The Daily Valet. - 4/1/21, Thursday
✔️ Is The April Fools' Prank Dead?
Thursday, April 1st Edition
There are no fools here, so there are no April Fools pranks below.
Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Is the April Fools’ Prank Dead?
The internet makes everything faster (and worse)
For the second year in a row, Google will not create a series of elaborate and occasionally entertaining April Fools pranks. They told The Verge, “In 2020, we made the decision to pause our longstanding Google tradition, out of respect for all those fighting COVID-19. With much of the world still grappling with serious challenges, we will again pause the jokes.”
And while many businesses follow Google’s lead, there are plenty of outfits that have decided to yuck it up this year, unfortunately. Brands are cautiously returning to goofy stunts to celebrate April 1. Most are harmless—if not ridiculously unnecessary—like Velveeta’s new skincare line and a No. 2-inspired candle from The Farmer’s Dog.
Others are raising questions. It turns out, Volkswagen’s name change of U.S. operations to ‘Voltswagen’ was a marketing prank. But the brand was quickly criticized, as some commentators recalled the company’s diesel emissions scandal and years of misleading customers and regulators.
It seems like each year, these pranks go a bit further and get a little less funny. Case in point: McDonald’s Shake Sauce. Mark Zuckerberg x H&M. Yelp’s cracked screen. Starbucks Pupbucks. Rent the Runway for dogs. (There's always a lot of pet stuff, which is what happens when a boss demands people who aren’t funny be funny one day a year.)
Vulture says the internet makes everything faster and worse—officially claiming the April Fools’ prank is dead. Their solution: shift it from being a day of pranks and hoaxes to a day of jokes and comedy.
They suggest effectively turning the day into a mood, not unlike Halloween or Valentine’s Day. Not a bad idea, really. Let’s just hope they’re not pranking us.
↦ Dig Deeper: Is pranking irresponsible, given the amount of conspiracist backwash in the age of fake news? The Economist investigates.
MLB Opening Day Is Here
The official start of baseball bring stars, hope and crowds
From Comerica Park to Coors Field to the Coliseum, Major League Baseball is set to roll out a big welcome mat today. And much of it will be for the fans, even if things feel a bit different.
When Gerrit Cole throws the first pitch of the season—weather permitting—it could be in front of 11,000 people at Yankee Stadium. Healthcare workers will celebrated, and everyone will sit in socially distanced seats and wear masks, inside a park that will continue to operate as a mass coronavirus vaccination site.
All 30 teams are scheduled to be in action, with a jam-packed schedule that will conclude with three West Coast games starting just after 10 p.m ET. So strap in, grab some snacks and get ready for seventeen consecutive hours of live coverage.
↦ Meanwhile: President Biden says he backs moving the MLB All-Star Game out of Georgia.
Inactivity Is Literally Killing Us
But it's not what you think
We know that heart disease and cancer are two of man's biggest killers. But inactivity is currently the world's fourth leading cause of death. It's a problem often confused and conflated with laziness and personal choice, but in reality the issue is tied to the structure of modern living.
When you study cultures that tend to live the longest, one thing you'll find (that is blatantly missing in many of our communities), is incidental, going-throughout-your-day activity. This is separate from intentional exercise.
Currently, 1.5 billion people around the world are so inactive they are risking their long-term physical health. This sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of getting noncommunicable diseases such as depression and dementia, according to a new study's analysis of data from 168 countries.
Staying active is important to keep your body running at optimal capacity, according to CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas. She compared long periods of physical inactivity to a car sitting idle for months and then is unable to start. Her suggestion? Sneaking in squats, push-up and other body weight exercises during day to counteract the inactivity. As little as 11 minutes day is enough, she say.
↦ Further Reading: Cycling enthusiast Peter Walker has written a book called The Miracle Pill: Why a sedentary world is getting it all wrong.
Airlines Hope to Take Off Soon
But who’s brave enough to book the middle seat?
Flying in the 21st century could be complicated even before a global pandemic. But now it seems even more tricky. Once the vaxx selfies started posting, many started warming to the idea of traveling again.
And U.S. airlines are gearing up (or maybe just hoping) for the near-full return of their huge fleets of planes to the skies. They're currently rebuilding their fleets and reconfiguring their route networks to focus more on domestic leisure travelers than business and international trips.
As more people book tickets, more seats are being made available. Delta is the last airline still offering empty middle seats—but not for much longer. Come May, they'll start booking all seats again.
You may want to book soon, too. The drop in demand that's pushed prices down may be coming to an end soon. And with generally lower ticket prices and more lenient policies about changing flights (often for free) you may want to book now and ask questions later.
↦ FYI: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to advise against travel.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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A Classic T-Shirt You Need Now
Who makes the best pocket tee?
Maybe it’s the transitional weather. Perhaps it's because they're just a little bit different. In any case, we've been hunting for the perfect pocket T-shirt lately.
Much like their simpler, pocketless brothers, these tees are an essential part of your warm weather wardrobe. The pockets come in a variety of shapes and styles, but one wonders if they're really meant to be used
While pockets have long been added to clothing, the pocket tee didn't really take off until the late '50s and '60s. After James Dean stepped onto the screen wearing a plain white T-shirt with a pocket in Rebel Without a Cause, they suddenly started showing up all over America.
So who makes the best ones? We tried on countless styles and have assembled a grouping of the best—to fit any style or budget.
↦ Get It: A dozen of the best pocket tees, according to our editors.
Weekend Shopping Plans
From electronics to spring staples, our picks from three can't-miss sales going on this weekend.
Up to 60% off seasonal items
Banks Journal fleece, $99 / $63
Up to 50% off sitewide
Braun wireless charging alarm clock, $125 / $93.75
Extra 10% sale items w/code TREAT
Modern stretch khakis, $59.95 / $31.50
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Morning Motto
We can always improve. Keep focusing ...
↦ Follow: @sun_keep
That’s all for today...
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