The Daily Valet. - 8/16/21, Monday
✔️ A Powerful Quake
Monday, August 16th Edition
No one tell me anything about the finale of ‘White Lotus.’ I’m still getting caught up.
Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Powerful Quake Rocks Haiti
More than 1,200 dead in earthquake as the country braces for a tropical storm
The Haitian government declared a state of emergency after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the country Saturday, leaving at least 1,297 people dead and more than 5,700 injured, according to the country’s civil protection agency.
The temblor, which was felt in Cuba and Jamaica and was followed by a string of aftershocks, hit around five miles from the town of Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, just over 90 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, at a depth of about six miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
It flattened churches, homes and government buildings. The destruction has also pushed hospitals to the brink and blocked roads that would carry vital supplies. According to NBC News, it was a terrifying reminder of the violent quake that decimated Haiti—the poorest country in the Americas—11 years ago, killing tens of thousands of people.
A United Nations reconnaissance mission to the affected areas found “less significant damages than initially expected,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [PDF] said Sunday. “The most urgent humanitarian needs are expected to be linked to the provision of medical assistance and water, sanitation and hygiene,” the organization said.
The earthquake is just the latest challenge for the struggling country—including the worsening political stalemate after the president’s assassination, a COVID crisis and food insecurity.
Tennis champion and mental-health advocate Naomi Osaka, whose dad was born in Haiti, has pledged to donate any prize money she wins from this week’s Western & Southern Open tennis tournament to Haitian relief efforts.
↦ Dig Deeper: Why is Haiti prone to devastating earthquakes?
Afghanistan Falls to the Taliban
Chaotic scenes unfold amid a scramble to flee militants, country
Taliban forces entered the Afghanistan capital of Kabul on Sunday—and in a sign that the government had collapsed, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. U.S. military helicopters whisked American diplomats to Kabul's airport while a frantic rush of other foreigners and Afghans hoped flee to safety as well.
By Sunday evening, the Taliban had taken control of the presidential palace, underscoring their lightning quick seizure of cities in the past week. It was not unexpected, of course. Earlier this week U.S. intelligence agencies had estimated that Kabul would fall within 30 days. On Saturday, they adjusted their estimate to 72 hours.
Two decades after American troops invaded Afghanistan to root out Qaeda terrorists, the American nation-building experiment was in ruins, reports the New York Times. It was often undercut by misguided and often contradictory policies as well as a relentless insurgency whose staying power had been underestimated by U.S. military planners.
President Joe Biden over the weekend first offered compassion for those left behind, but then pivoted to the cold calculation behind his decision to pull the plug on a mission that has cost more than 2,000 American lives. A few more years “wouldn't have made a difference if the Afghan military can't hold its own country,” he said. “An endless American presence in the middle of another country's civil conflict was not acceptable to me.”
↦ FYI: The Taliban say they've changed. But experts aren’t buying it and fear for Afghanistan.
Return of the Murder Hornets
Washington state confirmed the first report of a live murder hornet this year
Humanity just can't catch a break, and it looks like the honeybees in Washington state can't, either.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first report of a live Asian giant hornet—also known as murder hornets for their tendency to savagely attack honeybees, humans and other insects—in the region for 2021.
“This hornet is exhibiting the same behavior we saw last year—attacking paper wasp nests,” one entomologist said in a statement before asking residents to “note the direction they fly off to as well.” Yeah, note it and then go the other way. Quickly.
In case you forgot: The hornets are invasive pests that rip the heads off of honeybees and then feed the bodies to their young. They can fly at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour, and their stingers are long enough to puncture most beekeeping suits.
↦ Dig Deeper: What exactly is a 'murder hornet' and what should you do if you come in contact with one? Here's what you need to know.
Acura Announces the Integra’s Return
One of the most iconic ’90s sports cars is coming back
The Acura Integra, a car that you—or someone you knew—lusted after in high school but never quite had the money for, is coming back next year, Acura announced on Friday.
According to Jalopnik, the company didn't release any details about the new Integra beyond the photo you see above and a quote from an executive. Jon Ikeda, Vice President says, “Integra is returning with the same fun-to-drive spirit and DNA of the original, fulfilling our commitment to Precision Crafted Performance in every way – design, performance and the overall driving experience.”
Gear Patrol says that the silhouette—unveiled to media members via skywriting drone—looks far more like a fun-to-drive sports coupe and nothing like a crossover. Judging from the preview shot, the new Integra will have a more modern and meaner mug than the mid-2000s Acura RSX did.
↦ Want More? We can only hope the new Integra is as rad as these renders on MotorTrend.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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5 Protein Truths
What you need to know about this all-important nutrient
As they say, you are what you eat. But in the case of protein, the old saying rings true. Our skin, our bones, even our hair and fingernails are composed almost entirely of protein. And perhaps, most importantly, protein fuels the muscle-growing process.
But for as common as protein is, there's a lot to understand about how it works and the ways in which we can reap the most benefits from this all-important nutrient. Want to top off your knowledge?
We spoke to some experts about what you need to know—from how much you need each day to when and how to fuel your workouts to why not all protein is created equal.
↦ Read: What you need to know about protein.
Stuff We Want
Consider this your transitional sweatshirt. It's heavier than a standard tee, but much lighter than any true sweatshirt. But the long-sleeve crew ($45), cut from dense, durable, 6.2 oz knit cotton, features familiar raglan sleeves and ribbed cuffs and collars. It's ideal to wear during the late stages of summer and well into the fall. Plus, it comes in eight neutral shades.
↦ Want More? The five stylish items to buy this week
Today’s Deals
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Morning Motto
Don’t get ahead of yourself.
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That’s all for today...
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