The Daily Valet. - 1/10/24, Wednesday
✔️ Are You Still Using These?
Wednesday, January 10th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Stay warm out there today folks.
Today’s Big Story
The State of Dating Apps
Millennials are tired, Gen Z is barely interested, and the apps are scrambling to keep up
Do you have any dating apps on your phone? That's a personal question, I know. So like an awkward first date, let's ... just move on. To something just as awkward and confusing. You see, more people than ever are logging on. For many, it's the only way they meet potential partners. Recent data shows the number of people using dating apps or websites hit just over 30% in 2022, an increase from just 11% a decade ago in 2013.Additional data shows matches on popular apps such as Tinder and Hinge are becoming more meaningful. In 2013, just three percent of people using dating apps entered into a long-term relationship or marriage with someone they had met on the app or a dating site. In 2022, the number of online daters who met their serious partner online jumped to 20%. In total, around 10% of Americans have met their significant other online, reaching 24% for LGBTQ adults.Yet, talk to your friends, scroll social media, or just sit in a bar and listen, and you'll encounter a similar sentiment: Millennials are allegedly tired of dating apps, and Gen Z singles might not even bother with them. A 2023 survey of college and graduate students found 79% no longer log into their dating app profiles—not even once a month. In a nationally representative Harris poll, a third of Gen Z singles agreed with the statement, “I would rather walk across hot coals than go on another online date.”According to Bustle, the companies behind said apps are feeling the shift: Match Group (which owns apps Tinder, Hinge, Match.com and OkCupid, among others) has seen its stock price drop 40% in the past year. Bumble's founder and CEO stepped down in November after 10 years at the app, while Feeld is struggling through a disastrous rebrand. Once a staple of the 20-something experience, these apps are now playing catch-up by rolling out new features and aiming to reshape their reputations—at least, they're trying to.Maybe they just need to observe how people are using them now. Because it sounds like while most singles are tired of trying to connect romantically on them, a lot of people have found that they can be good for professional relationships. According to Fortune, Gen Z is so digitally native they're now swiping right to network. How's that for mixing business with pleasure?
Dig Deeper:
The New York Times explains what you can learn about job hunting and networking from popular dating apps.
This Is a Wild Winter Storm, Right?
Sprawling storms wallop the country with tornado reports, extensive damage and heavy snow ... and it's not done yet
Sprawling winter storms have brought blizzard conditions, damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding and “severe thunderstorms with embedded tornadoes” across large parts of the U.S. Tuesday into today. Meanwhile, another storm buried cities across the Midwest in more than a half a foot of snow, stranding people on highways as it headed to the Northeast.To put it another way: It's ugly out there. According to the Associated Press, the icy weather has already affected campaigning for Iowa's Jan. 15 precinct caucuses, where the snow is expected to be followed by frigid temperatures that could drift below zero degrees Fahrenheit. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Tuesday's briefing that winter storms continue to be a threat across the country.A whopping 196 million people are under wind advisories, warnings and watches, including entire states from Florida to Maine, as a powerhouse cold front associated with an intensifying storm pushes east. And nearly half a million customers were without power from New York State to Florida. Even parts of Arizona and New Mexico were dealing with below-freezing temperatures.
FYI:
CNN advises on how to safely use a generator should you lose power during a winter storm.
France Has a New Prime Minister
Gabriel Attal, nicknamed ‘baby Macron’, becomes the youngest person to occupy France’s second-highest office
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named Gabriel Attal as the country's new prime minister, as he seeks to set a fresh course ahead of the summer's European Union elections. Macron's personal disapproval rating is currently 68%, according to a Politico aggregate of polls.Attal will become the youngest person to occupy the country's second-highest office at 34 years old. He will also be the first openly gay prime minister of France. According to The Guardian, Macron's allies welcomed the move, and foreign leaders congratulated Attal. A rising star in the Renaissance Party, Attal has served as minister of education and national youth since July. During his tenure, he enacted a controversial ban on the wearing of the abaya in French public schools and has worked on raising awareness of bullying in schools.The appointment follows what CNBC calls the “apparently reluctant resignation” of Elisabeth Borne on Monday, who said in a letter that she had been informed it was Macron's wish. Her tumultuous 20-month tenure was marked by unpopular retirement reforms and the urban riots last summer that followed the police shooting of a teenage boy of Algerian descent. As you may or may not know, in France, the prime minister leads the government and is appointed by, but cannot be directly dismissed by, the president.
Cookie Season Begins
THe Girl Scouts have released the full 2024 cookie season lineup, full of old favorites
Look, we made it through the holidays, we've got severe winter weather everywhere and well, it's been a tough couple of months—so don't judge anyone if they're celebrating that Girl Scout cookie season just kicked off. If you don't know any scouts you can reach out to, you can sign up to receive updates about where they're being sold in your area.The Scouts have been selling cookies since 1917 and today, just as it was then, the money that they take in stays local and it goes to help pay for things like troop activities, travel and summer camp and they even use proceeds from cookie sales to donate to local causes. Typically news of the cookies' return comes with some announcement of a new flavor. Not this year though (thanks for nothing, 2024).Last year's new cookie, the Raspberry Rally, is also missing from the sweet selection. The Scouts said they discontinued it to concentrate on the classic flavors. Did you know that all proposed cookies must be approved by the national Girl Scout organization? And while they can change each year, there are three that remain non-negotiable: Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos/Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Trefoils/Shortbreads. If you ask me, they should add Samoas to the “Don't mess with” list.
FYI:
During World War II, due to shortages of key ingredients like flour, sugar, and butter, Scouts supplemented their cookies by selling calendars too.
In Other News
Boeing has seen a deluge of bad news concerning plane parts coming loose.
Federal Judges Skeptical of Trump’s Immunity Appeal at Court Hearing for 2020 Election Interference Case
Have you heard about ...
Simplify Your Style
How to carve out a viable capsule wardrobe
It was a funny thought I had: Clothes are kind of like sex. You always think everyone has more than you do. Or maybe enjoys it more. Because as fun as getting dressed is (and it is for anyone in the Valet. orbit), the pleasure is not without its stress. In the age of influencers and style experts seemingly never wearing the same thing twice, that kind of personal style isn't all that practical—or very personal, for that matter.When you think of guys with real style, they're guys who have a certain look, right? They've found what works for them and then they've built a wardrobe around that ideal outfit. When you step into your closet or pull out a drawer, is it overflowing with options? Are most of the items pieces that you like, but don't necessarily wear? Then you're ready to clean out your closet and start fresh. We're not saying you need a whole new wardrobe. In fact, your own capsule wardrobe is likely hiding among all the clothes you're currently not wearing.
Read:
Shopping
What We’re Buying
Hiking boots
When the weather is this cold, this wet and this treacherous, only a proper alpine boot will do. Good thing that hiker styles have never been more popular. That's probably because, unlike some trends, these boots are as practical as they are stylish—helping you trek through winter's harshest conditions while keeping your feet dry and looking damn good while doing it. And you will be able to wear them year after year (even after Gorpcore runs its course), so you might as well invest. But which is right for you? We tried on a handful of pairs to bring you three smart options, in a range of price points. But don't worry, they all look great and can stand up to everything from a city slush puddle to an icy mountain trail.
Start treking:
Morning Motto
Take the good with the bad.
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