The Daily Valet. - 6/18/20, Thursday
✔️ Bolton's Big Move
Thursday, June 18th Edition
I have no interest in speaking my tweets.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Bolton’s Coming Book Causes Big Trouble
DOJ aims to stop publication in new lawsuit
The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit to block the publication of a tell-all book by former national security advisor John Bolton. The suit alleges that “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” which is set to be published next week, contains classified information and would cause serious damage to national security, reports ABC News.
The suit also says that if the book is published, Bolton should turnover any money he makes to the Justice Department. But Bolton’s lawyer, Chuck Cooper, said that the allegations regarding classified information are part of a plot to censor his client.
And even before the book hits shelves, some explosive first excerpts started leaking on Wednesday. Namely, that President Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win the 2020 election, telling Xi during a summit dinner last year that increased agricultural purchases by Beijing from American farmers would aid his electoral prospects.
According to the Washington Post, the episode described by Bolton bears striking similarities to the actions with Ukraine that resulted in Trump’s impeachment. Bolton was “astonished” by the cynicism and “chaos” he saw within the White House under Trump, reports NPR.
But it doesn’t seem like Bolton has many friends these days. Trump and the White House call him a “disgruntled burnout” and dismiss the allegations in the book as not credible. And a lot of Democrats see him as a power hungry enabler that sat on this information until his book was published instead of testifying during last year’s impeachment hearings.
↦ Dig Deeper: New York Times’ book critic, Jennifer Szalai, refers to Bolton as a “lavishly bewhiskered figure whose wonkishness and warmongering can make him seem like an unlikely hybrid of Ned Flanders and Yosemite Sam.”
Protests Aren’t Causing a COVID-19 Spike Yet
What does that mean for other outdoor activities?
When I saw the massive crowds protesting against racial injustice, my first thought was admiration for the power of collective voices. But my second thought was “this isn't good in terms of social distancing.”
Many believed that the tightly-packed crowds—despite most seen wearing masks—would spark a new wave of COVID-19 cases. Enough time has elapsed that hospitals and testing centers should've seen large batches of new cases, but according to Slate, there have been no spikes of the illness in New York or DC.
Nor have there been sudden surges in several other cities where large demonstrations were held, including Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed and the first protests erupted, and Philadelphia. Spikes have occurred elsewhere—especially Texas, Arizona, Florida, and California—but those upticks coincide with the reopening of bars, restaurants and other indoor establishments, making it hard to trace back to protesting.
It raises questions about the importance of social distancing. Especially outside when wearing a mask.
↦ Dig Deeper: John Hopkins University has a detailed look at the new cases and spikes popping up around the country.
Twitter Rolls Out Audio Tweets
The “human touch” no one seemed to ask for
Twitter launched a new feature Wednesday that allows users to tweet out voice notes in place of traditional text posts. Everyone on the platform will soon be able to send voice tweets, the company announced.
Staying true to the brevity that's at the heart of Twitter, users will be able to record audio clips up to 140 seconds. According to Tech Crunch, when the time limit is reached, instead of being cut off, a new tweet will be threaded beneath the original, allowing the thoughts to continue pouring out.
The company says the new feature is designed to “add a more human touch” to using Twitter, but after sampling a few audio tweets on Wednesday evening myself, it seems ... a bit off. Maybe it'll become more natural but so far it feels strangely forced—like suddenly everyone has a mini-podcast.
Are These Seats the Future of Air Travel?
Startup debuts double-decker lie flat plane seats
Flying won't feel normal for a while. But a new design that reconfigures airplane cabins with double-decker lie-flat seats in premium economy is being touted as a possible solution for fliers looking for more protection from the spread of COVID-19.
According to CNN, the Zephyr Seat would allow the majority of global airlines to maintain the same seating density as offered by their existing premium economy cabins. But it would provide a lot more private space.
What's more, the reworked design allows for the seats to fully extend into lie-flat beds. As someone who usually springs for the premium economy, I can say I've enjoyed good service but never the bliss of a fully-flat sleep while flying.
This could be one of the few silver linings to this whole fiasco—better plane seats. But, according to the Daily Mail, the new designs may be years off from being used, however, due to pending safety tests.
↦ 16,800: The total number of passenger airplanes currently in storage (about 64% of the global fleet), according to Cirium.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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The World Is More Peaceful
Statistically speaking, anyway ...
Despite the growing number of ongoing conflicts around the world, we have become more peaceful over the last three decades, a new statistical analysis suggests.
The study, by mathematicians at the University of York, used new techniques to address the long-running debate over whether battle deaths have been declining globally since the end of the Second World War.
Co-author of the study, Professor Niall MacKay from the Department of Mathematics at the University of York, said: “The question of whether the world today has become more or less dangerous is a hotly debated issue among historians. Our study attempts to address this question purely from the perspective of what the data can tell us.”
It's somewhat reassuring right? These days, when so much is stressed over, at least we can take solace in the fact that the world is more organized.
↦ FYI: The likelihood of dying in an armed conflict decreased precipitously starting in the early 1990s
Weekend Shopping Plans
From casual shirts to classic sunglasses, our picks from three can’t-miss sales going on this weekend.
30% off sitewide & free shipping w/code WELCOME
Katin patio shorts $68 / $47.60
20% nearly all sunglasses
Hexogonal flats $154 / $123.20
25% off USA-made shirts
Garment-dyed Oxford shirt $118 / $88.98
Special Promotion
What We’re Buying
Protect your tech and upgrade your everyday carry with a proper laptop case. M C K N G B R D takes a global approach to their products. Designed in Denmark, the Cari laptop case is hand sewn in Los Angeles from top grain Saffiano leather from Florence, Italy. A quiet magnetic button makes for quick and easy opening and closure, all the while keeping your computer safe and secure in pure style.
↦ Get It Cari laptop case, $145 at M C K N G B R D
Morning Motto
Don’t wait for the “perfect time.” Just start ...
↦ Follow: @wetheurban
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