The Daily Valet. - 9/6/23, Wednesday
✔️ Are You Ready ...
Wednesday, September 6th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Let this be a reminder to you to add a few more fruits and vegetables to your meals today.
Today’s Big Story
Are You Ready for Some Football?
As the NFL’s Season kicks off, a New Kickoff Rule Is raising concerns
You've got to hand it to the NFL. They managed to produce so much drama in what was supposed to be “the offseason”. Aaron Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets. Damar Hamlin returned, triumphantly, to the field. The Washington Commanders were finally—thankfully—sold. Even the more routine football news featured headliners. Sean Payton joined the Denver Broncos. Saquon Barkley did not get a long-term contract, but Lamar Jackson did. And the Detroit Lions became the sport's current darlings.Whatever happens in the next five months, the NFL is assured of having a unique spectacle for Super Bowl LVIII—it will be the first (and undoubtedly not the last) played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The intersection of the gridiron and the Strip is ironic, considering that the offseason was marred by player suspensions for violations of the NFL's gambling policy.But nothing seems to have people talking on eve of the pro football season like the NFL's new kickoff rule. According to ESPN, it's been more than a decade since the NFL began reworking its kickoff in a quest to reduce concussions. The formula has been simple—incentivize teams to avoid returns—but only moderately effective.League officials are openly referring to their latest rule change, one that encourages returners to fair catch balls that are kicked inside the 25-yard line, as a short-term patch for the 18% spike in concussions during the 2022 season. NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills called the new kickoff rule, which was adopted in May after its initial proposal by the competition committee in March, a “stopgap” and did not commit to it being in the league's long-term vision.Which is probably a good thing because plenty of people are pissed about it. Writing an op-ed for the New York Times, Matthew Walther says that in addition to being widely unpopular with fans, players and coaches, the new rule is questionable in its efficacy, questionable in its corporate logic and “a threat to the ethos of blue-collar toughness that once defined this great game.” I'm not so sure about that last part, but we'll have to see what happens out on the field when football returns tomorrow night when the Lions play the Chiefs in Kansas City.
Dig Deeper:
The Ringer asks nearly two dozen questions that could shape the 2023 NFL season, from how will the rookie quarterbacks fare, to who’ll win the Super Bowl?
Climate Change Consequences
weather-influenced risks now include a range of health problems and the inability to get Home insurance
For a while, it seemed, deniers could bury their head in the proverbial sand. But that's becoming increasingly hard to do as the consequences from climate change become more and more pronounced. The Washington Post visited ground zero for this new era, Pakistan, where climate-fueled disease—tied to heat, pathogens and toxins—is an emerging, lethal threat that countries across the globe are ill-prepared to confront.To document one of the most widespread threats—extreme heat—the Post and CarbonPlan, a nonprofit that develops publicly available climate data, used new models and massive data sets to produce the most up-to-date predictions of how often people in nearly 15,500 cities would face such intense heat that they could quickly become ill—in the near-term and over the coming decades. Still, there are some who won't believe dire warnings and think it's all overstated. But insurance companies aren't among them. At least five of the largest American property insurers have told regulators that extreme weather patterns caused by climate change have led them to stop writing coverages in some regions, exclude protections from various weather events and raise monthly premiums and deductibles.
Meanwhile:
Fall seems to be on hold as some parts of the Northeast, Midwest and southern Plains are forecast to be 10-20 degrees higher than average this week.
Prescription Produce?
Fruit and vegetable ‘prescriptions’ may lead to better health
The idea of food as medicine dates back to the ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates, and a new study adds to the evidence that a diet full of fruits and vegetables can help improve heart health. The research comes amid a rising epidemic of diet-related disease, which NPR says now competes with smoking as a leading cause of death.“Produce prescriptions” are part of a growing effort in health care to provide food as medicine to potentially prevent or improve chronic health conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The study gave people from low-income neighborhoods food vouchers through nine programs in a dozen states (from California to Florida) to buy more fruit and vegetables from farmers markets and grocery stores.They found that adults who participated in the programs ended up eating about 30% more fresh produce per day, while healthcare providers tracked changes in weight, blood pressure and blood sugar among the participants. Based on the before-and-after comparison of participants, the effect of the fruits and veggies on blood pressure was “about half that of commonly prescribed medications, which is notable for a simple change in diet,” one of the study's doctors told the Washington Post. It also showed promise in regards to heart disease and diabetes, but still more research is needed to determine whether fruits and vegetables actually contributed to better health for participants. But it's certainly a good reminder to clean up your diet.
Dig Deeper:
Why is healthy food so expensive in America? Forbes says we should blame the Farm Bill that Congress keeps renewing, which makes burgers cheaper than salad.
The Market for Superyachts Has Grown Substantially
ANd the reason why is interesting, yet inevitable
For most of us, we've had to endure the pandemic's effect on the economy—from inflation to supply chain issues. But the super-rich aren't like the rest of us and for them, there's never been a better time to buy not just a yacht, but a superyacht.Driven by a search for escape from the COVID lockdowns, sales reached record levels in 2021. And while there was a slight dip in 2022, they still exceeded that of any year prior to 2021, according to data from Yacht Harbor. Of course, you might be thinking ... just what is it that differentiates a yacht from a superyacht? Well, Forbes puts it like this: “Superyachts are large enough to be comprised of three distinct zones and are opulent enough to be equipped with an object that represents the epitome of luxury—a limousine tender.”But Insider points out that there's another reason why this big boats are booming at the moment. They allow the wealthy to impress guests, relax and broker deals away from prying eyes. These floating mansions “allow them to enjoy a life unconstrained by scrutiny and national borders.” But you can't really blame them, right? I'm still saving for mine, but am open to any rides readers are offering.
FYI:
The level of wealth of superyacht owners vastly exceeds that of even the sports stars and celebrities occasionally pictured on board.
In Other News
He wasn’t present at the Jan. 6 attack, but acted as “a general rather than a soldier,” prosecutors said.
Security in Ecuador Has Come Undone As Colombian Drug Cartels Exploit the Banana Industry to Ship Cocaine
Have you heard about ...
The Long Read
Go big or go home? just go shopping.
At 535,000 square feet of retail space, this Bass Pro is almost five times the size of the average Walmart. But even that number doesn't quite capture its almost farcical grandeur ... the store's motif is 'lost wilderness,' but I found that it conjured something even more distant: the old-school department store.”
- By Amanda Mull
Read It:
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
Blackberry vinegar
Flamingo Estate's blackberry vinegar is made from fermented triple crown and Chester blackberries. They’re a perfect match for salads and homemade marinades, while also making for a great gift, especially when half off.
Get It:
Blackberry vinegar, $42 / $21 by Flamingo Estate
Morning Motto
Just let it go.
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