The Daily Valet. - 5/4/23, Thursday
✔️ Could You Quit Coffee?
Thursday, May 4th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
How many cups of coffee do I drink in a day? That's none of your business.
Today’s Big Story
Should We Quit Coffee?
A chorus of concerned former “addicts” are trying to wake people up to its negative effects
Quit coffee, in this economy? The world can feel like it's spinning out of control, we're all overworked and under-slept and sometimes the only thing that gets me through it is that piping hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Or the icy cold brew in the afternoon. Or the relaxing flat white after dinner. Jeez, maybe I do drink a little too much coffee. But I'm not ready to quit.However, a growing chorus of concerned former “caffeine addicts” are trying to wake people up to its negative effects. As Esquire reports, there is perhaps no mind-altering substance as tightly woven into the fabric of daily life than caffeine.For some, coffee even serves as a handy substitute for having a personality. Whether it's new mothers who think they should have a priority line at Starbucks; snobs who traffic exclusively in organic, sustainably grown fair-trade beans; or Zoomers sharing their insane coffee concoctions on TikTok, conspicuous coffee consumption is a cultural signifier. Entire human interactions—the coffee date, the coffee break at work—revolve around its ingestion.Of course, our caffeine doesn't just come from that delicious dark brew. Energy drinks are a fraction the size of the coffee market, but Americans still spend almost $14 billion a year on them, and the category is rapidly growing. So ubiquitous is caffeine in our culture that it doesn't even register to people as a drug.But it does to those trying to quit, who discover some pretty nasty withdrawal symptoms. In fact, there's a popular Reddit forum that serves as a de facto support group for people struggling with caffeine. For those that kick the habit, they report feeling better (less acid reflux and anxiety) and getting used to life without the buzz.That's not to say it's inherently bad. Michael Pollan, arguably the most respected food-science writer in the world, points to studies showing that caffeine may have protective benefits against some types of cancer, dementia and Parkinson's. Caffeine can boost athletic and work performance, and coffee is the leading source of antioxidants in the American diet—a troubling sign of just how few vegetables the average American eats.
FYI:
66% of Americans drink coffee every day, which is more than the amount of Americans that drink tap water daily.
False Flag or Genuine Attack?
What we know about the Kremlin drone incident
As Russian officials tell it, two Ukrainian drones flew into the very heart of Moscow under the cover of darkness, reaching the Kremlin before they were shot down at the last minute. They called it a daring assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin. But a cloud of questions hangs over the claim.Whatever the provenance of the two drones that approached the Kremlin, one thing was clear: The Russian government wanted the world to know about them. According to the New York Times, it published an unusual, five-paragraph statement on its website that named the Ukrainian government as the perpetrator and asserted the right to retaliate against Kyiv. Volodymyr Zelensky has said his only concern is to defend Ukraine's own cities and villages against the Russian invasion. “We don't attack Putin, or Moscow, we fight on our territory,” Ukraine's president said. An adviser to Zelensky tweeted that the drone attack accusation indicated that Russia itself is “preparing a large-scale terrorist attack.” Keep in mind we've seen this before: Russia has accused Ukraine of a number of attacks on Russian soil since the start of the invasion.
FYI:
President Zelenskyy was in the Netherlands on Thursday for a surprise visit to the city that is home to the International Criminal Court.
I think I took my shirt off and maybe my pants. I mean, look, if it’s a long-haul sleeping flight … I’m not going to fall asleep in my jean jacket!”
- Justin Theroux to Esquire
Inflation Is Sticking Around
Why are some things so expensive these days?
Sticker shock seems to be pretty common these days. But why? Is it the aftermath of the pandemic? Or maybe the supply chain or interest rates? According to the Wall Street Journal, some economists say they know why: Businesses are using a rare opportunity to boost their profit margins. (I'm shocked!)Of course, there have been good reasons for businesses to raise their prices in recent months. But there are signs that some companies are doing more than covering their costs. ProPublica tracked the life of an overpriced tire, from a rubber plantation in Southeast Asia to a repair shop in Mississippi. “The average price of tires has risen 21.4% over the past two years, more than 70% higher than core inflation. Now, as the economy slows, many of the costs that drove inflation have fallen away. Yet the leaders of well-known brands continue to bet—sometimes baldly in investor calls—that they can keep prices high.”Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it was raising its key federal funds rate to more than 5%—a 16-year high—as it continues its firefight against persistent inflation. As NBC News reports, many consumers would agree that thanks to higher prices, inflation and tighter credit conditions, this is the worst they've felt about their finances since the pandemic broke out and upended everything.
On the Brightside:
Hiring at private companies unexpectedly soared in April, countering expectations for a cooling job market ahead, payroll processing firm ADP reported Wednesday.
How’s Your Sleep Pressure?
You want to build it up properly over the day
Kelly Starrett, a doctor of physical therapy who has trained everyone from Olympians to military special ops, spoke with the Art of Manliness recently about unlocking your peak performance. And one of the most interesting concepts he tackled was “sleep pressure.” Ever heard of this?It makes sense, though. Sleep pressure, as the name implies, is the drive towards sleep that accumulates during the day. This is all due to a molecule called adenosine. Adenosine is produced as a residual product in virtually every process in our bodies, from muscle contraction and digestion, nerve cell signaling, to the production of hormones and new blood cells. The more physical and mental activity you engage in during the day, the more adenosine is created, and the more tired you become. Of course, on days when we're more sedentary, we might not build up as much and thus, have trouble falling asleep. That afternoon nap also relieves some of your sleep pressure, but again, could mess you up come bedtime. And according to Health News, caffeine is like the twin brother of adenosine. The molecular structures of both are so similar, that our brain doesn't differentiate. The only difference is that when caffeine binds to the same cells that adenosine normally binds to, it does nothing more than sit there, take up space, and prevent adenosine from binding and increasing our sleep pressure. Put another way, you want to think of it as a tank you fill up so that you can fall asleep fast and sleep soundly all night.
Build It Up:
Cognitively demanding activities like puzzles and reading a new book are good way to increase your sleep pressure.
In Other News
As hot as the Earth’s weather has been in recent years, it’s about to get hotter.
Have you heard about ...
Worth a Listen
A Hotdog is a Sandwich podcast
It's an age-old debate. And personally, I'm with the British Sandwich Association on this one. But whatever side you stand on, this fast-paced, often funny show will suck you in as it poses tough food-related questions and then debates them. Chefs Josh Scherer and Nicole Enayati decide whether American cheese is really cheese, if Popeye's and In-N-Out are overrated, and what the best pasta shape is.
Listen:
Shopping
What We’re Buying
EVA Clogs
Want some slides you can beat to hell this summer? This is not the pair you'll flex with, but they are the ones you'll wear around the house and to the pool with impunity. The EVA mule has a molded footbed and a textured rubber outsole—which means they're incredibly light and comfortable from the get go. Honestly, they're the only $20 footwear we could recommend without regrets. Plus, they're available in a range of colors, so take your pick or pick up a few pairs. At this price? Why not?
Get It:
Molded EVA clog, $25 / $19 by UO
Morning Motto
A little kindness goes a long way.
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