The Daily Valet. - 11/3/20, Tuesday

✔️ Here’s How Today Will Likely Go Down

Tuesday, November 3rd Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Take it easy today ... it’s going to be a long one.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Here’s How Today Will Likely Go Down

How to best prepare for an unpredictable Election Day

The most important thing to do on Election Day is to vote. But you have probably already cast your ballot, right? Over 100 million Americans have voted early.

Which means, now all that’s left to do is wait and watch the returns come in. And in 2020, that could mean watching the TV, streaming video from a laptop or following along on social media from a mobile device. Or all three. CNET has you covered with a game plan for how to watch election night 2020 like a pro on multiple screens.

In addition to the burning question of “Who will win?” people are almost as eager to know, “When will we know the results?” FiveThirtyEight published a comprehensive guide to following the returns on election night, including when the polls close in each state and what time we might get semi-final results.

The name of the game on election night is “the path to 270” electoral college votes ... be prepared to hear that a lot throughout the evening. There are several interactive trackers now online, from CNN and the New York Times to FiveThirtyEight. Try them out ahead of time to test out your own coalition of states or simply use them as an aide through out the night as we wait for races to be called by the networks.

Of course, we should all be prepared to not know who the next president will be by midnight. Several states have warned that they’ll be counting ballots—like most years—into Wednesday morning and that they might not be able to call it for 48 to 72 hours. But most ballots should be counted by the end of the evening, so we should have a pretty good idea of where things are headed, even if no candidate is able to clinch the 270 electoral votes until later in the week.

And with tensions flaring across the country, officials and activists have been gearing up for a variety of possibilities, including potential voter intimidation, clashes around the polls or spiraling unrest, reports the Washington Post. Meanwhile businesses are boarding up their storefronts and several governors are readying National Guard troops. I think Jim Kenney, the mayor of Philadelphia, could’ve been speaking for us all when he warned of long lines on Election Day: “Please be patient.”

↦ The Bright Side: Here's how to stress eat your way through Election Day with free and discounted food.

The Ugly COVID Fall

Cases surge and a White House advisor contradicts the president on its threat

On Monday, Texas surpassed California in recording the highest number of positive coronavirus tests in the U.S. so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough that clear up in two to three weeks, but the Associated Press reports that more severe cases and hospitalizations are once again on the rise.

In fact, medical administrators are scrambling to find enough nursing help to keep up—especially in rural areas and at small hospitals. And with many hospitals already at capacity, medical examiners in places like El Paso, Texas, have had to request multiple refrigerated morgue trucks to temporarily store bodies.

Remember when we were warned about how the winter would be even worse than the summer? That's all coming true, says top White House coronavirus adviser Deborah Birx. She sounded alarms on Monday, calling for action. “This is not about lockdowns,” she said.“It hasn't been about lockdowns since April. It's about an aggressive balanced approach that is not being implemented.”

↦ Hear that? An algorithm developed by MIT scientists has correctly identified people with COVID-19 only by the sound of their coughs.

Have Your Become a Plant Dad?

Two green thumbs ... way up

The average person spends more than 85% of their time indoors, maybe more these days because of the pandemic. So it’s no surprise that quarantine has made plant parents out of many of us.

Mr Porter likens it to getting into coffee or cars. You've got to find what you really like in order for it to work for you. They examine the various tribes of plant dads—from Fiddle-leaf Fred to Super sad sill dad—to help you self-identify in order to get the most from your foliage.

And there are a lot of benefits besides aesthetics. Medical researchers in Japan have analyzed the mental benefits of being around plants, finding that it not only improves mood and reduces stress, but it may also reduce blood pressure.

What's more, if you're feeling like you don't have enough greenery or don't have any at all, you can actually buy live plants from Amazon, where Costa Farms sells a wide variety of affordable options that are ready to be sent out with Prime shipping.

↦ FYI: The eucalyptus in shower trend is actually good for you (in case you were curious).

No One Is Climbing Mount Everest

Nepal’s economy has taken a serious blow from a lack of climbers

A year ago, Nepal attracted so many mountain climbers that a traffic jam of mountaineers and gear (and an uncomfortable amount of litter) snarled a trail to the top of Mount Everest.

Nepal's alpine tourism industry had grown into a monster—becoming a lifeline for the country. Last year tourism brought in more than $2 billion to Nepal, one of Asia's poorest nations, and employed a million people, from porters to pilots, reports the New York Times.

Of course, the pandemic brought all that to a crashing halt. The trails snaking through the Himalayas are deserted, including those leading up to Everest Base Camp. Fewer than 100 climbers have arrived this fall season, immigration officials said, down from thousands last year.

But adventurers looking to scale Nepal's Himalayan peaks and trek its mountain trails can finally do so for the first time in seven months, as the country has just reopened to foreigners seeking to to climb or trek its famous peaks. Perhaps a pandemic is less threatening when you're carrying your own oxygen mask?

↦ FYI: Nepal is home to eight of the 14 highest mountains in the world, including the tallest, Mount Everest.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Talking shop with Lawrence Schlossman

The “Bond Rolex”

The most effective cardio workout

How to Dress for the Apocalypse

Turns out, we might already dress like it

Jacob Gallagher is one of my favorite fashion writers. He tackles menswear and culture for the Wall Street Journal and this week he's talking about survival style.

Apropos of, oh nothing at all, he took a look back at apocalyptic movies and why more and more the characters are pretty much dressed like the way a lot of people dress right now. It's as interesting as it is unsettling.

How'd it happen? Well, "costume designers made survivalist anti-heroes look, for lack of a better term, cool," he writes. And as these films show, if the apocalypse actually does come out of nowhere, "most us would just grab the thickest sweater or the burliest coat that’s already in our armoire and run."

↦ Meanwhile: The Nike Design Exploration lab has just launched a new label which combines "exceptional craftsmanship with data-informed fit and function."

Sales We’re Eyeing

Fishtail parka $229.99 / $118.99

Brothers Jamie and Lyndon Cormack have been designing practical bags and travel goods under the name Herschel Supply Co. since 2009. The line has expanded immensely and right now, much of it is on sale for up to 50% off. Which means it's the perfect time to pick up a bag or some cold weather gear.