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Good morning. Fifty years ago today, the world got a little smaller when the Magic Kingdom first opened at Disney World in Florida. We’re going to dive deeper into the anniversary in the Sunday Edition, but here are three interesting stats to tide you over: Admission in 1971 was $3.50 for adults and $1 for children. It's $109 now. The FAA has designated Disney World a “no-fly zone,” a level of security typically afforded to places like the White House and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Disney’s bus fleet is the third largest fleet of any Florida transportation system. Now, be our guest, put our newsletter service to the test. —Neal Freyman, Max Knoblauch

MARKETS Nasdaq 14,448.58 -0.44% S&P 4,307.54 -1.19% Dow 33,843.92 -1.59% 10-Year 1.482% -0.6 bps Bitcoin $43,741.98 +1.72% BBBY $17.28 -22.18% *Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 10:00pm ET. Here's what these numbers mean. Markets: The S&P closed out a bumpy September in the red, its first monthly loss since 2020 (still, it was positive for the third quarter, which ended yesterday). Bed Bath & Beyond, a meme stock fave, plummeted more than 22% yesterday due to declining store traffic and, what else, supply chain snags. Housing: US mortgage rates topped 3% for the first time since early July, tracking rising bond yields. Higher borrowing costs could potentially slow homebuyers’ roll.

GOVERNMENT Congress Is in the Tightest Pennant Race of All Francis Scialabba On Wednesday night, Republicans edged the Democrats 13–12 in a nail-biter of a Congressional Baseball Game. Nail-biting was the theme of the week on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers grappled over a slew of bills that will define President Biden’s economic agenda. Here’s where things stand, going from easiest to resolve to messiest. Government shutdown: It was avoided with hours to spare. Biden signed a stopgap spending bill that extends government spending through Dec. 3, when Congress will have to figure out another short- or long-term solution. This bill also includes billions of dollars for Afghan refugee resettlement and aid for communities hit by recent hurricanes. Debt ceiling: Congress has until Oct. 18 to suspend or raise the debt ceiling before the US begins defaulting on its loans, an outcome that would likely be catastrophic for the economy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is planning a vote on the debt ceiling as soon as next week. For her part, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen never wants to hear the word “debt ceiling” again—yesterday she told lawmakers the US should abolish the concept of a borrowing limit. Or maybe she could just mint the coin? Infrastructure: The House delayed a planned vote on the $1 trillion infrastructure bill late last night. It has bipartisan support, but Democratic leaders first want total agreement on the... $3.5 trillion spending bill. It's stuck in the mud as Democrats have struggled to round up support for their package that would pour unprecedented sums into health care, education, and climate. Republicans oppose the plan due to the cost, but the bigger issue is winning over some centrist Democrats, who are also holding out. Sen. Joe Manchin said yesterday his top-line cost for the plan would be $1.5 trillion, less than half of the original price tag. Without the entire party rallying behind it, the package can’t pass the Senate, where the Dems have the slimmest of majorities.

SPACE Blue Origin Accused of Running a Sexist Ship MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images 21 current and former employees of Jeff Bezos’s space company, Blue Origin, published an open letter on Thursday describing it as a “toxic” workplace “rife with sexism.” Spearheaded by Blue Origin’s former head of employee communications, Alexandra Abrams, the letter alleges that the company is dismissive of safety concerns, creates a sexist environment for female employees, and stifles professional dissent. The signatories allege that an executive who was repeatedly reported for sexual harassment was given a position on a hiring committee for an HR role. They also wrote that another former male executive would inquire about female employees’ dating lives, referring to them as “baby doll” or “baby girl.” The behavior was so well known, the letter claims, that some women at the company would warn new female hires to stay away from the executive (who, according to the letter, had a close personal relationship with Jeff Bezos). In response to the allegations, Blue Origin’s VP of communications stated that Abrams was “dismissed for cause” in 2019, and that “Blue Origin has no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind.” An FAA spokesperson said that the agency will review the concerns raised in the letter. —MK

REAL ESTATE What's Once a Month and Too Damn High? Pandemic discount, we hardly knew ye—rental prices in the US are skyrocketing. The median national rent for a one-bedroom apartment is up 10.7% from March 2020, while two-bedrooms are up 13%, according to the Zumper National Rent Report. Double digit increases are…not common. For context, 2020 rents increased 1% from the previous year, and 2019 rents were stagnant compared to 2018. It’s a “shocking level of growth, especially considering the vast majority of it has come in the last nine months,” wrote Jeff Andrews, the author of the report. Why the surge? To put it simply, demand is back. Gen Z renters are moving out of their childhood homes after a long pandemic, remote-working millennials are picking apartments in more affordable cities, and baby boomers are offloading their homes in a seller’s market, opting for rentals instead. Pour one out for renters in... Phoenix, where the one-bedroom median rent increased 24.8% between January and September. New York City, where some rents have increased 70% since the dog days of the pandemic. —MK

SPONSORED BY BEAM Ever Wondered What Success Looks Like? Honestly, it looks a lot like the daily schedule of wellness brand Beam’s co-founder, Matt Lombardi. He gave us an exclusive look at how he spends his day—and how he uses Beam to stay energized, focused, and well-rested.  We learned that being a startup founder is more than just picking out eye-catching logos and deciding whether it will be Taco Tuesday or Taco Thursday. Lombardi structures his day with intention, asks tough questions of his team, and gives himself the space to focus. Plus, he was an NHL player, which is certainly an asset to someone who is running a team of high-achievers.  Bottom line: Starting a start up is just the beginning. Take a look at our latest interactive article with Beam to see what it really takes to run and GROW one right here.

GRAB BAG Key Performance Indicators Stat: Teens—they just aren’t vaping like they used to. 11% of high schoolers and less than 3% of middle schoolers said they used e-cigs or vapes recently, a ~40% drop from last year...which itself was a big drop from 2019. Experts say school closures contributed to lower vaping rates, since it’s such a social activity. Quote: "Will you commit to ending Finsta?” This was a perplexing question Sen. Richard Blumenthal asked Facebook’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, during a Congressional hearing about the company’s impact on teens’ mental health. Finsta is short for “Fake Instagram,” a second account some users make; it’s not a FB product. Read: New research shows insider trading is everywhere. (Bloomberg Businessweek)

QUIZ Quiz Like Jagger The feeling of getting a 5/5 on the Brew’s Weekly News Quiz has been compared to having Simon Cowell press the golden buzzer after your flawless performance of “Ave Maria” on America's Got Talent. It’s that satisfying. Ace the quiz.

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING Scarlett Johansson and Disney settled a closely watched lawsuit over the actress’s pay for Black Widow. Zoom's bid to buy contact center software company Five9 for $14.7 billion was rejected by Five9 shareholders. Just 15 of the 54 African countries have fully vaccinated at least 10% of their populations, according to the WHO. Fanatics Trading Cards, the collectibles unit of the retailer Fanatics, is now valued at $10.4 billion after a new fundraising round. Mark your calendars and gird your digestive system: The McRib is returning to McDonald’s on Nov. 1

BREW'S BETS Sugar is sweet, a reset is sweeter. Join Sakara this month in committing to a 30-day sugar reset with their Metabolism Super Powder. It helps control cravings and eliminate bloat while you hit refresh on your sugar intake—get 20% off with code OCTOBERBREW here.* Slide into this DM diary. Get a sneak peek into the mind of ManyChat—the Instagram automation helping businesses and influencers up their Instagram game. Check out their diary entries here.* Friday scroll: Photos that reveal the unseen side of things part 1 and part 2. The best condiment: One writer tried 30 different mustards this summer then ranked them. *This is sponsored advertising content

GAMES Friday Puzzle Get out a scrap piece of paper for this one: With one stroke of a pencil you can change a capital F into E, an O into a Q, and so on. Write the phrase "LEAD PENCIL" in capital letters. Add a stroke to one letter and rearrange the result to name a classic movie. What is it?

SHARE THE BREW We think you should share the Brew. Not only is it a smart thing to do for your friends, it’s also the smartest way to get showered in free Brew swag and exclusive content. Your referral count: 0 Click to Share Or copy & paste your referral link to others: morningbrew.com/daily/r/?kid=a17a7110

ANSWER Change the P to an R, rearrange to get CINDERELLA. Source

 

Photo: Fox News

Fox News yesterday unveiled a renovated Washington bureau — including new newsroom, updated studios and radio studio dedicated to the late Tony Snow — ahead of the network's 25th anniversary next Thursday.

Axios AM

By Mike Allen ·Oct 01, 2021

Happy Friday, and welcome to October. Smart Brevity™ count: 1,105 words ... 4½ minutes. Edited by Zachary Basu. Next on "Axios on HBO" (Sunday at 6 p.m. ET/PT on all HBO platforms): Afghanistan’s first female ambassador, Adela Raz, tells Jonathan Swan — in her first TV interview since the fall of Kabul — that she "didn’t want to be the last." See a clip.

1 big thing: Cracking the Sinema code

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema rides in a 2019 Ironman race in Arizona. Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's allies have free advice for anyone trying to bully the wine-drinking triathlete into supporting President Biden's $3.5 trillion budget bill: She's prepared to walk away, Axios' Hans Nichols reports. Why it matters: The Arizona Democrat — unlike fellow holdout Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) — rarely telegraphs her precise intentions, leaving political adversaries guessing about her ultimate goals. Sinema (sounds like "cinema") has suggested her top priority is passing the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal she helped broker this spring over late-night, wine-fueled negotiations. Beyond that, you're piecing together clues. Biden and his top aides met her four times in one day this week without totally cracking the code. Between the lines: Progressives could be forgiven for presuming that Sinema, 45 — the first openly bisexual member of Congress, with trademark sleeveless dresses, wry wigs and acrylic glasses — would share their woke politics. They've been befuddled, and increasingly enraged, when she behaves more like the late Republican Sen. John McCain, the original Arizona maverick. Sinema is something of a fiscal conservative, leading progressives to whisper about a primary challenge in 2024. She's known to rise between 4 and 5 a.m. to train for her next race. She was forced to take up aqua jogging after breaking her foot this summer in the "Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon." Zoom out: Manchin is focused on spending, setting his limit at $1.5 trillion. Sinema has signaled she's more concerned with the tax side. She’s reluctant to support Biden's proposed increases in the corporate and capital-gains tax rates. The catch: A trained social worker who relied on Pell grants in college, Sinema believes in the power of government to help lift people from poverty. Climate change is a priority — putting her on a potential collision course with Manchin. What we're watching: While Sinema mostly avoids the Sunday talk shows and hallway interviews, she engaged with congressional leaders and the White House all summer, updating secret spreadsheets she keeps on the true cost of programs. The bottom line: Manchin is looking for a way to get to "yes" on a spending bill, as long as he can stomach the price tag. Sinema has always been slightly more skeptical — and has indicated she's comfortable voting no. Share this story.

2. "You know white smoke and the Pope?"

Reporters sit in the hallway outside a Capitol meeting yesterday among Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and White House officials. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images At 10:45 p.m., Speaker Pelosi delayed a vote on a $1.2 trillion roads-and-bridges bill as congressional leaders and aides to President Biden brokered disputes among Democrats that could vastly curtail his agenda. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who stayed into the night to help with negotiations, told reporters: "It is an absurd way to do business — to be negotiating a multitrillion-dollar bill a few minutes before a major vote, with virtually nobody knowing what's going on." White House aides holding talks in Capitol hideaways into the night included Susan Rice and Brian Deese. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), a leading House moderate, met with Pelosi around 11 p.m., Axios' Alayna Treene and Sarah Mucha report. Earlier, he had said: "Vote is happening today. We’re moving forward." Rep. Ann Kuster (D-N.H.), a member of the New Democrat Coalition, told Axios: "You know that thing with the white smoke and the Pope? It's like, that's what people are waiting for."

3. These two quotes explain the impasse

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the House Progressive Caucus, talks to reporters at the Capitol yesterday. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images House Democrats are playing a game of chicken: Progressives are insisting on voting first on President Biden's big social-spending package, before passing the more popular roads-and-bridges part of his agenda. They know they lose their leverage once "hard infrastructure" passes. Listen to two key progressives, and you'll see the holdup: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the House Progressive Caucus, told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell on Tuesday night: "We are now in the 'verify' stage. This isn't about trust. This is about verify." "And the only way to verify is to pass the reconciliation bill first ... and then we will happily come back and vote for the infrastructure bill." Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), a member of AOC's "Squad," said on CNN yesterday after Sen. Joe Manchin declared publicly that he favors a $1.5 trillion tab on the big bill — less than half of the proposed $3.5 trillion: "The compromise was the $3.5 trillion ... It is unconscionable that he can stand puffed up and ... say: 'I'll toss you some crumbs right now, and then hopefully you can say you ate.'"

A message from Google

Google is committing $10 billion to advance cybersecurity

Widespread cyber attacks continue to threaten the private information of people, organizations, and governments around the world. That’s why Google is investing $10 billion to expand zero-trust programs, help secure the software supply chain, and enhance open-source security. Learn more.

4. New in cities: Drone bases

Matternet Station, where delivery drones take off and land, in Lugano, Switzerland. Photo: Matternet

City landscapes could soon be dotted with automated drone landing pads like one that debuted yesterday in Switzerland, Joann Muller reports in Axios What's Next. Why it matters: Urban drone operations would radically change on-demand and last-mile deliveries by making transporting packages faster, cheaper and more sustainable. The futuristic pods would enable automated package deliveries with minimal human involvement. Matternet — based in Mountain View, Calif. — deployed its first fully automated, 10-foot-tall, tulip-shaped drone station at a hospital in Lugano, Switzerland. How it works: A hospital worker loads a patient's blood sample into a box with a QR code on the side. The employee walks outside to the drone station, scans a badge, and a tray emerges from an automated door. The employee puts the blood sample on the tray. Inside, a robot scans the box and loads it onto the drone — along with a fresh battery, if needed. Landing at the lab, another station opens its petals. The aircraft descends into the flower. A lab worker then scans a barcode to retrieve the samples. Share this story.

5. Trending: Never come back

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Accounting and consulting giant PwC will allow all 40,000 of its U.S. client services employees to work virtually — and live anywhere they want in perpetuity, Reuters scoops. Why it matters: The policy of permanent remote work "is a departure from the accounting industry's rigid attitudes, known for encouraging people to put in late nights at the office."

6. Parting shots

Photo: Fox News The ribbon was cut by Fox Corp. chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and Fox News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace.

A message from Google

Training 100,000 Americans on topics such as data privacy and security

Robust cybersecurity depends on having the people to implement it. Google is pledging to train 100,000 Americans in fields like IT Support and Data Analytics through the Google Career Certificate program, where they’ll learn in-demand skills including data privacy and security. Learn more.

 

October 01

FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Jimmy Carter president of United States READ MORE FEATURED EVENT 1949 People's Republic of China established READ MORE

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MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY

2017: From his hotel room in Las Vegas, 64-year-old gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on a music festival, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds before taking his own life; it surpassed the Orlando shooting (2016) as the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

2013: American novelist Tom Clancy, who created the techno-thriller—a suspenseful novel that relies on extensive knowledge of military technology and espionage—died at age 66. [Test your knowledge of famous authors.]

1994: The Republic of Palau officially became a sovereign state. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about islands of the world.]

1982: Congress established the U.S. Claims Court (now the U.S. Court of Federal Claims) to handle cases in which the United States is a defendant. [Take our quiz about U.S. facts.]

1975: In what is regarded by many as the greatest prizefight of all time (the “Thrilla in Manila”), Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier after the latter's corner called a halt to the bout after 14 brutal rounds. [How much do you know about boxing?]

1971: The Walt Disney World Resort—a complex near Orlando, Florida, that features attractions based on the stories and characters created by the Disney Company—opened. [Test your knowledge of Disney.]

SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY

ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY

1924 Jimmy Carter president of United States

1935 Julie Andrews British actress and singer

1930 Richard Harris Irish actor

1928 Sivaji Ganesan Indian actor

1966 George Weah president of Liberia

1207 Henry III king of England [1207–1272]

SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY

Columnists Milley Should Be Arrested for Leaking to Woodward Larry O'Connor A Journalist Runs for Office, Trump to Blame of Course Brad Slager The Memphis Grizzlies Go Full-blown Fascist, Tell Fans to Show Their Papers Todd Starnes The Media Roots For Routing Republicans Tim Graham Who Is Killing 10,000 Black Americans Every Year? Pat Buchanan Biden Policies Need Better Arguments Than 'Orange Man Bad' Michael Barone The Democrats' Reconciliation Bill Is Unprecedented in Every Way David Harsanyi Insurrection Insanity Joe Connor Biden and Boris: The Bad News Bears Duggan Flanakin		Tipsheet Feinstein Introduces Bill With Covid Requirements For Domestic Flights Leah Barkoukis Want to Guess How Many Venezuelans Live in Extreme Poverty Thanks to Socialism? Matt Vespa Defeat: 'Master Negotiator' Pelosi Fails to Secure Dem Support for Infrastructure Vote as Promised Thursday Spencer Brown New Poll Shows Sharp Political Divisions Over Biden’s Vaccine Mandates Madeline Leesman Ted Cruz Says He ‘Stands’ with NBA Players Over COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Madeline Leesman GOP Reps Demand Answers on Jailed Marine Who Called for Accountability Over Afghanistan Madeline Leesman Women Want One Thing...And It's Not Going to Make Liberals Happy Matt Vespa
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Did You Hear About the Latest Moral Outrage from California? Michael Brown Between Afghanistan and Immigration, Have We Ever Had a Less Competent President? Neil Patel Reconciliation Will Happen, Just Not Now Erick Erickson ‘The Shot Heard Round the World’, Again…. D.W. Wilber Shouldering the Burden – The National Guard in 20 Years of War Kent Johnson Kamala’s Hillary Moment Jonathan Feldstein		'Prosecutorial Discretion': Mayorkas Memo Promises Leniency for Illegal Immigrants Spencer Brown Critical Race Theory Is an Attack on America Arizona Rep. Walt Blackman GOP Congresswoman Delivers Testimony on How Her Mother Chose Life Madeline Leesman Border Patrol Agent's Wife’s Reaction to Biden’s Vaccine Mandate: Biden Doesn't Put Americans First Madeline Leesman Political Cartoons Bearing Arms Teen Charged With Murder Got Probation For Stolen Gun In School | Cam Edwards ABC News Sounds Alarm On Non-Issue Of Guns At Sports | Tom Knighton New California Law Shows Why Gun Registration Must Be Opposed | Cam Edwards Note To Dems: Be Careful With Filibuster | Tom Knighton AZ Democrats Turn On Sinema, But Mark Kelly's Still In Their Good Graces | Cam Edwards
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