Big Tech tries to help, your local bank, giant lizards

Good morning, Quartz readers! Amazon is making thousands of face shields and selling them at cost. The company has deployed engineers from its drone and hardware divisions to develop the product, which will be available to medical professionals befor [Quartz]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! Here’s what you need to know Amazon is making thousands of face shields and selling them at cost. The company has deployed engineers from its drone and hardware divisions [to develop the product]( which will be available to medical professionals before it goes on general sale. The US Postal Service is reportedly reviewing its package delivery contracts. [According to the Washington Post]( the service is looking to appoint a consulting firm to assess last-mile delivery, and decide whether it should charge online retailers more for using its infrastructure. Foxconn profit has nearly been wiped out by the pandemic. The Taiwan-based company, which makes iPhones and is the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, [reported an almost 90% drop in first-quarter profit](. Hardly anyone is [buying expensive devices](. Another major Taiwanese electronics company is putting down US roots. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, or TSMC, announced plans to [establish a $12 billion plant in Arizona]( as president Donald Trump [threatens to “cut off”]( his entire relationship with China. Apple bought a VR company. NextVR, a [California-based startup]( specializes in broadcasting and events, including VR highlights of the 2019 NBA finals. Apple didn’t disclose the amount of the purchase, nor did it announce plans for any new hardware. Your local bank branch could close down. As more personal and small-business finance happens online, the demand for bank branches is declining in many places. [Using Quartz’s calculator]( select a bank and we will tell you the probability of its closure, and why that might be. A retail reckoning Covid-19 has accelerated the transition to e-commerce, creating winners and losers more quickly than some players can adapt. 🔒 Many of Covid-19’s temporary store closures will, in fact, be permanent. Whether they never reopen or[reopen only to close immediately]( UBS thinks that up to 100,000 stores could close in the US by 2025. 🛍 America’s malls aren’t expected to fare any better. With up to 90% of tenants[missing rent payments]( in April, many shopping centers are rushing to reopen with medically questionable guidelines. 👠It’s also a nightmare for independent fashion designers. Smaller brands operate on tight budgets, often using one season’s profits to fund the next. For many,[survival is far from certain](. 🌍 Sometimes even boosting sales isn’t enough. Jumia—[Africa’s largest e-commerce platform]( a 7% decline in revenue despite seeing a four-fold increase in grocery orders. Sponsor content by Oliver Wyman Forum The pandemic has triggered uncertainty. Ready Or Not, a newsletter from the Oliver Wyman Forum, provides you with research, analysis, and potential solutions to the crisis. [Subscribe here](. Charting pet adoption A lot of people in the US had the same thought: “Now that I’m home a lot more often, maybe it’s time to get that rescue kitten or puppy I’ve always wanted.” But despite the increased interest, some data suggest that overall [adoption trends have leveled out]( simply aren’t enough animals available. [DB-PETADOPTION-051420] For Quartz members: The virtual conference reboot This week’s membership [field guide]( will help you make the transition from muted observer to meeting organizer in a few easy steps: - Master the science of attention. Perceptive organizers are [looking to neuroscience]( for clues on how to better engage audiences. - Experiment radically, even when the stakes are high. For its first pandemic-era event, [organizers at TED scrambled]( to design an eight-week-long virtual conference. - Check in with a pro. Love him or hate him, NSA whistleblower and fugitive [Edward Snowden gives good video conferences](. - Set the stage. From learning the lingo to building your home set,[putting on a show can pay off]( for the audience and make you feel better at the same time. ✦ Get access to these articles and a lot more when you become a Quartz member (try a[seven-day free trial](. ✦ We’re obsessed with graduation It’s a brave new world. This class of 2020 may attend a virtual ceremony, take part in a drive-through graduation, or even listen to Barack Obama or Lil Nas X deliver televised commencement speeches. How graduation ceremonies continue to evolve remains to be seen, but for now they’re certain to be marked by circumstances rather than pomp. Toss that tassel with [today’s Quartz Daily Obsession](. You asked about anti-vaxxers How are the “anti-vaxxers” reacting to Covid 19 issues, and are they changing their minds about vaccines? – Lezlie The [coronavirus has not killed the anti-vax movement](. Quartz senior reporter Olivia Goldhill writes that some anti-vaxxers use the same arguments opposing mandatory vaccines to push back against the ongoing mandatory lockdowns. Celebrities can also amplify this cause. The world’s top men’s tennis player, Novak Djokovic, said, “Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel.” Other anti-vaxxers, however, are reconsidering their stance on vaccines. One longtime anti-vaxxer [told Reuters]( she would consider taking a Covid-19 vaccine, and expressed skepticism at the conspiracy theories surrounding the disease. “We’re all being affected by this virus, schools closing, young people in hospital, and they still say it’s a hoax,” she said. ✉️ [Do you have a burning question about how coronavirus is changing the world?](mailto:needtoknow+questions@qz.com) Surprising discoveries A lot of people are drinking outside, and not just winos. “[No one’s going to arrest us for this]( when they have other things to do.” Animal Crossing is a job now. Are you a fanatic who has demonstrated great design skills on your island, and is now looking to [take those skills to the real world]( Giant invasive lizards are causing havoc in Georgia. Officials in the US state want people to report any sightings of the [Argentine black and white tegus]( which eats just about anything. Celebrities are flocking to a subscription-based 18+ content site. After getting name-checked by Beyoncé, it’s safe to say [OnlyFans has gone mainstream](. This ketchup puzzle might last through quarantine. Heinz is giving away 57 editions of its [570-piece monochrome jigsaw puzzle]( for those with the right condiment-ality. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, pets for adoption, and a can of wine to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by[downloading our app]( on iOS or Android and[becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here]( to sign up. If you’re looking to unsubscribe, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10011 | United States Copyright © 2020 Quartz, All rights reserved.