The Daily Valet. - 7/31/23, Monday
✔️ Looking for (Literal) Engligtenment
Monday, July 31st Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Who else remembers chasing lightning bugs around the backyard … trying to catch them in an old jam jar?
Today’s Big Story
Firefly Tourism
People are traveling to destinations to watch lightning bugs do their thing
Have you spotted any lightning bugs in your area this summer? Apparently, in a few of the drier (or drought-ravaged) regions of the country, they've appeared late and just started glowing. Of course, they're not everywhere, which is why some nature-loving folks are happy to travel just to stand in the glowing presence of these unique blinking bugs.And they're not as ubiquitous as they once were—which is perhaps why some need to travel to find them. Over the past few decades, reports have suggested that firefly populations are declining across the country. Although the data is sparse, experts say multiple species are at risk of extinction from threats such as habitat loss and light pollution, which interrupts their mating signals. (Did you know that's why they light up?)But how did “firefly tourism” start? According to InsideHook, watching fireflies as a communal experience has been growing in popularity in recent years. And really, it's not hard to see why. It's a bit like the concept of forest bathing. Firefly tourism's combination of vivid visuals (think fireworks, but without the loud noises) and immersing oneself in nature makes for an appealing combination. As one writer poetically put it: “The insects are enchanting, even nostalgic ... they flash like morse code messages from childhood, the Tinkerbells of the longest days of summer.”But as lighting bugs become a seemingly in-demand show, there's a looming question looming over the buzz—namely, could an increase in watching them end up damaging the places where they live? The Atlantic's Joshua Sokol raises that very question and points to a scientific study from Thailand that indicates that an influx of tourists gazing upon fireflies there has had negative effects on the fireflies' habitats. It all suggests that firefly tourism is a more complex affair than it may have seemed at first.Then again, he also points to the growth of “sustainable firefly tourism,” and notes that some steps that can make the lives of fireflies easier, such as reducing light pollution, aren't that challenging to implement. That's encouraging news for those of us looking for a little light now and then, right?
FYI:
Most bioluminescence creatures live in the sea. But fireflies are the rare insect that utilizes an enzyme called luciferase that glows when mixed with oxygen.
Cocaine Use Is Surging
It's a drug that cuts across ‘every age group, every gender, every area’
Don't call it a comeback ... but there are more people than ever using cocaine and production is at an all-time high, according to a new report from the United Nations. The UN's researchers found that there were more than 22 million people using cocaine in 2021, up from about 21 million the previous year. And coca bush cultivation jumped from 234,200 hectares in 2020 to 315,000 in less than one year.And to say it's popping up everywhere would be something of an understatement. A boater in the Florida Keys just discovered a nearly 3 lb. brick of the stuff (worth about $41,000) floating in the water. Customs officials in Texas discovered it hidden within imported cheese wheels. And last month, more than six tons of cocaine were found hidden between bananas in Spain and Columbia, according to Europol.The one bright side is that, according to Vice, seizures have actually outpaced production. But that's not going to stop traffickers, who are now increasingly smuggling cocaine base by dissolving it into plastic and charcoal objects (because it's much harder to detect). They're setting up more “super labs” in Europe where they extract the cocaine base out of those materials and turn it into powder.
Dig Deeper:
Are ‘cocaine sharks’ really scarfing down drugs off Florida’s coasts? Scientific American investigates.
Weddings Are Getting Out There
More and more couples want destination weddings
Tired: Getting married. Wired: Working your pending nuptials into a far-flung vacation. Destination weddings are booming—last year, about 20% of all American weddings were held out of town—which means that many guests are forced to factor in travel costs before they RSVP.The global destination wedding market jumped from $21 billion in 2022 to more than $28 billion in 2023—and it's expected to swell to $79 billion in just four years, according to data from the recent Destination Wedding Global Market Report. Emily Forrest, head of communications at wedding website Zola, told Axios that there's a definite post-pandemic comeback afoot.Mexico is the most popular location for international destination weddings this year, according to The Knot, followed by countries in Europe, islands in the Caribbean and Costa Rica. One of the big reasons why couples choose to get hitched away from their hometowns Forrest said is that they're getting married later in life and have often traveled together. Often, they're choosing a location that feels special to their relationship. Well, that ... and TikTok, of course.
Beware:
If you're planning a destination wedding yourself, Fodor's has some dos and don'ts to consider.
This Tick Can Make You Allergic to Meat
Why cases of alpha-gal syndrome are on the rise
Very little can stop the average American from eating beef. As we've discussed before, we eat a lot of it. On a per-capita basis, Americans eat nearly 60 pounds of red meat a year—equivalent to more than one quarter-pound hamburger every other day. But there's one obstacle to our meat-loving tendencies that may not be surmountable: the tiny but aggressive lone star tick.The tick's spit can trigger alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS, a condition that essentially makes you severely allergic to red meat. Since researchers first linked the syndrome to ticks in 2011, there have been more than 110,000 suspected cases. But new research released by the CDC estimates that the true number of sufferers between 2010 and 2022 may be as high as 450,000 people. If accurate, those estimates would place allergic reactions to red meat as the 10th most common food allergy in the country, Dr. Scott Commins, a co-author of the CDC papers, told the Associated Press.Given the potential severity of AGS, the CDC's reports raised clear alarm bells. But experts say you don't have to panic: Avoiding the grassy and wooded areas where ticks are found—especially in the Southern, Midwestern and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.—is the best way to prevent AGS and any other tick-borne disease. But if you're suddenly sick after a burger or steak, you might want to get tested.
FYI:
The lone star tick doesn't have anything to do with Texas. The name comes from the female's distinctive white dot on its back.
In Other News
Their evolution was literally suspended for 40,000 years.
Have you heard about ...
Your August Reading List
The books range from a Natural thriller to an exploration of what it means to be a witness
How's your summer reading coming along? In need of something compelling? August has some really good books coming out, so let me make a few recommendations. They range from a wild thriller about man vs. nature to an insightful exploration of what it means to be a witness.
By: Shane McCrae Out: Aug. 1
When he was three, McCrae was kidnapped by his abusive grandparents and constantly told lies about his Black father (and anyone who looked like him). When he finally runs away at age 13, it’s the turning point that helps him realize everything he was told (about his father and life in general) was a lie.
By: Jamel Brinkley Out: Aug. 1
At the core of Brinkley’s sophomore collection of short stories lies a question: What does it mean to be a witness? The award-winning author explores how perceiving and being perceived shape our lives, our relationships and our communities.
By: Daniel Kraus Out: Aug. 8
The Martian meets 127 Hours in this “powerfully humane” and scientifically accurate thriller about a scuba diver who’s been swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out.
By: Nick Fuller GooginsOut: Aug. 15
Set in the near future, this dystopian novel is told from the perspective of a young person who’s told to be grateful she was born after the climate crisis that left the world’s cities drowning and suffocating. The book is vivid and will leave you wondering about what’s in store for Earth.
Shopping
What We’re Buying
A 1950s style shirt
Say hello to your new favorite shirt ($120). What makes it so good? Well, let's start with the fabric. It's 100% Tercel, which is actually spun from wood cellulose fibers. It's light, incredibly breathable, naturally anti-bacterial and feels silky against the skin. Cut and sewn in Japan, it's got a throwback 1950s feel, complete with a smooth French placket, dual chest pockets and an open camp collar. But this can also be buttoned all the way up, if you want a more modern look (or plan on wearing a tie). It looks as good tucked into jeans or chinos as it does worn open over a tank top with some relaxed shorts.
Want more?
The five stylish items you should buy this week.
Morning Motto
When in doubt, dance it out.
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