What we’re reading (1/12)
“The 2021 Tax Season Could Get Ugly. File Early And Electronically.” (Washington Post). “The surging pandemic. Confusion over who gets a stimulus payment. An overwhelmed IRS workforce still trying to catch up with last year’s delayed tax season. This is not the year to procrastinate. File your federal tax return early — and electronically.”
“Covid Vaccinations Offer CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid A Chance To Showcase How Drugstores Have Changed” (CNBC). “he three drugstores have long been places where Americans stock up on shampoo, refill prescriptions and browse the aisles for a cold or flu remedy. During the pandemic, however, many of the driving forces behind drugstore trips faded. More purchases were made online. Fewer people have needed to buy over-the-counter cold and flu medications, as they wear face masks and social distance. Some have skipped doctor’s appointments, leading to fewer new prescriptions to fill. For the companies, Covid vaccines offer an opportunity to reach new customers.”
“CES 2021: The World’s Largest Tech Show Trades Las Vegas for Cyberspace” (Wall Street Journal). “CES, the world’s largest tech show, is quite something to behold. Or it would be if you could actually behold it in person…This year, you actually can see it all—but only from the little screen through which you see pretty much everything else these days. Vegas and CES will be without each other for the first time in decades. No more blimp rides.”
“An Oral History Of The World’s Biggest Coupon” (New York Times). “The F.B.I. found one in the junk drawer at the Santa Monica hide-out of the notorious mobster Whitey Bulger, which goes to show that gangsters are just like everybody else. There’s probably one or two clipped to your car’s visor…God knows your mother-in-law has a folder full of them. The 20 percent off coupon from Bed Bath & Beyond — a homely and oversize mailer known as Big Blue — is omnipresent, unmistakable and a joy to deploy in the chain’s endless aisles.”
“The Fried Chicken Sandwich Wars Are Heating Up. Here Are The New Entrants” (CNN Business). “The fried chicken sandwich wars sparked by Popeyes in 2019 are still clucking along two years later -- and they're heating up again. This week, KFC, McDonald's, Shake Shack and even salad-chain Sweetgreen kicked off the new year with their own takes on the crispy concoction. Cheap, tasty and growing in sales, fried chicken sandwiches are becoming an attractive menu item for many fast food restaurants.”
