The Daily Valet. - 4/20/21, Tuesday

✔️ Going Green Today?

April 20, 2021

Tuesday, April 20th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

There is something in the air today, have you noticed?

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Happy 420

The unofficial high holiday turns 50 this year

Today is 4/20, also known as “Weed Day” in some circles, but for the increasingly mainstreamed cannabis culture, it’s no longer a hippie holy day. But where did the association come from?

You might’ve heard that the number is drawn from the California criminal code used to punish the use or distribution of marijuana. But the state’s 420 code actually applies to obstructing entry on public land. According to a curator of the Oaksterdam Cannabis Museum, 420 started as a secret code among high schoolers in the early 1970s.

As laws change across the country and cannabis goes corporate, the grassroots event has turned into a marketing exercise for celebrity brands and publicly traded companies to commercialize.

Behold the weed industrial complex, reports GQ from Jay-Z’s luxury weed factory: an endless maze of tropical nurseries, science labs where chemists extract terpenes to make vape juice, and glass jars of nugs whizz down conveyor belts. “Under the skunky floral perfume, the air smells like money.”

And there’s plenty to make, considering how many people are partaking these days. According to a Pew Research study published Friday, 91% of U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal in some form. And a report this month by cannabis research firm Headset projects legal weed sales in the U.S. will hit $28.3 billion in the coming year (up from $22.8 billion this year).

What’s more, one in four Americans used cannabis in some form during the past 12 months, according to a YouGov study released Monday. And 25% of them said that they tried it for the first time during the pandemic. Honestly, my quarantine experience would’ve been much harder without a few edibles here and there.

↦ Meanwhile: TikTokers have taken to smoking flowers (rose petals, raspberry leaves, and chamomile) as weed alternatives.

Chauvin’s Case Is With the Jury

What to know about the closing arguments, deliberations and verdict

After 14 days of testimony, two sides in one of the nation's most closely watched police brutality trials returned to the graphic video of George Floyd's final moments on Monday. The prosecution asked jurors to “believe your eyes” and the defense warned them not to be “misled” by a freeze-frame view.

The 12-member jury will be sequestered while they decide whether Chauvin is guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree-manslaughter.

As for how long deliberations may take, Judge Peter Cahill told jurors, “Basically, it's up to the jury how long you deliberate, how long you need to come to a unanimous decision on any count. And so because that's entirely up to you—whether it's an hour or a week—it's entirely within your province.”

Meanwhile, thousands of Minnesota National Guard troops have been deployed throughout the city—taking up armed positions along commercial corridors and in residential neighborhoods alongside police officers as part of what officials describe as a deterrent to potential unrest and violence in response to the verdict.

↦ FYI: If Chauvin were to be convicted, sentencing would likely occur at a hearing, held at a later date.

Partner

Do you take your coffee seriously? Then you're probably going to want to know about this.

Texas Gov. Matthew McConaughey?

Alright, alright, alright ... it’s possible

Matthew McConaughey may not have officially entered the 2022 race to be the next governor of Texas but, apparently, Texans hope he will, as he holds a 12-point lead over Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, according to a new poll by The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas.

The actor has flirted with the idea of running for governor, referring to it as a “true consideration” during a March appearance on The Balanced Voice podcast.

Though it's unclear whether McConaughey, who has criticized both of the major parties, would run as a Republican or Democrat. The poll, conducted between April 6 and 13, shows that he would perform considerably better with Democratic voters.

But not everyone is a fan. Politico calls him an “empty shell” and only the latest in a long line of performers-turned-candidate to open his arms to voter love. As a politically ambidextrous character, his positions are hard to pin down. But it will surely keep people interested.

↦ Meanwhile: A separate poll found that 46% of Americans would like to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson run for president.

France’s Unique Plan to Go Green

Paying you to get rid of your car for an e-bike

France is offering the owners of old, exhaust-belching cars the opportunity to hand over their vehicles for scrap in return for a 2,500 euro (about $3000) grant to buy an electric bicycle.

Call it a fresh take on the old “cash for clunkers” program. And it's worked in other European countries. Finland, for example, has a similar rebate which citizens have used to fund more than 2,000 ebikes, 1,000 new low emission cars and over 100 public transport tickets.

And France could certainly use it, because the air quality isn't as great as it once was. But shouldn't the country be supporting all people getting into convenient green transportation, whether they have a car or not?

It reminds me of this brilliant thought from writer and transit activist Courtney Cobbs: “At one point, people who can afford Teslas were provided a $7,500 tax credit. I think a $5,000 voucher for an ebike is reasonable.” Makes sense to me. If governments will subsidize electric vehicles, why not e-bikes?

↦ FYI: Shift shows you how to turn your ebike into a cargo-hauling car replacement.

In Other News

↦ Walter Mondale, Former Vice President, Dies at 93

↦ The European Soccer Super League Explained: What Is It?

↦ H&M Is Offering a Free 24-Hour Suit Rental Service to Young Men in an Effort to Help Them With Job Interviews

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

This home bar essential

Routines

Bourdain’s new book

Partner

The Day’s Most Important Drink

Blue Bottle Coffee knows great coffee is poetry in a cup

People who appreciate good coffee know it's as much of an art as it is a science. You've got to source the best beans, you need a skilled roaster and the proper grind. But then it turns more to alchemy: Pouring the water over the coffee grinds in just the right manner and doctoring it with the right amount of sweetener and cream to your tastes. There's something poetic and personal about this process.

Blue Bottle Coffee knows this. And for spring, they've created two limited-edition seasonal coffees—First Light Single Origin and Renewal Blend—and partnered with the Poetry Society of America to commission two new poems to pair with them. For us, you can't beat a good single origin, so our choice is the First Light with its notes of citrus, honey and green apple.

Of course, the brand has put deep—some might say fanatical—thought into creating the ideal preparation method. Two decades of research has culminated in the brand's signature ceramic pour over dripper and proprietary filters. The cup of coffee they produce is noticeably more delicate and complex.

Blue Bottle Spring Poetry Coffee set, $25

Blue Bottle Dripper with Blue Bottle Coffee Filters, $36

Blue Bottle Coffee x Kinto cup and saucer set, $40

↦ Learn More: about Blue Bottle Coffee

Sales We’re Eyeing

Converse Pro leather sneakers, $95 / $59

Menswear store End. is currently hosting a huge mid-season sale, with much of the shop's inventory up to 50% off. Which means you can get some of our favorite brands and classic wardrobe staples on serious discount. But pieces are moving fast, so you better too.