The Daily Valet. - 7/28/23, Friday
✔️ A Heat Health Emergency. What Does This Mean?
Friday, July 28th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Stay cool out there folks. And remember that SPF, okay?
Today’s Big Story
‘Heat Health Emergency’
Nearly half the U.S. IS now at risk as The dangerous heat wave expands
Enough with this heat, right? The scorching temps that have stifled the southern tier of the U.S. for weeks has aleady expanded into the Plains and Midwest. And it arrives in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast today, triggering heat alerts for over 190 million people, according to the National Weather Service.That means nearly half of the country is now baking in dangerously high temperatures, which is creating a “heat health emergency.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams tweeted Thursday, “Let's be clear: heat can kill ...This is dangerous. Take precautions.” And he's right. Extreme heat kills more people in an average year than hurricanes and tornadoes combined. And it's particularly dangerous when extreme temperatures persist over a long period of time, as the current heat wave has in many locations.And we're not just talking about dehydration and body temperature. We're talking about actual burns from sidewalks and doorknobs. One Las Vegas doctor tells the Wall Street Journal that a third of the current patients in the burn unit at his facility are there from pavement burns. Asphalt and sidewalks can reach temperatures as high as 170 degrees on a hot day. At particular risk are people who pass out from the heat, landing on the sidewalk or street, particularly the elderly.What's more, the heat gets even more intense in “urban heat island hot spots”, which is why cities from New York and Boston to Philadelphia are setting up cooling centers and warning residents to check on the elderly and others most vulnerable to heat illness. And why the homeless in Phoenix have been so hard hit during the record-breaking month of July—every day this month has soared past 110 degrees Fahrenheit.Scientists from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization have confirmed that this month the world has experienced “the hottest temperatures in human history.” Such boiling conditions would've been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change, according to a new study published earlier this week. The study reinforced prior research that found that greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are making extreme heat events both more likely and more severe.
Meanwhile:
President Biden announced on Thursday new federal heat-related protections for workers.
Trump Faces Major New Charges in Documents Case
Unsealed indictment alleges the ex-president asked to have security footage deleted
Prosecutors announced additional charges against former President Donald Trump on Thursday in his alleged hoarding and hiding of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Prosecutors allege he asked a staffer to delete camera footage in an effort to obstruct a federal investigation into the records. This brings the number of total federal charges against Trump to 40.The alleged request was made in June 2022, soon after the Justice Department subpoenaed the footage. The revised indictment includes two additional obstruction counts against Trump regarding that effort: attempting to “alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal evidence” and inducing another person to do the same.According to the Washington Post, the indictment unsealed Thursday is known as a “superseding indictment,” meaning that it replaces the initial indictment that was handed up in June. They're not uncommon, but can sometimes lead to delays in when a case goes to trial. And as the Associated Press points out, the latest allegations also make clear the vast (and still not fully known) scope of legal exposure faced by Trump as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024 while fending off criminal cases in multiple cities.
Meanwhile:
Trump's already-packed courtroom calendar clashes with the 2024 presidential campaign.
The Changing Look of Fast Food Joints
THey're either going high or going underground
Over the past year, we've seen America's fast food giants toy with the design of their stores. And this not just some superficial widow dressing, we're talking about fundamental changes. Case in point: Chick-fil-A's new store design is an elevated drive-thru concept—not “elevated” as in high-end, but literally elevated, with a kitchen that sits directly above a set of four drive-thru lanes.Nation's Restaurant News notes that the lanes are designed to help speed up mobile order pickup. And if the design looks familiar, it's because the bank-like architecture seems to be the favored model. Taco Bell introduced it last year and Burger King is currently testing a similar double-decker store, too.Mobile ordering is clearly the focus for these resturants designed for speedy pick-ups. And we're seeing other eateries innovate in the space as well. Chipotle debuted their new “Chipotlanes”, which are designated not for ordering, but for swinging through to pick up an app order. And earlier this summer, Wendy's announced it will soon be piloting a program in which small robots travel through a system of pipes to transport your order from the restaurant right up to your car window.
FYI:
Chick-fil-A currently has 2,800 stores and is the nation’s third-largest fast food chain in terms of sales.
Automakers Team Up for New EV Charging Network
The plan will hopefully lure more buyers to EVs
Seven major automakers have announced that they're joining together to build a large North American electric vehicle charging network. BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will expand easy-to-activate DC fast chargers along U.S. and Canadian highways and in urban environments.One of the biggest hurdles limiting electric vehicle adoption in the U.S. is the lack of a substantial and reliable charging network. The automakers hope that this new network will not only alleviate “range anxiety”, but also provide a more pleasurable experience.Planned amenities for these charging stations will include shade canopies, restrooms, food options and other retail operations, either in the same complex or nearby. Expect the navigational apps in the vehicles of these participating automakers to factor these new stations in their route planning and optimization, as well as integrated payment applications and to use plug-and-charge tech to make the experience as seamless as possible.
FYI:
The companies anticipate at least 30,000 stations to be operational by 2030.
In Other News
Justices lifted a lower court’s halt on the controversial project.
Have you heard about ...
A Weekend Pairing
‘The Beanie Bubble’ + a Canned Rosé
Depending on your age, you are either painfully familiar with Beanie Babies or only know of them as a punchline. But as someone who worked at a Hallmark store in the late '90s, let me tell you that the craze was real (and, at times, really scary). Zach Galifianakis takes on the man behind the beans, Ty Warner. He created the cute little toys with the heart-shaped tags and struck gold when their scarcity turned them into a genuinely hot commodity ... that is until the craze ultimately collapsed.Apple TV's The Beanie Bubble takes what could've been a not-so-interesting story and adds intrigue by embellishing various personal dramas behind the scenes—not unlike Air or Blackberry. From corporate power struggles and ethical quandaries, to infidelities including a fraught love triangle with three women (played by Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook and Geraldine Viswanathan). Leaning hard into the aesthetics of the '80s and '90s, the film has been called a “fantasia of dated clothing and period-appropriate needle drops” and an “acidly funny satire about the missteps of those who suddenly became fabulously wealthy.”
Pair It With
What do you pair with a goofy film about tiny stuffed animals? I really don’t know, but a crisp Rosé from a can seems like a fitting high-low match. The grapes for this popular wine are grown and picked specifically for rosé wine from Sweetwater Vineyard in the cool, damp hills of Monterey county. It’s not overly sweet and has bright flavors of fresh fruit and a creamy finish.
Also Worth a Watch:
‘How To with John Wilson,’ season 3, on Max; ‘Good Omens,’ season 2 on Prime Video
Shopping
What We’re Buying
A seersucker short
These seersucker shorts come in a flattering straight-leg fit with an elastic waistband and two slanted pockets. Throw these on with a luxe cashmere sweater in the evening or your favorite T-shirt on the weekends.
Get It:
Pavel seersucker short, $150 / $75 by Harmony Paris
Morning Motto
Embrace the beauty of the present.
▾
Follow:
Share today’s motto:
