The Daily Valet. - 10/11/22, Tuesday

✔️ The Future of Lost Luggage

Tuesday, October 11th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

It’s a universal travel truth: If you don’t check a bag, you have less to worry about.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

The Future of Lost Luggage

Is Lufthansa really banning Apple AirTags?

AirTags have become a trending topic in travel during the past year, touted as a simple and easy way for flyers keep track of their checked bags—even if their airline can’t. In 2022, U.S. travelers had their luggage damaged or lost at a higher rate than last year. And it’s not just a U.S. issue; in Europe, luggage has caused a lot of travel headaches.

After watching so many travelers deal with the disaster of lost luggage, including an AirTag, or another tiny Bluetooth transponder like Tile, seems like a simple way to have peace of mind (not to mention a solid idea of where, exactly, your bag is at all times).

But now headlines have begun circulating that one of the biggest airline groups will no longer allow them. Lufthansa, the flag carrier of Germany, explained that it is banning activated AirTags from luggage “as they are classified as dangerous and need to be turned off.”

Pressed for a reason why, an airline rep claimed that the decision was based on international guidelines. But The Points Guy says rather than a new ban, it seems the airline is now just “enforcing a longstanding prohibition that covers AirTags as their use in checked luggage has proliferated in recent months. The prohibition is on the lithium-based batteries inside the devices. Guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organization can be strictly interpreted to mean that these devices are banned.”

Across the airline industry, there currently appears to be no consensus regarding AirTags. At the moment, many airlines tolerate them. An American Air representative told Macworld on Twitter rather cautiously that “at the moment, no info indicates these devices are banned from our flights.” EasyJet said: “We do not have a policy against having Apple AirTags with you onboard.” So ... I guess use them if you have them?

While we wait for the dust to settle, Airways magazine looks deeper at the concerns about the batteries. The first is a reaction called “thermal runway”. This is an uncontrollable reaction that can occur when the battery is damaged or when a short circuit causes heat and pressure to build up in the battery. Of course, the other concern they mention is that all these tags could lead to passengers complaining to the crew before departure that their luggage isn’t showing up on their screen, which could lead to more delays and travel headaches for everyone.

↦ FYI: Where are the best airports in the world? Condé Nast Traveler just released their annual awards, based on voting by actual travelers.

U.S. Condemns ‘Brutal’ Russian Strikes on Ukraine

After bridge blast, Putin promises harsh response if Ukrainian attacks continue

President Biden condemned missile strikes ordered against multiple Ukrainian cities Monday by Vladimir Putin—who, embarrassed by the destruction of a vital bridge, vowed Russia would respond “harshly” to any further attacks by Ukraine.

Moscow launched 84 missiles and 24 drones in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address on Monday night. Ukrainian forces shot down 43 missiles and 13 drones, reports Axios. Zelenskyy was defiant as he vowed to make the battlefield “more painful” for Russian troops after the deadly day of rockets raining down on his country.

The U.S. said the “brutal” attacks had hit several non-military targets, including a university and children's playground, and promised ongoing military aid. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply shocked” by the attack. And it's worth noting that Russia's key allies China and India issued statements reflecting concern about the attacks—though both stopped short of condemning Russian forces outright.

Russia has repeatedly insisted that it has limited its attacks to military targets, but there was no evidence of that on Monday. Not to mention, they have hit civilian infrastructure since the start of the invasion. As the New York Times points out: The attacks changed little or nothing on the battlefield, where Russia has been losing ground for weeks, but they left neighborhoods across Ukraine battered and bloodied.

↦ Meanwhile: Pro-Russian hackers claim responsibility for knocking U.S. airport websites offline on Monday.

A Painful Stock Fall

The Nasdaq closes at two-year low and the stocks may not be done fall yet

Stocks closed lower on Monday with the Nasdaq Composite index falling to the lowest level in two years as tech shares continue to be the hardest hit in this bear market because of spiking interest rates.

The declines came as JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned that the U.S. would likely fall into a recession in 2023, and that it may not be just a mild economic contraction as some economists have projected.

The economy today, propped up by stimulus and slowed by a pandemic, is weirder than it has been in decades, Intelligencer reports. “There are more jobs available than there are people to perform them, but thanks to inflation, nearly every facet of life outside the office has become increasingly unaffordable, making the point of work a little harder to articulate.”

Hopes for a “Fed pivot”—in which the central bank would pause interest-rate increases and jolt stocks higher—have largely been dashed. According to the Wall Street Journal, investors are looking ahead to the next U.S. inflation data release Thursday as another important indicator for where monetary policy might be headed.

↦ Meanwhile: White-collar workers are feeling the brunt of the Fed’s rate hikes. Here’s why.

Will EVs Overwhelm the Power Grid?

There are a lot of variables in play when it comes to an electric automotive future

In five years (and certainly in 10 years) there will be a whole lot more people silently cruising around in electric vehicles. That's going to spark a number of significant changes in everyday life, from the role of gas stations to the addition of charging infrastructure to subtle shifts in long road trips.

InsideHook points out that it's also likely that a lot more people will be doing the bulk of their vehicular charging at home. And that, in turn, brings up questions of its own. Such as: What will a significant uptick in the amount of home chargers do to the power grid?

Several articles are asking similar questions. But the data looks promising. Yes, there will be demand, but not as much as you might think. As Bloomberg succinctly put it: “The world will be able to go electric and keep the lights on.”

By the end this year, there will be about 27 million plug-in cars on the road globally. And the good news is that they don't require that much power. Autoblog says increases in renewable energy will likely be able to offset the growing demand as more people start switching to electric. Sure, incentives for off-peak charging could reduce peak demand, though, the overall power needed will still be very modest for some time.

↦ FYI: Volvo believes its bestselling electric trucks are the key to dominating the U.S. commercial market.

In Other News

↦ COVID Misinfo Is the Biggest Challenge for Twitter’s Birdwatch Program, Data Shows

↦ Is There a Future for Late-Night Talk Shows?

↦ Here’s the Best Time to Carve Your Pumpkin so It’s Not Rotten on Halloween

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Making your own vinyl records

The pumpkin spice origin story

Sade’s new music

Dress to Impress

What you wear says something about you

When it comes to personal style, the current landscape of menswear is one that's both freeing and empowering. From ruggedly relaxed and classically dapper to performance-influenced athleisure and streamlined minimalism, there's no one way to look good these days.

What's more, you don't have to spend a fortune on your clothing—just make sure you look and feel good in what you wear. Looking good doesn't cost as much as you think. It's simply about sweating the details and putting in the effort.

We reached out to one of the smartest dressers we know to get his point of view about rising to the sartorial occasion. David Coggins is a well-suited, worldly raconteur and author of Men and Style: Essays, Interviews and Considerations. We asked him if dressing well makes you a better man and he had a lot to say.

↦ Read: How to (and why you should) dress to impress.

Prime Day: What We’re Buying

Amazon’s Prime Day (round 2) is off and running—you caught our primer yesterday, right? And since we're nothing if not a bunch of alpha consumers here at Valet., we thought we'd share with you what we've got in our carts. We're currently scouring the site for the best picks and deepest discounts. But this is a collection of what we are buying for ourselves.

AirPods Maxwireless headphones,$549 / $479 by Apple

Bushacre 2 chukka boot,$100 / $65.83 by Clarks

Lightweight pocket carry-on,$269.99 / $178.49 by Level8

Countertop nugget ice maker,$529 / $429 by GE Profile

Stretch boxer briefs,$45 / $24.99 (for three-pack) by Calvin Klein

3D 1 Hour Express whitestrips,$61 / $27.25 by Crest

↦ Want More? See all our picks

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