The Daily Valet. - 10/20/25, Monday
Cory Ohlendorf
October 20, 2025
Monday, October 20th Edition |
 | By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. EditorDo you have any interest in getting in a flying car? |
Presented by
Presented by
Today’s Big Story
Flying Cars Are a Reality
Testing the Pivotal BlackFly, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle made for consumers
The era of personal flying vehicles isn’t coming—it’s already here. Isn’t this the future we’ve long been promised? Yes, we’ve finally lived long enough to witness privately owned, solo-piloted aircraft, free to operate in unrestricted airspace, much as cars can take to the open road.
Is it a good thing? A dangerous beginning? Well, that remains to be seen. However, what makes these aircraft disruptively similar to an automobile is not its range (about 20 minutes) or its top speed (55 knots, per FAA rules), but its accessibility. The vehicle can be mastered by almost anyone with just a few days’ training—roughly comparable to the requirements for a driver’s license.
The one that everyone seems to be talking about is the Pivotal BlackFly, an ultralight eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle) that’s the first to reach the consumer market. The Wall Street Journal’s Dan Neil tested it, took it to the skies and reports on how it could spawn a whole new generation of aviators.
“To take off, simply hold the toggle switch forward. The props turn slowly in unison—calibrating, calibrating—then spool furiously, a squadron of lawn mowers on deck. The machine vaults into the air, nose-first, throwing you on your back, looking at the sky. It will just hang like that until you push the joystick forward,” he writes. “In other words, it’s easy.”
But are these flying vehicles smart enough to fly without a pilot? Most eVTOL startups in the news—like Joby Aviation—are developing autonomously controlled air taxis, with or without backup pilots on board. Analysts studying advanced air mobility (AAM) see autonomous ride-sharing machines facing huge public resistance. The no-pilot idea really rattles people. Which, of course, is understandable.
Meanwhile: | Two flying cars recently collided at an airshow rehearsal in China. |
Gaza’s Fragile Ceasefire Is Tested
Israel says aid deliveries will restart Monday
Israel's government said Sunday it struck “dozens of Hamas terror targets” across Gaza in response to earlier attacks against its troops by Hamas militants in southern Gaza, a sudden escalation of violence that threatened to derail a fragile ceasefire that's been in effect for less than a week. NPR reports that Hamas said it was not involved in any attacks and was committed to the ceasefire.
After 21:00 local time, the IDF said it “had begun renewed enforcement of the ceasefire,” adding that it would uphold the agreement and “respond firmly to any violation of it.” Speaking to reporters as he arrived in Washington DC on Sunday, President Donald Trump said the ceasefire was still in place. He added that Hamas had been “rambunctious and they’ve been doing some shooting,” but that it might be “some rebels within” the armed group.
A senior Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire negotiations said “round-the-clock” contacts were underway to de-escalate the situation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to reporters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the military to take “strong action” against any ceasefire violations but didn’t threaten to return to war.
‘No Kings’ Protests Marched Across the U.S.
Some takeaways from Saturday's nationwide protests
One of the biggest days of protest against the Trump administration's policies happened on Saturday in cities around the U.S. The overriding theme of the marches was the accusation that President Donald Trump is behaving more like a monarch than an elected official. By most accounts, the turnout—Chicago, New York, Washington and Los Angeles, as well as hundreds of smaller towns—was higher than expected and surpassed the first “No Kings” rally in June.
Of course, most American presidents steeped in constitutional lore would be deeply offended by claims of acting like a king. Trump is not most presidents. He and his entourage responded with mockery, embracing the narrative. The president and Vice President JD Vance this weekend both posted AI memes to social media depicting Trump in a crown. The one Trump shared was a mocked-up vision of the president flying a fighter jet emblazoned with “KING TRUMP” appearing to dump raw sewage on protesters. In Vance’s troll on Bluesky, a site popular with liberals, prominent Democrats knelt as supplicants in a royal court before Trump, the divine and absolute ruler.
However, the crowds of protesters showed up to oppose a wide range of issues, including the administration's immigration tactics and its push for federal and military intervention in Democratic-led states as a way to tackle crime. The diversity of concerns was strung together by the broader messaging of democracy, constitutional rights and the freedom the U.S. was founded on. Oddly, House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Saturday's protests as a “hate America rally,” and other Republicans have derided the event as anti-American. And despite the many criticisms that anti-Trump protesters came to preach, there were displays of optimism, hope and whimsy in several cities.
A Film-Worthy Heist at the Louvre
Thieves steal ‘priceless’ jewelry from the museum in seven-minute raid
It took only a few minutes for thieves to execute a brazen daylight heist at the famed Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday morning, coming away with jewels of “inestimable value” that had once belonged to Napoleon and his empresses.
The Louvre, which is the world's most visited museum with 8.7 million visitors in 2024 alone, was closed for the day as police investigated how the robbers were able to carry out the most high-profile theft in modern French history … in just seven minutes. The thieves forced open a window using an angle grinder, and then systematically smashed two high-security display cases. Eight of the nine items taken remain unaccounted for, including a tiara and necklace worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, the French culture ministry told CNN.
French daily newspaper Le Parisien reported that four thieves, masked and hooded, entered the Museum via the Seine-facing facade at around 9:30 am. Following the swift robbery, the thieves reportedly escaped on two Yamaha ‘TMax’ scooters—which have a powerful 560cc engine—and headed in the direction of a nearby highway. Investigators are now studying the escape route used by the robbers in their attempt to find them.
FYI: | Staffing has been a persistent issue at the Louvre in recent months, with staff strikes closing the museum for hours this summer after they raised concerns about overcrowding. |
|
Partner
Unlock the Social Media Tactics That Work Right Now
Is your social strategy ready for what's next in 2025?
HubSpot Media's latest Social Playbook reveals what's actually working for over 1,000 global marketing leaders across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.
Inside this comprehensive report, you’ll discover:
Which platforms are delivering the highest ROI in 2025
Content formats driving the most engagement across industries
How AI is transforming social content creation and analytics
Tactical recommendations you can implement immediately
Unlock the playbook—free when you subscribe to the Masters in Marketing newsletter.
Get cutting-edge insights, twice a week, from the marketing leaders shaping the future.
| |||||||||
