The Daily Valet. - 11/20/19, Wednesday

✔️ Testimonies, Genealogy and Lost Nukes

November 20, 2019

Wednesday, November 20th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Suddenly, my Supreme fire extinguisher seems like a smart buy.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today's edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

“Inappropriate and Improper”

Trump said his Ukraine call was “perfect” ... But national security aides testified otherwise

Three current and former Trump administration officials described Tuesday how they reported a variety of concerns surrounding the now-infamous July phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president.

A lot was discussed, but it was Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the National Security Council’s European affairs director, who really stood out. He told House investigators that he considered the president’s demand of the Ukrainian leader "inappropriate," because it could have “significant national security implications” for the United States.

Republicans moved aggressively to try to undercut the day’s lead witness, questioning his judgment. They tried to raise questions about his loyalty to the United States. When Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney asked why he chose to raise concerns, despite advice from his father—who fled the Soviet Union—that doing so could have significant risks. “Congressman, because this is America," Vindman responded. "And here, right matters."

The Washington Post's Robin Givhan noted that Vindman's uniform exuded authority, ferocity and patriotism. The Purple Heart recipient also had a Combat Infantry Badge pinned on his chest. "Uniforms are a testament to chains of command, order and service," she writes. "Vindman reminded observers that a military uniform is not only an emblem of a warrior; it is also a mark of an honorable individual."

Where’d We Put the Nukes?

The Air Force’s inventory listed wrong sites for 79 nuclear missiles

The Air Force's inventory system, which keeps tabs on the location and value of important property, had the wrong locations listed for 79 active Minuteman III nuclear-armed missiles—that's almost a fifth of the entire US fleet. This is according to an audit commissioned by the Pentagon.

The large discrepancy was discovered during a recently completed second round audit by Ernst & Young. According to Bloomberg, Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist may be asked about the flawed missile inventory during a hearing today by the Senate Armed Services Committee on the fiscal 2019 audit.

An Air Force spokesman referred to the mistake as more of a clerical paperwork error and not what it sounds like—that there are unaccounted for ballistic missiles out there. Apparently, these kind of mistakes are fairly routine. Just last December, a different audit uncovered that $53 million worth of missile motors were inaccurately designated as "not working."

↦ FYI: Learn more about the Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system.

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Another Reason to Love Tom Hanks

Turns out, the actor and Mister Rogers are related

Tom Hanks' performance as Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is already generating Oscar buzz ahead of its release on Friday. His portrayal of the beloved children's TV pinoneer is uncanny. And it might be because Hanks is actually sixth cousins with Mister Rogers.

According to Time, Johannes Meffert, an 18th century German immigrant, is the great-great-great-great-great grandfather to both Hanks and the late Fred Rogers, according to Ancestry.com. Meffert immigrated to America from Germany, and three of his sons fought in the Revolutionary War.

Oddly enough, Mister Rogers isn't even Hanks' most famous relation, however. The actor revealed in 2014 that his family tree also runs through Nancy Hanks, the mother of President Abraham Lincoln.

Is College Really Worth the Cost?

A Georgetown study measures return on investment ... with some surprising results

You know how we're always hearing about how few people end up working in the field they studied in college? "I'm an account executive for a sports drink brand, but I majored in anthropology."

Maybe it's not about what you studied, but all the life skills and deductive reasoning you develop as an undergrad. With the rising costs of higher education and ballooning student-loan debt nationally though, is university still a worthy investment?

That's what researchers at Georgetown University tried to figure out using newly released federal data with the goal of calculating return on investment for thousands of American colleges. The results—which are searchable and sortable online—were just released, with rankings of 4,500 schools.

Some of the findings were predictable (a Harvard diploma still means you'll likely be wealthy), but the three schools leading the top 10 list—eclipsing even MIT and Stanford—are universities that specialize in pharmacy and health sciences.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The latest horrifying “Cats” trailer

Our secret weapon against zits

Marie Kondo’s online store

Special Promotion

From a Galaxy Far, Far Away …

Introducing the Star Wars™ and Robert Graham capsule collection

It seems like there’s never been a better time to be a Star Wars™ fan. Robert Graham is celebrating the iconic franchise with a unique capsule collection of graphic shirts and jackets for both men and women that feature the designer's signature “wearable art.” So choose your side. Our pick? This black and white tee, which features the legendary showdown with the ultimate plot twist.

↦ Shop The full Star Wars™ collection at Robert Graham

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The Supreme Box Logo Heads to Christie’s

Including nearly all of the brand’s skateboard designs and random ephemera

Christie’s, the famed auction house, will feature over 100 lots of Supreme collectibles in an auction starting November 26th. There will be a pinball machine, punching bags and 230 individual skateboards, representing nearly every design produced by the brand.

It's not the first time the box logo has gone onto the auction block. According to GQ, Sotheby’s sold a comprehensive collection of the brand’s skate decks earlier this year for about $800,000. That's nearly a million dollars ... for skateboards.

But it makes sense. Collectors, hypebeasts and mere average menswear shoppers are all hungry for Supreme goods. Need proof? Scope out the line leading to the brand’s shop on Thursdays.

“Supreme represents a highly crafted collaborative vision of broader culture. Like Warhol’s Brillo Pad ‘box,’ these objects are pop art iconographs,” said Byron Hawes, author of the upcoming book, Art on Deck: An Exploration of Supreme Skateboards, in a statement. Suddenly, I feel better about any future Supreme purchase. It's not capricious spending ... it's an investment.

↦ The Supreme Story: How an upstart New York City skate brand changed fashion forever.

What We’re Buying

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