The Daily Valet. - 3/24/21, Wednesday
✔️ Laws vs. Rights
Wednesday, March 24th Edition
Creme egg season has arrived.
Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
Gun Laws vs. Gun Rights
After the second mass shooting in a week, the president said tighter gun laws should not be a partisan issue
A picture of the victims of Monday’s shooting began to emerge yesterday, when the suspect in the killings was charged with 10 counts of murder in the first degree.
And with every mass shooting in the United States, the debate quickly turned to whether this might be the one—or, in the case of the last week, the two—that will ultimately force major action on gun restrictions.
Especially considering the chilling facts that the shooting came 10 days after a judge struck down a ban on assault rifles in Boulder that was challenged by the NRA. And the gunman bought his assault weapon just six days before the shooting.
In Washington, President Joe Biden called on Congress to tighten the nation’s gun laws. Acknowledging there’s more to confirm about the shooter’s mental state and motivation, Biden said, “I don’t need to wait another minute to take common-sense steps that will save lives in the future and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to bring forward two House-passed bills to require expanded background checks for gun buyers. Biden supports the measures, but they face a tougher route to passage in a closely divided Senate with a slim Democratic majority.
Because while polling regularly shows broad support for tighter gun laws and specific policies like a ban on assault weapons, Republicans in Congress remained all but immovable on the issue, repeating longstanding arguments on Tuesday that gun violence should be addressed through steps like more policing rather than limiting gun rights.
↦ Meanwhile: This Onion tweet has become a tragic tradition (that’s been used nearly two dozen times).
Streaming Saved Music ... Right?
Artists aren’t so sure anymore
Chances are pretty good that if you listen to music these days, you do it using a streaming service like Pandora, Spotify, or Apple music. Sometimes you'll pay a monthly subscription fee to stream all you want, or sometimes you'll just pay by listening to ads between songs.
Though it might surprise you that YouTube is actually the biggest music streaming service in the world, with its scale—both in terms of its overall users and the more than two billion people who specifically consume music on it.
Still, with plenty of people paying for music, that money isn't exactly trickling down to the people making it. Last month, news broke that 20 of the largest music streaming platforms had been sitting on no less than $424 million in so-called “unmatched royalties”.
And last week, a group of musicians protested outside Spotify offices for changes in how they are paid from streaming. There's talk of changing the payments systems to a “user-centric model” that would allocate payments based on what people listen to. Proponents say this system would be more fair, especially to artists in niche genres. But there have been studies that say it’s not that simple. And I wonder ... is it too late to change?
↦ Get: The four best music-streaming apps, according to WIRED.
Partner
Want a break from the monotony of your digital life? It's time to go old school, just for bit, and get outside.
Race Against Time
As some states open vaccines to all, many others are still weeks away
I love living in California. But I don't love that it likely means that I'm weeks, maybe months away from getting a COVID-19 vaccination.
Officials in at least 20 states have committed in recent days to opening vaccine appointments to all adults in March or April, part of a fast-moving expansion as states race to meet President Biden's goal of universal eligibility by May 1.
As of March 22, nearly a quarter of the U.S. population, 82,772,416 people, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control. Of that group, 13.5%, or 44,910,946 people, are fully vaccinated against the virus.
And while most have committed to the May 1 goal, some states (including Cali) might be a bit behind that because there are state-by-state differences in supply and demand. CNN consulted various state health departments to provide an up-to-date timeline. May the odds be ever in your favor ...
↦ FYI: National Guardsmen transporting COVID-19 vaccines through Texas were held at gunpoint.
The Legend of the Cadbury Creme Egg
Where did the idea for a chocolate egg with a sugary creamy “yolk” come from?
Cadbury's Creme Egg, a chocolate egg filled with a creamy white-and-yellow center meant to mimic an actual egg, is a polarizing candy. Every year, it arrives as a signifier of Spring and some rejoice while others turn up their noses.
According to Southern Living, it all started back in 1824, when John Cadbury opened his first shop in Birmingham, England and began experimenting with moldable chocolate. In 1875, Cadbury created the first egg—a fancy dark chocolate confection filled with small sugar-coated chocolate drops.
There were other innovations, but the version of the chocolate cream-filled egg that we all know and (some) love wasn't invented until 1963, when it was sold under the name “Fry's Creme Eggs,” which are still made today.
The Cadbury version with its fake yolk was introduced in the early '70s. The milky creme is fondant, the same liquidy goodness you'll find on the inside of chocolate-covered cherry cordials. It's made with only four ingredients: water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and food coloring. So, yes, when you eat a Cadbury Creme Egg, you are literally biting into a chocolate shell filled with liquid sugar.
↦ By the numbers: Over 500 million creme eggs are made each year.
In Other News
↦ A Huge Container Ship Has Blocked the Suez Canal, One of the World’s Most Important Shipping Lanes
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Partner
Go Analog-ish
Put the screen down, just for a bit
One of my New Year's resolutions was to ease up on my screen time (I'm not going to tell you what it is, that's personal). And as we finish up March, it's a good time to check-in with ourselves and see how we're doing and where we want to make little improvements. After all, this is not the year for radical overhauls. But there are ways we can “think small” and get a little better every day. And one is to go analog-ish.
I'm not saying to abandon technology entirely. Without my digital life, I wouldn't have much of a life—especially these days. Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University, told MR PORTER, “Once you know the reason for using a technology, you can approach it on your own terms.” For instance, if social media becomes a default action when you “want to escape unpleasant feelings in the moment, such as boredom, anxiety or general unhappiness,” he says there are better alternatives.
Go for a walk outside to get some fresh air and clear your mind. Sit near a window with a book and a cup of coffee to give your brain and your eyes a break from the screens we stare at all day. This could be a much-needed 20 minute break during your workday or it could become a new a Saturday morning routine to kick off the weekend. It’s whatever works for you.
A Few Analog Options
The MR PORTER Guide to a Better Day, $40 by MR PORTER
Logo-appliquéd twill messenger, $95 by Engineered Garments
Zoom Fly 3 mesh running sneakers, $160 by Nike
Rio Branco leather-trimmed sneakers, $140 by Veja
Rain or Shine SPF 50+ daily moisturizer, $32 by Jaxon Lane
Cloudflow mesh running sneakers, $140 by ON
↦ Shop: Running shoes at MR PORTER
What We’re Buying
Virtually identical in appearance to the watches used by American troops in the '60s, MWC's military watches are actually just a little better. Why? The original standard issue models were made of plastic because they were deemed disposable. The new version retains the original appearance, but the weight and feel has been upgraded thanks to an all-metal construction. Which means it's superior in both durability and quality. And yet, it's only fifty bucks.
↦ Get It: $50 by MWC
Today’s Deals
Expires 3/24
Expires 3/24
Ongoing Sale
↦ Want More? See all 45 sales
Morning Motto
Stick with it from the beginning to the end.
↦ Follow: @ikonick
That’s all for today...
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