The Daily Valet. - 4/3/23, Monday
✔️ On the Rise ... Again.
Monday, April 3rd Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Make sure to give your plants some water (and a little extra love) today.
Today’s Big Story
Autism Rates Rise. Again.
And new data found that white children are less likely to be diagnosed than children of color
It's a common question that arises when the numbers come in. Autism rates keep rising. The CDC started surveying children in 2000—initially, 1 in 150 children were diagnosed. Now, that diagnosis rate has since increased to 1 in 36 children. Is it really more common now or are we just better at diagnosing it?There is no official medical test for autism. The CDC has established a network of 17 sites across the country that estimate autism rates based on a combination of formal medical diagnoses and records from schools and health care providers. Advances in diagnostic capabilities and a greater understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorder seem to be largely driving the increase, the Rutgers researchers said.Another factor that's likely to contribute to these rising rates is that diagnoses among children of color have been catching up to—and are now passing—white children. The rise was especially sharp among Black, Hispanic, and Asian or Pacific Islander children. And autism prevalence is significantly higher among boys than girls, as well. In 2020, there was about a four-fold difference. And it was the first year that more than 1% of 8-year-old girls had been diagnosed with autism.And as NBC News points out, there's probably more to the story that still needs to be figured out: Genetic factors, and perhaps some environmental ones, too, might also be contributing to the trend. Precisely what those other factors are is still unknown, but researchers are at least clear on one fact: Autism has nothing to do with vaccines.For years, people have pinned rising rates on a variety of causes, including improved awareness, reduced stigma, re-labeling of kids, aging parents, low-birth-weight babies or C-section deliveries. “No one really knows yet what's driving autism rates higher,” said one of the authors of the paper. But he thinks there's more going on than just better identification. “This is a true increase … and it constitutes a major public health crisis.”
FYI:
Unemployment rates of college-educated adults affected by autism have historically been higher than their peers. But one group is working to fix that.
Preparing for Trump’s Arraignment
The Former President and Candidate, a City and the country Brace for a Consequential Week
Well, this is going to be interesting. New York City police have stepped up security measures ahead of former President Trump's expected arraignment on Tuesday on charges related to hush money payments.According to the New York Times, as both a defendant and a candidate, Trump is also trying to maximize his surrender for political benefit. His campaign on Sunday scheduled a prime-time news conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night, just hours after Mr. Trump is expected to turn himself in. The campaign also has been using his indictment in fund-raising appeals, and said it had raised $4 million in just 24 hours.The specific charges have yet to be made public, but Trump has always denied any criminal wrongdoing. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene plans to join the New York Young Republican Club to “peacefully rally” in front of the courthouse. Now, attention is being turned to the judge overseeing case, who may slap a gag order on hard-to-silence Trump. Breaking that order could trigger a fine of $1,000 and a prison sentence of as much as 30 days, under New York law.
Meanwhile:
In the other high profile case, the Justice Dept. is said to have more evidence of possible Trump obstruction at Mar-a-Lago.
A city once remade for voitures [cars] has completely transformed itself into an unlikely and egalitarian utopia for cyclists and pedestrians. What can it teach us?”
- Slate on how Paris kicked out the cars
Finland Officially Joins NATO
What exactly does that mean? and what's next?
Finland received the green light to join NATO as Türkiy ratified the Nordic country's membership, becoming the last country in the 30-member Western military alliance to sign off. (All NATO members must vote unanimously to admit a new country into the alliance.) The addition of Finland, which shares a 832 mile border with Russia, will now more than double the size of NATO's border with Russia.It's being called a “significant defeat” for Putin, who said he attacked Ukraine to push NATO back. This achieves the exact opposite. In fact, it was the invasion that caused Finland to abandon its long policy of neutrality. Public support for membership soared, and both Finland and its neighbor Sweden sought membership in May 2022.Sweden's bid, however, has stalled due to opposition from Türkiy, whose president has said his country wouldn't ratify membership before disputes between Ankara and Stockholm were resolved. According to the Associated Press, the Turkish government has accused Sweden of being too soft on groups that it deems to be terror organizations. Hungary's parliament also has yet to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and it remains unclear when it will do so.
Meanwhile:
The Nordic nation has been ranked the happiest country on earth for six consecutive years. The key, it seems, is knowing when you have enough.
Just How “Alive” Are Plants?
Apparently, they can cry (and die from old Age)
[*To the sound of Prince's Doves Cry] This is what it sounds like ... when plants cry. Say what? Plants do not suffer in silence. Instead, when thirsty or stressed, plants make “airborne sounds,” reports Scientific American.Plants that need water or have recently had their stems cut produce up to roughly 35 sounds per hour, researchers recently discovered, using microphones to capture ultrasonic crackles. But well-hydrated and uncut plants are much quieter, making only about one sound per hour.It brings up other existential questions about our leafy green friends. Like, if you keep them healthy and hydrated, just how long will they live. Do plants eventually die from old age? As Mental Floss points out, all living things have an expiration date, and plants are no exception. Even if they're given undivided attention and cultivated in the perfect environment, they will eventually wither and die from natural causes. But it takes plants much longer to reach that point than animals.
FYI:
There are about 380,000 known species of plants, which provide a substantial proportion of the world's molecular oxygen and are the basis of most of Earth's ecosystems.
In Other News
The storm outbreak that walloped the country spawned more than 50 tornado reports in at least seven states.
Time Is Running Out for the Mystery Owner of This Abandoned Superyacht, Which Might Soon Go to Auction
Have you heard about ...
Set Your Goals
all but GUARANTEED to help you get what you want
Whether you want it to or not, the future is coming. And it will either be the same, better or worse than what you know right now in the present. The only way to ensure that it will be better is to set long-term goals to strive for.Of course, there's no guarantee that life will work out exactly as planned—it rarely does, right? But nonetheless, it's important to set long terms goals to work towards. Otherwise, we're just wandering aimlessly through life without a plan. We've got some expert advice on how to set the right intentions to make sure you're goal-setting with a plan.
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
A solid oak coffee table
You won't find a better coffee table at a better price. The Elo coffee table ($445), from Akron Street, is made from solid white oak wood that's sanded smooth and finished with a matte natural lacquer. The end result looks incredibly high-end. Especially given the stylish proportions of the table and the tapered, angled legs. What's more, those legs easily bolt on and off to make moving to and from apartments even easier (while maintaining ultimate stability once they're assembled).
Want More?
The five stylish items you should consider buying this week.
Morning Motto
Slow down and pay attention.
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