall 20% or more from its most recent high to be considered a bear market, where it remains until it rises 20% from its lowest level. 

The term usually refers to a downward move in the stock market — specifically, one of the major indexes: the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, or the tech-oriented Nasdaq. However, it can also be applied to any other asset that slumps for an appreciable amount of time.

Economists and etymologists alike love to debate how bear markets got their name, but it most likely arose from an old proverb about how it's bad "to sell the bear's skin before one has caught the bear," meaning to unload something you didn't actually own. From there, "bears" came to be a slang term for speculators betting that prices were going to drop.

The opposite of a bear market is a bull market, a buoyant period of rising prices. You can keep them straight by envisioning the two animals' characteristic behavior: a hibernating bear (a sinking or sluggish market) and a charging bull (a surging market).

Bear markets vs. corrections 

Bear markets shouldn't be confused with corrections, which are a drop of more than 10% but less than 20%. According to the Schwab Center for Financial Research, of the 22 corrections that occurred between November 1974 and early 2020, only four progressed into actual bear territory. Those occurred in 1980, 1987, 2000, and 2007. 

Bear markets shouldn't be confused with recessions, either: That's when the gross domestic product suffers at least two quarters of decline, signifying reduced economic output. Although the two often move in tandem, it's possible to have a bear market without a recession, and vice versa.

Key traits of a bear market 

However, bear markets are often triggered by an economic downturn — a contraction phase in the business cycle. Negative news or events can also cause stocks to change course. 

The main characteristics of a bear market include:

• Investors turn pessimistic. They decide to sell current investments or stop buying more. This increases the supply of available shares, depressing prices.
• Stock values decline. Listed companies are worth less on paper due to their lower stock prices. 
• Investor sentiment turns negative. The consensus is that the market's stopped growing and won't appreciate anytime soon. Investors move money to safer and steadier assets, like Treasury bills and investment-grade bonds. 
• Companies make less money. Consumers are buying less, investors have lost confidence. Corporate earnings and profits fall or stagnate. This leads to firms laying people off, cutting production, and curbing research and development. 
• The economic malaise spreads. Money becomes more tight, leading to the risk of deflation. Markets, production, spending are moribund. 
• A turnaround occurs. Conditions bottom out. Lower interest rates stimulate spending and borrowing again. As activity and confidence return, stocks rebound and the market begins a bull run. 

How long do bear markets last?

Bear markets can last for any length of time. Investors distinguish between "cyclical" and "secular" bear markets, which differ in their time frame. Cyclical bears tend to be short-term, lasting a few months. Bears that are "secular"  can endure from five to 25 years. 

Secular bears aren't one long slide downward, either: During "bear market rallies," for instance, stock prices rise for a time before plunging again, to new lows. 

Because the low-point can only be figured out retroactively, after the market's definitely on the rebound, there's always a lag before you can declare a bear market definitely over. (Bull markets have the same issue.)

A bear cub market

As of fall 2020, the US is in a bull market. It followed on the heels of the shortest bear market in history, which lasted just 33 days, from February 19, when the markets started declining, to March 23, when they bottomed out. Like everything else about 2020, this was extraordinary, since every other bear market has lasted much longer. 

Although the economy remains wobbly, the quick flip to a bull implies that investors think that the COVID-19 pandemic will be overcome relatively quickly, perhaps through the development of a vaccine. 

Tips on investing in a bear market

Bear markets are bad news to most investors since it's harder to make money when they are happening. But you won't necessarily lose money, either — especially if you're able to hold on until prices rise. Of course, that could take some time, and it can be painful playing the waiting game. 

Here are a few other time-tested ways to weather a bear market: 

• Stay calm. You may be tempted to sell all your investments at once. But if you do want or need to get rid of your stocks, consider selling only 10% at a time, and freshly evaluating your position each time before you do so. Post-1966 bear markets have lasted on average 17 months, while bulls have lasted more than 75 months.
• Stick to the staples. Companies that have provided a dividend in previous downturns, or that offer goods and services that people need even when the economy is bad — think food or utilities — often hold their value. Or even increase.
• Look at what's on sale. Bear markets are good for bargain-hunting. Fundamentally sound companies may be temporarily depressed, their shares slashed by the bear's claws. Buy them now and you'll be ready when they rebound.
• Don't get too thirsty for big returns. It can be easy to end up with overly risky investments when you're in the middle of a bear market, looking under every rock for investments with big payoffs — you hope. Pay close attention to risk, and make sure you understand what you are investing in. 

The financial takeaway

Hardly anyone is happy when the bears show up on Wall Street, but they are an inescapable fact of the financial landscape. Although they can cause pain, they can also induce a necessary cooling-off period for the stock market. And they help distinguish truly valuable investments from those that were overly inflated when the bulls were in charge.

Related Coverage in Investing:

The S&P 500's September 5-day 'bearish window,' when investors stand the least chance of making money, is here

Why double-dip recessions are especially difficult, and what they mean for the general state of the economy

Depressions and recessions differ in their severity, duration, and overall impact. Here's what you need to know

2 steps to take to protect your money from a recession, according to a financial expert and bestselling author

The bear market and recession are over and the S&P 500 is 'fully priced' with little room to run upward, investing legend Byron Wien says

When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

• This year, Halloween will look different than in the past, but kids and adults, alike, can still enjoy fun low-risk activities. Check out the CDC's recommendations, which include virtual costume parties and at-home scavenger hunts.
• For those who plan to dress up, finding a Halloween costume can feel like an impossible balancing act of budget, comfort, and spookiness. 
• We dug through this year's selections to pick the best places to shop online for Halloween costumes for kids, adults, families, and pets as well as sensory-friendly and adaptive options.

For the fright-fest enthusiast or trick-or-treater in it for the candy, Halloween costumes are a fun way to encourage imagination and play. The excitement of a new outfit is doubled when it includes a set of Mickey Mouse ears, and during Halloween, anyone can have Elsa right in their living room. Even your dog can turn into a taco or a werewolf with some costume magic.

Unfortunately, the volume of options can be overwhelming. That's why we researched this year's offerings to find the best for kids, adults, families, and more. We've also given our tips and tricks to navigate each retailer. 

Here are the best places to buy Halloween costumes:

• Best Halloween costumes overall: Amazon
• Best Halloween costumes for kids: Great Pretenders
• Best cheap Halloween costumes: Walmart
• Best Halloween costumes for families: Target
• Best custom Halloween costumes: Etsy
• Best sensory-friendly Halloween costumes: Hanna Andersson
• Best Halloween costumes for pets: Chewy
• Best adaptive Halloween costumes: Target

Prices and links are current as of 9/23/20. Added new categories, including sensory-friendly, adaptive, and pet costumes and selected new retailers based on this year's offerings.

The best Halloween costumes overall

Amazon has an endless trove of Halloween costumes, including accessories, family costumes, and pop culture options. 

Instead of searching "halloween costumes" on Amazon, we recommend going straight to Amazon's Halloween Shop page. From there, you can browse costumes by categories like kids, women's, men's, or family. This is a great way to get some costume inspiration if you haven't landed on a theme yet.

The range of costumes and accessories is Amazon's biggest selling point. Humorous options like the Official Jurassic World Inflatable Dinosaur appear on the same page as the creepy Wednesday Addams costume. If you're opting for a low-key approach, the drama of a floor-length velvet cloak is appropriate and comes in eight colors.

There are always potential quality issues when Amazon acts as a broker between third parties. For that reason, we recommend searching for costumes that are shipped and sold by Amazon directly.

Pros: Vast selection, multiple categories, good prices

Cons: Occasional quality issues

Shop Halloween costumes at Amazon

The best Halloween costumes for kids

Great Pretenders balances whimsy with budget, offering an affordable selection of full costume sets and accessories for kids.

Envisioned as a store for pretend play, Great Pretenders is a one-stop shop for your child's imagination. Halloween costumes are front and center among mermaid hair elastics and superhero party supplies.

Great Pretenders has the classics, like a spooky midnight witch dress and a firefighter jacket, as well as a variety of accessories. Most outfits — capes and full sets — fall in the $20 to $40 range, with accesories below $20. 

You can get your kid creatively involved in the costume fun with their Colour-A Collection, a selection of colorable clothes that includes skirts, capes, and more. Each piece comes with its own set of markers.

Great Pretenders is a Canadian brand, but it ships to US customers from its Michigan warehouse and is sold at Amazon, Etsy, Maisonette, and on its own website.

Because "pretend" is in the name of the brand,  if you're browing on Amazon, make sure to check that the costume you're buying is sold by this brand and not another pretend play store.

Pros: Wide selection, Colour-A Collection is a fun alternative

Cons: Not every costume is available on every website, limited "spooky" section

Shop a wide range of pretend-play looks at Great Pretenders

The best cheap Halloween costumes

Walmart is your go-to for a large variety of affordable Halloween costumes for kids and adults.

If you're on a tight budget or you simply don't want to spend a lot on a burger suit that you or your kid will wear for all of a single afternoon, Walmart is your best bet. Its Halloween costume offerings are divided into two categories: kids and adults.

Within each category, there are many popular characters available, but the size options are limited. Most of the multitude of costumes for sale are afforable — between $20 and $30. There are also similar costumes in kid and adult sizes that can be purchased together for a family set. The low prices come in handy if you're looking to create a group look. 

In addition to all the affordable Halloween costumes you'll find available on Walmart's site, there's also a great selection of low-cost costume accessories. From wizard's wands to bear mascot heads, you can find plenty of cheap items.

If you're on a budget and running out of time to find a Halloween costume, you'll appreciate the fact that many options from Walmart are available with fast two-day shipping. 

Pros: Low prices, large selection of accessories, fast shipping on many products

Cons: Qualify varies

Shop for low-cost Halloween costumes at Walmart

The best family Halloween costumes

If you're looking for a pop culture-inspired or classic Halloween family costume, Target has it covered.

When it comes to Halloween costumes, Target has thought of everything. Many of its outfits are priced low enough that it's feasible to get a united costume front. However, the bulk of the collections are geared toward families with toddlers and there are few baby options.

If your family is looking for equally nerdy and awesome, check out the Super Mario Brothers Costume Collection, complete with outfits for kids and adults as well as mustaches and hats. There are also costumes inspired by the Star Wars, a pirate collection that includes a dog costume, and a set to turn to your family into a Venus Fly Trap.

Target makes the Halloween costume online shopping experience easy with size charts specific to its in-house brand, Hyde and Eek! Beyond these collections, Target has a matching costumes category that offers paired costumes for siblings, couples, or babies and dogs. 

Pros: Great collection options, easy search experience

Cons: Costumes sell out quickly

Shop for family Halloween costumes at Target

The best custom Halloween costumes

Etsy is where you'll find a truly unique, handmade Halloween costume made to fit yourself or your little one.

If you can't find the perfect Halloween costume from a major retailer, then consider the off-beat and custom costumes on Etsy. Not every store will offer matching condiment shirts, but if your friends are the ketchups to your mustard, there's a costume for you.

Etsy can connect you to hundreds of talented artists who can fashion just about any outfit you dream up, even a Beetlejuice romper for your toddler. These customized costumes come at a higher price, but to get a look from scratch, Etsy provides the best platform for collaboration and originality. 

There are countless Etsy sellers offering Halloween costume designs that they can tailor to your measurements, and most have detailed measurements to ensure accuracy, like this C3PO-inspired dress.

Pros: Unique options, supports small businesses and individual artists

Cons: Often expensive

Shop all custom Halloween costumes at Etsy

The best sensory friendly Halloween costumes

For people who need sensory-friendly materials, Hanna Andersson's organic cotton costume and pajama sets are an excellent choice for Halloween.

Hanna Andersson is known for its clothing made from quality materials for sensitive skin. Its organic cotton pajamas are all made with smooth flatlock seaming to decrease skin irritation. You can pair them with separately sold accessories to create the perfect sensory-friendly costume.

These shark pajamas can be decked out for a virtual Halloween parade or tucked away for a chilly night. Even better, all of your family members can get comfortable and festive with matching adult and child sizes. 

You can even mix and match if your child can't be contained by a singular theme. Pair this Halloween Rib Knit Dress with these Puppy Paws and call it a new take on a werewolf! The website encourages designing your own combination costume with the "Click to style it your way" feature. There are even glow-in-the-dark costume pajamas if you're looking to splurge, but either way, creativity and comfort can now be part of Halloween.

Hannah Andersson's clothing are intended to be "hand-me-down quality" and last for as long as you can fit in them. Most pajama sets are between $30 and $40 with accessories sold seperately. 

Pros: Great for Halloween and year round 

Cons: Not a lot of adult options, can be pricey

Shop organic cotton spooky outfits at Hanna Andersson

The best Halloween costumes for pets

Dress up of your cat, dog, or guinea pig in one of Chewy's many pet Halloween costumes. 

Don't leave your furry friend behind on the spookiest night of the year! Chewy has a wide variety of pet costumes for dogs and cats of all sizes, as well as a few for small pets. The price varies, from cheaper low-key costumes to pricier intricate ones, but all are $30 or less.

Go for a classic look with the cat bread costume, though you'll have to provide the grumpy kitty face.  Many costumes fit both cats and dogs. If you have a pair of unlikely pals at home, they can show their friendship to the world with matching stegosaurus costumes.

Pet costumes are intended to be worn with supervision and for a short period of time, as adorable as the walking werewolf look would be all the time. Some costumes are made with small parts, too, so keep an extra close eye on your power chewer. Because the closures vary from pullovers to hooks and loops, you'll also want to consider your pets sensitivities when choosing their look.

For more ideas and to learn how to make any costume your pet's favorite, check out our roundup of Halloween costumes for dogs and cats.

Pros: Classic and unusual pet outfits, matching costumes for cat and dog

Cons: Not durable for playful pets or strong chewers

Shop Chewy's collection of pet costumes

The best adaptive Halloween costumes

Target's exclusive Hyde and Eek! Halloween collection includes a line of affordable and fun adaptive costumes for adults and children.

From outfits with coordinating wheelchair covers to jumpsuits with side openings and abdominal access, Target offers the best options for an inclusive shopping experience for adult's and children's costumes. Both wheelchair covers and outfits are all under $40. 

The wheelchair covers, like the Dragon ensemble, are sold separately from the outfits, giving you a choice between costume elements. Along with the shell-shaped wheelchair side panels, the mermaid costume comes with a headpiece for extra flair. Another feature of the shop are the onesie costumes, like the plush unicorn. The side zipper and removable extra accessories are tailored for a child with sensory needs.

The selection isn't huge, and although there are three sizing options for every costume, the measurements vary between different outfits. You'll have to consult the sizing guide to determine if the costumes are appropriate for you or your child. 

Pros: Classic costumes, wheelchair covers and outfits available

Cons: Small selection, inconsistent sizing system

Shop for adaptive Halloween costumes at Target

What else we considered

• Pottery Barn Kids Costumes: If you're looking for a flashing Cinderella dress or want to turn your baby into a plush elephant, Pottery Barn Kids Halloween costumes are for you. The price was the prohibiting factor when selecting brands for this list, but the quality and breadth of the costumes are admirable. The Paw Patrol costumes would be a surefire hit for a fan of the popular kids show.
• Rolling Buddies Adaptive Costumes, available at Etsy and Rolling Buddies: For more adaptive options, the Rolling Buddies shop specializes in wheelchair costumes. It's pricier than Target's Hyde and Eek! line and there aren't any matching clothing options, but there is a wider range of wheelchair side panels. The website claims that each costume is made with durable, scratch-resistant materials. Due to the price and limited dress-up options, it wasn't our first choice, but we appreciated the abundance of choices for wheelchair panels. 
• Shop Disney: For us, the pros and cons of a Disney store costume canceled each other out. While there are markdowns and the children's selection is more reasonable, the price of the elaborate character costumes can get sky high. If you are looking for an unmistakable Disney look, we'd recommend looking at the kids section and keeping an eye out for sales. However, if you're looking for an adult costume, try supplementing a basic (and cheaper) outfit with Disney accessories. 

When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

• Way Day is Wayfair's biggest sales event of the year, and a great time for you to get home goods at a discount.
• The sale covers essentials and decor for every angle of your house, and it's full of discounts for your kitchen.
• Below, we've highlighted the best kitchen deals Way Day 2020 has to offer. 
• If you're looking for other great deals, check out our Way Day 2020 coverage here.
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

Running both September 23 and 24, Way Day 2020 is finally here. It's Wayfair's biggest sale of the year, so if you've been waiting to revamp your home essentials and decor, now is the time to give the site a browse. Take up to 80% off Wayfair's huge catalog of goods; from outdoor to living room to bedroom, this sale has it all covered. Below, we've highlighted the best Way Day kitchen deals we've seen from this year's sale to help you get started.

The best kitchen deals this 'Way Day':

More standout kitchen deals:

• Kitchenaid 3.5-cup Mini Food Processor, $52 (originally $60) [You save $8]
• Tramontina Cast Iron Skillet with Lid 12-inch, $55 (originally $70) [You save $15]
• De'Longhi Dedica Deluxe Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, $264 (originally $300) [You save $36]
• Le Creuset Bundle Shop, 20% off any 3 different Le Creuset items

• The US Navy destroyer USS Kidd was spotted flying the skull and crossbones as it returned to its homeport this week.
• The Kidd is named after an admiral who was killed at Pearl Harbor, but the infamous pirate Captain Kidd has long been its mascot.
• Three ships have been named Kidd, and they have been the only US Navy ships authorized to fly the Jolly Roger.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG-100) hoisted the Jolly Roger — a black banner adorned with a white skull and crossbones that is commonly associated with piracy —  as it returned to its homeport this week.

A Navy photo, first spotted by The War Zone, shows the unusual flag flying alongside the American flag as the destroyer sails into port at Naval Station Everett in Washington after a deployment to the 4th Fleet area of operations, which includes the eastern Pacific and Caribbean.

While the skull and crossbones were initially associated with piracy, submariners adopted the fearsome flag during World War I, when the British submarine HMS E-9 hoisted the Jolly Roger after sinking the German battle cruiser Hela.

It became a tradition, one that spread beyond the Royal Navy and came to mark a successful patrol, not necessarily the sinking of an enemy vessel.

In 2017, the Navy released a photo of the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Jimmy Carter transiting the Hood Canal as it returned to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. In the Navy photo, a black flag that appears to be the Jolly Roger can be seen.

The USS Kidd, despite an early COVID-19 setback shortly after the start of its deployment in April, had a relatively successful deployment, supporting counternarcotics operations and at one point assisting the Coast Guard in intercepting 805 kilograms of cocaine worth about $30 million, the Navy announced.

But that's not why the ship flies its pirate flag.

The first USS Kidd (DD-661) was a Fletcher-class destroyer named after Rear Adm. Isaac Kidd, who was killed aboard the battleship USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The rear admiral had the nickname "Cap" — a reference to the Scottish pirate Captain William Kidd — when he went through the US Naval Academy.

The crew of the USS Kidd, which was commissioned in 1943, adopted the pirate as their mascot. On the USS Kidd's first voyage, the crew flew the Jolly Roger with the permission of the admiral's widow, Inez Kidd, who convinced Navy leaders to permit it. The crew of the USS Kidd became known as the "Pirates of the Pacific."

The USS Kidd is the only surface ship in the US Navy permitted to fly the flag of piracy.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Kidd (DDG-100), commissioned in 2007, is the third ship to bear this name, and it "continues the tradition of this legacy and flies the Jolly Roger proudly and with distinction," according to the Navy.

As Task & Purpose notes, this week's photo of the USS Kidd flying the Jolly Roger comes just a few months after the Pentagon issued a memo placing restrictions on the flying of certain types of flags.

A 3rd Fleet spokesman told Insider that "the Jolly Roger serves as the unit flag for the USS Kidd (DDG-100)," adding that it is "specifically allowed by the memo."

Other Navy vessels have also been known to fly nonstandard flags, such as the amphibious assault ship USS America, which was spotted earlier this year flying a blue battle flag with the iconic Captain America shield on it.

• There comes a time to let those summer pastels give way to fall hues, and an argument could be made that you've missed out on a central part of fall if you haven't worn a flannel at least once.
• Woolrich has been making excellent flannel for well over 100 years, and its flannel shirts are the best ones you can buy — hands down.

Love or hate flannels and shackets, their burlier cousins, all you want, but there's no denying the perfectly functional application of them all. Flannel comes in many fabrics and patterns, and while the mere mention of the word conjures imagery of plaid-clad grunge music icons — or maybe just Dad in his weekend getup — there's more to the illustrious cloth than meets the popularly-cultured eye.

For instance, flannel may be synonymous with plaid, but flannel is a cloth, and plaid is a pattern. And flannel is not exactly any one specific cloth, either. It's a general term for tightly woven fabric most commonly of either cotton or wool that is modestly milled and raised and sometimes brushed.

Thick or thin, flannel's greatest appeal might be that there's a flannel for all seasons, despite a predominance of fall tones where patterns are concerned.

It can be hefty and warm, light and airy, monochromatic, or fully rhapsodic in more colors than we'd dare count. If one thing is unquestionably definitive about flannel it's that it can, unconditionally, be worn and loved by all. Below, you'll find our most beloved flannel shirts.

Here are the best flannel shirt brands for men:

• Best flannel shirts overall: Woolrich
• Best classic flannel shirts: Pendleton
• Best budget flannel shirts: Uniqlo
• Best eco-friendly flannel shirts: United By Blue
• Best shackets: Outerknown

Updated on 9/21/20 by Amir Ismael: Updated links, added United By Blue as best eco-friendly option, and added notes for what else we've considered. We're currently testing new products from Orvis, Fjallraven, and United By Blue for the next update.

The best flannel shirts overall

Woolrich has been making flannel since 1850, which is nearly as long as the brand has been making clothes, and its flannel shirts are the best of the best.

Woolrich makes a sturdy flannel, but make no mistake: The shirts are as soft as can be before they ever see the inside of a washing machine. I have had several Woolrich shirts over the years, and if it were not for my younger brother stealing them to go around skateboard parks, I'm confident that they'd still be here today.

The Buffalo Check Wool Shirt was Woolrich's first flannel shirt, and it is still a favorite more than 100 years later. Made with 9.75-ounce wool that's blended with nylon, these flannel shirts are machine washable. The inner collar is lined with a poly-cotton blend, and the stitching is done with a double needle. Apart from these small modern innovations, this timeless shirt hasn't changed all that much.

The Trout Run Shirt is a newer addition that has a similar design with a chambray collar, but it's made with a thinner 4.75-ounce pebble-washed 100% cotton fabric. The shirt's materials should please purists, along with anyone else who likes a soft organic material.

Pros: Variety of patterns, fabrics, and blends, wide price range to accommodate all budgets

Cons: We'd love to see the Buffalo Check shirt made as it was over 100 years ago again

The best classic flannel shirts

Pendleton offers such a dizzying array of woolen and cotton flannel shirts, it might be hard to know where to start, but every piece is well made.

In 1863, Thomas Kay sailed down the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States, rode across what was then the Isthmus of Panama, and sailed up the Pacific Coast in search of a place to raise sheep and produce wool. He found it in Pendleton, Oregon, where he started his own mill in 1889. His legacy has remained there ever since, and Kay's family still owns and operates the brand along with its facilities and retail stores.

Still, it would be another 30 years before flannel would land on the fashion scene. In the meantime, flannel was a material for utility shirts worn by men who worked outdoors. It came in dull drab colors, and probably not much else. In 1929, Pendleton put out its first line of virgin wool sportswear, and the brand has been producing excellent flannel shirts ever since.

Pendleton has changed the way its flannel is made over the years, of course. First and foremost, the wool isn't harvested in the United States anymore, but the company does still weave material here. Now that flannel has come into popular fashion, you can find a strong array of hues to choose from. The fabrics used are also water-, odor-, and stain-resistant.

Our favorites are the Trail Shirt with suede elbow patches, which comes with a knit watch cap. It's an obvious but endearing nod back to the company's humbler beginnings. We also like the Lodge Shirt, which might also be called a work shirt or a "shacket."

Pros: Pure virgin wool in some shirts, 30+ patterns available in several weights and styles

Cons: Wool is of dubious origin

The best flannel shirts on a budget

Brushed on both sides, Uniqlo's flannel shirts are soft as anything, and half the price of most of our picks.

Based in Japan, Uniqlo has been making clothes since the 1940s, but it only began to reach US shores in 2005. Since then, its wares have become something of a chic-but-utilitarian staple in many wardrobes. And why not? It's affordable, well-made clothing that fits the bill for most. 

Uniqlo is somewhat synonymous with the word "cheap" in Japan while, oddly enough in New York, you might even hear the adjective "cool" used to describe the company's line of modestly-priced, ergonomically-designed sportswear. Why? It's hard to say for sure, but a straightforward and simplistic (albeit scientific) design that leaves room for comfort doesn't hurt.

Uniqlo covers the gamut of plaid patterns with its flannel. The shirts also come mildly tailored, so while they may not be the trendiest take on flannel, they don't exactly look frumpy, either. 

Pros: Affordable, versatile, 100% cotton

Cons: Stitching could be better

 

The best eco-friendly flannel shirts

United By Blue Responsible Flannels are sustainably made with organic cotton and recycled polyester from post-consumer and post-industrial plastic, plus corozo buttons carved from Tagua Palm nuts.

Living up to its name, the United By Blue Responsible Flannel is sustainably (and responsibly) made from a blend of organic cotton, recycled polyester created from post-consumer and post-industrial plastic, and 2% spandex for a comfortable amount of stretch. 

The heavyweight fabric is complete with a double-brushed finish for a super-soft feel. It's so soft and premium, you'd have no idea it was made from recycled materials.  

United By Blue will also remove one pound of waste from our planet's waterways for every product sold. To date, United By Blue has removed over 3.4 million pounds of trash.

Several members of the Insider Reviews team wore United By Blue Responsible Flannels regularly last fall and winter and found them to be exceptionally warm and soft. Read our full review of the United By Blue Responsible Flannel here.

Pros: Soft, responsibly made, lots of pattern options, your purchase helps clean up the environment

Cons: No options for solid colors 

The best shackets

Outerknown's Blanket Shirts are some of the softest we've tried. They're also 100% organic down to the buttons.

Sustainability doesn't always have to come at a premium, but sometimes it's worth the splurge. These Blanket Shirts are Outerknown's iteration of a "work shirt" or "shacket," as you please, but they maintain their softness and don't pill like many other higher-end rivals.

There's nothing like getting out of the water on a brisk evening and tossing one of these on while I change out of a wetsuit. And, of course, I can stroll right back into town feeling fresh — and warm — as a daisy.

$148 is no pittance, but this isn't your fast-fashion, wear-for-one-season shirt, and you do get what you pay for with Outerknown. Bravo, Kelly Slater and John Moore, for making a line of conscientiously sourced-and-made clothes from start to finish. I'd say I'd keep buying these shirts for years to come, but because of the craftsmanship that goes into them, I know I'll do just fine with the two I've got for the foreseeable future.

Amir Ismael, our on-staff reporter and style guru, recently began wearing Outerknown's Blanket Shirts and offered similar praise:

"As thick and heavy as the Outerknown Blanket Shirt may be, it actually has great versatility throughout the seasons. It's good for late summer nights on cool and breezy beaches, layering in the fall and winter, or even leaving at your desk when it's cold in the office.

The relaxed fit makes it comfortable to wear, but if you want it to be more fitted, I'd recommend sizing down. I'm 5-foot-5 and about 135 pounds, and the size small was slightly oversized (I had to cuff the sleeves for a better fit)."

These shirts, like United By Blue and Toad & Co's flannels, are made with 100% organic cotton (which uses 90% less water than chemical-based methods), and use corozo nut rather than plastic for buttons.

Pros: Won't pill, warm, soft, wide variety of patterns and solids, 100% organic

Cons: A bit pricey

What else we've considered

Faherty: These work shirts, or "shackets," might not exactly classify as flannels, but we think they're close enough in terms of material at the very least. And if not, they're a worthy substitute for the rudimentary Buffalo Check that pervades most people's closets. Faherty also has a line of true flannels.

The shirts are soft, flattering, and can be worn out and about in a slightly more elevated fashion than a Baja poncho. If busy patterns or stripes aren't your things, Faherty's shirts come in monochromatic colors, too. We're still a fan of these shirts, but a good bit of use has lead to pilling, and while choosing to dry clean them would prevent this, we think that's a little too much work for flannel. If you're willing to toss them into the dry cleaning pile, though, we're all for Faherty's work shirts.

L.L.Bean: A tried and true classic, this brand's shirts are known by all and worn by many, but the cuts tend to be frumpy and we think you can get better, more sustainably-sourced fabric for less.

Patagonia: Patagonia makes outstanding flannel, and it's also almost wholly sustainable, but it's a little pricier, and there are less solid colors to choose from if you're not into plaid.

Toad&Co.: We chose United By Blue over Toad&Co. as the best sustainable flannel because they use equally responsible materials and manufacturing processes, but also have more of a fashion forward style. However, as our previous pick for best sustainable, Toad&Co. is still a very solid choice.

Insider Reviews senior reporter Owen Burke said, "I received a Flannagan flannel shirt from Toad&Co. a little under a year ago, and I wore it all fall, winter, and spring, until it was time to break out the linen shirts. It suffered through countless washes in both my cheap-as-hell, garment-shredding washer and drier (no, really, they've killed many a shirt), and as I wear it today, there's not a loose thread, button, or stitch upon it."

Check out our other men's style buying guides

The best men's and masculine linen shirts you can buy

Linen is a fantastic, soft, breathable fabric that's perfect for warm climates and the hot summer months, but not all linen shirts are created equal.

---

The best places to buy men's and masculine jeans

Here at Insider Reviews, we try out a lot of jeans — new ones, old favorites, stretchy elastane ones, stiff, 100% denim ones, and so on. We've rounded up the best places we've found to buy them. Some brands you'll know, some you may not. 

---

The best undershirts

If you've been looking for the best undershirt for managing your sweaty pits, then the search is over. We've done the research and smoked out the best undershirts for men that you can buy today.

---

The best men's and masculine shorts

Finding the perfect pair of men's shorts can be challenging, so we've sorted through a bunch of options to find the best places to shop for men's shorts and selected our favorite pairs from each brand.

---

The best men's and masculine workout shirts

Ask any routine gym goer about their preferred workout attire, and they'll likely spend a few minutes talking about moisture-wicking fabric, innovative cooling technology, or sweat-activated fabrics. While these may sound like industry buzzwords, the application behind these concepts are staples — and, frankly, must-haves — in the world of workout apparel.

---

The best men's and masculine underwear 

If there's one article of clothing that you ought to care about, it's your underwear. Our top pick is the Tommy John collection because you can choose from many different styles of underwear and all of them are seriously comfortable.

---

The best suits

For your go-to workhorse suit, you simply can't beat a single-breasted, two-button classic style charcoal gray suit. The Brooks Brothers 1818 charcoal suit combines historic American-made quality with iconic English flair, and it's easily the most versatile suit you'll ever wear.

---

The best ties

No suit is complete without a great necktie. For your staple tie, it's hard to beat black, and this luxurious silk tie from Turnbull and Asser hits every mark.

---

The best men's and masculine white dress shirts

Everyone needs at least one good white dress shirt. Fine Italian-woven cotton, old-school American craftsmanship, and a great trim fit make the Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece shirt a must-have for the modern gentleman. Its versatile spread collar looks great with or without a tie, so you can pair this timeless staple with almost any outfit. 

• Everlast — the company best known for its sport fighting apparel and equipment like boxing gloves and heavy bags — is launching an at-home fitness service in February 2021.
• While in its nascent stages, the company said its part of a "big push internally to develop more at home fitness and instructional content" and will be available on desktop, mobile, and smart TVs. 
• The service comes on the heels of the launch of Apple Fitness Plus, the tech giant's forthcoming exercise platform, as companies rush to keep up with Peloton and capitalize on the at-home fitness boom. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Everlast wants to become synonymous not only with professional fighters duking it out in the ring, but also with bringing streaming fitness programs into American living rooms. 

The 110-year old company — best known for its sport fighting apparel and equipment like boxing gloves and heavy bags — is launching a streaming fitness program in February 2021, according to Chris Zoller, Everlast's vice president of marketing and product development. While still in its early stages, Zoller said the subscription-based membership program is expected to be available on desktop, mobile, and smart TVs at launch. 

Zoller wasn't able to provide many details on the types of classes the service will feature or the cost to consumers, though he did tell Business Insider the program is part of a "big push internally to develop more at-home fitness and instructional content."

"Consumers will be able to subscribe and take part in a virtual community that is built on our history, our brand, and celebrating the athletes and the people involved in it while trying to develop useful content that people at home could use and find value out of," Zoller said.

The effort comes as demand for at-home fitness tools and programs continues to explode during the pandemic, driving an uptick in stationary bike and membership purchases from fitness giants like Peloton and prompting the recent announcement of Apple's new Fitness Plus program as companies rush to capitalize on the boom. 

According to Zoller, in recent years Everlast has prioritized expanding beyond the sport fighting category and into other forms of equipment and apparel in an effort to widen its customer base. Today, the company caters to everyone from professional mixed martial arts athletes to beginning kick boxers in 60 countries. 

"We have this history of having this tough exterior, given our fight sports background, but we really try to develop products that can make a meaningful impact on people's lives overall, whether it be equipment or apparel," Zoller said. "It's important for us to really speak to the consumer in a language that they understand, and drive quality equipment and quality apparel that people can feel good about wearing and using."

Everlast's desire to reach new demographics ultimately served as a catalyst for its forthcoming fitness service. Though Everlast has occasionally created short fitness videos for its social media accounts in the past, Zoller said the venture will be the first of this scale for the company.

@dr.rickrichey shows how you can adapt your training routine with household items. Link in bio to Stay Connected with the #EverlastCommunity or to see more ways you can Train With Us. #longliveboxing

A post shared by Everlast (@everlast) on May 22, 2020 at 11:26am PDTMay 22, 2020 at 11:26am PDT

"One thing that we have been really focused on and trying to push as an internal message — at least in respect to our marketing and product development teams — is that not all product is physical and not all product is something that you could touch and feel," he said. "It's virtual as well."

• A number of retailers and restaurant companies have filed for bankruptcy in 2020.
• Not all bankruptcies result in outright liquidation.
• Companies can also use bankruptcy as an opportunity to turn things around financially.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

2020 has been a hectic year for retail bankruptcies. 

The previous year saw a number of well-known national and regional retailers file for both Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This resulted in everything from outright liquidation to financial reshuffling.

But as the coronavirus pandemic roils the industry, more major retailers and restaurant chains have now filed for bankruptcy in the first nine months of 2020 than all of 2019.

Here's a list of the retail companies and restaurant chains that have filed for bankruptcy so far in 2020:

The entire fleet of Papyrus stores was slated to shut down when the chain's parent company, The Schurman Retail Group, filed for bankruptcy in January.

Source: Business Insider

After Kroger announced it would divest its stake in Lucky's Market in December, grocery industry observers wondered whether the regional chain might be in jeopardy. The following month, Lucky's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Source: Business Insider, CNN

Organic grocer Earth Fare filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 4. The chain's 50 natural foods stores were set to shut down, but some locations have been acquired by new owners.

Source: Associated Press, Business Insider, Supermarket News

Noah's Event Venue, a chain offering spaces for various gatherings, technically filed for bankruptcy in May 2019. However, in February 2020, a federal judge ordered the remaining Noah's locations closed, leaving engaged couples around the country scrambling.

Source: WBIR, Fox 23

Home goods retailer Pier 1 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 17. In May, the Texas-based company said it would shut down its business after failing to find a buyer.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider

Michigan-based chain Art Van Furniture filed for Chapter 11 on March 8.

Source: Click on Detroit

Send tips to acain@businessinsider.com.

Modell's Sporting Goods filed for Chapter 11 on March 11. The family-owned sporting goods chain will liquidate its remaining stores after failing to find a buyer.

Source: Bloomberg

FoodFirst Global Restaurants, the parent company of the Brio Italian Mediterranean and Bravo Fresh Italian restaurant chains, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 10. The company said that 71 of its 92 restaurants had temporarily closed amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Source: Restaurant Business

True Religion filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 13. It had previously filed for bankruptcy in 2017 but emerged from proceedings four months later.

Source: Bloomberg

J. Crew filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 4. It emerged from proceedings in August.

Source: Business Insider

Neiman Marcus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 7, citing "inexorable pressure" from the coronavirus pandemic. Its reorganization plan was approved by the bankruptcy court at the beginning of September.

Source: Business Insider

Stage Stores, which owns Goody's, Palais Royal, Bealls, Peebles, and Gordmans, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 10, saying that coronavirus-related closures exacerbated a "challenging market environment." The company said it would start winding down operations while seeking a buyer for part or all of its business.

Source: Stage Stores

Garden Fresh Restaurants, owner of the buffet chains Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on May 14, choosing to close its doors for good.

Source: Restaurant Business

JCPenney filed for bankruptcy on May 15, saying in court documents that pandemic-related disruptions pushed it over the edge. On September 9, it announced it had reached a tentative deal with its landlords to save it from liquidation.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider

On May 27, off-price retailer Tuesday Morning filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced plans to close approximately 230 stores.

Source: Business Insider

The US arm of Le Pain Quotidien filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 27. It sold all of its 98 locations to Aurify Brands, which reportedly plans to reopen at least 35 restaurants.

Source: Nation's Restaurant News

GNC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 24, announcing it planned to close between 800 and 1,200 stores while it looked for a buyer. In September, a judge approved GNC's sale to China-based Harbin Pharmaceutical Group for $770 million.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CEC Entertainment, the parent company of Chuck E. Cheese, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on June 25. Its finances had been in freefall since the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Source: Business Insider

Reuters reported that Lucky Brand Dungarees filed for Chapter 11 on June 3. In August, the jeans brand reached a $140 million acquisition deal with Sparc Group, a joint venture between Simon Property Group and Authentic Brands Group.

Source: Reuters

Brooks Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 8, citing disruption from the pandemic. It said it planned to close 51 stores. In August, Sparc acquired Brooks Brothers for $325 million.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider

Sur La Table filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 8. It later sold for $89 million to a joint venture between CSC Generation and Marquee Brands LLC, which plans to keep at least 50 stores open.

Source: Business Insider, Chain Store Age

Japanese lifestyle brand Muji plans to close struggling stores after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 10. Reuters reported that the chain's filing will "not affect its operations in other markets."

Source: Reuters

The parent company of New York & Co. and Fashion to Figure filed for bankruptcy on July 13. RTW Retailwinds filed Chapter 11 and plans to shutter a "significant portion" of its stores.

Source: Business Insider

The Paper Store, a specialty gift store with 86 locations in the Northeast, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 14 and said it was seeking a sale.

Source: The Paper Store

Ascena Retail, operator of Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lane Bryant, Lou & Grey, Justice, Catherines, and Cacique, filed for bankruptcy on July 23. It said it would close a number of stores, including all of its Catherines stores.

Source: Business Insider

California Pizza Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 30 after permanently closing an undisclosed number of restaurants due to the pandemic.

Source: Business Insider

Lord & Taylor parent company Le Tote filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 2 and said it would seek a buyer. On August 27, it said it was beginning the process of liquidating all of its stores.

Source: Associated Press, Business Insider

Tailored Brands, owner of Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Moores Clothing for Men, and K&G Fashion Superstore, also filed for bankruptcy on August 2.

Source: Reuters

Off-price apparel and home goods retailer Stein Mart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 12. The next day, it said it would close all of its stores.

Source: Business Insider

Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill, a chain with four company-owned restaurants and 21 franchised locations, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 12, saying that it was "entirely brought on by the unprecedented and the sudden impact of COVID."

Source: Nation's Restaurant News

KB US Holdings, parent company of the grocery chains Kings Food Markets and Balducci's, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 23 and said it had accepted a $75 million buyout offer from TLI Bedrock.

Source: KB US Holdings

Century 21, the off-price department store, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 10 and said it would close all 13 of its stores.

Source: Business Insider

It'Sugar, the candy store chain with about 100 locations, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 22. It said sales were hurt by declining tourism due to the pandemic.

Source: BBX Capital

• Shares of SPI Energy soared as high as 4,345% on Wednesday after the solar company announced the launch of an electric vehicle business. 
• The EV business will "focus on the design and develop of new EV technologies and plans to partner with major manufacturers, as necessary," according to a press release. 
• SPI Energy manufactures and distributes solar photovoltaic energy solutions for businesses and residential customers around the globe. 

• Watch SPI Energy trade live here.

SPI Energy skyrocketed as high as 4,345% on Wednesday after announcing the launch of an electric vehicle business.

The solar company said it's launching a subsidiary called EdisonFuture Inc., which will design and develop electric vehicles. EdisonFuture will be based in Silicon Valley and will "focus on the design and development of new EV technologies," according to a press release. It also "plans to partner with major manufacturers, as necessary."

Read more: Legendary trader Randy McKay turned $2,000 into $70,000 in just 7 months. Here are the 8 trading rules that contributed to his multiyear run of million-dollar returns.

"As Tesla has demonstrated, an end-to-end business model in the renewable energy space can generate significant value. With the addition of EV and EV charging segments to our diverse solar business, we are positioning SPI Energy for the future of renewable energy," CEO Xiaofeng Peng said.

SPI Energy manufacturers and distributes solar photovoltaic energy solutions for businesses and residential customers, with operations in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia. The company's stock has risen over 800% year-to-date. It traded around $24.31 per share Wednesday afternoon after paring some gains.

• In a June memo, Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf wrote that efforts to recruit minority talent were stymied by a "very limited pool of black talent to recruit from," Reuters reported Tuesday.
• He made similar a remark during a Zoom call over the summer, which bothered some employees at the bank, according to Reuters.
• "Wells Fargo is badly broken in multiple ways and that starts at the top," Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in a statement to Business Insider, calling it part of a system that "scams Black families disproportionately." 
• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also responded, tweeting, "Perhaps it's the CEO of Wells Fargo who lacks the talent to recruit Black workers."
• In the months following the police killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests across the country, Wells Fargo and other banks have made commitments to increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of their employees.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Sen. Sherrod Brown all slammed the CEO of Wells Fargo for his repeated claims that the bank's difficulties in hiring diverse employees were because of a lack of Black talent.

"While it might sound like an excuse, the unfortunate reality is that there is a very limited pool of Black talent to recruit from," Charlie Scharf, Wells Fargo's CEO, wrote in a June memo to employees, according to Reuters. Scharf also repeated this claim in a Zoom meeting over the summer, exasperating Black employees, Reuters said.

"Wells Fargo is badly broken in multiple ways and that starts at the top," Warren said in a statement to Business Insider. "Its CEO has an unfathomable blind spot about how and why this giant bank fails to hire, promote, and fairly compensate Black talent — and continues to be a core part of a financial system that scams Black families disproportionately and fuels structural racism in our economy and our society."

Other lawmakers chimed in to slam the bank executive.

Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Tuesday: "Perhaps it's the CEO of Wells Fargo who lacks the talent to recruit Black workers."

And Sen. Sherrod Brown tweeted on Wednesday: "There's plenty of Black talent, @WellsFargo - they just don't have the talent for fraud and abuse you're looking for."

In recent months, companies like Wells Fargo, the fourth-largest bank in the US by assets, have faced calls to hire minority employees and address claims of discrimination. Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo have all released statements committing to change, but they have not released comprehensive data on the racial diversity of their employees to the public, Business Insider has previously reported.

On Wednesday, Scharf addressed the backlash.

"I apologize for making an insensitive comment reflecting my own unconscious bias," Scharf wrote in a companywide memo on Wednesday. "There are many talented diverse individuals working at Wells Fargo and throughout the financial services industry and I never meant to imply otherwise."

Scharf said Wells Fargo had made "early progress" in creating a more diverse and inclusive work environment, including a "returnship" program to help minority workers return to the workforce after an extended period out of the industry and a requirement for a diverse slate of candidates for roles with salaries of over $100,000.

Wells Fargo is also building relationships with historically Black universities and tying executives' compensation to their progress in improving diversity and inclusion, the memo said.

When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

• Strong communication and writing skills will help you succeed in any profession.
• Online classes are an affordable and flexible way to learn new writing strategies, as well as practice and receive feedback on your work.
• All of the classes on this list are taught by accomplished, award-winning writers who have decades of experience.

Good writing skills can take you far (just take it from a business major who wormed her way into editorial). Regardless of your profession, clear language, engaging tone, and strategic delivery help you connect with your audience and achieve your goals. How you communicate, down to the nitty-gritty of punctuation, can make a huge difference — even up to $5 million, in one case.

Year after year, strong written communication skills top the list of employers' most-desired qualities in hires, but good writing doesn't come easily or instinctively to everyone. As with any skill, you won't get any better at writing simply by reading books or watching videos about it.

Online classes are affordable, flexible ways to not only learn the proper strategies but also practice and receive feedback on your writing. And who better to learn from than actual published authors, writers, and editors?

Discover more online classes

• The 20 fastest-growing skills in the freelance job market, according to Upwork — and the online courses you can take to learn them
• 100 online courses from Coursera are $0 now through July 31 — here's a list of all the classes open for free enrollment

The following classes are all taught by accomplished, award-winning writers who have decades of experience in communicating ideas, telling stories, and captivating audiences. Some specialize in fiction, while others employ storytelling tricks to make even the driest facts shine.

If you see the word "creative" in the title, don't immediately dismiss the class. All the courses have valuable lessons to learn for making your writing more effective, whether you're in a creative industry or not. 

Improve your writing skills by taking these 10 classes taught by experienced authors, writers, and editors. 

Storytelling 101: Character, Conflict, Context, Craft

Take Storytelling 101: Character, Conflict, Context, Craft on Skillshare here

The course: This short 40-minute class breaks down the fundamentals of narrative storytelling and what makes a story different from a mere anecdote. Learn the "4 C's" of storytelling and see them in action in one of the teacher's own short stories. The fun final project is to write a short story about something that happened on a single block in your hometown over the course of one hour.

The teacher: Daniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the "Bone Street Rumba" urban fantasy series and the YA novel "Shadowshaper." "Shadowshaper" was a New York Times Notable Book of 2015 and named one of Esquire's "80 Books Every Person Should Read." His short stories and essays have appeared in the Guardian, NPR, and a number of other sites. 

The Writer's Toolkit: 6 Steps to a Successful Writing Habit

Take The Writer's Toolkit: 6 Steps to a Successful Writing Habit on Skillshare here

The course: Writing should be approachable and fun, not torturous. By optimizing your space for your writing style, creating a daily writing routine, and gathering and acting on inspiration, you can build a long-term writing process you can rely on for years to come.

The teacher: Simon Van Booy's short story collection "Love Begins in Winter" won the 2009 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. He has written two other short story collections as well as three anthologies of philosophy, and his work has been translated into over a dozen languages throughout the world. In 2013, he founded Writers for Children, a project that helps young people build confidence in their storytelling abilities through annual awards.

The Designer's Guide to Writing and Research

Take The Designer's Guide to Writing and Research at Skillshare here

The course: Geared towards designers, this course illuminates the parallels between writing and design. You'll learn about the professional importance of research and writing to designers today, best practices for developing your voice, and creative ways to communicate. The final project is a 500-word essay on an object in your wallet, bag, or pocket. 

The teacher: Steven Heller writes the Visuals column for the New York Times Book Review and is the editor of the AIGA Journal of Graphic Design. A former New York Times art director, he is the author, co-author, or editor of over 170 books on design and popular culture, and also regularly contributes to design publications. 

Ninja Writing: The Four Levels Of Writing Mastery

Take Ninja Writing: The Four Levels Of Writing Mastery on Udemy here

The course: Ninja Writing is a top-rated, bestselling Udemy course that teaches you how to turn disjointed thoughts and ideas into clear, beautiful narratives. Marketers, bloggers, executives, journalists, copywriters, and students will benefit from the powerful lessons in this four-hour class. 

The teacher: Shani Raja is a former Wall Street Journal editor who has written for The Economist, Financial Times, and Bloomberg News. He has also taught advanced writing skills to professionals and edited for leading global companies like Microsoft, IBM, and PwC.

Malcolm Gladwell Masterclass

Take Malcolm Gladwell's Masterclass on writing here

The course: In 24 lessons, you'll learn how to find, research, and write stories that capture big ideas. This is Gladwell's first-ever online class, where he analyzes his own works to reveal his unique creative process. He also answers select student questions during virtual office hours. 

The teacher: Malcolm Gladwell has written for The New Yorker since 1996. His fascinating books, which include "The Tipping Point," "Blink," and "Outliers," reveal the most unexpected insights into our world. "The Tipping Point" was named as one of the best books of the decade by Amazon customers, The A.V. Club, and The Guardian, and was Barnes & Noble's fifth bestselling nonfiction book of the decade. 

Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer

Take Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer on Udemy here

The course: Another bestseller from Shani Raja, this course promises to "dramatically improve the quality of your writing in as little as days or weeks" through a few key principles. Both new students and experienced writers have benefitted from the course, which teaches you how to sharpen your words and command the reader's attention. 

The teacher: Shani Raja is a former Wall Street Journal editor who has written for The Economist, Financial Times, and Bloomberg News. He has also taught advanced writing skills to professionals and edited for leading global companies like Microsoft, IBM, and PwC.

Writing With Confidence: Writing Beginner To Writing Pro

Take Writing With Confidence: Writing Beginner to Writing Pro on Udemy here

The course: Learn powerful principles that can be applied to all types of writing, including emails, speeches, news, and even presentations. The course takes you through fundamentals from techniques to beat writer's block to lessons on getting readers hooked and creating a clear, persuasive angle. 

The teacher: Dr. Clare Lynch is a former Financial Times journalist who teaches academic writing and professional communication at the University of Cambridge. She has written for organizations like Deutsche Bank, Microsoft, and UBS and is the author of the business-writing blog Good Copy, Bad Copy. 

Creative Writing Specialization

Take the Creative Writing Specialization on Coursera here

The course: This specialization created by Wesleyan University consists of four courses, each taught by a teacher below, and covers elements of three major creative writing genres: short story, narrative essay, and memoir. It culminates in a challenging capstone project in which you'll draft, rewrite, and complete a substantial original story in the genre of your choosing. 

The teachers: Salvatore Scibona was named to The New Yorker's "20 under 40: Fiction Writers to Watch" and is the author of 2008 National Book Award finalist "The End," the research for which he conducted while on a Fulbright Fellowship. 

Amy Bloom, author of two New York Times best-sellers and three collections of short stories, has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and Vogue, among many other publications, and has won a National Magazine Award for Fiction. Her work has been translated into fifteen languages.

Brando Skyhorse is an Associate Professor of English at Indiana University in Bloomington who won the 2011 PEN/Hemingway Award and the 2011 Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction for his debut novel "The Madonnas of Echo Park." 

Amity Gaige is the author of three novels, "O My Darling", "The Folded World", and "Schroder", which was shortlisted for The Folio Prize in 2014. To date, "Schroder" has been published in eighteen countries.

Creative Nonfiction: Write Truth with Style

Take Creative Nonfiction: Write Truth with Style on Skillshare here

The course: The best nonfiction makes facts compelling and interesting to read, but it's not easy to do this. This course takes students through Susan Orlean's writing process, from finding a topic to making final edits, and helps them polish their own creative processes. The class project is a 1,000-word profile on someone you find mysterious. 

The teacher: Susan Orlean has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1992 and is the author of eight books, including New York Times bestseller "Rin Tin Tin" and "The Orchid Thief," which was later adapted into Spike Jonze's "Adaptation," in which Meryl Streep portrayed Orlean.

Finding Your Writing Voice: How to Express Your Unique Self in Your Work

Take Finding Your Writing Voice: How to Express Your Unique Self in Your Work on Skillshare here

The course: You don't have to lose your unique personality when you write; in fact, it's what will make your writing stand out in the crowd. Using pop culture references like Beyonce and Britney Spears, the class discusses different voices and explores ways to take chances with your writing. 

The teacher: Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is a former Entertainment Weekly writer and current TV columnist for BBC Culture who has also written for The New York Times Book Review, Fast Company, New York's Vulture, and The Verge. She wrote the New York Times bestseller "Seinfeldia: The Secret World of the Show About Nothing that Changed Everything."