The Daily Valet. - 10/4/23, Wednesday
✔️ A Day for the History Books
Wednesday, October 4th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Did you know that pandas have a “pseudo thumb,” formed by an elongated and enlarged wrist bone covered with a fleshy pad of skin, which helps them grasp bamboo? Well, they do.
Today’s Big Story
McCarthy Ousted As Speaker
A Far-Right G.O.P. Faction Throws THE House Into Chaos as tensions explode after the bitter power struggle
It was a day for the history books. On Tuesday afternoon, the House voted to oust Representative Kevin McCarthy from the speakership—a move without precedent that “left the chamber without a leader and plunged it into chaos,” reports the New York Times. “And raised questions about who, if anyone, could muster the support to govern an increasingly unruly House G.O.P. majority.”The historic removal was the result of a charge led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to strip McCarthy of the speakership after he cut a deal with Democrats to fund the government—just before it would've otherwise shut down. Gaetz brought a motion to vacate on the House floor Monday night, a procedural move that has never before been successfully used to oust a speaker. This time, Vox points out, was different. Although McCarthy had most of his caucus behind him, he needed a majority of the House to vote against his removal to stay in power. At the moment, the GOP has a four-vote majority, making the eight Republicans who voted against him more than enough to depose the now-former speaker.Most House Republicans were “distraught, furious and concerned for the future of their party” after McCarthy announced that he wouldn't run for speaker again. “Frankly, one has to wonder whether the House is governable at all,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota coming out of the closed-door meeting where McCarthy made his announcement.So what happens now? There's certainly no consensus on who might be able to fill the huge vacancy in the speaker's office. Thanks to a required succession list, Rep. Patrick McHenry, of North Carolina has stepped in as “Speaker pro tempore” ... but the guy's now in untested waters. The acting speaker is unlikely to have the same powers as the speaker since "the intention was for them to act in a short-term capacity while the House selected a new speaker," one congressional expert told NBC News.McHenry presided over the chamber briefly before calling a recess and telling lawmakers that the House will start the new speaker vote on Oct. 11, the day after a candidate forum. This will likely give Republicans a little time to figure out their next moves, but many are worried about another stalemate. According to Axios, McCarthy's speaker election in January took the most ballots since before the Civil War, and Republicans “have struggled to maintain a functioning majority for moving legislation.”
Who's Up Next?
With no official candidates yet announced for speaker, the list of possibilities includes members of his leadership team and some top conservative allies.
That New Emergency Alert Test Is Today
Heads up: All the Radios, phones and TVs across America will be hit with an emergency message
Consider yourself warned. Today at 2:20 p.m. Eastern, most of us will simultaneously feel our cellphones vibrate, hear them make a loud sound and see a push alert pop up on our screens. Most radio and television stations will broadcast an alert at the same time for about one minute.The message that pops up will read, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission are running the test in preparation for actual emergencies. The aim of the test is to ensure the emergency messaging system is running smoothly in the event Americans are threatened by natural disasters, terrorism or other dangers to public safety.We're, of course, familiar with these kinds of jolting sounds accompanying National Weather Service alerts and AMBER alerts. Today's will be sent via the same wireless system. Only those in the past have always been more localized. This new test is specifically designed to let the government reach hundreds of millions of people in the United States immediately if there is a disaster affecting the entire country, like a terrorist attack or, say, an asteroid pummeling toward Earth. Heads up!
FYI:
FEMA is required by law to conduct national tests of the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) at least once every three years.
China Is Taking Back Their Pandas
The loveable bears could be gone from America’s zoos by the end of next year
Since 1972, giant pandas have been the stars of American zoos, but they've always been guests here—on loan from the Chinese government. And unless things change dramatically in the coming months, the popular black and white rotund bears will no longer be at any American zoos as China rescinds its gift of panda diplomacy.The National Zoo has announced its three giant pandas—Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao QI Ji—will head back to China in early December after attempts to renew the three-year contract failed. The Memphis Zoo has already returned Ya Ya, the panda that has spent the last 20 years in Tennessee. So has the San Diego Zoo. The Atlanta Zoo's four pandas could be the last place for people to see the bears, but they're expected to be sent back, too, sometime next year.According to the Associated Press, National Zoo officials have remained tight-lipped about the prospects of renewing or extending the agreement, and repeated attempts to gain comment on the state of the negotiations did not receive a response. However, the public stance of the zoo has been decidedly pessimistic—treating these remaining months as the end of an era.
FYI:
The gift-giving tradition dates all the way back to 685 A.D., when China's Empress Wu Zetian bestowed two pandas on Japan.
The Latest AI Photo Trend? Yearbook Pics.
A new trend on social media has been born, Will you jump on that bandwagon?
Remember last winter, when all those AI-generated Lensa portraits were popping up on social media? They were artistic and it was the first time most of us saw our reflection in the black mirror of artificial intelligence. Well, brace yourself because another wave is coming ... and it's as much about looking forward as it is about looking back.Influencers are peppering their feeds with seemingly throwback pics of the gangly golden years of high school. But what, at first, seem like cringey yearbook pics taken back in the '90s and early aughts are, in fact, AI-generated images.The Epik app is available on iOS and Android, and while it seems to be percolating more in Asia at the moment, the nostalgic lure of hilarious high school pics will no doubt get us all eventually. All the app needs is a handful of recent selfies to create a retro image that looks as if it was snapped in the middle of a gym-turned-photo-studio—from hairstyles and makeup to other elements like clothes, glasses and even facial expressions.
Meanwhile:
Slovakia’s recent election deepfakes show AI can be a real danger to democracy.
In Other News
The biochemists overcame hurdles that paved the way for COVID-19 vaccines.
Have you heard about ...
The Long Read
Can Lego ever really be sustainable?
What sets Lego apart from many other toys is that it is often, if not always, kept by a family for many years. Perhaps even passed on from generation to generation. Bricks made decades ago remain compatible with those produced today.”
- By Chris Baraniuk
Read It:
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
Classic loafers
The loafer has never really gone anywhere. Sure, there have been dips here and there, but the leather slip-on has always been a consistently cool shoe—a reliable and essential part of a man's footwear arsenal. But it feels like for Fall 2023, the loafer has never been more in demand. Now, you can find a wide range of styles and leather options by makers from all over the world, from the classic penny loafer to versions embellished with tassels and more modern lug soles. But how do you find the right size online? How can you make the break-in period easier? We've got all the answers from the experts.
Start loafing:
Morning Motto
You can always start over.
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