*Mornings Archives

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In keeping with the simplicity theme … What’s a great simple pleasure? According to a new survey, getting into a bed with freshly-cleaned sheets, getting a great parking spot, when your favorite song comes on the radio, and a good hair day are just some of the simple things that bring us joy.

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If you want to stay motivated and on track with your workout goals, find a workout buddy. According to a Harvard researcher, having someone to work out with makes you accountable and provides the social bonding that will keep you motivated. “Nothing works as effectively as exercising with friends,” said Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard paleoanthropologist.(Insider)

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Is online life more important than real life? Seems to be for a lot of people – especially if you’re young. A new study by Squarespace found that 60% of adults under the age of 40 “believe how you present yourself online is more important than how you present yourself in person.” (Best Life)

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This gives “flushing money down the toilet” a new meaning:  A university in South Korea is testing a new type of commode that turns your waste into DIGITAL CURRENCY.  Or more simply . . . it pays you for your POOP.

It’s called the BeeVi toilet, and an engineering professor came up with it.  It basically collects everyone’s waste and turns it into methane and manure.  Then the methane powers things in the building, and the manure is used in a nearby garden.

Each time a student uses the toilet, they get paid in a digital currency the professor created called “Ggool,” which means “Honey” in Korean.  Then they can use that Honey to buy stuff on campus, like coffee and snacks.  He says the point is to show how valuable our waste can be if we just think outside the box.

Sugar Cookie Day: A good day for a cookie.

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Do you carry cash? Do you use cash? Maybe you should. A new survey found that 51% of respondents said using cash helps them budget their money. Surprisingly, Gen Z (52%) were the most likely to use cash over other types of payment.

Also, the average person has $52 in their wallet right now.  And there’s a limit to how much we’ll use in a single transition.  If something costs more than $31, we’ll almost always use a card. The top things we still use cash for . . .

1.  Tips at restaurants and bars, or for delivery drivers.

2.  Fast food.

3.  Candy and snacks.

4.  Coffee.

5.  Gas.

6.  Groceries.

7.  Drinks at a bar.

8.  Personal care products, like makeup or other small items.

9.  Gifts.

10.  Donuts or pastries.

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New Yorkers have long claimed that their pizza reigns supreme, but according to a new book, the best slices are found farther west of the city – a lot farther west.  According to the upcoming book Modernist Pizza, whose authors ate hundreds of pizzas all across the country, the best pizza can be found in Portland, Oregon. (NY Post)

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If you’re the kind of person that can’t pass on the sheer delight of holding and popping the bubbles on a strip of bubble wrap, then you might want to check out the newest viral craze for fidgety hands – Popits. Made from silicone in a variety of shapes and colors, Popits feature “bubbles” that you can press for that satisfying “pop,” then turn it over to pop it again. According to Today, the toys are a great tool for those coping with stress, anxiety, attention deficit or hyperactivity issues.

National Freezer Pop Day: A good day for an ice pop.

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Why do dogs circle before they do their business? There are a number of theories. One is that they are giving a 360-degree look at their surroundings before getting in that vulnerable position. Another is that they are spreading their scent to mark their territory – kind of like with pee marking. Then there’s the theory that they are making themselves a nice, clean place to go to the bathroom. And then there’s the magnetic field theory. This one claims that dogs use the force of the Earth’s magnetic fields to choose their pooping place, preferring the north-south axis of the Earth. According to researchers at a university in Prague, dogs prefer to “excrete with the body being aligned along the north-south axis.” Well, there you have it … sort of.

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When did you get serious about your finances? A new study has found that, on average, we hit our peak financial recklessness at the age of . . . 22. While they zeroed in on that age, most people said they didn’t think about their finances or budgeting enough when they were younger . . . and that they were 25 before they started “growing up” in terms of handling their money. But by that point, some people suffer dings to their credit score.  The average respondent hit their credit score low point when they were 27. 58% said they don’t think they would’ve EVER gotten their money in order if it weren’t for having a “rude awakening” . . . things like having a child, being cut off from their parents, or applying for a home loan. Or, you know, the pandemic.  45% of people said last year was a financial rude awakening for them.

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Speaking of finances, you may be waiting a while for your tax return. There’s word the IRS is a mess! A congressional report says nearly 35 million tax returns still haven’t been processed and only 3 percent of phone calls to the IRS are being answered (sounds like an airline). Millions of Americans are waiting for an average return of about 28-hundred bucks.

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The device that can do just about anything seems to have a dark side — it’s encouraging the world’s bullies. Parents say their daughters are constantly teased about their name, “Alexa,” with schoolyard bullies taunting them and demanding they play music. One mom, Lauren Johnson, even started an awareness campaign called “Alexa is a human.” Amazon issued a statement saying, “We’re saddened by the experiences you’ve shared, and want to be very clear: bullying of any kind is unacceptable, and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms.” But the company said they won’t be changing Alexa’s name — noting that any user can make their device answer to another name if they wish. (Gizmodo)

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More proof that it’s better to give than to receive … A new study found that a really easy way to make yourself happier is to buy a toy for your pet. Researchers from Elmhurst University in Illinois found that buying your pet a gift triggers greater feelings of happiness than buying something for yourself. (Mental Floss)

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Finally! It’s an age-old BBQ dilemma … hot dogs typically come in a pack of 10 – but hot dog buns come in a pack of 8, often causing an over-buying of buns. Well, Heinz has had enough. The condiment company has introduced their Heinz Hot Dog Pact – which is  a petition “calling on big bun and big wiener companies to finally sell buns and wieners in even packs.” “We’ve seen our fans through social media express their outrage about the bun-to-hot-dog ratio issue for years, and we know there must be a better way. We believe that the time for change is now and we are hopeful,” said Daniel Gotlib, associate director of brand building and innovation for the Kraft Heinz Company. Now the question becomes — Do hot dog makers drop their package to eight – or do bun makers increase their packages to 10? Time will tell. (Food & Wine)

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Adventurous … but clueless? A new survey found that Millennials consider themselves to be the most adventurous cooks compared to other generations. That said, Millennials were also found to cook the fewest meals at home – and know the least about cooking and kitchen safety. And as a “geriatric Millennial” myself, I will confirm all of this.

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Stressed out lately? You might want to watch the top of your head. It turns out that stress really does make you go gray … but there’s good news: Reducing stress can reverse the process. Researchers at Columbia University found that eliminating stress can return gray hair, long thought to be permanent, to its “younger, pigmented state.” So try not to get stressed about eliminating the stress in your life…best of luck!

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The U.K. celebrates “Thank You Day” on July 4th . . . just as America is celebrating its Independence Day. Which seems a bit…passive aggressive. Anyway…so British researchers conducted a study on how and when we show our appreciation . . . and there are some interesting findings. For starters, the average adult will say “thank you” 207 times a month, which is roughly 6.8 times per day.  That’s a lot of gratitude . . . but some of it is FAKE. On average, 54 of those thank yous are insincere.  That’s 26%. About a quarter of people surveyed think that’s a problem . . . because genuine appreciation is “dying out.”  33% said they’d still prefer to hear the words, even if the person is just saying “thank you” for the sake of it. And 55% of people claim they have become “more grateful” during the pandemic.  (But 26% probably didn’t mean it.)

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And now for some useless but interesting information today…If you’ve ever wondered why Ritz crackers have those ridges around them — wonder no more. A video posted on Ritz’s official TikTok revealed that the reason the crackers have those scalloped edges is to … slice through cheese.