The Daily Valet. - 10/10/19, Thursday

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October 10, 2019

Thursday, October 10th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I want every announced streaming service. But that’s crazy, right?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today's edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Lights Out Across Northern Cali

Would you go without power to help prevent a wildfire?

In an unprecedented move, California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, began shutting off power to about 800,000 customers across Northern California yesterday. It's an attempt to avoid wildfires caused by winds damaging power equipment. Some people could be without electricity for more than a week.

Utility malfunctions have been tied to some of the state’s most destructive fires, including last year’s Camp fire (which devastated Paradise, CA and resulted in 85 deaths) and the 2017 wine country blazes, according to the Los Angeles Times.“It is a very blunt way of approaching the situation, but at the same time, there’s an understanding of why it’s being undertaken,” said Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt, who noted that PG&E’s announcement came on the second anniversary of the 2017 firestorm.

As the New York Times noted, it's a strange juxtaposition for the state that brought us the iPhone and countless other technological advancements. "Residents fumbled for flashlights, hauled jerrycans of gasoline and read instructions on how to manually open their automatic garage doors. In the fifth-largest economy in the world, hundreds of thousands of people were forced off the grid."

As anyone who's had their computer or phone die while traveling without a charger knows, the loss of electricity hits hard. Residents aren't sure when exactly their power will be restored, and announcements about delays led the PG&E site to crash.

One thing is for sure: You'd be much less worried about this if you had some solar panels up on the roof, right? As long as climate change-related blackouts become more common in California, more people are turning to solar power and battery storage. Could this be the push people needed to start adopting alternative energy at home?

↦ survival Tips: This guide really puts it in perspective and illustrates how this affects everything from cell towers to gas stations.

Three Things: What’s Happening in Syria

Turkey’s attack pits two American allies against one another.

The Turkish military began an offensive in neighboring Syria to push US-backed Kurdish forces away from its border, days after President Trump agreed to move American forces out of the way. Here are three things you should know.

The president says he's fulfilling his campaign promise. A promise to bring American troops home. “I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars—especially those that don’t benefit the United States,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

President Trump is pretty much alone on this one. Military experts and some of the president's staunchest allies on Capitol Hill have blasted Trump for ordering the troop withdrawal. Even Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s most loyal defenders, condemned the administration for having “shamelessly abandoned” Kurdish allies.

ISIS actually stands to gain from this. Counterterrorism analysts warn that the terrorist organization will likely strengthen in light of the decision to pull America's support of Kurdish forces (the SDF) who were a key US ally in the war against terrorisim. The SDF says they will suspend their anti-ISIS operations to deal with Turkey's offensive.

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How to Try Disney+ for Free

Sign-up early and get a weeklong preview

Disney+ is set to launch on November 12. And with Apple TV+ launching a week earlier, we've all got some serious decisions to make in terms of our personal streaming landscape. But if you haven't heard, there's a decent amount of content migrating to Disney+. Fans of Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and classic Disney films and TV shows will have to look at their streaming service budgets and consider checking this one out. At least for a week.

That's because you get one free week as a trial. And even if you don't plan on subscribing (at $6.99 a month), you can use those few days to binge on a few old favorites and new originals like "The World According to Jeff Goldblum." All you have to do is sign up. Just remember to cancel before the week's up if you don't plan on sticking with it. Of course, you can also opt for the $12.99 a month bundle that includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN.

Rob Gronkowski’s Got a New Gig

The retired NFL player will make his debut on Fox during tonight’s game

When he played for the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski always demanded a viewer’s attention. He’ll try to do more of the same in a different arena, as an NFL analyst on Fox. His first appearance will be tonight, during the pregame segment for the Patriots' home game against the New York Giants, joining Terry Bradshaw, Michael Strahan and Tony Gonzalez.

Of course, Gronk is known more for his hard-partying, fun-loving bro-ish behavior than his eloquence when it comes to public speaking. Even former teammate Tom Brady had some fun with the announcement. "Hard-hitting analysis," Brady said with a smile, before offering some encouragement. He'll be good. He's been pretty good at everything he's done."

↦ Watch Gronk's Debut: The game will air on Fox at 8:20 pm EDT.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The benefits of working out with a group

You can Airbnb the Goodyear Blimp?

The best monster movies of all time

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If Your AirPods Are Dying, Say This

The key to getting your dead AirPods replaced for less

I love my AirPods. I’ve had them for nearly two years and no problems to report. But from what I hear, this is when I might expect to see my battery stop holding charges as well.

If the batteries in your AirPods have about run their course, there’s another option besides tossing them in the trash and buying a new pair. If you take them to an Apple Store there’s no viable option for a battery replacement, but there is a keyword to get new AirPods at a discounted price.

According to Geoffrey Fowler of the Washington Post, Apple’s Geniuses aren’t all on the same page about the options for customers. It turns out that Apple's service and repair document notes that there is a “battery service” for $49 per AirPod. “The key phrase to say is battery service,” says Fowler, because there’s no way to test the batteries. A $98 replacement fee isn’t cheap, but it is less expensive than replacing them outright.

↦ By the Numbers: Apple sold approximately 35 million sets of AirPods in 2018.

Nike and Sacai Revive the Humble Blazer

The classic sneaker is definitely having a moment

The underappreciated Nike Blazer is having a big year. First, there was a recent revamp by designer Virgil Abloh, and then there was a fresh update in the main line. Today, in collaboration with Japanese high fashion label Sacai, the Blazer gets merged with another iconic Nike shoe, the Dunk, fusing the two together for a modern looking hybrid. The double-themed design features two tongues, shoelaces and swooshes with a co-branded label on the heel tab. After the first collaboration sold out instantly, these will no doubt go fast also.

↦ Get It: $140 at Nike (available today at 10 am EDT)