11.28.23 | A cruise line that promised a 3-year trip around the world never set sail. Many passengers sold homes, sub-let properties, and otherwise planned to be away for three years when Life at Sea cruise lines failed to secure a ship for the journey. Also, Tennessee is now the most anti-LGBTQ state with 19 bills enacted against the community since 2015. Finally, a Spanish marketing agency has created an AI influencer bot to address unreliable human influencers.

11.22.23 | Shop Talk covers a trend at some of America’s largest employers who are no longer requiring resumes or advanced degrees, but are more interested in your skill set. Caught My Eye lets us know that people will just drop trou in line at Disney and take a poop rather than getting out of line and finding a restroom. Also, retailer Sephora is the latest to put products under lock and key due to theft. America’s “First Industrial Designer,” Harley Earl, is our Business Birthday. While employed at GM he is best known for developing the concept car, planned obsolescence, tailfins, wrap around windshields, and the Chevy Corvette.

11.21.23 | The LGB Alliance of the UK stirs up controversy related to the use of “queer,” “LGBTQ+,” and other iterations claiming that all the labels confuse sexual preference with gender identity. Then, One Million Moms is calling for a boycott of this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, labeling it a “non-binary and transgendered extravaganza.” Finally, Thanksgiving dinner this year will cost you less than last year as the price of turkey and cranberries has declined as reported by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

11.15.23 | Shop Talk shares results from a recent Gen Z retirement study. Many have shrugged off the idea of retirement and would rather live in the moment feeling they may never retire. (Tim and John would encourage everyone to save whatever they can as soon as they can.) Caught My Eye informs us that North Korea is closing at least a quarter of their embassies and missions around the world—China and Russia relations appear to be all they need. Also, C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels of  Star Wars fame, is selling his memorabilia, and expects to bring in close to a million dollars. R.T. French, the founder of French’s Mustard, is our Business Birthday.

11.14.23 | Accidental activist, Dan Leveille, created a website that tracks global LGTQ+ laws called Equaldex. The site is used by the United Nations and corporations to help navigate the latest LGBTQ+ laws that can affect travel and work globally. Then, The Sphere in Las Vegas appears to be in the red as the cost of $2.3 Billion to build and will take time to see a profit. Finally, McDonald’s fans have taken to social media with a beef about the prices. One consumer posted a $16.10 receipt for his meal of a burger, fries, and drink.

11.08.23 | Shop Talk shares a study from Yale that says brain activity drops on Zoom calls, as they do not allow us to properly get visual cues like you would in person. Caught My Eye finds the long-lost Star Trek Enterprise model. Also, a couple is suing a San Francisco Ritz Carlton claiming a tainted water bottle. Milton Bradley, creator of the board game industry and the toy company Milton Bradley, is our Business Birthday.

11.07.23 | People were apparently not wearing deodorant during lockdown. Unilever and P&G are both reporting a surge in deodorant sales now that people are heading back to the workplace outside the home. But first, a woman in Atlanta comes home from vacation to find a home she owns demolished. The contractor had the wrong address. Then, Panera Bread is being sued for not labeling their “Charged Lemonade” properly, which allegedly resulted in the death of a young woman in Pennsylvania.

11.01.23 | Shop Talk shares what it was like for “older gays” to go out and meet people before apps. “You had to meet out and do things,” as many of you know. Caught My Eye looks at a $700 a month sleeping pod commune in San Francisco that some believe is a bargain. Also, a Utah homeowner is asked to remove his pole dancing skeleton Halloween display. George Safford Parker, innovator of the ink pen and founder of The Parker Pen Company, is our Business Birthday.

10.31.23 | Spirit Halloween, the pop-up shop housed in defunct mall stores, has a viral hit on its hands with a “Gay Guy” costume. The only hitch is the costume is a fake! But first, Dollar General goes too far with pre-employment medical screening and is now in legal trouble. Finally, Utah leads the pack with Google searches about sexual orientation. Since 2004 Google searches asking how to know if you are gay or lesbian, has increased by 1,300%.