The Daily Dive

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

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The holiday shopping season is in full swing and a lot has changed since the pandemic began. The biggest shift is that businesses are expecting to see more customers in-person, so expect big crowds. E-commerce is expected to slow, but only slightly as it should top the $200 billion mark for the first time. Customers will have more buy now, pay later options and get ready for live-streaming shopping events. Melissa Repko, retail reporter at CNBC, joins us for what to expect this season.

Next, the snowball effect in the supply chain is raising prices and making it harder to get some of the items you want. The biggest challenge that beer and liquor makers are facing is obtaining glass bottles. America loves their chicken tenders, and prices have jumped because of delays at meat processing plants and in Tyson’s case a bad rooster. Medical equipment, toys, video game consoles, and even your favorite athleisure wear are all facing setbacks. Phil McCausland, reporter at NBC News, joins us for a look at some specific items hurt by back backlogs and rising prices.

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Supply chain issues have plagued various industries as we continue on our way back from the pandemic. Now it is coming for America’s supply of pies! Compounding the issue is climate and bad weather effects on pretty much every ingredient in our favorite pies. Case in point is Tampa-based Mike’s Pies who is struggling to fulfill orders and maintain stock of ingredients, starting with their graham cracker crumb vendor. Laura Riley, business of food reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how even after supply chain issues get resolved, climate change still poses a problem.

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, and cranberries might just be the most controversial food item.  

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President Biden is tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to release 50 million barrel of oil in hopes that it will bring down the price of gas. This is an effort done in coordination with 6 other countries to bring down prices which is a big contributor to inflation. The only snag is that it still may take some time before we see the effects or if it works at all. Tim Puko, energy policy reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what to know.

Next, the Bay Area and Los Angeles have been hit with a spat of flash-mob style robberies targeting luxury retail stores, jewelry stores, and even marijuana dispensaries. In coordinated efforts large groups of people rush a store, grab as much as they can, and then retreat to cars waiting outside. It underscores the huge challenge that law enforcement has and many also point to Prop 47 which reduced some property crimes to misdemeanors. Rachel Swan, reporter at the SF Chronicle, joins us for more.

Finally, the Democratic Party is going through an identity crisis. Recent polls and focus groups of voters who supported President Biden are hard pressed to know what they currently stand for. Even passing the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better plan in the House isn’t fixing the issue as voters don’t feel Biden is getting it done. David Siders, national political reporter at Politico, joins us for how the Democratic brand is broken.

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A Michigan woman named Wendy Wein is going to prison after trying to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband. She didn’t want to kill him herself and didn’t trust the people she knew, so she went online and landed at RentaHitman.com. She went as far as meeting someone and paying a $200 down payment. The problem was that that it is a fake website. Jonathan Edwards, reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, booster shots have been approved for anyone over 18 that has already been fully vaccinated. Protection from getting infected starts to wane after about 6 months especially for those that are older or immunocompromised. But what should you do if you are healthy and not at risk? Does getting a booster shot take away someone’s opportunity to get their first shot? Kelsey Piper, staff writer at Vox, joins us for what to know about boosters.

Finally, you might think that marijuana and parenting don’t mix, but there is a growing movement of ‘cannamoms’ who say that consuming weed helps them to calm down, reduce anxieties and be more present in their kids’ lives. They want to fight the stigma around it and also make clear that they aren’t getting blazingly high and consider it low risk, just like a glass of wine. Jesse Staniforth, contributor to the BBC, joins us for more on ‘cannamoms.’

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The House has passed President Biden's $1.7 trillion Build Back Better plan and it will now move on to the Senate where it will most likely undergo some changes before it gets voted on. The Senate is aiming for a vote before Christmas. While it was passed along party lines, everyone came out with a win as progressives will get to expand the social safety net, moderates got the CBO score they wanted, and even House minority leader Kevin McCarthy drew the praise of Donald Trump for his 8 hour speech delaying the vote. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this and how the U.S. is spending billions on Covid treatments other than vaccines.

Next, Pfizer recently struck a licensing deal with the Medical Patents Pool which in turn can strike deals with other manufacturers to make generic versions of its Covid antiviral pill for poorer countries, but when it comes to its mRNA vaccine, Pfizer has not been so willing to share the recipe. They stand to make $36 billion in revenue this year and have said that they will increase their shipments to poor countries at adjusted prices. Stephanie Baker, senior writer at Bloomberg News, joins us for the fight over profits and the lopsided global supply of vaccines.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid disruptions to classrooms continue to happen across the country, but many schools are turning to testing over quarantine to keep kids in class. Test-to-stay programs are screening students regularly after exposure to known cases rather than sending them straight home. This allows them to remain in class while they continue to test negative. Sabrina Siddiqui, White House reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how schools are finding ways to keep kids in the classroom.

Next, the iconic Staples Center in Los Angeles will have a new name come Christmas day. In a branding deal worth $700 million, it will now be known as Crypto.com Arena. Crypto.com allows people to trade in popular cryptocurrencies and boasts over 10 million users. Anna Hirtenstein, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the larger play… the crypto industry’s latest move to get mainstream recognition.

Finally, CVS said it will be closing 900 stores over the next three years as it shifts its strategy to focus on digital sales and more healthcare services. They will be spinning off into three different kinds of stores. One will be their traditional retail locations, one will offer primary care services, and the last will be HealthHubs that offer mental health services and other wellness features. Melissa Repko, retail reporter at CNBC, joins us for more.

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Millions of American are expected to travel for Thanksgiving and if you are heading out, you should expect delays. One of the biggest mysteries is how many TSA agents will be in compliance with vaccine mandates for federal workers set for Nov. 22nd. The government doesn’t think there will be any delays, but long wait times are inevitable as TSA employees are leaving for other reasons too. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, staff writer at Forbes, joins us for how holiday travel could be a mess.

Next, President Biden has been on the wrong side of the polls recently amid missteps and verbal flubs. According to a Politico/Morning Consult poll, just 44% of voters approve of his job performance and worse yet, 48% say he is not mentally fit. Beyond that, voters didn’t find him to be a clear communicator or a strong leader. Marc Caputo, national political reporter at Politico, joins us for more bad poll numbers for Biden.

Finally, everyone has done it at some point, but it might be wise to stop sucking in your stomach all the time, it could be bad for your health. We’re not talking about the occasional time when taking a picture or trying to fit into an outfit, but prolonged stomach gripping can affect your pelvic floor muscles, make it harder to take deep breaths, or cause soreness and stiffness in you lower back. Allyson Chiu, wellness reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

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