www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/business/small-business-coronvirus.html
“… for some industries, it has been a banner year. Small-business owners serving customers who are trapped at home, shopping online and seeking outdoor adventures have tallied record sales.“
Pierre Cardin, Visionary Fashion Designer, Dies at 98 – The New York Times:
His ability to sculpt fabric with an architectural sensibility was his real signature,” he added.
Mr. Cardin drew inspiration from everywhere, be it the pagodas he visited in China, Op Art painting or automotive design.
“I’m always inspired by something outside, not by the body itself,” he told The New York Times in 1985. Clothing, he said, was meant “to give the body its shape, the way a glass gives shape to the water poured into it.”
What 2020 Was Like for People in the Retail Industry – The New York Times:
In New York City, retail jobs make up 9 percent of private-sector employment, and many have been slow to return. At stores selling clothing and clothing accessories, employment is down more than 40 percent from a year ago, according to a recent report by the state comptroller’s office.
First Case of British Coronavirus Variant Has Been Confirmed in the U.S. – The New York Times:
Discovery of the variant led to a harsher lockdown across London and the surrounding areas around Christmas, and cases of the variant have been identified in France, Spain and other European nations. Health officials in Ontario, Canada, said on Saturday they had identified two cases of the variant in a couple with no known travel history or exposure.
Insecure wheels: Police turn to car data to destroy suspects’ alibis:
investigators have realized that automobiles — particularly newer models — can be treasure troves of digital evidence. Their onboard computers generate and store data that can be used to reconstruct where a vehicle has been and what its passengers were doing. They reveal everything from location, speed and acceleration to when doors were opened and closed, whether texts and calls were made while the cellphone was plugged into the infotainment system, as well as voice commands and web histories.
Early Vaccine Doubters Now Show a Willingness to Roll Up Their Sleeves – The New York Times:
The lure of the vaccines’ modest quantities also can’t be underestimated as a driver of desire, somewhat like the must-have frenzy generated by a limited-edition Christmas gift, according to public opinion experts.
… the grim reality of the pandemic — with more than 200,000 new cases and some 3,000 deaths daily — and the wanness of this holiday season are perhaps among the biggest factors.
You Got a Bicycle, Now You Have to Take Care of It – The New York Times:
she recommended something that was wind- and waterproof, such as a rain jacket or windbreaker you might already own. She also suggested touch-screen gloves so you don’t have to remove your gloves should you need to access your phone, along with a thin hat that covers your forehead and ears but still fits comfortably under your helmet.
Simple, Affordable and Socially Distanced, Snowshoeing Gets Hot – The New York Times:
From August through October, snowshoe sales grew more than 250 percent compared to the same period the year before, outpacing gains of all backcountry equipment sales, which are uniformly up, according to NPD. But at the outdoor retailer REI Co-op, sales of snowshoes are up fourfold compared to last year (its cross-country ski sales, which have tripled, aren’t far behind).
A Beloved World War II Photo Comes to Life in a Virtual Reunion – The New York Times:
Late last month, Ms. Adler Donley shared the photo on several World War II-themed internet groups, along with an appeal: “Trying to find these children from Italy. My dad Martin Adler, 96 years old, would be overjoyed. Please share.”
A Podcast Answers a Fast-Food Question That Nobody Is Asking – The New York Times:
Maybe you are too young to remember. Perhaps you forgot. Or there’s a chance you’ve blocked it. But the home of the Big Mac began selling pizza in the mid-1980s, hoping to grab market share from national pie chains.
D.L. Damore 