The Daily Valet. - 7/9/20, Thursday
✔️ Let's Do This (If We Can)
Thursday, July 9th Edition
I’ll be blending some frozen drinks as soon as the clock strikes noon.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Will Schools Reopen?
Disregarding the advice of his own health experts, the president threatened to cut funding if schools don’t fully reopen this fall
Determined to reopen America’s schools despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases, President Trump threatened Wednesday to hold back federal money if school districts don’t bring their students back in the fall, reports the Associated Press.
Of course, the president can’t unilaterally cut current support of schools, and the federal government provided only 8.3% of funding for public education in 2015-2016 (the last year a detailed funding breakdown was available). But Trump could try to restrict some recent pandemic relief funding or refuse to sign future education grants and bailouts. And any reductions in federal funding would hit schools hard.
The president’s criticisms of the CDC’s guidance on reopening, in a barrage of Twitter threats, fanned the flames of an already difficult debate that’s challenging educators and parents across the country. As Juliette Kayyem writes in The Atlantic, our current situation is unsustainable.
“Parents who have no control over their own work schedule are far worse off, as are younger children for whom an indefinite absence from the classroom holds many dangers—the mental-health and emotional risks of long-term isolation, the greater likelihood of abuse and neglect going undetected, the internet-access disparities that turn some of the most vulnerable students into virtual dropouts.”
During a coronavirus task force briefing later Wednesday afternoon, Vice President Mike Pence announced that the CDC would issue new recommendations next week, saying the guidelines should not be a reason for schools to stay closed. “We just don’t want the guidance to be too tough,” he said.
The truth is, we have to do something. Because a vaccine could be a long way away. And we could look to the nations that have handled their outbreaks more successfully than the U.S. for guidance. But if we have to learn to manage around this virus, we’ll need to do it as cleverly and safely as possible.
↦ FYI: According to a survey in mid-June, 94% of K–12 superintendents weren’t ready to announce when or how their schools would reopen.
Supreme Court Rules on Birth Control
The decision watered down the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate
In a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted businesses and universities the ability to refuse to provide birth control coverage for their employees for religious or moral reasons, reports BuzzFeed News.
The decision reverses Obamacare policies that expanded access to contraception, and will now force many students, who have health insurance, to pay out-of-pocket for their birth control. The Trump administration joined the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of Roman Catholic nuns that had fought the contraceptive requirement since it was first imposed.
The majority opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, ruled that the White House's challenge to the Affordable Care Act was aboveboard, reports Fox News.
The government has estimated that because of the ruling, between 70,000 to 126,000 women will lose contraception coverage in one year.
↦ FYI: The Court's ruling on Trump's tax returns and financial records is scheduled to come later today.
Quibi Lost 90% of Its Early Audience
The struggling streaming video platform has a not-so-great conversion rate
Earlier this week, Vulture asked if anyone was watching Quibi, the startup mobile streaming service. Well, it sounds like the answer is ... not anymore.
Quibi only managed to convert a little under 10 percent of its early wave of users into paying subscribers, reports The Verge. The platform signed up about 910,000 users in its first few days back in April. Of those users, only about 72,000 stuck around after the three-month free trial ended.
Of course, these numbers are not to be confused with the number of current paying subscribers Quibi has (the company has yet to disclose that all-important figure).
And it's fair to say Quibi is not having a very great launch—co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg outright blamed the coronavirus for the app's early failures. The day it launched, the Quibi app rose to No. 3 in Apple's app store. But by mid-June, it was No. 284.
↦ Meanwhile: Quibi just unveiled a NSFW trailer for the Anna Kendrick-starring series Dummy.
Does Wearing a Mask Make You Look Hot?
The short answer: Yes
A fabric mask is highly effective at preventing the spread of respiratory droplets known to carry coronavirus. But it's also become a highly politicized accessory. We can all agree on one strange phenomenon though ... we look good in them.
Maybe you've noticed this yourself (I sure have) when walking outside. Or maybe you've seen masked celebrity pics or the chatter on social media. GQ spoke with Vanessa Brown, a university professor who has studied the effect that sunglasses have on perceived attractiveness to investigate.
“There's definitely something about the replacement of something fleshy and vulnerable [i.e., your face] with something that's engineered and machined and perfect,” Brown said. “If you think of something like a classic suit, it does something similar to the male body.”
The science backs it up. A study from earlier this year, published in Scientific Reports, found that people judged incomplete faces in photographs to be more attractive than entirely visible faces.
↦ Buy: Upgrade your mask with our list of stylish options in a range of shapes, fabrics and patterns.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Rethink Frozen Drinks
Why classic cocktails are better when blended
Summer is a carefree time—usually. Of course, this is not your standard summer, right? But still ... the sun is shining, the temperatures outside are rising, and a well made frozen cocktail is probably exactly what you need right now. Or this afternoon, at least.
Like a hammock, these drinks seem to instantly engage the relaxation centers of your brain. They signal the body to relax and take things slowly. And we're not talking about the sickly sweet, neon-colored Slurpee-style drinks. We're talking about some of your favorite classics, reengineered to be even more tasty and refreshing.
We had fun pulling together a few recipes from our favorite spots and makers, so check them out and dig out your blender.
↦ Cheers: These frozen cocktails are your cure for a really strange summer.
Weekend Shopping Plans
From suede loafers to knit polos, our picks from three can’t-miss sales going on this weekend.
Up to 50% off select items
Far Afield knit polo $125 / $94.95
Up to 90% off select items
Gordon Rush suede loafer $150 / $29.98
30% off accessories w/code FRESH30
Cushioned crew socks 3-pack $20 / $14
Morning Motto
Be aware of what you don’t know ...
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