The Daily Valet. - 5/19/22, Thursday

✔️ Flying High

Thursday, May 19th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I feel the need, the need to read … a newsletter

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

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Today’s Big Story

‘Top Gun’ Mania Is Here

Thirty-six years after the original, the Danger Zone is back and feels bigger than ever

Maybe it’s the fact that movie ticket sales are still less than half of what they were before the pandemic. Maybe it’s our culture’s collective nostalgia for “simpler times”. Or perhaps it’s simply the fact that Tom Cruise still commands global attention for being an undeniable movie star. But you’ve no doubt heard about Top Gun’s return.

Top Gun: Maverick made its Palais debut at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, where Cruise got a six-minute standing ovation and received the prestigious Palme d’Or award. The coronavirus delayed the release of the film by almost two years, and Cruise was determined that the movie—which he also produced—should be released on the big screen rather than via a streaming service. (Us regular people can watch it next weekend, at theaters.)

I was too young to fully appreciate the mania for the first film. I knew it was popular, and that my older brother watched the VHS tape and listened to the soundtrack while riding his dirt bike, but now the long-awaited sequel is here and it feels even bigger. Nerdist says it feels like a throwback to both the ’80s and the pre-pandemic movie days in a mostly great and unexpected way. “High art? Never. Unrivaled action movie? You bet your ass.”

Vulture says the film eulogizes Cruise’s entire career and maybe an “America that doesn’t exist anymore.” But I don’t know, this film is coming along at a time when we all find a common foe in Russia again. A visually strong, militaristic action movie feels almost patriotic. Maybe even cathartic?

Cruise has called the making of the much-anticipated movie “daunting.” And when asked yesterday why he insists on doing his own stunts, he shot back, “No one asked Gene Kelly ‘Why do you dance?’” It was maybe one of the coolest things Cruise has ever said to a reporter (I wonder how long he was sitting on that one).

With still a week to go before the film officially hits theaters, it’s already inescapable. The “new recruits” are on the cover of Men’s Health. And Lady Gaga’s theme song ‘Hold My Hand’ is streaming like crazy and already getting Oscar buzz. Which is to say, buckle up, because you’re gonna be hearing about this film all summer.

↦ Catch UP: Want to watch the original first? It is currently available on a handful on streamers, from Paramount+ and Prime Video to Apple TV and Netflix.

Here We Go Again

The CDC is urging us to consider returning to wearing masks in some indoor settings

Federal health officials warned on Wednesday that a third of Americans live in areas where the threat of COVID-19 is now so high that they should consider wearing a mask in indoor public settings.

CDC director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky cited new data showing a substantial jump in both the spread of the coronavirus and hospitalizations over the past week. The increase in new infections, nearing 100,000 a day, comes as Memorial Day weekend approaches.

The warnings from Dr. Walensky and other health officials seems somewhat at odds with President Biden's own stance, reports the New York Times. The attitude in the West Wing more closely mirrors that of most Americans, who have eagerly moved away from mask-wearing and other strategies to prevent infection.

The key, it seems, is that we all have to assess our personal risk when it comes to COVID exposure. If you're vaxxed and boosted, you have a good amount of protection and should be able to make the call if you feel safe enough unmasked indoors. But if you're not sure, cover up.

Partner

What if you got paid to save money? Because that's basically what this new program is offering.

An Experimental Cancer-Killing Virus

It’s been shown to shrink cancer tumors in animals, but its real test starts now

Here's some good news as we wrap up the week: Scientists just dosed the first patients in the clinical trial of an experimental and highly unique cancer treatment.

The treatment actually uses a virus engineered to selectively kill cancer cells, while also amplifying the body's immune response to the cancer. The hope is that this therapy can help those with advanced solid tumor cancers, in combination with other existing drugs.

According to Gizmodo, the genetically modified virus not only infects and harms cancer cells, but also forces them to become more recognizable to the immune system. Researchers hope this will then allow other treatments that also boost our immune response to cancer cells to be more effective, particularly against hard-to-target solid tumors.

These treatments are collectively known as immunotherapy. In early animal and lab experiments, the virus has been shown to reduce the size of colon, lung, breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancer tumors. The trial is expected to be completed by early 2025, so let's hope we're now on the way to erradicating some of these freaking cancers.

↦ FYI: In 2022, there will be an estimated 1.9 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 609,360 cancer deaths in the United States.

Edible Tape Is Here to Save Burritos

Some very clever engineering students invent something we should’ve had a long time ago

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You're enjoying a burrito, believing that it's perfectly self-contained. Then, like a ticking time bomb, it suddenly comes apart at the seams—leaving your hands and clothes dripping with salsa and sour cream.

Of course, the burrito isn't the only form of edible Russian Roulette. Gyros, wraps and shawarma all have the potential to create an awful mess if not diligently consumed from inside an additional paper wrapper that you must peel back, bite by bite. This is the kind of problem that begs for innovation.

Inspired by their own sloppy lunches, engineering students at Johns Hopkins University have created Tastee Tape, an edible adhesive. According to Newsweek, it's “a food-grade fibrous scaffold and an organic adhesive.” If that description sounds equal parts technical and vague, you're not wrong. The team behind the tape said they are currently applying for a patent, so they can't yet unveil all the specifics of how their invention works.

To use Tastee Tape, simply remove a strip from the sheet, wet it and apply it to the wrap or any food that may need a lock. The team tells Designboom they have put their invention to the test on “too many burritos to count,” and places their faith in the quality of their product. Come on Chipotle ... make them an offer!

In Other News

↦ Biden Invokes Defense Production Act for Baby Formula Shortage

↦ Researchers Find Tooth in Cave That May Belong to Extinct Human Group

↦ Where Have All the Crypto-Shilling Celebs Gone?

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Why pellet grills are superior

The XFL reboot

Taylor Swift honorary doctorate

Partner

Saving Can Be a Drag

But Yotta’s prize-linked accounts and debit cards make it fun and seriously rewarding

The lack of savings in the U.S. has become a crisis. Our confidence that we've got enough saved for retirement is at historically low levels. Nearly half of all Americans don't have an extra $400 for emergencies. But that doesn't mean we don't want to do better. At the same time, more than 50% of adults play the lottery at least once a year. Saving is a drag, but gambling and games are exciting and promise the rush of a windfall.

Yotta took these two seemingly different concepts and combined them to motivate people to make better financial decisions using random rewards. Their prize-linked savings account offers up a recurring “ticket” for every $25 you deposit. What could you win? It's anywhere from ten cents to $10,000, a brand new Tesla or even the $10 million grand prize. Swiping your debit card can also win you reimbursements of your purchases or bonus tickets in the next contest.

According to the company, over 40% of users win a prize every week, on average. And win or not, you never lose your FDIC-insured deposits, plus you'll always earn more interest than most banks with 0.20% APY guaranteed (compared to the 0.03% APY of say, Bank of America). Freakonomics praised prize-linked savings accounts, describing them as a “no-lose lottery” in a recent podcast. Think of it this way, Yotta found a way to turn boring financial products like savings accounts and debit cards into something like a game that delivers real world rewards.

↦ Get Saving: Create your free account and get a $5 credit to kick-off your savings when you use code VALET

What We’re Buying

Looking for a rain jacket that's not too stuffy? This classic coach's jacket is light enough for the current climate and is a great piece to wear on cloudy days too. Handcrafted from a durable nylon and cotton ripstop fabric with 40% recycled materials, it's finished with a breezy mesh-lined interior. The neutrality of the jacket is perfect too—pair it with any of your favorite tees, track pants or a pair of nice, relaxed chinos. Because it's so lightweight, this jacket will definitely be your go-to travel essential for all of your summer adventures.

↦ Get It: $230 / $161 by Reigning Champ