Remedy, as we all know, is a Belgian cheese made from cow's milk. The presence of bacteria in the cheese gives it a very strong smell, earning it the nickname of "stinking cheese." Meanwhile, "Poison" is a 1995 song by the British techno band The Prodigy, featuring the lyric above. The music video turns into a mud bath with lead singer Keith Flint mudwrestling with other band members. So, it's a lot like this newsletter.
Welcome to the week after Thanksgiving. Today is Cyber Monday. Perhaps by Thursday you'll have tuned back in, a bit, to what you're doing. And then it'll be Friday again! And then it's basically Christmas. Probably best to just phone it in this week/year, right? Here are the cheddlines!
1. Espresso Martinis are Fun And Delicious, Says Coffee Liqueur Magnate
Diageo bought Mr. Black, a coffee liqueur, from Australian founders Tom Baker and Philip Moore, in 2002. "They wanted to create a product that when you had a coffee cocktail, it actually tasted like coffee," said Olivia Kupfer, global and U.S. business director with the brand.
"We buy and use a specialty grade of coffee, and that's the highest quality coffee you can buy in the market. And it imparts all of the flavor into the product. We source our blend from Colombia and Ethiopia," she said. "So we have this beautiful flavor combination of richer chocolate-y notes, but then from Ethiopia, a fruity, floral flavor that really comes together and is absolutely delicious. It tastes like a real cup of coffee. But in addition to that, we cold-brew it, meaning we use cold water, and it really gives you a ton of that flavor without having the bitterness behind it."
The coffee liqueur category is enormous, almost $300 million in the U.S. "Within that, though, Mr. Black has delivered almost 30% of that growth. As we expand, the business today is twice as big as it was last year," Olivia said. "And last year's business was twice as big as the year prior. So, we're growing at really an accelerating rate."
"What I love about Mr. Black is that it elevates an espresso martini, but it really does complement sort of any classic cocktail," she said. "Espresso martinis are so popular, I think because they're social and they're fun and they're delicious. You know, they have this beautiful theater of the liquid, you know, this beautiful color and this rich crema."Read More
 
2. It's Almost Time for Spotify Wrapped. When Can You Expect Your 2024 Recap?
As the calendar inches closer to the end of the year, the excitement for Spotify Wrapped 2024 is palpable, tangible, squeezable. Can you feel it? If you tell me "no," I'm going to say you're lying.
Spotify has been giving its listeners breakdowns of their data, which it probably owns, since 2016. And each year, it's become a bigger production — and an Internet sensation. In past years, it's been released after Thanksgiving, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 6.
I also really like the AI bot, How Bad Is Your Spotify?. It looks at your Spotify and then says hilarious things like: "oh boy Music for Chameleons by Gary Numan" and "You've been listening to a lot of Kate Bush lately. u okay?"
It qualifies my Spotify as "Boomer-relaxation-bad." But also, I am only "6% basic." My editor, meanwhile, is 17% basic. I'll take it.Read More
 
From @cheddar
Thanksgiving has more home cooking fires than any other day, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The good news is, they make for amazing videos...
3. Fed Signals Caution on Rate Cuts Amid Stubborn Inflation
Despite pressure to lower interest rates to bolster economic growth, minutes from the Fed's November meeting show the bank trying to balance stabilizing the economy without spurring further inflation. In other words, after two 0.25% rate cuts, they're split on whether to do it again in December—and Wall Street analysts see even odds on both outcomes. Cue speculating on the Fed's possible rate cuts again. Remember when we did that over the summer and eventually they were just priced into the market? Do you even remember the summer at all?
With inflation rates persistently hovering above desired-by-the-Fed levels, the Federal Reserve officials at the meeting expressed "concerns" about slashing interest rates too hastily. Their cautious approach signals a potential shift from rapid rate adjustments to a more measured strategy. The stance of gradualism introduces a layer of uncertainty about future monetary policy just as the eyes of the market are on the upcoming December meeting.
Inflation's subtleties further complicate the picture. Despite a significant decrease from a peak of 7% in mid-2022 to 2.1% this September, core inflation—which excludes the volatile prices of food and energy—paints a different picture. Core prices have climbed to 2.7% year-over-year as of September and are projected to rise slightly in subsequent reports.Read More
 
4. Electric Cars Need Recharge as Range Limits, Cost Leave Some Skeptical
Electric vehicles are great if you like greener, more sustainable, mostly more affordable transportation solutions worldwide. But that sounds like something a loser would support. So.
As sales surge in regions like China, the adoption of EVs in the United States and Europe is facing (ha ha ha) significant speed bumps. Key concerns such as vehicle range, the cost of electric cars, and the availability of charging stations contribute to a growing skepticism among potential buyers, highlighting the complexities in the global transition towards electrification.
China stands out as an exception. With substantial government subsidies and mandates, electric and plug-in hybrid cars accounted for over 50% of vehicle sales in July, showcasing the potential of policy-driven market transformation.
Beijing tech worker Shang Wenting said her family hardly uses their gasoline-powered car anymore except for on long trips, preferring a sapphire Tesla Model Y they bought for about $37,000. During a weekly trip to a charging station 10 minutes from her home, Shang said the Tesla is cheaper to drive and she loves its "smart features," like an energy recovery system that means she can press on the accelerator less.
"It feels like switching from an old phone to a smart phone," she said.
However, the situation in the West presents a stark contrast. In the U.S. and Europe, the path to widespread EV adoption is riddled with obstacles, including the specter of an incoming U.S president who has expressed ambivalence towards government support for electric vehicles. Although Donald Trump got $200 million from Tesla CEO Elon Musk for his winning presidential campaign, so, who knows? It's possible that solid-state batteries may transform the market in a couple of years, but again: Who knows?Read More
 
5. American Consumers Are Optimistic Because They Think the New President Will Get Them a New Job
Consumer confidence in the United States showed a modest improvement in November, primarily driven by the anticipation of lower inflation and an improved job market.
I played golf on Sunday with a Trump voter — he has a "Keep America Great" driver cover — who told me, "You just wait until the prices all drop in January." I told him, "I think you might find there's some disagreement about the likelihood of that," but then he told me "that woman was just terrible," and I changed the subject because I think (but wasn't sure) he was talking about Kamala Harris, and I didn't want to get into it.
According to the Conference Board, a business research group, the consumer confidence index rose to 111.7 from 109.6 in October, marking a steady increase after a considerable gain the previous month, when no one knew who was going to be president. Now that they do, this uptick in confidence seems particularly noteworthy.
Post-election periods often bring a change in economic sentiment as policies and leadership styles promise to reshape the economic landscape. Interestingly (to us), while the Conference Board doesn't specify responses by political party, other sources like the University of Michigan have noted a significant jump in optimism among Republicans regarding the economy's direction.
On a not-so-positive note, the impending new tariffs announced by president-elect Trump could, let's say, complicate the economic outlook. The proposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10% on imports from China, are expected to be inflationary. Critics and some economists warn that such duties, if enacted, could offset any current consumer optimism by significantly raising consumer prices. Awkward much?Read More
 
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