NATO, Brexit, Trevi Fountain, Flywheel, SoulCycle, Ford, VW, Juventus

Caracal Global Daily
January 15, 2019
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia 

Caracal Global Daily  = News + Analysis at the Intersection of Globalization + Disruption + Politics

TOP FIVE

✔️ Trump discussed pulling US from NATO

✔️ Theresa May faces up to crushing defeat in the Commons

✔️ Church and Rome battle over tourist coins

✔️ Competition has Flywheel and SoulCycle spiraling into an identity crisis

✔️ Ford + VW advance alliance plans on vans, pickups

ROSS RANT

Here are 27 things I learned from James Altucher last year @ Ross Rant 

GLOBALIZATION

NYT: Trump discussed pulling US from NATO, aides say amid new concerns over Russia

UK parliament votes on Theresa May's Brexit deal: The odds currently looked stacked against her, setting the stage for further political turmoil just 10 weeks before Britain's scheduled departure from the bloc.

Tonight, between 7:00 and 9:30 pm, (2:00 - 4:30 pm ET) the Commons will finally have its say on the Brexit deal.

Theresa May faces up to crushing defeat in the Commons.

Reuters: With 2,300-word letter, Macron launches debate to quell 'yellow vest' unrest

“For me, there is no banned issue. We won’t agree on everything, which is normal in a democracy. But at least we’ll show we’re a people which is not afraid of talking, exchanging, debating,” Macron wrote in the letter published by his office.

Trevi fountain = Church and Rome battle over tourist coins: The Catholic Church and the mayor of Rome are at odds over the reallocation of funds collected from the famous Trevi Fountain. Some of the money is set to address the city's ills and no longer go entirely to charity.

Approximately  €1.5 million ($1.7 million) in coins thrown into the iconic Trevi Fountain by tourists each year.

180: Chinese exports support as many as 180 million jobs in China, or nearly one-quarter of formal employment there.

No so fast my friend: The US Chamber of Commerce cautions against overstating progress in the US-China talks.

China's foreign direct investment into the US dropped precipitously in 2018, data show: In 2018, Chinese foreign direct investment into the US fell to just $4.8 billion — a massive decline from $29 billion in 2017 and $46 billion in 2016, according to independent researcher the Rhodium Group.

"The decline comes amid trade tensions between the US and China and as Beijing adds pressure on Chinese companies to reduce their global holdings and reduce debt levels."

Space: China plans another moon mission this year and eyes Mars in 2020.

DISRUPTION

Utah was named the best state for entrepreneurs, according to Amazon's data regarding small and medium businesses.

Top 10 most entrepreneurial states:

1. Utah
2. California
3. New York
4. Colorado
5. New Jersey
6. Washington
7. Florida
8. Delaware
9. Massachusetts
10. Oregon

84: Life expectancy in Japan is 84 years, the highest in the world, and due to a low birth rate Japan’s population is graying fast. Nearly 30 percent of the country is older than 65.

Competition has Flywheel and SoulCycle spiraling into an identity crisis: Cheaper classes and luxury at-home bikes like Peloton are cutting into their customer base. Still, SoulCycle continues to eye expansion. It now has 90 studios in 20 markets in the United States, and it recently opened its first studios in Las Vegas and Denver. Next up, SoulCycle will expand its international footprint with its first studio in London. Today, cycling has contributed to the global $87.2 billion health club industry, operating across more than 200,000 clubs in 2017 alone, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. In total, these clubs serve 174 million members, an increase of 33.6 percent from 2008’s 45.6 million members.

POLITICS

WP: Trump’s extravagant, $3,000, 300-sandwich celebration of Clemson University

The grand total? According to WP analysis, Trump spent about $2,911.44 on feeding the team. A sixth of that is the fries alone, though, so take with a grain of salt. (The fries; also their estimate.) Half of the cost was incurred at McDonald’s alone.

Politico: Dulles closes screening lanes, lines sprawl in Atlanta as shutdown strains air travel

50 moments that define an improbable Presidency @ The Atlantic 

@WSJPolitics: Ivanka Trump will “help manage the U.S. nomination process as she’s worked closely with the World Bank’s leadership for the past two years,” a  White House representative said

Roll Call: Beto meets Oprah: Former Texas congressman to sit down with talk show host

Kasich going Hollywood: United Talent Agency (UTA) announced it had signed Kasich as one of its clients.

“will help [Kasich] navigate the next phase of his public and private life.”

Online gambling: The Justice Department has decided that all online gambling is illegal—that would even include online lottery ticket sales. 

COMMERCE

@TheStreet: "What sells cars is driver image. Someone pulls up and see someone else in a vehicle and they say wait, they have something I don't have. They have the future." 

Ford is expected to unveil a trans-Atlantic alliance with Volkswagen this morning that will first focus on commercial vehicles and moves that will save the companies billions of dollars. 

Automotive News: Ford, VW advance alliance plans on vans, pickups

@MikeMartinez_AN: .@Ford CEO Jim Hackett: "It's my opinion that you can't do this alone."

Alibaba had more sales in one day last year than McDonald’s had for all of 2018. 

Microsoft signs a huge deal with Walgreens, as Amazon's growing interest in health care looms large: On Tuesday Microsoft said it has signed a multiyear deal with Walgreens Boots Alliance. Under the deal, Walgreens Boots Alliance is signing up more than 380,000 employees for its Microsoft 365 cloud apps offering, including Office 365, Windows 10, and mobility and security tools. The company will move most of its information technology workloads to Microsoft's Azure public cloud.

CNBC: Huawei CEO says company doesn't spy for China and praises Trump in rare appearance

Ren Zhengfei, the CEO and founder of Huawei, said he would "definitely" refuse any request from the Chinese government to access the company's user data; also praised Trump, calling him a "great president." 

CULTURE

OTD: In 2009, a US Airways jet piloted by Chesley Sullenberger crash lands on the Hudson River after colliding with a flock of geese. It becomes known as the "Miracle on the Hudson" as all 155 people aboard survive.

RIP: Broadway legend Carol Channing, best known for her starring role in Hello Dolly!, is dead at age 97

I was a cast member in a Brother Rice- Marian Players' high school production of Hello Dolly!​

SPORT

Juventus eye US market to attract fans and grow brand: “The US and China are the key markets for our international growth,” Giorgio Ricci, chief revenue officer at Juventus. “The interest of Juventus in the US is driven by some key factors. One is the millennial generation is the biggest in US history—around 92 million people. Professional soccer is ranked as the second-most-popular sport among people aged 12-17. Our research has given us 27 million potential Juventus fans (in the US). Those are people who declare they are interested or very interested in the club.”

CFL on American TV: Every game from the Canadian Football League (CFL) will be available live to fans in the United States through a new multi-year agreement with ESPN and ESPN+ the league announced today.​