The Daily Dive

If you are looking for deals this holiday season, this is where it all starts.  Black Friday leading into Cyber Monday.  With inflation still battering Americans, many price-conscious consumers are buying less gifts and donating to charity less.  Retailers on the other hand are looking to move products with sales and promotions.  Marc Saltzman, tech columnist at USA Today and host of the Tech It Out Podcast, joins us with some apps and browser extensions for deal hunters, products to look out for, and scams to be wary of.

Next, the holiday season also means tons of cookies and baked goods.  In order to make all those delicious favorites, you need a lot of butter.  Butter in particular has been seeing some very high prices due to labor shortages and a growing appetite for cheese.  In response an underground network of butter bargain hunters is sharing the news when prices drop and tips on how to get around per-person limits.  Some have even turned to churning out their own butter.  Clare Ansberry, Turning Points columnist at the WSJ, joins us for what to know.

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Beyond Meat, the plant-based meat company, is struggling and it’s causing some worries throughout the meat alternative industry.  The company has struggled to manage growth amid slumping sales.  Among some of the setbacks, the company tried to rush out new products only to miss deadlines and disappoint customers.  Beyond’s jerky product, chicken tenders, and dinner sausages all hit roadblocks as their CEO tried to push out new offerings.  Jesse Newman, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the tough times at Beyond Meat.

Next, Thanksgiving is here and it’s time to talk about our favorite foods!  To end the show today we will give you the official Thanksgiving food power rankings.  We will speak to Lucas Kwan Peterson, food columnist at the LA Times, for his take on where all your favorite Thanksgiving foods rank.  A little preview of what you are in for… Turkey ranks dead last in his list, pumpkin pie doesn’t fare much better either, and cranberries of all things might just be the most controversial food item. 

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According to recent surveys, Americans are stressed out by inflation and are planning to buy fewer Christmas gifts and donate less to charity.  Last year on average, people bought about 16 gifts for family and friends, this year that number has dropped to nine.  Another survey found that many are planning to donate less with 44% blaming a lack of funds.  Jon Hilsenrath, senior writer at the WSJ, joins us for how inflation is souring the holiday season.

Next, hospitals are being pushed to the brink as we see RSV, Covid and the flu infecting people at high rates.  We are also seeing a continued staffing shortage in the healthcare industry that is causing a replay of what we saw during the height of the pandemic.  A slew of nursing home closures is also pushing more into the hospital system.  Sabrina Malhi, health and science reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for what to know.

Finally, dogs and humans can both get dementia, a problem we know comes with age.  We also know that movement and exercise can help reduce the risk of getting the degenerative disease.  Two recent studies are offering new data about the precise amounts of walking that can protect human and dog brains.  Gretchen Reynolds, health columnist at The Washington Post, joins us for why it’s definitely a good idea to take your dog out for a walk.

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On his adventures into MAGA country, Jordan Klepper encounters some of the more imaginative, conspiratorial minds America has to offer. In “Jordan Klepper Fingers the Conspiracy,” a new, six-episode limited podcast series, Jordan steps off the trail to dig deep into some of the wildest theories he’s heard, and trace their origins with journalists, experts, and anyone who might have a lead on when JFK Jr. is coming back. The podcast offers an opportunity to better understand some of the most extravagant stories Americans tell themselves. Listen to Jordan Klepper Fingers The Conspiracy on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-klepper-30873042/

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Just a few years ago, betting on sports was regulated to Nevada and a handful of other locations in the U.S., but after a flurry of action from lobbyists and the gambling industry, 31 states now allow sports gambling either online or in-person.  Sold by possible tax revenue, many states have come on board, sometimes with very favorable tax breaks for gambling companies.  An investigation by the Times finds that in many cases that revenue hasn’t lived up to projections.  Other convincing was done at events such as the “Cigars, Cars, and Bars” event that some Kansas lawmakers attended.  Eric Lipton, investigative reporter at the NY Times, joins us for how sports betting has expanded so fast.

Next, a study in Germany that was exploring the possibility of using industrial hemp in animal feed found that when portions of the plant that had higher THC concentration was fed to some dairy cows, they produced milk with detectable levels of THC.  The dairy cows even displayed behavioral changes such as yawning and salivating a lot and standing in one place for long periods of time. Still regulators are looking into hemp because it could be an excellent source for animal feed.  Hemp seeds are high in protein and do not contain any THC.  Joel Achenbach, science reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for what to know.

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President Biden turned 80 over the weekend, the oldest serving president in U.S. history.  He has said he intends to run again, planning a decision for early next year.  However, recent gaffes have added to concerns from those in his own party and polls also show that the public has doubts about leaders his age.  Julia Manchester, national political reporter at The Hill, joins us for this, GOP hopefuls beginning to make their case, and Nancy Pelosi’s legacy as Speaker of the House.

Next, due to inflation, supply chain issues, and the bird flu, your Thanksgiving meal is definitely more expensive this year.  20% more expensive to be exact.  The average cost of a meal for ten is $64.05.  You could see a shortage of large birds and everything on the table costs more except for one item, fresh cranberries.  Herb Scribner, reporter at Axios, joins us for what to know.

Finally, electric vehicles continue to grow into the mainstream of car buying.  EVs are the fastest growing segment of the auto market with sales jumping 70%.  Gas powered cars account for most of the new car market, but people are increasingly turning to battery powered cars to save money on maintenance and fuel, making them their daily drivers.  Peter Eavis, business reporter at the NY Times, joins us for more.

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Heading into the holiday shopping season big retailers are hoping to offload all the excess inventory from recent months and also balance how much to discount items to move product.  The good thing is that it means more promotions and sales for consumers, but will it be the products that people want?  The main items that will see the deepest discounts are computers, electronics, and toys, many of which are left over from pandemic delays.  Beauty products on the other hand will not be seeing as many discounts. Melissa Repko, retail reporter at CNBC, joins us for what to know as retailers continue to do anything they can to attract customers.

Next, the fall of the crypto exchange FTX has quickly wiped out the value of the company, the billions of dollars that its CEO was worth, and left scores of others without a way to access their money and assets.  FTX has now filed for bankruptcy and the new CEO that has stepped in said that he’s never “seen such a complete failure of corporate controls.”  Some experts have said that it could be possible that people never recover their funds.  For now, it has caused more volatility in the crypto market and caused more values to drop.  Joel Khalili, crypto reporter at Wired, joins us for all the fallout from the FTX collapse.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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NASA’s Artemis 1 Moon mission is currently underway after the SLS rocket and Orion capsule launched early Wednesday morning.  The mission is expected to last until mid-December when the capsule will splash back down in the Pacific Ocean.  This mission paves the way for the return of astronauts to the Moon and a new space station to be assembled in orbit there.  Ramin Skibba, space writer at Wired, joins us for what to know.

Next, it’s been described as a “game changer” when it comes to weight loss, but some people who have taken it say it’s changing their taste buds.  Semaglutide is the key ingredient in drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.  It’s helping people lose as much as 15-20% of their body weight by making you feel full and reducing cravings, but it’s making some disgusted by their favorite foods.  Anna Medaris, health correspondent at Insider, joins us for more.

Finally, now that New York City’s pay transparency law is in place, people are browsing jobs like they were browsing new homes, even if they’re not in the market for a new one.  As employers are now required to post salary ranges, people are dreaming of moving into something new or asking for a pay raise.  Emily Peck, reporter at Axios, joins us for how job listings are the new Zillow.

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