Steve Bannon is out; Housing crisis fuels extreme commutes

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BREAKING: Chief strategist Steve Bannon has left his position at the White House, according to reports, amid growing displeasure in the West Wing with his tactics and behavior. This is a developing story. Please check here for updates. ? #BannonOut

One reason extreme commuting is on the rise? House prices. Extreme commuting — when your journey to work takes at least 90 minutes one way — is a growing trend, especially as technology makes it easier to work from home. But it’s not just about wanting to live in the suburbs: Steep housing costs have made it a necessity for some workers, particularly in places like California’s Bay Area. “As home prices have escalated beyond middle-class reach, areas far inland have become an oasis of (relative) affordability,” explains The New York Times, although prices in those areas are also ticking up. The number of long and extreme commuters in the US rose between 2010 and 2015, with an additional 2.3 million people commuting at least 60 minutes. ? Share your thoughts: #ExtremeCommuting

President Trump ended plans for a Council of Infrastructure a day after he disbanded two other advisory councils, as CEOs dropped out in reaction to his response to Charlottesville, Va. protests. The infrastructure advisory council had not yet been fully formed, but it would have aided Trump in figuring out how best to spend as much as $1 trillion on upgrading public works. An infrastructure bill, which the administration hopes to pass by Thanksgiving, has so far taken a backseat to health care and tax reform. ? Share your thoughts: #TrumpCouncil

Walmart’s grocery sales grew to their highest level in five years, thanks in large part to the retailer’s growing e-commerce platform. Walmart “has been spending billions and sacrificing a ton of profit” to develop its grocery business, especially to incorporate new technologies, as competition in the $800 billion US grocery industry heats up. Not only must Walmart brace itself for Amazon’s pending Whole Foods acquisition, the retail giant also faces threats from the likes of Aldi and Target, both of which are beefing up online delivery capabilities. ? Share your thoughts: #WalmartGrocery

EpiPen maker Mylan will pay $465 million to settle a Justice Department lawsuit in which the drugmaker was accused of overcharging the government for its emergency allergy treatment. Mylan was embroiled in another controversy last year for raising the price of an EpiPen from $100 to $600, sparking consumer outrage and putting it in the center of a debate about the high cost of prescription drugs in the US. ? Share your thoughts: #MylanSettlement

In a needed win for scandal-plagued Uber, a federal court ruled that customers can’t sue the ride-sharing company if they agreed to its terms of service — even if they didn't read or understand the agreement. The ruling reverses a 2016 lower court decision in favor of a plaintiff who sued then-CEO Travis Kalanick over price-fixing. The reversal gives tech companies an upper hand in stopping class-action lawsuits, and also “strikes at a fact of everyday life” for users, who need to accept terms of service before using a site or app. ? Share your thoughts: #UberTOS

Idea of the Day: “To lead an organization in our increasingly complex and uncertain world, you must develop an ability to handle ambiguity,” says customer experience expert Colin Shaw. Whether that uncertainty comes from external or internal issues affecting your business, leaders need to be adaptable, confident, and decisive.

“You will not always be right, but one of your jobs as a leader is to make decisions and carry them out. Don’t dither or become paralyzed by choices – act decisively, and treat your mistakes as a learning experience.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories: #BannonOut | #ExtremeCommuting | #TrumpCouncil | #WalmartGrocery | #MylanSettlement | #UberTOS

From earlier: #AT&TTimeWarnerMerger

— Lorraine K. Lee & Katie Carroll / Share this using #DailyRundown