You Can’t Drop If You Shop Online

Image: Tenor

“What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard,” Brian Cornell, Target’s chief executive, said in a note to employees first obtained by the AP.

🚘 Driving the move… Put simply: “With all these online shopping opportunities, is it really necessary to open on Thanksgiving?” asks Ken Perkins, president of research firm Retail Metrics.

• For the past two years, the holiday trailed only Cyber Monday and Black Friday in online sales, according to the Adobe Digital Economy Index.
• And since a lot of shopping has moved online, is it really necessary to take employees away from their families? Many big-box retailers are saying no (this year at least), and some states, including Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island, actually prohibit big-box stores from opening on Thanksgiving.

📸 The big picture: This year, retailers moved up their deals to get in front of supply chain woes and limit empty shelves, but even before that, stores had been expanding the Black Friday sales window to the whole week, and then later for the entire month of November.

• U.S. holiday sales last November and December rose a record 8.2% in 2020 from the previous year, according to The National Retail Federation… a rate it’s predicted to outpace this year.

+What to watch: Even though the window’s been expanding, it’s gearing up to be a big weekend. 👇

🎁 Portugal’s final coal-powered energy plant stopped generating power over the weekend.

How to Decorate Your Home This Holiday (and Beyond)

Let’s be real: these days, everyone spends a lot of time at home – and how we each decorate our spaces says a lot about us (especially hosting during the holiday season… in-laws, amirite?).

So whether you’re shopping for a new home, dorm room, or just want to upgrade your digs, we’d like to introduce you to Bellacor, the premier consumer online shopping experience for lighting, furniture, and decor.

• They stock 200,000+ products from designer-preferred brands, offer a price-match guarantee, and free shipping on orders over $25. In other words, the only destination more welcoming this holiday season is the Claus household – and even Santa can’t match these deals (putting ourselves on the naughty list for that one).

We’re talking up to 75% off designer-preferred brands (a little louder for the people in the back)... so you’re buying the same brands the pros do, at a discount wayyyyy better than the Rodger’s Rate. But make sure to hurry – these deals disappear forever after 11/28.

So consider this your sign to get a head-start on your home holiday shopping... then kick-back, relax, and prepare to be showered with compliments. 😏

Design your uniquely perfect home with Bellacor.

Image: Shawn Thew/Shutterstock

The legislation ultimately cleared the chamber despite Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s record eight-hour-and-32-minute speech overnight Thursday in an attempt to delay the vote.

• It represents a scaled-down version of Democrats’ initial $3.5 trillion proposal.

👍 What’s in the bill:

• $555 billion to fight climate change
• $400 billion for universal Pre-K
• $200 billion for child tax credits
• $200 billion for four weeks of universal paid leave
• $165 billion on healthcare spending
• $150 billion to expand affordable home care
• $150 billion for affordable housing
• $100 billion for immigration

👎 What’s out of the bill:

• Free community college. Instead, the measure would increase the maximum Pell Grant for more than 5 million students by $550 and expand access for ‘Dreamers.’
• Some healthcare spending. Previous versions of the plan would have expanded Medicare coverage of dental and vision and forced drugmakers to negotiate prices with Medicare directly.

💰 Where’s all the money coming from?... Democrats have claimed the package will be paid for in full by tax increases on high earners and corporations.

• However, last week the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found their proposal would ultimately increase the federal budget deficit by $367 billion.

✋ But, but, but: That total doesn’t include providing $80 billion in additional funding to the IRS for tax enforcement, which the CBO projects will raise a net $127 billion and the Treasury Department says will net $400+ billion. (Thus, the White House continues to claim the bill is “fully paid for.”)

👁️ Looking ahead… The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it’ll need the support of all 50 Democrats, including Sens. Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema, who’ve expressed opposition to several measures that remain in the House bill (including universal paid leave).

Caution! Robots at Work

GIF: Alphabet

⚙️ How it works: These robots are essentially arms on wheels with a multipurpose gripper attached to the end of the arm.

• A ‘head’ on top of the robot contains cameras and sensors to help it see, while a spinning lidar unit on the side aids with navigation.
• The robot can open doors, wipe tables, sort trash, and perform other ‘light’ custodial duties.

👁️ Looking ahead… Over time, Alphabet plans to expand the type of tasks the robots can perform and bring the pilot program to its other buildings.

Image: Twitter

Six years ago, Wanda Dench sent a text to her extended family inviting them to Thanksgiving dinner at her house.

• An unknown number responded back in the group chat: "You not my grandma. Can I still get a plate tho?"

“Of course,” Wanda immediately replied. “That’s what grandma's do... feed everyone,"

💛 The start of a beautiful friendship… The person on the other end of the unknown number was Jamal Hinton, a complete stranger to Wanda at the time. Six years later, the two still meet up every Thanksgiving to continue the tradition.

• “Time kind of just flies. We don’t even realize how long we’ve been there,” Jamal said, referring to the dinners. “They’re really good company.”

What's the longest word in the English language with only one vowel?

(Hint: It's nine letters long, everyone has them, and the vowel it contains is 'e')

(keep scrolling for the answer)

Access exclusive rewards and even an all-expenses-paid round trip to Austin, TX, just for sharing this newsletter.

Simply:

1. Copy your unique referral link.👇
2. Post said link in your family’s group chat, drop in the company’s Slack channel, send it to your famous cousin, etc.
3. Watch the rewards roll in.

No link found!

Answer: Strengths