The Daily Valet. - 3/29/22, Tuesday

✔️ A Surprising Revival

March 29, 2022

Tuesday, March 29th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I’d rather be writing this newsletter in a bookstore.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

A Bookstore Revival?

Nostalgia for the big chains of the ’90s help to explain a renaissance for bookstores in America

Do you remember Borders bookstores? I loved my local Borders growing up. It was where I discovered my love of coffee and music that wasn’t on the radio, read my first graphic novel and bought my first dirty magazine—you really could do it all there!

My fellow geriatric Millennials, who grew up with a Waldenbooks, a Crown or a Borders, have the same kind of nostalgia for the now-shuttered booksellers. And according to Bloomberg, those fond feelings help to explain a renaissance for bookstores in the U.S.

The last of the major chains is now betting on a rebound: Barnes & Noble, which once said it would whittle itself down to 450 stores by 2022, started this year with 625—and now plans to add up to 25 more in the next twelve months.

It turns out, the pandemic has been good for reading. Book sales have boomed; up 13% year over year. And at least 172 new independent bookstores opened in 2021.

I’ll be honest, I still buy plenty of books online but there’s something intoxicating about the freedom that comes with going to a real bookstore. If you know what you want, you can grab it easily on Amazon, but if you aren’t sure, a well-designed bookstore’s creative shelving, good lighting, comfortable seating and staff recommendations come in handy.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg found that Gen Z is taking to TikTok to talk about books and staging those videos at Barnes & Noble. This makes me so happy to know that young people are recognizing B&N as a crucial “third space” between work and home. A bookstore is ideal for contemplation, casual hangouts and serendipitous run-ins ... which we’re all getting less and less of these days.

↦ Mail Order: These indie bookstore subscription services will deliver reads you’ll love right to your door. Every. Single. Month.

Biden’s Budget Proposal

Hike taxes on the ultra-rich and corporations, boost defense and police spending

President Biden unveiled a nearly $6 trillion budget plan on Monday that seeks to reduce the deficit (as a way to fight inflation), while increasing defense spending and ultimately change the tax code.

The framework always tends to get overhauled by Congress before anything is enacted into law. But the wish list still offers a lens into an administration's focuses and priorities.

The proposal calls for a new tax on American households worth more than $100 million. The “Billionaire Minimum Income Tax” would apply only to the top one-hundredth of 1%. They'd be required to pay a rate of at least 20% on their income as well as unrealized gains in the value of their liquid assets, such as stocks (which can accumulate value for years but are taxed only when they are sold).

In place of COVID, the budget focuses on the need to tackle crime and public safety, and the global peril created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. There's approximately $31 billion in new defense spending, which will bring total national defense spending up to $813 billion. That includes $3.2 billion for state and local law enforcement grants and for hiring police officers.

Reducing Your COVID Risk

Experts expect caseloads to rise soon, but we’re not helpless

It's an unfortunate but ever-present truth: The realities of the pandemic are still far from over. Gone are the hopes for the “COVID-free” future. It's no longer a question of how we defeat the virus but rather how we learn to live with it.

The BA.2 subvariant—an even more contagious version of Omicron—has already caused cases to rise across much of Europe. Here in the U.S., caseloads have held steady over the past week, ending two months of sharp declines. But many experts expect increases soon.

Boosters are more important now than ever. Almost one-quarter of U.S. adults have been vaccinated but have not received a booster shot, according to New York Times data. (Anyone who was vaccinated more than five months ago—or two months after a Johnson & Johnson shot—is eligible.)

In Fast Company, Ron Gutman writes that if we hope to adapt to this new normal—one where COVID cases fluctuate regularly—we need to rely proactively on data. He imagines a data analytics infrastructure and predictive models that could send alerts to your smartphone to help you better prepare for spikes. It's clear we don't all need to do the same thing, but we should each being doing the smart thing.

↦ Meanwhile: Several recent studies are pointing to COVID-19 causing people to develop new cases of diabetes.

Warhol Case Heads to Supreme Court

And a photo of Prince is at the center of the case

The Supreme Court said Monday that it will referee a dispute involving pop artist Andy Warhol and a rock photographer who claimed Warhol violated her rights in creating images of Prince based on her photo.

In 1981, photographer Lynn Goldsmith took a photograph of Prince that was later licensed to Vanity Fair. A few years later, Warhol used that photo as the basis for a series of paintings known as the “Prince Series.” Goldsmith went on to sue the Andy Warhol Foundation. The Warhol Foundation won the case, but Goldsmith appealed and won that.

ArtNews reports that the case will likely have a massive impact on the concept of “fair use” as it relates to copyright and copyright infringement. And it could have implications for artists who rely on appropriated ready-made images in their practices—a notoriously sticky artistic strategy that has landed figures like Jeff Koons and Richard Prince in court previously.

It certainly seems like messy business. A lawyer for Warhol's foundation said the artist made substantial changes in tone, lighting and detail and “transformed” Goldsmith's original image to create pieces that “comment on the manner in which society encounters and consumes celebrity.” But we'll have to see what the Supreme Court says. The case will be heard next term.

↦ FYI: Here’s why Warhol is suddenly everywhere—from a Netflix docu-series, an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum and multiple theatrical works.

In Other News

↦ Trump Probably Broke the Law in an Effort to Obstruct Jan. 6 Proceedings, Judge Says

↦ Did You Recently Get a Spam Text... From Yourself? You’re Not Alone.

↦ Russia May Commit ‘Largest Theft of Aircraft in History’ by Keeping Over 400 Leased Planes

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

A dating app for single parents

Combovers

Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’

Fiber Isn’t Sexy

But it is extremely important

Hear me out, because I know this isn't sexy. But we gotta talk about fiber—just for a minute. Because ensuring that your diet is rounded out with enough fiber is the key to being slimmer, stronger and generally healthier.

Of course, when you're thinking about your diet in terms of looking and feeling good, fiber doesn't really come to mind. You're typically thinking about boosting your protein or cutting your sugar, right? Well that needs to change, because there's a high probability that you're not getting enough fiber.

When we feel crunched for time, many of us rely on seemingly convenient on-the-go options like fast food, juices or processed and packaged snacks. But many of those foods have been stripped of their beneficial fiber. According to the FDA, most Americans are not getting their recommended dose. How much is recommended? Anywhere between 30 and 42 grams of fiber, depending on your age and your level of physical activity. And only 4% of all men and 13% of women in the United States have a fiber intake above the recommended amount.

We spoke with some experts to help you get your fill of daily fiber. Do this, and you'll start to notice a slew of health benefits.

↦ Read: The benefits of boosting your fiber (and 10 of the best natural sources for fiber in your diet).

How to Pack for Spring Break

We get that packing your bags can be a hassle and you're always asking yourself, “How many outfits should I bring? Am I going to have enough underwear?” These are all valid questions, but we're here to coach you through a successful packing strategy. We don't need to tell you what to pack, but rather remind you to think of it this way: How much time? And what's the situation? To help get you started, we've pulled together three different travel bag categories that will set you up for success no matter how long your trip is.

For Overnights The tote bag is ideal for a last-minute overnight stay, but it's also the best companion for your carry-on bag as well.

Elliot leather tote, $495 / $208 by Reiss

For Weekends Going somewhere for a weekend? A duffle bag makes it simple and casual. Perfect for packing shoes, two outfits, and maybe a book and your camera.

Waxed canvas duffle, $164.95 by Lands’ End

For the Week A carry-on bag is the ultimate security blanket for traveling. People tend to overpack these but remember, it's not what you pack, it's how you pack.