The Daily Valet. - 8/19/21, Thursday

✔️ Need a Boost?

August 19, 2021

Thursday, August 19th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

How dangerous would an in-home soft-serve ice cream machine be?

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Here Come the Boosters

Health officials say another shot is needed to maximize protection

Are you vaxxed? Good. Now think back to when you got your last shot. Eight months from then is when you should expect to get your booster for further protection from this seemingly never-ending virus.

The Biden administration announced Wednesday that they’re offering booster shots starting in September amid concerns that immunity for those who were given their shots months ago is waning.

What are these boosters? They are what they sound like: extra doses of the vaccine, which the surgeon general emphasized will provide a significant increase in effectiveness fighting COVID-19—especially the highly contagious Delta variant (which is causing the majority of new infections and starting to overwhelm the nation’s hospitals).

Officials said they were also persuaded by evidence that boosters can significantly increase people’s immunity after it declines. The results were “striking,” White House medical adviser Anthony S. Fauci said.

Vaccination rates, especially in the South and red-leaning states, have continued to lag, although more people have chosen to get the shot in the last several weeks. Five states—Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, Oregon and Mississippi—just set new COVID caseload records, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The health officials also noted that people who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine would likely need to get a booster but said they anticipated additional data in the next few weeks. A two-dose trial of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is expected to report data soon.

↦ Dig Deeper: The announcement has spurred renewed criticism about vaccine inequities, while the White House confirmed it was already donating 600 million doses of vaccines to needy countries.

EPA Bans Noted Pesticide

A victory for environmental groups and a blow to farmers who use the chemical

A pesticide that's been linked to neurological damage in children, including reduced IQ, loss of working memory, and attention deficit disorders, has been banned by the Biden administration following a years-long legal battle.

Environmental Protection Agency officials issued a final ruling on Wednesday that will put a stop to the spraying of chlorpyrifos on fruits and vegetables across the country, to protect the health of both farmworkers dispersing the pesticide and children eating produce treated with it.

Environmental organizations, health advocates and groups representing farm workers have long sought to stop the use of the chlorpyrifos. But Fox News reports that the move will be seen by some as a blow to farmers who use the chemical, who will soon be forced to find alternatives or suffer yield losses.

However, many in the industry saw it as an outdated mode in need of replacing. Several states including California, Hawaii, New York, Maryland and Oregon—as well as Canada and the European Union—are already phasing out the controversial insecticide on farms.

↦ FYI: Pesticides can amplify each other. And, unfortunately, bees have become the victims.

OnlyFans Launches A SFW App

The OFTV app has one key demand: no nudity

OnlyFans is a juggernaut of spicy content, but its abundance of nudity has stopped the platform launching as an app on Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store.

But now, the company is pushing a new app available on iOS and Android called OFTV. It features many regular OnlyFans creators but the content is strictly safe-for-work.

According to The Verge, it's part of the company's attempt to move beyond adult content and position itself as a neutral platform like Patreon, allowing entertainers, musicians, and creators to monetize their relationships with fans.

There’s also a flagship series on the app called Unlocked, which features exclusive interviews with OnlyFans creators like Mia Khalifa and Bella Thorne. The first season was all about individual creators' journeys to success, and the second season will include “mini-adventures,” reports Mashable.

↦ FYI: Founded in 2016, OnlyFans says it has paid out more than $4.5 billion to creators.

Frequent Flyer Miles Help Refugees

How a group is helping people get out of Afghanistan and other places of conflict

Have travel limitations during the pandemic left you sitting on a slush fund of frequent flyer miles? You can now use them for good by donating your airline miles to Miles4Migrants.

The nonprofit charity organization accepts donations of frequent flyer miles, credit card points and travel vouchers to fund flights for refugees to their new homes. They've flown over 5,000 people from 78 different countries to safety, and redeemed over 85 million total miles.

The refugee crisis in Afghanistan alone has motivated travelers worldwide to pledge more than 52 million frequent flyer miles and credit card points (along with $15,000 in travel vouchers and $100,000 in cash donations) to the organization in the last two days alone.

Want to help? Skip that first-class upgrade on your next flight and instead use your miles to change someone's life. Forbes outlines how you can donate your frequent flyer miles to help those in need.

↦ Meanwhile: A heated political debate is coming to Congress: What to do about the refugees.

In Other News

↦ R. Kelly Used ‘Every Trick in the Predator’s Handbook,’ Prosecutors Say at Sex-Crime Trial

↦ People Now Spend More at Amazon Than at Walmart

↦ The U.S. Is the Second Best Country in the World to Skinny Dip

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Panoramic sunroofs

The Cartier tank watch

Jeff Bezos’ soft-serve machine

Upgrade Your Sheets and You Upgrade Your Life

Refresh your sleep routine

It’s a strange disconnect. Even though most of us are fine spending the necessary cash on a great pair of shoes or a well-made jacket, we often neglect our sheets—an item we use everyday.

Our sheets are so deeply personal, so much so we share them with the people we have sex with. And speaking of such occasions, you really don't want to be the guy with ratty sheets when you have an overnight guest.

Perhaps you've even considered buying some quality bedding. When you're doing laundry, for example, and you try to remember how long you've had these particular linens. Can't remember? Then you're due for a new set. As for which set will suit you, we've got some suggestions for you.

↦ Buy: The best sheets to suit your personal sleep style.