The Daily Valet. - 7/13/21, Tuesday

✔️ A Cultural Phenomenon

July 13, 2021

Tuesday, July 13th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I slept well last night. But apparently not because of the lettuce water I drank before bed.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

It’s Shark Week!

The cultural phenomenon is television’s longest-running programming event of all time

This week, Discovery is celebrating the 33rd anniversary of Shark Week. Can you believe that?! You have until Sunday to get your fill.

For fans of sharks and general aquatic danger, this is like multiple Super Bowls tossed into a public pool. Seriously, the network has something for just about everyone.

This year’s rundown includes Tiffany Haddish hosting an episode. We learn from Haddish that “her fantasy was to uncover the secrets of shark sex, sailing on the fanciest yachts.” There are tons of other celebs who appear as part of the week—from William Shatner to Snoop Dogg and Sharknado stars Ian Ziering and Tara Reid (of course).

There’s also a Jackass Shark Week Special, starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and the crew. And after a few different stunts that resulted in no bodily harm, the team decided to literally “jump the shark” with a jump into shark-infested waters that ends—you guessed it—with a bloody shark bite.

The first Shark Week kicked off in July 1988. It began as a last-ditch marketing push scribbled on the back of a napkin—a way to draw viewers over the summer by using the power of science to make going to the beach seem downright dangerous. (They’ve also used it in the past to encourage conservation.) It has since grown into something of a national holiday and television’s longest-running event, according to Discovery.

It’s become so popular, that it’s not the only game in town anymore. National Geographic’s SharkFest is now in its ninth year (and last year, took in about 10 million more viewers). But both channels have beefed up their programming on TV as well as on streaming to compete. Together, the companies will air 66 hours of new shark programming this year.

↦ Dive Deeper: Curb Your Enthusiasm star J.B. Smoove signed up for Shark Week ... thinking it was Shark Tank.

Cuba’s Tipping Point

Broken by pandemic and fueled by social media, Cubans confront their police state

A day after a rare outbreak of anti-government protests in Cuba, the United States and Cuba traded sharp words.

“We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom,” President Biden said in a statement on Monday, citing what he called “decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime.”

Meanwhile, Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed the historic protests on U.S. “economic asphyxiation” and detained some of the highest profile activists, reports Reuters. Cuban soldiers and police patrolled the streets of Havana on Monday.

But analysts tell the Washington Post that Cuba's powerful intelligence and security apparatus—which has not only successfully enforced a police state at home for six decades but helped support allied regimes in South America and beyond—will probably prevent the protests from spiraling rapidly into a Caribbean version of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

↦ FYI: Power outages are not new to Cuba, but they have become increasingly frequent over the past year as the island has faced a cash crunch.

Lamborghini’s Last Call

The Italian automaker unveils the final Aventador before the hybrids arrive

The 2021 Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae is the last of its breed—Lamborghini's final purely gas-powered sports car. A collectible piece, with a run limited to 350 coupes and 250 roadsters.

It's the latest of a series of 12-cylinder Lamborghini supercars stretching all the way back to the 1966 Miura, which is generally regarded as the first modern supercar.

Acquire says aesthetically, the Ultimae has a more refined look, focusing on the Aventador's signature design elements while also enhancing the car's aerodynamics for maximum airflow.

It comes with four-wheel steering, which allows it to turn tighter corners and make smoother lane changes in highway driving. According to Forbes, working the 6.5-liter 780-horsepower engine aggressively through the gears is a unique and satisfying experience—“It has sound, power delivery and character like no other.”

↦ Get IT: Prices for the coupe version will start at about $500,000 and for the convertible at just under $550,000.

The TikTok Truth

Experts disprove some trending theories

Mark Twain famously said, “a lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots.” The same could certainly be said for the popular half-truths floating around social media.

TikTok, in addition to becoming a launchpad for viral dances and challenges, has quickly become the go-to spot for tips and tricks on everything from health to travel.

For instance, the #lettucewater hashtag—based on a natural sleep aid—has spawned hundreds of videos and garnered more than 31 million views. But a sleep expert debunked it for the New York Times.

And a pilot just spoke out against the tips on “how to survive a plane crash,” that—no surprise—are not based in any truth. Moral of the story? Enjoy the videos but exercise caution where TikTok advice is involved.

↦ Meanwhile: Retailers are cashing in by turning viral TikTok moments into serious sales.

In Other News

↦ Tantalizing Clues In the Hunt for Alien Life Draw Astronomers’ Attention to Two Moons

↦ California Wildfires Are So Intense, They’re Sparking Firenadoes

↦ ‘Loki’ Composer Natalie Holt Wrote That Glorious Theme Without Ever Seeing the Show

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Timothée Chalamet’s silver suit

Hot hot dogs

The watches at “Billionaire Summer Camp”

The Afterburn Effect

What you need to know about this calorie-burning phenomenon

The promise almost seems too good to be true: If I put in the work and push myself during a workout, then I could keep burning calories for hours after it's done?

That means that after my Saturday morning sweat session, my body stays in fat-burning mode while I head out to a boozy brunch or kick back on the couch with some Netflix and a snack? Sign me up.

Known as the afterburn effect, this process is said to rev up your metabolism, helping your body burn calories for hours after you exercise. It's a theory many High Intensity Interval Training gyms and personal trainers tout as one of the biggest benefits of their grueling workouts—promising you'll reap the rewards of their one-hour session until the next day. But are these benefits too good to be true?

The theory makes sense on the surface. Like after revving up a car's engine it stays warm for a while, right? But the science is a bit more varied. And like anything associated with health or losing weight, it seems like there's a fair amount of hyperbole built into the hype. We spoke with some fitness and health experts to get the full picture.

↦ Read: Learn how to get the most out of your workouts and enjoy an extra calorie burn.

Summer’s Coolest Shirts

The camp shirt, $50 by Everlane

Linen is something of a contradiction, isn't it? It's supposed to be casual, but this seemingly fussy fabric is so often viewed as either a luxury to iron and take immaculate care of, or a crinkled, wrinkled mess that looks like it's just been pulled out of the hamper. So why bother? Perhaps because linen is the undisputed king of warm weather materials—light and airy, its texture simply can't be beat when it comes to simmering summer days. The textile dries much quicker than cotton, offering a more sweat-free option, and if cared for properly, it only gets better with age. Our selections run the gamut from dressy to gorpy and everything in between. Take your pick and then take it easy.