The Daily Valet. - 1/31/22, Monday
✔️ What's Going On?
Monday, January 31st Edition
Suddenly, I’m glad that I use Apple Music.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
What’s Going on With Spotify?
The controversy over misinformation grows
Have you been following this Spotify drama? Following a spat between Neil Young and the streaming music service over podcaster Joe Rogan’s COVID-19 misinformation, Spotify removed all of Young’s music. Over the weekend, Hall of Fame recording artists Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren along with several high-profile podcasters announced they would hold out in solidarity.
It appears the battle lines over truth and falsehood aren’t just cutting across the world of politics, they are dividing people in media, music and sports. And it's gotten so ugly, Spotify temporarily shut down live customer support due to overwhelming complaints.
An open letter urging Spotify to crack down on COVID-19 misinformation has gained the signatures of more than a thousand doctors, scientists and health professionals. They slammed Rogan’s track record of airing false claims about the coronavirus pandemic, vaccines and unproven treatments, calling it “a sociological issue of devastating proportions.” Spotify, they say, has enabled him.
Author and lawyer Jill Filiponic writes in an op-ed that “Rogan claims his show is an intellectually honest exploration of ideas. The misinformation Rogan is spreading is told as truth. And a startling number of people clearly believe it.” Tech reporter Taylor Lorenz says fans trust Rogan more than traditional news outlets because the mainstream media is “censored” and Rogan “tells it how it is”. Of course, there’s an enormous advantage in being able to position themselves as underdogs in the media landscape (despite raking in tens of millions a year).
On Sunday, Spotify’s founder and CEO Daniel Ek said in a statement that the company didn’t want to be a “content censor” but that it will now add a new content advisory to any podcast episode that discusses COVID-19, directing listeners to a hub with “data-driven facts and information as shared by scientists and public health authorities around the world.” Ek said the content advisory is believed to be the first of its kind by a major podcasting platform.
But Inc. says Spotify’s problem isn’t that Rogan is controversial. It’s that he is so profitable for the streaming service. “That’s a problem because it makes it hard to sort out the difference between what Spotify says it values and what makes it money.” And that’s a problem that will stick around long after this controversy has passed.
↦ Compare: Looking for a Spotify alternative? USA Today offers some information on the competition.
The Northeast Digs Out From Nor’easter
Tens of thousands left without power as East Coast plunges into deep freeze
Parts of the Northeast were buried in up to 30 inches of snow Sunday as a historic nor'easter released its grip on the region while bitter cold and strong winds swept across the entire East Coast.
Boston tied its record for the biggest single-day snowfall on Saturday, with 23.6 inches, the National Weather Service said. Just 20 miles to the south, Stoughton, Massachusetts, recorded the most snow of the storm: 30.6 inches. And New York reported three deaths.
It was one of the worst storms to hit the East Coast in four years, with actual “blizzard conditions” recorded in several states, said NBC News meteorologist Kathryn Prociv. More than 100,000 houses lost power at the height of the storm, mostly in Massachusetts. Thankfully, that dropped to about 35,000 by Sunday evening—mostly on hard-hit Cape Cod. No other states reported widespread outages.
Snowplow crews worked to get roads, airports and neighborhoods back to normal. But on Sunday, residents found a new complication in much of the Northeast: fast-dropping temperatures and heavy wind gusts turned snow to ice and made shoveling for long periods potentially dangerous. Authorities said they'd be dealing with the impacts of the storm for a few days
↦ FYI: The NOAA reported that 100% of New England was covered in snow. The average depth was 12.4 inches.
Orange Juice Is in Trouble
Climate change and supply chain issues are leading to higher prices
I hate stories like this. I wasn't thinking about orange juice—maybe you weren't either—but once you start talking about it, a glass sounds kind of refreshing, right? And the bad news is that it's gonna cost us.
Orange juice consumption actually rose to a five-year high during the pandemic. Just how much? In 2020, Americans guzzled 741,022,800 gallons of the stuff. But 2022 might be tough on those who like to start their day with a glass.
A recent USDA forecast predicts this will be the smallest Florida orange harvest in more than 75 years. And orange juice prices will likely increase as a result.
According to the Washington Post, a citrus disease, freezing temperatures and more supply chain problems mean growers can't meet heightened demand for the state's “liquid gold.” So if you were one who rediscovered a fondness for orange juice during lockdown—or, like me, just want some now—be prepared to shell out.
↦ FYI: A few years ago, Florida citrus was a $9 billion industry, employing 76,000 workers; now it’s $6.7 billion and 33,000 jobs.
We’re a Step Closer to Flying Cars
The world’s first gas-powered flying car is real
If there's one constant image of “the future,” it's flying cars, right? But we could someday very soon be joining George Jetson by zipping around in dual-capacity aircraft-cars, at least if this company gets its way.
Last June, aptly-named AirCar deployed some mechanical wings and took off from a runway in the city of Nitra in Slovakia, and landed in Bratislava 35 minutes later. After it folded up its wings, the exotic-looking sports car drove off down the highway.
And after hundreds of flights and many hours in the air, the vehicle, made by Slovakia-based company Klein Vision, has just been given an airworthiness certificate by the European Aviation Safety Agency. Which means they could eventually be sold.
According to The Points Guy, the mass adoption of flying cars would spell both positive and negative consequences for urban aesthetics. Dual-mode vehicles would make city streets less congested, but, as a trade-off, they would likely increase noise pollution and block sunlight. Capable of landing on and taking off from the street, dual-mode vehicles would allow police and medical personnel to arrive at the scene of emergencies with unprecedented rapidity. Perhaps flying cars would eventually even replace helicopters.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Start Fear-Setting
Tim Ferriss swears by this seemingly counterproductive mental exercise
Stoicism is an ancient philosophy. And one that's been relied on for centuries to determine things you can control and those you cannot, then focusing on the former through guided exercises. The goal is to increase our happiness and wisdom, while building up a resilience to the adversity that life throws at us.
It might sound outdated, but Tim Ferriss, the best-selling author, entrepreneur and productivity guru, likened Stoicism to an “operating system for thriving in a high-stress environment.” And we've all got plenty of stress these days, right? He has developed an exercise based on the philosophy of stoicism, that's designed to help us take action when we're afraid to ask, do or say something.
It's called “fear-setting” and Ferriss outlined it in a now-famous TED Talk. He says he's been doing it religiously for nearly a decade, and calls it the most powerful exercise he does. We break down how it works, the best way to do it and why you want to give it a try ASAP.
What We’re Eyeing
Todd Snyder never slouches on collaborations. His latest with Jack Purcell features rugby shirts, track suits, sweaters and outerwear remade in fabric more typically found on field clothing. “The collection was inspired by the way artists, rock stars and other rebels effortlessly mix sportswear with more sartorial styles,” the designer says. There's a lot to like here, but we appreciate the throwback swagger of this raglan-sleeve sweatshirt ($95) cut in a '70s velour with tipping at the collar and cuffs.
↦ Want more? 5 stylish items to buy this week
Today’s Deals
Expires 1/31
Expires Ted Baker
Expires 2/6
↦ Want More? See all 46 sales
Morning Motto
Don’t sweat it.
↦ Follow: @anewspecimen
That’s all for today...
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