The Daily Valet. - 11/1/22, Tuesday

✔️ Slavery on the Ballot

Tuesday, November 1st Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Have you ever started your day with a cold shower?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Slavery on the Ballot

Five U.S. states will vote on whether convicted inmates can be forced to work

During next week’s midterm elections, voters in five states will decide whether to remove from state constitutions language allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as criminal punishments.

Over 150 years after the United States abolished chattel slavery—in which one person is the legal property of another—nearly 20 state constitutions still allow forced labor as punishment for certain crimes. But now, Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont will let voters decide whether to remove such exemptions in an effort to ban slavery entirely.

Colorado became the first to remove the language by ballot measure in 2018. Nebraska and Utah did the same two years later, closing loopholes in their constitutions. The ballot initiatives are part of a larger, national push to strike down the exception clause in the 13th Amendment that allows slavery and involuntary servitude for convicted prisoners. Advocates say it’s an exploitative loophole that must be closed.

Across the U.S., more than 800,000 prisoners often endure back-breaking labor only to be paid pennies per hour. Or sometimes, nothing at all. And currently, seven U.S. states do not pay incarcerated people for the assigned work in prison.

Of course, it's hard to support slavery, but according to the BBC, critics argue that “getting rid of free prison labor is unaffordable and could lead to unintended consequences in the criminal justice system.”

Prisoners contribute to the supply chain and economy in many ways, some of them surprising. They have been commissioned to make everything from eyeglasses to car licence plates to city park benches. They process beef, milk and cheese, and even work in call support centers for government agencies and major companies. A recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union found that at least 30 states include prison workers in their emergency operation plans for natural disasters and other civil disruptions, even fighting wildfires.

↦ FYI: Despite dropping to its lowest level since 1995, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world today, with around 2 million people imprisoned.

The Great Resignation Is Over

The blistering hot job market that gave rise to the Great Resignation is cooling

It's safe to say that the Great Resignation is cooling off. Demand for workers in certain pandemic-hot sectors—especially tech—is down sharply from last year, according to job site Indeed's latest numbers.

Big Tech went on a hiring binge over the past year, as Axios reports. But now the diet begins. The industry is in “Belt-tightening” mode, with hiring freezes and even layoffs on the menu. And the tech sector's woes could be an early indicator of what's to come in the broader labor market, which has so far stayed strong despite other worrying signs in the economy.

Fewer job openings mean less demand for workers. It's also an indicator that folks won't be able to job-hop their way to the kind of sky-high pay increases certain professionals scored in 2021. Back then, if you played it right, you could basically name your price.

What's more, lower demand means slowing wage growth—which, according to Fortune, is what the Federal Reserve wants in its fight against inflation. And that's essentially happening. The Employment Cost Index, out last week, showed wage growth falling in the third quarter (though still relatively high).

↦ Dig Deeper: Great Resignation quitters got big raises—now, they’re worried about their job security.

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A Record-Breaking Lottery Draw

No one won the $1 billion Powerball jackpot on Halloween

Halloween came and went and no one got the ultimate treat—the $1 billion Powerball jackpot. That means the specter of more long lines and more money spent chasing the huge prize will linger on into November.

It also means that the prize for tomorrow's drawing grew to an estimated $1.2 billion. It's the second time a jackpot has passed the $1 billion mark. Winners in California, Florida and Tennessee won the other one—a $1.5 billion jackpot—in 2016.

While there was no jackpot winner last night, there were more than 5.4 million tickets totaling $59.5 million in cash prizes won on Hallowee, Powerball officials said, including 10 tickets that matched all five white balls for a million dollar prize.

Feeling lucky? According to MSN, the overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

↦ FYI: The Powerball Lottery was originally started in 1988 as “Lotto America.” The name was changed to Powerball in 1992.

Taking the Cold Plunge

Enthusiasts are spending big on home tubs and spa classes. Is it worth it?

Ice baths have been getting a lot of attention lately, thanks in large part to TikTok (and also to that viral video of Joe Rogan that turned him into a meme). Much of the chatter tends to mention Wim Hof, the popular Dutch speaker who's garnered international recognition for his signature method of daily meditation practices that includes periods of cold water therapy.

There are a couple of scientific studies on the practice, but a sports medicine doctor told the New York Times that there is data that suggests cold exposure can at least help with muscle soreness and inflammation. The science on whether regular plunges can help with anxiety and weight loss is less clear.

But that hasn't stopped devotees from shelling out big bucks to jump into icy cold water. There is a range of options on the market now, from the simple Ice Barrel to the more advanced Plunge, a $4,990 plug-in tub that filters, circulates and sanitizes water in addition to cooling it down to 39 degrees Fahrenheit. And that's just at home.

There are also classes, where you can plop into a icy bath like an olive garnishing a frosty martini. Remedy Place, the bicoastal “wellness club,” has $50 ice bath classes, where you and your friends can dunk together in side-by-side plunges for up to six minutes, while listening to your favorite pump-up music.

↦ Cheaper Alternative: Not ready to jump in? Try your shower. End your shower with a blast of cold water. For the last 30 seconds or so, turn the water as cold as it'll go and embrace the shock of it all.

In Other News

↦ Elon Musk Said Twitter Wouldn't Become a ‘Hellscape.’ It’s Already Changing.

↦ Will We Ever… Live in City-Sized Buildings?

↦ ‘Fast Furniture’ Is Cheap. And Americans Are Throwing It in the Trash.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Esquire’s favorite gadgets

Blowing on hot food

Mars retrograde?

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How to Upgrade Your Place on a Budget

This is divisive topic, I know. Some purists would argue you should never get a replica, a reproduction or—as the kids are calling them these days—a dupe. Does it take away from what makes these collector's items unique? Perhaps. But let's get real for a moment. Most of us won't, or can't, drop ten grand on a piece of furniture. But we still want our places to look cool and current.

Sometimes, you're simply looking for the vibe, right? Thankfully, the internet allows us to find “inspired” pieces that give you the look and feel without the expensive price tags. Just make sure you know what you're going to say when someone asks you, “Is that the Cloud Couch?”

The Cloud Couch

The Original: The Cloud couch, $8,795 by RH

Just because you don't have a dedicated media room, doesn't mean you can't enjoy RH's legendary Cloud Couch. The ultra-soft sofa has it's own TikTok hashtag and has racked up over 92 million views, but Crate & Barrel now sells a similarly squishy and deep model designed by interior designer Leanne Ford.

The Reproduction: Ever slipcovered sofa, $2,299 / $1,839 at Crate & Barrel