🐤 Cutting the cord

Markets: It was a mixed day on Wall Street without too many major moves in either direction on Wednesday. That’s due in large part to anticipation of the latest earnings report from chipmaker Nvidia.

Estimates predict that the darling of the AI industry will register quarterly revenue of about $33 billion.

Another factor weighing on the market midweek was chatter from the central bank that renewed speculation about when interest rates might be cut again … and by how much.

Cruise control: Attention seafaring Disney fans, your dream vacation might be just around the corner. Next month, the company will be adding a brand new cruise ship to its existing fleet. The 1,119-foot Disney Treasure has room for as many as 4,000 passengers and offers a host of activities and dining options with a familiar Disney theme throughout. Several attractions will be familiar to travelers who have visited Disney’s landlocked theme parks. And since cruises appeal to both young and old, there will be plenty to do for passengers of any age.

Courtroom tactics: Now that Donald Trump is preparing for another term in the White House, his attorneys are arguing that a criminal conviction in New York should be thrown out. The request cited established law and asserted that sentencing the president-elect could prove to be “uniquely destabilizing to the country.” An initial sentencing date had been set for next week but it was since delayed. The presiding judge has not yet weighed in on the request for dismissal. Trump was convicted of falsifying records in the so-called “hush money” case.

Northwest weather: Areas across Washington and beyond have been battered by major storms recently, with two women reportedly dead in separate incidents after being struck by a falling tree. Wind gusts were registered as high as 84 mph and conditions reached “bomb cyclone” territory before crossing the border into Canada, meteorologists confirmed. That designation is a technical term referring to a specific amount of pressure loss within the storm’s center. Nearly half a million people statewide were without electricity on Wednesday.

Must-see TV: Whether you’re talking about back-to-back Super Bowl wins, an undefeated season, or the Taylor Swift factor, there’s no doubt that the Kansas City Chiefs went into Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills with plenty of hype. In the end, however, QB Patrick Mahomes couldn’t lead his team to a victory despite throwing for nearly 200 yards for three touchdowns. Buffalo came out ahead 30-21, and the ratings revealed just how much interest there was. With 31.2 million viewers, it was the most-watched NFL game of the season.

It’s no secret that the home entertainment market has changed a lot over the past decade or so. The rise of streaming platforms gave way to a surge in so-called “cord-cutters,” or people who trade cable TV for on-demand services like Netflix.

That means companies that own and/or broadcast cable networks have been witnessing the real-time demise of their industry for years — and now one of the most prominent among them is taking action.

The SpinCo solution

Among the properties under Comcast’s umbrella is the NBCUniversal group of cable channels. But this week, the company confirmed that it would be offloading most of those networks in an apparent divestment from the waning cable industry.

A spinoff company will retain ownership of the channels — and for now, Comcast is simply referring to the entity as SpinCo.

“This transaction positions both SpinCo and NBCUniversal to play offense in a changing media landscape,” explained Comcast President Mike Cavanaugh.

A few specifics were included in the initial announcement:

• NBCUniversal’s Chairman Mark Lazarus and CFO Anand Kini will helm SpinCo’s finances and operations.
• Among the channels moving to the new company are CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network, E!, Oxygen, Golf Channel, and Universal Kids.
• Among the other assets included in the deal are Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, Sports Engine, and GolfNow.
• Bravo and Peacock are among the cable-related assets that will remain under Comcast’s control.

“An integrated media company”

The idea for a spinoff has been in the works for a while, and Cavanaugh said this is the right move for the company and its customers.

“Taken together, the entirety of NBCUniversal will be on a new growth trajectory, fueled by our world-class content, technology, IP, properties, and talent — all working in concert with each other as an integrated media company.”

The hit show Shark Tank has introduced the world to some of today’s most successful brands:

• Bombas – raised $200M in follow-on investment
• Scrub Daddy – over $300M in sales
• Ring – valued at $7M on Shark Tank, later acquired by Amazon for $1.2B, after all the Sharks passed!

Now, Dragon’s Den (the International version of Shark Tank) is proving to be another launchpad for promising brands, and RYSE Smart Shades secured not just one, but two offers from the Dragons. For a limited time, you have the chance to invest alongside the Dragons in a brand that could become the next household name.

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Whether you’re hauling bags and people to the airport for a flight or arriving after a trip with a ton of luggage in tow, there’s not much more frustrating than the realization that there’s not enough room for it all.

But you can make sure everything has its place if you grab a ride from Uber’s latest option.

Adding another X

While UberXL already offered rides for up to six people, the company determined that there’s a market for even bigger vehicles — thus, UberXXL was created. With an emphasis on packing in as many passengers and bags as possible, the service is only available for rides to and from an airport.

That would seem to suggest that Uber has determined a need among airline travelers that the market hadn’t been adequately meeting. And it further segments the range of services offered on the ride-share company’s app.

For now, UberXXL is only available at 60 airports around the world. If successful in those markets, we could see the number of options start to grow.

Something for everyone

The launch of UberXXL is a nod to the customization that the ride-sharing industry (among others) have been able to achieve through technology. Cab companies famously presented a one-size-fits-all transportation solution and, unless you could afford a limo, there wasn’t much you could do about it.

Uber, on the other hand, allows riders to customize the experience they want based on a variety of factors. As for UberXXL, rides are expected to cost more than UberXL but less than the luxury Uber Black option.

And it’s not the only airport-focused service the company has launched. Earlier this year, Uber Shuttle debuted in New York, allowing passengers to reserve discounted seats on an airport-bound vehicle.

Audiences raved at the reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz” when the musical “Wicked” debuted on Broadway. Tomorrow, a big-screen adaptation will hit theaters — and some insiders already have the scoop.

An expert’s opinion

The full title of the new movie is “Wicked: Part 1,” and reflects the fact that director Jon M. Chu decided to split the story into two segments. And Constance Grady, considered a “know-it-all” on the subject, recently sat down to reflect on how the story was told in this production.

Grady recalled watching the classic 1939 film — and reading the novels by L. Frank Baum — when she was a child. As she got older, she discovered Gregory Maguire’s novel “Wicked,” which reimagined the familiar story with the Wicked Witch of the West at the center of it all.

“When the musical came along, I immediately resented it for being a glitzier, simpler story than the book was … but when I was 17 I saw it on Broadway and was overwhelmed by the sheer spectacle of it and the gleeful drive of the songs,” Grady said.

The movie combines some of those elements and introduces others.

Exploring new themes

From the earliest Baum novels, “The Wizard of Oz” has consistently delivered political and social messages through the actions and words of its characters. The latest version carries on that tradition … though maybe not to the extent of previous adaptations, including Maguire’s novel.

The musical, both Broadway and film, glosses over issues like abuse of power and corruption that are weaved throughout the “Wicked” novel in favor of exploring the relationship between the titular witch Elphaba and the “Good Witch” Glinda.

With the latter half of the novel exploring even heavier themes, it remains to be seen how Part 2 will wrap things up.

There was a kidnapping at school today.

But eventually the teacher woke him up.