The Daily Valet. - 9/3/21, Friday

✔️ The Vaxx Stacks Up

Friday, September 3rd Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I’m already on my second cup of coffee …

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

↦ Enjoy the long Labor Day weekend, and we’ll see you back here on Tuesday.

Today’s Big Story

The Vaxx Stacks Up

The vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization and long COVID

Here’s some reassuring news to end the week. The risk of breakthrough infections for vaccinated people remains extremely rare, three separate studies found.

No matter which shot you got, the vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization, according to research on more than 1 million people published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The findings come as the United States prepares to begin offering booster shots to all Americans later this month—a decision driven in part by data federal officials have said indicates the vaccines' ability to curb infections may be waning.

But protection against the most severe forms of the disease appears to be holding up, reports NBC News. That breakthrough infections occur does not mean the vaccines are not working. Rather, experts say, breakthrough infections were always expected, because no vaccine is 100% effective.

What’s more, being fully vaccinated not only cuts the risk of catching COVID-19, but also of the complicated and increasingly scary infection turning into long COVID, new research led by King’s College London suggests.

Of course, vaccines “work better when there's less virus circulating,” one infectious disease physician told NBC News. According to CDC data, community transmission is currently considered high in 94% of U.S. counties.

↦ Meanwhile: The CDC is warning against off-label use of the COVID vaccine.

Is Panic Buying Back?

Americans are stocking up on toilet paper again

I was going to make a “number two” joke here, but this is no laughing matter. Americans are back to buying up all available toilet paper.

Of course, this brings back distressing memories of spring 2020 and the onset of the pandemic. Demand for toilet paper skyrocketed as Americans stayed at home and a run on stock prompted panic buying of any and all rolls.

According to the Wall Street Journal, sales of paper products, including toilet paper, were nearly 10% higher in the three weeks leading up to Aug. 22 this year compared to the same time period a year ago. And demand is still surging.

However, TP makers are more prepared this time. Kimberly-Clark, which makes Cottonelle and Scott toilet tissue, and Kleenex, is pushing out more orders than usual. And Procter & Gamble, the largest toilet paper maker in the US, is speeding up its production lines and running its factories 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet demand. So no need to panic. Or panic buy.

De’Longhi’s New A-List Ad Campaign

The cinematic film features Brad Pitt and a crew of Oscar winners

My apologies to breakfast diehards: For many of us, coffee is actually the most important moment of the day. It's potent and rich. If made well, it's the perfect balance of strength and sweetness.

Brad Pitt knows this. Which is why he just signed on to be the face of the latest campaign for the Italian coffeemaking experts at De'Longhi.

In the new cinematic ad—directed by Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle—we get a look at a “a little slice of life” of the stylish star, who rides his motorcycle along the California coast to pick up fresh beans before returning home and to enjoy a cappuccino.

Of course, what we're more interested in is that the spot features two of Pitt's own highly-stylish items: A sweet (but apparently very expensive) custom RSD Ecosse motorcycle and a Loro Piana cashmere jacket, which he explains to Esquire like this: “If I’m able to wear it for 30 years, it won't be expensive in the long run. It's so simple, so sleek. To me, it's perfect.”

↦ FYI: The campaign’s other star? The Dinamica Plus is De’Longhi’s latest espresso machine, a sleek and intuitive fully automatic coffee maker.

Rivian’s Truck Is Getting Raves

MotorTrend called the EV the “most remarkable pickup we’ve ever driven”

In the 12 years since Rivian was founded, the electric vehicle startup has positioned itself as the first real Tesla competitor. But as InsideHook puts it, “it's not only Tesla who should be worried, but today's gas-powered pickup leaders like Ford, Chevy, Ram and Toyota.”

Car and Driver and Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Rivian R1T solid reviews late this past year. And earlier this week, MotorTrend drove the 2022 model and called it the “most remarkable pickup we've ever driven,” asking readers “are you ready for the electric truck revolution?”

Coming from a 70-year-old car publication, that's pretty impressive praise. Its one knock though: The magazine didn't like the driver interface. Too much needs to be controlled by touch screens. There aren't enough knobs for them. (To be honest, this is my beef with a lot of the modern hybrids as well.)

Barron's warns: Ford and GM better take note. They are the truck kings with roughly two-thirds of the U.S. light truck market. But for how long?

↦ Dig Deeper: Customize and configure your own R1T truck at Rivian.

In Other News

↦ More Than 45 Dead After Ida’s Remnants Blindside Northeast

↦ ‘Seinfeld’: The Most Important Lessons From a Show About Nothing

↦ A Quarter of Stars Like Our Sun Eat Their Planets, Study Finds

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Leaf peeping

‘Shang-Chi’

The Netflix sound

The Perfect Shower

How to get the most out of your shower each and every day

I take my showers and baths pretty seriously. There's something about the ritual of cleansing that I really respond to. It's soothing and solitary—allowing me time to focus on myself, get lost in thought and literally wash away the past.

Whether you shower first thing in the morning, late at night or after the gym, it's one of the few tasks where even the least wellness focused men will indulge in a little self-care.

And while there's not much to say about showering (it's pretty basic, right?), there are ways to optimize and get the most from your time under the spray. Especially if you're a morning shower person like me.

This isn't about taking a longer shower. The average American already showers for a little more than eight minutes, utilizing 17.2 gallons of water everyday. This is about being more efficient and effective. The result is that you'll look and feel better by the time you towel off.

↦ Read: Your perfect shower plan.