Insider Today: America's billionaire hub
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Happy Saturday! Gen Z is redefining yet another term, and this time, it's "lavender marriage." A phrase once reserved for the LGBTQ+ community is now being used to describe young people who are sick of being broke and living alone.
On the agenda:
- Step inside Jackson Hole, Wyoming, America's billionaire hub.
- Taylor Swift is entering her book-publishing era.
- Uber's new $18 airport shuttle in New York City is a game changer.
- The hottest new longevity treatment? A plasma exchange.
But first: Siri, play "Greased Lightnin'."
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This week's dispatch
On the road
VCG/VCG via Getty Images
Imagine this: You're sitting in traffic, unsure of who or what is holding you up. So you deploy your car's drone to see what's on the road ahead. If this sounds like a scene from a futuristic James Bond-style movie, think again.
Business Insider's Tom Carter, a London-based business reporter, got a chance to see Chinese automaker BYD's latest fleet of technologically advanced cars at the Paris Motor Show earlier this week.
The seven cars they showed off included the Yangwang U8, a hybrid luxury SUV that comes with a drone and, according to the company, can turn around like a tank and float on water.
It's only available in China right now, but made its European debut at the show even as the European Union is set to impose harsh tariffs on electric vehicles from China.
European manufacturers are trying to claw back some of the market share of electric vehicles from their Chinese competitors. Aside from tariffs, another way to do that is through partnerships.
That's what Stellantis — the parent company of Jeep, Ram, and Fiat — did when it teamed up with Leapmotor to sell EVs outside of China. "For us, the best way to compete immediately with the Chinese was to hop on their train, rather than letting it run us over," Carlos Tavares, who spoke at a nearby automotive summit, said Tuesday.
Inside a billionaire enclave
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Nestled at the base of the Teton Range, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, comprises one of the wealthiest counties in the country. With mountain views and lower taxes, the area has lured in millennial DINKs and A-listers alike.
It's also the most economically unequal place in the US: According to the Economic Policy Institute, the top 1% of residents in the metro area earn 132 times the income of the bottom 99% of residents. BI's Joey Hadden visited Jackson Hole to see what makes it so coveted.
Also read:
- Behind the scenes of Kemo Sabe, where celebrities pay up to $900 for custom cowboy hats
- I spent 2 hours in a Jackson Hole vacation home that costs over $10 million. Check out the ultra-luxury details.
The Book of Taylor
Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI
Taylor Swift is publishing "The Eras Tour Book" and releasing it exclusively through Target. She shook off traditional publishers and distributors in favor of self-publishing.
In doing so, Swift ensured she'll get a larger share of the revenue earned from sales. It's a tried-and-true strategy that capitalizes on her fans' loyalty — and their wallets.
How Taylor Swift could disrupt publishing.
A new way to the airport
Konrad Krajewski/Shutterstock; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI
New York City just got another transit option. On October 8, Uber launched an $18 shuttle between three Manhattan locations and LaGuardia airport. That could help ease the high costs or complicated subway transfers that previously came with getting to LGA.
Not everyone's happy with the move, though. Some people accused the ridesharing app of rebranding traditional bus service for a markup. But plenty of others — including BI's Priyanka Rajput, who took it for a spin — are thrilled to have a cheaper alternative.
There's a new longevity treatment in town
ozina/Getty Images
Plasma exchange therapy is the latest wellness trend among CEOs, aging athletes, and longevity seekers. Typically used for patients with chronic conditions, the procedure involves replacing plasma with another fluid to remove toxins.
Former NFL star Troy Aikman, who has received the treatment, likened it to "a human oil change" — but there's limited evidence that it can actually boost longevity or benefit otherwise healthy people.
What we're watching this weekend
Apple TV+
- "Woman of the Hour": Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with this Netflix thriller based on the true story of a woman who crossed paths with a serial killer on "The Dating Game."
- "Shrinking": The acclaimed Apple TV+ series starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford returned for its second season this week.
- "Anatomy of Lies": Peacock has a new documentary about Elisabeth Finch, the "Grey's Anatomy" writer who faked cancer.
iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI
Deals we love
- Cheap skincare can still be good: Especially when it comes to these affordable skincare brands. We're here to help you moisturize, exfoliate, and glow — without breaking the bank.
- Testing viral TikTok cleaning tools: Those satisfying spinning scrub brush videos got to us, too. We've got the low-down on the best electric spin scrubbers for tackling any mess, from caked-on grease to stained grout.
- Is Patagonia worth it?: The short answer is "yes." The outdoor gear brand has so many iconic styles it's hard to keep track, so we rounded up our favorites, including jackets, bags, pants, and more.
More of this week's top reads:
- RTO mandates are on the rise. Here's what to wear to work this fall.
- How Hilary Swank spends her 5 to 9 — from meditating to eating every hour and a half.
- A family of six visited Disney and Universal. The latter was better in some huge ways.
- House-sitting lets this couple travel the world without housing costs.
- How a "micro-retirement" reversed one woman's burnout.
- A man who started doing CrossFit in his 80s now does 100 push-ups a day.
- What people with wildly different incomes discuss in therapy.
- Retired sisters share what it's like to live on cruise ships full-time.
- Victoria Secret could be the next brand Gen Z brings back from the dead.
- Hotel companies are getting into the luxury cruise game.
- Bartenders share the drinks you should order more often.
The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago.