The Daily Valet. - 2/3/23, Friday
✔️ Spy Games
Friday, February 3rd Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Are you watching the Grammys on Sunday?
Today’s Big Story
Spy Games
The Pentagon Claims a Chinese Surveillance Balloon Has Been Floating Over the U.S. for Days
A foreign spy blimp has been discovered roaming in American airspace. The Department of Defense announced Thursday that it's tracking a “high altitude surveillance balloon” over the continental U.S.A senior defense official said they have “very high confidence” that it's a Chinese balloon looking to collect information, the Los Angeles Times reports. The balloon is thought to have traveled over a number of different states where sensitive defense installations (read: nuclear silos) are located.The balloon is traveling at an altitude “well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground,” Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters in a hastily arranged news conference. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been tracking the balloon's course—apparently, for a few days—but officials would not specify its present whereabouts.According to NBC News, military and defense leaders discussed shooting it out of the sky with President Biden late Wednesday but ultimately decided against it. One senior administration official who spoke to the New York Times said the balloon did not pose a threat and added that it had limited value in collecting intelligence. However, the incident is one of the most aggressive Chinese intelligence gathering attempts in recent years. And it's definitely a wild one.Plus, it comes at a time of peak tension between the two countries. And just hours ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's expected departure for Beijing, where he'll hold a series of long-scheduled meetings with senior Chinese officials aimed at stabilizing the icy U.S.-China relationship. But this situation certainly isn't going to help ease any tension.
FYI:
What was Havana Syndrome, the mysterious illness that hit American spies and diplomats? We still don't know.
Ukraine Warns of Imminent Attack
CIA Director Says Next 6 months will be “critical”
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine nears the one-year mark, Kyiv is sounding an increasingly urgent warning: President Vladimir Putin is preparing a major new offensive. Officials say they fear that Russia's military is regrouping and preparing an imminent attack designed to turn the tide of the war in Moscow's favor.The news comes as the number of Russian troops killed and wounded in Ukraine is approaching 200,000—a stark symbol of just how badly the invasion has gone for Putin. Desperate for a major battlefield victory, Putin evoked the spirit of the Soviet army that defeated Nazi forces at Stalingrad 80 years ago to declare on Thursday that Russia would defeat Ukraine ... supposedly in the grip of a new incarnation of Nazism.A spring offensive has long been predicted, but leaders in Kyiv now say that Russia has amassed a large force ready to attack soon, leading up to the Feb. 24 anniversary. On Thursday, CIA Director William Burns said that the next six months would be “critical in the war.” He said Putin is betting that waning Western interest and “political fatigue” could afford his military a new chance at making serious gains.
Meanwhile:
Ukrainian allies have called for all Russian and Belarusian athletes be banned from competing in the 2024 Olympics.
Want to Join the Welcome Corps?
Americans can now sponsor refugee resettlement
Here's some positive news to wrap up the week: Everyday Americans will soon be able to lend a greater hand in refugee resettlement, as the federal government launches a new private sponsorship program called Welcome Corps.Announced in January by the State Department, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the program will allow groups of citizens to jointly sponsor refugees approved to enter the country through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. It's being described as the largest venture in federal resettlement work since the USRAP's inception in 1980.According to Mashable, the program isn't intended to be an individual philanthropic effort, and individuals and organizations are already connecting online to express support and coordinate potential partnerships. The plan is to mobilize at least 10,000 sponsors to support 50,000 refugees during Welcome Corps' initial launch.
FYI:
Close to 1,000 migrant children separated by the Trump administration have yet to be reunited with their parents.
Netflix’s Plan for Password Sharing
Users must log in to Netflix via their primary location's Wi-Fi network once every 31 days
Well this is going to lead to some uncomfortable texts between exes, right? The person sharing your Netflix log-in is finally going to need their own account. The streamer has unveiled its plans to prevent password sharing between people in households outside of an account owner's primary location.The company aims to curtail the rampant account sharing this year by asking people to define a primary location through their TV. All the accounts and devices should be connected to the same Wi-Fi as that home TV.According to IGN, devices must connect to the Wi-Fi at the primary location and watch something on Netflix at least once every 31 days to stay connected to an account. And if you're feeling generous, Fox Business reports that you'll be able to pay more to add an “extra member” outside your household for extended periods of time for “less than the price of [Netflix's] basic plan.”
Meanwhile:
The Squid Game reality show is reportedly an exploitative, rigged mess, according to one participant.
In Other News
Democrats said it amounts to an act of political revenge.
Have you heard about ...
A Weekend Pairing
‘Knock at the Cabin’ + Butterfinger Popcorn
I’m a sucker for any M. Night Shyamalan film or TV show. Old fans and Servant-heads alike know that he never really left, but Knock at the Cabin feels like it just might convince those not in the know that Shyamalan is back. The new psychological horror turns the home invasion genre on its head to tell a story about outcasts with the power to save or destroy humanity.I won’t give away too much of the plot, but critics are saying that this is a return to form for the filmmaker, who makes the most of a chilling atmosphere and top-notch cast. The story is based on the book “The Cabin at the End of the World” by Paul Tremblay, the movie is essentially an extended one-act play—albeit a very tense one. Though, I’m told that the seemingly requisite twist Shyamalan is known for never comes. Is that the point? Does it make this eerie film even more unsettling?
Pair It With
In lieu of sneaking a flask into the theater, this week’s pairing suggests sneaking in candy. Specifically Butterfinger Bites, which you could buy at the theater, but I say save your money, shove them in your pocket and buy a bag of popcorn. Then toss these in (and maybe add some Reese’s Pieces too).
Also Worth a Watch:
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ on Disney+, ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ on Hulu and ‘Harlem,’ Season 2 on Prime Video
Shopping
What We’re Buying
Pleated Chinos
It’s hard to find Nigel Cabourn pants for less than $100. Inspired by 20th-century British soldiers, this pair is made from ripstop cotton in a relaxed, pleated silhouette.
Get It:
Pleated chino, $200 / $99 by Nigel Cabourn
Morning Motto
Get into it and reap the rewards.
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