The Daily Valet. - 1/13/23, Friday
✔️ Inflation Turns a Corner
Friday, January 13th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Did this week fly by for you too?
Today’s Big Story
Inflation Turns a Corner
Good News for both the Fed and American Consumers
Here's some promising news to wrap up the week: Consumer prices in December posted their biggest monthly decline since early in the pandemic, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The inflation rate has now been declining for six consecutive months.That's not only a relief for American households, but it's an encouraging signal for the Federal Reserve and the White House that the worst of the U.S.'s pandemic-induced inflation burst may be in the past.The data from the Consumer Price Index caps a year in which we all noticed prices creeping up— though the pace of those increases began to slow in the final months of the year. As consumers shifted spending and supply chains began to heal, price hikes for a range of goods have cooled or have fallen outright.But this doesn't mean the inflation battle is over. Even the most favorable interpretation still leaves current, underlying inflation above the Fed's 2% target. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Reserve, which has been raising interest rates aggressively to tame inflation, is watching the services sector closely, where inflation can be more challenging to stamp out.President Biden greeted the report enthusiastically, emphasizing the role that his policies—including efforts to lower the cost of gas—have played in helping prices to climb more slowly. In remarks from the White House on Thursday, Biden said that moderating inflation “adds up to a real break for consumers, real breathing room for families and more proof that my economic plan is working.”
FYI:
Is it time for the Fed to declare victory on inflation? Not yet, say the experts at CNBC.
Sitting Too Much Is Dangerous ...
We already knew that. But now science shows how to undo the health risks.
Sure, we've all heard about the dangers of sitting all day, but with most jobs there isn't much you can do about it, right? Not according to a new study, which looked into the impacts of prolonged sitting.Researchers found that a simple, short stroll every half hour may help undo the health harms associated with prolonged periods of sitting. And the damage is real: A mounting body of evidence links sedentary lifestyles to an increased risk of diabetes, dementia and death from heart disease.It's still not entirely clear why sitting for long periods uninterrupted is bad for your health, but the doctors suspect at least part of the explanation is that while we're sitting, we aren't using our leg muscles. So in the study, volunteers who got up and walked for five minutes every half hour had lower blood pressure and blood sugar than those who sat continuously. The researchers also found that walking for just one minute every hour helped with blood pressure, but not blood sugar. So keep those walking breaks to five minutes.
Easy Does it:
No need to strain yourself. The participants walked on a treadmill at a leisurely pace, about 1.9 miles per hour. The key is just to get up regularly and walk around.
The Gas Stove Regulation Uproar
No one’s going to take away your gas stove ... Yet
You might've seen around the internet that the latest thing people suddenly have Very Hard Opinions about is gas stoves. Republicans are saying you'll pry them from their cold dead hands, home cooks are fretting about switching to electric, and others are using this as a time to sing the praises of induction cooking. Sometimes it takes just a hint of gas to cause a massive flame. Why? Well, a recent Consumer Product Safety Commission announcement said it would consider new health regulations around gas stoves, given numerous studies that point to gas stoves and heating as indoor pollutants that can raise the risk of childhood asthma. Some cities and states are now banning the installation of gas stoves in new construction, and the government is offering tax credits to households that switch to induction.But the CPSC has reiterated that they're not coming for anyone's gas stoves—adding that any regulations would apply to new products. So America's gas stoves—which are in about 35% of households nationwide, or about 40 million homes—are safe.
Dig Deeper:
Are gas stoves unsafe? Here's what Bon Appétit says we need to know about the gas vs. induction debate.
Reframe Negative Thoughts
It’s common to have them. But you don’t have to entertain them.
Modern life and all its conveniences mean we’re more connected than ever. Unfortunately, it also means there is no shortage of opportunities to feel bad about yourself. Digital media has a unique way of creeping into our psyche, doesn't it?Anytime we look at a screen, we have the opportunity to amplify our critical inner voice. It can be our friends, out doing something cool (without us), images of celebrities who look impossibly perfect, or influencers whose fun-loving life and meteoric success prompts irrational envy and self-doubt. And that's to say nothing of the vitriol that can come with airing your opinions on, well, basically anything. Hey, it's tough out there.Of course, it's unrealistic to say you can cut it out of your life. You're a modern man, plugged into what's going on. Yeah, you could ease up on the scrolling, but in every life, some negative thoughts are sure to show up. The key is finding ways to cope and make a distinction between genuine interest in what we're seeing in front of us and lingering born of disappointment or frustration.
Read:
In Other News
After suffering from cardiac arrest at her California home.
Have you heard about ...
A Weekend Pairing
‘The Last of Us’ + a Zombie Cocktail
The next show we might all be talking about is based on a video game—a shocking discovery considering how lackluster most game adaptations are. But HBO’s The Last of Us is remarkable in that way. And nearly every review is saying that in one way or another. WIRED says “the infectious new zombie series turn action into drama and finally break the adaptation curse.” Complex calls it a triumph and that it’s almost “engineered to defy preconceptions.Set in what remains of America after a parasitic fungus does indeed turn people into flesh-hungry zombies, the show follows the same overarching plot as the game. A resentful smuggler Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) escorts a 14-year-old girl across the country on a secret, dangerous mission that may hold the key to finding a cure. And if you’re curious about the jacket that Joel wears throughout nearly the whole season, I can confirm that it’s Flint and Tinder’s signature waxed trucker jacket.
Pair It With
What better to pair with this show than the
? The drink, an old school tiki favorite packed with rum and fruit juices, is a potent yet easy-drinking respite from the chilly temperatures outside.
Also Worth a Watch:
‘The Menu’ on HBO; ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ on Netflix; ‘A.I.: Artificial Intelligence’ on Amazon Prime Video and ‘Servant’ on Apple TV+
Shopping
What We’re Buying
20 Under $20
We get it, you may have that itch to buy something new in the new year ... and we’re here to help scratch that. I’ve been told I’m a bad influence whenever it comes to retail therapy, but we all need a treat sometimes, right? And who said that to find something nice you have to spend a lot? We've rounded up a few items that are budget approved and all under 20 bucks. These cost-conscious picks will have you smelling good and feeling good while keeping plenty of money in your pocket.
Browse:
The 20 best products under $20 right now
Morning Motto
Focus on maintaining consistency.
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