The Daily Valet. - 11/10/21, Wednesday

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November 10, 2021

Wednesday, November 10th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

There’d better be cranberry sauce this year ... otherwise, I won’t be very thankful.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

What’s Up With Rideshares?

Desperate times are calling for drastic measures

Have you tried booking a ride via Uber or Lyft lately? Prices are still high, so are the wait times. According to the Wall Street Journal, the elevated prices are due to a shortage of drivers—the latest example of how a tight labor market is costing consumers more while also raising pay for workers.

Both Uber and Lyft had expected most drivers to return to work after federal unemployment benefits expired nationwide in September. But that is happening only slowly. Fares have marginally inched down from their summer highs.

U.S. riders, on average, have still paid 22% more for a ride so far in October compared with January, and 30% more than they did in October 2019. But, much to the companies’ delight, riders so far appear undeterred, flocking back to the platforms in ever-greater numbers, reports Reuters.

The fact that prices remain close to where they were in the summer indicates that “there is still a supply shortage, even if the severity of the shortage is better than it was,” said Peter Martin, a YipitData research analyst with expertise in the ride-share industry. Longer trips and fewer rider discounts also contribute to higher average prices, he said.

Uber and Lyft have poured millions of dollars into attracting drivers with bonuses. But the companies are gradually pulling those incentives in areas where more drivers have returned. Where they need help, Uber may be turning to traditional yellow cabs.

Personally, I’m not against getting back into cabs. At the airport a few nights ago, there were no rideshares to be had, so I hopped into a waiting cab. The driver was efficient, the taxi was roomy and the fare was at least 20% cheaper than what Uber or Lyft typically charge me for the ride. And best of all, you can still pay seamlessly via an app.

Holiday Dinner Shortages?

Stores are apparently running low on a few popular staples

Don't count on being able to find a turkey at the last minute this Thanksgiving. While the annual feast is still more than two weeks away, many grocers are already running low. And other foods traditionally associated with the holiday are in short supply as well.

According to Butterball, one of the leading turkey sellers, there will still be enough birds to go around, but for those who prefer smaller-sized gobblers which are about ten to fourteen pounds, the brand recommends heading out early. Butterball's CEO explained to Good Morning America that heavier turkeys over 16 pounds can be easily attainable as most of the birds stayed longer at the farms than usual and ended up growing larger through time due to challenges and labor issues brought on by the pandemic.

In terms of other essentials such as cranberry sauce, Ocean Spray informed ABC News that the company has been experiencing a shortage of aluminum cans, transportation and more. Ready-made pies, candied yams, gravy and the like may also take a little more effort to find. According to Krishnakumar Davey, president of client engagement at IRI, these holiday food items are priced around five to 10% higher than the previous year.

The good news? There's a healthy supply of Stove Top stuffing still available, reports Fortune.

↦ FYI: An Instacart/Harris poll found about one in three (37%) adults are planning to have 10 or more people over for Thanksgiving this year.

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Swapping Politics for Sports

It’s a whole new ballgame for the national conversation in America

For better or worse, politics and hard news have moved to the back burner of the national conversation. Sports is currently generating the most interest, a new report shows.

According to data from more than 1,400 news sites analyzed by online content recommendation company Taboola, Americans are searching for information about sports, particularly the NFL, instead of politics.

Axios reports this is a huge shift from a year ago, when most of the top stories in the U.S. were about hot-button political topics. For instance, on the day of and the day following the House passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, there were more Google searches for Aaron Rodgers than Joe Biden, according to Google Trends data.

While interesting, the findings should not be all that shocking as many people are likely looking for a break from reality and some easy entertainment following a stressful time period. Sports, generally, provide both of those things.

↦ Worlds collide: The Milwaukee Bucks became the first NBA team to visit the White House in almost five years when they flew to Washington to meet with President Biden earlier in the week.

Peloton Now Makes a Smart Camera

The company’s first sub-$500 device will guide you through workouts

Peloton has been rumored to be working on a strength-training product for a while, and after the company teased a launch during its earnings call last week, it seemed like the new machine's arrival was imminent. Now the Peloton Guide is here, but it's probably not what you thought it would be.

Peloton thrived throughout the pandemic as folks were confined to their homes. Sales of its connected Bike skyrocketed, and the company racked up millions of app subscribers. But after being forced to recall its pricey Tread+ earlier this year, the company (and its revenue) took a hit.

But Peloton's first foray into (relatively) affordable fitness isn't the Tonal or Mirror competitor some had expected. Instead, it's a strength-training camera system that hooks up to your TV and uses machine learning to understand your movements.

According to Gizmodo, the Guide's camera enables two things you won't get using the Peloton app: Movement Tracker, which Peloton says “encourages members to complete the demonstrated exercises and follow the instructors for the entire class,” and something called Self Mode, which effectively shows you an on-screen feed of yourself working out next to the instructor so you can compare your form to the expert's and make the necessary adjustments.

↦ FYI: The Peloton Guide will be available early next year in the U.S. and Canada and will roll out the UK, Germany and Australia later in the year.

In Other News

↦ NASA Delays Ambitious Human Lunar Landing to 2025

↦ An Original Apple-1 Computer Sells for $400,000

↦ ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Is Coming, Says Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk

Other ThingsWe’re TalkingAbout Today

Roy Kent

Irony

TikTok #CouplePranks

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