*Mornings Archives

The Happy Headline of the Day – Thursday, May 27

May 27, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
Girl Scout Troop 627 of Johnson City, Tennessee, was extra motivated to sell cookies this year because they vowed to donate a portion of their proceeds to a local animal shelter.
Their campaign was a huge success and, earlier this month, they were able to wheel in piles of food bags, supplies, and toys to the shelter — over $700 worth in all.
One troop member — Elliot Guinn — said the troop’s shared love for animals inspired the act of kindness. She called the decision to donate “easy” because the troop wanted to “help the animals and help them get new homes.” (WJHL-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Thursday, May 27

May 27, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Brad Pitt has been granted joint custody of his six children with Angelina Jolie, Page Six reports.
The exes have been fighting through the courts for nearly five years, and it may not be over. A source said it was a “tentative decision,” and that Angelina is continuing her legal fight.
The judge in the case made his decision after months of witness testimony, including child services professionals and therapists.
Angie filed for divorce in 2016 immediately after Brad allegedly got physical with their then-15-year-old son Maddox during a flight.
NBC didn’t have to travel far to find a replacement for Ellen DeGeneres — they simply promoted Kelly Clarkson to the featured daytime slot.
The Kelly Clarkson Show — which is owned by NBC’s syndication arm — will take over for Ellen in the fall of 2022. Kel’s contract runs through the end of 2023, and producers say, “We’re working on some big plans for season three and are looking forward to becoming the premier show in daytime for years to come.” (Hollywood Reporter)
Howard University will name its College of Fine Arts after the late Chadwick Boseman. The Black Panther star graduated from Howard in 2000. (TMZ)
Chris Noth confirms that he’ll reprise his Mr. Big role in the Sex and the City sequel series at HBO Max. Production on the 10-episode series is set to begin this summer. (Deadline)
The “Star Wars” sequel trilogy left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans . . . in part because it seemed to lack focus and direction. That’s because J.J. ABRAMS did the first one . . . then another guy came in and wrote and directed the second one, and he didn’t necessarily follow up on all the plot threads in J.J.’s movie. Then a THIRD guy was hired to write and direct the last movie, but he quit over creative differences, and J.J. had to jump back in and take over. And in a new interview, J.J. says, quote, “I feel like what I’ve learned as a lesson a few times now . . . is that you have to plan things as best you can, and you always need to be able to respond to the unexpected. “Having a plan I have learned . . . in some cases the hard way . . . is the most critical thing, because otherwise, you don’t know what you’re setting up.  You don’t know what to emphasize . . . you want to be leading to something inevitable.”

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Thursday, May 27

May 27, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • Grape Popsicle Day
Here’s something to consider as we approach the holiday weekend … You’re not imagining it — time really does fly when you’re having fun. A study from Ohio State found that our brains perceive time as going by faster during positive activities. And, of course, when it’s a negative activity – like a dreaded work meeting – the brain perceives time as going more slowly. In other words, your three-day weekend is going to feel like it lasted one day. So stop and enjoy it!
Want to go vegan or vegetarian but just haven’t been able to quit meat? Here’s an easy (and healthy) middle ground – eat a plant-based meal for dinner. Researchers in China found that having a plant-based meal at dinner can reduce the risk of heart disease by 10%. Seems it’s all about timing – because people who eat too many refined carbs and fatty meats at dinner have a greater risk of heart disease than those who eat that way in the morning. So … have that bacon for breakfast if you want, but skip it at dinner.
I’ve told you in a past edition of Coffee Talk about “geriatric millennials.” Now those millennials have more to worry about related to their geriatric status! Too much TV during midlife can put your brain at risk for dementia. New research shows watching TV each day during adulthood can age the brain faster. Screen time apparently affects the “grey matter” in your brain. That’s the stuff that helps coordinate muscle control, seeing, hearing, decision-making and other important brain functions. Studies show a zero-point-five percent decline in grey matter volume for every additional hour of TV viewed. So go on and pop open a book.
When you hit the road, do you make a road trip playlist? You’re not alone. A new survey found that 60% of people taking a road trip make a play list to set the mood. How essential is the perfect playlist? 35% of those surveyed said they would turn the car around if they didn’t have the right tunes. What are some of the must-have songs on the perfect road trip playlist? Here are the Top 5, according to the survey:
  1. “Sweet Home Alabama,” Lynyrd Skynyrd — 39%
  2. “Hotel California,” The Eagles — 29%
  3. “Life Is a Highway,” Tom Cochrane — 27%
  4. “Take Me Home Country Roads,” John Denver — 26%
  5. “On the Road Again,” Willie Nelson — 25%
47% of those surveyed said they have a road trip memory tied to a particular song.

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Music News – Thursday, May 27

May 27, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Vogue magazine published Ariana Grande’s wedding photos. On May 15th, Ari and Dalton Gomez exchanged vows at their home before less than 20 close friends and family.
She wore a custom-designed Vera Wang gown. Her lily-white silk charmeuse dress featured a sculpted neckline and plunging back.
Ariana paid tribute to her Sweetener era by wearing an upside-down pearl and diamond earring. That combo matches the engagement ring that Dalton gave her.
Joan Grande and her father Ed Butera were on either side of Ariana to give her away.
Among her 55 tattoos, Ari chose to conceal several on her arms for the special day. (Vogue)
Shania Twain is headed back to Las Vegas for 14 new dates of her Let’s Go! residency show at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. She’ll hit the stage late in 2021, with six shows taking place in December and eight more the following February.
Shania first launched her Vegas residency in December of 2019, and was planning several more shows for 2020 before the COVID-19 shutdowns. Shania is the creative director as well as the star of her show.
When she gets back to Sin City, she’ll have a lot of company: Katy Perry, Celine Dion, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood have all announced new residencies, while Gwen Stefani is returning this fall for her own show at Zappos, Just a Girl.
Tickets for Shania’s newly announced dates go on sale to the general public June 1 at 10AM PT.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Wednesday, May 26

May 26, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
In Cabot, Arkansas, little league pitcher Jett Morris stepped onto the field and threw out the first pitch.
Little did he know that the person wearing the catcher’s mask was actually his dad, Joe, who had been overseas with the Navy for a whole year.
After the pitch, Joe took off the mask, revealing his identity, much to the delight of Jett and the rest of the family.
Jett, of course, was very excited. Jett’s sisters — Alexa and Saylor — as well as his mom, Melissa, then joined him in running to home plate for a family hug, making it the most memorable ballgame the family had ever been a part of. (KLRT-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Wednesday, May 26

May 26, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
The nominees for the 48th annual Daytime Emmy Awards have been announced.
The beleaguered Ellen DeGeneres was snubbed in the Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host category. Drew Barrymore, Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest are among the nominees. Ellen’s show, however, did earn a nod in the show category.
Meanwhile, Alex Trebek and Larry King received posthumous nominations.
The show will air June 25th in primetime on CBS and Paramount Plus.
Kevin Spacey‘s return to film isn’t sitting well with one of his sexual assault accusers.
The actor is reportedly set to star in a new Italian film, which will be his first acting role since he was accused of multiple acts of sexual misconduct. One of his accusers, Mark Ebenhoch, who claims Spacey tried to have sex with him on the set of Outbreak in 1995, is outraged over the actor’s new role in which he plays a cop investigating a man wrongfully accused of sexually abusing children, according to TMZ. Ebenhock calls the casting of Spacey in that role “absurd,” given his history of sexual misconduct.
Seth Rogen thinks comedians should stop complaining about “cancel culture.”
The star appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday and said he doesn’t understand why people like Donald Glover, Chris Rock and Billy Crystal are up in arms about it.
Seth admitted that jokes in his old movies “have not aged well,” but added, “I think that’s the nature of comedy. I think conceptually those movies are sound and I think there’s a reason they’ve lasted. Jokes are not things that necessarily are built to last.”
Rogen said there’s nothing wrong with accountability. “In my Twitter I’ve never made a joke that’s outwardly horrific in some way, and if you have, I would question why you did that. Saying terrible things is bad, so if you’ve said something terrible, then it’s something you should confront in some way, shape or form. I don’t think that’s ‘cancel culture,’ that’s you saying something terrible, if that’s what you’ve done.”
Rogen suggested that “if you’ve made a joke that’s aged terribly, accept it. And if you don’t think it’s aged terribly, then say that.”

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The Coast Social Network with Berrien Community Foundation – Wednesday, May 26

May 26, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Berrien Community Foundation, Blogs, The Coast Social Network

Susan Matheny from Berrien Community Foundation and Kortney Moore from Calling All Colors join Zack on the Coast Social Network this morning to talk about BCF’s “For Good” Grants, and how Calling All Colors used their grant to continue connecting St. Joseph and Benton Harbor students together. Find more details on grants at berriencommunity.org.... [Read Full Story]

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Wednesday, May 26

May 26, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • Blueberry Cheesecake Day: A good day for some cheesecake.
  • DRACULA DAY – Even if it’s hot outside, maybe consider wearing a turtleneck today.
  • SALLY RIDE DAY – Honoring the first American woman in space. Sally Ride was part of the Space Shuttle Challenger mission in 1983. She was also the youngest astronaut – going to space when she was 32. She died of pancreatic cancer in 2012. By the way…the Wilson Pickett song ‘Mustang Sally’ was written decades before she blasted off for space; the line ‘ride, Sally, ride’ just happens to be a nice coincidence.
  • NATIONAL PAPER AIRPLANE DAY – The first paper airplanes are believed to have originated in China about 2,000 years ago. The largest paper airplane was made in Germany in 2013 and had a wingspan of nearly 60 feet.
Do you want to live to 150? Researchers think it’s possible. Scientists in Singapore developed an iPhone app that uses artificial intelligence to estimate biological aging. Using blood samples from hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and U.K., the app found that people have the capacity to basically double their life expectancy. The catch? You have to be healthy.
Memorial Day Weekend is fast-approaching … and that means so is grilling season. According to a new survey, American cheese, bacon, and lettuce are the toppings that make for the perfect burger. And when it comes to condiments, people like it simple. Ketchup (46%) and mayo (43%) were the top choices for a “perfect burger.” Sesame seed was the top choice when it came to bun options. And no surprise – fries (70%) were the top side.
How important are the right toppings? 78% said toppings could be make or break for a burger.
Speaking of Memorial Day Weekend … You may be attending some outdoor BBQs – and those BBQs will probably involve some beverages in red solo cups. Some of you seasoned solo-ers may know this, but if not, a TikToker named Lindsay Roggenbuck, known for her popular household hacks, has gone viral for letting everyone else know. You know those lines outside the cup? They are actually measurements for beverages. The top line is equivalent to a pint of beer. The line below it holds a standard 12-ounce bottle or can. The second-to-last line measures 5 ounces, a typical serving of wine. And the very last line on the cup is 1 ounce – for shots. (In the Know)

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Music News – Wednesday, May 26

May 26, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
Blake Shelton is making sure nobody ever calls him a “Groomzilla” — by taking a totally hands-off approach to his wedding to Gwen Stefani.
The country superstar tells USA Today that Gwen is at the controls of every detail surrounding the ceremony. He says “I want her to do all of that stuff and handle it because it’s going to be great. She’s in the middle of planning the thing, and she’s always so mindful of me. She’s like, ‘Hey, I don’t want to just take this thing over.'”
Blake’s particularly sure that his California girl bride has a better handle on what to serve guests. As he puts it, “If I was picking our meal, it would just literally be everything fried. French fries, chicken tenders—you know, all of that stuff. I think she knows that it would be a pretty classless wedding if I was in control.”
Last year, when Sam Smith released their latest album Love Goes, touring was shut down, so they performed their new songs as a streaming event, live from London’s legendary Abbey Road studios.  But if you missed it then, you can now stream it on Netflix.
“This was such a special night for me. Getting to play in one of the most historic studios with my incredible band…was magical,” Sam writes in a note to fans.
“Love Goes is the celebration of me coming home to myself,” they add. “Performing some of the songs for you all for the first time was an unforgettable experience, and I’m so happy we get to relive it. Get comfy, make yourself a cuppa and enjoy.”
In addition to new material from Love Goes, the performance features Sam performing previous hits like “Stay with Me,” and a cover of Cyndi Lauper‘s “Time After Time.”
Love Goes: Live at Abbey Road Studios is available for streaming, and is also available as a live album on Sam’s website, along with special merchandise commemorating the event.
Over the years, Katy Perry has worn some eye-popping outfits: Just her American Idol wardrobe alone is pretty vast, not to mention some of the get-ups she’s worn on stage.  And Katy says one day, she hopes to pass some of those clothes onto her daughter, Daisy Dove.
“I think about it all the time,” Katy told POPSUGAR, noting that Daisy will get “carte blanche” to raid her closet. “I do a lot of cleanups, but I do have some stuff always that I’m thinking about.”
Daisy will turn a year old in August.  In December, Katy will have even more outfits for her to choose from, as she kicks off her highly anticipated Las Vegas residency, PLAY.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Tuesday, May 25

May 25, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
At Quincy College in Massachusetts, businessman Robert Hale was invited to give the commencement speech to the graduates.
At the end of his speech, he didn’t just give the graduates words of wisdom, but also gave them each $1,000.
There was a catch, though …
Robert instructed the students to give half of his gift away. They could spend $500 on themselves, but the other $500 was to be donated to a good cause.
The money, of course, was a welcome surprise as getting through college can often result in financial challenges.
Robert was happy to help, but also said he hopes the gift will inspire the students to continue giving throughout their lives. (KMGH-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Tuesday, May 25

May 25, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
After a long hiatus, Lindsay Lohan is returning to acting.
She’ll star in a yet-to-be-titled Netflix holiday rom-com, according to Variety.
In the holiday flick, Lindsay will play a “newly engaged, spoiled hotel heiress,” who gets amnesia after a skiing accident and “finds herself in the care of a handsome, blue-collar lodge owner and his precocious daughter in the days leading up to Christmas.” The rest of the cast hasn’t been announced.
The Netflix movie starts production in November.
Her last starring role in a movie was in the low-budget horror Among the Shadows, which was shot back in 2015 and released in 2019.
Timothée Chalamet is following in Johnny Depp‘s footsteps and taking on the role of Willy Wonka.
The 25-year-old will play a young version of the character in a prequel of the classic Roald Dahl story.
Deadline says the movie will focus on Wonka’s “adventures” before opening his most famous chocolate factory. Sources also say that the flick will mark the first time Timothée will get “to show off his singing and dancing skills with several musical numbers set to appear in the film.”
Ellen DeGeneres is going back home.
After announcing the end of her daytime talk show, the comedian bought her old Montecito, California ranch for $14.3 million, according to Page Six.
Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi, first bought the six-acre estate, called Rancho San Leandro, in 2017 for $7.2 million. They sold it only a year later for $11 million.
Now it looks like Ellen had seller’s remorse.
She’ll have Oprah Winfrey to keep her company during her exile. The talk-show legend has a 70-acre estate next door.
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will welcome fully vaccinated audiences back to 30 Rock next month. Fallon joins “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” who plans to bring back a live full house to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York on June 14th. Guests will have to show proof they’ve been vaccinated and masks will be optional. Colbert says he’s looking forward to a live audience he can smell and touch. He’s been doing the show remotely for over a year, often from home.

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Tuesday, May 25

May 25, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • NATIONAL GEEK PRIDE DAY – Geek-out on everything nerdy: the Marvel Comics universe, 80s video game trivia, math… whatever! Celebrate dorks, geeks and nerds for their amazing focus and fascination.
  • NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY – Tap dance was born in the US more than 200 years ago and is a combination of Irish and West African dance forms.  DID YOU KNOW: They don’t always admit it, but a lot of major athletes have taken tap to help ‘up’ their game. Kobe Bryant took lessons for years. So did boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson. 
  • NATIONAL WINE DAY – Americans drink more than 960 million gallons of wine per year… that’s about 3 gallons for every one of us over 21.
  • BROWN-BAG-IT DAY – Pack your own lunch, save a few bucks and eat something healthier than you’d get from the vending machine at work.
Would you continue to work from home or take a $30,000 pay increase instead? Blind, an app where people can make anonymous career-related posts, surveyed employees from a bunch of big-name companies like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. The survey asked workers if they’d rather work from home permanently or get a $30,000-a-year raise. A whopping 64% said keep the 30k – we’d rather work from home. Some companies – like Apple and Salesforce– had an even higher percentage saying they wanted to keep working from home rather than get a $30,000 bump in pay – 69% for Apple and 76% for Salesforce. Just two companies of the 45 whose employees were surveyed – JP Morgan and Qualcomm – had a higher percentage of workers wanting the money over being able to work from home. (Forbes)
Women have worn engagement rings as long as engagements have been around — but what about guys? Well, there’s a growing movement to have grooms-to-be put a ring on it, too. Tiffany has just launched its first line of “mengagement” rings for dudes, and the company is marketing them to both straight guys looking to show their commitment and gay men who plan to get hitched. According to shopping platform Lyst, demand for “male engagement rings” is up 39% this year, while the search term “men’s diamond rings” has increased 30% over the last 3 months. (Evening Standard)

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Music News – Tuesday, May 25

May 25, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Lady Gaga celebrated the 10th anniversary of “Born This Way” by unlocking a huge honor — getting the key to the city of West Hollywood, which declared May 23rd to be “Born This Way Day.”
West Hollywood mayor Lindsey Horvath presided over the ceremony, calling Gaga “a cultural icon for our generation… The anthem ‘Born This Way’ has become an out-and-proud declarative stance for countless LGBTQ people.”
The Mother Monster showed up in person to accept the honor, and told the crowd, “You’ve been the [bleeping] key to my heart for a long time. I’ll honor this and I’ll cherish this, and I promise that I’ll always be here for this day…to celebrate with you. To feel joy with you, to cry with you, to laugh with you. Because you know what we are? We’re poets and we’re just talking to each other.” (WeHo Times)
Gwen Stefani is all in on Las Vegas — and she’s returning to resume her long-delayed residency on the Strip.
The blonde bombshell was forced to abandon her “Just a Girl” show early last year due to the pandemic. She’ll pick up where she left off, at the Zappos Theater, for a string of dates running from October 22nd through November 9th.
Gwen initially started her hugely-popular residency back in 2018. At the time, she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal “The staircase, the old-style props where everything has glitter, the feathers and showgirls, is definitely me trying to be everything I love about Vegas and putting a modern song to it.”
Taylor Swift is only 31, but she’s already an “Icon” when it comes to songwriting.
Taylor will receive the Songwriter Icon Award at the virtual annual meeting of the National Music Publisher’s Association on June 9.  The organization notes that “no one is more influential when it comes to writing music today.”
In the last year alone, Taylor became the first woman ever to release three new number-one albums. They include the lockdown releases folklore and evermore, as well as Fearless (Taylor’s Version), the first of six planned re-recordings of her back catalog.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Monday, May 24

May 24, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
Over the past couple years, the parents of Sithiya Reshmee and Farah Bahr of Arlington, Virginia, lost their jobs. Both high school seniors, Sithiya and Farah have plans to go to college — but money became an obstacle.
So, the girls stepped up and solved the problem by starting a candy business.
Funny thing is, though, neither girl knew anything about making candy. They learned by trial and error, admitting that their first batch of chocolate covered strawberries was “not good.”
They also learned how to package their products by watching videos on TikTok.
One year into their adventure, things seem to be working out. Their company — F&R Sweets — is rolling and they’re selling plenty of candy, including their best seller, the cocoa bomb.
Along with attending school and keeping up with homework, Sithiya and Farah have earned enough money to help their families — and plan to continue their hard work, both at school and in business. (CBS News)

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The Daily Dish – Monday, May 24

May 24, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Former BBC reporter Martin Bashir has apologized for his controversial 1995 interview with Princess Diana.
He also admitted to committing fraud to secure the sitdown, during which Diana revealed that Prince Charles was having an affair, but Bashir denies the interview had any effect on the Princess.
Her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, blame the BBC and the interview for their mother’s death.
But Bashir insists that Diana was fine with the interview. He tells The Sunday Times, “Everything we did in terms of the interview was as she wanted, from when she wanted to alert the palace, to when it was broadcast, to its contents.” He adds, “Obviously I regret it, it was wrong. But it had no bearing on anything. It had no bearing on [Diana], it had no bearing on the interview.”
Bashir says he and Diana became friends following the broadcast.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are no longer hiding their renewed romance.
The two were photographed hanging out in Miami after Ben arrived at the airport in Miami carrying a small duffel bag on Saturday.
According to TMZ, the actor “later surfaced at a waterfront mansion J Lo was at,” and Ben was seen on the balcony for a smoke…”facing out towards the cameras, without trying to mask anything.”
Eventually, they  walked down a flight of stairs together in front of the paparazzi — and Jen “flashed a big smile” for the cameras.
Since reuniting, Bennifer 2.0 have hung out in Los Angeles and Big Sky, Montana.
That ’70s Show star Danny Masterson will stand trial for allegedly raping three women between 2001 and 2003.
A judge made the decision Friday following three days of testimony from the women.
Masterson has been charged with three counts of rape by force or fear, which could land him up to 45 years in prison.
The actor, who has pleaded not guilty, will remain free on $3.3 million bail and is set to return to court on June 7th for arraignment.

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The Coast Social Network with Cornerstone Alliance – Monday, May 24

May 24, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Cornerstone Alliance, The Coast Social Network

Jessica from Cornerstone Alliance joins Zack to profile the exciting expansion of local concrete supplier Bos Concrete, LLC as they continue building their new plant in Sodus. Apply for open positions at bosconcrete.com, and get more information on how Cornerstone can help your business grow at gomichigan.com!
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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Monday, May 24

May 24, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • BROTHER’S DAY – Your brother may have tormented you as a child and, on at least one occasion, locked you in a room filled with snakes or farts, but today we celebrate him anyway. DID YOU KNOW?… 80 percent of Americans have at least one brother or sister.
  • SCAVENGER HUNT DAY – Invented in the 1930s by a New York socialite named Elsa Maxwell; she created them as a party gag for the rich and famous. ‘Hunters’ would go out in search of crazy and sometimes illegal experiences like ‘punching a cop in the face’ or ‘terrorizing goats’ at a petting zoo. These days, people search for random stuff like acorns, feathers and other boring crap in the backyard.
  • NATIONAL ESCARGOT DAY – ‘Escargot’ (ESS-car-go) is the French word for “snail.” It’s also what they call it when you cook shelled snails with garlic, butter and wine. They’re a great source of protein, iron and magnesium – but first, you gotta get over the fact you’re eating snails.
Want a date? Get a shot. A survey found that more than 50% of Gen Zers will only go on dates with people who have been vaccinated. And Tinder wants to help with that. They’ve teamed up with the White House to help members find a vaccination site near them. Members can also add stickers to their profile like “I’m Vaccinated” or “Vaccines Save Lives.” And from June 2nd through July 4th, members who add a sticker to their profile will get a free Super Like. Other dating apps, including Bumble, Hinge, Match, OKCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, and Badoo are also participating in the vaccine promotion. (Tech Crunch)
Lots of people plan to get in touch with nature this summer. According to a new survey, being inside for so long has people yearning to spend some time in the great outdoors. So where is everyone going? 51% said they want to drive to the nearest lake or river, 49% want to go to a national monument, and 47% want to visit a state park. And — no surprise — camping (41%), swimming (40%), and fishing (38%) were the top things people wanted to do.
And, no, you’re not the only one sweating more than usual. In much of the country, May is feeling like July or August. Almost a month before official summer, over a dozen heat records are being set. Record temps are moving south for today and tomorrow. We could be seeing our first 100 degree reading of the year in Georgia. And then by the middle part of the week, the high-temp records move up to the northeast. 70 percent of the west is covered in drought – the driest it’s been in 127 years.

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Music News – Monday, May 24

May 24, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Making up, at least partially, for his Grammy Awards snub earlier this year, The Weeknd was the big winner at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards in L.A. with 10 trophies.
The singer should be able to console himself with the fact that the Billboards are based on hard numbers and not voters’ whims, and that he walked away with such honors as Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top R-&-B Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist and Top Hot 100 Song, Top R-&-B Song and Top Radio Song for “Blinding Lights.”
Other multiple winners included Coast artists Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga.
But the show was really about the performances — over a dozen of them — including hits medleys from Icon Award winner Pink, Alicia Keys, Duran Duran and Jonas Brothers, featuring Marshmello.
A number of artists brought family members with them, including Pink, who performed “Cover Me in Sunshine” in the air with her nine-year-old daughter, Willow. Former First Lady Michelle Obama introduced Alicia Keys’s special performance. And Jon Bon Jovi presented Pink with her Icon Award. The show aired live on NBC last night, hosted by Nick Jonas.
Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles top the Times of London‘s annual list of “wealthiest young musicians” in the U.K. and Ireland.
Ed, who’ll age out of the 30-and-under list next year, ran away with the title thanks to a fortune of $311 million. It’s a long way back to Harry, who’s “only” worth $106 million. Harry’s former One Direction mates Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne landed at fourth, fifth and sixth, with Little Mix breaking up a clean sweep with their third-place finish.
Though those numbers are pretty good, they don’t compare to the older generation on the overall list — topped by Paul McCartney, who’s worth a cool $1.1 billion dollars. Yes, with a B.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Friday, May 21

May 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
The Utah Jazz basketball team is getting ready for the playoffs.
With a few days off, the team did something special that touched the lives of 30 high school students, awarding them full-ride, four-year college scholarships.
Hundreds of students applied and there was a special focus on kids who needed a financial boost to make college happen. The scholarships could really have a life-changing impact, as 90% of the awards went to first-generation college students.
And everything was made even more special as players on the team — such as Donovan Mitchel and Joe Ingles — were the ones contacting the students to share the good news. (NBA)

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The Daily Dish – Friday, May 21

May 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Prince William and Prince Harry have both condemned the BBC after the network admitted it engaged in “deceitful behavior” to secure that now infamous 1995 TV interview with Princess Diana.
William said, “The deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said,” and he even blamed it for ending his parents’ marriage. William added, “BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.”
Prince Harry blasted the BBC as well as all British media, saying, “The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.”
An official BBC inquiry recently found that journalist Martin Bashir used “deceitful methods,” including false documents and trickery, to gain access to the Princess for his  interview. During the controversial sit-down, Diana famously said that “there were three of us in this marriage,” referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay praised the 11-year-old Florida girl, who thwarted a kidnapping.
Police nabbed the culprit. Jared Paul Stanga was easily identifiable. Sheriff Chip Simmons said (quote) “When we caught him, the suspect had blue slime all over his arms.”
Earlier this week, Alyssa Bonal fought off the knife-wielding attack. Then smeared him with homemade blue slime that she’d been playing with. Her mother explained (quote) “We regularly watch Law & Order: SVU. She knew to leave some sort of evidence behind.”
Mariska Hargitay praised Alyssa’s courage on Instagram (quote) “I am so relieved and grateful to know that you are safe. You are one brave, strong and smart young woman.” (Today Show)
Jennifer Lopez returned this week to Los Angeles after a business trip to Miami.
All the sources agree that it’s only a matter of time before Ben Affleck and J-Lo become “Instagram Official.” They’ve discussed when to make public this rebound romance. One of their friends suggested (quote) “They’ve fallen for each other again in a very intense way. Likely a month or two, they’ll step out hand-in-hand at a restaurant.”
Another source said Bennifer doesn’t want to jinx what they have by labeling it (quote) “They’re going with the flow and making plans to meet up as often as possible. They really like this low-key, romantic and sexy vibe they’ve got going on.” (Us Weekly)
Leah Remini shed tears of joy on Thursday. She received an acceptance letter from NYU. At age 51, Leah Remini will join the incoming class of 2025.
Remini, who was raised in a Scientology family, never received a formal education beyond the 8th grade. She explained on Instagram (quote) “For someone like me — a person who desperately wanted a higher education and options in my life — coming from a cult and a family who didn’t value an education — this is a very big day for me.”
Eight years ago, Remini bolted from Scientology and has ever since tried to expose it as a cult. (E! News)

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