The Daily Valet. - 5/9/23, Tuesday
✔️ The End of the Emergency
Tuesday, May 9th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
I like my chicken sandwiches spicy, but I don't really need to sweat while I'm eating lunch, do I?
Today’s Big Story
End of Emergency
The COVID public health emergency ends this week. Here’s what’s changing.
Are we pulling the plug on the pandemic? Can we say that COVID is officially behind us? These are the questions that are being asked after last week's news that the World Health Organization no longer considers the virus to be a public health emergency.Similarly, after more than three years of social disruption, at least 6 million hospitalizations, and 1.1 million U.S. deaths, the United States' public health emergency declaration is due to expire Thursday, May 11. Of course, plenty of people are saying it's about time.Most researchers welcomed the decision because it reflects the fact that the acute phase of the COVID-19 outbreak is now over. Others remain concerned about the virus, and worry that the end of the declaration could mean relaxing measures that allow the virus to create new disruptions. But what does it really mean?Well, perhaps the biggest change is that the federal government will no longer buy up tests or vaccine doses or treatments to give out to the American public. You'll have to go to the doctor, get a prescription, perhaps pay a copay when it comes to tests and treatments, just like you do for any other illness. NPR points out, though, that vaccines will still be free for practically everyone. People who are insured get vaccines with no cost sharing because of the Affordable Care Act. The White House says people without insurance will still be able to get free vaccines—and treatments like Paxlovid—through 2024.And the convenience of FaceTiming your doc will likely take a hit, too. Many telehealth flexibilities allowed during the emergency were extended through the end of the year (and in some cases through 2024). But most health care providers will no longer be able to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine without an in-person interaction.
FYI:
Epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina told PBS News Hour that COVID is mutating still about twice as fast as the flu right now. So that means we're going to get future waves.
California Moves Closer to Reparations
But it has to be approved by state lawmakers First
A group of scholars and lawmakers in California just voted to advance a plan to offer reparations to descendants of enslaved people in the state. Coming at the end of a two-year-process, the momentous proposal is the first state-level attempt to grapple with the lingering effects of slavery and racist laws. But the process is just beginning. The task force must now hand over its findings to lawmakers, who will be charged with turning the recommendations into a bill. And activists will need to persuade fellow Californians to get behind the most expensive reparations plan proposed by a government body. A recent Washington Post poll found that 65% of Americans opposed paying cash reparations to the descendants of enslaved Black Americans. (Two-thirds of Black respondents supported the idea, but only 18% of White respondents did.)Perhaps one of the most contentious aspects is who would qualify. The committee wants eligibility to be lineage based, not race based—meaning that you'd need to prove that you're a direct descendant of a Black person who was enslaved. But that's not always easy considering many slaves were not identified by name but by property codes up until the 1870 census.
FYI:
City-wide reparations efforts are currently underway in Boston, San Francisco and St. Louis.
In a 2022 analysis of 200 retailers’ return policies, the post-purchase-logistics company Narvar found that 41% charge some kind of return-shipping fee—up from 33% in 2021.”
- The Atlantic on why the free-returns party is over
Should We Worry About ‘Phroggers’?
They live a rent-free criminal existence hiding in occupied houses ... maybe Even Yours
Now here's a creepy thought: Imagine if someone was secretly living in your house without your knowledge. Just silently waiting in the closet for you to go to work so they can eat your snacks. Sounds crazy, but apparently it happens often enough to have a name. It's called “phrogging” and it differs from home invasion and robbery mainly in intent. They're not trying to take anything or harm anyone ... they're just mooches.While not widespread, phrogging cases have been reported across the country dating back decades. A detective told A&E True Crime that he's worked on several cases. The activity is showcased in the film I See You, and while that's a work of fiction, the phenomemon even inspired a 2022 true-crime series called Phrogging: Hider In My House.According to Lifehacker, there is an underground community of phroggers out there who don’t draw enough attention to themselves to be the subject of news stories. They are said to congregate on dark web message boards where they share tips for successfully avoiding detection in strangers' homes, and even post videos of homeowners sleeping for bragging rights. So let's all check the spare closet and under the bed when we get home, okay?
Not a Ghost:
Many news stories of phrogging report that residents at first thought their house was haunted.
Ghost Peppers Are Popping Up
Suddenly, Fast food is turning up the heat
Spice has long been a draw for new menu items when it comes to fast food, but suddenly brands are getting serious. They're breaking out the ghost peppers. You've no doubt heard of them, but to give you some facts: In 2007, the ghost pepper was ranked as the “the world's hottest chili pepper.” With a Scoville score of 1,041,427 SHU, it is about 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce and about 200 times hotter than a jalapeño pepper.So yeah, let's just start handing them out in a drive-thru. Wendy's is leading the pack, boasting of four layers of heat on its new Ghost Pepper Ranch Chicken Sandwich and Ghost Pepper Fries. The restaurant's VP of Culinary Innovation told The Takeout, “We were passionate about making sure that we weren't just rolling out heat for the sake of heat,” adding “When a ghost pepper dish is designed right, you can taste that intense spice, plus the fruitiness that you don't get with other peppers.”And they're not the only ones ghosting their menu. White Castle's 1921 sliders are back on the menu, now with a slice of blazing hot ghost pepper cheese. And Popeyes has brought back their Ghost Pepper Wings as a limited-time promotion. First introduced in 2014, they're a fan favorite among spice lovers, but have never stuck around for longer than a couple of months. So get 'em while they're hot.
DIY:
This hot sauce is chock-full of ghost and chipotle peppers. It's complex, smoky, and definitely doesn't skimp on the heat.
In Other News
Convinced schools are brainwashing kids to be left-wingers, conservatives are seizing control of the American classroom.
U.S. Exchanges List More Than a Dozen Cryptos the Securities and Exchange Commission Says Are Illegal to Sell
Have you heard about ...
Your May Reading List
From a spooky dystopian adventure to a smart biography about a legendary man
How's your May starting off? Are you ready to get outside and enjoy yourself? Do you have something to read? This month has some great options, whether you're looking for something easy to read on your lunch break or more moving stories about great men, dangerous adventures or simply what it really takes to get an epic comic book film produced from start to finish.
By: Mary Beth Keane Out: May 2
What if a midlife crisis isn’t the catastrophe you think it is? Sure, 45-year-old Malcolm Gephardt bought the Half Moon, the bar where he worked for 24 years, without including his wife in the financial decision. Yes, she leaves him and he’s forced to contend with the shock of his wife’s new relationship, a blizzard and a missing bar patron. But this might just be the second chance he needs.
By: Justin Cronin Out: May 2
In the near future, people living on a utopian island paradise can seemingly live forever (by being “reborn” on a separate island where their bodies are regenerated and memories wiped). When the ferryman who shuttles these individuals between lives, has to transport his own father, it changes everything he believes about society and his role in it. The book has been called “riveting” and “next to impossible to put down.”
By: Tom Hanks Out: May 16
What does it take to make a great comic book franchise movie? Let’s go back, way back, to the beginning. Tom Hank’s debut novel examines the making of a star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero flick and the humble comic books that inspired it. The thought-provoking tale starts in 1947, jumps to the ’70s and then to present-day. Plus, the book includes the actual comics that the story is based on.
By: Jonathan Eig Out: May 16
Jonathan Eig—the author behind the defining account of Muhammad Ali’s life—takes on another legendary man. The first full biography of Martin Luther King Jr. in decades, Eig’s book mixes revelatory and exhaustive new research (including recently declassified FBI files) with brisk and accessible storytelling to forge the definitive life for our times.
Shopping
What We’re Buying
Cord shorts
Crafted from a lightweight corduroy, these relaxed shorts are perfect for summer and pair well with a hoody for chilly mornings.
Get It:
Fatigue cord shorts, $188 / $107 by Universal Works
Morning Motto
We can be both honest and kind.
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