The Daily Valet. - 10/22/20, Thursday
✔️ Here Comes Trouble
Thursday, October 22nd Edition
Do you have it in you to watch the debate tonight?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Here Comes the Election Meddling
U.S. Intel says Iran and Russia are seeking to influence the election outcome
The U.S. government on Wednesday publicly accused Russia and Iran of separately interfering in the 2020 election, using information they each obtained on American voters, reports the Washington Post.
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said the U.S. intelligence community believes Iranian operatives threatened Democratic voters in four states by sending emails that claimed to be from the Proud Boys, the Trump-supporting far-right group.
Moscow, authorities said, obtained voter information just as they had during the 2016 election. Authorities did not detail what Russia has allegedly done to influence Americans’ votes.
After making the sudden announcement from Justice Department headquarters, Ratcliffe and FBI director, Christopher Wray, exited without taking a single question from reporters. The intelligence official said that the news conference was arranged quickly because of early voting and the fact that millions of people are already voting “so it is important for them to remain vigilant.”
However, officials also stressed that the integrity of the election was intact. There was no indication that any election result tallies were changed or that information about who is registered to vote was altered, either of which could affect the outcome of voting that has already begun across the country.
Wray urged Americans to be skeptical of information that undercuts faith in the electoral system. “You should be confident that your vote counts. Early, unverified claims to the contrary should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism,” Wray said Wednesday.
↦ Meanwhile: Americans currently living abroad are voting in record numbers compared to previous elections.
Is 5G a Battery Drain?
The answer, it currently yes, but maybe not for long
After years of hype and a bumpy first year of launches, carrier 5G networks are here and, most importantly, 5G-compatible phones like the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5.
For anyone fortunate enough to get a 5G signal—particularly the super-fast version that Verizon touts—the speeds can be mind-blowing. But, according to CNET, the price you pay on battery life is equally jaw-dropping because 5G is a power hog.
A new report by Tom's Guide reveals the extent of battery life reductions when using 5G on the new iPhone 12. The new phone lasted 10 hours and 23 minutes on 4G, but only eight hours and 25 minutes on 5G—that's roughly a 20% decrease. The Pixel 5, apparently, didn't quite take the same battery hit.
Of course, we're still in early days of 5G. Carriers continue to expand 5G coverage into more cities, and new devices compatible with multiple networks are coming out, with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all recently announcing nationwide coverage.
↦ Dig Deeper: Is 5G available where you are? WIRED can help you find out.
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Democrats to Boycott Senate Vote on Barrett
The 22-member Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote today
Senate Democrats say they plan to boycott today's scheduled vote on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, reports NPR.
The vote is expected to unfold as it did for previous judicial nominees in the President Donald Trump era. Democrats alone don't have the votes to stop Republicans from advancing Barrett's nomination to the floor, or the final confirmation vote slated for Monday.
The maneuver would ensure that Barrett could be sworn in before the November 3 election and that she could participate in election questions that are already pending before the Supreme Court.
Monday's vote is unlikely to go without some drama, reports USA Today, as Democrats have promised to use every tool at their disposal to disrupt Barrett's confirmation. Democrats fear Barrett's confirmation to the court, which would then hold a 6-3 conservative majority, would have major implications for the nation's health care and abortion and voting rights.
↦ FYI: 51% of voters support Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation, higher than the support for President Trump's two previous nominees, according to a new Gallup poll.
Quibi Is Shutting Down
Shortform video service had the shortest run of all
Quibi—the shortform mobile-focused streaming service—is shutting down after just over six months of operation, reports The Verge.
That makes it one of the shortest-lived streaming services to date. Vulture rightly asks, did 2020 kill Quibi or did the service do itself in? After all, without the pandemic keeping everyone housebound, would Quibi have taken off?
But there's also the fact that shortform video content has a nearly infinite amount of free competition in the form of YouTube, TikTok and other platforms.
Quibi had an ungodly amount of investor money behind it. It was a subscription service that launched with an amply generous free trial window, and there was lots of press covering the company. But in the end, they decided to cut their losses and return some cash to the shareholders ... all before I even gave it a try.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Slide Into Fitness Gains
I tried a new slide board and really liked it
One of the things I miss most about actually going to the gym is trying new things. It's how I learn. I've got no shame about interrupting you between sets to ask about the exercise you were just doing. I'll watch someone on a new piece of equipment and then follow their lead. But during the pandemic, I've lost out on this vital education.
Thankfully, there's Instagram. That's where I'm now picking up some new moves to try and where I noticed a lot of trainers, celebrities and all-around fit dudes sliding.
The slide board is an underrated piece of equipment that's been around for decades but is enjoying a resurgence because of their ability to harness all of the core-building and body-toning power of instability.
I tried out the Brrrn Board and, honestly, was pretty much instantly hooked. Even though the first few workouts made me extremely sore—but in that good way that proves it's doing your body some good.
↦ Read: Our review of the board and why it's a worthy investment, especially at this time.
Weekend Shopping Plans
From T-shirt upgrades to layering essentials, our picks from the can’t-miss sales going on this weekend.
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Morning Motto
Making mistakes is part of the process.
↦ Follow: @danielarsham
That’s all for today...
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