The Daily Valet. - 6/8/21, Tuesday

✔️ Anti-Busyness

Tuesday, June 8th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Can you use Siri too much? Asking ... for myself.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Anti-Busyness

Some are wondering if it is time to slow down

The re-emergence has begun. Some people are preparing for post-pandemic life, while others are quickly embracing the transition. It will, no doubt, look different for everyone, but seems to be one thing we all agree on: that busyness is overrated.

Especially what Vice calls the “tyranny of busyness.” It’s not just about packing each day with as much as possible, but also the value placed on doing so: Being busy made people feel good about themselves, and they used that lack of free time to signal their worth to others.

The pandemic offered a rare moment for some people to break away from that inertia and reassess priorities while discovering new hobbies. They had time to reflect on how they used busyness to define themselves—and how it led to stress and the conflation of productivity and self-worth.

Of course, gaining this time and these insights reflects a certain amount of privilege—but that’s kind of the point. Research has found that busyness is most often assumed as a status symbol for higher-paid workers. For hourly or gig workers, being too busy is less a symbol of success and more a byproduct of a lack of autonomy and social safety nets.

Similarly, a lot of us have experienced burnout, and its adjacent phenomenon, languishing, during the pandemic. Naomi Osaka—who withdrew from another tournament over mental health concerns—has given a public face to a growing, and long overdue, revolt to over-ambition, according to a fascinating op-ed in the New York Times.

Suddenly, few of us are eager to get back to the frantic and frenetic pace that was so normal before COVID. Just thinking of it gives me a busyness hangover. Will free time be the new status symbol? This should be discussed over a long, leisurely lunch.

↦ FYI: In the late 1800s, it was cool to walk a turtle on a string around the Paris to signal you were in no rush, because that was a sign of status.

Feds Recover Bitcoin Ransom

The seizure of cryptocurrency paid to a Russian hacker ring marks a major milestone

The FBI on Monday said it seized $2.3 million paid to the ransomware hackers who shutdown the Colonial Pipeline and disrupted America's gasoline and jet fuel supply last month.

The FBI declined to say precisely how it accessed the bitcoin wallet, citing the need to protect tradecraft. But they told reporters that even foreign-based cybercriminals like DarkSide typically use American infrastructure at some point in the course of a crime. When that happens, it gives the FBI a window to recover the funds.

In dollar amounts, the sum represents about half of the $4.4 million ransom. But this marks the first recovery by a new ransomware Justice Department task force. It follows a string of cyber attacks that panicked consumers and led President Biden to warn Russia that it needed to take “decisive action” against the criminal networks.

According to The Hill, these attacks prove we are at a worrisome—if not yet fully dangerous—inflection point. The intelligence community publicly assessed years ago that hostile intelligence services in Russia, China and possibly Iran have the ability to remotely disrupt our electric grid and delivery of vital goods and services.

↦ Meanwhile: With cyberattacks on the rise, organizations are already bracing for quantum hacks.

Partner

Every man should own some simple, stylish jewelry. Treat dad to something special this year.

Apple’s Big Reveals

Some serious software upgrades coming to your favorite products

At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple didn't announce any new hardware products. But they did unveil upgrades to many of its operating systems—most notably iOS 15.

Put simply, your iPhone is getting smarter and your FaceTimes will sound and look significantly better—while letting you share music and videos. (Plus, Android and Windows users will now be able to join FaceTime calls.)

A new feature will allow you to copy text from what you see in photos and then paste it into apps like Notes or a text message. And the maps and navigation app will get some handy features to make driving safer and enable more precise pedestrian navigation, aided by augmented reality.

Thankfully, for Siri-lovers like me, the virtual assistant will now process voice requests on device—meaning audio isn't sent over the web, and Siri can accept most requests while offline. Of course, there is plenty more where that came from, but those are the highlights.

↦ Dig Deeper: The Verge has the 15 biggest announcements and news from the conference.

Post-Sneaker Style

In-the-know shoppers are trading in hyped trainers for easygoing loafers

You might've heard this before. While sneakers aren't ever going away, savvy stylish guys will tell you: “We are entering a post-sneaker world.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, they've grown exhausted—financially and mentally—with paying inflated prices for sneakers on the secondary market. Highsnobiety agrees, asking: “Is everyone finally getting tired of sneakers?”

Perhaps it's time to slow down the constant churn of hype and embrace the underrated appeal and lasting quality of classic silhouettes like the loafer.

This post-sneaker movement has been fueled by Lawrence Schlossman and James Harris, the thirty-something co-hosts of the podcast “Throwing Fits.” But they're not interested in tasteful yet generic slip-ons. They're more intrigued by designs from upstart, mostly online-only brands that turn up the design swagger.

↦ Our Picks: We pulled together our favorite loafer styles a while back; available in a range of price points.

In Other News

↦ America Has a Drinking Problem

↦ The FDA Has Approved a New Alzheimer’s Drug—Here’s Why That’s Controversial

↦ Jeff Bezos Will Blast Into Space on Rocket’s 1st Crew Flight

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Walking as cardio

Vegan ribs?

Photo dumps

Partner

Cool Dads Wear Jewelry

Get your old man something special this year

Maybe you've got a young dad on your gift list celebrating his first Father's Day. Perhaps your own pop is young at heart and likes looking good. Either way, they'd no doubt appreciate a luxe necklace or bracelet. After all, every man should own some simple, stylish jewelry. Inspired by Bali and its time-honored jewelry-making traditions, John Hardy has been crafting subtle but sophisticated pieces since 1975. Here are a few of our current favorites.

Silver box chain necklace, from $665

John Hardy 18k Yellow Gold Curb Link Necklace

18k yellow gold curb link necklace, from $1,395

John Hardy Sterling Silver Classic Chain Icon Bracelet

Sterling silver classic chain icon bracelet, from $2,300

↦ Shop All: Father’s Day gifts from John Hardy

Summer’s Best Sandals

Woven leather slipper, $145 by Mohinders

Ah, the happiest season of all ... sandals season. After months of stuffy boots, sneakers, and the familiar 'stocks-and-socks combo while WFH, it's finally time to pull out a pair of slides and let the toes breathe. Built for convenience, sandals are the perfect footwear to wear this summer. Lightweight, comfortable, and versatile, it didn't take much convincing for us to hop on board with the live-in-sandals-all-season-long argument. Browse our picks for the summer's best sandals below.