The Daily Valet. - 10/26/21, Tuesday

✔️ Smartphone Pinkie

October 26, 2021

Tuesday, October 26th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Are you reading this on your phone? Look at your pinkie.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Smartphone Pinkie

Could this common hand position really injure you?

Look, I know I’m not the boss of you ... but when you’re using your phone, you might want to stop using your pinkie as a little base to prop it on.

Of course, for most smartphones, this position is the natural one our hands morph into for stability, which lets our thumbs do all the necessary scrolling. But now there’s a lot of chatter online about whether or not this could lead to serious damage.

So just how dangerous is holding your gadget like this? The concern is that this position can cause ulnar nerve compression if sustained for long periods of time. The ulnar nerve is one of three main nerves in your arm—it runs from inside the elbow and along your inner forearm into your palm, pinkie side, and transmits electrical signals to muscles in both the forearm and hand.

A 2017 study found a link between the extended use of smartphones and a greater likelihood of experiencing another painful wrist and hand disorder. But while there are some low stakes consequences tied to overuse of mobile devices, a noted expert debunked the “smartphone pinkie” theory.

Slate spoke with Josh Gluck, a hand surgeon, who said that holding your phone “with your pinkie really has nothing to do with your ulnar nerve.” And while wrist pain can be a side effect of too much phone use, it’s not related to the position of the pinkie.

Of course, your little finger ledge could develop a callous or dent. If your pinkie starts to actively hurt, that could be a sign of mild tendonitis, says Gluck, in which case the complicated and harrowing treatment is to stick a PopSocket on your phone. Or, you know, just set it down for a while.

↦ FYI: The first commercially available handheld cellular phone was the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x. It hit the market in 1983 and weighed in at 2 pounds.

A Billionaire Tax?

Democrats are racing to finish writing a new tax on billionaires’ unrealized capital gains

Democrats are considering a new tax on billionaires to help pay for President Biden's social services and climate change plan.

Details of the plan remain sparse as of Monday, and negotiations over the overall spending package are fluid. But the idea from the Senate Finance Committee chairman, Ron Wyden, is essentially to apply a more stringent version of capital gains taxes on the billionaire class.

The White House had to rethink its tax strategy after Biden admitted during a CNN town hall meeting last week that he simply doesn't have the votes to raise corporate taxes—a pillar of his original plan that is still widely popular in public polls.

Many Democrats say the current tax system is inequitable. The income tax doesn't apply to appreciated assets until they are sold. And when people die, that unrealized gain isn't touched by the income tax, though the estate tax may apply. As a result, Democrats say, rich people can see their wealth grow dramatically—and borrow against their assets to finance their lifestyles—while paying relatively little in taxes.

↦ Dig Deeper: How would the new tax work? The Wall Street Journal explains that the government would expand the definition of “income” to include increases in asset value for those at the very top of the U.S. wealth distribution.

Partner

This is likely the most common sexual dysfunction in men. But this just might help.

Thanksgiving Will Cost You This Year

Nearly every ingredient is more expensive, for a host of reasons

Speaking of money, you'll likely spend more of it this Thanksgiving. Experts say it'll be the most expensive meal in the history of the holiday.

Nearly every component of the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner, from the disposable aluminum turkey roasting pan to the coffee and pie, will cost more this year, reports the New York Times.

Major food companies like Nestlé and Procter & Gamble have already warned consumers to brace for more price increases throughout the season.

On the upside, while the turkeys will be more expensive, they'll also mostly be bigger, too. The birds are eating more because production has been slowed and there are trucking delays, so they're staying on farms longer.

↦ FYI: Inflation is at play, too. Last month, the Consumer Price Index for food was up 5% from a year ago.

We’ve Made Climate Progress

But, unfortunately, not enough

Despite a lack of traffic and travel during the pandemic, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere hit their highest levels ever in 2020, according to the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization.

The head of the organization says the world is “way off track” in terms of reducing carbon emissions, and hopes the data can trigger action at next week's COP26 climate change conference in Scotland.

You might remember that in 2014, before the Paris climate agreement, the world was on track to heat up nearly 4° Celsius (7.2° Fahrenheit) by the end of the century—an outcome widely seen as catastrophic. The negotiators at the summit must deliver action to keep alive the goal of ending greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and avoiding the worst climate impacts.

However, the New York Times found that given current policies, the world is on pace to be about 3°C over pre-Industrial temperatures by 2100.

In Other News

↦ Check Your Kids’ Halloween Candy, It May Have This Terrifying Meme Inside

↦ How Old Jewish Men Became the Viral Sensation of 2021

↦ EVs Are the Future, but Are They Really All That Eco-Friendly?

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The original iPod prototype

Socks

Wood-fired hot tubs

Partner

The Solution to a Common Problem

Last longer in bed with Promescent’s discreet delay wipes

Premature ejaculation is likely the most common sexual dysfunction in men. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it affects nearly 40% of men (though some doctors believe those estimates to be low). And while there are a myriad of causes—from physical sensitivity and chemical imbalances to more psychological factors—the most effective and immediate treatments are to delay climax. That's just where modern wellness brand Promescent comes in.

Their best-selling Delay Spray is recommended by more than 2,000 healthcare professionals because it's so effective and reliable. Now, they offer convenient Delay Wipes that utilize all of the same technology but in a simple-to-apply wipe. Individually wrapped, they're as convenient as they are discreet. Which means you can stash them in a bag or pocket and apply it quickly without spoiling any of the fun.

Especially if you're not ready to pay your doctor a visit just yet, these wipes can keep you from shooting early. And the science is on your side. Studies have confirmed the efficacy of benzocaine, which is absorbed into nerve cells just below the skin to temporarily slow down a man's trigger response. Of course, a benefit of the wipes over a spray is that you can apply it only where you need it (so you won't feel overly desensitized). Which means you can stop worrying and focus on the fun stuff.

↦ Get It: $19.95 / $16.95 (with Valet. discount) by Promescent

The Best Men’s Corduroy Styles

Patchwork corduroy anorak, $198 by J.Crew

There are two kinds of people when it comes to corduroy: Those who love it or those who fear it. Corduroy has a distinctive texture and dates all the way back to England in the 18th century. If you're on the fence, we are here to help you embrace this functional and stylish textile. And there's no better time to embrace the wale.