The Daily Valet. - 10/26/23, Thursday
✔️ Just Look at the Dogs!
Thursday, October 26th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
No pets were harmed in the writing of this newsletter.
Today’s Big Story
The Ethics of Pet Costumes
They're cute, but is it safe (or kind) to put your dog in a Halloween costume?
Are you smiling at that roast turkey pup above? How can you not? But beyond being clearly embarrassed, how does the dog feel trussed up in that costume? Almost every holiday brings an opportunity on social media for canines in costumes. But Halloween is the mother of all dress-up days and a lot of pet owners can't resist. Personally, I never dressed my dog up—she was so cute on her own, and wasn't all that crazy about the harness she wore on walks, let alone a whole French maid's ensemble.But clearly, I'm in the minority. Because a national survey released last year by PetSmart discovered that a whopping 76% of adult American pet owners said they planned to put their pets in costumes—with over 30% saying they intended to have their pets dress up more than once for the holiday. There's also money in pet costume sales for retailers. Americans spent an estimated $700 million on pet costumes last year, compared with $1.2 billion spent on children's costumes and $1.7 billion spent on adult costumes, reports Newsweek. The National Retail Federation estimates a similar amount will be spent on pet costumes again this season, fueling what experts believe will be a record year for Halloween spending.Once those dogs are dressed up, most are then paraded around at events or taken trick-or-treating, according to a recent survey published by Rover. But is that good idea? While those costume can be adorable, NPR warns that some could be affecting the physical, and psychological, health of a canine. “It's not necessarily in the dog's best interest,” said one trainer. “And certainly I can't think of any good reason why a dog would want to be putting on a costume.” Signs of stress, she says, can include excessively licking their nose, shaking their nose and bodies, and looking for places to retreat. And being in crowded places — or seeing other dogs in costumes — can lead to a phenomenon known as trigger stacking: where a stressful situation can exacerbate an already nervous canine.While researchers have not directly studied how costumes affect dogs, Candace Croney, a professor, and the director of animal welfare science at Purdue University, says “if the dog has a pet family that normally puts any sort of clothing, handles them, dresses them and tolerates that pretty well, odds are—unless the costume is really aversive—the dog is probably not going to be terribly disturbed.”So the key, it seems, is to know your pet. Do they mind when you pull on that sweater or raincoat? Maybe dress them up for a photo op, not the whole night. And keep candy out of reach, along with any potentially edible Halloween decorations.
FYI:
CNN rounds up some of this year's most popular costumes, but just try not to notice how uncomfortable some of the models look.
Aid Groups in Gaza Plead for Fuel
Biden administration pushes for a humanitarian ‘pause’ in Israel’s military campaign
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an “unprecedented point,” as hospitals shut down, food stocks deplete and people resort to unsafe drinking water, the UN aid office warned on Wednesday. It also said that it's on the verge of running out of fuel in the Gaza Strip—forcing aid workers to sharply pull back relief efforts in the territory blockaded and devastated by Israeli airstrikes since Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel more than two weeks ago.The warning came as hospitals in Gaza struggled to treat masses of wounded with dwindling resources. Meanwhile, the U.N.'s top official faced backlash from Israel after saying the Hamas massacre that sparked the fighting did not “take place in a vacuum.” The Israeli government has agreed to allow some aid into Gaza, but has insisted no fuel will enter the Strip, claiming Hamas will take control of it and use it for its military infrastructure.At a news conference Wednesday with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, President Joe Biden expressed strong solidarity with Israel but said the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza “needed to increase.” The administration is signaling Israel to “pause” its military offensive amid growing concerns that days of heavy bombardment and a siege of the Palestinian enclave are not only creating a humanitarian disaster but raising the risk of a wider conflict.
We Have a New Speaker of the House
A little-known, low-ranking social conservative from Louisiana pulled off what three other nominees couldn't
Rep. Mike Johnson (of Louisiana) was elected the 56th speaker of the House of Representatives, putting to an end three weeks of uncertainty that left the chamber without a leader and put divisions within the Republican party on full display during the stalemate.The House GOP previously picked three higher-profile nominees, none of whom could win over hard-right holdouts and secure a majority vote. The low-ranking lawmaker is the least experienced House speaker in 140 years. And in electing him, the Wall Street Journal says that Republicans have “cast their lot with a little-known congressman from Louisiana who has made his name pushing conservative positions on cultural issues and who played a key role in unsuccessful legal efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.” The Washington Post confirmed that he's an ally of former president Donald Trump and is anti-abortion, voted against Ukraine aid and supports LGBTQ restrictions.As Republican lawmakers celebrated finally getting a speaker, some strategists in Washington said Wednesday evening that they felt that something “irreparable has happened to the party ... healthy parties don't completely freeze an entire legislative chamber and struggle among themselves to reopen it.” But now Johnson is second in line to the presidency. And it's clear that the far right, which has become a dominant force in the GOP, “rose up and effectively dictated the removal of an establishment speaker and the installation of an arch-conservative replacement.”
Dig Deeper:
Here are five things to know about Rep. Mike Johnson, the new House speaker.
The Year’s Best Food Innovations
from Fast Food Technology to some new avocados
We're here already? Yes, we've reached the point in the year where it's acceptable to reflect back on it. And kicking things off, TIME magazine has released its “Best Inventions of 2023” list. But the one thing that got a lot of people talking are the food innovations.There were a bunch of interesting foods, appliances and other culinary marvels released this year, says the Takeout, and TIME explores how each one broke new ground. After all, 2023 was the year that introduced a new breed of avocado and a Lunchable with grilled cheese sandwiches that when nuked in the microwave, gives you “that perfectly crispy outside, that gooey melty inside, and none of that sogginess or dryness.” How's that for progress?!Other inventions topping the list are GOOD Meat (lab-cultivated chicken, sans the actual chicken), a smart coffee maker from Spinn Pro and a new mixer from GE that utilizes a built-in scale, voice control capability, and other handy functions for home bakers. On the retail side, there's the personalized sauce dispenser from Heinz and Sweetgreen's new robotic salad maker.
Flip Side:
They're not all winners. Cracked calls out the laziest and least inventive snack food innovations. Have you fallen for this flimflam?
In Other News
He was called to testify and fined $10,000 for violating his gag order again.
Have you heard about ...
The Long Read
How that storm intensified to Category 5 just before it reached Acapulco.
Yesterday morning, Otis was merely a tropical storm. Then the system moved over a near-shore patch of hot water, where the sea-surface temperatures reached 31 degrees Celsius in some places (88 degrees Fahrenheit). It “explosively intensified” in a “nightmare scenario,” according to the National Hurricane Center, gaining more than 100 miles per hour of wind speed in 24 hours. ”
- By Zoë Schlanger
Read It:
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
Grown-up Cookware
Caraway has made a name for itself with stylish (and healthy) ceramic cookware. But now the DTC brand is expanding into the streamlined world of stainless steel. The pots and pans are, of course, consciously designed to be easy-to-use and lightweight, yet still free of harmful chemical coatings, so you can bring the heat without bringing any toxins into your kitchen. Crafted from durable five-ply steel, these are engineered to last a lifetime.
Get It:
Stainless steel cookware, from $145 by Caraway
Morning Motto
Prioritize youself.
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