The Daily Valet. - 1/10/22, Monday

✔️ This Just Got Interesting

January 10, 2022

Monday, January 10th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I had no idea the Golden Globes were last night.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Computer Monitors Get Interesting

Turning the page from fairly boring rectangles of years past

Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show (which wrapped up over the weekend) previews a massive amount of products planned for release during the coming year. And while CES had a “pretty good showing” for 2022, the one product people seem to be talking about is the humble computer monitor.

Displays are about to get faster, brighter, bigger ... and squarer? And unlike past years, these aren’t just for gamers either. Monitors have played an even more important role during the pandemic as the centerpiece of the home office, and manufacturers have responded to that demand with designs that suit a larger audience.

There was a lot to see, so here are the most interesting ones—all coming to stores soon. No concepts, no gag releases and no gimmicks (OK, maybe a few gimmicks).

First, there’s a quirky-looking, nearly-square creative- and productivity-focused monitor from LG. ArsTechnica says that if you’re sick of scrolling through long articles, spreadsheets, lines of code, and your everlasting newsfeed, this option is something to consider.

Dell was getting a lot of attention with its curvy new Alienware AW3423DW—a 3 4-inch ultrawide OLED monitor that seems like it would overtake your desk, but with a 3,440 x 1,440 resolution and a 175Hz refresh rate, gamers were rejoicing.

But that’s nothing compared to Samsung’s juggernaut of a display. The Samsung Odyssey Ark brings that curvature to a massive 55-inch screen—the biggest it has produced yet—with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Plus, it can rotate into portrait mode that makes it look like an immersive, illuminated wave cresting right in front of your face. All these monitors are different in their own right, but what they all have in common is that they won’t be cheap. So start saving now.

↦ FYI: The first flatscreen desktop LCD computer monitor was the Eizo FlexScan L66 in the mid-1990s.

FAA Reveals 5G Buffer Zones

AT&T and Verizon will shut down 5G transmitters for months at these locations

With AT&T and Verizon set to bring their 5G expansion live on January 19th, the Federal Aviation Administration has chosen 50 airports that will have buffer zones to help prevent flight disruptions.

The list includes the country's busiest airports, such as Los Angeles International and Chicago O'Hare, along with smaller hubs like Seattle/Tacoma and San Francisco that are frequently impacted by foggy conditions.

Experts have noted that 5G deployment could interfere with commercial planes' radar altimeters, which help pilots land safely in low visibility. So regulators picked airports based on location, traffic volume and visibility—all factors that may increase cancelations, delays and diversions as carriers roll out 5G C-band service.

Both Verizon and AT&T were originally set to switch on their 5G expansions on December 5th, but air safety fears delayed the launch twice. According to The Verge, they have been itching to deploy their improved 5G service ever since they spent a combined $70 billion last year on securing chunks of the C-band spectrum, which should provide a middle ground in terms of 5G speed and coverage—something that both carriers' 5G service is currently lacking.

↦ Meanwhile: U.S. airlines have recently been facing operational challenges from winter weather and COVID-related staffing shortages.

Partner

Don't regret not investing. Years from now, you'll wish you'd grabbed this stock.

‘Gateway to Hell’ Will Soon Close

Turkmenistan looks to extinguish a flaming crater that’s been burning for decades

With all that we've lived through these past few years, you might say it's felt like we're living through the end times. Thankfully, 2022 seems like it's off to a promising start: Turkmenistan plans to close a flaming natural gas crater fittingly dubbed the “Gateway to Hell.”

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has reportedly ordered the closure of the site—formed in the early 1970s, when the ground collapsed during a Soviet gas drilling expedition. Scientists reportedly lit the massive hole on fire to prevent the spread of natural gas, and it's been burning ever since.

As terrifying as it is fascinating, the crater has become one of Turkmenistan's most popular tourist attractions in recent years. Citing environmental and economic concerns, Berdymukhamedov called for officials to “find a solution to extinguish the fire,” reports NPR.

This isn't the first time Berdymukhamedov has tried to close the Gateway (which measures roughly 200 feet wide and at least 65 feet deep). He ordered experts to extinguish the flames in 2010, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Would You Live in an Earthship?

These homes are off-grid, climate resilient and growing in popularity

Sure, you've heard about tiny homes and repurposed shipping containers. But what about Earthships? The somewhat archaic method of building a home in harmony with the landscape has been gaining popularity.

Nick Aspinwall of the Washington Post describes the dwellings as resembling “what Tatooine bunkers in Star Wars would look like if the Skywalkers made annual pilgrimages to Burning Man.”

While the surge in popularity for Earthships is somewhat new, the history of the concept dates back to architect Michael Reynolds's work in the late 1970s. Reynolds sought a design that would use recycled materials, exist independently and could be built by an average person with ease.

No longer the preserve of hippie communities, living off the grid is becoming an increasingly attractive option as climate change forces us to think about our impact on the environment. For some, these Earthships offer a life free of grids and bills; a clean break from a world that feels like it's on the verge of breaking itself.

↦ Further Reading: This book is a collection of academic and in-the-field research on Earthships combined with practical advice for designing your own.

In Other News

↦ Bob Saget, Comedian and ‘Full House’ Star, Dies at 65

↦ Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ Beta Has an ‘Assertive’ Driving Mode That ‘May Perform Rolling Stops’

↦ The Golden Globes Were Last Night. Here’s Why Their Demise Was Such a Long Time Coming.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

A free Rolex?

Easy rapid tests

Wes Anderson

Partner

Don’t Regret Not Investing

Years from now, you’ll wish you’d grabbed this stock

There's a lot of financial planning and investing that can be intimidating. But you don't need to know all the ins and outs of the stock market to make sound financial decisions about investing. You do, however, need to know where to look for the smartest and most reliable information. Which is exactly what The Motley Fool is known for.

Their stock analysts provide investment guidance to millions of individual investors around the world. And they've got a solid reputation in the world of finance and tech because of their results and ease of use. For instance, twice every month, The Motley Fool team researches a stock and recommends it to members. But some are so good, that the analysts have to double down on it.

Those recommendations (which in the past have been such companies as Tesla, Netflix and Salesforce) have come to be known as “All In” buy signs. The average return of stocks selected with the “All In” buy signal is 635%*... crushing the S&P 500 by more than 5x. Keep in mind, this isn't some shot in the dark or last ditch bet at a poker table. This investing trick is straight from the playbook of one of the greatest investors of all-time: Peter Lynch. And it doesn't happen everyday.

Now, there's a tiny internet company showing this buy signal which sits in the middle of the advertising market—a market that's 10x bigger than the online streaming industry (think Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu). Despite this company's initial success and room to grow, most investors have still never even heard of it. Which is why these experts say now's the time to buy.

↦ Try It: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor with access to the “All In” stock

* Returns as of 12/5/21. Note that past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Individual investment results may vary. All investing involves risk of loss.

Fight Sleep Procrastination

Don’t take revenge on your bedtime

Look, we all understand that sleep is one of the greatest tools for health. Going to bed early and getting a full, restful night of sleep might be the ultimate act of self-care.

So why do so many of us say ‘screw it’ and stay up? I, myself, am guilty of this. I don't know if it's genetic or simply a personality quirk, but ever since I was young, I've refused to give up the day—preferring to stay up late well past my bedtime, despite the consequences.

With more and more of us working longer hours these days, this phenomenon of prioritizing personal leisure time over sleep after a long day is becoming more common. This practice of stealing time back from your sleep to gain a little leisure time is called “revenge bedtime procrastination.”

So how do we stop it? If revenge bedtime procrastination is a problem for you, we spoke to some sleep experts for a few solid tips on how to fight it.

↦ Read: How to fight sleep procrastination

What We’re Buying

Todd Snyder Silk and Cotton Full Placket Polo

Don't call it a cardigan. Sure, it's knit and closes with buttons down the front, but this vintage-inspired style is more of a polo hybrid ($268). Design details include welt pockets, smoked shell buttons and a material made from a fine Italian silk and cotton. Toss it on over a plain tee for an easy outfit upgrade. Or button it up and layer it under a coat for a shot of graphic style.

↦ Want more: 5 stylish items to buy this week