The Daily Valet. - 4/2/21, Friday

✔️ The Saga Continues

April 02, 2021

Friday, April 2nd Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Get to the end of this newsletter for a wild drink recipe.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

The Trial Continues

Takeaways from a pivotal day of the Derek Chauvin trial

Are you watching the Derek Chauvin murder trial? People I know are glued to it, sharing in the pain of George Floyd’s family and the community members (some just kids) who were impacted by that day. Others are tuning out the case entirely. Maybe because the emotional testimony and graphic video exhibits can be excruciating. But maybe that’s the point.

The fourth day of testimony in the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer entered a new phase on Thursday with the testimony of paramedics who responded to the scene. They said they did not see any signs of life when they arrived to find three officers on top of Floyd, handcuffed and not breathing.

One of the paramedics testified that Floyd had no pulse and efforts to save him both on the scene and in the ambulance, including the use of a defibrillator, were unsuccessful. His testimony could support the prosecution’s argument that Chauvin’s actions killed Floyd.

The defense has suggested that drug use contributed to his death—an autopsy found fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system. George Floyd’s girlfriend addressed this on Thursday, telling the jury about their shared struggle with opioid addiction.

The court also heard from a former police sergeant who arrived at the scene shortly after the arrest. He spoke about the department’s policy on use of force and was probed by prosecutors on whether officers complied with those policies.

“When Mr. Floyd was no longer offering up any resistance to the officers, they could have ended the restraint,” Retired Sgt. David Ploeger told the court. He added that officers are supposed to put restrained subjects on their side to help with their breathing, according to police policy.

↦ Meanwhile: With “Locks 4 Stolen Lives,” protesters in Minneapolis are chaining themselves to the fence outside the courthouse.

Smoke Signals

New Mexico will be the 16th state to openly allow recreational marijuana

New Mexico is set to authorize recreational marijuana after the state legislature passed a bill on Wednesday, joining a national movement to rethink antidrug laws that are increasingly seen as impediments to racial justice and the economy.

The bill passed on the same day that New York State legalized recreational weed. Lawmakers in both states said they were motivated to produce a legal, tax-revenue-generating industry that formerly operated underground, and to end arrests for low-level offenses.

The bills reflect a growing consensus in the U.S. in favor of marijuana decriminalization. A whopping 91% of Americans support legal medical or recreational use, according to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey.

Voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota opted to legalize recreational marijuana in November, while Mississippi and South Dakota became the 34th and 35th states to allow medical marijuana. And as the tide turns, advocates are renewing the push to decriminalize it in states like North Carolina.

↦ FYI: Leafly has a quick at-a-glance view of each state and U.S. territory's legalization status.

The Gaetz Story Is Getting Weird

Cash apps, NSFW pics and extortion claims

The reported Justice Department investigation into whether Congressman Matt Gaetz had an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old has somehow become even more chaotic on Thursday.

According to texts and receipts reviewed by the New York Times, investigators are now focusing on Gaetz and another Florida politician's involvement with multiple women who were recruited online for, uh, “dates” and received cash payments and gifts.

The outspoken Florida Republican has always openly said that he didn't go to Washington to make friends. But after the news broke that the FBI is investigating him, Gaetz found few people willing to defend him or lend credence to his claim that he's done nothing wrong but instead is being extorted and smeared.

Behind the scenes, Gaetz gained a reputation in Congress over his relationships with women and bragging about his escapades to colleagues that were often accompanied with photos and video that would be considered inappropriate for the House floor, multiple sources told CNN.

G-Shock Launches a Full-On Smartwatch

The watch maintains its signature ruggedness but adds numerous sensors

Just as rumors have been floating about a possible rugged Apple Watch, Casio has unveiled its first G-Shock smartwatch using Google's Wear OS platform.

According to Engadget, the GSW-H1000—part of Casio's rugged G-Squad Pro lineup—gives you access to smartphone notifications, numerous apps and Google Assistant access. It's also the first G-Shock watch with a color, always-on LCD display.

Acquire says it's everything you would expect in a traditional G-Shock design with its heavy-duty, shock-resistant case, 20 bar/669ft water resistance, while the unique display integrates smartwatch features such as maps, sensor data and more.

The watch also features a titanium caseback, an optical heart rate monitor, a microphone, GPS and sport-focused tracking for activities such as running, training, cycling and even surfing and snowboarding.

↦ Dig Deeper: The G-Shock is known by many as “the toughest watch on the planet” and the brand has an interesting history.

In Other News

↦ Harley-Davidson Snags Young Riders With ... Aerosmith Apparel Partnership

↦ ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 Was Made With the Most Powerful Filmmaking Tool Ever Created

↦ What You Need to Know About Your Vaccine Card

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

This calming dot game

The sweats debate

20 things under $20

Your Weekend Pairing

Godzilla vs. Kong + a Zombie Cocktail

I wasn't sure if I was going to see this movie. It stars a radioactive lizard and a giant ape—neither of which I'm all that interested in. But I do know there's a long film history of both characters. Then it proved to be a genuine box office hit (that's right, theaters are reopening) and is hovering around 80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Who am I to turn up my nose?

According to Complex, the breakneck pace of the movie—clocking in at just under two hours—is much appreciated in an era where crossover events can become easily bloated affairs. “The speed reduces the human-based plots to exposition-filled dumps of information as we wait for Kong and Godzilla to square off again. For many viewers, this streamlined approach will be a feature, not a bug.” Because, it appears, after a tough year, sometimes you just want to watch monsters hit each other.

↦ Your Pairing:What do you drink with an epic monster mash-up movie? Maybe something that's tasty, potent and a little over-the-top? That's what I thought. According to Esquire, who introduced us to this drink, you'll need four kinds of rum (and a killer hangover cure) to make this tiki cocktail. Flames optional.

Partner

What We’re Buying

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↦ Get It: $135 / $95 w/code FINETWILL by Ledbury