The Daily Valet. - 2/8/21, Monday

✔️ History Was Made

February 08, 2021

Monday, February 8th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Is there such a thing as being hungover ... but from chicken wings?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today's edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

History Was Made

The Buccaneers’ 31-9 victory over the Chiefs on Sunday cemented Brady as the GOAT

Tom Brady took things to another level, exceeding expectations and making all kinds of history on Sunday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Winning a Super Bowl at age 43, in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and being part of the first team to appear in a Super Bowl in its home stadium—all of this during a pandemic?! Who do you think will play Brady in a movie, because one is surely coming now. After all, who else could have done that?

This is Tampa Bay’s second title, and it caps an NFL season unlike any before it, with Super Bowl LV taking place in front of a crowd of just 24,835 and roughly 30,000 cardboard cutouts of fans.

According to The Ringer, Brady earned that seventh championship ring, but it also proved that this team is much more than its quarterback. Brady’s performance (at age 43, no less) was nearly flawless, and the suffocating pressure of Todd Bowles’ defense was a perfect compliment to the offense’s effort.

As for Patrick Mahomes, it was a rough day for last season’s Super Bowl MVP. He was sacked three times, threw two interceptions and had no touchdowns. Additionally, the Chiefs, who had an early 3-0 lead but couldn’t get going, accumulated 120 penalty yards.

And even though the game lacked the nail-biting suspense of past Super Bowls, viewers were treated to The Weeknd memes, some forward-thinking ads about “these trying times,” as well as inspirational messages from Amanda Gorman and Bruce Springsteen.

↦ FYI: Here's why this year's Super Bowl looked a lot like the Madden video game in real life.

What’s Up With Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine?

The FDA is taking three weeks to look over the data. But that’s a good thing ...

Johnson & Johnson applied for an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its coronavirus vaccine after releasing data last week showing it was about 66% effective in protecting against the virus.

According to CNBC, the FDA has scheduled a meeting of its Vaccine Advisory Committee on Feb. 26 to discuss the emergency use authorization. A couple weeks can feel like an eternity during the pandemic, with hospitals crowded and deaths still climbing, but The Verge makes a good case for allowing the time to check the data.

If the process is anything like what the FDA planned for the earlier vaccine candidates, those weeks will be filled with a lot of late nights and workers doing everything that they can to reasonably speed things up. Groups have been working in shifts, nights and weekends, looking in parallel at issues of clinical effectiveness and safety, and of levels of antibodies to confirm the way the vaccine is working, the Wall Street Journal reported in December.

One big reason people are excited about this one is that unlike Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines—which require two doses given about three to four weeks apart—J&J version only requires one dose, easing logistics for health-care providers.

↦ Dig Deeper: A closer look at the differences between the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines.

Special Promotion

This is not the occasion to show up with flowers that came home with you from the grocery store. We go with the stylish florist UrbanStems.

Is It Possible to Stop Robocalls?

We’re averaging about 129.5 million calls per day

If you're like me, you don't normally answer a call from an unknown number. But that doesn't mean you don't get random “Spam Risk” calls popping up and then leaving cryptic voicemails. And you're likely getting more than ever.

Americans received just over 4 billion robocalls in January, an increase of about 4% over the previous month. That works out to be 129.5 million calls per day, or roughly 1,500 calls every second.

More than 80% of robocalls come from fake numbers. And contrary to popular wisdom, The Conversation found that answering calls makes no difference in the number of robocalls received by a phone number.

They participated in a year-long study of more than 66,000 phone lines and received 1.48 million unsolicited phone calls. They discovered the weekly volume of robocalls remained constant whether you answered them or not.

↦ Further Reading: If you're interested in stopping unwanted calls, the FCC has some tips to minimize the annoyance.

The First New Blue Pigment in 200 Years

Researchers discovered it in 2009. Now, you can purchase a tiny tube of it ... for $179.40

I wasn't aware that blue was the first human-made pigment. But I knew that the color has deep cultural cachet, nearly impossible to find in nature and is often associated with rarity and expense.

But now, for the first time in two centuries, a new chemically-made blue pigment has been unveiled. Called YInMn Blue, it's named after its components—Yttrium, Indium, and Manganese—and its luminous, vivid pigment never fades, even if mixed with oil and water.

Like many scientific inventions, the new blue pigment was identified essentially by accident. According to the Smithsonian, researchers at Oregon State University discovered YInMn—the first new blue pigment identified in 200 years—while developing materials for use in electronics.

Now, the new blue is available to artists as a paint and for commercial use. It has a home in the archive of the Forbes Pigment Collection at Harvard University. It even inspired a new shade of Crayola crayon called Bluetiful.

↦ FYI: Now that the EPA has given its stamp of approval, the pigment is finally available for commercial use, with paint retailers such as Kremer Pigmente in Germany and Golden in the U.S.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Last-minute Valentine gifts

Roasting a chicken

This fake Zillow ad from ‘SNL’

Special Promotion

Give Next-Level Flowers

This is not the time for cheesy arrangements

This is not the occasion to show up with flowers that came home with you from the grocery store. Or the cheesy arrangements getting marked up for the holiday. We like turning to UrbanStems, who has made a name for themselves with their tasteful arrangements that suit a variety of styles and budgets. And while quality roses are always a sure bet, don't be afraid to go outside the norm and select blooms that feature your partner's favorite color. You'll always get points for trying. Plus, Valet. readers can receive a complimentary Sugarfina Bento Box with any purchase using code BEMYVALET

The Firecracker,$68

The Adored, $175

The Devon, $55

↦ Explore: UrbanStems' Valentine's Day collection

What We’re Buying

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↦ Get It $175 / $122.50 at Courant