The Daily Valet. - 6/27/22, Monday
✔️ What Now?
Monday, June 27th Edition
Let’s get through this week, and then we get another long weekend.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
What Happens Now?
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, demand for pills surge and privacy concerns emerge
It’s hard to overstate the importance of what the Supreme Court did Friday with its outright overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that made abortion legal in this country nearly 50 years ago.
“It’s the legal equivalent of a nuclear bomb,” NPR’s Nina Totenberg, the dean of Supreme Court reporters said, adding that it’s possible this ruling opens the door for the potential “for undoing other areas of personal autonomy,” from contraception to interracial marriage. That ambiguity is what motivated thousands of Americans to get out and protest over the weekend.
And almost immediately, access to abortion began to change quickly. First, 13 states with “trigger bans,” designed to take effect if Roe were struck down, will prohibit abortion within 30 days. Eight states banned the procedure the day the ruling was released. A handful of states also have pre-Roe abortion bans that could be reactivated, while others moved immediately to introduce new legislation.
Just as quickly, nonprofit organizations that arrange for patients to obtain abortion pills in several states saw a surge in demand. The pills (authorized by the FDA for use in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy) are already used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S. But now they’ll likely to be at the center of the legal battles that are expected to unfold as states ban abortion while others work to increase access.
According to the New York Times, many patients choose medication abortion because it’s affordable, less invasive and provides more privacy than surgical abortions. The pills can be received by mail and taken at home after a consultation with a doctor (online, phone or in person). The patient must be in a state that allows abortion—even if that’s just being on the phone in a car just over the border.
And speaking of technology, privacy advocates and legal experts have warned that data collected by period tracking apps, which is often shared with other entities, could be used to fuel investigations into people seeking abortion services. Flo, one of the most widely used period tracking apps, says it’s launching a new “anonymous mode” in an effort to address these new privacy concerns. That’s good, I guess, but also sad as hell, right?
↦ Dig Deeper: National Geographic explores how in the 1960s, support for abortion mounted as two public health crises emerged, setting the stage for the historic Supreme Court case.
Russia Strikes Kyiv
Russian missiles shatter the capital’s relative calm as the G7 summit begins in Europe
Russia targeted the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with a series of missile attacks Sunday—striking at least two residential buildings—as leaders of the G7 nations gathered in Germany for the first day of their annual summit.
Russia was set to enter its first foreign default of the century at the end of the weekend, with a deadline for an overdue $100 million interest payment on government debt. Though Russia has the resources, sanctions cutting the nation out of international payment systems keep the nation from sending the money to creditors. Russia's finance minister has accused the West of forcing Moscow into an “artificial debt.”
And while Russian forces push Ukrainian units back in the eastern Donbas area, Kyiv has fought back with the aim of regaining territory from Russian positions in the south. Kyiv's southern push seeks to draw Russian forces away from the east and free up the country's southern ports that once exported billions of dollars of wheat. According to the Wall Street Journal, this would “disrupt the landbridge Moscow has sought to establish between Russia, Crimea and onward to the European Union's doorstep.”
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Putin will visit two small former Soviet states in central Asia this week, in what would be the Russian leader's first known trip abroad since ordering the invasion of Ukraine.
↦ FYI: The United States along with the other members of the G7 are banning the import of Russian gold.
Partner
The future sounds tasty. We're talking about an opportunity that marries investing and pizzas made by fully-autonomous robots.
Strip Down, for Your Health
Turns out, being naked does a body good
Summer already means wearing less clothing ... who needs all those layers when you've got long, sunny days and plenty of humidity? But are you down to take it all off?
I know the thought of getting naked makes some people a little uncomfortable, but apparently, it's good for you. For one, it lowers your body temperature (which makes for better quality sleep) and boosts your body's vitamin D levels (which strengthens your immune system).
There are also scientific studies that have found that just being in your birthday suit more often leads to being more satisfied with your life overall. Lifehack says that you'll definitely have more fun—of course, there are plenty of ways to interpret this.
But there's also a growing body of research highlighting that the more comfortable we are being naked, the higher our self-esteem will be. And not surprisingly, if you live with a partner, spending more time in the buff can naturally encourage more intimacy. Personally, I'm a get-up-and-get-dressed kind of guy, but I gotta say, this is making me rethink my strategy.
Click to Buy a Car
Cars are the last holdout of the exploding online purchasing trend, but that’s changing
It seems like we all trip over Amazon boxes just to get in and out of our homes these days. Online shopping was big business before the pandemic and is now the go-to for many consumers for most goods with one notable exception: buying cars.
But that's changing. In 2019, a mere 1% of auto sales, new and used, were conducted digitally. It grew to 10% in 2020, spurred by COVID shutdowns and lockdowns. By 2025, 40% of auto purchases in the U.S. (about 23 million new and used vehicles) will be conducted completely online, reports Motor Trend.
Tesla shifted to selling cars entirely online in 2019. And while it was considered a big mistake by some industry vets, the strategy was quickly adopted by other young electric carmakers like Rivian and Lucid Motors. And now, some established automakers, like Ford, are talking about taking a similar approach.
Not surprisingly, young people are on board and driving this trend (pun intended). But Gen Z and Millennials are doing a lot of online research on the cars they want to buy, so keeping the purchasing of said cars out of the dealership and on their screen just makes sense. Even used cars are being bought online. Engadget says much of the process has gone digital, but that it's still smart to kick some tires and do some test drives.
↦ Meanwhile: Here’s how much money precious metal thieves are actually getting from the catalytic converters they’re stealing.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Partner
The Future of Pizza?
Piestro has designed robots that make artisanal pizza at a fraction of the cost
You like pizza? How about making money? Both are pretty great, right? Well Piestro is combining the two in a rather tempting investment opportunity. By utilizing a completely autonomous, labor-free approach to restaurant ownership, they’re cutting labor costs down to zero and limiting real estate to the size of two vending machines.
As you likely know, profit margins for full-service restaurants are extremely low (think 5-10%), primarily due to high real estate and labor overhead. Restaurant startup costs can be as high as $750,500 and the price of labor will continue to grow due to shortages, high turnover rates and rising wages. But Piestro can be up and running in just two weeks, dishing out piping hot pies 24/7—at just $50,000.
Right now, Piestro is seeking investors to help bring this revolutionary technology to market. Why could this be a breadwinner? Let's put it this way, pizza is the #1 most popular food in the U.S. On any given day, 13% of Americans are enjoying a slice. And the global pizza industry is expected to be worth $233 billion by next year.
While they'll be launching their own Piestro-branded units, the company already has more than half a billion in pre-orders via commercial contracts with international brands such as 800 Degrees Pizza.
What We’re Eyeing
Maybe we've still got Top Gun fever, but we're really liking these shades ($349). There's a reason why classics endure. They work. A pair of aviators will suit a multitude of face shapes and look both modern and nostalgic. And Todd Snyder has just teamed up with Randolph, who has been making standard issue eyewear for U.S. military pilots and NASA astronauts since 1982. For this exclusive take on their authentic Aviator, the frames are military olive in a matte finish with bayonet temples and polarized lenses. They're masculine, comfortable and do a hell of a job protecting your eyes—what more could you ask for?
↦ Want more? 5 stylish items to buy this week
Today’s Deals
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Morning Motto
Take a chance this week.
↦ Follow: @shakinagallery
That’s all for today...
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