Dez Reads. A Village of Elephants.

The animal kingdom has a lot to say about how humans should act. One of the best examples is the elephant, which goes out of its way to care for its peers and even mourns dead family members. This week, I also learned via Maya Shackley’s submission that they have somewhat complex social structures, including nannies to help mothers with the trials and struggles of raising their offspring. Elephants are really freaking cool, and Maya’s blurb leads Dez Reads this week.

On the sports beat, Mike Bova expresses excitement over NFL players in the 2028 Olympic Games, and David Manitsky is over it when it comes to the ever larger Voltron of streaming services needed to catch your game of choice. For my part, I’ve decided chessboxing is my new nightly YouTube obsession for the next few weeks.

Jen Hirshon brings us home by mourning the loss of a famous tree in England while expressing optimism about its regeneration thanks to the work of some thoughtful philanthropists.

Here’s to a wonderful Memorial Day. We hope everyone can find some time to slow down (especially you, clients) and appreciate those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Thanks, as always, for reading along with us.

Here we go.

Animals.

NatGeo. When elephant moms need help, nannies step in

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I couldn’t agree more. A new mother must possess tremendous child-rearing skills in addition to being well-versed in bartering, begging, and cajoling others for help. A working mother with babies or toddlers, a traveling spouse, and no family around often finds herself pulled in multiple directions. Wouldn’t it be magical if nannies and babysitters intuited these new mothers’ needs for help and just materialized?

In elephant society, this is exactly what happens. Female elephants that take care of calves that aren’t their own are known as “allomothers.” Sometimes it is older females like grandmothers and aunts that fill this role, but it has become more common for these “tween” elephants to step forward as babysitters.

This has tremendous benefits for all involved. For the younger allomothers, they get hands-on (trunks-on?) parenting experience, and the moms get extra eyes on their calves when out foraging for food. The relationship between nanny and baby involves a lot of play, which helps the calves develop confidence and independence.

The bond between baby elephants and their nannies is so strong that tired calves who wake and don’t see their mothers will often seek out their nannies to comfort them and help them sleep. It becomes a giant elephant sleepover with piles of juveniles all taking care of the babies as they sleep and cuddle together.

So maybe the next time you are elbow-deep in diapers, dishes, and deadlines, consider channeling your inner elephant. Gather your herd-be it neighbors, friends, or that one teen on your block that likes babysitting – and embrace the allomother spirit. After all, it takes a village, or at least a very committed pile of trunk-wielding babysitters.

– Maya Shackley

Sports.

NYT: NFL players can try out for flag football at 2028 LA Olympics, owners vote

NFL owners voted 32-0 this week to allow players to try out for flag football teams in the 2028 Olympics. Leading the charge was Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

The way it works is only one player on each NFL roster can try out for a given country’s Olympic team. That means multiple players on the same team could compete as long as they represent different countries. This might limit the excitement and participation, but as a fan, I wonder if this is the right move since there is always a possibility of a freak injury during these events and you don’t want to see the entire wide receiver corp wiped out on something like this.

It will be interesting to see who decides to try out and how their skills translate over to the non-contact version of the sport, I am not sure they will reach “Dream Team” status but it will add some additional excitement around the 2028 LA games.

– Mike Bova

CNBC. ESPN’s new all-access streaming app will cost $29.99 per month

Last week’s streaming news was largely taken up by HBO’s choice to unexplainably change their name again. However, there was another major story in the streaming world yesterday: ESPN is launching a standalone streaming service. 

I’ll never forget the utter disbelief I felt after signing up for ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription service, and learning that it doesn’t include the network’s main live games, such as Monday Night Football. I then learned that the only possible way to watch ESPN was to sign up for a cable package, such as YouTube TV, which is at least $60 a month. Now you may be asking, isn’t $30 way too much to pay for one channel? The answer is definitely yes, but still, it’s half of what many were willing to pay before just to be able to casually keep up with sports. 

However, this speaks to a larger problem in the sports streaming industry. I’m not the first to point out the rising cost of being a sports fan, but this announcement demonstrates a strong step in the wrong direction. When will this sports streaming nightmare end? If Disney has anything to say about it, not anytime soon.

– David Manitsky

The Economist. The improbable rise of chessboxing

Have you ever wanted to punch your brother in the face for excessive trash talking during a game of chess? Buddy, do I have the sport for you.

Chessboxing is exactly what it sounds like – a competitive sport in which combatants play five minutes of chess followed by three minutes of beating on each other in a boxing ring. As the Economist reports, the boxing impacts ones ability to play chess, as sitting down after being punched repeatedly in the head to play a very cerebral game brings certain cognitive challenges.

While 80 percent of chessboxing matches are determined on the chessboard, a one-in-five chance of seeing a nerd get knocked out is enough to compel me to seek out a live event wherever I can find one.

– Josh Culling

BBC: Sycamore Gap tree: The story so far

Have you heard of the Sycamore Gap Tree nestled along Hadrian’s Wall in England? If not, this iconic sycamore became one of the country’s most photographed landmarks in 2016 and gained further fame from its appearance in the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." In September 2023, two dopey individuals shockingly felled this beloved tree, sparking national outrage—especially since they filmed the act themselves, providing clear evidence despite pleading not guilty. Their sentencing is scheduled for July.

As an enthusiastic newbie gardener who once feared I had killed my rose bushes through overzealous spring pruning, I found the National Trust’s response to this tragedy particularly inspiring. To preserve the tree’s legacy, the National Trust has cultivated dozens of saplings from the original tree and distributed them to charities and organizations across the UK. Even more remarkably, new shoots have begun to emerge from the tree’s stump, offering genuine hope for regeneration. Encouragingly, my own rose bushes have also made a comeback, much to my delight. Chelsea Flower Show here I come!

– Jennifer Hirshon

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