The Daily Valet. - 3/9/22, Wednesday

✔️ Turning the Screws

Wednesday, March 9th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

You may feel heavier by the end of this newsletter.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Turning the Screws on Russia

After years of cultivating the Russian market, Western brands halt sales and close up shop

Two weeks into its war in Ukraine, Russia has achieved less and struggled more than anticipated at the start of the invasion. Moscow’s main objective—toppling the Kyiv government and replacing it with Kremlin-friendly leadership—remains elusive. But with no sign of Putin backing away, the war appears likely to drag on.

According to the Associated Press, CIA Director William Burns told a congressional panel Tuesday that Putin is frustrated and likely to “double down.” He said that could mean “an ugly next few weeks” as the fighting intensifies.

As things get more serious, some of America’s best-known brands are pulling back from Russia. Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, PepsiCo and Starbucks each said Tuesday they are suspending business in Russia. It’s a symbolic (and complicated) move by the iconic brands—some of which have been operating in the country since it was part of the Soviet Union.

Businesses have been under increasing pressure (from both investors and social media users) to pull out of Russia, especially fast-food chains, which have been criticized for lagging behind other companies with decisions about their Russia operations.

European luxury labels—who’d seen a recent spike in sales as Russians sought to exchange their falling rubles for designer goods—joined the likes of Nike and adidas and announced shops closed and e-commerce sales halted. The Fashion Law reports that most of them made nearly identical, and thoroughly diplomatic, statements about “the current situation.”

Even the gaming industry is closing its proverbial doors. Ubisoft, EA, Activision Blizzard, Epic, Microsoft and others are suspending business in Russia. While other game platforms technically remain online and doing business in Russia, WIRED reports that sanctions from payment processors seem to be making it all but impossible to continue playing.

↦ Meanwhile: The Kremlin is getting ready to bring down the “digital Iron Curtain,” and cut itself off from the global internet.

Most Americans Are Full of Lead

Just how much lead is too much lead?

Well, I'm going to choose to look at this as a kind of a good news/bad news situation: If you were born before 1996, there's a good chance you were exposed to high levels of lead as a kid. Yeah, that means over 170 million of us.

In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, they estimated that half the U.S. adult population in 2015 had been exposed to lead levels surpassing the CDC's threshold for harmful lead exposure, which increases your chances of lead-related health concerns down the road.

The exposure was caused by leaded gasoline, which was finally phased out in '96. Though the U.S. has implemented tougher regulations to protect Americans from lead poisoning in recent decades, the public health impacts of exposure could last for several decades, experts told the Associated Press.

“Lead is toxic and harms many organs, but it is particularly harmful to the developing brain, and we know children exposed to lead will demonstrate IQ deficits,” one of the study authors said. And this is where I'm taking a little solace. I'm now convinced that I wasn't a lazy student who was bad at geometry ... it was simply that I was inadvertently huffing lead!

↦ FYI: The majority of bald eagles carry high levels of lead, which scientists have discovered comes from hunters' ammo (since eagles scavenge on carcasses of animals).

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The Quarterback Carousel

One remains while another moves on in a historic trade

On a historic day in the NFL following a previous day that will live in infamy for another reason, the reigning MVP reportedly agreed to the richest deal in league history while another star quarterback was moved in a blockbuster deal.

Rather than force a trade somewhere else, Aaron Rodgers agreed to an extension to remain in Green Bay, where he will probably finish out his career. He signed a 4-year $200 million extension, with $153 million guaranteed. At age 38, this extension will take Rodgers until the age of 42. The NFL community reacted to the massive news which may start a chain reaction heading into free agency.

Also on Tuesday, Seattle agreed to trade Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. CBS Sports said it's not a stretch to assume the Broncos may have pulled the trigger on Wilson after hearing of Rodgers' recommitment to the Packers.

But the Wilson trade is one of the largest in league history. He's going to try to revive a franchise that has not been the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50. It also signals the end of era in Seattle, as Wilson goes down as one of the most important players in franchise history.

↦ Dig Deeper: An elite QB can change a franchise’s destiny. The Ringer examines the Star-Quarterback-Savior Complex.

Here’s What Apple Unveiled Yesterday

Including an all-new modular computer system

No other company gets the internet talking the way Apple does when they announce new products. Yesterday's event kicked off with updates on Apple TV+ including Friday Night Baseball, Apple's initial foray into live sports—if we ever get a baseball season.

But, of course, the real excitement surrounded new products like an all-new 27-inch 5K Retina external display with a cool hinge-and-stand design. Gear Patrol was most impressed with the fact that the display also packs Apple's A13 Bionic processor inside, giving it some pretty neat camera and sound capabilities. (Even more impressive? It doesn't have a $5,000 starting price—finally.)

Then there's the Mac Studio, a desktop system that looks like the Mac Mini on the outside but packs a lot more power on the inside. The modular cube will fit under almost any display and features a total of 12 ports located in front and back. It utilizes either (your choice) the M1 Max or the new M1 Ultra chip. Apple claims it's the most powerful chip ever used for a personal computer.

And while the iPad got some improvements as well, people were really digging the new iPhone SE, which brings the advanced features of Apple's newest A15 CPU to a cheaper, smaller package with a price that starts at $429. The Verge says Apple seemed to downplay the SE's new 5G radio and instead focused on the fact that you can get an experience similar to its pricier iPhone 13 devices in the same 4.7-inch package—including Touch ID—when it launches next week.

↦ Meanwhile: iOS 15.4 is coming out next week, which means you can use Face ID with your mask on (if you've got a newer iPhone, that is).

In Other News

↦ In the First Jan. 6 Trial, a Jury Found Capitol Riot Defendant Guy Reffitt Guilty on All Counts

↦ ESPN Is Adding the WNBA to Its Fantasy Roster. It’s About Time.

↦ Virgin Hyperloop Won’t Provide Passenger Travel. Here’s Why That Matters

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Robert Pattison’s Batman sunglasses

This strangely satisfying video

Song lengths

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