Category: business

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Patagonia’s CEO Donated Company’s $10 Million Tax Cut to Fight Climate Change

As much as some people (and organizations) out there would like to bury their heads in the sand and pretend climate change doesn’t exist, it is very real, and its effects are growing more drastic.

Because of the 2018 rewrite of America’s tax laws – a tax code revision that greatly benefited corporations by lowering the corporate tax rate by almost a third for most companies – Patagonia paid $10 million less in taxes that year than it had anticipated. So the company’s CEO, Rose Marcario, decided to donate the $10 million to non-profit groups that are working to fight climate change and help the environment.

Marcario believed the corporate tax cut was not a good thing, and she wrote, “Based on last year’s irresponsible tax cut, Patagonia will owe less in taxes this year—$10 million less, in fact. Instead of putting the money back into our business, we’re responding by putting $10 million back into the planet. Our home planet needs it more than we do.”

Speaking about climate change deniers, including many in government, Marcario wrote, “Far too many have suffered the consequences of global warming in recent months, and the political response has so far been woefully inadequate—and the denial is just evil.”

Patagonia has been a friend of the environment for many years now and their website says the company has donated more than $89 million to environmental groups to fight climate change.

Let’s hope that more corporations and individuals make their voices heard about the extreme consequences of climate change that are occurring around us every day. This isn’t something that might happen in the future, this is taking place right now.

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The New Barbies Include Dolls with Vitiligo, No Hair, and Prosthetic Legs

Normalizing inclusion of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and walks of life for kids is extremely important, especially when they’re very young.

That’s why it’s so commendable that Mattel has launched a new line of Barbies – it’s “most diverse doll line” yet, covering a broad spectrum of different body types, hair types, skin types, and disabilities. The new line includes several dolls of color, a doll with the skin condition vitiligo, a hairless doll, and a doll with a prosthetic limb.

Posted by Barbie on Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Barbie Fashionistas line of dolls now has 176 dolls with 35 skin tones, 94 different hairstyles, and 8 body types. I’d say they’ve come a long, wouldn’t you? Mattel said the Fashionistas line is “designed to reflect the world girls see today.”

A spokesperson for Mattel said, “For 2020, Barbie is continuing the journey to represent global diversity and inclusivity in the fashion doll aisle by showcasing a multi-dimensional view of beauty and fashion.”

Heck, even Ken has long hair now!

In order to design the doll with the skin condition vitiligo, Mattel worked with a dermatologist to make sure the condition was depicted in an accurate manner. A Mattel spokesperson said, “As we continue to redefine what it means to be a ‘Barbie’ or look like Barbie, offering a doll with vitiligo in our main doll line allows kids to play out even more stories they see in the world around them.”

These dolls are great – keep them coming, Mattel!

And keep expanding your Fashionista line to include more and more people of all kinds because kids who can now see dolls that look like them really appreciate it.

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These Things Were Probably Designed by a Genius

There are impressive inventions, and then there are products that are so brilliantly simple and totally useful that you turn green with envy, unable to believe that you didn’t think of it first (and you aren’t the one now making bank).

Inventing things is harder than you think, though, and there’s a good chance the minds behind these 15 things are truly unique.

15. Tablets to clean your water bottle or travel mug.

Image Credit: Amazon

Reaching the bottom of those things and getting all of the gunk scrubbed out is a pain – but these biodegradable, chlorine-free tablets do all of the work for you.

14. Touch-up razors for on the go.

Image Credit: Amazon

Easily swipe away peach fuzz or stray hairs on your chin or eyebrows, and with built-in guards, no worries about cuts, either!

13. A cream that will tame your flyaway baby hairs.

Image Credit: Amazon

Those annoying hairs that ruin your perfectly sleek updo will be gone for good – victory!

12. Charcoal air fresheners for your shoes or bag.

Image Credit: Amazon

They’ll banish lingering smells wherever you leave them by absorbing excess moisture and preventing mold, mildew, and bacteria buildup. Best part? They can last for up to two years!

11. A setting spray to give your makeup a professional finish.

Image Credit: Amazon

The lightweight spray sets your makeup and makes everything look perfectly matte, no matter how humid and sweat-inducing your day.

10. A must-have snow removal tool.

Image Credit: Amazon

It’s long handle lets you remove snow from your roof, the top of your car, or tall bushes without using a ladder – or getting a face full of snow.

9. Cuticle oil that targets weak nails to restore strength.

Image Credit: Amazon

It’s made from jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and vitamin E and will also soften your cuticles.

8. Tablets to clean your dishwasher, not your dishes.

Image Credit: Amazon

Lime and icky smells can build up in your machine and reduce their cleaning capabilities – that’s where these babies come in.

7. Ice trays that will let you make ice that fits neatly into your water bottle.

Image Credit: Amazon

These stackable trays make stick-like cubes that fit easily into your insulated bottle, and the silicone material makes for easy ice removal.

6. This jewelry cleaning brush.

Image Credit: Amazon

Hallelujah, because having to take your jewels into the store to get them to shine is annoying.

5. Clips that go on your car vents so you never have to eat ketchup-less fries again.

Image Credit: Amazon

The clips work with horizontal or vertical vent slats and hold packets from all major fast food chains. Need.

4. This portable LED sensor light.

Image Credit: Amazon

You’re bound to feel more secure with this magnetic, waterproof light detecting motion up to 13 feet away.

3. This ice-scraper that’s totally extra.

Image Credit: Amazon

The SnoShark removes snow and ice without scratching the glass, and can extend to 39-inches long while still folding down to a compact storage size.

2. An insulation kit to bulk up your windows.

Image Credit: Amazon

The crystal clear film is easy to install and keeps cold air out and warm air in. Boom.

1. A thermal windshield cover.

Image Credit: Amazon

If you park outside in the winter, this is the product you’ve been waiting for – the side panels tuck inside your front doors, so it can’t be stolen, it keeps your windshield (and your side mirrors!) free of ice and snow, and securely attaches.

 

I definitely wish I’d thought of these things, but I know in my heart I never would have, no matter how much time I had.

Have you ever invented something? Have you ever had an idea “stolen” by someone who got there first? Tell us about it in the comments!

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Funny Jokes About the Olive Garden

Chain restaurants get made fun of all the time, but you know what? I like the Olive Garden. And I’m going on the record here and now to tell the world.

Butttttt it’s also to make fun of the OG – and other chain restaurants, too – because they are kind of ridiculous.

Let’s have a whole lot of free salad and breadsticks and get to the jokes!

1. Please never stop.

2. Hey! Low blow.

3. Not a big fan.

4. Wait…am I in Italy?

5. Now an Italian citizen.

6. I’d like to see this happen.

7. Fight the power.

8. Very deep thoughts.

9. A hot first date.

10. We must feed the baby.

11. So that’s where it goes…

12. I didn’t say “when”.

13. Start taking care of yourself.

14. You will live forever, sir.

15. This is a serious issue.

Now I’m full…of laughter!

What are your thoughts on the Olive Garden and other chain restaurants?

Tell us all about it in the comments, please!

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Borden Dairy Declared Bankruptcy and Is the Second Milk Seller to do so in Two Months

Two of the most recognized names in milk and dairy have recently declared bankruptcy: Dean Foods declared bankruptcy back in November, and Borden Dairy, one of the oldest milk processors in America, just recently did the same.

The rising cost of raw milk and a drop in consumer demand have been cited as reasons for both companies to take this drastic action. Borden will remain in business while it goes through its bankruptcy proceedings, which is a bit of good news for the 3,300 employees of the company that is based in Dallas, Texas.

Tony Sarsam, the CEO of Borden, said, “Despite our numerous achievements during the past 18 months, the Company continues to be impacted by the rising cost of raw milk and market challenges facing the dairy industry. These challenges have contributed to making our current level of debt unsustainable.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that Americans drank 18.4% less milk from 2008 to 2018. At the same time, there has been a dramatic increase in sales in nut and plant-based milk. It may seem hard to imagine, but in 2019 alone, 2,700 dairy farms went out of business. There’s no denying that the entire American dairy industry is struggling mightily.

Vallotton's Dairy Farm

Borden was founded all the way back in 1857. It was the first company to use glass bottles for milk and was also the first company that developed a patent for condensing milk.

The times sure do seem to be changing, don’t they?

The post Borden Dairy Declared Bankruptcy and Is the Second Milk Seller to do so in Two Months appeared first on UberFacts.

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This Colorado Restaurant Charges Customers for Asking “Stupid Questions”

Service industry people are really going to love this story…and they’ll probably hope that their places of business will follow this restaurant’s lead.

At Tom’s Diner in Denver, Colorado, asking a stupid question will cost you. Every time a customer asks what the workers there deem to be a dumb inquiry, they are charged 38 cents…and they put it on your bill, too.

In fact, “Stupid Questions” are even listed on the menu for that very specific price of 38 cents.

Photo Credit: Zomato

Hunter Landry, the General Manager of Tom’s Diner, said, “It’s meant to be playful. It’s good to keep things light in today’s world. The majority of people really get where we’re coming from and understand it’s meant to be playful. Over the years, maybe a few people have been perturbed but the response is generally positive.”

Landry said that his uncle Tom Messina, who opened the diner in 1999, originally added the “Stupid Question” item to the menu. He added that some customers ask stupid questions on purpose to try to make the staff laugh. Two of his favorites that’s he heard are, “Are there any dues for the turkey club sandwich?” and “Does the ice have any water in it?”

So next time you find yourself in Denver, be sure to stop into Tom’s Diner. You can either tread very carefully so you won’t increase your bill, or you can push your luck and see how many extra charges you can rack up if you really want to be a smart-ass.

Posted by Jason Klimowicz on Wednesday, September 18, 2019

This is my favorite story of 2020 so far! Amazing!

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These Funny Reusable Grocery Bags Help the Environment and Will Make You Laugh

We should all take reusable bags with us to the grocery store when we go shopping. But instead of those bland, humorless bags you’ve been toting around, consider some of these funny bags made by the clever, artsy people on Etsy for your shopping needs.

Here are 10 that I think you might want cause they’re awesome. If you feel the same, you can buy directly from the links underneath the photos of the bags.

Happy shopping!

1. Make no mistake.

Photo Credit: Etsy

2. All kinds of healthy shit…

Photo Credit: Etsy

3. Ouch!

Photo Credit: Etsy

4. Booyah.

Photo Credit: Etsy

5. N’ Shit…

Photo Credit: Etsy

6. Sounds like a plan!

Photo Credit: Etsy

7. Not in love just yet.

Photo Credit: Etsy

8. Organic, healthy food.

Photo Credit: Etsy

9. You should know the difference.

Photo Credit: Etsy

10. Don’t mess with this one…

Photo Credit: Etsy

Aren’t those great? Here are a bunch of other awesome bags you can buy from Etsy!

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These Financial Tips Can Help You Make the Best of Your Hard-Earned Cash

We all want to manage their finances, have good credit, and save up a bit of cash. And if for people who don’t have a financial advisor (i.e. almost everyone), Two Cents at Lifehacker is a popular site for financial advice. They compiled a list of some popular tips that could help you manage your money in 2020.

Check out these 8 ideas that might help you hack your finances.

8. When to Use a Savings Account

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When thinking about where to put your money, I often get questions about which high yield savings account is better. They're all so low it really doesn't move the needle.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Cash under the mattress obviously isn't a good way to go.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ And your primary residence is more of a forced savings account than a great investment. The math in this example doesn't even account for the COSTS of homeownership (maintenance, insurance, mortgage interest, etc). When you account for those, you get a negative return. Note this only refers to your "primary residence". If you buy investment real estate, a property where you're getting an income stream, it changes the math dramatically in your favor.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ But index funds are still king. Buying and holding index funds is the most efficient and effective way to build massive wealth.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ When I talk about index fund returns, I often hear "That's not realistic! What about inflation?!" And for sure, that's an important factor. A million bucks in 40 years from now won't be able to buy as much as it would today.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ But if you account for inflation, the math is even more ugly for everything but index funds. Assuming inflation of 3% per year, your $120,000 invested under your mattress would be worth only $68,316 today. Your savings account would barely have held it's value at $135,980. Your house would barely outpace inflation being worth $165,246. But your index fund investment, after accounting for 3% of inflation would still be worth $962,447. Almost a million bucks. And almost SIX TIMES MORE than the EXACT SAME amount of money invested in your primary residence.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ One last caveat: While an S&P 500 index fund is great, I personally think it's a better strategy to invest in a TARGET DATE INDEX FUND. That has the S&P 500 index fund inside of it and is better diversified⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ As always, reminding you to build wealth by following the two PFC rules: 1.) Live below your means and 2.) Invest early and often.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ – Jeremy⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ #interestrates #savingsaccount #investing #growth #rate #investingtips #debtfreecommunity #stockmarket #indexfunds #inflation #savings #save #invest

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If you live paycheck to paycheck it’s hard to follow financial advice that applies to people with more stability. But once you get a little cushion going, keep only the minimum in your checking account. Move the rest into a savings account, and make sure it has high interest.

You’ll make money off what you keep in savings and feel less tempted to splurge when the time comes.

7. Pay Cash or Credit at the Gas Pump

It’s no secret that card skimmers still prey on debit card users at the gas pump. If you must use your debit card, go inside and pay from there.

6. Use Your Credit Card Points

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We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Things have been a little slow over here and will probably continue to be so while we enjoy this holiday break with family ❤ . Today I wanted to hop on and share the cards my mom and I signed up for in 2019! . Alex’s Credit Cards . 💳 Amex Marriott Bonvoy- This card is no longer available. When SPG and Marriott merged, this card got the axe. I signed up for it right before then and earned 75,000 points. . 💳 Southwest Premier Biz- My husband got this card back in May. He got 60,000 points. . 💳 Southwest Plus- My husband got this card in May as well when they offered a limited time bonus of 60,000 points. After meeting the minimum spend on both Southwest cards he got the Southwest Companion Pass 🙌🏼. . 💳 Amex Marriott Bonvoy Biz- I signed up for this card in September while they offering a limited time bonus of 100,000 points. . 💳 Capital One Venture- My husband opened this card in November for a bonus of 50,000 points. . . . Pam’s Credit Cards . 💳 Delta Gold Card-My husband opened this one for 70,000 Skymiles. . 💳 Amex Green- My husband also opened this one for 35,000 Membership Reward Points. . 💳 Upgraded my Amex Bonvoy to the Bonvoy Brilliant Card- I upgraded my card after I got an email offering 100,000 points. . It’s been a slow year for me as I work to get under Chase 5/24. I’ve never had any of the Chase Ultimate Reward cards and am so close to being able to qualify for them 🙌🏼🙌🏼. …. As you can see our husband’s cards count towards our points total. We travel hack in two player mode so we can get even more points! What cards have you opened this year?

A post shared by Traveling Hacking Mom (@travelhackingmom) on

It’s tempting to “save” credit card rewards or points until the right moment, but they can actually lose value over time. Use them as soon as you’re able to because credit card companies sometimes drop or change partners, making it hard for you to get what you want later on.

5. Don’t Use a Credit Card with Venmo

Venmo can help you split bills with friends or roommates in a hassle-free way. That convenience is great, but make sure you don’t use a credit card with it because you’ll pay a 3% fee every time. If, for example, you’re splitting rent, 3% of hundreds of dollars every month is no chump change.

4. Use a Credit Card to Buy Flights

First off, credit cards offer more protection in case of fraudulent charges. Secondly, they offer additional insurance that can protect you in case of a delay or other travel mishap. Third, some cards have other specific benefits having to do with travel (although you should check with yours before you expect anything in particular).

3. Don’t Wait on Equifax

Millions of people were affected by Equifax’s 2017 data breach, but the company’s $31 million fund is not going to pay those whose information was compromised (SUCH A SCAM). That’s because $31 million divided by $125 (what they said they would pay out) is 248,000 people – and a lot more people than that are owed money. Most people will see significantly less, or no money at all.

2. Do NOT Spend Money That Accidentally Ends up in Your Bank Account

Banks make mistakes, including occasionally depositing money into the wrong bank account by accident. If that happens to you, resist the urge to splurge and let the bank know about the extra cash immediately. Spending the money will almost certainly cause legal problems for you, so do the right thing here.

1. Make Sure Your Credit Is Good Enough

Everyone wants to have an 850 credit score, but it’s practically impossible. A score of 740 or higher is good enough to unlock many benefits without the added stress. Here is one area where good enough is definitely where you should aim.

 

It may not be easy to adhere to every single tip here, but even implementing one or two of these is bound to help out.

Do you have any financial tips? Let us know!

The post These Financial Tips Can Help You Make the Best of Your Hard-Earned Cash appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

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Happy times 🌞

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times 🌞

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.