You've Adelost That Loving Feeling |
Adelost, as we all know, is a Swedish blue cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. It has a sharp, salty, and tangy flavor — exactly like this newsletter. As the Righteous Brothers once sang: "You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips." That's both a line from the song referenced in today's cheese pun and, also, the way that America feels about many of its disillusioned citizens these days. In related news, today we have an in-depth interview with two people who have founded a website exclusively devoted to helping Americans leave the country. There's also no tenderness like before in your fingertips. That's because a raft of economic data came in yesterday including the latest unemployment claims (up slightly to 232,000) and the housing market (trading slightly more briskly and ending a four-month decline). Investors spent a lot of energy parsing it all, and markets were down a tad. Investors are also cautiously bracing themselves for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to speak at Jackson Hole in Wyoming on Friday. You're trying hard not to show it, but baby...baby you know it. He's gonna hint at a 0.25% interest cut. Woah-woah-woah-woah. The cheddlines, meanwhile, are still chock full of loving feeling. So, cheer up. All is not Adelost! —Matt Davis, N2K Chedditor P.S. We've got footage of a $16k humanoid robot on our instagram. A steal! |
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"Merida is about the same size as Birmingham. It has a lot of the same traits. It has a Costco. So that makes it easy to adjust and adapt." — Jen Barnett |
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1. An Existential Take on the Pumpkin Spice Latte |
I'm currently in London where the temperature is 58 degrees, and the skies are the color of iron. I took a stroll past Buckingham Palace yesterday with my child. He loves the idea of the place because it appears in an episode of Bluey on two identical cards during a game of "memory snap." Bluey, as we all know, is the single source of truth for three-year-olds.
Near the royal residence in London is the branch of Starbucks where I worked between high school and college a quarter of a century ago. At the time, the coffee chain had only recently established itself in London and was seen as a novelty. I wanted to work there because I'd read a lot of beat poetry and novels, so I thought the idea of working at an American coffee shop was exotic. Now there are two branches of Starbucks in Victoria Station alone, I realized. The place has a ubiquity in our consciousness akin to McDonald's.
To me, however, working at Starbucks was as close as I could reasonably get in real life to reading a poem by Allen Ginsberg. I grew up in Croydon. If you know anything about Croydon, you'll understand. If you don't, then consider yourself lucky.
While I'm tempted to mock my younger self for having aspired to work at Starbucks, I'm going to give myself a pass. Likewise, it may be August, but in London, it feels like fall, or autumn as we say over here. And that's probably why the global coffee giant has decided to launch its pumpkin spice latte this week, rather than waiting until the leaves turn brown in Seattle. I could mock them for it. I could pretend I was remarkably excited about it. I could reference John Oliver's amusing segments mocking news anchors for losing their minds. But even Starbucks, I think, is just doing the best it can. Aren't we all? There's also a romance to the fall and to working for coffee shops, too, that prevents me from being too harsh on the place. You hold onto your dreams, Cheddar Ch-ildren, whatever you decide you'd like to drink on August 23. Watch Now |
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2. If You Can Make It There, You Can Make It Anywhere |
He adored New York City. He idolized it all out of proportion.
Uh, no. Make that "He romanticized it all out of proportion."
If the intro monologue to Manhattan just isn't cutting it for you these days, then check out our new NYC Innovates series, and start spreading the news!
New York is still a place where entrepreneurs come to shape the future, ever since they built the Empire State Building here in a year and 45 days (even if it doesn't quite exist in black and white and pulsate to the great tunes of George Gershwin).
That's why Cheddar producer Chris Castellino has been Chris-crossing the five boroughs, meeting with New York pioneers shaping the future of technology, health, the environment, and the arts. His new NYC Innovates series offers 25 minutes of interviews with a variety of startups, from electric car power-ers to an AI massage company.
"Join us as we explore cutting edge innovations and the passionate minds behind them, all set against the most vibrant backdrop in the world," Chris says. Before definitely not adding: "Behind his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat." Read More |
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| This could be yours. 🤖👀
Unitree's latest humanoid robot, the G1, is preparing for mass production with a price tag of $16,000.
Standing at over 4 feet tall and weighing more than 77 pounds, the G1 has the ability to jump, walk at speeds over 4.4 mph, and climb stairs covered in debris.
Although it won't be ready to tackle household chores right away, the G1 is intended for research and has the potential to become one of the first affordable and functional humanoid robots suitable for home use. |
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3. Free 'Til Saturday: Dr Pepper & Krispy Kreme Doughnut Delivery |
Krispy Kreme has partnered with Dr Pepper to launch a new collection of doughnuts celebrating the start of the football season — because nothing says playing elite level sport like eating elite levels of sugar and saturated fats.
The collection features three types of doughnuts: the Dr Pepper Kickoff Doughnut (which is an original glazed doughnut with Dr Pepper-flavored frosting and a white chocolate Dr Pepper logo), the Buttercreme Goals Doughnut (which is certainly one of my goals, today), and the Kreme Filled Football Doughnut. The company is also offering free delivery from today through Saturday on orders placed through their app and website to mark the occasion. So, what are you waiting for?
Hut. Hut! Read More |
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You Need 2 Know About This Box!
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Meet the Sunset Box, a quarterly subscription service sending home, wellness, and travel goodies straight to your doorstep, curated by editors at mag Sunset, the Western-lifestyle magazine that just so happens to be a sister company of ours. Since you clearly have good taste (you're an N2K subscriber, after all), we think you'll love this box. Use code CHEDDAR15 for 15% off your subscription. |
Note: Sadly does not contain any cheese. |
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4. Want to Leave The Country? Here's What You Need2Know |
I love those scenes in Homeland when Claire Danes's character, Carrie, has a go-bag full of spare passports and is ready to run for the hills. It turns out more Americans are thinking of doing a Danes these days and leaving the country. We spoke with Expatsi founders Jen Barnett and Brett Andrews, who saw an 800% surge in web traffic after the July presidential debate.
"The biggest reason people are moving abroad is for adventure and growth and just finding new opportunities," Jen said. "Secondly, politics comes in when people say the U.S. is too divided, so that is a secondary factor to just seeking out new opportunities in the world."
It took them eight years to move to Merida in Mexico from Alabama, having decided to make the move in 2016. I'm sure nothing of major significance happened back then that could have triggered their desire to go, so I'll just move right along without delving too deeply.
"Merida is about the same size as Birmingham," Jen said. "It has a lot of the same traits. It has a Costco, so that makes it easy to adjust and adapt. Plus, the people are warm and welcoming and friendly. And we've already made friends and settled in."
Most Americans who are thinking about leaving the country have no idea where to start, and that's what led the couple to start Expatsi. Mexico, Portugal, and Spain are the most popular destinations for Americans, with France also proving a big hit.
"People are generally looking for places with a better cost of living, which also are a higher quality of life," Jen said.
Foreign countries work differently from the U.S., and Jen said that's the biggest thing people need to realize about leaving. Real estate, construction, and bureaucracy are very different depending on the country, and people often need to ask for help.
"Don't expect to transplant little America wherever you go," Brett said.
If you're curious to find a good fit for you, Expatsi also has a survey for people to take where they can find ideal destinations.
"Generally, people are saying they wish they had done this years ago," Brett said. "People are really appreciating the new quality of life, appreciating finding new communities that they can integrate into, and they're really enjoying the expatriate experience." Read More |
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5. 'Call Her Daddy': Alex Cooper Inks $125M SiriusXM Podcast Deal |
Alex Cooper, the host of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, has signed a multiyear deal with SiriusXM valued between $100 million and $125 million, marking the end of her pact with Spotify, signed for $60 million in 2021. That deal made her Spotify's highest-paid female podcaster and the second-highest overall after Joe Rogan.
Born in 1994, Cooper started the podcast in 2018 with her roommate Sofia Franklyn after moving to New York a year earlier to work in ad sales. Barstool Sports bought the idea within a month. She's been recognized for redefining the podcasting landscape, especially in attracting a young female audience.
The move is part of SiriusXM's broader strategy to enhance its podcast offerings, having previously acquired several other notable podcasts and networks including Conan O'Brien's. Big congratulations to Alex Cooper, too. She moved to New York the same year that I did, and she's doing almost as well as I am financially. Read More |
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| So, What Do You Think of Cheddar?
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We want to hear from you! From shows to site to this very newsletter, we'd love some feedback. |
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