Coffee Talk Archives

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For those of you looking for a thrill, a resident of Hell, Michigan, who calls himself the unofficial “Mayor of Hell,” is offering a unique opportunity for Halloween. His spooky tiny house, known as the “Mayor’s Lair,” is available on Airbnb for three, one-night stays. Each booking includes a queen-sized bed, pumpkins for carving, an outdoor movie screen, and a fire pit. But the coolest thing you’ll get is the unofficial title of “Mayor of Hell.”

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Speaking of scary houses … The house from the movie Silence of the Lambs is for sale. Yep, Buffalo Bill’s home from the movie can now be yours – and just in time for Halloween. The four-bedroom farmhouse is located in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh and has an asking price of $298,500. (Travel & Leisure)

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According to a new study, THC from marijuana might be an effective way to treat the coronavirus — and could even save some lives. Researchers found that THC could work in the body to keep oxygen filling your lungs. (Daily Mail)

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10 Worst Halloween Candies of All Time! … according to a new survey by Thrillist

1 Necco Wafers

2 pennies, fruit,  pretzels

3 Smarties

4 Double Bubble

5 Bit-O-Honey

6 Mary Janes

7 Non- Laffy Taffy

8 Hot Tamales

9 Good & Plenty

10 Sixlets

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Are you close friends with any of your exes? Actress/model Elizabeth Hurley revealed in a recent interview with People that while their 13-year relationship ended in 2000, she’s still close friends with Hugh Grant. She even talks to him regularly and explained in the interview, “I still go to him for advice on scripts, even though he’s very happily married with five children and I’m very happy in my own life. There’s still certain bits we crossover with very well.” And when it comes to advice about her professional work she said “he’s still my go-to person.” Hugh describes their relationship now as “like brother and sister.”

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Women are calling for the word miscarriage to be banned … Last week, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend shared the tragic news about Baby Jack. Teigen, in her deepest agony, chose to share with the world her pain and grief after losing their son, and it started a dialogue not only normalizing the silent grief many women are mistakenly ashamed to share, but it called into question the word miscarriage and the stigma it creates — somehow blaming the mother for the loss. Women took to Twitter to share their stories and call for an end of the use of the word miscarriage — preferring pregnancy loss, instead. (Glamour)

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What would you do for one day of no stress? A new survey found that one-third of respondents would spend over $500 if it meant they could have a day of zero stress. 3 in 5 of those surveyed said they feel “constantly on edge,” 20% said they feel “drained” most days, and 13% say they are in a constant state of exhaustion. (SWNS)

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A new survey by Joybird Home Furnishings reveals that 60% of people would dump their partner if they did not like their pet. Other findings:

– 73% of people allow their pet to sleep with them

– 80% of people share food with their pets

– 80% of people have thrown at least one birthday party for their pet

– 62% of people have created a social media account for their pet

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Yahoo News says coronavirus-inspired Christmas tree ornaments have gone on sale. Popular ornaments include Santa wearing a mask, bottles of hand sanitizer, a dumpster on fire with ‘2020’ written across it and three masked elves with a roll of toilet paper that reads: “The year we stayed home”

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This morning, the internet is abuzz with the major news that President Trump and first lady Melania have tested positive for COVID-19 after the President’s close advisor Hope Hicks tested positive earlier Thursday. She recently traveled with him to Ohio and Minnesota. Trump Tweeted; “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”

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As if October hasn’t been scary enough already, seems mother nature is bringing us her own Halloween gift…ABC says a Blue Moon is going to occur on Halloween. The last time a full moon was seen on Halloween was in 2001.

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Before you take the next online delivery package you get inside your house, you might want to sanitize it first. TMZ says over 19,000 Amazon workers have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic started. Amazon and Whole Foods employ 1.37 million people.

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Christmas Creep … Have you noticed that “Christmas Creep” – when stores start introducing Christmas items – has started much earlier this year? We usually manage to get through Halloween before we are bombarded with all the sights and sounds of the season, but like everything else, that has all changed because of COVID. With the world of retail looking different than it has in prior years, both brick-and-mortar and online outlets are feeling the need to reach consumers sooner in case of supply chain issues or shipping delays. (WJAR-TV)

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Speaking of the holidays … it appears we have officially jumped the pumpkin spice shark … or, turkey. The Honey Baked Ham company announced that for a limited time, certain store locations will be selling Pumpkin Spice Glazed Turkey Breasts. They will only be available from October 2nd through the 31st … if you actually want to try them. (Today)

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Nicknames are great when they organically happen among people you know, but when you are introduced by your full name, for example, Jessica or James, and someone decides to start calling you Jess or Jim, it can get irritating. That’s exactly what happened to star quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes — only it was his mom who took offense for him!

Randi Mahomes was watching the game Monday night and announcer Louis Riddick kept calling him Pat. Mamma Randi got fed up with the shortening of her son’s name, she took to Twitter to announce, “If this announcer doesn’t stop calling my son Pat … ugh I may scream.” She wasn’t really serious because she added an LOL to the post, but it still got the attention of ESPN, and by the 4th quarter of the game, Louis Riddick had apologized to both Randi and Patrick stating, “Guilty, guilty, guilty. I apologize, Patrick.” (Newser)

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Feeling down? Just dance. A new survey found that dancing makes you happy. 80% of respondents said dancing boosts their mood, and 70% said just a few minutes of dancing relieves their stress. So turn up the music and dance around your house. It’s good for you. (SWNS)

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Another great stress reliever? Watching cute animals. A study out of the University of Leeds found that just a half an hour of watching animal videos led to reduced levels of stress, high blood pressure and heart rates. Time to stop doom scrolling and start animal scrolling. (BBC)

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Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s virtual house we go … The CDC is recommending that instead of traveling over Thanksgiving to visit family and friends, that we have a virtual Thanksgiving this year – to prevent the spread of coronavirus. (CBS News)

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Speaking of the holidays … Why should humans have all the fun when it comes to Advent calendars? Costco is selling an Advent calendar for dogs – with 24 special treats and toys for your furry friend leading up to Christmas. (She Knows)

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In Covid-19 news, according to a recent Stanford University study, the chances of achieving herd immunity to stabilize the spread of coronavirus is slim — considering less than 10 percent of Americans were found, in July, to have antibodies that fight against it. So, at this point, a vaccine is likely going to be the only solution.

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An unsurprising new study has found that people have been drinking a lot more – and a lot more frequently — since the start of COVID-19. According to a survey by the RAND Corp., heavy drinking among women — four or more drinks within a couple of hours — has increased by a whopping 41%. And, overall, adults over the age of 30 have increased the frequency of their drinking by 14% compared to the same time last year. (CBS Local Los Angeles)

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Move over, Pumpkin Spice Latte, because Candy Corn Latte is here. Monica Preston of The Espresso Explorer blog has a simple recipe for a Candy Corn Latte that you might want to add to your home brewing menu. And, yes, it involves using real candy corns. (Pop Sugar)

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An American man working in Thailand could face prison time … for a bad Trip Advisor review. In July, Wesley Barnes stayed at the Sea View Resort on Koh Chang Island and left a one-star review on Trip Advisor, noting, among other things, an “unfriendly staff” and “extremely rude and impolite” restaurant manager. He’s now facing two years in prison because the resort owner filed a defamation complaint against him — accusing him of causing “damage to the reputation of the hotel” and claiming Barnes had left similar reviews on a number of platforms. Wesley has been released on bail. (Insider)

Did you give your dog a really bad coronavirus haircut earlier this year? A new book called Scruffy, by author Shelley Ross, is full of before and after pics of dogs who got some interesting cuts by their owners during quarantine. Not only are the pics adorable – but all proceeds from the book will go to nonprofit The Cure Alliance, for COVID-19 research. (People)

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According to WalletHub’s latest ranking of the Happiest States in America – which measured a bunch of factors in categories like “emotional and physical well-being,” “work environment,” and “community and environment” – Hawaii is the happiest state in the country, which is probably no surprise. West Virginia was ranked the least happy state. Michigan didn’t make either list of the happiest or least happy states, in case you were wondering.

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This is interesting … Researchers in the U.S. and Denmark have found that fans of horror flicks, alien invasion movies and post-apocalyptic movies are coping better with the pandemic and experience less anxiety regarding COVID-19. (Study Finds)

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Have you tried a weighted blanket? If you have a hard time sleeping, it might be worth a try. Researchers in Sweden found that weighted blankets not only led to better sleep for study participants, but they also had more energy during the day and had reduced levels of depression and stress. Researchers think the reason weighted blankets are so effective is because the pressure acts almost like a massage on your muscles and joints. (Best Life)

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We’re heading into another weekend of NFL football and if you’ve ever wondered about the amount of money teams will lose because fans aren’t in the stands, just listen to this. For example, the Dallas Cowboys will lose $621 million in revenue this year, the New England Patriots will lose $315 million and the New York Giants will lose $262 million. For sure. Nobody’s crying in their beer for billionaire owners. But, you can almost surely bet that beer and hot dog prices will go up AGAIN when fans return to the stands in the future…

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Have you been making the best of the pandemic at your workplace? Do things seem a bit slow, perhaps even more comfortable? If so, it might not compare to this: Three employees with New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority have been suspended without pay after officials discovered a secret, underground storage room in Grand Central Terminal that they had turned into their own man cave.

The MTA Inspector General says officials weren’t even aware there was a small room under Track 114 and were shocked to find their cozy little nook which included a fridge, a futon, exercise equipment, a microwave, and a flat-screen TV. The workers have been suspended pending further disciplinary actions. (WNBC-TV)

National Punctuation Day: A good day to mind your periods, commas, question marks, semi-colons and more.

Remember Me Thursday: It’s a day to remember all the pets left in shelters that are waiting to be adopted.

Innergize Day: A day to take some time for yourself to relax, re-energize and focus on what makes you feel good.

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Be honest … Are you addicted to online shopping, especially Amazon shopping? You’re not alone. A new survey found that 25% of respondents admitted that they are seriously addicted to online shopping. 82% of those surveyed said they like shopping online, because it’s easier to find what they want. And 53% said they get excited when their package arrives. In fact, the online shoppers surveyed said they look forward to their purchases arriving more than they do to their workday ending or video chatting with family and friends. And – no surprise — COVID has increased our online shopping habits. 52% said they’ve had more home deliveries in 2020 than in previous years. (SWNS)

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Speaking of online shopping … Seems a lot of us have already started Christmas shopping. Why? We’re bored. A survey found that 50% of Americans have already started online shopping for the holidays, because they’re bored at home. 15% of those surveyed said they actually started their holiday shopping … in August. And no surprise – experts predict 48% of holiday shopping will be done online this year. (SWNS)

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CBS says this year’s Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop is going to be virtual because of the coronavirus. New York City plans to limit the number of people allowed in Times Square due to the virus and social distancing concerns

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It appears that being financially well-off isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. A new study has found that having lots of money has some downsides – particularly loneliness and lack of real relationships. Researchers at the University of Buffalo and Harvard Business School say the stress of being successful and constantly striving for more can actually cut you off from the world. It’s not that making money is bad – but when someone ties their self-worth to their financial success, and puts that above all else, they can become isolated.

“Feeling that pressure to achieve financial goals means we’re putting ourselves to work at the cost of spending time with loved ones, and it’s that lack of time spent with people close to us that’s associated with feeling lonely and disconnected,” adds Deborah Ward from the University of Buffalo.

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WGN says Johnson & Johnson began testing a new coronavirus vaccine yesterday. Over 60,000 people have agreed to get a single dose shot to see if the vaccine works. But, CDC Director Robert Redfield tells Yahoo News that America may not be completely vaccinated until July. “I think that’s going to take us April, May, June, you know, possibly July, to get the entire American public completely vaccinated”

National Dogs in Politics Day: A day to celebrate all the First Dogs that have lived at the White House.

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How many times a day do you worry about your health? How often do you google your “symptoms”? A new survey has found that the average American has had 560 moments of worry about their health since the start of COVID-19. And two-thirds of those surveyed said that their immune health is a constant source of worry. 30% said they didn’t even know what the immune system did before coronavirus. Since the pandemic started, 80% of respondents said they are re-thinking their health priorities and 85% want to make their healthy lifestyle changes permanent. (SWNS)

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Proof positive that social media challenges for the perfect photo or video are going too far, A woman in England fell out the passenger side window, onto a busy highway – while filming a Snapchat video. Police said it was “only by luck she wasn’t seriously injured or killed.” (Insider)

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Researchers at Oxford University have concluded that people who live near a bar or pub are happier than those who don’t. They found that people who had a pub on their street that they frequented had a larger circle of friends and therefore a better social life. They also found that these people are less likely to get fall-down drunk … probably because it’s easier to fall down if you have a longer distance to walk instead of just down the street. (BroBible)

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Yesterday, pre-orders for the new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S were offered by retailers and thousands of gamers got online — and got in line — to get one of the new systems when they become available this November. Not surprisingly, there were reports of sites crashing and people struggling to add the product to their online shopping cart. By the end of the day, the pre-orders were pretty much sold out.

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Dr. Bill Lumsden works for a whisky distillery called Glenmorangie. Dr. Bill, whose official title is Director of Whisky Creation, developed a Scotch whisky that can be paired with cake. A Tale of Cake is a smooth, honeyed whisky, with hints of white chocolate and fruit flavors — and will be available in the United States starting October 1st. (Food & Wine)

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The holidays are coming … And in case you want to look like you did difficult yard work permanently, Gucci is selling grass stained jeans … for $770. You can also get some overalls that look you rolled around in the dirt … for $1,400. (In the Know)

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Who are these people? If you had to choose between your dog and your phone, you wouldn’t have to even think, you’d choose your dog. Right? Right?! Well, maybe not. According to a survey from SimpleTexting, 40% of participants said they would choose to be separated from their dog for a month instead of having to give up their phone for a month. Even scarier, 44% of people surveyed said they would give up seeing their significant other for a month if it meant keeping their phone with them at all times. (People)

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New research has found that there’s a link between eating too much at dinner and taking in more calories during the day and having a poorer diet overall. Seems it’s best to eat your bigger meals earlier in the day, and keep it light for dinner. (EurekAlert)

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The world of the Jetsons may be here before we know it. Future Car says General Motors is exploring the possibility of manufacturing flying cars for an aerial taxi program. Hyundai and Uber are already working on a similar program. General Motors would most likely use a vertical takeoff and landing system with electric motors instead of jet engines. Taxis would only be able to fly short routes

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Maybe it’s time to take your work outside … A new survey has found that office workers are more productive and in a better mood after spending time outdoors. Productivity improved by 45% after workers spent just a half-hour outside, and 63% said they felt better after spending time in fresh air. And this is interesting … 57% of managers surveyed said they thought their employees were more productive working from home. Because of that, 50% say they’re focusing on flexible schedules and encouraging staff to spend more time outside. (SWNS)

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The Sunday Blues are more like the Sunday Stress … A new survey found that people start to feel anxiety about the upcoming workweek at 3:58 p.m. on Sundays. 88% of respondents said they regularly feel anxiety on Sunday about what Monday morning will bring. The survey also revealed that a whole lot of us are working on the weekends – with the average worker doing about three hours of unpaid work on Saturdays and Sundays. 45% said they were looking at emails, 38% said they were going over presentations, and 31% said they made business calls over the weekend. And the survey found that people think about work and their jobs about six times a weekend.

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Are you happier around your friends than your family? Don’t be embarrassed to admit it … because you are definitely not alone. A new study from Southern Methodist University found that people are happier when they’re with their friends than with their spouse or kids. In fact, the research found that people reported the lowest levels of happiness when they were with a significant other. Ouch. But there’s a pretty good reason for this: The study found that when people are with friends, it typically involves fun, social events. The time spent with family tends to involve less fun activities – like doing chores. So basically, it’s not so much who you are with – but what you’re doing.

The lesson in all of this – according to SMU psychology professor Nathan Hudson, is to make an effort to do fun things with family – not just with friends. “It’s important to create opportunities for positive experiences with romantic partners and children – and to really mentally savor those positive times. In contrast, family relationships that involve nothing but chores, housework, and childcare likely won’t predict a lot of happiness.”

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IIamas May Hold Key To Beating Coronavirus: Raw Story says Stockholm, Sweden scientists are developing a coronavirus vaccine using llamas and alpacas. Dr. Gerald McInearney tells the website, “Camels, and alpacas and llamas and other animals from that family have special, small single-chain antibodies. Tiny antibodies they’ve proved can block Covid-19. We are very excited that we have something that’s very functional.”

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At what age do you think workers hit career burnout? 40s? 50s? 60s? Nope. It’s a lot sooner. According to a new study, workers are most likely to experience career burnout at the age of … 32. The research found that nearly a third of workers polled said they’ve felt overwhelming stress and exhaustion at some point during their careers. The reasons? 52% of respondents said it was because they tried to do too much, 58% blamed it on a long work hours, and 39% said it was not taking enough vacation days. Other reasons: Feeling like you always have to be “on” (47%) and pressure to go above and beyond in order to keep your job (37%). (SWNS)

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Are virtual weddings here to stay? Seems many wedding planners think virtual weddings will continue even after the pandemic is over. “I think virtual will become a piece of every wedding in the future, even long past this pandemic,” said Samie Roberts, co-founder wedding streaming service LoveStream. “You always have a grandparent who isn’t able to make it, or a pregnant friend, or any of those things. I think that now that there’s a way to have a virtual piece of a wedding, it will become more of the norm.” (Insider)

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The Aruba Tourism Authority is inviting people who are working from home to work from Aruba. They’ve launched something called the “One Happy Work-ation” program, allowing visitors to stay for up to three months. And, as an added bonus, Aruba is offering hotel packages which include special rates, complimentary WiFi and even all-inclusive food and beverage options.

Why not take them up on the offer? If you do it right, your boss will never know. (Travel + Leisure)

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The Big Ten announced today that it will resume its football season on October 24th.

The conference initially cancelled football until the spring, but its Council of Presidents and Chancellors got together and decided to allow the league to play football this fall amid serious questions about COVID-19 testing and tracing, and concerns about myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle which is believed to be a long term effect of the coronavirus.

The season will include eight games over eight weeks, with a Big Ten Championship Game scheduled for December 19th. (USA Today)

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Getting ready to dive into a new TV series, but not sure how much time you’ll need to dedicate to binge the whole thing? There’s an app for that. Bingeclock crunched the numbers on 52 of the most popular shows, like The Office, Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad.

It will take you just over four days to run watch all nine seasons of The Office or around three days to revisit Game of Thrones. You can binge Breaking Bad in 2 days and 14 hours. It will take just shy of 14 days to run through the backlog of Simpsons episodes. But if you’ve really got time on your hands, consider watching some soaps — you’ll need almost a year and a half to catch up on nearly 60 years of General Hospital reruns. (Stacker)

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Curious what wine pairs well with a Taco Bell Chalupa? The answer is… a spicy Jalapeño Noir Red Wine. Apparently, the wine has wild strawberry, cherry and beetroot notes and pairs well with a Toasted Cheesy Chalupa. Unfortunately, the wine is only available at Taco Bell locations in Canada right now. But Windsor isn’t that far, right? (Delish)

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Last week there was the story of the gender reveal party in California that sparked a wildfire that spread to more than 10,000 acres, and now there’s a new story of a gender reveal party gone bad. This time, a man in western Massachusetts accidentally shot himself in the crotch. Tom Cressotti and his wife, Kristin, each had a powder-filled canon they would pull. The color of the cartridge’s contents, blue powder or pink powder, would reveal the gender of their baby. Well, it seems Tim was holding the canon the wrong way – and shot himself in the groin with blue smoke. It’s a boy! A video of the event shows poor Tom on the ground, writhing in pain. (Insider)

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If you’re one of the few that enjoys a bit of Black Friday deal Thanksgiving day shopping, Newsweek says Simon Malls plans to close all of their properties on Thanksgiving because of the coronavirus. They released a statement saying, “In these challenging times. We made the decision that we will not open on Thanksgiving Day, instead allowing our associates to spend the holiday with their loved ones.” The closest Simon properties to our area include University Park Mall in Mishawaka, and Lighthouse Place in Michigan City.

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If you’re going on a first date, job interview, or anywhere you want to make a good impression, you may want to stay away from this one color … mustard yellow. According to a new poll, wearing the color yellow can instantly make you less attractive to people. 39% of men and 31% of women said yellow was among the least attractive colors. (Best Life)

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If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s to expect the unexpected. No one could have expected a marriage between Pepsi and Red Lobster to create a new cocktail — a Mountain Dew margarita called the DEW-Garita. The cocktail is said to be made with a secret recipe and will be available at all Red Lobster restaurants by the end of the year. (People)

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You don’t typically think of Pepsi as something to drink when you want to fall asleep, but the company is about to add a new water beverage to their drink lineup — and it’s specifically designed to be sipped before you go to sleep. Driftwell, which launches in December, contains L-theanine and magnesium, which are ingredients said to help you relax and de-stress before falling asleep. The drink, which only comes in one flavor right now — blackberry lavender — is sold in 7.5-ounce mini cans which, according to a PepsiCo spokesperson, is the perfect size for “hydrating before bedtime without requiring another trip to the bathroom.” (CNBC)

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Do you like cheeseburgers? Do you like making easy money? A gambling website has a unique and delicious opportunity for one very lucky burger lover. BonusFinder.com, which is based in Amsterdam, wants to find the best cheeseburger in America — and is offering someone $500 to help them find it. In addition to $500, the winning applicant will be provided additional funds for travel and for the burgers, of course. Applications are being accepted now and a winner will be chosen on October 9th.

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Cover hogs can make for some sleepless nights and even problems in your relationship. Well, there’s a simple solution to those blanket battles – separate bedding. In Europe, especially Scandinavian countries, using separate bedding is very common. Basically it’s just separate comforters for each person – and a shared fitted sheet. “When I make the suggestion — maybe use separate covers so they don’t fight over the covers — they kind of look at you quizzically, like it’s such an obvious thing to suggest, but it didn’t occur to them,” sleep specialist Dr. Rafael Pelayo tells Good Housekeeping. “It’s not a routine recommendation, but if somebody is telling me that they’re having concerns about one person moving too much or they’re uncomfortable in their bed because they’re fighting over covers, I suggest, why can’t you get two blankets? It seems to make sense.”

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The Salvation Army is getting an early start on its annual holiday fundraiser and volunteers with bells and red kettles will be out as early as today.

The launch of the charity drive traditionally begins closer to Thanksgiving, but because of economic struggles due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Salvation Army decided place their iconic red kettles outside of stores today. But despite the much earlier start, the Salvation Army still expects a 50 percent drop in fundraising this year due to retail store closings, a coin shortage, and people carrying less cash.

The Salvation Army says it raised $126 million with its holiday drive last year. (PR  Newswire)

National Boss Employee Exchange Day: The day where employees do the work of the boss. Wait a minute, that already happens. Certainly there isn’t a boss coming down here to try to do a morning show…

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It was a busy weekend on social media and entertainment as Mashable claims Avengers star Chris Evans accidentally posted a picture of his little Captain America on Instagram on Saturday. The picture was in a montage with others from his iPhone.

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The latest trend to hit social media is sole tattoos … as in, sole-of-the-foot tattoos. These tattoos are basic block text on the bottom of the foot that read “MADE IN …” and whatever your home country is. If it sounds a little bizarre, you likely never owned a Barbie. Back in the early days, the iconic doll featured a stamp that read JAPAN on the bottom of her foot, and apparently that’s what sparked the tattoo trend. Cara Delevingne has been leading the way with sole tats on both feet. One foot reads BACON and the other says “MADE IN ENGLAND.” (Evoke)

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Are someone’s food preferences a dating deal breaker? A new survey found that 22% of women wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone who didn’t share their taste in food. 14% of all respondents said they would end a relationship if they weren’t compatible, food-wise. And 11% said a person’s food order on the first date would determine if there would be a second date. More than 50% said someone liking the same foods and flavors as them made them more attractive and 17% are so passionate about food that they would refuse to date someone with different tastes … even if they were a millionaire. And 30% said food was more important to them than sex. (SWNS)

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The Recording Industry Association of America says vinyl record sales have outpaced CD sales so far in 2020. Over $232 million worth of albums have been sold compared to only $129 million worth of CDs.

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We’ve all racked up a lot of streaming hours over the last several months, but the generation that streamed the most over the summer were Millennials. According to new research, the average person has watched 20 movies in the past two months — and 52% of respondents said they streamed more than they would in a normal summer. But the research found that 25- to 34-year-olds increased their streaming the most this summer — with the average respondent watching an additional four hours a day on top of what they were watching at the start of the pandemic in March. (SWNS)

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If you’re feeling extra irritable today, it may be because you didn’t get enough sleep. A new study found that getting a lousy night of sleep can make you more prone to anger the next day. We could call it “SLANGRY!”

According to data from the CDC, more than a third of adults in the United States regularly get less than the recommended minimum seven hours of sleep a night — despite the fact that lack of sleep has been linked to health issues like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression. Research from the United Health Foundation (UHF) has found that Michigan clocks in at number six on the list with only 39% of adults sleeping less than seven hours a night. The top sleep-deprived state? Hawaii, with nearly 43% of the population getting less than 7 hours of sleep.

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We all knew this was coming. Face Shields and masks have now become luxury fashion. On October 30th, Louis Vuitton will launch the LV Shield, a face shield featuring a Louis Vuitton monogrammed strap and golden studs engraved with the LV logo. A price hasn’t been set yet, but if it’s like other Louis Vuitton accessories, it won’t be cheap. (Vogue)

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Was this the worst summer ever? Apparently not. A new Economist/YouGov poll found that despite COVID, pretty much no sports, and every typical summer activity either canceled or vastly different, only 16% of respondents said it was their “worst summer ever.” 30% described it as a “bad summer,” 38% said it was an “average summer,” and 14% said it was a “good summer.” Just 2% of respondents said it was the “best summer ever.”

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Do you own a home? How far away is it from being finished? A new survey found that the average home is five years and five months away from being “finished.”

National Another Look Unlimited Day: This day is observed every year on the day after Labor Day. It’s a day dedicated to looking around your house and getting rid of stuff you don’t need … kind of like a post-summer Spring Cleaning.

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Quarantine 15 is affecting dogs too … It may seem like people are walking their dogs way more than usual, but according to a new survey by Banfield Pet Hospital, many pet owners say the pandemic has made their pets pudgier. “It’s too soon to tell if the COVID crisis has resulted in weight gain for the average pet,” said veterinarian Andrea Sanchez.  But of the pet owners surveyed, “33% said they thought their pet had gained weight — and it was especially dog owners.”

Boston-based dog walker Danielle deWildt, said she’s seen noticeable weight gain in the dogs she walks – especially those in the city. “They’ve put on so much weight that their bodies move like Jell-O,” Danielle said. “I can see the fat rolling on their bodies.” (Greenwich Time)

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Are gender Reveal parties fun, tacky, or dangerous? A gender reveal party in Yucaipa, California, resulted in a massive fire that has burned more than 8,000 acres so far and has endangered more than 20,000 homes. The cause of the fire? A pyrotechnic device that emits colored smoke to show the baby’s gender. The device accidentally lit some nearby grass on fire. The family tried to put it out with water bottles but it quickly got out of control. (KTLA)

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Does every day feel the same? It’s not just you. A new survey found that 62% of respondents said all their days feel the same – which is causing them to have difficulty focusing. 60% said they feel a general lack of energy during the day and more than half of those surveyed said the days are going by so fast that the always feel tired. But there’s a bright side. The survey found that people are making a point to do things to keep their minds active.

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Anheuser-Busch developed a non-alcoholic “Dog Brew” — that quickly sold out. The brew is made of vegetables, herbs, spices, water and pork broth, designed to provide dogs with a nutritious snack that also helps their digestive system.

The stuff was such a hit that there’s currently a waiting list while more of the product is being produced. (WSPA-TV)

National Lazy Moms Days: Moms are anything but lazy, but today is a good day for moms to relax and take some time to themselves.

National Chianti Day: A good day for mom to have some Chianti while being lazy.

National Wildlife Day: Maybe celebrate by watching Tiger King all over again.

National Macadamia Nut Day: A good day to make some macadamia nut cookies.

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Wakanda Forever … Fans all over the world are still mourning the loss of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman and are looking for ways to honor him and the Marvel character he embodied. One idea is to bring a Wakanda-inspired attraction to Disney theme parks. Whoopi Goldberg even put out a call to action and said, “Dear people in charge of building NEW experiences at Disneyland and World, we don’t really need another Frozen land BUT what we could use is Wakanda. Please Disney World, Disneyland, PLEASE build in Chadwick Boseman’s name WAKANDA.” Sounds like a great idea. (Indie Wire)

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You can’t escape pumpkin spice season … Krispy Kreme announced this week that they will have four new pumpkin spice flavored doughnuts to celebrate the season: Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed, Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut, Pumpkin Spice Original Filled Cheesecake Doughnut and Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Doughnut. Wash it all down with a pumpkin spice coffee. (Woman’s Day)

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Why should humans have all the pumpkin spice fun this season? Wüfers, an online dog treat company, just introduced their “Pup-kin Spice Box,” which is packed with pumpkin spice dog treats. According to the website, the treats are “locally baked” and the box includes “9 hand-decorated and wholesome dog cookies, based on the seasonal flavor we all know and love — pumpkin spice.” (People)

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Many of us are craving the opportunity to hop on a plane and fly away to a relaxing destination. But is anyone actually craving airline food? Apparently so — and some airlines are accommodating them. Thai Airways, for example, has been selling their in-flight meals to those on the ground for a few months now. Airport workers can buy onboard meals from Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific airlines and for those yearning to get back to air travel, Australia’s Quantas is selling an $18 care package that includes business class PJs, packets of cookies, sleep masks, hand cream and more. (The Guardian)

So, just how important is music in a relationship? A new survey found that two-thirds of respondents said that having bad taste in music is a relationship dealbreaker. (Best Life)

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What’s in a name? Apparently, more money. A new study found that men and women with the names Andrew and Anna earned more money than people with other names. The second best names for financial success were Sam and Maria, followed by Alex and Laura in third, Christopher and Helen in fourth, and Darren and Sarah in fifth.

The worst names when it came to investment success? For men:  Ali, Rob, Dan, Chris, and Dominic. For women: Karen, Claire, Lisa, Jennifer, and Rachel. (Best Life)

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Remember singing songs, toasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories around the campfire? Well, things have changed. Seems those staples of camping have been replaced with streaming movies and scrolling through social media. A new survey found that 83% of campers and RV-ers take their gadgets and devices away with them. 41% said they couldn’t imagine being in the great outdoors without their phones. Even toasting marshmallows is a thing of the past. 60% of adults polled said they had cooked marshmallows over a fire, with just 40% of kids saying they have done so. Two-thirds of parents said they have built a fire compared to one-third of kids. And 37% of the parents surveyed said their kids find camping traditions like putting up a tent and sitting around a campfire to be boring. (SWNS)

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A Nebraska man has a bone to pick with his city’s restaurants, and he wants local authorities to help him out — by making it illegal to sell “boneless chicken wings.”

Andrew Christensen showed up at a meeting of Lincoln’s city council, and stood up to speak during the “public comment” portion of the evening, saying he had an important issue to address. His complaint was about eateries that offer “boneless wings” on their menus.

Christensen laid out a number of reasons during his lengthy speech, saying “Number-one, nothing about boneless chicken wings actually come from the wing of a chicken. Number-two, boneless chicken wings are just chicken tenders, which are already boneless. Number-three, we need to raise our children better. We need to teach them that the wing of a chicken is from a chicken, and it’s delicious.” (BroBible)

National VJ Day: Recognizes Allied Forces’ victory over Japan during World War II.

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Have you been eating more fruits and veggies and less meat these days? You are definitely not alone. A new survey found that 57% of respondents say they have been eating less meat and dairy since COVID began. 60% of those surveyed said they had been adopting a flexitarian diet (mostly vegetarian, but occasionally eating meat and fish). Why the shift? More than 50% of respondents said they were inspired to make healthier food choice, 42% said they wanted to eat fewer animal products and 39% said they wanted to live a more sustainable lifestyle. (SWNS)

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Because it’s 2020 and everything is bizarre … You can now get Tiger King leopard print underwear for men and women … with Joe Exotic’s face emblazoned on the crotch. Even though he’s in jail, Joe Exotic teamed up with streetwear designer Odaingerous for the lingerie line named the “Revenge Collection.” A soft launch of the product back in May sold out in hours, earning more than $20,000 in online sales. If you’re interested, you can score yourself a pair of these briefs or bikinis on September 7th, the second anniversary of the Tiger King’s arrest. (NY Post)

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In positive medical news: A new study by the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, in Perth, Australia, has found honeybee venom can kill breast cancer cells.

Researchers Ciara Duffy says, “We found that the venom (melittin) from honeybees is remarkably effective in killing some of these really aggressive breast cancer cells at concentrations that aren’t as damaging to normal cells. What melittin does is it actually enters the surface, or the plasma membrane, and forms holes or pores and it just causes the cell to die.”

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An unsurprising new survey has found that we’ve drinking a lot of wine lately – with rosé being the favorite over the last few months. 70% of those surveyed believe wine can help bring people together, both virtually and in-person. And according to the survey, 64% of respondents said they used their time during quarantine to learn more about wine.

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A new survey found that 75% of respondents said they are their own worst critics – beating themselves up about everything from their appearance to decisions they’ve made. Those surveyed admitted that they are hard on themselves an average of six times a week. 85% said they dwell on their mistakes instead of moving on, and 78% lose sleep over mistakes they’ve made.

Here are the Top 10 Things People Are Hard on Themselves About:

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Dogs rely on their owners much in the same way kids rely on their parents – and not just for food and shelter. Research has shown that both dogs and babies feel more secure about exploring when their parent is present. Experiments have shown that when a baby sees something scary, they rely on their parents’ reaction to see if everything is OK, and dogs do the same with their owners. (The Stacker)

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You knew this was coming … You can now get a “Karen” mask for Halloween. Artist Jason Adcock created the scariest Karen mask you could imagine, complete with the bob hairstyle and angry “let me speak to your manager” face. The latex mask is handmade, so it’s likely to cost a bit more than your usual costume, but it might be worth it just to scare the pants off of friends and family. Be sure to wield your smartphone like a saber to complete the look. If you’re interested, check out Jason’s Instagram page and DM him for details. (Boing Boing)

Do you suffer from nomophobia? Nomophobia is the fear of being without your smartphone — and a new study found that 90% of college students have this fear. Researchers found that nomophobia is also linked to unhealthy sleep habits. “We found that college students who experience more ‘nomophobia’ were also more likely to experience sleepiness and poorer sleep hygiene such as long naps and inconsistent bed and wake times,” said lead author Dr. Jennifer Peszka of Hendrix College in Arkansas.

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A sanitation crew cleaning out a public vault toilet in Montana’s Flathead National Forest were surprised to find a “poop-soaked phone in the toilet tank, and even more surprised that it still worked.

The guys used a grabber to pull the phone out and cleaned it off. After letting it dry out for a couple of days they plugged it in and were shocked that it powered up. The screen was locked, but they were eventually able to bypass the passcode and left a voicemail for the phone’s owner with a callback number.

A woman called them back and said she knew she had dropped the phone down the toilet, but was shocked that they were actually able to get it out. The phone is now on its way back to its grateful owner. (KRTV-TV)

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Sorry, New Jersey – your accent isn’t sexy. A new survey has found that the Jersey accent is the “least sexy” in the U.S. The sexiest accent? We’re looking at you Texas. The Texas accent was voted sexiest in the Big 7 Travel Survey.

National Red Wine Day … It’s Friday – and in case you need another excuse to have some wine, today is a great day to have a glass or three of your favorite red.

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Make your bed … How much of a turn-off is an unmade bed? According to a new survey, 40% of respondents said it would be a total turn-off to date someone who doesn’t make their bed. And if you don’t make your bed every day, here’s more incentive: The survey found that people who make their beds every day are having more sex during quarantine than those who don’t make their bed. And another reason to make your bed … 48% of the bed-makers surveyed said the quality of their sleep had increased – even during these uncertain times. 30% of non-bed-makers reported a decrease in the quality of their sleep. (SWNS)

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2020 has been a very rough year for everybody … especially if your name happens to be Karen. The Karen meme really took off this year and is used to describe any middle-aged entitled woman or someone who complains and asks to speak to the manager. A recent poll in the UK found that 69% of people say they would never name their child Karen and would also be concerned about talking to someone named Karen. 6% say they wouldn’t even want to be matched up with a Karen on a dating site. And 18% of respondents said they would feel uneasy if their mother-in-law had the name. (Sky News)

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So-long She Sheds … and goodbye Man Caves. Seems with lots of people working from home and lots of kids learning from home, the new trend in sheds is home office sheds. And people are willing to spend a boatload of cash on these backyard office/home school spaces. Studio Shed, a company based out of Boulder, Colorado, builds some impressive outdoor work spaces, which range in price from 10 grand to 30 grand. As of March, the company has seen 100% growth — thanks to the high demand for extra space that many people just don’t have in their home’s square footage. (Distractify)

National Just Because Day … It’s a day to do something … just because. So do something today that you want to do … just because.

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How hard would it be for you to give up all electronic devices for 48 hours? Do you think you could do it? How about for $1000? Satellite Internet, a Salt Lake City-based Internet provider, is offering people to take the “Digital Detox Challenge.” One randomly-selected applicant will be offered a cool grand to spend 48 hours living an RV parked at a U.S. national park without any Internet or phone service.

When the 48 hours are up, the newly digitally-detoxed winner will be provided an Internet hotspot so that they could post about their experience online. Applicants must be at least 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license. A winner will be selected on September 23rd.

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Have a brew … with your favorite furry friend. This week, Busch announced that they have launched a line of non-alcoholic beers for dogs called Dog Brews. The 1- ounce cans, which are sold in 4 packs, have a bone broth base and are flavored with healthy pup ingredients like celery, basil, mint, turmeric, and ginger. And as an added incentive, for every case of Dog Brew sold, Busch will donate $1 to Best Friends Animal Society, up to $50,000. It’s only available online — and for a limited time — so get your pup his very own brew before they’re sold out! (People)

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The #LayOnYourToddlerChallenge is the latest TikTok trend, and while it sounds weird, just watching a few of the short videos will have you tearing up with major feels. Here’s how it works: Parents simply lay their head on their toddler’s lap while they are watching their favorite TV show and wait to see what happens. Sure, some toddlers are not happy about getting disrupted during Paw Patrol, but more often than not, your heart will absolutely melt when you see how much they love showing mom or dad affection. It’s a great reminder to simply stop and have a cuddle every once in a while. If you need a smile, it’s certainly the sweetest thing you’ll see all day. (GMA)