For episode 2 of Planet Money Summer School, we are talking strategy. You have your million dollar business idea, and maybe some money in your pocket to get it up and running. But now you enter into a crowded market. You have to deal with competition.
So, what can you do to make sure your product is a success? That was the conundrum facing the Starbury. It was a basketball shoe with a celebrity endorsement, that had to go up against THE basketball shoe with THE celebrity endorsement: the Air Jordan. Our first story is about the ways in which the Starbury succeeded and failed in taking on a juggernaut.
Then, we will hear a story about trying to avoid the dangers of "perfect" competition. Two companies making almost identical handbells learn that the key to their success lies in convincing customers how different they really are.
The series is hosted by Robert Smith and produced by Max Freedman. Our project manager is Julia Carney. This episode was edited by Keith Romer and engineered by Robert Rodriguez. The show is fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Planet Money's executive producer is Alex Goldmark.
Trustees for Aldine ISD voted in April to pursue eminent domain actions for the property at 1810 Aldine Meadows Rd., where 78-year-old Travis Upchurch has lived for 46 years. His family has asked school board members to reconsider.
Hovertext: Sometimes I draw hands so poorly I worry I'll be accused of being an AI.
Today's News:
THANK YOU! We are just over a day in and past 250% of our goal. WOOHOO! If you check out the page, you'll see we now have Phil Plait as an audiobook reader, which means I can now add a line to the book about how Phil Plait sucks and Phil Plait will have to read it.
Much of the U.S. remains in the grips of a record heat wave. Here are some handy tips to help you stay cool and safe in this dangerously hot summer weather.
Good morning. For the foreseeable future, Houston’s forecast remains one of very hot weather. The only real watch item of note is rain chances this weekend, particularly on Sunday and into Monday. Unfortunately, the models have trended a bit drier so my expectations of a good, solid soaking are not high. Especially if you live west of Interstate 45.
Wednesday
With high pressure solidly in place, we can expect another day of widespread temperatures of about 100 degrees in the Houston region, with sunny skies and high humidity. This will push the heat index high enough that the National Weather Service has called for a “heat advisory” to cover the area. Winds will not provide much relief, being only light, out of the south at 5 to 10 mph. Nights will continue to be warm and muggy, dropping to only about 80 degrees.
Wednesday will be very hot in Houston once again. (Weather Bell)
Thursday and Friday
More of the same.
Saturday and Sunday
As high pressure eases to the west, it will open the window to a bit more troughiness, which is to say a disturbance pushing down into the southern United States this weekend may have some influence on our weather. However, the strength of any disturbances or boundaries pushing into the Houston metro area is suspect, and the influence of these is likely to be felt most keenly on the eastern half of our our region.
European model odds for rain accumulations of 0.1 inch or greater through Monday. You can see the sharp gradient between east and west Houston. (Weather Bell)
All of that is to say that we can expect partly to mostly sunny skies this weekend, with highs generally in the upper 90s. There will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms each day, perhaps peaking at 30 to 40 percent on Sunday. Unfortunately, accumulations look slight. Most of the modeling I’ve looked at suggests there is about a 50 percent chance that most of the area sees on the order of one or two tenths of an inch. So really, only a light and fairly inconsequential dusting of rain. There’s always the chance that things will change as we get closer to the weekend, but right now we’re trending away from meaningful relief from the heat and emerging drought.
Next week
Monday and perhaps Tuesday should be another day of temperatures in the upper 90s with modest rain chances. After that, I’m afraid, high pressure will probably begin to assert its control once again.
In an effort to gain insight into the radical ideology, The Onion asked Republicans to explain what white nationalism means to them, and this is what they said.
AUGUSTA, GA—With officers admitting they really connected with a lot of what the man was saying, an entire police department was reportedly talked up onto a ledge Friday by a persuasive jumper. “At first, we just kept telling him to keep calm, take a deep breath, and not jump, but eventually he started to make some…
Located in the commercial district, 1,025 linear-ft. living space/tunnel through various offices, near the ceiling. Free heat during the winter, cold AC in the summer.
I noticed that this acrylic cube casts shadows that look exactly like the ones in 4D Golf. It turns out, it's a very physical way to experience what it's like operating a camera in 4D dimensions. #4dgolf https://store.steampowered.com/app/2147950/4D_Golf/
Hundreds of golden retrievers and their owners gathered in the Highlands of Scotland for a four-day festival to celebrate the dog breed’s 155th anniversary. What do you think?
Oshawa, ON – Ever since Olivia Chow was sworn in as Toronto’s mayor local Durham resident and avowed Toronto hater Sean Buffett has repeatedly expressed his concerns that her leadership will mean the death of this once great city. “Within a few years Toronto is going to be nothing but bike lanes and safe injection […]
The Screen Actors Guild and its nearly 160,000 members are currently on strike as they fight for a contract that addresses shrinking residuals, rising inflation, and the use of AI in TV and film. The Onion asked celebrities how they felt about the actors’ strike, and this is what they said.
FITCHBURG, MA—Pointing out the shocking contradiction they had been presented with, sources reported Tuesday that the guy over there with the really huge head wasn’t even smart. “You’d think a dome that big would be filled with a ton of brains, but nope,” 34-year-old Massachusetts resident Caleb Palmer told reporters,…
The small district’s apprenticeship program lets aspiring teachers earn a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification at no cost. In return, participants must work at the district for at least three years. Observers hope state lawmakers will use the program as a model for legislation.
TOWNSEND, MT—Expressing astonishment that he was already beginning to feel the disorienting effects of alcohol, local man Nathan Bradley, 33, told reporters Tuesday that he was surprisingly drunk after consuming no more than a dozen pints of beer. “Those beers must be really strong, because my tab says I only had 12…
FAIRFAX, VA—What started as a tickle in someone’s nose reportedly ended in bloodshed Tuesday after a loud sneeze startled a meeting of the National Rifle Association and left 138 people dead. “It is with a heavy heart that we tell you more than a hundred lives were lost today when an errant sneeze caused a roomful of…
José Luis Bermúdez, who led the school’s College of Arts and Sciences, will leave his position after a deal to hire respected journalist Kathleen O. McElroy fell apart amid conservative pushback.
Simon was one of the first popular electronic games. Invented by Ralph Baer and put on the market by Milton Bradley in 1978, Simon sold well for year after year. Its simple gameplay of remember the randomized sequence of colors not only challenged the short-term memory of its players but their ability to recall sequences quickly. These devices sold so many units that obtaining a vintage unit with its three switches and three buttons is not hard to find and will not break the bank. Recently I had acquired a "vintage" Simon and could see that it was in need of repair, so I decided to document the steps I took to repair it.Read more »
TORONTO – The Screen Actors Guild has joined the Writer’s Guild of America in striking, halting the vast majority of Hollywood’s output and leaving Canadians so desperate for entertainment that even CBC Gem looks tantalising. “I downloaded the Gem app, made an account, and seriously considered binging all 249 episodes of Heartland,” said 28-year-old dental […]
TALLAHASSEE, FL—Faced with declining contributions as the Florida Republican competes to win his party’s nomination for the White House, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign announced Monday that financial problems had forced it to fire his wife, former television host Casey DeSantis. “In order to remain…
The number of Americans who have sought out mental health treatment has nearly doubled in the past two decades ago, and with this mainstreaming of therapy comes an abuse of the field’s terminology. Here are the worst ways people misuse therapy speak.
WORCESTER, MA—Describing feelings of isolation amid a recent episode of his disorder, clinically depressed local man Steve Arroyo reportedly wished Monday that his friends would check in on him so he could insist he was fine. “It’d be nice if my loved ones took the time to reach out to me and check on my well-being so…
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