The Daily Valet. - 11/24/20, Tuesday
✔️ Shopping Season Kicks Off
Tuesday, November 24th Edition
Who’s already ready for a long holiday weekend?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today's edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
Shopping Season Kicks Off
Here’s how it’ll be different during this wildly unpredictable year
It’s shaping up to be a holiday season unlike any other, with retailers, health officials and consumers trying to navigate the pandemic. The Wall Street Journal reports that Target and Walmart are enjoying strong sales as shoppers have been busy buying gifts along with household essentials. Which makes sense in a year where a roll of toilet paper classifies as a legit stocking stuffer.
While the unofficial start of holiday shopping is typically Black Friday, surveys have found that three in 10 Americans have already started their holiday shopping earlier than usual this year. Many are looking to get ahead of the rush and keep their distance from crowds.
Other shoppers are looking to take advantage of heavy discounts and sales after a rocky economic year. Even though, the pandemic and the financial fallout hasn’t derailed gift buying—at least not yet.
The National Retail Federation says retail sales are on track to grow by as much as 5.2% this year, reaching $767 billion during November and December alone—thanks in large part to e-commerce, which is on track to increase 20% to 30% from a year ago.
Of course, the huge growth of online shopping and deliveries will likely put additional strain on the logistics and delivery systems that are already reeling from the onslaught of everyone buying much of their daily needs online now.
Amazon is pushing holiday shoppers to retrieve their own packages from brick-and-mortar retail locations and neighborhood “hubs,” reports CNBC. The company said it will help shoppers keep their “holiday season spoiler free,” but it’s likely to help Amazon save crucial last-mile delivery capacity, as it stares down a feared “shipageddon.” Personally, I’m vowing to be done with my shopping by the end of the holiday weekend. Think it’s possible?
↦ FYI: According to the NRF, the average consumer will spend $997.79 during the 2020 holiday season, about $50 less than last year.
Biden Transition Gets Government OK
But Trump downplays the move and vows to never concede
On Monday, over two weeks after the election had been called in favor of Joe Biden, the head of the General Services Administration assessed him to be the “apparent” winner and cleared the way for the formal transition process to begin, reports the Associated Press.
While the president tweeted he had recommended the moves, Emily Murphy—the Trump appointee who heads the GSA—wrote in her letter of ascertainment to Biden that she had reached the decision independently “because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”
Almost immediately, Biden's team kicked into action. His transition website now boasts a .gov domain. The decision also means Biden's team will now have access to government office space, be able to meet with Trump administration officials to discuss policy issues, and receive some $7.3 million to pay staffers.
And despite Trump's earlier statements about cooperating with the transition, he vowed to keep up the fight and never concede. “We are moving full speed ahead. Will never concede to fake ballots & Dominion,” Trump wrote in a tweet that was flagged by Twitter for misinformation.
↦ Meanwhile: Biden made some historic picks for his cabinet, nominating the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community and first Latino to head Homeland Security.
Special Promotion
When it comes to health, sweat the small stuff. Because you really are what you eat.
How Do You Sum Up 2020 In a Word?
Oxford English Dictionary couldn’t pick just one
Every year, the makers of the Oxford English Dictionary, choose a single word or phrase to define the past 12 months. In 2019, it was "climate emergency," and in 2018, it was "toxic."
But 2020 was too much of a year for just one word. Instead, they chose to focus on the pandemic's swift and sudden linguistic impact on the English language, reports the New York Times. They also hit upon the racial and political unrest we've endured too.
Think about it ... last year, a sentence like "I was in self-quarantine so I had nothing to do but doomscroll articles about superspreader events and systemic racism," would sound nuts. Now, it's just a normal Tuesday.
NPR examined how researchers analyzed Oxford's language database (which contains billions of words) to see how many times a term was used over the past year. That's how they landed on the lockdown lingo and protest parlance.
↦ Dig Deeper: Download the report and explore the data-driven approach Oxford Languages has taken to tracking and analyzing the story of 2020.
A Whisky World Record
This rare Japanese whisky collection just sold for $1.52 million
The well-loved Hanyu distillery in Japan stopped production in 2000, leaving only 400 whisky casks that later gained international renown (along with a huge price bump) as the Playing Card Series of Hanyu.
According to Robb Report, a complete set of the 54 bottles that make up the series—one for each card in a deck, including both Jokers—sold for a stunning $1.52 million at Bonhams’s Fine & Rare Wine and Whisky auction in Hong Kong.
That comfortably makes it the most expensive Japanese whisky collection ever sold, breaking a record set by another Full Card Series that sold for $917,000 last July.
This complete set was previously owned by Aaron Chan of Hong Kong’s Club Qing whiskey bar. Chan amassed the collection early and placed it at his bar where it was the centerpiece for five years, reports Hypebeast. I don't think I'd be a very good collector. All of my bottles all seem to go dry rather quickly.
↦ FYI: Toa Shuzo, owners of the Hanyu distillery, announced plans to reopen possibly as early as February 2021, according to The Drinks Business.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Special Promotion
You Really Are What You Eat
Why you should pay attention to ingredient and supplement sourcing
More than half of all Americans take daily supplements and vitamins, according to the University of Pennsylvania school of medicine. As Jeffrey Millstein, MD, physician at Penn Internal Medicine sees it, they’re so popular because they work. “Supplements can benefit your overall well-being with little to no risk,” he says. “The most important thing to remember is to be smart when choosing one.”
After all, the FDA estimates that there are over 85,000 supplements in the marketplace today. And, of course, each one boasts that they work better than the others sitting right next to them on the store shelves. That’s why it’s important to read the nutritional label carefully. Because when it comes to your health, you really are what you eat. And if you’re not careful, you could be ingesting what one study called “unauthorized pharmaceutical ingredients.”
So how can I be sure that what I’m consuming really is the good stuff? Experts say that in an industry left to self-regulate, transparency is key. “Proprietary blends” can be a problem, because you can’t ever be sure what you’re taking. Third-party certification is the easiest way to verify that products really are safe and clean. According to the New York Times, these independent, nonprofit organizations have scientists who set high standards for medicine, food ingredients and dietary supplements.
StrengthRecovery Proteinby Momentous ($44)
This is why a company like Momentous, known for their high-potency hand-sourced ingredients, has several certifications under their belt. Take, for example, my favorite Strength Recovery Protein. It uses grass-fed whey isolate combined with additional training specific nutrients such as glutamine, creatine and high quality electrolytes to replenish energy reserves—and it’s NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport Certified. These certifications provide peace of mind that what’s on the label is actually in the bottle and that the supplements are free of contaminants and banned substances. Meaning, if you’re going to invest in your health, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
↦ Get It: Strength Recovery Protein, $44 by Momentous
Early Black Friday Deals
Expires 12/13
Expires 11/30
Expires 11/30
Special Promotion
Score Early Deals on Tech Essentials
Samsung 75” FrameQLED 4K Ultra HDHDR smart TV$2,997.99 / $2,797.99
Whether you’re shopping for yourself, or the tech-inclined people on your list, you’ll want to check out Dell’s early Black Friday deals. They’re currently offering promotions on a wide range of the latest technology and brands, including the lowest prices you’ll find on any site for some of the most in-demand items. Grab these deals now because there will absolutely be an early shopping rush this year—let alone the inevitable shipping delays—as shoppers avoid crowded stores.
↦ Shop the Sale at Dell
Expires 11/28
Expires 11/28
Expires 11/30
Special Promotion
Body Grooming Is Self-Care
Premium men’s brand Meridian is fighting the taboo of below-the-belt grooming with its tastefully designed lineup of products. Because if you’re going to do it (and you probably should) why not use quality products specifically designed for the task? This is a system that works for any guy: whether you regularly shave and trim your nether regions or have never once even uttered the word “manscape.” And this week only, take 30% off bundles with code CYBER2020.
↦ Get It $95 / $66.50 w/code CYBER2020 by Meridian
↦ Want More? See all early Black Friday sales
Morning Motto
Growth is never a bad thing ...
↦ Follow: @meditativeminds
That’s all for today...
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