The Daily Valet. - 8/31/22, Wednesday

✔️ We Do This (At Least) 20 Times a Day

August 31, 2022

Wednesday, August 31st Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Do you smell a whiff of cinnamon and nutmeg in the air this morning?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

The Power of Your Smile

It’s one of your most powerful tools to improve health, bolster relationships and just feel better

I know it’s early, but have you smiled yet today? I hope something I write in here will, at least, elicit a smirk. Because smiling—like, really flashing your teeth and letting your eyes squint in the corners—does a body good.

Which means that while Americans make notoriously poor health decisions, we’ve at least got smiling going for us. Because Americans tend to smile more and wider than folks in other countries. And those grins we’re known for are actually good for both our mental and physical health.

According to Axios, the science-backed benefits of smiling include everything from stress and pain relief to strengthened relationships. One study found that smiling during running can make you more efficient (while making the run feel more manageable). Why? Our smiles send cues to our brains that we’re okay.

Researchers at the University of Kansas found that when you smile in an uncomfortable situation, your body has a genuine, physical response. Your heart rate slows down and your stress starts to melt away—even if you’re not, you know, actually happy. It’s the scientific equivalent of “fake it till you make it.”

That’s good to know, but let’s be real: when life gets rough (and it’s been pretty tough lately, right?), it can be hard to remember to grin and bear it. How often do you think you smile in a day? Did you know that kids smile on average 400 times a day, while the happiest adults smile 40 to 50 times? But according to recent counts, the average adult smiles only 20 times daily.

That feels ... low. Smiling is free. Plus, it’s a proven fact—we find people more attractive when they smile. It can also help you at work. The Wharton School of Business found that smiling in the workplace can make you appear more trustworthy and deepen bonds with coworkers. Just make sure you don’t have anything in your teeth before you start upping those smile numbers, okay?

↦ Dig Deeper: Why do Americans smile so much? The Atlantic discovered that countries with lots of immigration have historically relied more on nonverbal communication.

A Civil War, Really?

Two in five Americans say it’s at least somewhat likely in the next decade

We keep hearing that we're a “divided country”. And surely, it feels like, politically, the nation is pushed into their respective corners.

But a recent poll by YouGov and The Economist found that 43% believe a civil war was either “very” or “somewhat likely.” People who identified as “strong Republicans” were the most likely to anticipate a conflict.

Just one in three of total respondents said it's not very or at all likely, and 22% are unsure. Two-thirds of Americans believe that political divisions in this country have gotten worse since the beginning of 2021, compared to only 8% who say the country has grown less divided. The findings actually follow similar results in other recent polls.

Given the heated rhetoric from supporters of former president Donald Trump, the possibility doesn't seem completely impossible. President Joe Biden on Tuesday lambasted those encouraging political violence—including apparently Senator Lindsey Graham. “No one expects politics to be patty cake. But the idea you turn on a television and see senior senators saying, ‘If such and such happens, there'll be blood in the street.’ Where the hell are we?”

↦ Meanwhile: The classified documents retrieved from Mar-a-Lago were likely moved and hidden, the Justice Department said in a new filing.

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Want to Make Traveling Easier?

The Department of Homeland Security is now pushing TSA PreCheck over Global Entry

In case someone hasn't extolled the virtues of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry to you, let me be that person for a moment. It's one of the top five best things I've done for myself ... ever. Because the airport can be a soul-sucking experience, but these services let you breeze through security (even in the busiest of airports) without any aggravation or delays.

Since Global Entry provides you TSA PreCheck status, most people recommend springing for the Global Entry service. But right now, the Department of Homeland Security is encouraging travelers who mostly fly domestic to skip it and opt just for TSA PreCheck. That's because applications for Global Entry are currently taking up to 18 months to process.

As of March 2022, nearly 8 million travelers had enrolled in Global Entry and are awaiting an interview for processing. But as Travel + Leisure points out, Global Entry applicants who have been conditionally approved can participate in the agency's “Enrollment on Arrival” program. That means arriving international passengers can complete their interview when they get to the airport. It involves waiting in one last customs line, but the process itself is incredibly efficient.

Of course, if you're not leaving the country frequently, then TSA PreCheck will suit you just fine. And trust me, you'll kick yourself for not getting it sooner.

↦ FYI: Still want to try for a Global Entry membership? Afar has some tips on how to speed up your application.

Pumpkin Spice Season Has Begun

The prices are up, but fans don’t care (while others couldn’t care less about the whole ordeal)

Despite the heat outside, the coming holiday weekend ushers in the unofficial start of Fall. And that means one thing in America: Pumpkin Spice. Starbucks launched their orange gourd extravaganza (including their famed Pumpkin Spice Latte) on Tuesday.

Of course, the line betwixt summer and autumn has slowly been dissolving over the last decade—it's seemingly less of a border and more of a fuzzy transition. After all, brands from Oreo and Krispy Kreme to Cup Noodles have been pushing their fall-flavored goodies for weeks.

It's no surprise that for every pumpkin spice fan there's someone who rolls their eyes at all the cheugy faux “falling leaves” festivities. But The Takeout actually ran the numbers. They found that the PSL is most popular in Washington, California, Illinois and Colorado, while those in Mississippi, Maine, Louisiana and Alabama aren't all that interested.

This happens to be the 19th year of pumpkin spice season, and according to CNN, its the most expensive. The cyclone of sweet spices will now be about 4% higher in cost compared to 2021. This has upped the price of a PSL to between $5.45 to as much as $5.95, depending on location.

↦ Meanwhile: A Nebraska man has shattered a world record for the longest trip in a boat carved from a pumpkin.

In Other News

↦ Marijuana Use Is Outpacing Cigarette Use for the First Time on Record

↦ A U.S. Freight Rail Crisis Threatens More Supply Chain Chaos

↦ Here’s How Quickly Can You Get Infected With Omicron After An Exposure

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Tudor’s new, smaller dive watch

Casa Magazines

Gorbachev

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