The Daily Valet. - 4/16/21, Friday

✔️ Pandemic Senioritis

Friday, April 16th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Have you been able to concentrate lately? Me neither.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Pandemic Senioritis

Being so close (and yet so far) is a stress all its own

I have to say, I was relieved when I read Amanda Hull’s story in The Atlantic where she likened the collective vibe of the country to the old school colloquialism: Senioritis.

For those who are unfamiliar—or who were more diligent students than I ever was—senioritis is a psychological affliction both totally made up and very real. More a mood than a diagnosis, you can find many students afflicted by it in their last semester of high school or college.

It comes from reaching the end stage of the lengthy work necessary to achieve a difficult—and often not altogether voluntary—goal. (Sound familiar?) It’s an abrupt bout of laziness that results in flakiness that makes focusing on anything seem impossible.

And then there’s the fed-up feeling that results in risky behavior or occasional rule breaking. (Remember senior skip day?) A March Gallup poll found that only 46% of unvaccinated Americans who intended to get a shot were still isolating at home—a 12-point drop from January.

This shift comes as COVID-19 cases have once again begun to creep up in many places around the U.S. Even as we vaccinate millions of people a day, the pandemic’s danger has not yet subsided. Nonetheless, more Americans are traveling, salons and gyms are opening up; and many restaurants are desperate to rehire workers to meet increased demand.

Even if you’re abstaining from new risks, you still might be having a hard time channeling your energy or focus toward anything but fantasizing about The After. To explain that, a psychology professor explained to Mull the concept of “anticipatory euphoria.” Like putting up Christmas decorations as soon as Thanksgiving is over, she says “these moments might not make the desired event come any faster, but they give people access to some of the joy they expect those occasions will bring.” So basically, if you can’t fight it, at least know that it’s your body’s natural reaction.

↦ Passing thought: Imagine the poor students who actually have senioritis on top of their pandemic senioritis.

About Those COVID Boosters

It sounds like they might be necessary

The United States is preparing for the possibility that a booster shot will be needed between nine to 12 months after people are initially vaccinated against COVID-19, reports Reuters.

Pfizer's CEO said people will “likely” need a third booster dose of its vaccines within 12 months and could need annual shots, based on comments that were made public on Thursday. Moderna said this week that they hope to have a booster shot for its vaccine ready by the fall.

While the duration of immunity after vaccination is being studied, initial data has shown that both vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer retain most of their effectiveness for at least six months—though for how much longer has not been determined.

The Food and Drug Administration said their approach to authorizing modified COVID vaccines is similar to that of annual flu vaccines, meaning they could be cleared for emergency use without lengthy clinical trials.

↦ FYI: Nearly half of Republicans say they don't want a COVID vaccine (versus just 5% of Democrats).

U.S. Slaps New Sanctions on Russia

But will they result in any real change?

The Biden administration announced Thursday that the U.S. is expelling 10 Russian diplomats and imposing sanctions against several dozen people and companies, holding Moscow accountable for election meddling and Kremlin-linked hacking that penetrated U.S. government networks.

The President said that America isn't pushing for “a cycle of escalation and conflict” with Russia, but “we cannot allow a foreign power to interfere in our democratic process with impunity.”

Speaking after the measures were made official, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the “aggressive behavior” would lead to an “inevitable” response.

Despite all the bold talk, Axios says there's little reason to think that the Russia sanctions package President Biden announced Thursday will do anything to alter Putin's behavior—especially when you consider that the U.S. and our allies have imposed some form of sanctions against Russia every year since 2014.

↦ Meanwhile: The government has finally connected the line from Trump's campaign to Russian intelligence.

Let’s Talk Money

Why less than $100K a year actually makes us happier

Back in 2010, two Nobel laureates in economics published a paper that created a tidal wave of interest. The researchers showed that people believe the quality of their lives will increase as they earn more (and their feelings do improve with additional money at low income levels). But the well-being they experience flattens out at around $75,000 in annual income (about $92,000 in today's dollars).

The research worked its way into opinion pages and launched countless articles. But earlier this year, an economist named Matthew Killingsworth riffed on the theory with his own study. He intended to poke at that research a bit, and deduced that people can discover new levels of well-being, even if they're making more than $75,000.

He analyzed 1,725,994 samples pulled from 33,391 employed adults in the United States and found a lot of consistency with the earlier study. There remains a limit where happiness just runs out of road to play with. Based on the new data, that would be around $100,000 in earnings each year.

What's it mean? If you make more, does that automatically mean you're unhappy? Of course not. It just means it becomes more difficult for you to generate happiness from wealth. The more you make, the less bearing that money has on erasing your unhappiness. Kind of like when a $20 bill would excite you as a kid ... Now? Not so much.

↦ FYI: The U.S. economic recovery is accelerating as stimulus money, Covid-19 vaccinations and business re-openings spur a spring surge in consumer spending.

In Other News

↦ White House Correspondents’ Dinner Canceled for Second Year Running

↦ No, You Can’t Pack Full-Size Sunscreen Bottles in Your Carry-On

↦ With 100 Days Until the Tokyo Olympics, Japan Has Vaccinated Less Than 1% of Its Population. That’s a Problem.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

This poignant tweet

America’s most stressful highway

A healthier nightcap

Mercedes’s New All-Electric Sedan

It has a nap mode and self-opening doors

Mercedes might've been a bit slow to jump on the zero-emissions power train, but when it did, expectations were that the result would be impressive. That certainly appears to be the case with the Mercedes-Benz EQS revealed on Thursday.

The German automaker is still keeping several key details under wraps, such as the pricing, but the EQS is a bold break from the current crop of minimalist electric vehicles with its big battery, huge infotainment screen, and richly appointed interior.

Touted as the automaker's “next generation of progressive luxury,” the first all-electric production vehicle has doors that operate automatically and a body that lowers slightly at speeds of more than 75 miles an hour.

Maybe even more impressive? The EQS has a special Power Nap program to help drivers get some sleep during a rest stop. It automatically reclines the driver's seat into a resting position, closes the windows and the sunshade across the glass roof. The interior lighting and temperature are also adjusted to create a soothing atmosphere. Honestly, that might impress me more than any of the other specs.

What We’re Buying

We named Reebok's Nano X sneaker one of our top training shoes for 2021 because it can handle any workout. The breathable knit upper has integrated support for multidirectional movement and a “Comfort Collar” at the ankle to provide support for everything from squats to sideways shuffles. And with code SPRINGSZN, you can get them for 40% off.

↦ Get It: $130 / $78 at Reebok