The Daily Valet. - 5/2/22, Monday

✔️ New Heights

Monday, May 2nd Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

How far would you go to be taller?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

New Heights

Limb-lengthening surgery has become more and more popular for men looking to be taller

The last few years have seen a notable rise in men seeking cosmetic procedures. From facelifts to Botox, men have gotten a lot more comfortable with investing in themselves—be it for vanity or a healthier self esteem.

The pandemic only accelerated the trend, as work shifted to Zoom and more men spent time looking at—and worrying about—their faces. It also allowed for a comfortable recovery at home. But this might be the most extreme.

Height-increase surgery is on the rise, reports BuzzFeed News. The procedure itself isn’t new. People wounded in military service or car crashes would get the procedure, often as a way to correct mismatched length in legs. But now, both legs are being electively broken, set with special rods connected to a remote control (all for about $75,000).

That remote control will activate a magnetic motor, which extend the rods to slowly pull apart the bone a millimeter a day. So at the end of an 80 day treatment plan, you’ll have extended your legs by about three inches.

If it sounds intense, expensive and painful, you’re absolutely right. And why go through it now, when the whole internet seems to be celebrating “Short King Spring”?

Well, the struggles for short men in the dating world have been thoroughly documented. Height seems to provide an advantage in the workplace too, where taller men are more likely to end up CEOs and shorter men are less likely to get access to career opportunities.

↦ Listen Up: The Limb Lengthening Podcast is hosted by a bodybuilder who had limb-lengthening surgery and now interviews people who’ve recently had it or surgeons who perform the procedure.

Ukraine Continues to Fight

Evacuation of civilians from Ukrainian steel plant begins

The long-awaited evacuation of civilians from a besieged steel plant in Mariupol, where Ukrainian fighters have staged a desperate last stand, continued Sunday. About 100 people were being transferred from the surrounded southeastern port city to Ukrainian-controlled territory, but officials said hundreds more—including dozens of children—are stuck there.

As fighting in Ukraine's east grew more entrenched, a delegation of congressional Democrats visited Kyiv over the weekend in a sign of American commitment to Ukraine's efforts. Speaking to reporters Sunday in Poland, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised Zelenskyy's courage and leadership. “Our discussion centered around the subjects at hand: security, humanitarian and economic assistance, and eventually rebuilding when victory is won.”

In his nightly address Sunday, President Zelenskyy accused Moscow of waging “a war of extermination,” saying Russian shelling had hit food, grain and fertilizer warehouses, and residential neighborhoods in the Kharkiv, Donbas and other regions.

This tracks with what the United Nations officials are saying. They report that they have been “blocked” from accessing “besieged cities like Mariupol, Mykolaiv, and Kherson”—raising concerns of mass starvation in the Ukrainian cities that have been devastated by Russia's military invasion.

↦ FYI: Experts anticipated a Moscow-led cyber-assault; instead, unprecedented attacks by hacktivists and criminals have wreaked havoc in Russia.

Partner

Here's how you win Mother's Day. It's an easy move, but it's also one of the classiest.

Check Out Some Plants

A growing number of public libraries are now offering seeds

Libraries are cool, right? It's amazing that they're still around, really. I used to love the library—it's where I could go and read all the magazines my parents refused to buy me when I was a kid. They've always been great for books and research.

But recently, a growing number of libraries have broadened the scope of what a library can be. Eater reports that they're now fighting food insecurity by offering communities free seeds and gardening education.

According to Modern Farmer, seed sharing at libraries date back to at least 2010, and while no one tracks just how many there are, it's likely hundreds of libraries now offer them. Many started after the pandemic forced people outside and encouraged them to find ways to be more resilient, especially in how they procure food.

And it seems like it's taking off too. The Phoenix Public Library, for instance, distributes an average of 1,000 seed packets per month across nine of its 17 branches. If this can lead to an upswing in community gardening and healthier eating, that sounds like a net positive for all involved.

↦ Meanwhile: The Brooklyn Public Library is offering free digital library cards to young adults in the U.S.

Stick Shifts Put Up a Good Fight

The manual transmission is hanging in there, for now

They're not extinct yet, but the end is coming for manual transmissions, right? Last year, only around 1% of new cars sold in the U.S. came with three pedals and a stick shift.

Ford's all-new Mustang will be launched next year and the director of the automaker's Icons and Performance vehicle program recently said, “It's clear there will be more electrification, and manual gearboxes will not be around in the future.” Given that you can't specify a stick shift in the new Shelby GT500, it's obvious that the manual's phase-out is only a matter of time.

But it's not going down without a fight. And some brands are still committing to the stick. Enthusiasts celebrated this weekend when Toyota announced a six-speed manual gearbox will be available as an option on the 2023 edition of the Supra, its iconic sports car.

And that's not all. Car and Driver just praised BMW's M3, which boasts 473 horsepower, rear-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission. And Porsche is reviving the 911 Sport Classic for the 2023 model year and bringing it to the U.S. market for the first time in a limited run, ditching its automatic gearbox for a stick shift.

↦ FYI: Just 18% of American drivers can drive a stick, according to U.S. News and World Report.

In Other News

↦ The 2022 White House Correspondents’ Dinner Was a Respectable-Enough Reboot

↦ Atlanta ‘Pedal Pub’ Bike Driver Charged With DUI After a Crash That Injured 15 (Ed. Note: Don’t get on these)

↦ Why ASMR Triggers Make You Feel so Damn Good

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

This summer staple

Cheap beer

Johnny Depp trial merch?

Partner

Give Mom the Flowers She Deserves

It's one of the easiest moves but it's also one of the classiest. After all, flowers are one of the all-time great ways to show your mother that you're thinking of her. It's an indulgent surprise that brings some of the outside in and reminds her why you're her favorite. And if you're going to send a bouquet of blooms, make sure they're good ones. She's worth it, right?

The Juliet bouquetof lush delphinium,lisianthus, rosesand asters, $65

UrbanStems has the flowers your mom deserves. The modern brand offers the best of both worlds: Arrangements that are high on taste while prioritizing the freshest flowers. All for incredibly reasonable prices. How do they do it? Well, they source directly from the farmers—no middlemen, no local florists and no cutting corners.

And these aren't your average bouquets either. UrbanStems specializes in unique and stylish arrangements with unique and interesting flowers not found in your average bouquet (think ranunculus, snap dragons, thistle and garden roses). But you'll want to order soon to beat the rush, as they're predicting a sell-out by the top of May.

The Poppins bouquet with a graceful arrangement of pillowy peonies snapdragons, $130

The Verona picturesque arrangement of delicate spray roses and hypericum berries, $65

↦ Browse: More Mother’s Day gifts from UrbanStems

Free Treat When you use the exclusive code VALETTREAT you’ll receive a free 3-pack of organic lollipops with any purchase.

What We’re Eyeing

Just because we're entering summer doesn't mean you don't need or want layers. This lightweight chore jacket ($275) is the perfect cover to pull on over a simple tee or camp collar shirt. Each is patterned, cut and sewn in the USA from American-made 12-ounce canvas with plenty of handy pockets. The brand says it fits a bit roomy, so size down for a more tailored fit.

↦ Want more? 5 stylish items to buy this week