The Daily Valet. - 10/30/20, Friday

✔️ Here's Who Fueling the Early Voting Boom

October 30, 2020

Friday, October 30th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

xxxINTROxxx

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Young People Fuel Early Voting Boom

More early-voting sites, expanded hours and drive-thru voting helped

I thought I'd vote by mail this year, but then decided to vote early in person. Which is exactly what I'm planning on doing this morning (stay tuned for obligatory "I Voted" sticker pic).

The popularity of early voting has grown steadily—in 1972, only 5% of votes were cast prior to Election Day, and by 2016 it was 42.5%. Now, 39 states plus the District of Columbia offer voters the option of casting ballots in advance of the general election.

Today is the last Friday before the presidential face-off and the last day for early voting in seven states. Tomorrow is the last day for another six.

But record numbers of early votes keep pouring in from motivated voters. States like Hawaii are reporting that the early ballots that have been cast so far have already surpassed the state's total voter turnout in 2016.

And according to NPR, this groundswell of early voting is due in large part to young people finally showing up in large numbers. The figures are particularly dramatic in states like Texas, known for low rates of voter participation, including among young voters. But turnout among young Texans could be on pace to set records this year. More than 800,000 voters under 30 have already voted and 66% of them did not vote in 2016.

What's bringing them out? Hope for a better future. And maybe snacks. Turns out, there is evidence that election festivals, featuring attractions like food, music and games, can actually draw more voters to the polls.

↦ Dig Deeper: FiveThirtyEight examines why millions of eligible Americans don't vote.

U.S. Jobless Claims Fall

It’s the lowest initial claims report since the pandemic began

The number of first-time unemployment-benefits filers fell to the lowest level yet in the pandemic, declining for a second straight week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Initial weekly U.S. jobless claims came in at 751,000 for the week ending Oct. 24, down 40,000 from the previous week. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected the number to ring in closer to 800,000.

According to the Wall Street Journal, it suggests layoffs are easing despite a rise in coronavirus infections. Daily virus infections reached new highs over the past week, and it's probably too early to tell how employers and consumers will respond.

↦ FYI: This is the highest the unemployment rate has been ahead of a presidential election since the government started tracking the monthly rate in 1948.

Netflix Raised the Price of Its Most Popular Plan

But the basic plan will remain $9 a month

For as much as I use Netflix (and the fact that my mother actually uses my plan as well), I don't find it too expensive. But some people are complaining about another price increase for the streaming giant, reports Mashable.

Starting today, price of the Standard two-stream HD plan—its most popular package—will go from $12.99 per month to $13.99. The Premium tier (with four streams and including 4K Ultra HD content) is going up by $2, from $15.99 monthly to $17.99 for U.S. customers. The price of the company's Basic plan (with a single non-HD stream) will remain at $8.99 monthly.

According to The Verge, new subscribers will have to pay the updated monthly fees, while current subscribers will see the new prices over the next few weeks as they roll out with customer's billing cycles.

With this increase, Netflix is now solidly more expensive than some of its competitors. Hulu's ad-free plan is $12 monthly, Prime Video is $9 on its own, Disney+ is $7 per month and Apple TV+ is $5 per month. Prestige streamer, HBO Max, is technically more expensive at $15 per month, but Netflix's premium plan is still more pricey.

Two Iconic Watches Head to Auction

The timepieces were worn by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman

On December 12, Phillips will hold a live online auction featuring two iconic watches: a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona that actor and race-car driver Paul Newman was given by his wife and actor, Joanne Woodward, as well as a Heuer Monaco, one of six identical watches worn by actor Steve McQueen while filming the classic racing film Le Mans.

According to GQ, Phillips has a knack for tracking down and selling these types of fame-making watches. In 2017, it sold Paul Newman’s Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, the one with a distinctive design so closely associated with the late actor it was named after him. In the same way, the Monaco is greatly indebted to this very piece owned by McQueen.

Phillips hasn't yet provided an estimate, but with recent examples of iconic watches associated with race car-driving actors selling for record-breaking numbers, it'll be worth keeping an eye on when it goes under the hammer.

↦ Giveaway: Speaking of watches, we’re giving this Shinola Runwell chronograph away to one lucky reader.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

What you bought this month

Sweater stories

Easy hits of optimism

Your Weekend Pairing

Mandalorian Season 2 + a Dark Ale

The Mandalorian has a lot of hype to live up to. After a critically and fan-acclaimed first season packed with the kind of heart-pumping action, sardonic wit and lovable characters that represents the “Star Wars” universe at its best, a following act couldn’t be easy.

The sophomore season kicks off today on Disney+ and, just like the first, will have eight weekly-released episodes. Mando has made it his mission to bring Baby Yoda (or the Child as he’s officially known) home. Exactly where that is remains a total mystery. According to Variety, this upcoming batch of episodes will be jam-packed with guest stars and surprise appearances. And if you need a refresher, Total Film has everything you need to know before you start streaming.

↦ Your Pairing:When Mando bellies up to the bar, he’s drinking something dark and strong. According to Star Wars lore, it’s likely Ne'tra gal, a traditional Mandalorian ale that “earned its name from its dark, black coloration and slightly sweet taste.” So for this pairing, I’m ignoring the cutesy baby Yoda margaritas and instead going for the Rogue Morimoto Black Obi Soba ale. This is like a pale ale, just black in color, with slightly sweet, chocolaty flavors offsetting pine and resin notes from the hops.

What We’re Buying

Audio-Technica ATH CKR7TW Wireless In-Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones and earbuds always feel like the audio is off just enough to be distracting. Not with this pair from Audio-Technica. They have extremely accurate, high-fidelity sound from a compact earpiece that features a mic and audio controls. That way you're still able to handle calls, music playback and volume adjustment with nearly six hours of playtime—beating most big brands.

↦ Get It $249 / $56.68 at Amazon

Special Promotion

Early Black Friday Deals

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↦ Get It $169.99 / $135.99 at MysteryVibe