The Daily Valet. - 4/8/21, Thursday

✔️ About That Stimmy

April 08, 2021

Thursday, April 8th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Is it Friday yet?

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

About That Stimmy

Here’s how Americans are spending those checks

The U.S. Treasury has disbursed over 156 million direct payments worth approximately $372 billion since President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, the agency announced Wednesday.

According to Bloomberg, the fourth batch of payments began processing on Friday, April 2, with some people receiving direct payments in their accounts earlier as provisional or pending deposits.

While the checks are typically meant for immediate use to shore up budgets and stimulate the economy, people should focus on preparing for more emergencies, according to financial expert Suze Orman.

Of course, it’s generally a good idea to do something responsible with it, such as saving for emergencies or paying down debt. But when you get such a large sum—especially after the tough year we've all had—it can be tempting to splurge and do something you enjoy.

Just look at all the #stimmy references on Twitter and you’ll see that people are itching to spend it.

While about 20% of the money is going to things like clothing and new electronics, CNBC outlines how most Americans are using the funds to buy food and household supplies, pay rent and utility bills and make car payments. New data from the Census Bureau also illustrates they’re paying down debt and saving more than they have in decades.

↦ FYI: When is it smart to splurge with your stimulus check? The Ascent investigates.

Big (or Tiny) News

A subatomic particle’s weird wobbling might break the laws of physics

In a landmark experiment, scientists have found fresh evidence that a subatomic particle is disobeying one of science's most watertight theories, the Standard Model of particle physics. (Do you know that one?)

In a seminar on Wednesday, researchers said they noticed the muons (big brothers of the electron) wobbling weirdly. So weirdly that the wobbles routinely defy the world's most hyper-specific measurements and go against the standard model. They appear to be influenced by what physicists say may be forces outside of those currently known.

According to National Geographic, the results aren't a “discovery” just yet. That threshold won't be reached until the results achieve a statistical certainty of five sigma (or a 1-in-3.5 million chance that a random fluctuation caused the gap between theory and observation). Currently, the odds of it being a fluke are roughly 1 in 40,000.

But this could also lead in time to explanations for the kinds of cosmic mysteries that have long preoccupied our scientists. What exactly is dark matter, the unseen stuff that astronomers say makes up at least a quarter of the universe? Indeed, why is there matter in the universe at all?

↦ Dig Deeper: Learn more about the mind-blowing muons by watching this ordinary-folk-friendly explainer.

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Spring is in their air, shots are going into arms and we're ready for some new clothes. Upgrade your basics, so they're not so … basic.

Is Cellular Home Internet a Good Idea?

T-Mobile’s new service costs $60 per month

After a long pilot period, T-Mobile officially launched its 5G home internet service on Wednesday. The company said 30 million homes are now eligible for the service—10 million of which are in rural areas.

Cellular internet works by using a router or hotspot to connect to a provider's cellular network. Much like your phone, the speed depends on how close you are to a network tower, along with network congestion and other factors like how many devices you have connected. Most of the time, those speeds will be slower than what a fiber or cable connection would be capable of. But if you lack alternatives like that, then these cellular internet setup are godsends.

Several big telecommunication companies now offer these plans—and 5 G technology promises to make them even better—but T-Mobile touts simplicity as the main benefit of its home internet service.

The service costs $60 per month, and comes with no data caps, hardware rental fees or annual contracts. The carrier said to expect average download speeds of 100Mbps. For reference, Netflix recommends download speeds of 5Mbps for watching in HD or 25Mbps for 4K streaming while Zoom needs download speeds of 3.8Mbps with upload speeds of 3Mbps for video chatting.

↦ FYI: T-Mobile hopes to have 500,000 Home Internet subscribers by the end of this year (and 7 million by 2025).

Dive Into Van Gogh

The immersive digital art shows are coming to over two dozen U.S. cities

Over the past few years, immersive digital art museums have been drawing crowds around the world. I checked out one in Tokyo just before the pandemic hit that seriously blew my mind.

Now, people in the United States are finally getting to enjoy this 360-degree experience set to music with not one, but five traveling exhibits featuring the work of Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh.

While each of the shows is unique in its own right, they are similar in that they place you in the middle of large-scale moving images that are projected all around you—onto the walls, ceilings and floors in expansive rooms.

According to Afar, exhibits in Chicago, San Francisco and St. Petersburg, FL, are already open, while ticket sales have started—and are already selling out—for experiences in Los Angeles and New York opening later this spring.

In Other News

↦ Hospitals Are Seeing More Young Adults With Severe COVID Symptoms, CDC Says

↦ Tiger Woods Was Doing 85 In a 45 When He Crashed SUV

↦ Are These ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Villains Actually the Good Guys?

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The Masters

Seinfeld’s hallway

The YEEZY SLIDE “Core”

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Back to Basics

A foolproof list of wardrobe essentials

Spring is in their air, shots are going into arms and we’re ready for some new clothes. But that doesn't mean we're abandoning the pieces that we know and love. It does, however, mean we might be due for a refresh of the classics in our wardrobe. Those infallible garms that never let you down. Invest in those because they're the pieces we wear and love the most. When you spend on quality, even the simplest item has a way of making you look like a guy with great style. Sturdy chinos, an old school sweatshirt and a chambray button-down—paired with either sneakers or suede Birks, depending on the vibe or the setting—these are the upgraded essentials you need right now.

Your Spring Basics

Clockwise, from top left:Clubmaster square-frame sunglasses, $150 by Ray-Ban; Aros cotton-drill chinos, $195 by Norse Projects; Loopback sweatshirt, $130 by Reigning Champ; OG Old Skool LK canvas sneakers, $75 by Vans; Cotton-jersey tee, $75 by Mr P.; Arizona oiled-leather sandals, $125 by Birkenstocks; Chambray shirt, $270 by Officine Générale and Japanese knitted cotton-blend socks, $65 (for 3-pack) by Mr P.

↦ Shop: Spring wardrobe essentials at MR PORTER