The Daily Valet. - 7/10/23, Monday
✔️ This Was ... Unexpected, Right?
Monday, July 10th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Vacation or work … choose. But don’t do both, unless you really have to.
Today’s Big Story
U.S. Border Crossings Are Down
But Officials say the lull after nearly two years of increased crossings will likely not last
The White House remains determined to discourage border crossings. Officials announced on Friday that the U.S. will soon open a new immigration program to allow some Central Americans and Colombians to enter legally, thus discouraging would-be migrants from these countries from journeying north to cross the southern border illegally.According to CBS News, the Biden administration has made the expansion of legal migration a cornerstone of its revamped strategy to reduce unauthorized crossings along the southern border, which soared to record levels in 2022.What's more, an expected surge of migrants after Title 42 ended hasn't materialized, as Biden's limits on asylum have kicked in. In fact, crossings have decreased 70% from their record highs since the lifting of the public health order on May 11, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The number of undocumented migrants crossing into the country has not only sharply declined, but has also remained relatively low.But many officials don't believe it will last. According to the New York Times, some officials believe that migrants have been in a wait-and-see mode, watching to see if these new policies stick around. Many are already facing legal challenges, creating the possibility that a judge's ruling could change one of them, pause it temporarily or end it completely. Others believe fewer migrants are crossing illegally because “they are taking advantage of a more structured and safer option to ask for a chance to seek asylum.”Still, nearly three-quarters of Americans say the government is doing a bad job at the U.S.-Mexico border—a further slide from a dismal 68% in April 2021, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. But, unfortunately, the drivers of migration have not changed ... The promise of America still pulls people while there is still extreme poverty, political instability and violence in the countries people are fleeing. Meaning, there will never not be a problem with desperate people trying to get into the country by any means necessary.
Meanwhile:
The owner of a Texas canoe and kayaking company filed a lawsuit to stop the installation of a marine floating barrier on the Rio Grande.
The Northern Lights Head South
A solar storm This week is expected to make the aurora borealis visible in 17 states
A solar storm forecast for Thursday is expected to give people in 17 American states a chance to glimpse the aurora borealis, the colorful natural phenomenon that happens when solar wind hits the atmosphere.Typically seen only in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, but an 11-year solar cycle that's expected to peak in 2024 is making the lights visible in places farther to the south. Three months ago, the light displays were visible in Arizona, marking the third severe geomagnetic storm since the current solar cycle began in 2019. This week, the lights will likely be seen across parts of Washington, Idaho, Vermont, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine.So what exactly is happening up in the sky? According to NPR, the sun's activity is volatile, and in some cases, the disturbances are so strong they can pull the Earth's magnetic field away from our planet. But, like a taut rubber band when it's released, the magnetic field snaps back, and electrons hitch a ride on these superfast Alfvén waves, reaching speeds as high as 45 million mph as they hurtle downward. When they collide with nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere, they release light.
FYI:
Italian astronomer Galileo coined the name “aurora borealis” in 1619—after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas.
Mattel has amassed a long slate of other projects. Thirteen more films have been publicly announced, including movies about He-Man and Polly Pocket; forty-five are in development. ”
- The New Yorker on the Mattel Cinematic Universe
Has the Chat GPT Bubble Burst?
A new report suggests that AI may be losing some of its appeal with consumers
As you likely know, OpenAI's ChatGPT has been the hottest product in tech ever since it debuted last year. It kicked off the so-called “AI revolution,” launched droves of new businesses, and has experienced explosive growth on a global scale. However, that honeymoon phase may finally be over.The Washington Post reports that the app saw its first-ever dip in user numbers last month. In fact, mobile and desktop traffic to the bot's website shrank by nearly 10% globally in June. Downloads of the bot's iPhone app also declined. It's unclear exactly why the chatbot is seeing such a drastic drop in user engagement, though people have theories.So what exactly is going on here? Gizmodo wonders, could it be AI's current penchant for “spewing weird nonsense and misinformation” that is pushing people away? They point to an analysis from Similarweb, a web analytics and market intelligence firm, which claims that it may be a sign that the initial “novelty has worn off.” Or perhaps it's the vaguely menacing morass of legal questions that hang over AI-generated content. Then again, maybe people just sorta got bored of talking to computers?
Meanwhile:
Sarah Silverman is one of three authors filing class action lawsuits against the creators of ChatGPT.
Have You Heard of a “Pay-Cation”?
Spoiler alert: it's not an actual vacation
Say hello to the “pay-cation”. It's the latest buzzword the travel industry is peddling to describe a trend that's, from what I can tell, essentially working while on vacation. But apparently, it's all the rage among millennials and Gen Zers. Really?According to InsideHook, it's a fresh take on “bleisure”, another portmanteau that describes the method of combining business travel with leisure time while abroad. As a perk, it was gaining momentum prior to the pandemic, but with the rise in remote work, it especially gained steam afterward. However, the pay-cation is a little different. It involves working on vacation, thus requiring no real “time off” at all.It sounds convenient and a recent study found that there's an aspirational quality to it—which is, perhaps, why most pay-cationers are prioritizing wellness travel and solo travel these days. But I feel duty-bound to remind you, dear reader, that working while away is a great way to change up your day-to-day, but it's not a real vacation. You have to unplug to fully get the benefits of a vacation, but this is certainly a nice in-between solution, especially when you're low on PTO.
FYI:
According to CareerBuilder, one-in-four workers said they consider their sick days to be equivalent to vacation days and treat them as such.
In Other News
The war with Russia must end before they can join the powerful military alliance.
Have you heard about ...
Your July Reading List
These are the most interesting books to check out this month
How's your summer reading plan going? Need something good to dive into? This month has some great options, whether you're looking for something easy to read on your lunch break or more intimate and challenging stories—from an interesting memoir about what it's like to work for a wild (and we mean wild) company like American Apparel, to the latest book from a Pulitzer Prize-winner full of ’70s vibes.
By: Dwyer MurphyOut: July 11
This stylish summer read takes place in a sleepy Massachusetts coastal town where the protagonist, Jack, is helping his father (a retired spy) help fugitives on the run. When a former love interest reappears and asks for help stealing millions of raw diamonds, Jack reluctantly helps her plan a heist.
By: Kate FlanneryOut: July 18
Remember the hold American Apparel had on us in the early aughts? Sure, they sold retro basics, but what it was really shilling was a cool, carefree lifestyle. In her new memoir, Kate Flannery raises the curtain on what it was really like to work for the brand at the height of its powers.
By: Colson WhiteheadOut: July 18
Pulitzer Prize-winner Colson Whitehead is back with “Crook Manifesto,” the second book in his Harlem trilogy. This exciting story is set in 1970s New York City and fully transports you to a wild time in the heart of that big, bad metropolis.
By: Silvia Moreno-GarciaOut: July 18
The magic of cinema meets the dark arts in this fantastically atmospheric neo-noir thriller set in 1990s Mexico City. A magical movie and a ghostly girlfriend … what if sorcerers and magic are not just the stuff of scary movies?
Shopping
What We’re Buying
Birkenstock’s EVA remake
It was only a matter of time, right? Ever since Birkenstock offered their wildly popular Arizona slides in a cushy, waterproof EVA material, we've been waiting to see if they'd introduce a similar foamy version of their Boston clogs. Extremely lightweight, washable and available in half a dozen colorways, these are probably the coolest mules ($59.95) you can get for less than sixty bucks. Our pick? The “Faded Khaki” green would be the most versatile color to pair with jeans, chino shorts and navy pants for the summer.
Want More?
The five stylish items you should be buying this week.
Morning Motto
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