The Daily Valet. - 11/20/20, Friday
✔️ Masks, Electric Vehicles and Meatless Fast Food
Friday, November 20th Edition
Why didn’t anyone tell me how good “For All Mankind” is?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today's edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
Biden Wants Us Wearing Masks
But the President-elect vows he will not implement a nationwide shutdown
President-elect Joe Biden, who turns 78 today, said he discussed a possible nationwide mask mandate with state governors during a call, as COVID-19 case and death rates surge across the United States, reports Reuters.
Biden spoke with a bipartisan group of 10 governors on Thursday to plot a path forward to address the resurgence of a virus that has killed more than 250,000 Americans. He said wearing a mask was “not a political statement, it’s a patriotic duty.”
And while President Trump repeatedly claimed Biden wants to “lock down America” in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the President-elect refuted the claim again Thursday. “I’m not going to shut down the economy, period. I’m going to shut down the virus,” Biden told The Hill. “I’ll say it again. No national shutdown.”
He also said there was widespread agreement about boosting testing while getting economic relief to the states, delivering a free vaccine to everyone and providing additional funding for the National Guard.
According to USA Today, Biden aides insist a clear federal strategy will unify a deeply divided nation despite the Trump administration’s refusal to cooperate with his transition team—which health experts warn could undercut any vaccine progress made in the interim. In response, Biden has sharpened his attacks. He said Thursday that Trump “will go down in history as being one of the most irresponsible presidents.”
The Biden administration’s pandemic response takes on new urgency as the country reported more than 150,000 new cases on a daily basis over the past week. The University of Washington Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation model projects more than 372,000 deaths from COVID-19 by the time Biden takes office in January.
↦ Dig Deeper: Which states currently have mask mandates? ABC News found there are still over a dozen without orders.
🤔 Need a new mask?
GM Hits the Accelerator on EVs
General Motors’ electric vehicle plan just got bigger, bolder and more expensive
General Motors announced Thursday that it was dumping more money into its electrification plans and would also be accelerating its production to release more electric vehicles sooner than expected, reports The Verge.
The automaker was planning to introduce 20 all-electric models globally by 2025, but is now increasing that to 30. CEO Mary Barra said that the company is targeting one million electric vehicle sales annually by mid-decade and will invest $27 million to get there.
According to Car and Driver, the increase is made possible by GM's flexible Ultium batteries, which can be adapted to a variety of different vehicles and provide a range of up to 450 miles. The company also expects that the cost of the batteries will drop by 60% by the middle of this decade, bringing the cost closer to standard gas-powered engines.
The timing is definitely right, since a group of major U.S. utilities, Tesla, Uber and others said earlier this week that they're launching a new group to lobby for national policies to boost electric vehicle sales.
↦ Meanwhile: Britain will ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2030.
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CDC Begs Americans to Stay Home
Public health officials warn against Thanksgiving travel and large, indoor gatherings
Americans should avoid travel for Thanksgiving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially announced Thursday. It was, no doubt, a last-minute attempt by the nation's leading public health agency to curb what's sure to be yet another dangerous spike in COVID-19 cases if families gather next week.
Faced with a seemingly unstoppable surge in infections, officials urged Americans to celebrate only with members of their immediate households, reports the New York Times. The warning runs counter to messages from administration officials, who have denounced concerns that Thanksgiving celebrations will speed the virus’s spread.
The White House coronavirus task force held a briefing for the first time in months and Vice President Mike Pence concluded it without responding to questions by reporters or urging Americans not to travel.
According to NBC News, there is no question that when multiple households gather, cases of Covid-19 rise dramatically. Spikes occurred after Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day.
↦ Dig Deeper: Curbed looks at why curfews will do almost nothing to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Where’s the Beef?
More plant-based products infiltrate fast food
As the vegetarian and vegan community becomes more mainstream, more and more fast food outposts are serving up plant-based options.
McDonald's just announced that it is offering a meatless burger called the McPlant. Pizza Hut became the first national pizza chain to partner with Beyond Meat to introduce plant-based meat pizzas across the country. (Dunkin' and Del Taco have also introduced plant-based substitutes with Beyond Meat.)
The fast-food giants are following in the footsteps of rivals Burger King, Carl's Jr. and White Castle, which have all partnered with Beyond's rival, Impossible Foods, to offer versions of plant-based burgers.
Of course, there’s a belief that “meatless” vegan food (particularly fast food) is healthier than the meat equivalent, which isn’t always true. Lifespan concluded that meatless options are neither a “health food” nor a “bad food,” but they do come with a significant environmental win. According to a 2019 study, a plant-based burger generates 90% less greenhouse gas emissions and requires 45% less energy to produce.
↦ FYI: A handful of vegan dietitians share their current fast-food favorites.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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The Battle of the Bulge
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The Best Gifts Under $25
Perfect for stocking stuffers or gift exchanges.
↦ Browse affordable gift ideas
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Morning Motto
Forward motion ...
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That’s all for today...
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