A number of businesses are cutting ties with the National Rifle Association in the days following the Parkland school shooting. The First National Bank of Omaha announced that it will no longer offer an NRA-branded Visa card to customers. After customer feedback, the bank decided to cut ties. In another blow to the NRA, Enterprises Holdings, the parent company of Enterprise, Alamo, and National car rental brands, said it will no longer work with the organization. That change is expected to take place at the end of next month.
Cheddar speaks with David Hogg, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, about the tragic shooting in Parkland and the #NeverAgain movement. Hogg says he is disappointed with President Trump's reaction to the shooting and does not believe in arming teachers. Hogg believes in the second amendment but says it needs to be limited. In the aftermath of the shooting, a number of conspiracy theorists called students, including Hogg, "crisis actors." Since he was attacked online, Hogg says his Twitter following has quadrupled and it's only helped him push the #NeverAgain movement forward.
In other news, General Mills is buying natural pet food maker Blue Buffalo for $8 billion in cash. Shares of Blue Buffalo surged more than 15% on the news. This marks the first time General Mills has broken into the pet food industry. The deal is expected to be finalized at the end of this year.
And Chris Tung, Chief Marketing Officer at Alibaba, discusses the company's first official partnership with the International Olympic Committee. This year, Alibaba is the exclusive worldwide partner of the Olympic Games for cloud computing and e-commerce. Tung says it's been a "fantastic" first experience for Alibaba at the Olympics. The Chinese tech giant has been able to showcase its cloud computing power at the games.
Ty Young, CEO of Ty J. Young Wealth Management, joins Cheddar to discuss Trump's moves as he returns to Washington D.C. and how it may affect the U.S. economy.
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
Chris Ruder, Spikeball Founder and CEO, explains how he and his friends put roundnet on the global map, plus, how Spikeball helps people "find their circle."
J.W. Roth, CEO of Venu Holding Corporation, discusses the company's IPO and plans to redefine live music entertainment with their fan founded, fan-owned model.
Variety's Clayton Davis discusses why more than just the 1% are struggling after the LA fires. Plus, how awards shows will pivot to help victims. Watch!
Emily Hosie, CEO of Rebelstork, explains the concept of Returns Recommerce, plus how her company raised $18M to address the industry-wide issue of returns.
