Missile sales are the number two defense export in the U.S. and production is dominated by a handful of companies such as Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. As technology advances, will expensive missiles and hypersonic glide weapons dominate the market, or could start-ups and cheaper technology change the missile economy?
Tag Archives: Investigations
Transportation: Why Cheap New Cars Are Disappearing (Video)
There are about 40 different car brands in the United States, but one kind of car that appears to be disappearing is the cheap car. Historically, about 20 percent of vehicle sales would have transacted below $20,000; however, they have completely dried up in the last few years. New cars are becoming more expensive, and it is unlikely those cheap cars will ever be back.
Salaries: Why American Teachers Earn Much Less Than Other Professions
Teachers earn nearly 20% less than other professionals with similar education and experience, according to the Economic Policy Institute. In many states, their wages are below the living wage, forcing teachers to seek secondary jobs to supplement their income or leave the profession all together.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the rise of remote learning, the challenges faced by educators has become increasingly demanding. Some organizations are trying to redesign teacher pay structures in some of the 13,500 public school districts nationwide. Watch the video above to learn more about why teachers are paid so little and how to fix that.
Aviation: ‘Why Boeing’s 737 Max Is Flying Again’ (Video)
After two deadly crashes that killed 346 people and a worldwide grounding that lasted almost two years, the FAA is giving the Boeing 737 Max jets the green light to fly again. However, many are worried that the changes to the plane are not enough. Can the U.S. trust the revisions made to the jet and the software updates to the MCAS system?
Space: The Struggle To Detect ‘Asteroid Impacts’
Stephen Hawking thought an asteroid impact posed the greatest threat to life on Earth.
Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Although asteroids orbit the Sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets. Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun. Although asteroids orbit the sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets.
Enterainment: Will AMC Theaters Survive Covid-19 Closures During 2020?
The coronavirus pandemic shuttered every single AMC theater for months. But the pandemic isn’t the only thing pushing the company onto financially shaky ground. Photo Illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ
Online: ‘Inside Amazon’s Smart Warehouse’ (Video)
Amazon is the world’s biggest retailer, and its CEO Jeff Bezos the world’s richest man, for one very good reason. His company is better than anyone else, ever, at giving people what they want, quickly. Amazon acquired its undisputed status as heavyweight champion of the retail universe thanks largely to its lightning-fast delivery times.
The astonishing feat of ferrying hundreds of millions of items, from guitar strings to saucepans to car parts, directly to your door, inside 24 hours, is nothing short of a modern logistical miracle. So how does Amazon do it? A super-smart army of slave robots, for one. Ingenious, if occasionally unscrupulous, management practices are part of the answer too.
And the modern-day voodoo of deep-learning AI – all of which are made flesh in the most advanced stockrooms the world has ever seen. So join us today, as we button up our hi-vis jacket and journey inside Amazon’s smart warehouses.
Clothing: ‘The Rise Of Patagonia’ (CNBC Video)
The Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Vest is by far one of the brand’s most popular products. It’s also one of its most divisive. Over the last five years, the vest became a must-have accessory for Wall Street workers in Manhattan’s financial district to tech bros in Silicon Valley.
The company says at its height, it was fielding 60 requests for co branded vests, a day. But Patagonia, a private company that values environmental and political activism, never sought out to become the go-to status symbol for some of the biggest and richest corporations in the world.
The combination of hefty price tags and a professional-class of super fans earned it the nickname “Patagucci” prompting it to reevaluate which companies it allowed to put a moniker on the vest as a way to ensure their partners align with their progressive culture.
Patagonia even discouraged consumers from partaking in Black Friday sales and snuck political messages into the tags of its clothing. Here’s how Patagonia’s anti consumption philosophy helped it build a billion dollar outdoor brand.
Fast Food: ‘How Much It Costs To Open An Arby’s’
Arby’s is one of America’s favorite fast food sandwich chains. They “have the meats,” according to award-winning actor Ving Rhames’ voice in the brand’s iconic commercials.
Arby’s has been known for its roast beef sandwiches since Leroy and Forrest Raffel opened the first Arby’s in 1964. They wanted to stand out in a sea of burger joints by offering something different: roast beef. They later added cheddar cheese sauce, red onion, and a toasted onion roll to the sandwich in 1978.
Flash forward, and Arby’s has started selling its famous meats by the pound. The fast food-chain also adds limited-time options to attract a variety of customers, such as an upgraded prime rib sandwich, and chicken cheddar ranch sandwich.
Today, Arby’s clearly wants to be seen as more than the place with roast beef. In fact, a campaign was launched called “Head of Sandwiches,” the main purpose of which was to promote the other sandwich options available at Arby’s. The campaign has been successful in attracting a younger consumer into the restaurant, according to Forbes.
Arby’s is currently owned by one of the largest restaurant companies in the U.S., Inspire Brands. In addition to Arby’s, Inspire Brands also owns Sonic, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Jimmy John’s. All combined, there are more than 11,000 restaurants, 1,400 franchisees, and $14.6 billion in system sales within the group, according to the company. Inspire Brands has recently filed trademarks for names of possible ghost kitchens which would offer delivery and takeout only a move that could put them ahead of several quick service chains.
If all this sounds enticing, here’s what you’ll need: The Arby’s team expects all franchise candidates to have extensive multi-unit restaurant operator experience, as well as a desire to open multiple Arby’s locations. You’ll also need a minimum of $500,000 in liquid capital, and a net worth of at least $1 million. Breaking it down further, according to Franchise Gator, Arby’s initial license fee is $37,500 for the first restaurant unit, and $25,000 for each additional store. Royalty fees are an additional 4 percent of gross sales. National and local advertising are additional fees 1.2 and 3 percent of gross sales respectively. Still on board?
Let’s keep going. Arby’s president Jim Taylor recently addressed 700 Arby’s franchisees, telling them, How is Arby’s innovating? Remember the pork belly sandwich, or the marrot, Arby’s meat carrot? Arby’s was also one of the first fast food chains to say it would never serve plant-based meat, according to Food & Wine. Still on the fence? Let’s look at a few more details about Arby’s.
As a franchisee of any corporation, what other franchisees do can trickle down to your stores. While you may own your own restaurants, you are still part of a big family. Arby’s ordered the franchisee to remove the sign and publicly issued an apology — but perhaps the PR damage was done. Which brings us to our next point to consider. Could it be better to open your own independent restaurant in lieu of a franchise? There are pros and cons to both scenarios.
As a franchisee, you benefit from branding, training, marketing, and ingredient sourcing, but also pay fees and royalties, lose some control as an owner, and are subject to scrutiny by the franchise. As an independent owner, you can control your own brand, marketing, menu, and hours, but you also start with no brand recognition, resources, training, or access to suppliers. So what did you decide?
If you’re interested in peddling those famous Arby’s meats, alongside the popular, perfectly seasoned curly fries, submit a franchise application online at Arby’s. Keep watching to see Here’s How Much It Really Costs To Open An Arby’s Franchise.
Precious Metals: ‘Is Gold Really That Rare?’ (Video)
Gold is arguably the most precious metal in the world, but how rare is it really? We went on our own gold panning expedition to find out.
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