The Daily Valet. - 1/21/21, Thursday

✔️ A New Day and a New Tone

Thursday, January 21st Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Does this mean political news can move to the back burner for a while?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Biden Sets a New Tone

The inauguration honored our collective suffering but promised a brighter future

President Biden was sworn into an office he has sought for more than 30 years, and Vice President Kamala Harris became the first woman—and the first woman of color—to hold that title. But there was no crowd on the National Mall to celebrate the moment.

Instead, there was a sea of flags as far as the eye could see with thousands of National Guard troops maintaining the peace. As Robin Givhan of the Washington Post put it, “the flags reminded us of the many citizens who did not survive the coronavirus pandemic to see this day. They stood in for the rest of us kept away by unprecedented security. They reminded us how much our national pride has been wounded as so many are hungry and unhoused. But the flags also reassured us that because democracy held up, there’s hope.”

That was exactly the tone set by Biden’s Inaugural Address. He spoke of a return to the ordinary discord of democracy, with a reminder that “politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path” and “with unity we can do great things ... important things.”

In lieu of the standard inaugural balls, the newly sworn-in President and VP rang in the evening with a primetime special called Celebrating America. Along with musical performances by John Legend and Katy Perry, it featured cathartic tributes to the extraordinary efforts by nurses, doctors, teachers and other frontline workers who have stepped up throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden didn’t shy away from the obstacles facing the nation, calling the pandemic, racial injustices and the climate crisis threats to our very democracy. “Will we meet the moment like our forbearers have?,” Biden asked. “I believe we must and I believe we will,” saying it’s “the only way we’ll get through the darkness around us.”

Whatever the fate of his presidency, Biden is starting off with a decent amount of support. Sixty-four percent of Americans view him favorably, according to Pew Research—far higher than his predecessor ever had while in office. On the flip side, 32% told CNN pollsters that they did not believe Biden won the election legitimately. Meaning, he’s definitely got his work cut out for him.

↦ New President, New Memes: Bernie Sanders’ familiar coat (and vibe) quickly took off across Twitter.

The New President’s 100-Day Sprint

Biden takes immediate steps to undo key Trump initiatives and unveils immigration plan

Despite all the pomp and circumstance, Wednesday marked Joe Biden's first day as the American president. And you're going to hear a lot about his first 100 days—over the past several weeks, he's laid out several things he wants to do in his first three months in office.

Despite the earlier calls for civility and unity, Biden unleashed a full-scale assault on his predecessor’s policies that were anathema to Democrats during his four years in office, reports USA Today.

Biden signed more than a dozen executive actions in the Oval Office just hours after being sworn in—including measures to rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change, repeal Trump's restrictions on travel from several Muslim-majority countries, stop construction of the border wall and require masks on federal property. According to the Wall Street Journal, it was far more executive orders than any of his modern predecessors, none of whom signed more than one.

Why the rush? A new administration's first 100 days are always scrutinized for signs of a president’s governing style and priorities. Moreover, Biden has goals that require congressional cooperation, including a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package and getting cabinet nominees confirmed—both of which will play out as the 50-50 Senate takes up Trump's second impeachment trial.

↦ Dig Deeper: See the full list of executive orders and directives from Biden's first day.

Lotteries Are Out of Control These Days

Mega Millions jackpot rises to nearly a billion dollars

You didn't win Mega Millions' top prize on Tuesday. Neither did I (though, in truth, I didn't buy a ticket). The upside is that the game's second-largest jackpot in history will be up for grabs for all of us on Friday.

According to NBC News, no one has won the Mega Millions jackpot since September, when a player in Wisconsin won $120 million. It is the longest Mega Millions has gone without a grand prize winner.

Officials said the odds of winning are 1 in 302,575,360 ... but if you do win, you can choose between the full payout, which is awarded over 30 years, or the $716.3 million cash option, which pays an immediate lump sum. (Many typically choose the cash option, with about half of lottery winnings going toward tax.)

Meanwhile, someone won last night's $730 million Powerball jackpot—the first to get the top prize in months. The winning ticket was sold in Maryland, but the winner hasn't come forward ... yet.

↦ Digital Ticket: Thanks to the new mobile app Jackpocket, people who want to play the lottery without having to leave home now have the opportunity to buy a ticket.

Remember the Guy In the Jet Pack?

Could this solve the months-long mystery?

Earlier this fall, several pilots in the airspace near Los Angeles International Airport spotted something strange: what appeared to be “a guy in a jetpack,” as one bewildered pilot told LAX’s tower, flying around 3,000 feet.

Several months later, and after investigation by local law enforcement, the FAA and the FBI, it’s still unclear what the airline pilots saw. Even a December sighting caught on video did little to make sense of the phenomenon.

But according to The Drive, we now have a new possible explanation: a drone hoisting an inflatable jetpack-wearing dummy.

The custom made drone built by German RC enthusiast Ralph Kayser, or something similar to it, could indeed probably fool unsuspecting airline pilots—at least from a distance. But they're still not certain and all told, the case of the "jet pack guy" seems to be very much open from what we know now.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The first view of a dinosaur’s butt

The ultimate alarm clock

This 1945 Rolex

Start Your Day With a Glass of Water

There’s something to this early-morning hydration

It’s the elixir of beautiful people and the “life hack” of high-profile business leaders: plain water, chugged heartily first thing in the morning.

Of course, staying properly hydrated is a basic tenet of health. It balances chemical processes in the brain, keeps your organs functioning properly and aids in recovery after a particularly grueling workout. But it turns out, there's something to this early-morning hydration.

For starters, depending on your sleep schedule, your body has essentially just gone six to eight hours without a sip of anything. While most of us go right to coffee, water does wonders for your body and sets you up for success all day long. After all, water is officially considered an “essential nutrient,” meaning that your body cannot produce enough of it through metabolism to meet its daily needs.

Which is why we run down the benefits and advantages of downing a glass of water before you get started with your day. Trust me, your body will thank you for it.

↦ Read: A big glass of water first thing in the morning does wonders for your mind and body.