The Daily Valet. - 1/6/21, Wednesday

✔️ The Future Gets Decided

January 06, 2021

Wednesday, January 6th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

So much for Dry January ... I drank a little last night.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

The Future of the Senate

Rev. Raphael Warnock’s victory put Democrats one step closer securing a majority

Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Kelly Loeffler, NBC News projected late Tuesday, in one of two critical runoff elections in Georgia that will not only determine control of the Senate but essentially, the fate of Joe Biden’s presidency.

Warnock, a pastor and voting rights activist, will be Georgia’s first Black senator. And according to Bloomberg, his victory ends a more than 30-year losing streak for Democrats in statewide runoffs.

Democrats need to win both contest to flip the Senate, but the other race, between incumbent GOP Sen. David Perdue and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff was too close to call by the major networks. Decision Desk HQ called it for Ossoff last night.

But as of 2:15 a.m. Wednesday, Ossoff had a lead of more than 9,500 votes out of nearly 4.4 million counted—or a margin of less than 0.2 percentage points. That means political operatives are eyeing Georgia's rules on recounts, which allow a losing candidate to request one if the race is within half a percentage point.

One thing is for sure: there were a lot of ballots cast. According to the New York Times, more than four million Georgians cast ballots in yesterday's runoff, surpassing the total number of votes cast in the state during the 2016 presidential election.

The surge in turnout capped a two-month heated special election in a swing state that had long favored Republicans but where the changing electorate, especially Black voters, showed up in full force—not just in metro Atlanta, but also in rural and small-town counties across South Georgia, where Black turnout has historically lagged.

↦ Meanwhile: The 2020 presidential election will likely reach a decisive conclusion today as the new Congress begins counting the Electoral College votes—but experts warn the process could last days.

Vaccines Ramp Up

Over 19 million doses have been distributed

The federal government's Operation Warp Speed said it distributed more than three million coronavirus vaccines on Tuesday, meaning that the government has now distributed over 19 million vaccines across the United States, reports CNN.

While distribution is chugging along nicely, the CDC reported Tuesday that only 4.8 million people had been given their first doses of vaccine. But that number should be rising quickly as momentum builds after the holidays.

Dr. Anthony Fauci told the Associated Press that President-elect Biden’s goal of 100 million vaccinations in his first 100 days is “a very realistic, important, achievable goal.”

Fauci estimated that between 70% and 85% of the U.S. population will need to be vaccinated to achieve “herd immunity,” meaning enough people are protected that it’s difficult for the virus to continue spreading. That would essentially translate to around 280 million Americans.

↦ Dig Deeper: Researchers are testing 64 coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials on humans. Here are explanations about how eight of the leading vaccines work.

America Will Lose the Land Cruiser

The SUV is reportedly dead in the U.S. after the current generation

Earlier this year, a rumor surfaced that the Toyota Land Cruiser, beloved behemoth and longtime owner of the Fanciest Toyota title, was getting axed after the 2021 model year. In a statement to Car and Driver, the company confirmed the rumor.

It's not great news, but the Cruiser may not be gone forever. According to Gear Patrol, Toyota says they aren't abandoning large SUVs — and suggests they aren't ruling out using the Land Cruiser branding in the future. Toyota then urges fans to “stay tuned,” suggesting something is on the horizon, however distant that might be.

Jalopnik says the comeback would likely include stuff the current truck doesn't have, like decent fuel economy, probably some sort of integrated driver assistance systems beyond tacked-on cameras and maybe advanced off-roading tech. If it does come back, I'm hoping for a more vintage-influenced design, more new Bronco rather than new Defender.

↦ Eye Candy: This visual history of the Land Cruiser covers six decades of overlading in style.

Do You Do Dry January?

With alcohol use surging during pandemic, many opt for a reset. But do you need to?

This year's Dry January challenge comes as alcohol use has surged during the pandemic. People are feeling more stress, and many are having a drink to mark the end of the workday—I know I do.

The Dry January campaign was started in 2013 in England, but is now a pretty common practice around the world. It's certainly a noble challenge and a resolution that only lasts a few weeks.

And while shelving the booze for a month no doubt does a body good, it's not necessary to go completely cold turkey. New Japanese research proves you can drink your way through a long and healthy life by giving yourself “liver holidays,” which is simply taking two days off between drinks.

Of course, if you're going to be dry, you've got plenty of tasty non-alcoholic options. Craft brewers and gin distillers now make sober versions of their most popular beverages. And I was just introduced to Acid League's Wine Proxies—layered blends of juices, teas, spices and bitters that are designed to be paired with food and sipped like a classic bottle of red or white.

↦ Dig Deeper: Popular Mechanics examines the science behind making nonalcoholic beer.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

An old school smart watch

Modern architecture

This long-lost ‘Simpsons’ video game

Give Yourself a Break

Work smarter, not harder, right?

While there are a lot of benefits to working from home, one of the most common downsides is that the stress of the workday blends into the evenings and off-time, eating up precious time that could be spent resting or on leisure and personal projects.

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You've got a growing to-do list and suddenly, it feels like you're trying to do a hundred different things at once. Little by little, some progress is made but then a distraction pulls you off course. By the time you get back to the task at hand, you feel way too behind to call it quits. So it feels like you're never getting ahead and you're constantly working past the point of optimal productivity.

For today's "31 Days" lesson, we introduce you to the Pomodoro Technique, a proven way to focus and get things accomplished while also providing you the ample time to rest and recharge. What's not to like?

↦ Read: How to use the Pomodoro Technique to your advantage.

What We’re Buying

We're not surprised that you've never heard of the number one best selling shoelaces on Amazon. What's more, they're not even really laces. Originally designed for triathletes to decrease transition time, the Lock Laces are the perfect upgrade to any athletic shoe. The elastic laces conform to your foot for a comfortable, custom fit. Added compression reduces discomfort so you can perform better. At least that's what we're telling ourselves. And at this price, why not give it a shot?

↦ Get It $7.99 at Amazon