The Daily Valet. - 8/30/22, Tuesday

✔️ Man's Best Friend

August 30, 2022

Tuesday, August 30th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I think we could all learn a lot from our pets.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Are We Too Into Our Pets?

Dogs, cats and other pets play a meaningful role in the lives of many Americans. But has it gone too far?

Did you know that 70% of U.S. households have a pet? That’s about 90.5 million families, according to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey. And of those Americans who say they have a pet (including 40% of Americans who have a dog and 32% who have a cat), nine in 10 consider their pet to be a part of their family.

I’m a card-carrying dog person, so this all makes perfect sense to me. YouGov asked people with dogs and cats to tell us in their own words what impact their pets have had on their lives and the answers ranged from thoughts on how they bring purpose to life, joy to all those around and unconditional love they freely give.

Recent research found that pet owners really do have the same level of devotion to their pets as parents do to their human children. The need to nurture is crucial to our emotional and social well-being, and people who choose not to have children can meet that need by caring for animals instead, the study suggests. The findings come as pet owners across the country are spending billions of dollars on their pets—on food and treats, medicine, veterinary care and more. According to a report released by the American Pet Products Association, we spent $123.6 billion on our pets in 2021, an increase of $23 billion from the year before.

Like so much in life these days, the pandemic has (at least, a little) something to do with it. As people rescued animals during the loneliness and uncertainty of lockdowns, the bond they formed with their animal was made even stronger. This is why they want their vets looking after their dog’s emotional wellbeing as much as its physical health. Or why more people are including their pets in their weddings.

It’s clear that this is not the same relationship with animals that our grandparents’ generation had. And with a more modern connection, we want to truly understand our furry friends. There’s now growing interest in enlisting additional intelligences to facilitate “interspecies communication”. And the idea is not as far-fetched as it may seem.

According to the New York Times, machine-learning systems are now able to extract patterns from large data sets to distinguish between the squeaks that rodents make when they are happy and those that they emit when they are in distress. Naturally, applying those same advances to our creature companions would be huge. Already, there’s an app that’s decoding cat meows into a conversational translation like “Let me rest.” Soon enough, our dogs will be able to text us while we’re out, reminding us to bring something tasty home.

↦ FYI: Forbes crunched the numbers to identify the states where people spoil their dogs the most.

Ukraine Launches Southern Offensive

It signals a push aimed at recapturing occupied territory

Ukrainian forces launched what appears to be their first major counter-offensive of the war on Monday, aiming to retake Kherson in the south of the country.

Officials have long said their forces would mount a counterattack in the south. Over the past few weeks, Russia has roughly doubled its own force in the region in preparation, reports Axios. To do so, Russia has been forced to “deplete certain units in the East”—where a major Russian offensive has largely stalled—and is facing “manpower challenges.”

Now, armed with longer range U.S. artillery, Ukraine has been hitting far behind Russian lines, something it couldn't do earlier in the war. The Ukrainians also say they've damaged bridges that cross the Dnipro River, which could make it extremely difficult for Russia to resupply its forces in Kherson.

But Moscow just picked up the first of scores of Iranian-made combat drones to conduct air-to-surface attacks, reports the Washington Post. So far the transfer has been marred by technical problems. Security officials from the U.S. confirmed that in early tests by the Russians, the Iranian drones experienced numerous failures. Not to mention, they've likely never been tested against the kinds of sophisticated electronic jamming and anti-aircraft systems currently being used in Ukraine.

↦ Meanwhile: Europe is wrestling over a question with deep diplomatic and moral implications: whether to ban Russian tourists.

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Serena’s Not Done Yet

Williams won her first round match, moves on to face No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit

Serena Williams, playing in what is likely the final tennis tournament of her legendary career, opened singles play with a victory over Danka Kovinić in the first round of the U.S. Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday night.

After the match, during a ceremony celebrating her tennis career, Williams said she got a boost from the vocal crowd of almost 24,000 people. “When I walked out, the reception was really overwhelming. It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. It was a really good feeling,” said the owner of six U.S. Open championships and 23 Grand Slam titles overall—numbers unsurpassed by any other player in the sport's professional era.

Williams collaborated with Nike for a series of elevated outfits to wear on the court. Last night, she wore a black figure skating-inspired dress, along with a diamond-encrusted special edition of the NikeCourt Flare 2, the brand's latest statement tennis sneaker. According to ESPN, Williams has been a featured face of Nike since signing with the brand in 2003 and will continue her partnership with the company long after her retirement from the sport.

Williams will face world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit of Estonia in the singles round of 64, also on Wednesday. It will be their first career meeting. Plus, Serena will open doubles play with her sister Venus on Wednesday as well after snagging a wild-card entry into the doubles draw.

↦ FYI: Serena’s daughter, Olympia, cheered her mom on in her matching outfit and the beads similar to the ones she wore at her U.S. Open debut in 1999.

The Happiest Global Destinations

Do you agree with this list?

Club Med has just released its list of the top 10 happiest travel destinations in the world after compiling data from the 50 most visited vacation destinations.

Of course, “happy” is a really relative term, right? What would make you happy on vacation might not be my idea of paradise. Which is perhaps why I was so shocked to see that No. 2 on the list (and the “Happiest destination in the U.S.”) was Las Vegas.

I mean, a Vegas trip is fun. But usually a little too messy to be deemed a happy destination. I think of seedy casinos and cigarette smoke and people trying to hustle you out on the sidewalk. But, apparently, the company considered the following metrics: crime, safety, pollution, cost of domestic beer, outdoor activities, day trips, spas, wellness centers and LGBTQ+ friendliness to calculate a happiness score.

The number one spot went to Bali (now that I understand). Barcelona, Amsterdam, New Orleans and Vancouver are also at the top of list ... and all provide tourists with what Club Med calls “a unique experience.”

↦ More Options: The Busy Tourist just updated their list of the best vacation spots and places to visit in 2022.

In Other News

↦ Greenland Ice Losses Set to Raise Global Sea Levels by Nearly a Foot, New Research Shows

↦ Fewer Americans Say They Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck As Inflation Begins to Ease

↦ Here’s What a $2 Million Retirement Looks Like in America

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Which was your favorite iPhone?

The Weird Al bio pic trailer

Emotional support gators

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Take Control of Your Fertility

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Fertility is changing. People are having kids later in life and knowing the health of your sperm can help you make informed decisions to increase or protect your fertility chances. Did you know that sperm counts have fallen by over 50% in the last 50 years?

Whether you are trying to conceive now or you hope to proactively improve your fertility for the future, there are a number of reasons you should consider testing. Thankfully, start-up company Legacy makes it simple to test your sperm from the comfort of your home. The clinically-validated analysis kit is tested in CLIA-certified labs by a team of experienced scientists, and all the results are reviewed by Legacy's medical staff.

You'll be able to measure several key metrics of your little swimmers, just like a fertility clinic or traditional lab. From sperm count and concentration to volume and motility. You can also choose to have your sperm cryogenically frozen for future use. After all, younger sperm leads to healthier children and freezing protects your ability to have kids in the future. Think of it as an insurance plan.

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Stuff We Swear By ... A Chic & Sturdy French Press

Mornings can be hectic. Everyone has their own rituals for getting out the door; hell, we have an entire series dedicated to them. I've always been a morning person that can get up and go, but ever since having a kid, I like to wake up, brew some coffee and sit in silence before listening to a podcast or some music. Whether waking up early to reflect on how the day will go or ending the night with how the day went, some quality time to yourself is sacred and necessary.

I typically wake up around 6:45 am with no alarm clock—my body is used to waking up that early now. And much like everyone else, I have the unhealthy habit of rolling over and checking social media (and the weather, in my defense). After doom-scrolling for a bit, I'll hop in the shower, get dressed and take the dog out. Once all that happens, it's coffee time.

Sometimes I alternate between a pour-over and a French press based on my mood. Recently I've been favoring my Le Creuset French press for a strong cup of black coffee that gives me a good “punch in the mouth” to get the day started. The enamel-glazed stoneware is not only chic looking, but the glossed enamel finish is incredibly durable and scratch-resistant. Plus, it naturally keeps your brew hot much longer than glass or even metal French presses.

If you are attempting to depart from a Keurig or any other one-button coffee-making machine (not that there's anything wrong with those, they just water down your beans, so you're not getting the true essence of great tasting “mud”), the process of a French press is dummy-proof. Add coarsely ground coffee beans to the carafe, then steep in boiling water. The plunger pushes the mesh sieve through the grounds, filtering it while retaining the maximum depth of coffee flavor—that direct contact between the beans and the water means bolder flavor.

This press holds 34 ounces, which can last you throughout the day or maybe half a day, depending on your caffeine intake (no judgement). Plus, it's quick and easy to clean since you can throw it into the dishwasher. Also, if you need a reheat, feel free to throw it in the oven since it can withstand up to 500 degrees of heat—a bonus to an already great coffee apparatus.

- Leon Hedgepeth

↦ Get It: $74.95 by Le Creuset