The Daily Valet. - 10/1/20, Thursday
✔️ Our Cars Keep Getting Bigger
Thursday, October 1st Edition
I like vintage cars, but I appreciate ample leg room.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Our Cars Keep Getting Bigger
Automakers have been expanding the size of cars over the past few years
Do you ever check out a beautiful old car on the road and then get struck by how small it seems? You're not alone. Today's automobiles are bigger than the cars driven by previous generations.
Did you know that the Mini Cooper is a full three feet longer than it was when it first came out? Cars are swelling every year. And it's not just compact cars, according to WheelHouse, every type of car is getting buff. But why?
One of the biggest reasons for the bloat they found was actually safety. The addition of airbags, safety cells and crumple zones require extra space and the car's frames had to stretch to accommodate them all.
There's also all the tech that's crammed into every inch of a new car today. Cameras, sensors, not to mention the housings and wiring force doors to get a touch wider and dashes to get deeper.
And as Automotive News points out, making cars bigger also allows automakers to deal with lower fuel economy and emissions targets. For manufacturers, that means adding just a few inches to a vehicle's wheelbase during a redesign can result in a lower mpg target—sometimes 1 to 2 mpg lower—than if the vehicle had stayed the same size.
According to Autocar, the fattening of such sports cars as the Porsche 911 is particularly saddening if you like driving. Because the car is now far less wieldy and agile than most of its predecessors because there’s less on-road margin for error. And it also makes you wonder ... will parking spaces have to eventually get bigger?
↦ Big Plans: Car and Driver has a sneak peek of the most promising cars, trucks, and SUVs of the next few years.
Amazon Wants You to Pay With Your Palm
But there's a lot of doubt around this new tech
This week, Amazon unveiled a new biometric technology called Amazon One that allows shoppers to pay at stores by placing their palm over a scanning device when they walk in the door or when they check out, reports Recode.
And the hand-scanning tech isn’t just for Amazon’s own stores—the company said they hope to sell it to other retailers, including competitors, too.
While you’re not actually supposed to press your palm down on the device itself, Tech Crunch argues that the learning curve of paying with a palm print will no doubt lead to a lot of touching. And that's bad during pandemic.
What's more, Fight For the Future, a nonprofit digital rights group, cautioned Mashable that participating in programs like Amazon One opens people up to possible privacy violations down the road.
A Hard, Expensive Pill to Swallow
Democrats blast Celgene, Teva for price hikes detailed in internal documents
On Wednesday, California Rep. Katie Porter began trending on Twitter after she grilled a pharmaceutical CEO on his salary and the increasing price for cancer drug Revlimid, reports Yahoo! News.
The newly-elected Porter presented her argument during a House Oversight Committee hearing that centered on an investigation into pharmaceutical price gouging. The hearing included testimony from a number of pharma executives, including Mark Alles—the former Celgene CEO who, frankly, didn't stand a chance against Porter's whiteboard.
Porter, a former consumer protection attorney who according to Stat, has made a name for herself by embarrassing CEOs with prosecutorial questions, used that white board to display Celgene’s repeated price hikes for Revlimid. The drug now costs $763 per dose, up from $215 in 2005.
She then reminded Alles that his $2.1 million was a bonus for hitting earning targets—not research and development—was the primary motive to increase in prices. "The drug didn't get any better, the cancer patients didn't get any better, you just got better at making money," Porter concluded.
↦ FYI: California could start its own line of generic drugs to bring down prescription prices.
Timex Reissues an ’80s Digital Classic
Archival style with plenty of features
I've been thinking about getting one of the new Apple Watches after giving up on my first generation model a few years ago.
But now, the latest archival release from Timex has me rethinking it.
The company dug into the vault to bring back what might be considered the classiest digital timepiece of all time. The Q Timex Reissue Digital LCA, liquid crystal analog, recreates the original right down to the unique dual display face.
The case has been slightly streamlined and now comes in both a gold tone and silver finish. Features include an alarm, chronograph and count-down timer functions. Plus, a single LED bulb that stays true to the watch's original pre-INDIGLO illumination.
↦ Get It: The Q Timex Reissue Digital LCA, $149 at Timex
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Immune System Holds Clues to COVID-19
Two new studies link some severe infections to genetics and an autoimmune reaction
One of COVID-19's scariest mysteries is why some people are mildly ill or have no symptoms and others rapidly die. But according to ABC News, scientists are starting to unravel why.
An international team of researchers found that in some people with severe COVID-19, the body goes rogue and attacks one of its own key immune defenses instead of fighting the coronavirus. Most were men, helping to explain why the virus is hitting men harder than women.
The Scientific American reports that lab experiments showed that when human cells were exposed to plasma (the liquid part of blood) taken from patients with these self-attacking antibodies, the cells could not defend themselves against the coronavirus.
All these findings definitely call for additional research and a deeper understanding of the myriad ways some people can be more susceptible to this disease than others.
↦ FYI: The findings also raise a red flag for plasma donations from recovered patients.
Weekend Shopping Plans
From chore coats to rugged jewelry, our picks from the can’t-miss sales going on this weekend.
Up to 50% off select items
Terrace tote$54.99 / $38.49
Up to 60% off new fall additions
Anchor to anchor bracelet$65 / $45.50
Up to 40% off fall staples
Chore jacket$39.90 / $29.90
Ongoing Sale
Expires 10/5
Expires 10/31
↦ Want More? See all 55 sales
Special Promotion
Knock Out Nagging Pain
Whether it’s working out or working from home, some activities can leave you feeling a little beat-up. Stress headaches, stiffness, inflammation and muscle soreness are a pain—literally. Luckily, we’ve been keeping any and all persistent pain away by popping ASYSTEM’s Radical Relief pills. The first product to combine the turmeric extract Turmacin with CBD from American-grown, full-spectrum hemp, the clinically-baked supplements are proven to reduce inflammation and pain, while improving overall joint mobility. Basically, it keeps you running smoothly and prevents pain from even creeping up. What’s not to like?
↦ Learn More about ASYSTEM's Radical Relief Natural Anti-Inflammatory pills
As an added bonus, during the brand’s One Year Anniversary event, you can score 20% off a one-time purchase (w/code OTS20) or 40% off subscriptions (w/code OTS40). Ends on October 1st.
Morning Motto
Be cool.
↦ Follow: @selfcare4yu
That’s all for today...
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