The Daily Valet. - 1/6/20, Monday
✔️ What You Missed Yesterday
Monday, January 6th Edition
Okay, 2020 ... it’s time to get serious. Who’s with me?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today's edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
From Bad to Worse?
The consequences of America’s targeted killing of a senior Iranian commander are mounting
On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the street to mourn the death of General Suleimani and his comrades as the Iraqi parliament, responding to a US airstrike that killed the powerful Iranian general on its soil, voted in favor of expelling American forces.
The decision will not be final until the bill is signed by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. And while Mahdi has indicated he would sign the legislation, President Trump threatened back with promises of sanctions and a bill for billions of dollars if the US is forced to withdraw its troops, reports the Wall Street Journal.
According to the New York Times, an American-led coalition in Iraq and Syria suspended the campaign it has waged against the Islamic State for years, as it braced for retaliation from Iran.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government said it was abandoning its “final limitations in the nuclear deal,” the international agreement intended to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. The decision leaves no restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, the statement said, including on uranium enrichment, production, research and expansion.
So what's next? While jokes about drafts and WWIII were circulating social media over the weekend, most analysts believe that Iran will likely aim for limited counterattacks to damage the United States, but won’t lead to all-out war. Of course, Iran has far more sophisticated military capabilities than any country that the United States has gone to war with in two generations.
And Trump's insistence that the military could still target Iranian cultural sites isn't exactly cooling any stewing tension. Especially considering such attacks would likely be considered a war crime and violate a United Nations Security Council resolution.
What Happened at the Golden Globes ...
At least those were (kind of) fun
Host Ricky Gervais kicked off Sunday's 77th Golden Globe Awards ceremony with some slightly inappropriate jokes that drew laughs, a few bleeps from the censors and the occasional gasp from the audience.
As for who won? I was particularly stoked to see Succession win for Best TV Drama because I'm a super fan (not news to anyone who regularly reads this newsletter, I'm sure).
What was a surprise was Ramy Youssef's win for Lead Actor in a Comedy for his under-the-radar (but definitely worth watching) Hulu series Ramy. Awkwafina also surprised a few people by making history as the first woman of Asian descent to win Best Actress in a Motion Picture for The Farewell.
Joaquin Phoenix, of course, took the Best Actor statue for Joker. And Brad Pitt scored Best Supporting Actor, one of three Golden Globes for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, making a Titanic joke to costar Leonardo DiCaprio during his speech: "I would’ve shared the raft."
↦ Red Carpet Style: GQ pulled together the best looks from the men.
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Looking to Date?
Then you’ll want to be online this week
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to date more, make sure you’ve downloaded your dating app of choice and brushed up on your best opening messages (Apparently, “Hey” just doesn't cut it). Why? Because yesterday was Dating Sunday.
I wasn't familiar with this either, but apparently the first Sunday of the year is historically the biggest online dating day of the year. Experts say people are looking to put themselves out again after the holiday season and start something fresh in the new year.
Bumble, for example, is expecting a 30% increase in new users, along with a 15% increase in activity over this week. Last year, Dating Sunday was the highest registration day in the app's history, a representative told CNN.
All those "still single?" or "so, you dating anyone?" questions from old friends and family members over the holidays probably provides ample inspiration as well. And don't worry, you've still got time. According to Match, the "peak dating season" runs through Valentine's Day.
↦ FYI: A 2019 Stanford University study found that meeting online or via apps is now the most popular way in which couples meet.
Prioritize Relaxation
Sometimes we just need to stop and take it easy
If you're like you me, you're always interested in life hacks and ways to squeeze more productivity out of your day. But sometimes, we just need to relax.
It turns out, that a little rest and relaxation can really do a body and mind good. So for today's installment of "31 Days," we consult some experts and dig into the science of relaxation.
The good news? It's not all that difficult to chill out. You just need to know the proven tactics to help you channel some of that stress and anxiety away.
↦ Read: Here are four quick ways to bring the chill into your life.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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There aren’t a lot of sales over at MR PORTER. So when they launch one, you want to pay attention. Why? Because the items are high quality and the discounts are deep. Right now during their epic Winter Sale, which just kicked off, you can get a wide range of garments, shoes and accessories for up to 50% off. But our first stop is always the shoe section—specifically, the sneakers. Here are six of our favorites from the sale, all with plenty of sizes … for now.
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Who Makes the Best Wireless Earbuds?
Experts compare the noise-canceling offerings
If you're going to buy yourself some earbuds, they might as well be wireless, right? And in 2020, they should probably have active noise-cancelation too.
The technology used to be restricted to full-size over-ear headphones, but in just the past few years, it's been shrunken down to earbud size. As CNET puts it, Sony's 2018 models were the trailblazers, but Apple's AirPods Pro have taken the earbud-sized noise-canceling headphones mainstream.
Their experts compare and contrast a handful of options. And while it'll take a lot to pry those tiny white earbuds from this Apple fanboy's hand, other options might suit you better—depending on your individual needs. As it turns out, some are better than others when it comes to comfort, battery life or hands-free commands.
↦ One Advantage? The Verge reports that you can now engrave your favorite emojis on your AirPods case.
What We’re Buying
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Morning Motto
Be big today … and every day after that.
↦ Follow: @quotesbychristie
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