White House physician Sean Conley in a memorandum on Wednesday said President Donald Trump has not shown any symptoms of COVID-19 for 24 hours.
"I feel great!" Trump said this morning, according to Conley.
"He's now been fever-free for more than 4 days, symptom-free for over 24 hours, and has not needed nor received any supplemental oxygen since initial hospitalization," Conley said of the president.
The doctor's memo also noted that the president had detectable levels of antibodies, which are proteins the body creates to fight off the virus.
Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday — six days ago. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it typically takes one to three weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies. It's unclear why Trump would exhibit antibodies at this point, but it could be linked an experimental antibody cocktail he was administered.
The president was transferred to Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday as his conditioned worsened, and spent the weekend in the hospital. Beyond the antibody cocktail, the president was administered supplemental oxygen and a steroid generally used for severe cases of the virus.
More than a dozen people in Trump's orbit have also tested positive for COVID-19, including a number of his top aides and First Lady Melania Trump.
Prior to contracting the virus, Trump routinely flouted public health recommendations such as wearing a mask or face-covering.
Less than a week before he was diagnosed, Trump held what was seemingly a super-spreader event at the White House to announce his Supreme Court nominee. Attendees did not social distance and could be seen without masks. Top public health experts have repeatedly said that wearing a mask or face covering is the strongest tool available in thwarting the virus.
Recent polling has shown that majority of Americans say Trump didn't do enough to avoid getting COVID-19 and has acted irresponsibly in handling the risk of coronavirus infection to people near him.
Trump is pushing to be permitted to work from the Oval Office again, despite isolation rules. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Wednesday said they would implement protocols to ensure it was safe.
"If he decides to go to the Oval, we've got safety protocols there that are not only from the PPE standpoint, but from a ventilation standpoint, in the open where we can actually work to that end as well," Meadows said to reporters, per ABC News.
If you have an employer-sponsored plan like a 401(k), you might wonder what happens to your money when you leave the job — either for a new gig, to work on your own, or to retire early.
A rollover IRA is one alternative. It could be a smart choice if you're looking for more investment options, lower fees, and significant tax benefits.
What is a rollover IRA?
A rollover IRA is an individual retirement account that can accept funds from a former employer-sponsored retirement plan. Most rollovers happen when people leave a job and want to transfer funds from their 401(k) or 403(b) account into an IRA, but it can also apply to most any pension or workplace plan (see table).
When you transfer — roll over, in IRS-speak — you avoid early withdrawal penalties (if you're under 59½) and maintain the tax-deferred status of your assets. That means they'll continue to grow in the account free of income tax.
What's more, you'll likely end up with a broader range of investment options and lower fees than you had with the 401(k).
Any type of IRA can be, or become, a rollover IRA. You can set up a new account, or use an IRA you already own. If it's the latter, for this one deposit you aren't bound by the usual annual IRA contribution limits: You can invest the total amount of your old account.
How to set up a rollover IRA
Ready to roll over your employer-sponsored plan into an IRA? Here's how to do it, step by step:
1. Decide which type of IRA account you want.
A rollover IRA can be either a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. You can roll tax-deferred (traditional) accounts into Roth accounts, but not vice versa.
It's generally better to move like to like — roll over a plan into an account with the same tax status. If you have a traditional 401(k), you can roll it into a traditional IRA without owing any taxes on the amount (you pay taxes later when you withdraw funds, usually after you retire). Likewise, you can move a Roth 401(k) into a Roth IRA tax-free.
However, if you roll money from a traditional 401(k) into a Roth IRA (aka a Roth conversion), you'll be on the hook for income taxes for that sum — because the 401(k) was funded with pre-tax money, remember, and a Roth is funded with after-tax dollars. But after that, the money will grow tax-free, and you won't owe any taxes on withdrawals during retirement.
2. Open the account.
Visit your bank or brokerage firm's website to fill out an application online. If you don't have an existing brokerage, be sure to consider investment options, IRA custodian fees, trading costs, customer service, and research tools before making a decision.
Of course, they vary, but since it's a competitive business, often the custodial costs will be lower than the management fees your 401(k) plan sponsor charged.
3. Move your money.
The best (and safest) way to roll over funds is to request a direct transfer from your old 401(k) plan. Your former employer will send the money directly to the brokerage (or other financial institution) where you opened the IRA.
Alternatively, you can do an indirect rollover, where you receive a check from your previous employer, and then deposit it yourself with your IRA provider. The indirect transfer is a riskier option: If you don't complete the transfer within 60 days, the IRS could treat the money as a taxable distribution — that is, as a regular withdrawal from the account.
Translation: You could owe taxes on the entire amount, plus a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
4. Invest your funds.
The last step is to select your IRA investments. "Rolling over one's funds from a company retirement plan to an IRA certainly opens up the world of investment options," says financial advisor Sam Davis, a partner with TBH Global Asset Management.
With your 401(k), you were limited to the funds (or the fund families) offered by the plan's manager. With an IRA, you can invest in any mutual fund or exchange-traded fund out there — not to mention individual stocks or bonds, too.
Many investors opt to work with a trusted financial advisor or planner. "If one prefers an advisor to manage those funds, research their track record, compensation model, client references, and investment philosophy," Davis recommends. "If an investor doesn't want to have those funds professionally managed, I would encourage [them] to use low-cost index funds, or maybe even a target-date fund. It's going to reduce the probability of a negative outcome."
IRA rollover rules to consider
What sort of rollover you can do depends on the type of workplace plan the money's coming from, and the sort of retirement account it's going to.
If you're considering a rollover IRA, keep these other factors in mind:
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, you can withdraw up to $100,000 from your employer-sponsored plan during 2020 without penalty if you have been affected by COVID-19. If you think you might need funds, keeping the 401(k) might be the better course.
Rollover IRA alternatives
Advantageous as the rollover IRA can be, you do have three other options:
Leave your money in your former employer's 401(k). Of course, this is the simplest course. And if you have a robust plan with lots of fund choices that's performing well, why change it?
Roll the money into your new employer's 401(k). "If one is young and working with a small balance, rolling the old retirement funds into the new employer's plan can make a lot of sense," says Davis. "This often reduces fees, ensures the person is prudentially invested, and consolidates accounts versus having small accounts scattered at various firms."
Cash out your account. In general, it's not a good idea to empty and close your 401(k). If you do, your employer will withhold 20% for income taxes, and you may owe a 10% penalty — unless you are older than 59 ½ or qualify for an exception.
The financial takeaway
When you leave a job with a retirement plan, a rollover IRA can be a good option, especially if:
Your new employer doesn't offer a 401(k) plan
Your new employer's 401(k) plan has high fees or limited investment options
You'll be self-employed
You want more diverse investment choices
You want to consolidate your financial accounts (especially good if you change jobs often)
In transferring the funds, a direct rollover — with the retirement plan administrator directly depositing the money into the IRA is the preferred way to go. Since you don't ever touch the funds, you can't make a costly mistake.
Keep in mind that you do have some time to weigh your options. According to FINRA, the government-authorized overseer of broker-dealers, "By law, you must have at least 30 days to decide what to do with your 401(k) when you switch jobs."
So, take the time to choose carefully — after all, your retirement nest egg is at stake. Making a smart decision now helps ensure you will be adequately prepared for a comfortable retirement.
Even if you have 30 or more years before retirement, it's possible that there are already some signs you won't be ready.
If you haven't started using your employer's 401(k), or are still making the same contribution you started making several years ago, you might need to make a change to get on track.
Similarly, if you find that your retirement income will be significantly less than what you're currently earning, it's worth adjusting your savings strategy now to maintain your lifestyle in the future.
While it can be tough to think 30 years into the future, it's necessary for retirement planning. It takes years of saving, investing, and growth for retirement planning to work effectively and build a large enough savings to live well in retirement.
For that reason, thinking 30 years into the future is essential. Financial planner Jovan Johnson of Piece of Wealth Planning says that there are a few signs you'll want to watch out for on you savings journey — they might mean that you won't have enough savings for a comfortable retirement.
You haven't started using your workplace's 401(k), or haven't updated it recently
If your employer offers a 401(k), it's definitely something to take advantage of sooner rather than later. These retirement accounts allows contributions pre-tax, which lowers your total taxable income. These accounts can also sometimes come with a match, where an employer will essentially put free money towards your savings goals up to a certain percentage of your contribution.
But just because you've started doesn't mean your job is done. While a 401(k) grows on its own, you will need to maintain the account over time. "A lot of people assume that contributing whatever [amount] their employer signed them up to the 401(k) with as a benefit will help them retire fine," Johnson says. But that's largely not the case.
While contributing a small percentage of your salary is a start, most financial planners agree that increasing your 401(k) contribution amount each year or whenever you get a raise is an essential part of the process.
If you haven't touched your 401(k)'s contribution amount, or checked to see that you're still getting a full match, you might not be saving enough to retire in 30 years.
You won't be able to live the same lifestyle you have now
A retirement savings account seems like a massive amount of money. But, considering that you may need to live on that amount for 20 to 30 years or more, it doesn't always work out to be that much each month.
Johnson says that he often shows his clients a projection of what income their savings habits will result in, and the amount they will have available to live on each month in the future. "I like to run the projection because there are a lot of things that people get blinded by," he says.
"Some people think that they will be OK living on 50% or 60% of what they make today," Johnson says. But that's often not realistic for many people.
In many cases, living on less means that people may not be able to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement. According to data from The New School's Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, about 40% of older US adults will face downward social mobility in retirement, living on less income than they once did.
If the projections show that you're not on track to have enough to maintain your current lifestyle, you may need to do some extra work on your retirement planning.
You haven't thought about how much retirement will really cost
In Johnson's experience, people tend to underestimate how much they really need — and it's easy to do that.
"[People] think that retirement is going to be much cheaper, but it's actually other areas of costs that will come up to make it equivalent to what you spend today," he says. "It's the medical costs, the Medicare [expenses], and the traveling that picks up."
Data from Fidelity shows that the average couple will spend about $295,000 on healthcare expenses in retirement alone. For most retirees who use Medicare, there are quite a few expenses that suddenly aren't covered — things like dentist office visits, vision exams, and glasses all become extra expenses, Business Insider's Tanza Loudenback reports. Additionally, some retirees opt for extra coverage, buying supplemental health insurance or paying for prescription drug coverage from medicare through Social Security deductions.
And it's also worth budgeting for the things you want to do, like travel or spending money on family. Retirement planning isn't a time to underestimate your spending — it's smarter to overestimate what you'll need than underestimate it.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went on a tour of South America in mid-September, but the countries he visited — Brazil, Colombia and Guyana — weren't the focus of his visit as much as their shared neighbor: Venezuela.
It was the Trump administration's latest show of support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, and it was a gesture that did not escape Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who in a televised response called Pompeo's visit a "guerrilla tour" to wage a war against him.
"It was news here and all over Venezuela," said Andres Cañizalez, a political scientist and journalism professor at Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas. "Pompeo's tour was news because it was obvious that it had a lot to do with Venezuela."
More than 5 million people have fled the country's economic and social collapse in recent years. The Trump administration and reelection campaign have put Venezuela's human rights crisis at the center of their Latin America foreign policy agenda ahead of US elections.
Venezuelans on the street at the border between Venezuela and Colombia, in Cucuta, Colombia, February 21, 2018.
Thomson Reuters
But US elections in November will be of little consequence to Venezuela, according to Cañizalez and other observers in and out of the country.
The Trump administration has targeted Venezuela with oil and economic sanctions, and in recent months Venezuelans have had little to no access to gas necessary to transport food, medical patients, or even cadavers, Cañizalez said. The Maduro administration has blamed the shortages on the US sanctions, and Cañizalez said that's partially true.
But it also has to do with how Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, mismanaged Petróleos de Venezuela, the state-owned oil and gas company, he said.
"The rest of the story has to do with how Venezuela's crown jewel was destroyed," Cañizalez said. "If Venezuela's oil industry was as strong as it once was, it could weather the sanctions. The sanctions simply hasten the industry's collapse."
Yet, Trump's foreign policy against Venezuela may have less to do with humanitarian interests abroad than with electoral politics in the US.
Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Sen. Marco Rubio with Venezuelan opposition leader Lilian Tintori, February 15, 2017.
Trump's campaign is courting American voters of Venezuelan and Cuban backgrounds who oppose undemocratic governments in Venezuela and Cuba — and who could tip the scale in the battleground state of Florida, said Frank Mora, a political science professor at Florida International University in Miami.
"Miami is probably one of the very few places where a foreign policy issue is a domestic political issue," Mora said. Trump's foreign policies "are really about trying to keep that Venezuelan and Cuban vote on his side. That's a calculation he's making. I'm not sure it's going to play itself out that way, but that's clearly what he's planning."
Which may be a miscalculation for both the Trump administration and the Trump campaign, Mora said.
"When you do foreign policy, you do things in the national interest, and yes, to help the Venezuelan people. But when you're making decisions based on domestic political calculations, you start making mistakes," Mora said. "That's why the policy has been a failure."
Venezuela has an election of its own in December. The Maduro administration will hold a vote for parliament, and members of the opposition have already said they will not participate. Whether or not the US recognizes the winners of that election will be up to whoever wins the White House in November.
The iPhone's default Mail app conveniently lets you perform common actions — like marking them as read, flagging, and even deleting them — with a simple swipe to the left or right.
What's confusing though is that by default, you can't actually delete messages this way. Instead, your Mail app will "Archive" them — removing them from your Inbox, but keeping the data.
Archiving your messages will keep them around if you need them later, but can quickly stuff up your phone with old files.
If you want to swipe to delete, you'll have to enable it in the Settings app. Here's how.
How to swipe to delete messages in your iPhone's Mail app
The swipe options for the Mail app are in Settings. Here's how to customize them.
1. Start the Settings app and tap "Mail."
2. Tap "Accounts."
Go to "Accounts" within your Mail settings to add the option to delete with a swipe.
Dave Johnson/Business Insider
3. In the Accounts list, tap the email account you want to add the deleting option to. You'll have to enable it in each account manually.
4. On the next screen, tap "Account" at the top of the page.
5. Tap "Advanced."
6. Finally, on the Advanced page, in the "Move Discarded Messages Into" section, tap "Deleted Mailbox."
The Advanced menu lets you choose whether you archive or delete messages with a swipe.
Dave Johnson/Business Insider
7. Tap "Account" in the top-left, and then "Done" in the top-right to save your changes.
Now, when you swipe to the left, you should see the "Trash" option, which lets you delete the message.
Volvo wants to patent a design that could bring sliding steering wheels to its future automated vehicles.
Volvo
Volvo filed a patent application for a steering wheel that slides side to side within a car's cabin.
The design would allow passengers in a highly automated vehicle of the future to move the steering wheel out of the way and have more room to stretch out.
The technology would likely face a long regulatory road if Volvo ever sought to include it in a production car.
Although driver-assistance systems are the new craze, true autonomous vehicles — cars that will allow for driving without any human intervention — are still nowhere close to hitting the streets.
Nevertheless, Volvo anticipates a future with automated driving technology so advanced that steering wheels become optional — at least, judging by a patent application the company filed last month.
Filed September 24 and first unearthed by the Rivian Owners Forum, the patent application describes designs for a drive-by-wire steering wheel that can slide side to side across a vehicle's cabin. Theoretically, the application states, that would allow passengers to travel seamlessly between right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive jurisdictions.
The feature could also come into play in a highly automated future vehicle, enabling passengers to slide the wheel out of the way when the driver-assistance system takes over, according to the filing. Even if the passenger isn't sitting in the standard driver's seat, they can move the steering wheel and take over control of the vehicle if needed.
According to the filing, other controls like the brakes, accelerator, and gear selector could be movable as well.
A steering wheel that moves out of the way when not in use isn't a new idea.
Volvo
A boatload of autonomous-vehicle concepts have either done away with steering wheels altogether or made them disappear when not in use. Hyundai outfitted its Prophecy concept with joysticks instead of steering wheel, while BMW's Vision Next 100 featured a steering wheel that folds out of the way when it's not needed. The Rinspeed XchangE from 2014 incorporated a sliding steering wheel quite similar to Volvo's designs.
Although a patent filing doesn't signal any kind of hard commitment to a design, it can indicate a bit more faith in the idea than just popping it into an outlandish concept car at an auto show.
Certification, however, is another story. Volvo and others will likely face a long road if or when they attempt to make this sort of technology street legal.
I never used to be a fan of passport holders and cases. Passports are thin, light, and just the right size to slip into a jeans pocket, or maybe the small front pocket or quick-access compartment of a carry-on backpack.
Then my passport started to get battered, and I took a few international flights where I couldn't use mobile boarding passes and had to carry paper ones. I remembered what a pain it can be to keep track of your passport, boarding pass, and landing cards, plus other notes and documents you might need when you're throwing everything loose into a backpack pocket.
I decided to look into travel wallets and passport covers. My thinking was that it would be easier to streamline everything if I could keep all the travel documents for a given flight in one holder, plus I'd be able to protect my passport. I knew that money belts and travel wallets that go around the neck are popular, but I had no interest in one of those. I wanted a sleek clean wallet.
I spent some time researching different options, trying a handful of different ones, and I'm happy to say that I found my favorite and new go-to: the Bellroy Travel Wallet. I've also found a number of other great travel wallet options if Bellroy's wares aren't for you. Read on to see which of put picks is the best for your travel wallet needs.
Prices and links are current as of 10/7/20. We removed our pick for the best with RFID blocking because nearly all of our picks, including best overall, include RFID blocking.
The best overall
Belroy
The Bellroy Travel Wallet keeps your passport, boarding passes, landing cards, and more in a compact, organized package.
If you're a regular reader of Insider Reviews, chances are you're already familiar with Bellroy — after all, the company makes our favorite wallets. The young Australian brand has a smart, minimalist and functional design philosophy. It also uses ethically-sourced materials and has a great manufacturing process to produce high-quality gear.
What I love about Bellroy's travel wallet is that it holds everything. It has room for all of the travel documents you might need over the course of a multi-stop international trip, plus cash, credit cards, a SIM card, and even a pen.
At first glance, the wallet looks like an oversized bifold, opening just like an everyday wallet. One side has room for your passport, with a dedicated pocket that takes up that whole side. The other side has credit card slots — either two or four, depending on which edition of the wallet you choose — positioned vertically so you just drop the cards in. The wallet also has an open top pocket like a traditional bill compartment, but it's divided into two sections.
There are a few more "hidden" card slots and a sim card holder within the inner cash compartment, as well as my favorite feature of this wallet: a tiny pen, which is kept tucked away right in the middle so that you can fill out landing cards and jot any quick notes you need.
The wallet is big enough to hold just about any currency, and I like to keep a little bit in one of the sections of the large cash/document pocket. The other section is great for holding boarding passes, custom cards, and any other travel documents you might need to have handy. I prefer putting these in the outermost section so that they don't crease when folded. I use the inside part for cash — You can put cash in both sections, using the divider to keep different currencies separated.
In theory, Bellroy intends the travel wallet to be your everyday wallet on the road, something you can carry with your cards, cash, passport, and everything else you need for a day of exploring. I think it's a little big for that. I can certainly fit in in a back pocket or jacket when I'm in the airport, but it's big enough that I would be worried about theft walking around a city with it.
The wallet is available in a few different colors, plus a "designer's edition." The designer's edition is meant for the luxury market and has a softer leather with a few design tweaks. It also only has two credit card slots on the main part of the wallet, rather than four. Other than that, it's basically the same product as the original. Whether you choose the regular or the designer's edition, you can't go wrong.
Pros: Keeps everything you need handy while traveling, easy to navigate, great organization, includes a pen, small enough to carry in a pocket in the airport, has RFID-blocking capabilities
Cons: Too big to use as a daily wallet during trips
The Mr. Lentz brand is run by one person — Evan Lentz — who makes all of his products by hand in his own workshop. Lentz built the brand with a "modern cowboy" feel, designed to evoke days of hard work on the windswept plains, and his online shops reflect that with old-west images and icons.
Mr. Lentz makes wallets, bags, and other accessories using durable, rugged, and time-proven materials like full-grain leather, brass, and wood. Lentz's passport wallet is a typical example of this style.
The wallet is much more scaled-down than the Bellroy Travel Wallet making it great for those who just want to ensure some protection for their passport without adding a ton of bulk. A solid piece of leather makes a bifold that opens like a book. The right-side has a pocket for your passport, which is a little tight and only meant to fit the back cover of the passport. That way, the passport can be read without removing it from the wallet. You can just hand the whole package to the customs agent. Once the wallet breaks in a bit, you can fit the whole closed passport in that pocket.
The other side of the wallet has two card slots that can hold four to six cards. There's a larger pocket right behind the card slots that is perfect for holding a bit of spare cash. You can also fit travel documents, like boarding passes, in this sleeve.
Aesthetically, the Mr. Lentz Passport Wallet looks rugged and hardy. The thick full-grain leather holds up well and develops a nice patina as you use it and break it in. Solid brass rivets line the outsides of the wallet, holding it together. The wallet also ships with a free tin of proprietary leather conditioner to help keep it soft as it ages and breaks in.
Thin enough to fit in a front pocket, this wallet is a perfect option for those looking for something that will last a long time and hold just the essentials. You can also choose to engrave the wallet, using any of a few different methods.
Pros: Slim, rugged, hand-made and built to last, holds the essentials
Cons: Needs to be broken in, brass rivets may not be everyone's favorite look
The best with a zipper
Fjallraven/Business Insider
The Fjällräven Passport Wallet closes securely with a zipper and will hang on to your documents no matter where you go.
If you're backpacking and carrying a lot, or want to just throw your travel documents in a bag's main compartment, a bifold travel wallet might not be your best option.
A more secure passport wallet with a zipper, like the Fjällräven Passport Wallet, lets you toss it in a bag with everything else, and you don't have to worry about anything falling out or getting lost.
The Fjällräven Passport Wallet is made of a water-resistant waxed canvas. Like most of the other passport wallets you'll find out there, the Fjallraven option is structured like a bifold, but this one has a zipper running along the entire outside.
When opened, the wallet has space to tuck your passport and folded boarding pass on the right side. There's also an interior zippered pocket, perfect for coins, ticket stubs, or other odd bits and ends. The left side of the wallet has six card slots, and there's an open pocket at the top for cash.
Fjallraven also makes a larger version of this wallet called the Travel Wallet, rather than the "Passport Wallet." They're basically the same thing; the main difference is that the Travel Wallet has a few more card slots and a loop to hold a pen, and is designed to fit unfolded boarding passes. It's almost more like a small purse or clutch. The smaller Passport Wallet can also hold a small pen and boarding passes, but there's no loop to keep it the pen in place and boarding passes must be folded.
Personally, I prefer the smaller Passport Wallet — even though you have to fold your boarding passes to fit them, it's just a nicer hand-held size. However, both are great options, especially if you're storing the wallet in a bag.
Pros: Water-resistant, protects your travel documents from the elements and from falling out and getting lost.
Cons: Both sizes are bigger and bulkier than other travel wallets because of the zipper and material
Even though I love traveling, there's no doubt that it can be stressful. The stress is even worse when you're managing logistics for a group, even your own family.
While there's not much to do about it, you can at least make your group's time at the airports a little bit easier with the Lewis N. Clark Travel Wallet. With room for about four passports, plus cash, cards, boarding passes, customs forms, a pen, and even a phone, this is more than a travel wallet. It's more like a family travel organizer.
While the Lewis N. Clark is naturally bigger than a one-person travel wallet, it's smaller than you might expect considering how much it holds. That said, this isn't going in anyone's front pocket — think of it more as a folio.
The wallet folds closed like a clamshell and zips shut all the way around. When it's closed, there's still access to a small zip pocket on the front.
When open, there are three pockets on the right side that are for passports. You can fit a few passports in each pocket, according to Amazon reviewers. It has six credit card slots, a zipper compartment for change and cash, and a larger zippered compartment for boarding passes or cash on the left side. In the middle, there's a loop for a pen so you can fill out forms on the plane.
The Travel Wallet is made from nylon that's durable and protective. It also has RFID-blocking material built in to add an extra layer of protection to your cards and passports. As for downsides, some buyers mention problems with the zipper.
Pros: Keeps the whole family's travel documents organized, has well-positioned pockets and compartments, includes a pen
Cuyana is known for making quality leather goods for very affordable prices. The Insider Reviews team recently tested a number of the company's wallets, including the Classic Passport Holder. We loved the wallet so much that we wrote a full review about it.
The simple leather wallet was designed in San Francisco and handmade in Argentina. Measuring 9-inches long, it's longer than most other passport holders, so it can hold a full boarding pass without wrinkling or folding. Cuyana also added a dedicated pocket for your passport, six card slots, and two large slide pockets for travel documents and anything else you need.
The pebbled leather is soft and smooth, and the card slots keep your cards in place securely without being too tight. You can get the passport holder in navy blue, stone gray, red, black, or a crocodile-embossed black. If you so choose, Cuyana will even monogram your wallet.
Based on our experience, it's the perfect stylish travel wallet, but it won't fit in your pocket, unless you happen to be wearing some intense cargo pants. It's a great pick if you have space in your bag and need to manage documents that you simply don't want to fold. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Holds a full boarding pass, six card slots, multiple slide pockets for passports and more, stylish, fun colors, real leather
A sturdy and reliable carry-on suitcase is a must-have piece of luggage for any traveler. Whether you favor hard-side or soft-side luggage is a matter of personal preference, so we've included our top picks for both. There are the best carry-on suitcases according to our testing.
If you're traveling light, don't want to deal with unwieldy carry-ons, and would never think of checking a suitcase, a travel backpack is an excellent one-bag solution. Think of them like a suitcase-backpack hybrid. These are the best travel backpacks according to our testing.
We've done all the research to find the best pieces of checked luggage you can buy for long-haul trips where even the best carry-on bag just doesn't cut it. These are our top picks for the best checked suitcases.
Trying to fall asleep on a plane is incredibly difficult, but having the right travel pillow can help you get some shut-eye during your epic flight across oceans and continents. Here are our top picks for travel pillows.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr is greeted by President Donald Trump at a presentation of Public Safety Medals of Valor to officers in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 22, 2019.
REUTERS/Leah Millis
The Department of Justice (DOJ) made a significant change to a longstanding policy against election interference this week, ProPublica reported.
The change would allow prosecutors who suspect election-related offenses to take public investigative steps even if those steps alter the outcome of the election.
In an email Friday, an official in the DOJ's Public Integrity Section specifically highlighted that the exception applies to "misconduct by federal officials or employees administering an aspect of the voting process through the United States Postal Service, the Department of Defense or any other federal department or agency."
The decision to single out USPS employees and military members is noteworthy, given that the president has repeatedly suggested, without evidence, that the two groups could be involved in election fraud.
The DOJ's decision could also put it on a collision course with the FBI and US intelligence community, whose leaders released a video this week countering Trump's claims and reassuring voters of the integrity of the election.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) made a significant change to a longstanding policy against election interference that would allow prosecutors to take steps that may alter the outcome of the election, ProPublica reported Wednesday.
The non-interference policy has been in place for at least the last four decades, according to the report, and it prohibits prosecutors from taking overt steps to address election-related offenses in the run-up to an election to avoid changing the outcome of the race.
But an official in the DOJ's Public Integrity Section sent an email Friday saying that if a US attorney's office suspects postal workers or military employees engaged in election fraud, federal prosecutors can publicly take steps to investigate the matter before polls close, even if they affect the outcome, according to ProPublica.
The exception to the policy applies to cases where "the integrity of any component of the federal government is implicated by election offenses within the scope of the policy including but not limited to misconduct by federal officials or employees administering an aspect of the voting process through the United States Postal Service, the Department of Defense or any other federal department or agency."
President Donald Trump has repeatedly and falsely suggested that sending mail-in ballots through the US Postal Service will lead to widespread voter fraud and delegitimize the result of the election. His administration took steps to financially hobble the USPS while Trump amplified those claims. The president has also falsely suggested that ballots cast by military servicemembers are being illegally tossed out or manipulated.
Wednesday's report comes one day after ProPublica published a separate piece highlighting that the DOJ may have violated its own non-interference policy when it released two statements in September saying it was investigating "potential issues with mail-in ballots" in Pennsylvania's Luzerne county.
Initially, the department announced a "small number of military ballots were discarded" and that investigators had "recovered nine ballots at this time." It added that "all nine ballots were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump."
A second, revised statement said that "of the nine ballots that were discarded and then recovered, 7 were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump. Two of the discarded ballots had been resealed inside their appropriate envelopes by Luzerne elections staff prior to recovery by the FBI and the contents of those 2 ballots are unknown."
Attorney General William Barr reportedly told Trump about the investigation, which the president and his allies seized on as evidence that proved his allegations about election fraud. As it turned out, the county and Pennsylvania secretary of state both confirmed that the ballots were discarded by mistake by a temporary contract worker who may have mistook them for mail ballot applications.
Thursday's report could also put the DOJ on a collision course with the FBI and US intelligence community, whose leaders released a video this week reassuring voters of the integrity of the electoral process and countering many of Trump's claims about election rigging.
"Next month, we will exercise one of our most cherished rights and a foundation of our democracy – the right to vote in a free and fair election," FBI director Christopher Wray said in the video. "Some Americans will go to the polls on November 3rd to cast their votes, while others will be voting by mail; in fact, some have already begun to return their ballots."
Chris Krebs, the director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, added: "I'm here to tell you that my confidence in the security of your vote has never been higher. That's because of an all-of-nation, unprecedented election security effort over the last several years."
Now, corporate America is responding in order to help increase voter turnout.
Hundreds of major firms have instituted new policies in order to encourage their workers to vote, or to help out at their local polling places. Many of these companies have joined the "Time To Vote" movement, an organization whose goal is to increase voter turnout by making it easier for US workers to find time to vote.
Retail companies have led the way in encouraging their employees to become poll workers, and now tech companies are responding in kind.
From Salesforce to Apple, here are all the tech companies so far who are changing their policies around Election Day.
Salesforce will give all employees the day off in order to vote. "The best policy is not time-bound but will take into account the unique challenges facing voters this election cycle," Benioff tweeted. "Tell your CEO to give Election Day off to vote."
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
Apple announced internally that it would give its hourly workers four hours of paid time off on Election Day in order to vote. Apple also told staff they could use that time to volunteer as an election worker. It's unclear whether the same policy applies to Apple's salaried employees.
Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Karl Mondon/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced earlier this month that employees may take the day off to work at polling places on Election Day as the country faces a potential widespread shortage of poll workers.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Twitter announced in June that it would make Election Day in the US a company holiday going forward, and that its global employees will also get the day off to vote in national elections. Twitter is one of dozens of high-profile companies that has signed onto the "Time To Vote" movement.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
Uber is giving employees the day of as part of a broader "Get Out the Vote" effort. The company will also help transport voters to the polls and provide links to register to vote or request a mail-in ballot through its apps.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
Verizon is giving its US workers four hours of paid time off to vote on Election Day.
A man stands next to the logo of Verizon at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Reuters
Source: Verizon
GitHub is encouraging its employees to take a half-day off to vote and to volunteer as poll workers. The company said it will give those volunteers $250 to donate to a nonprofit of their choice.
GitHub CEO Nat Friedman.
GitHub
Source: GitHub
Google, Etsy, PayPal, Dell, Lyft, Evite, and more are all supporting "Time To Vote." You can see the full list of companies that have pledged their support on the organization's website.
Kamala Harris, right, with Mara Peoples, the executive vice president of the Howard University Student Association, and Amos Jackson III, the organization's executive president, after announcing her presidential candidacy on January 21, 2019.
The debate between US Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris is Wednesday night.
If elected, Harris would be the first woman and the first woman of color to serve as vice president.
Because she represents multiple firsts, there's meaningful pressure on Harris to succeed — and there's been heightened scrutiny of her performance during the campaign.
The debate between US Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris is Wednesday night.
Some background on Harris: She's a US senator from California who ran for president as a Democrat earlier in this cycle. Before she was elected to the Senate, she was the attorney general of California and the San Francisco district attorney. Harris' parents immigrated to the US from Jamaica and India, and Harris graduated from a historically Black university.
If Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is elected in November, Harris would be the first female vice president. (She would not, however, be the first woman of color to run for vice president. Charlotta Bass, a Black woman from California, ran on the Progressive Party ticket in 1952.)
Harris would also increase the representation of women in major US leadership roles. Just 26 of 100 US senators today are women. In corporate America, 4% of C-suite executives are women of color.
If Harris and Biden win, it would be a huge milestone for women across the US, and in particular for BIPOC women. (BIPOC stands for "Black, Indigenous, and people of color.") Harris' name on the ballot — independent of her specific political platform — suggests that BIPOC women's career ambitions are within reach.
Meanwhile, Biden, who is 77, has suggested that he may not run for a second term if elected. An adviser to Biden's campaign told Politico that Biden was thinking: "I want to find a running mate I can turn things over to after four years, but if that's not possible or doesn't happen, then I'll run for reelection."
There's a lot of pressure on Harris to succeed.
'Double jeopardy'
BIPOC women are underrepresented in leadership roles.
Eighteen states have never sent a woman to the Senate, and only one governor — Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico — is a woman of color.
And while BIPOC women represent about 37% of working-age women, they make up less than 5% of senior-level management positions and less than 1% of CEOs of S&P 500 companies, according to research from the nonprofit organization Catalyst.
So when a woman of color does reach a position of power, the spotlight is on her. Performance is scrutinized in a way it isn't necessarily for white men.
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that Black female leaders may experience "double jeopardy." When they fail or when their organization does, Black women are judged negatively based on their two "subordinate" identities.
"Given that atypical leaders, in general, are often expected to fail and are frequently evaluated more negatively when they make mistakes," the authors write, "Black women may have to be exceptionally diligent when managing subpar outcomes."
'The glass cliff'
Harris with Joe Biden in Detroit on July 31, 2019, before the start of the second night of the second 2020 Democratic presidential debate.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
And then there's the "glass cliff." A sister of the glass ceiling, as our colleague Marguerite Ward reported, the glass cliff describes what happens when women or people of color are promoted to senior leadership during difficult times for an organization and the risk of failure is high. Like, say, a pandemic and recession.
Michelle Ryan at the University of Exeter told Ward that it's unclear why women and people of color are often given leadership roles during crisis periods. But a consequence can be that people feel their assumptions are validated: Maybe women of color aren't equipped to be leaders after all.
"We might find that these women don't last as long in these positions or that they may be highly criticized because there's a lot going on," Ryan told Ward. "And that potentially reinforces the stereotype that women [and people of color] aren't good at leadership."
Long-standing biases against minorities
As vice president, Harris could face the same challenges that other women of color encounter after ascending to leadership positions. Women are often subject to implicit bias in the business world, or the unconscious assumptions people make about others based on gender, ethnicity, age, or minority status rather than their actual qualifications. And those biases can be heightened when it comes to women of color.
Harris has said those biases no longer faze her.
She told The New Yorker in 2019: "I'm not carefully enough watching — and I probably should — how men are being treated compared to me."
"I've had this experience so many times that I don't let it distract me," she said on running for office as a woman of color when most candidates weren't.
When a reporter asked Harris in January 2019 how she described her racial identity ("You're an African American woman, but you are also Indian American"), Harris replied, "I describe myself as an American."
Within a week of her nomination by Biden, Harris fielded false accusations of ineligibility to serve as president because her parents were immigrants; racial slurs from a Virginia mayor likening the California senator to "Aunt Jemima"; and names like "mad woman," "nasty," "condescending," and "angry" from President Donald Trump.
Harris' experiences of bigoted treatment are, unfortunately, unsurprising. Assertive and successful women are much more likely to be perceived as "bossy" and unlikable than their male counterparts at work, our colleague Weng Cheong reported.
A model for BIPOC women
Biden with Harris at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday.
In spite of the challenges that Harris might encounter, her presence in the White House — and even on the ballot — could fundamentally change the way young women think about leadership.
The New York Times reported on a study from the Girl's Leadership Institute that found that 48% of Black girls surveyed identified as leaders, the highest among all ethnic groups. The presence of strong role models seemed to be one of the most important factors contributing to their leader aspirations.
"I'm having a Shirley Chisholm moment," LaTosha Brown, a cofounder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, told The Washington Post, referring to the first Black woman elected to Congress. Regarding Harris, Brown said: "There are so many women — Black women — who were never considered. It's not just her candidacy, but all that it represents."
Harris' election could pave the way for millions of women who strive to lead in the US, whether in the office — or the highest office in the land.
Airline stocks are set to soar despite estimates of lower passenger demand over the next year, JPMorgan said in a note on Wednesday.
Specifically, United Airlines and JetBlue could both jump nearly 50% from Tuesday's close as the airline companies have enough cash to make it through the economic decline caused by COVID-19.
JPMorgan upgraded both United Airlines and JetBlue to "overweight" with a price target of $52 and $17, respectively.
Despite an expected decline in passenger airline demand through 2021, JPMorgan expects airline stocks to soar given that they have enough cash to survive the COVID-19 related decline in travel.
That's according to a Wednesday note published by the bank, in which it detailed why United Airlines and JetBlue are set to rally nearly 50%.
In the note, JPMorgan upgraded United Airlines and JetBlue to "overweight" and assigned $52 and $17 price targets, representing potential upside of 48% and 49% from Tuesday's close, respectively.
"We do not believe demand trends are recovering at the pace envisioned by management," JPMorgan said.
That could result in airline companies reducing their cash burn even further as earnings season gets underway next week, according to the bank.
Part of that reduced demand outlook is in part due to continued two-week quarantine rules for arriving international passengers. A vaccine and rapid COVID-19 testing protocol for all passengers pre-departure of all flights could help boost demand for air travel, according to the bank.
Despite the weaker-than-expected air traffic demand and expected weak earnings reports next week, JPMorgan is still upgrading the airline stocks.
"While it may sound counterintuitive to be conducting a handful of upgrades on the cusp of an earnings season that may potentially prove disappointing from a cash-guidance perspective, we strive to let our models lead the way," JPMorgan said.
JPMorgan's valuation models point to increased liquidity that should be mostly adequate in terms of survival for the airline companies.
"Our base case has been – and remains – that US airline bankruptcies are not a probable outcome of the current crisis despite worsening pressure on balance sheets," JPMorgan said.
And with an estimated surge in 2022 demand for airline travel, assuming COVID-19 is an afterthought by then and pent-up demand from consumers materializes into to a surge in travel, JPMorgan sees "attractive upside potential over the next year" in United Airlines, and JetBlue, as well as Delta Air Lines and Alaska Air Group.
For United Airlines, JPMorgan said, "Despite recent volatility in the space, we believe that UAL can endure the current downturn with sufficient liquidity."
And for JetBlue, the bank said, "We continue to believe that the company's cost control will continue to be in focus following impact of COVID-19."
Gummy vitamins have been around since the late 1990s.
Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
Chewable vitamins are now the most popular way for American adults age 35 and younger to consume supplements.
But the sugary treat wasn't always this popular — it took a lot of trial and error, and a few different gummy brands, to nail down the formulas we see today.
Though early gummy vitamins used gelatin to achieve the familiar, chewy texture, it wasn't ideal because it takes up too much space.
Nowadays, many manufacturers use pectin, and the category is worth billions globally.
Vitamins are big business. According to Andrew Stablein, a research analyst at Euromonitor, the supplement industry will surpass $36 billion this year.
And thanks to the Kardashians and a few lucky strokes of marketing genius, chewable vitamins are now the most popular way for American adults age 35 and younger to consume supplements, despite skepticism on the part of doctors and other experts as to their health benefits.
But how, exactly, are they made?
Cereals and other nutrient-enhanced food has been around for a long time
According to John Troup, the vice president of scientific affairs and dietary supplements at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the 1980s brought with them the dawn of American interest in gummy candies. Haribo — purveyor of the classic, gold-bagged gummy bear — starting sending its wares to American stores.
Manufacturers then began experimenting with vitamins in the 1990s, Troup said. Hero Nationals, founded in 1995, told Business Insider it was responsible for America's very first gummy vitamin.
"I used to always take my nieces to the Sweet Factory and we all loved the gummy bears." Jennifer Hodges, the CEO of Hero, told Business Insider in an email. "I thought how amazing it would be to put vitamins into an all-natural gummy bear."
Enter the boiled pig skins
But according to Troup, customers weren't big into the early generation of gummies. The problem was gelatin — usually made by boiling animal parts like roasted pig skin or bones, and distilling the broth. Gelatin took up too much space, which meant manufacturers could only pack one vitamin in a gummy.
The first vitamin to find its way into gummy form was Vitamin C. "Vitamin C was the first obvious choice — it's good for kids, everybody wants more vitamin C, and it can make great tasting orange gummies or even cherry gummies," Troup told Business Insider.
By 2009, however, manufacturers began using pectin, which offered two advantages: it's smaller, which means multiple supplements in one chew, and it's vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.
"When they shifted [to pectin] and learned how to do it well, that's when it started taking off," Troup said.
After that — and after influencers like Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Tati Westbrook began hawking gummies in their Instagram feeds — the category took off.
The Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum ($649.99) has better suction than any robot vac I've tested and has extra attachments that make cleaning up cat hair, cereal, and dust a breeze.
Though it's expensive at $650, I personally see the value because the S6 also mops floors, has an app with several high-end features, and works with Amazon Alexa to make cleaning my messy house so much easier.
Robotic vacuums have come a long way in the last two decades, and there are plenty of Kafka-esque cleaning beetles that get the job done. But if you want all of the whistles and bells like smart home connectivity, programmable zone cleaning, mopping, and more, you should expect to pay top dollar.
The Roborock S6 ($649.99 on Amazon) is one of those top-of-the-line robotic vacuums that is truly worth the investment. It does an excellent job at the basics and has impressive suction power while still being quiet, and it has a ton of bonus features like extra filters, mopping, an app, and Amazon Alexa compatibility.
It's the top overall pick in our guide to the best robot vacs, which required me to test more than 20 robot vacuums over several years and develop a series of tests to objectively compare suction, noise, and more.
Specs
In addition to the usual vacuum unit and charging dock, you'll also get a mat that connects to the dock and keeps your floor from getting wet, an extra filter, extra water filters, an adjustable water tank, two reusable mop cloths, disposable mop cloths, a mounting plate for the disposable cloths, and a user manual.
Here are some more features (based on the manufacturer's information):
2000Pa maximum suction
3 hours run time on quiet mode
Zoned cleaning including selective room cleaning, and virtual no-go zones and barriers
Carpet boost mode
Recharge and resume capability
Climbs over 0.8-inch lips
8 inches in diameter and 3.8 inches tall
Top-access dustbin
One-year warranty
Set-up process
Setting up the vacuum only took me about 15 minutes.
Just plug it into the charging dock and position the robot vac over it so it charges; you'll hear a notification sound when the vacuum connects to the dock. While you wait for it to get juiced up, you can download the app and connect the unit; this was seamless. The app automatically recognized that I had a Roborock product and prompted me to connect it to the WiFi.
The device was fully charged and ready to go within an hour.
I don't own an upright vacuum, so when I (or usually my kids) make a mess, I turn to my cordless handheld or robotic vacuum. With the Roborock S6, I can just press the elongated button on top of the unit. Or when I don't want to do it manually, I can use the app to direct the vacuum to only clean the specific area where my five-year-old dropped his Corn Flakes. The mapping function takes a few runs before you can do zoned cleaning, but once the device has the layout of your home, you can clean with minimal effort.
When I don't have dire cereal emergencies, scheduling the vacuum for an overall cleaning is a cinch. In a few seconds, I set the S6 to run every day at 10:30 am. The only hiccup is finding where to do this in the app — instead of being listed under "schedule," which isn't an option, you can find it under the "timer."
About 75% of the time, the Roborock S6 finished the job and returned to the charging dock without getting stuck somewhere. In my messy house with both human and cat toys strewn over hardwood floors and carpet, that's pretty good.
It has the best suction I've seen and tested from a robotic vacuum. I put each vacuum I use through a series of tests to see how it well it picks up all-purpose flour, coffee grounds, and kitty litter on hardwood flooring and low-pile carpeting. The S6 picked up all the coffee and litter on both surfaces, sucked up all the flour off the hardwood, and got an impressive 90% of the flour from the carpet. When it comes to pet hair, the S6 also does a great job. After a cleaning cycle, I'll find cat hair in the dustbin and not on the floor — as it should be.
I also looked at the hardwood and carpeted corners to see how close the vacuum can get to them. On both surfaces, the S6 came within a quarter of an inch — that's the best I've tested.
The Roborock S6 does all this while remaining impressively quiet. On its highest suction setting, the S6 registered 70 decibels from 12 inches away, which is about the equivalent of listening to the radio softly.
One cool feature that I rarely use but found that it works as advertised is the Alexa voice control. I can tell my light switch to vacuum the living room, and it'll let the S6 know that it's time for work.
Maintaining the S6 itself is effortless — after each cleaning, I just empty the dustbin (which is on top of the unit). And every week or so, I take out the filter and wash it in warm water. You'll want to dry the filter completely before using it again otherwise, dust can get stuck, but the vac comes with an extra filter so you'll always have a second on hand.
The mopping function works well, but I only find it marginally useful since I still need to run the vacuum without the mop first to clean up most of the dirt. Otherwise, any dirt it misses gets on the cloth and spreads throughout the house. However, I do like that you can adjust how much water the mop dispenses so your floors don't get flooded.
At 13.8 inches in diameter and 3.8 inches tall, the Roborock S6 is larger than a lot of models I've tested. This doesn't present a problem for me, but if you're looking for a vacuum that can get under furniture with low clearance, you might want to consider something else.
Despite their ubiquity, robotic vacuums are still a luxury item. They're all somewhat expensive but don't necessarily clean better than traditional canister or upright vacuums. Yet for people like me who would rather live in absolute filth than spend a second cleaning, a robotic vacuum is an essential item. With programmable features, scheduling, and app and voice control, it also makes cleaning easier and almost fun.
At $650, the Roborock S6 is for people who want all of the fancy features and have a good chunk of money to spend. That said, for what the S6 does, it's reasonable. There's only one robotic vacuum that I can think of that I like more (which I list out below), but it costs $300 more.
Alternatives to consider
I've lost count of how many robotic vacuums I've tested though I know the number is more than 20. I currently have seven in my possession and more on the way. Based on my experiences, here are some solid alternatives to the S6:
iRobot Roomba i7+ ($799): This is my all-time favorite robotic vacuum. What sets it apart? The i7+ comes with a "Clean Base" that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin, so you can truly "set it and forget it." As far as I know, this is the only robot vacuum that does this, though I know there are several that haven't launched yet. Additionally, iRobot has one of the best apps, and the i7+ features Alexa voice control. You can read my full review here.
iLife V8s Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop Combo ($219.99): This is about as good of a deal as you'll find on a robotic vacuum and mop combo. It comes with a remote control, six cleaning modes, a 12-month warranty, and extra parts. But it isn't supported by an app. Check out my full review here.
Neato Robotics Botvac D7 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner ($599.99): The D7 is unique in that it's shaped like a D, rather than the classic circle. This allows it to get deep into corners. It also has great suction, zoned cleaning, runs quietly, and works with Alexa. It's pretty similar to the S6, except it doesn't mop and I had a hard time setting it up. Read my full review here.
The bottom line
These are three great alternatives, but none of them give you the full package of mopping, vacuuming, smart connectivity, and zoned cleaning that the Roborock S6 does. If you are looking for an excellent robotic vacuum and mop combo — and can afford it — I'd strongly recommend the S6.
A Chinese fast-fashion retailer is exploding in popularity with American teens.
Shein, which was founded in Nanjing in 2008, came in second only to Amazon in a ranking of teens' favorite e-commerce sites in Piper Sandler's latest "Taking Stock With Teens" survey.
While Amazon has a large lead — 54% of teens from upper-income households said it was their favorite e-commerce site, versus 5% for Shein — the Chinese retailer beat out American mainstays like Nike, PacSun, and Urban Outfitters.
Shein was also first on the list of the brands that upper-income female teens said they're starting to wear, followed by PacSun and Lululemon.
Piper Sandler surveyed 9,800 teens with an average age of 15.8 across 48 states to compile its report. The average household income of respondents was $67,500.
Shein has about 13.8 million followers on Instagram, where it typically reposts photos from influencers wearing its latest styles. The brand is known for its trendy items and rock-bottom prices, with women's tees priced as low as $6 and dresses for as little as $12.
Shein has said in press releases that it adds 500 new fashion items to its site every day, "spoiling our customers with a dizzying selection of on-trend womenswear that they can mix and match to their heart's delight."
"We do this because we believe that the clothes we wear reflect our personalities and we want to empower today's women to explore and express their individuality," the company has said.
It also sells men's and kids' clothing, accessories, and home goods.
While Shein says it ships to more than 200 regions around the world, its primary focus is Europe, America, Australia, and the Middle East. Its revenues topped $2.83 billion in 2019, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a WeChat post by the company. Its rivals include other fast-fashion e-commerce sites like Fashion Nova, Boohoo, and Missguided.
The fast-fashion company has seen its fair share of controversy, however. In July, it faced outrage when a necklace with a swastika charm was being sold on its website for $2.50. Shein removed the necklace and apologized, saying the charm was intended to represent a Buddhist symbol and not a Nazi swastika.
"The Buddhist symbol has stood for spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years, and has a different design than the Nazi swastika which stands for hate — but frankly, that doesn't matter because we should've been more considerate of the symbol's hurtful connotations to so many people around the world, and we didn't," the company said in a statement to Insider at the time.
The week before, it faced backlash when fashion influencer and inclusivity activist Nabela Noor tweeted that Shein was selling Islamic prayer mats and calling them "decorative rugs." Shein apologized and called it a "highly offensive oversight."
A US Air Force SR-71A Blackbird from the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing near Beale Air Force Base in California, June 1, 1988.
US Air Force/TSgt. Michael Haggerty
Only 86 pilots and 86 Reconnaissance Systems Operators have flown the iconic Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, fewer than the number of US astronauts who have orbited earth.
The former director of the fastest, most secretive reconnaissance program. Lt. Col. Russell Szczepanik talks to The Aviationist.
Only 86 pilots and 86 Reconnaissance Systems Operators (RSOs) in the world have flown the iconic Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft, or "Habu" on operational missions. That is fewer than the number of US astronauts who have orbited the earth.
TheAviationist.com recently spoke with USAF Lt. Col. Russell Szczepanik (Ret.), a 25-year veteran of the US armed forces. His unique and exceptional service record includes three years in US Army Special Forces before joining the US Air Force.
Lt. Col. Szczepanik then went on to become the director of worldwide SR-71 operations for two years. He also flew numerous missions in the Mach 3+ "Sled" as an SR-71 RSO in the rear seat of the two-person aircraft during operational missions.
Today, Russell Szczepanik lives in Australia where he recently worked as director of Australia's Air 5077 program, commonly referred to as the E-7A Wedgetail, the country's new Airborne Early Warning and Control and Electronic Warfare. Now Russel Szczepanik is enjoying his retirement in Australia.
An SR-71B taking off in 1992.
NASA
"Nowadays, I find that it takes three or four or five year to get an airplane airborne, or even developed," Szczepanik told TheAviationist.com. "The 'SR' was given two years maximum to be airborne and fully operational."
First flown in 1964, the SR-71 went on to establish a stunning number of aviation records including the world record for sustained altitude in horizontal flight at 85,069 feet and the absolute speed record for an air-breathing operational jet aircraft in 1976 at approximately Mach 3.3.
Actual mission records suggest the aircraft may have flown as fast as Mach 3.5, or 2,685 mph. That is faster than most small-caliber rifle bullets.
But aviation records aside, the SR-71 was, most significantly, an operational aircraft that performed the vital and dangerous mission of gathering strategically critical atmospheric intelligence over denied areas using a host of cameras and sensors.
Aside from all of its remarkable records and operational successes, many of which remain classified to this day, the SR-71 was as quirky as it was exceptional. Lt. Col. Szczepanik told TheAviationist about aviation fuel leaking out of the aircraft through seams as it sat on the ground in preparation for a mission because the heat expansion that caused the aircraft to "grow" up to 14" in length from air friction at high speed had not yet occurred.
"It just poured out in various areas. And, the poor guys that are actually doing all the hard work underneath [the aircraft] are covered in the stuff — because the fuel is coming out."
The crew of a NASA Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird by the aircraft in their pressurized flight suits in 1991.
NASA/Jim Ross
In listening to Szczepanik recount his remarkable experiences as an SR-71 crewmember and director of operations, his narrative is punctuated by conspicuous pauses. He filters out the details of his missions and career that are a matter of national security, both then, and now.
"We weren't telling anybody what we were doing and that, of course, upset the Air Force, and upset the Navy, upset the Army. But we weren't permitted to tell anybody those things." Szczepanik continued, "The reality was, anybody who made it into the SR-71 program has to go get a new physical … And it had to be a special physical, in another place. And, I can't really say where it went, but they actually took five days of giving us a space … space options. If you get through the physical in five days, you will be acceptable for the SR-71 program."
As a reconnaissance systems operator onboard the SR-71, Lt. Col. Szczepanik's role was actually more important than the pilot's. His work onboard the aircraft during an operational mission was the reason the SR-71 Blackbird was conceived to begin with.
"It turns out, and I hope that people don't get the wrong impression because flying that airplane is just very difficult also, and it doesn't really matter. But, all the information comes out of the back. Where the recon systems operator (RSO) is. Because, that's where all the information is for computers, for failures, for this, that — everything. And the RSO does all the hard work quite frankly. They're always having to watch where that airplane's going, how fast it's going, what altitude it's at. If we have somebody firing at us, which happened quite often. So, the guy in the back, he sees all that and has to make some very difficult decisions and tell the guy in the front the same thing. Hey, we're in trouble. We gotta do this- now!"
In fact, the reconnaissance systems operator was so busy that, Lt. Col. Szczepanik told TheAviationist the SR-71 was the only US Air Force two-place, tandem aircraft that did not have any flight controls in the rear cockpit.
Time capsule into the SR-71 history
A forward view of the cockpit of an SR-71A Blackbird at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio.
National Museum of the Air Force
Our conversation with Lt. Col. Szczepanik, over an hour of questions and answers with one of fewer than 100 men who have flown operational missions in the aircraft, wound up with some philosophical insights about changes in the world since the end of the Cold War.
Interestingly, Szczepanik's learned insights from his unique experience in the SR-71 community mirrored the insights of Russian aircrews we spoke to in Moscow last year — that the world has become a smaller place since the end of the Cold War, that people must find ways to become more connected.
In addition to his philosophical insights from the overall SR-71 program, its role in the Cold War and the changes since then, Lt. Col. Russell Szczepanik's personal experiences in the back of the SR-71 are a unique time capsule into the operational history of what is arguably the most exotic military aircraft in history. Being able to hear them first hand and record them is a rare and valuable privilege.
That being sad, without further ado, watch the full interview and list to Lt. Col. Sczcepanik's stories in the video here below:
Nortronics NAS-14V2 Astroinertial Navigation System
One of many fascinating systems onboard the SR-71 was the Nortronics NAS-14V2 Astroinertial Navigation System. According to unclassified sources in the public domain including the Smithsonian and other references, the NAS-14V2, nicknamed the "R2-D2" by SR-71 crews, provided an extremely accurate positional fix using stars as a reference.
The system did not emit any signals and was, therefore, entirely stealthy in terms of emissions. It featured, "an accuracy of at least 90 meters (300 feet)" according to curator Eric Long of the Smithsonian. The Convair B-58 Hustler, four-engine, delta-wing strategic bomber that operated in limited numbers from 1960 until 1970 also used an astro-tracker celestial navigation device called the KS-39.
Similar systems remain in use today on aircraft like the B-52 Stratofortress and other aircraft and even some missiles.
Author's note: Special thanks and appreciation to Lt. Col. Sczcepanik's daughter, Miss Kelsey Szczepanik, for her patience, logistical work and contribution to our interview. The Editor wishes to thank his friend @RoMiG21 for putting us in contact with Lt. Col. Sczcepanik. Make sure to follow him on Instagram here.
Your friends and family don't necessarily need or want an expensive gift. And it's a myth that a higher price tag equals a more thoughtful gift. It doesn't take more than $50 to pay homage to an interest of theirs or to improve day-to-day life by fixing the squeaky cupboard or replacing a beat-up coffee thermos with a much, much better one.
Thoughtful gifts don't need to be expensive. And they don't necessarily require an hour of your time in the trenches of Amazon search results. Below, I've rounded up 40 of the best finds on Amazon below — with all the perks of easy, fast shipping and saved payment information.
Essentially, the Roku Streaming Stick+ is your standard media streaming stick, and can convert a basic TV into a smart one that can stream Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more. It's Alexa-enabled, too, so you can control it by voice.
Homemade breakfast made with a heart-shaped waffle maker
Get up early, and make them heart-shaped mini waffles for breakfast. The Dash Mini Maker is compact enough to keep for special occasions without cramping your kitchen, too.
A wooden caddy tray for the world's most luxurious bath
Few things are as luxurious as a long bath filled with plenty of activities and treats. This one is waterproof, slip-resistant, and designed to accommodate one or two bathers at once.
If you find yourself at a loss for words, let the love letters of great men do the talking for you. This volume includes love letters written by Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, James Joyce, John Keats, Dylan Thomas, and more.
A vacuum insulated stainless steel water bottle that people swear by
Hydro Flask is a cult favorite for their water bottles, and these vacuum insulated stainless steel mugs work just as well. It'll keep hot drinks hot for up to six hours, and cold drinks cold up to twenty-four hours.
A soap bar that's a great life hack for tough stains
This is another early Insider Reviews favorite because it's relatively cheap and works exceptionally well. The Laundress Wash & Stain Bar is one of the only things that can bring white clothes back from the brink of donation piles, as we've attested in our roundup of the best things we bought on Amazon under $25.
An unfussy cookbook meant for hosting one person or many
"Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" is a New York Times bestseller and a James Beard Award winner for a reason. This book offers a great explanation of exactly why food tastes so good, breaking it down to four main elements.
Amazon's Fire tablets are a relatively great deal for a tablet if you're not looking for anything super high-performance driven or luxe. For the average user, they're a good fit. It's Alexa-enabled, so you can ask for quick access to music and entertainment or messages and calling, and it has up to seven hours of battery life.
The newest Echo Dot is a great gift for expert or amateur tech users. It has thousands of skills, but doesn't require much once it's set up. Alexa can control smart lights, outlets, TVs, and more to make life more seamless, and she can tell you the forecast, find and check recipes, and play music or set alarms and timers.
As more and more people find themselves working from home, a laptop desk is essential for comfort, convenience, and efficiency. This model is height-adjustable, so it can easily double as a breakfast tray or writing station.
A notebook that they can fill with their favorite travel memories
If they're always recounting memories from their favorite trip, a travel journal is an excellent place for them to put all of these stories to paper. This particular model comes with binder rings, so they can easily include tickets, photos, and other mementos.
Baggu bags are popular for a reason — they come in tons of fun prints and can fold down to pretty much nothing even though they can hold 50 pounds of stuff. If you're looking for another option, we also like Ecobags.
One of the bestselling and most talked-about books of the year, "Where the Crawdads Sing" is an ode to the natural world and a heartbreaking coming-of-age story. It's set in a coastal town in North Carolina and follows a possible murder and the local suspect, the misunderstood Kya Clark, who's been known simply as "Marsh Girl" for years.
A tough, wind-resistant umbrella they can rely upon
Hear me out. It may seem boring, but everybody needs an umbrella, and this is way better than whatever version they bought the last time they veered into a CVS while it was raining. We think it's the best umbrella you can buy thanks to how well it resists wind and how long it lasts, and they'll find themselves thankful for it often.
This wireless Bluetooth speaker is waterproof, durable, and easily portable. It has 24 hours of playtime and maintains sound quality even at high volumes.
Ocean Vuong is an American poet, and "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" is his much-anticipated debut novel. Published in 2019, it's a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read that delves into family history, addiction, violence, trauma, compassion, and tenderness. If they're a bookworm looking for the next bittersweet American classic, you may want to start here. Looking for other options? Amazon has a list of 2020 bestsellers (so far), and a list of 100 books to read in a lifetime.
A cast-iron skillet with almost 10,000 five-star reviews
This 10.25-inch cast-iron skillet is one that became minorly famous online and garnered over 62,000 Amazon reviews. Lodge has been making cast iron cookware since 1896, so they've learned a thing or two about what makes a great kitchen tool.
This slim device cuts foil and uncorks wine bottles seamlessly, then stows easily out of sight. It has to be charged, but it'll open 30 bottles per charge.
Whether for everyday use, the gym, as a backup, or just for travel when Bluetooth headphones won't connect to the in-flight entertainment, there are ample uses for really solid in-ear buds with a stereo plug. This pair has an extended cord and three sets of ear pads for the perfect fit.
A famous hot sauce made from peppers grown in over 30 community gardens in the Bronx
This all-natural, tangy hot sauce is best known for its part in the popular Youtube series "Hot Ones." It's made from peppers grown in community gardens across the US.
Anthony Bourdain's best-selling culinary and travel memoir
This is Anthony Bourdain's New York Times best-selling chronicle of traveling the world in search of the globe's greatest culinary adventures. From California to Cambodia, Bourdain spent much of his adult life searching for the perfect meal.
This cold brew maker is as inexpensive as it is convenient, and it saves me hundreds of dollars per year. It easily fits into most refrigerator doors, is simple to use, and makes a good amount of cold brew at once. If they need more than one quart, there's also a two-quart option under $40.
It's not groundbreaking to give your partner a portable charger, but they'll find themselves grateful for it repeatedly. It's perfect for traveling and commuting, and as insurance for long days away from home. It reportedly charges iPhones twice as fast as the original iPhone charger.
The cult-favorite clay mask that took over the internet
The Aztec Clay Mask is one of those cult-favorite products of the internet that's driven from the obscure depths of Amazon to beauty vlogs, Youtube testimonials with over 4 million views, and even the Sephora beauty blog.
It's been called "the world's most powerful facial," and it's also under $10. It can be mixed with water, but it works best with a little bit of apple cider vinegar. You can read a full review here.
A salt block is a multipurpose tool. It's a stable crystal structure, which means it can hold a temperature very well. It can be chilled and used as a serving platter for sushi or heated over a grill or stovetop to cook flavorful veggies. Himalayan salt is more nuanced than table salt, and the amount of saltiness imparted varies with the type of food (moist foods absorb more salt, fatty foods repel it, etc.). It's also long-lasting and naturally antibacterial.
A universal USB wall charger that fits four devices
The Atlas Obscura calendar is a fun, novel way to infuse each day with an anchor of appreciation and wonder for the world. There are hundreds of photos that celebrate the world's strangest and coolest places, festivals, and foods. Travelers and life-long learners are particularly good candidates for this one.
A milk frother so they can make their favorite coffee or hot chocolate drinks from home
A milk frother is an unexpectedly convenient tool to have around the house, and it can make an otherwise normal cup of coffee or hot chocolate closer to what you'd buy at the cafe. With it, they can make lattes, cappuccinos, and frothy coffees every morning for less.
We know it sounds gimmicky, but these travel pillows from Trtl really do make a difference, which is why we've voted them the best travel pillows you can buy. It won't make the frequent traveler feel like they're in bed at home, but it will offer a better, more restful sleep on the move. There's a slightly more expensive version that's even better, too.
A delicious gift basket of caramel, chocolate, and crunchy gourmet treats
For less than $40, you can gift gourmet chocolates and caramels already pre-wrapped in a keepsake basket. The set includes seasonal favorites like caramel corn, chocolate pretzels, and peanut brittle.
The towels are made from a proprietary fabric called Aquitex that's composed of ultra-fine fibers (finer than silk) that work to reduce the amount of friction the hair experiences while in its weakest state. It also prevents hygral fatigue — the stretching and swelling of wet hair that makes it vulnerable to frizz and damage — by cutting the hair's drying time by 50%.
Never let them lose their keys again. This new Tile keychain pairs with their smartphone so they'll always be able to locate them. Conversely, you can press the Tile button to locate your phone if it's lost, even if it's on silent mode.
A charging case that protects and charges wireless devices on the go
This compact, travel-friendly case charges wearables like the Fitbit Flex, Beats by Dre, and JBL Wireless Earbuds on the go. The 1,4000 mAh rechargeable battery translates to about 60 hours of audio playback in wireless earbuds.
These plugs turn your devices into smart tech. They help your giftee control their lights and appliances from a free app on their phone, or by voice using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit.
This hyper-popular pump and universal wine stopper set keeps open bottles of wine from prolonged exposure to the air, which is what causes the breakdown of its character and taste. This version makes a "click" sound when the user has managed to create an airtight seal, and has almost 3,000 five-star reviews.
A photo book from one of the most renowned wildlife photographers
Paul Nicklen is an acclaimed Canadian photographer, film-maker, and marine biologist known for his work in the Arctic. He's a frequent contributor to National Geographic and has won the BBC Wildlife Photographer award of the year as well as the prestigious World Press Photo award for photojournalism, and this coffee table book is a beautiful homage to polar landscapes.
President Trump waves upon his return to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
President Donald Trump has unleashed roughly 120 tweets since being released on Monday from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he received COVID-19 treatment.
Trump's tweetstorm has included attacks on Joe Biden, praise for the economy, a push for a focus on the Supreme Court, and allegations of a fraudulent election.
Questions have been swirling for days about the true state of the president's health since his return to the White House.
President Donald Trump has unleashed a string of tweets and retweets since being released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, touting a video announcing his return to the White House and later pushing out praise from supporters and attacks on political rivals.
As of noon on Wednesday afternoon, Trump, who was diagnosed with the coronavirus last Friday, had sent out roughly 120 messages. Since returning to the White House, the true status of the president's health has been questioned by many, given that he was treated with the experimental drug remdesivir and dexamethasone, a steroid that is usually reserved for the sickest patients. While steroids can often make a patient feel better, they don't target the actual virus and weaken the immune system.
Over the past three days, Trump's tweets have included the following:
Arrival at the White House
In a dramatic video, Marine 1, the presidential helicopter, landed on the grounds of the White House around 8 p.m. Monday, with Trump emerging from the plane wearing a mask. He then walked up a flight of stairs and appeared on a balcony where he saluted the residence staff.
A second tweet, taken on the White House balcony, featured a video message directly from the president seemingly downplaying the disease.
"I learned so much about coronavirus. One thing that's for certain…don't let it dominate you. Don't be afraid of it. You're going to beat it. We have the best medical equipment and the best medicines, all developed recently ... Don't let it take over your lives," Trump said in the video.
Trump continued criticizing his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, accusing him of seeking to expand the Supreme Court beyond the nine current members and allow late term abortions.
"Wow. Joe Biden just took a more Liberal position on Roe v. Wade than Elizabeth Warren at her highest," Trump tweeted. "He also wants to PACK our great United States Supreme Court. This is what the Dems will do. Remember as they try changing positions before elections end. GET OUT AND VOTE!"
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting as susceptible to electorial fraud, tweeted out that 11,000 North Carolina voters received "incorrect" registration forms and that Los Angeles County voters were mailed "faulty" ballots.
"Here we go. This will be the most corrupt Election in American History!" he added.
Trump also retweeted an article from the account of conservative commentator Gregg Jarrett, who highlighted a story about a Florida man who was caught requesting a ballot for his deceased wife and was charged with a felony.
Trump announced on Tuesday that he was ending the stimulus bill negotiations between Congress and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, saying that he wanted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to focus on the Supreme Court confirmation process.
"I have asked Mitch McConnell not to delay, but to instead focus full time on approving my outstanding nominee to the United States Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett," Trump wrote. "Our Economy is doing very well. The Stock Market is at record levels, JOBS and unemployment ... also coming back in record numbers. We are leading the World in Economic Recovery, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"
Trump was criticized by many for ending the stimulus talks with Democrats and possibly handing them a political talking point headed into Election Day. However, later on Tuesday, he tweeted out support for a bill that would give $1,200 direct payments to taxpayers ahead of Nov. 3.
An hour after this post, Dr. Sean Conley, the White House physician, released a memo revealing that Trump's health has improved.
"He's now been fever-free for more than 4 days, symptom-free for over 24 hours, and has not needed not received any supplemental oxygen since hospitalization," Conley wrote.
Since the president and first lady Melania Trump's coronavirus diagnosis, multiples staffers, including White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and White House senior advisor and speechwriter Stephen Miller, announced that they too have contracted the disease.
House Democrats released a 449-page report on Tuesday based on the results of an investigation into whether Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Apple are engaging in anticompetitive practices.
In regards to Apple, much of the report focuses on accusations from developers saying that the tech giant's App Store policies and rules make it difficult to compete in the marketplace.
The report cites conversations with app developers and Apple's former director of App Store review among other resources.
Apple has refuted the accusations and conclusions made in the report, saying it doesn't hold a monopoly and its rules are designed to enforce safety and trust in the App Store.
Still, the report suggests that the long-running issues developers have taken with Apple's policies are far from being resolved.
House lawmakers have finally revealed the findings of their lengthy antitrust investigation into Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook in a 449-page report that accuses the tech giants of hampering competition in online marketplaces.
For Apple, the report is another wrinkle in the long-running scuffle between the iPhone maker and app developers, some of which have accused Apple of abusing its position as the gatekeeper to the App Store and manager of the iOS platform.
But the report from the House antitrust subcommittee provides a thorough look into the troubles app developers say they have encountered in recent years — challenging Apple's argument that it creates a fair and level playing field for all app makers.
The scrutiny is also coming at a time when Apple's services business — which includes revenue from App Store transactions — has become an increasingly important part of Apple's overall business. The company's services segment has helped it make up lost ground during periods when iPhone sales have slowed.
The antitrust concerns about Apple outlined in the report pertain to the App Store, iOS, and Apple's Siri digital assistant.
When it comes to the App Store and iOS, a key point of contention has been Apple's rules stipulating that apps must use the company's in-app payments system, through which it takes up to a 30% cut from transactions. Some developers, like Spotify, have argued that this commission makes it difficult for app makers to price their offerings competitively.
"Apple's ban on rival app stores and alternative payment processing locks out competition, boosting Apple's profits from a captured ecosystem of developers and consumers," the report reads.
Some developers have suggested turning to third-party payment processors like PayPal, Square, or Stripe to address these concerns without compromising Apple's values around security and quality, according to the report.
The documents also cite input from a developer indicating that Apple has retaliated against the app maker for trying to skirt Apple's payments system. Such a tactic violates Apple's rules and is also at the center of Apple's legal battle with Epic Games.
In the example, an app maker sent customers an email with a link that would enable users to upgrade to a paid subscription through the developer's own website rather than Apple's payments system. Apple responded by threatening to remove their app from the App Store and blocking updates, the report says.
"A game developer described Apple's rules as reaching outside the App Store itself to police the communications that an app can have with its own customers, including communications intended to improve customer experience and offer discounts," says the report.
It's not just the 30% commission and requirements that developers use Apple's in-app payments system that has stoked antitrust concerns. Developers have also accused Apple of providing advantages to its own services both in the iOS operating system and the App Store.
Phillip Shoemaker, Apple's former director of App Store review, said in an interview with the subcommittee that the tech giant favors its own apps over those from developers. Shoemaker pointed out that apps competing with Apple's services generally encounter problems in the App Store, pointing to Google's Stadia game streaming service as an example.
The report also cited concerns raised by developers about Apple's new policies surrounding location permissions, an update Apple made in an effort to boost consumer privacy.
But developers have said the update gives Apple an advantage because it doesn't have to "jump through similar hoops to get access to user location." Developers behind apps and products such as Tile, Life360, Happn, Arity, Zenly, Zendrive, and Twenty wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2019 on the issue, according to the report.
Apple refuted the accusations and conclusions outlined in the report, reiterating its previous stance that it does not hold a monopoly and that its rules are designed to enforce security, privacy, and trustworthiness in the App Store.
"We have always said that scrutiny is reasonable and appropriate but we vehemently disagree with the conclusions reached in this staff report with respect to Apple," the company said in a statement to Business Insider. "Our company does not have a dominant market share in any category where we do business. From its beginnings 12 years ago with just 500 apps, we've built the App Store to be a safe and trusted place for users to discover and download apps and a supportive way for developers to create and sell apps globally. Hosting close to two million apps today, the App Store has delivered on that promise and met the highest standards for privacy, security and quality."
Apple also said developers accrued more than 85% of the $138 billion in commerce that was facilitated through the App Store last year in the United States. It also stood by its commission rates, characterizing them as industry standard.
"Competition drives innovation, and innovation has always defined us at Apple," the company said. "We work tirelessly to deliver the best products to our customers, with safety and privacy at their core, and we will continue to do so."
Apple has also made some developer-friendly changes in recent months. In July, for example, the company announced that it would allow developers to appeal violations of App Store guidelines.
House Democrats, however, are pushing for sweeping changes that aim to restore competition in the industry, strengthen antitrust laws, and enforce antitrust measures more strongly. Such measures include imposing limits on the markets in which dominant players can compete and requiring that they make it easy for customers to transfer their data between platforms.
The report also proposes modifying Section 2 of the Sherman Act to focus more on the exploitation of market power, not just the formation of it. The committee proposes executing this by cracking down on a number of practices, including using a dominant position in the market to leverage competitive advantages, pricing goods or services below cost to oust rivals, and designing a platform in a way that privileges its own services.
It's unclear precisely what will come from the subcommittee's findings. But the report suggests that the ongoing conflict over how Apple runs its App Store and iOS platform is far from being resolved.
Dr. Anthony Fauci's daughters won't spend Thanksgiving with him in Washington, despite him and his wife saying they'd love to host them.
The women, who live in three different parts of the country, decided against the visit to protect their father from the novel coronavirus, Fauci said in a webinar hosted by American University.
While there's no one answer to whether you should visit family for the holidays, experts recommend weighing the practical risks with the mental-health benefits.
The nation's top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, won't be spending Thanksgiving with his daughters this year, despite his and his wife's desires.
"I have three daughters in three disparate parts of the country ... who we don't see very often," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a webinar hosted by American University's Kennedy Political Union Tuesday. "We would love for them to come home for Thanksgiving."
But the daughters, ages 28 to 34, didn't want to take the risk traveling would pose to their parents' health.
"Dad, you know you're a young, vigorous guy," Fauci said they told him. "But you're 79 years old."
Plus, the women would be traveling from cities that don't have low coronavirus-infection rates.
Rather than joining their parents for Thanksgiving, the women encouraged their parents to "have a nice quiet dinner," perhaps with a neighbor they see frequently, if they have tested negative for COVID-19. They said they'd send their love via Zoom.
"So we decided to make it a very, very closed family type of thing," Fauci told American University President Sylvia M. Burwell, who moderated the webinar.
"I'm not going to criticize people who do it differently," he added. "But look at the individual situation in your own family and make a decision that way."
Experts recommend weighing the practical risks with emotional benefits when making a decision about holiday travel
Like Fauci, other public-health experts have said there's no one answer as to whether you should visit family over the holidays.
There's no risk-free choice — staying home doesn't mean an older relative can't catch the coronavirus some other way, and traveling doesn't necessarily mean you'll feel satisfied if, for instance, you choose not to hug or eat together.
To make an informed decision, though, first think about it practically, Dr. Tista Ghosh, the medical director at Grand Rounds, a digital-healthcare company, previously told Insider.
Ask yourself what sorts of coronavirus risks your visit could pose, considering things like transmission levels in both your areas, how you would travel and where you would stay, whether other family members would join and what their health status is, and how you would get together once you're there.
Remember, while we're still learning a lot about this virus, a few truths have held: Outside is better than inside, fewer people is better than more, and older people and those with underlying conditions are most vulnerable.
Then, take your practical cap off and step back into your emotions. Are the risks you've assessed outweighed by your family's mental and emotional health?
Maybe you worry you may not see a family member again, or perhaps someone in your family is particularly isolated and lonely — a state that alone is linked to serious health consequences, including a higher risk of early death.
There are ways to pursue both safety and connection whether you stay or go
If you decide to travel, Ghosh recommends driving rather than flying and staying in an Airbnb that you've reserved for 24 hours before you arrive to ensure no one has just been in the house.
If you stay with a relative, make sure you have your own bathroom, find ways to gather outside or with lots of ventilation, maintain a 6-foot distance, and wear masks.
Getting a test before you go or when you arrive can't hurt, but don't let a negative give you a false sense of security, Ghosh said. The rapid tests can deliver false negatives up to 40% of the time, and while the PCR tests are more, but not perfectly, accurate, they can take up to seven days to process, giving you time to come into contact with the virus before receiving your results.
"Maybe you want to come in and quarantine yourself for a couple of days or get tested a couple of times before you go in, but that's going to be kind of an inconvenience because Thanksgiving is generally a three- or four-day clip," Fauci said in the webinar.
"By the time you travel, get there, and go back, you're not talking about a couple of weeks," he added.
In other words, unless you're able to quarantine, act like you're contagious the whole time.
If you decide, like the Fauci family, to celebrate virtually, consider ways to make the day special by, for instance, asking a grandparent to teach all the grandchildren a family recipe over Zoom, and then all cooking and eating it "together."
Cats need lots of protein and fat in their diets to be healthy, so it's important that you feed them the best nutritionally balanced cat food.
Whether you're shopping for dry or wet cat food, we've researched many brands to give you high-quality options.
Packed with ingredients that are ethically farmed and locally sourced, Ziwi Peak is our top pick.
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they have a biological need for meat. Your cat may be able to digest certain plant products in limited amounts, but protein should be the focus of their diet, and it needs to come from quality animal sources. A nutritious cat food will always list a source of animal protein as the first ingredient with plenty of healthy animal fats and limited carbohydrates.
Shopping for cat food can be a challenge because there are so many options to choose from. Unless you have a thorough understanding of your cat's nutritional needs and knowledge of how to read a pet food label, you might find the task a bit overwhelming. You should always consult your veterinarian about your cat's nutritional needs and the best food to fulfill those requirements. Once you know, check out our picks below for the best cat food.
Prices and links are current as of 10/7/20. Added slide with products we are currently testing for an update to this guide.
The best cat food overall
ZiwiPeak
Ziwi Peak is setting a new standard for cat food with its moisture-rich canned foods and nutrient-dense kibble.
A great pet food company will not only use high-quality ingredients, but its manufacturing processes will be safe as well. Ziwi Peak is our top choice for cat food brands because it is a trustworthy company that makes every effort to produce the best cat food products on the market.
The company's formulas are made with 95% fresh meat, organs, bone, and seafood ingredients that are 100% sourced from New Zealand using ethical farming practices. Furthermore, Ziwi Peak's products are all-natural, grain-free, and made without fillers and artificial additives.
All of Ziwi Peak's ingredients are of the highest quality for both its wet and dry food. Its kibble is air-dried to retain the maximum nutritional quality while still offering pet owners the convenience of dry food. Ziwi Peak canned foods are moisture-rich, packed with protein, and full of natural flavor.
Not only is Ziwi Peak cat food made with more than 95% raw meat and organs, but it is carbohydrate limited and free from grains, by-products, fillers, and artificial additives. This brand offers excellent digestibility as well as complete and balanced nutrition without the need for a long list of synthetic supplements. Simply put, Ziwi Peak cat food contains all of the healthy nutrients your cat needs with nothing he doesn't.
Not only is the quality of the Ziwi Peak brand undeniable, but its products are made with novel proteins like venison, mackerel, and lamb to minimize the risk for triggering food allergies or sensitivities. Every recipe is naturally grain-free and the air-dried recipes are so nutrient-dense that you can actually feed your cat less without compromising his nutrition.
Pros: Novel proteins, grain-free and carbohydrate-limited, at least 95% meat ingredients, no carrageenan in canned foods
Cons: Limited selection, expensive, some cats may not like the air-dried texture
The best dry cat food
Acana
Protein-rich and limited in carbohydrates, Acana dry cat food features lots of real meat ingredients in formulas.
Some cat food brands offer a wide variety of products for every need, which can make it difficult to choose. The Acana brand of cat food offers just four dry cat food recipes, but all of them are made with fresh, regional ingredients and formulated to meet the nutritional needs of cats in all life stages. If you're in the market for a premium dry cat food product that is loaded with real meat ingredients and limited in carbohydrates to mimic your cat's natural diet, we recommend Acana.
The Acana brand creates what they call "biologically appropriate diets" for dogs and cats. These are protein-rich formulas made with high inclusions of fresh meat, including nutrient-rich organ meats, designed to nourish your cat's body through the use of fresh, wholesome ingredients. Acana doesn't rely on synthetic supplements as heavily as many cat food manufacturers, though every recipe contains probiotics to support your cat's healthy digestion.
Choose from four dry cat food recipes in the Acana Regionals line of products — Meadowland, Wild Atlantic, Grasslands, and Appalachian Ranch. These recipes feature premium proteins like free-run chicken, nest-laid eggs, and wild-caught fish.
Pros: Protein-rich and carbohydrate-limited, ingredients sourced regionally from trusted suppliers, made in company-owned kitchens in the United States, formulas supplemented with probiotics
Cons: Pricey, only four recipes to choose from, no kitten-specific formulas, no canned food options, some recipes contain common proteins that may trigger food allergies in some cats (like chicken and fish)
Wet cat food is moisture-rich to keep your cat hydrated. It also tends to be lower in carbohydrates than dry food and richer in flavor. The texture may also be more appealing to finicky eaters. If you're looking for a premium brand of wet cat food that uses only the highest quality ingredients, we recommend Instinct, specifically the Instinct line of products.
The Instinct line is designed to provide the nutritional benefits of raw food with the convenience of traditional cat food. This brand seeks to make each recipe as pure and simple as possible, using only real meats, digestible carbohydrates, and healthy supplements to ensure complete and balanced nutrition. Every recipe is also packed with natural flavor to satisfy your cat's cravings for meat.
When it comes to wet cat food, Instinct offers selections in four product lines: Instinct Original, Raw Boost, Ultimate Protein, and Limited Ingredient Diets.
Pros: 95% meat ingredients, complete and balanced for all life stages, grain-free for digestibility, plenty of omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, high moisture levels
Cons: Limited number of protein options, some recipes contain common proteins that may trigger food allergies in some cats (like chicken and fish), pricey
The best grain-free cat food
Wellness
Naturally grain-free and packed with premium proteins, the Wellness Core line of products is our top pick for grain-free cat food.
Though some cats can tolerate grains, the ideal diet for cats is one that is rich in animal proteins, limited in carbohydrates, and grain-free. Grain-free carbohydrates offer better digestibility for cats while still meeting their needs for energy and dietary fiber. If you are looking for a reputable cat food brand that offers a variety of grain-free options for both dry food and wet food, we recommend the Core line of products produced by Wellness.
The Wellness brand is one of several made by WellPet, LLC, though all of its products are designed to follow a holistic and natural approach to pet nutrition. Wellness cat foods are formulated by animal nutritionists and veterinarians to provide the ideal balance of carefully selected, high-quality ingredients to nourish your cat's body for health and longevity. The CORE line of products is specifically designed without the use of grains and every recipe is focused on premium proteins like chicken, turkey, duck, salmon, venison, and lamb.
The Core line of grain-free cat foods by Wellness includes a large selection of dry food and wet food. Choose from four dry food recipes for kittens, adults, and indoor cats as well as one original recipe formulated for all life stages. There are five product lines for wet food including patés, shredded entrees, chunky recipes, and dual-meat duos.
Pros: Grain-free, included novel proteins like venison and duck, decent selection of products, no artificial additives or by-products
Cons: Fairly expensive, some recipes contain common proteins that may trigger food allergies in some cats (chicken and fish), some dry foods contain plant proteins (pea protein)
The best organic cat food brand
Castor & Pollux
For high quality organic dry and wet food for cats, you can't beat Castor & Pollux's handcrafted recipes.
Even some of the top pet food brands on the market don't use organic ingredients, but if you want to feed your cat the best of the best, an organic cat food brand may be the way to go. Our top pick for organic cat food is Castor & Pollux, a company that was founded more than twenty years ago but still remains a leader in the organic and natural pet food industry. In fact, Castor & Pollux was the first company to offer a complete line of organic pet foods.
Handcrafted in small batches to ensure nutritional quality and integrity, Castor & Pollux's organic cat foods are made with real chicken, lamb, or salmon as the first ingredient. Every recipe offers uncompromised quality for 100% complete and balanced nutrition. This brand supplements each formula with organic flaxseed to provide omega fatty acids for skin and coat health as well as fiber to support your cat's digestion and plenty of protein for lean muscle mass.
Certified organic, free-range chicken is the first ingredient in every one of Castor & Pollux's dry foods, which remains true, except for the new Healthy Kitten recipe, which features organic turkey as the main protein.
Not only does Castor & Pollux offer organic cat food, but it offers a wide variety of products including dry food and wet food options. In fact, this brand offers two complete product lines: Organix and Organix Grain-Free. Both are made with the same premium-quality animal proteins and other organic ingredients, though the grain-free line features alternative carbohydrates like potatoes and tapioca.
Pros: Certified-organic ingredients, original and grain-free recipes available, recipes for adults as well as kittens and seniors, non-GMO ingredients, produced in certified organic kitchens, no low-quality fillers or by-products, high in protein
Cons: Kibble at the bottom of the bag may break up, limited selection, some recipes contain common proteins that may trigger food allergies in some cats (like chicken and fish)
The best cat food delivery service
Matt Michaelson/Smalls
Smalls offers an extensive menu of fresh wet and freeze-dried foods in multiple flavors and seven different plans.
Smalls is an online cat food company that delivers fresh wet foods and high-quality dry foods that are competitively priced. The recipes are designed in partnership with animal nutritionists and behaviorists to address specific feline dietary needs using ingredients sourced from the US and Canada. The food is complete and balanced, which means it is formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient trials and then verified by lab analysis. All ingredients are sourced from the US and Canada, and food is prepared in US-based kitchens and tested for e.coli, salmonella, listeria, and mold.
Of all the pet food delivery services, Smalls offers the widest range of plan options — a big bonus for cats that are particularly discriminating when it comes to their food. There are six options for fresh wet food (minced chicken, chicken pate, minced turkey, turkey pate, minced beef, and beef pate), three flavors of freeze-dried raw food (chicken, turkey, and duck), and three flavors of cooked kibble (turkey, chicken, and fish). For your subscription, you can choose from seven different combinations of these foods, including fresh food only or dry food only.
Smalls has a two-week sampler box to decide if it's the right fit for your cat. When you subscribe, they automatically send you food every two, four, or eight weeks depending on your preference. Because the wet food is frozen, it will take up quite a bit of space in your freezer if you opt for more infrequent delivery, but we think it's worth it considering even our pickiest tester warmed up to Smalls.
Pros: Fresh and dry food options, wide variety of plans, competitively priced, ideal for picky cats, complete and balanced
Cons: Food is frozen and requires thawing
What we're looking forward to
Blue Buffalo
We are currently testing cat foods for an update to this guide, including the following:
We spoke to a veterinary behaviorist and a cat behavior consultant to find out what qualities to look for in a litter box. We then tested 15 of the most popular litter boxes, including disposable, hooded, top-entry, and self-cleaning models.
Cats are picky about the litter in their litter boxes, so it's important to choose a formula that's healthy for your cat and easy to clean. Because there are so many different types of cat litter out there, it can be a challenge to make the right choice.
Natural cat litter has several advantages over conventional clay-based cat litter — it's more eco-friendly, it clumps well, and it's healthy for your cat.
Even with low-tracking litter, you still need a mat to contain scatter. The best cat litter mats trap litter to prevent it from being spread all over the house. We tested mats with three cats and consulted veterinarians to select the best ones.
Brushing a cat regularly can help reduce shedding, matted fur, and hairballs. We tested 14 cat brushes, dematting tools, combs, and grooming gloves to select the best for short- and long-haired cats.
Fleas can pose serious risks to your cat's health. With the right flea treatment for cats, you can keep your cat or kitten safe from fleas. Effective over-the-counter flea control products are available in the form of topical preventives, collars, shampoos, sprays, and oral options.
Travel makes many cats nervous. To keep your cat safe and secure, you need to invest in a high-quality cat carrier. Cat carriers come in all shapes and sizes with different designs depending on the intended use.
Cats need to scratch, so to save your sofa and your curtains, you need a sturdy cat scratching post or scratcher. Scratching posts may be vertical, horizontal, or inclined, and some of them can be wall-mounted. Each cat has their own unique preferences, of course.
Some cats are picky about their food bowl. That's why it's important to choose the right one for their needs. When it comes to choosing the best cat food bowl for your cat, there are a number of factors to consider.
There are many different kinds of cat beds, and cats, fickle creatures that they are, will all like different beds for special, mysterious cat reasons.
