The Daily Valet. - 10/27/20, Tuesday

✔️ There's No Fighting the Inevitable

Tuesday, October 27th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Get through today and your payoff will be Game Six of the World Series (and a few beers).

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today's edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Barrett Confirmed to the Supreme Court

The new justice cements a conservative majority. But what does that mean?

To no one’s surprise, the Senate confirmed Amy Coney Barrett as the 115th justice to the Supreme Court Monday evening, elevating just the fifth woman to the court and one who further cements its conservative shift. According to the Washington Post, it’s a legacy that will last even if Republicans lose power in next week’s elections.

The vote was 52 to 48 for Barrett, and was the first time in 151 years that a justice was confirmed without a single vote from the minority party—a sign of how bitter Washington’s decades-old war over judicial nominations has become.

“The American people will never forget this blatant act of bad faith. They will never forget your complete disregard for their voices, for the people standing in line right now voting their choice, not your choice,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said shortly before the vote.

In an outdoor ceremony at the White House an hour later, Justice Clarence Thomas administered the constitutional oath to Barrett, with Trump and several Republican senators looking on. In contrast to the nomination event last month at the White House, more people wore masks and seats were spread out to ensure social distancing, reports Reuters.

In brief remarks, Barrett declared her independence from Trump and the political process even as the president stood behind her. “The oath that I have solemnly taken tonight means at its core I will do the job without fear or favor and do it independently of the political branches and of my own preferences,” she said.

Democrats vowed Monday night there would be reprisals at the ballot box and through their own party’s efforts to remake the court, reports the New York Times. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York immediately called on Democrats to expand the court if they win the presidency and take control of the Senate, an idea that Joe Biden has so far refused to co-sign. He did say, after speaking with constitutional scholars, that he might be open to shifting Supreme Court justices to lower courts if elected.

↦ FYI: Just before the Senate vote, the court issued an order curbing the deadline for mail-in ballots to be received in the electoral battleground of Wisconsin (a 5-3 vote with the conservative justices in the majority).

Is Mike Pence Putting Others at Risk?

Experts believe he is, by campaigning after coronavirus exposure

Vice President Mike Pence, despite flouting public health guidelines by still campaigning after being exposed to people testing positive with coronavirus, is now taking some precautions on the road.

According to CNN, at least five aides, including his bodyman and chief of staff, tested positive, but Pence insists on maintaining an aggressive campaign schedule in the final week of the race. The White House justified Pence’s continued campaigning, referring to him as “an essential worker.”

The late night hosts had fun with that one. Monday night, Stephen Colbert said, “At best, he is vice essential. He’s America’s spare tire. You want him in the trunk, but you hope to never have to use him.”

Asked whether Pence was putting others at risk by campaigning, former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb said that “the short answer is yes.” Pence should receive frequent tests, maintain physical distance from others and wear a medical-grade N95 mask at all times. Not fly around the country risking a spread of the disease.

Special Promotion

Feeling a little ragged lately? Maybe it’s time to optimize your sleep so you wake up refreshed.

It’s Time to Fall Back

But the time change will be trickier this year

It's a real good news/bad news situation: this weekend, you'll get an extra hour of sleep. But that also drags out an already challenging year and means it will soon get dark around 5:30 p.m.

As most of America prepares for the November 1st return of standard time, 63% want one fixed, year-round time, a new survey finds. “Evidence of the negative impacts of seasonal time changes continue to accumulate, and there is real momentum behind the push to end seasonal time changes,” Dr. Kannan Ramar, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine told Newsmax.

What's more, the effects could be more intense than usual, reports the Wall Street Journal. For some people, the switch can upend a hard-won rhythm of working from home, focusing and staying emotionally balanced—but the shift can also make for a powerful tool for getting through the dark days of winter if handled correctly, scientists say.

Their suggestion? More natural light in the morning. The lights that we have in our house are much dimmer than anything you experience, even on a cloudy day, outside. But we need those rays to boost our mood. So make sure those windows are unobstructed first thing in the morning to let in the light.

↦ Officially: Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday at 2 a.m.

KFC’s Yule Log Is Back

Which is either brilliant or disgusting as ever

Kentucky Fried Chicken has been pretty clever with their merch over the past few years. But this has to be one of the wildest brand extensions in history.

You can now get a crackling fire going that will smell finger licking' good. Yes, the KFC 11 Herbs & Spices firelog is back after selling out in just three hours in 2018.

According to Mashable, the absolutely cursed log is made for fireplaces, fire pits and wood stoves and will make your home smell like greasy fried chicken. And who wouldn't want that?

Honestly, during a holiday season where I expect us all to be sending out strange made-me-think-of-you gifts to loved ones, this might make for a hilarious surprise.

↦ Buy: The KFC 11 Herbs & Spices firelog is currently on sale for $15.88, down from $19.98.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Coffee butter

The softest pants you can buy

The scariest movies of all time

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Rethinking My Nighttime Routine

A better night’s rest leads to a more productive day

It’s not uncommon to feel a bit run down these days. Working from home means a lot of us are working more at all hours of the day. In between work, I’m fitting in workouts, time for loved ones and volunteering with an organization to get out the vote—all while maintaining best practices when it comes to living through a pandemic. So when I finally lay my head down at the end of a long day, my mind would swirl with thoughts and ideas. I’d wrestle the covers and eventually wake feeling tired and unprepared for the new day.

Adding to this chaos is the looming time change this weekend, so I figured it’s time to rethink my pre-bed routine. The first change I made was that I started reading again before bed. This wasn’t really motivated by the warnings of blue light or detoxing from digital. It was simply the only time I could commit to picking up a book. The good news is that reading is an ideal way to slow your mind and pull your focus away from the churn of social media.

Secondly, I leaned into getting ready for bed. No longer just a flurry of teeth brushing and face scrubbing, I really slowed down and embraced taking care of myself. I washed my face for a full 30 second, working the lather into the skin and giving my face a soft massage. The same goes for a good body lotion. Apotheke’s Hinoki Lavender lotion ($22) has a soothing scent that reminds me of a favorite Tokyo hotel. Working it into my skin methodically is a muscle-relaxing ritual that I now look forward to each night.

And finally, I started popping the all-natural Elite Sleep ($65) supplement from clean sports nutrition company Momentous. The research-backed formula was created to help athletes fall asleep easier and achieve higher quality sleep, thus improving recovery and performance. Now I don’t know exactly how this combination of natural nutrients works to quiet the brain and relax the body, I just know I wake up refreshed without any grogginess.

↦ Learn More: Elite Sleep from Momentous

Sales We’re Eyeing

Shirt jacket$98 / $28

Stretch chinos$98 / $28

Bonobos is currently hosting a big Final Sale, with a range of product moved to 70% off. So we figure it's the ideal time to score some new, quality clothes for work or the weekend—nearly all of which rings in under $100. From pants with a touch of stretch to easygoing jackets, there are plenty of options here, all on steep discount.