The Daily Valet. - 2/9/23, Thursday
✔️ Who's the Real GOAT?
Thursday, February 9th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
I just want to make this newsletter the Greatest Of All Time. Is that too much to ask?
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Today’s Big Story
Who’s the GOAT?
Who's the best, Really? Does it even matter? And where did the term come from?
You don't have to be a sports fan to hear the term GOAT. It's thrown around so much, but for the uninitiated, it stands for the Greatest Of All Time. And we've been hearing it a lot lately. First, with Tom Brady's recent retirement. Then, earlier this week, as LeBron James broke one of the NBA's most sacred records.And not just in sports. When Beyoncé Knowles made history the other night by winning the 32nd Grammy Award in her career, overtaking the late symphony conductor Georg Solti, presenter James Corden properly acknowledged the historic weight of the moment, but took it a step further by declaring Her Royal Bey-ness the GOAT because she had accumulated so many more of those shiny megaphone trophies than anyone before.Of course, one man's GOAT is another person's overrated fad. After all, these are subjective ratings. And while a new Morning Consult poll of adults in the United States did determine Brady is the GOAT among NFL quarterbacks (with 33% of the vote ahead of Joe Montana), he was not regarded as the greatest athlete in history. Per the survey, Michael Jordan (six titles) has Brady (seven rings) beat as the greatest athlete of all time—even though he has one fewer championship.But having the most trophies shouldn't be the only criteria for judging, enjoying or being inspired by an artist or athlete, right? But a thought crossed my mind this week with all this “Greatest of All Time” talk: Just who's responsible for us using GOAT?According to Grammarphobia, the acronym can be attributed to the one, the only, Muhammad Ali. In 1992, his wife incorporated Greatest of All Time, Inc. (G.O.A.T. Inc.) to consolidate and license her husband's intellectual properties for commercial purposes. But we really didn't start throwing around “GOAT” until the early aughts. And we can likely thank LL Cool J—who released G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) in 2000—which Grammarphobia cites as the moment it was first casually used as an acronym.
FYI:
The term G.O.A.T. was added to the online Urban Dictionary in early 2004.
The Two Sides of Weight-Loss Drugs
The blockbuster medications are gaining popularity
Over the last few months, there's been a lot of chatter about the diabetes drug Ozempic and its weight-loss counterpart, Wegovy. Buzz on social media and in Hollywood's gossip mill has erupted, helping drive a surge in curiosity and desire that's contributed to ongoing supply shortages.But as the blockbuster medications gain popularity, they are shifting cultural and medical conversations about weight and weight loss. According to NBC News, patients and doctors say the results they're seeing from the drugs further underscore the consensus that lifestyle changes alone are often insufficient for people trying to lose excess weight.While celebrities and billionaires such as Elon Musk and Michael Rubin praise the weight loss effects of these drugs, regular patients, including those with Type 2 diabetes, struggle with access, raising questions about who will really benefit from treatment. And Vox reports that some of the most vocal opposition has come from Health at Every Size and weight-neutral health advocates, who criticize how the drugs medicalize obesity.
Dig Deeper:
CNET has everything you need to know about Ozempic, Wegovy and the weight-loss drug debate.
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Do You Have a Side Hustle?
They're more common than ever. But That's not necessarily a good thing.
Americans are scrappy workers, right? Turns out that when the going gets tough, the tough take on side hustles. Despite the government's assertion that 8 million of us are working multiple jobs, recent research from top economists revealed that number is closer to an eyebrow-raising 16 million. That's around 10% of the United States workforce.And that's nothing compared to this Insuranks survey from 2022, which found that when you count in smaller ways to make money (selling stuff online and taking online surveys) a whopping 93% of Americans have a way of earning on the side. The most common reasons for hustling aren't surprising: earning cash and paying bills. Inflation is high, after all, and every little bit counts.As InsideHook points out, though, some aren't joining the gig economy. Those in hybrid or WFH situations are taking on additional work, adding hourly paychecks and, at times, additional salaries—with secondary insurance, and sometimes even 401K contributions. But, of course, hopping between different corporate Zoom meetings and manipulating your online presence to make it seem like you're working for just one company feels like a fool's game, with an inevitable crash and burn.
By the Numbers:
The average male makes around $596 a month from his side hustle, while the average female brings in about $378 a month.
Airfare Expected to Rise This Spring
and then continue to increase heading into the warmer seasons
It's kind of a good news/bad news situation. Airfare prices are once again on the rise as we head into the spring and summer travel season, but ticket costs are expected to remain well below last summer's peak prices.Domestic airfare is forecast to rise about 5% this month to an average price of $277 round trip and then continue to increase heading into the warmer months, according to the latest predictions from Hopper. But while the average ticket price is expected to hit about $350 this summer, that will be an 11% drop from the same time last year when it hit about $400.But on the not-so-great side, plane tickets are still expected to cost more than they did before the pandemic began. That's because many of the factors that were at play last year remain an issue this year, Hayley Berg, Hopper's lead economist, told the Washington Post. Jet fuel prices are still very high, consumers still have huge appetites for travel and airlines are still not operating full pre-pandemic schedules. So, if I were you, I'd set a Google Flight alert to score the cheapest ticket for your desired route.
Meanwhile:
What's the safest seat on a plane? CNN asked an aviation expert.
In Other News
Rescuers face shortages of trucks, fuel and time.
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Manscaped tackles different hair, with the same great care
The world’s leader in men’s below-the-waist grooming just released their new line of products that are specifically designed to tackle the hair on your face. Manscaped took everything they've learned about making safe, performance shavers and applied that knowledge into a new beard trimmer engineered for comfort and closeness. In other words, you can now make the drapes match the carpet.Sculpt your scruff with the new Beard Hedger™ Pro Kit. This premium kit starts with the Beard Hedger™ – a cordless, electric beard trimmer that features a titanium-coated T-blade and a handy rotary zoom wheel that allows you to shave to 20 different precise lengths. The set also comes with Beard Shampoo that has been dermatologist-tested for sensitive skin, along with Beard Conditioner and Beard Oil formulated to keep facial hair healthy and easy to maintain. Plus, there are three free gifts—stainless steel scissors, a specialty designed beard brush, and a beard comb.
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What We’re Buying
A Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Gift
You have less than a week to buy your significant other something for Valentine's Day, but don't panic—we have some last-minute gifts that will make you appear more than prepared. Since you've put yourself in a time crunch, think practical—a beautiful leather tote, a passport wallet for the trip you still need to book, or something to spark the passion. Just don't purchase something that shows you were in a rush.
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