The Daily Valet. - 10/14/22, Friday

✔️ We All Saw This Coming

October 14, 2022

Friday, October 14th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

We made it to Friday. Let’s try to have some fun this weekend.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

A Nationwide Adderall Shortage

The FDA officially announced it more than two months after pharmacies reported difficulties filling prescriptions

Food and Drug Administration officials have confirmed what pharmacists have known for months: There’s not enough Adderall to go around. The agency declared an official shortage of the stimulant this week—and recommended that patients taking Adderall talk to their doctors to find alternative treatments.

While the agency is focusing on Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, which makes the bulk of the U.S. stimulant supply, other generic makers aren’t manufacturing enough of the drug either. “There is not sufficient supply to continue to meet U.S. market demand,” the FDA said in their announcement.

Teva spokesperson Kelley Dougherty told NBC News Thursday that the company expects “inventory recovery in the coming months,” adding that Teva is forecasting “intermittent delays through end of year.” (A labor shortage at the company was blamed for putting the medication on backorder in August.)

Adderall, which contains the stimulant amphetamine, is a controlled substance and highly regulated, so it’s difficult for pharmacies to quickly pivot and carry new brands, analysts said. Further muddying the picture is the recent popularity of telehealth services. A crop of telehealth start-up companies flourished during the pandemic, with some prescribing Adderall and other drugs to patients in unknown quantities.

A recent survey by the National Community Pharmacists Association found that 64% of independent pharmacies were having difficulty obtaining Adderall. One psychiatrist told the New York Times that his office has been adjusting and reissuing prescriptions, trying to help patients find the medication or a workable alternative.

The irony of a medication used to treat people with ADHD, experiencing a shortage that has led to multiple administrative steps being required to obtain the drug is not lost on those who need it. “It’s so frustrating that getting my meds requires me to be organized, focused and motivated—all the things I’m on these meds to help with,” Irene Kelly, who has been using Adderall for 14 years, told BuzzFeed News.

↦ FYI: Total Adderall prescriptions rose by about 16%, to 41.2 million last year from 35.5 million in 2019, according to IQVIA, a data analytics company.

Jan. 6 Panel Votes to Subpoena Trump

Here’s what else happened

The House Select Committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, held its ninth—and possible final—hearing on its investigation on Thursday. But they're not done yet. Sure enough, the committee did vote to subpoena Trump to testify. The vote was unanimous: 9-0.

But we'll have to see how the subpoena plays out. Rep. Bennie Thompson told Axios it will be issued “as soon as we get the paperwork,” but wouldn't say what the deadline would be for Trump to respond. He also said the panel would question Trump on the evidence laid out in the hearing. “He could say it was true, or he could say it's not true. But he'll have to do it under oath.”

In the roughly three months since the last committee hearing, the panel has obtained more than 1 million records from the Secret Service. On Thursday, we found out that the agency received warnings before January 6, about the prospect of violence, as well as real-time reports of weapons in the crowd ahead of Trump's speech at the Ellipse.

Then there was the new testimonies by Trump administration staffers. Cassidy Hutchinson, the former top aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, relayed anecdotes of Trump acknowledging he had lost the election. And Rep. Zoe Lofgren said Brad Parscale, Trump's former campaign manager, told the panel he understood that Trump planned as early as July to insist he won the November election, no matter the results.

↦ Meanwhile: Supreme Court has rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to intervene in Mar-a-Lago documents fight.

License Plates Begin Going Digital

They have cool features, but it’ll cost you

Digital license plates have become legal for all cars in California, after a trial with a select number of drivers that lasted almost four years, reports the Los Angeles Times.

There are now three states where the digital tags are available for purchase: California, Arizona and Michigan. And the states are not the ones selling them. There’s currently just one company, Reviver, authorized to offer the digital plates. They come in two models, battery-powered or hard-wired. And the battery-powered option comes with a five-year or 50,000-mile battery life.

Why would anyone want a digital license plate? Gizmodo says that users can change the messaging at the bottom of their plates through a phone app, and even give safety notices and alerts, such as marking the car as stolen. Of course, the biggest reason is most likely aesthetics. Perhaps you like the monochromatic look for your ride. Now you can match the plate to your car's color.

Aside from the app's personalization and safety notice features, there's also automatic registration and renewal features with the DMV, location services and trip monitoring features. Seems handy, but that convenience comes at a cost. You can only subscribe to the plate as of today, and it will cost you $19.95/month for 48 months. If you'd rather do one lump sum, a four-year subscription costs $215.40 per year.

A Weekend Pairing

‘The Watcher’ + Mellowcreme Pumpkins

Spooky season is here and if you want something beyond an hour-and-a-half film, consider Ryan Murphy’s latest for Netflix. Based on the bonkers and harrowing true story, The Watcher miniseries is as star-studded as it is spine-tingling. Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale play a couple whose heavily leveraged purchase of a dream home in a New Jersey hamlet is swiftly complicated by the unsettling presence of evil. The neighbors take an instant dislike to them—making each of them suspects as the writer of eerie poison-pen letters from an unnamed “watcher,” trying to scare the family into moving away.

The seven-part series dropped yesterday and reviewers seem to like it. Variety called it “a nightmare optimized for the age of Zillow.” The neighborly suspects range from Richard Kind and Margo Martindale to Mia Farrow and Jennifer Coolidge, but don’t expect any easy answers—in real life, the case still hasn’t been solved. Oh, and apparently, viewers are reporting that they’re a little scared to be home alone after watching—which is a pretty good review for a thriller, right?

↦ Your Pairing:By now, I think it’s fair to start buying Halloween candy. And for this series, I’m going to be munching on some controversial mellowcreme pumpkins. You either love them (like me) or you hate them (and are wrong). Basically candy corn in the shape of a wee pumpkin, they’re sweet and toothsome and made from real honey, sesame oil and Yellow #6.

In Other News

↦ Explaining the NFL’s Latest Concussion Controversy and Policy Change

↦ Don’t Freak Out About That Tape on Your Plane’s Wing

↦ Trying to Sell Your Peloton Bike? Good Luck.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

“Raspberry blush”

Joining this society (for the tote)

This patchwork cardigan

Make a Meal That Will Impress

It’s not as tricky as it seems

“There are two sure-fire ways to impress someone these days,” says chef Sam Talbot. “One is a handwritten note and the other is a good home-cooked meal.” He'd know. The Top Chef alum, who's got two cookbooks under his belt, entertains at home a lot.

And he promises that while a meal can make a lasting impression, it doesn't have to be overly complicated. So whether you're hosting friends, entertaining a client or setting up a romantic dinner date, we asked Talbot for a game plan.

His first suggestion? Hit up the farmers market or a grocer that's selling quality, fresh and local ingredients. Speak to the people there—they're experts on what's in season and what goes well together. “Plus, it'll give you something to talk about at the table when you're eating,” he says. “You know, coming in with some local produce and talking about how they were just picked today.”

The key, he says, is to stay calm, go with the flow and don't get too hung up on your plan. Keep it simple and get cooking.

↦ Read: How to cook an impressive meal for guests.

What We’re Buying

A chic quarter-zip sweatshirt that looks good for a date night dinner or for early morning errand runs. Pair this with your favorite 501s or heavyweight fleece sweatpants.

↦ Get It: $200 / $105 by Beams Plus