The Daily Valet. - 10/9/19, Wednesday
✔️ You Might Itch After Reading This
Wednesday, October 9th Edition
Scroll down to read about some seriously beautiful cars.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Let’s Talk About Sex
STDs ... we stopped worrying about them and now they’re back
Are you ready for this? I know it's early, but I hope you've had your coffee because here we go. We're talking about sex this morning. Specifically, sexually transmitted infections. Or sexually transmitted diseases ... pick your parlance.
You see, last year, rates of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States increased for the fifth year in a row, The Atlantic reports. What's more, combined cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia reached a record high, according to a just-released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
You want the numbers? Since 2013, gonorrhea cases increased 67%, primary and secondary syphilis cases increased 76% and chlamydia cases increased 22%.
You're probably wondering, how is this happening? Well, the CDC points to several reasons that are to blame for the surge. The opioid epidemic (along with other drug use) can lead to risky behavior, including unprotected sex and avoiding medical care. Young people and gay and bisexual men are using condoms less, in part because of PrEP medications that can prevent HIV transmission. And in recent years, more than half of local STD treatment and prevention programs have faced budget cuts. Together, all of these factors point to roughly the same sentiment: Americans have stopped taking sexually transmitted infections as seriously. But if you're thinking, "who gets syphilis anymore?" Well, imagine a sports stadium. Because that's how many people contracted it last year.
↦ The Stigma: We live in an era of sex positivity, but sexually transmitted infections still can't shake the shame.
The White House Says, “No Thanks”
The Trump administration won’t cooperate with the House impeachment probe
It's not entirely unexpected, but it is still somewhat shocking. The Trump administration on Tuesday blocked a planned deposition from Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union and a central figure in the impeachment inquiry. The White House said it won’t be cooperating in what they call a "partisan inquiry." Battle lines are clearly being drawn between the president and Democratic lawmakers.
Democrats called the move "an act of obstruction" and said they would issue a subpoena for Sondland’s testimony, as well as related documents. Speaker Pelosi put out a statement last night, saying "The White House should be warned that continued efforts to hide the truth of the President’s abuse of power from the American people will be regarded as further evidence of obstruction." Meanwhile Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said that he would not cooperate either and that he can't imagine that anyone from the Trump administration would appear before a Democratic-led panel investigating the president. He also said that the Salem witches got a fairer shake during their trials. So there's that.
There Will Be Four Astin Martins in the New Bond Film
The upcoming movie will showcase the carmaker’s past, present and future
The next James Bond film, No Time to Die, doesn’t come out until April 2020, but we now know what cars Daniel Craig will be driving (and hopefully not crashing). The movie will feature four Aston Martins representing "past, present, and future," the automaker confirmed on Twitter. "From the classic DB5 and V8 Vantage, to the new DBS Superleggera and Aston Martin Valhalla, there is something for every Bond fan."
It's a fitting nod for the 25th Bond film. As Car and Driver notes, “The number of cylinders in a DBS have doubled since its first feature in a James Bond film, which began all the way back to 1969 with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and this will be the fourth time a DBS has been in the series.”
Of course, the new Land Rover Defender was spotted on set as well. But, as stated in this very newsletter before, that's not all that exciting.
↦ Overdrive: Our guide to the ultimate Bond cars over the past 24 films.
Ever Feel Like a Fraud?
Imposter syndrome is real ... and it sucks
Today on Valet., I wrote about the widespread phenomenon known as imposter syndrome. You know, the feelings that creep in and make you feel like you don't really know what you're doing and if anyone figured out just how lost you really were, you'd be screwed.
But the truth is, everyone feels like this at one time or another. It's a very human trait that unfortunately afflicts anyone trying to make their mark on the world. But the good news is that I got some expert advice on how to turn things around and shut down that nagging voice inside your head.
↦ The four part plan to turn those feelings around and boost your confidence.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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You Pay More Taxes Than a Billionaire
For the first time in history, US billionaires paid a lower tax rate than the working class
I know that really rich people have teams of accountants and lawyers to help them lower their taxes and keep as much money as possible. And who can blame them? But the chart here says it all, really.
A new book-length study on the tax burden of the ultra-rich begins with a startling finding: In 2018, for the first time in history, America’s richest billionaires paid a lower effective tax rate than the millions of Americans who are "just one paycheck away from financial disaster."
According to the Washington Post, the analysis differs from many other estimates of tax burdens by encompassing the totality of taxes Americans pay: not just federal income taxes but also corporate taxes, as well as taxes paid at the state and local levels.
For middle-class and poor families, while their federal income taxes have declined modestly, they haven’t benefited much from the decline in the corporate or estate tax. And they now pay more in payroll taxes than in the past. Which basically means their taxes have remained fairly flat.
↦ Scared of an Audit? Nerd Wallet has the 7 reasons the IRS will audit you.
What They’re Saying
We're all drinking more sparkling water these days. Save yourself some money (and back pain) by making your own at home instead of lugging cases back to your place. The obvious choice would be to get a SodaStream, one of the first machines which still continues to dominate the market. But there are other, perhaps more appealing, options. Herewith, the best reviewed machines.
/ 124 reviews
“In short, this is a reliable, all-metal machine that adds to the look of your kitchen, as opposed to a Sodastream which looks like an ugly, cheap plastic item that you want to hide when not in use.”
↦ Get It $219 at Amazon
/ 63 reviews
“I just wanted something simple and this makes bubbles with the press of one button. Can't emphasize enough how simple this is ... it's maximum fizz with minimal effort.”
↦ Get It $119.99 at Amazon
/ 203 reviews
“This is an incredibly sturdy machine built from die-cast metal and it's compatible with all SodaStream canisters and flavors. But the bottles are more durable, which makes it easier to turn up the carbonation level.”
↦ Get It $348.78 at Amazon
Morning Motto
Your mind is a tool, and like any other tool that gets used regularly, it needs to be sharpened.
↦ Follow: @reesesbookclub
That’s all for today...
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