*Mornings Archives

Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Friday, July 23

July 23, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
Today is:
  • National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
  • International Yada, Yada, Yada Day: Feel free to skim over important (and unimportant) details by saying ‘Yada, yada, yada’ instead; just like they did in that famous ’Seinfeld’ episode.
  • Gorgeous Grandma Day: A day to celebrate women of a certain age.
Ever wonder how to get a bear out of your car? Some guy on TikTok found one trapped in his Nissan so, of course, he made a video out of it. Once he pried the door open, the black bear just stood there for a while until him and his buddy scared it away. The car’s interior was totaled but his video has got 20 million views, and in our new economy of likes and shares, isn’t that what truly matters?
What if the universe was shaped like a giant donut? A group of astrophysicists now believe the universe may not be a flat planet after all. They studied leftover light from the Big Bang and determined the universe is actually shaped more like a glazed Krispy Kreme (and we’re the cream filling). The theory would suggest the universe was no longer infinite (or they could just be completely wrong).
Get ready to pay more for everything from soap to ice cream. Unilever says it’s struggling to keep up with rising inflation so they’re gonna start charging extra for stuff like Dove soap, Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Ben & Jerry’s. They already raised their prices in the spring.
Is your savings account looking a little sad? You’re not alone. A new poll finds more than half of us have less than three months of savings stashed away. Millennials are hurting the most with nearly 60-percent admitting they have little to no savings.
Seinfeld fans! The show now lives on in Lego form. A fan created a mini replica of Jerry’s apartment in honor of the sitcom’s 30th anniversary (2 years ago). It’s pretty accurate with Jerry’s green couch and apartment door. Lego loved it so much they’re gonna sell the set online starting August 1st.

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Music News – Friday, July 23

July 23, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Never got to see WHITNEY HOUSTON in concert?  Well, now’s your chance . . . SORTA.
A Hologram of Whitney is doing a residency at Harrah’s casino in Las Vegas this fall called “An Evening with Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Concert”.  Holo-Whitney will sing in the real Whitney’s actual voice, accompanied by a LIVE four-piece band, back-up singers, AND dancers.
While this seems like a cash grab from her estate, Whitney’s former manager and CEO of her estate, Pat Houston, claims they talked about the concept of her as a hologram before she passed away.
She added, quote, “‘An Evening With Whitney’ is another chance for us to relive and celebrate the talent that we were so lucky to receive for more than three decades.”
You can get tickets at 10 a.m. TODAY at Ticketmaster or WhitneyVegas.com.  It opens on October 26th at the Harrah’s casino.  (Forbes)
LIVE NATION is celebrating the “Return to Live” music by offering fans the chance to score $20 concert tickets.  Yes, this includes taxes AND fees.
There will be almost 1,000 shows to choose from, at Live Nation venues across the country.  Tickets go on sale to the public on Wednesday at LiveNation.com.
BUT if you have T-Mobile or Sprint, you will have the chance to score them a day before through the “T-Mobile Tuesdays” app.
Here are of some of the artists that will be participating:
  • Jonas Brothers.
  • Alice Cooper.
  • The Doobie Brothers.
  • The Black Crowes.
  • Maroon 5.
  • KISS.
  • Daryl Hall & John Oates.
  • Alanis Morissette.
  • Luke Bryan.
  • Pitbull.
  • Lady A.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Thursday, July 22

July 22, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
Lillian Cedoz is 12 years old and has raised hundreds of dollars for charity with her lemonade stand.
A few years ago, she started the stand and donated the money to a sea turtle rescue in Florida. This year, all the proceeds are going to the Toledo Animal Shelter.
This project involves her entire family, with her parents helping her set up the shop, squeezing the lemons and baking lemon bars. But, the idea is all her own.
Her father, of course, is proud of her — and describes her efforts as “her attempt at a lemonade takeover.”
And there are already plans in place for Lillian to continue selling lemonade and other sweet treats next summer and beyond, all with the goal of raising money for animals in need. (WTOL-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Thursday, July 22

July 22, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Lorne Michaels and Bette Midler are among the five honorees who will receive the 44th Kennedy Center Honors for their lifetime artistic achievements.
The honorees, who also include opera singer Justino Díaz, Motown founder Berry Gordy and singer Joni Mitchell, will be celebrated on December 5th on CBS.
Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter said, “This year’s honorees represent the unifying power of the arts and surely remind us of that which binds us together as human beings. These artists are equal parts genius, inspiration and entertainment.”
The bad blood between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel continues.
Last month Vin Diesel talked about the tension between the two action stars on the set of the Fast & Furious, saying he had to give his co-stars “a lot of tough love.”
Now The Rock has addressed the comment, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I laughed and I laughed hard. I think everyone had a laugh at that. And I’ll leave it at that. And that I’ve wished them well. I wish them well on Fast 9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.”
The two have been publicly feuding ever since The Rock called some of his unnamed male costars “candy a**es.”
It’s been rumored that he was referring to Diesel for being difficult to work with.
Harvey Weinstein was back in a courtroom on Wednesday.
Weinstein, who was in a brown prison jumpsuit and a wheelchair, appeared in person for the hearing, where the pleaded not guilty.
The disgraced producer had been extradited from New York to California to face 11 more charges of sexual assault.
According to TMZ, he’ll “remain in the custody of L.A. authorities while the case is pending. If it ends up going to trial — which it appears it will at this point — that could mean he’ll be here for a long time.”

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Thursday, July 22

July 22, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • Hammock Day
  • Mango Day
No surprise – lots of workers think meetings, whether virtual or in-person, are a waste of time. A new SurveyMonkey poll found that 32% of employees find themselves thinking, “This meeting could have been an email” all or most of the time.
When you think about all the time you spend working, do you include your commute?  It is time that you’re giving up for your job . . . and usually you’re not paid for it, unless it’s specifically PART of the gig. A recent poll asked people if they thought that those hours should count toward a person’s working hours . . . and the results were split.
41% said it SHOULD count . . . 41% said it shouldn’t . . . and 18% didn’t know.
But there are problems with commutes being paid time as a rule.  For one, it might make it harder to find a job if you live in a remote area, or WANT a job closer to your family or a school. And it would be frustrating to lose out on a dream job, just because another applicant lives closer. So the likelihood of it happening en mass is probably pretty low.
As bars and clubs open up again and dating life is returning to normal, we’re reminded that some of the things that are also getting back to normal are people bugging you for your phone number – when you don’t want to give it to them. If saying no doesn’t seem to work, here are some numbers you can give out to get you out of the situation. Fake numbers are one way to do it, but these rejection hotlines will definitely send the message that the person was being a creeper …
  • 719-26-OATES: It’s the Callin’ Oates hotline, where you can listen to a Hall & Oates song

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Music News – Thursday, July 22

July 22, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Since all of America’s other problems have been solved, congress has turned its attention to the most important issue around — Britney Spears‘ conservatorship.
On Tuesday, Democrat Charlie Crist and Republican Nancy Mace introduced what they’re calling “The Free Britney Act,” which is designed to give more options to people placed under conservatorships. While the act is far-reaching and would apply to people across the country, both legislators agreed that their move was spurred by seeing Britney’s tearful court testimony last month.
The proposed act seeks at least $260 million in grant funds for states to hire caseworkers or conservators. Mace, who represents South Carolina in the House, said “Her situation is a nightmare, and if it can happen to Britney Spears, it can happen to anyone in this country.”  (KTLA)
Back in the early 2000s, the idea would have been sheer lunacy, but now, Backstreet Boys say they’re open to doing a joint tour with *NSYNC one day.
Speaking to PEOPLE (The TV Show!), Backstreet’s Nick Carter said of the proposed pairing, “I think it would just be good for the nostalgic side of it, for the fans, if we did something like that.”  AJ McLean chimed in, “The fans would lose their mind[s].”
Nick explains, “What’s happening now is that we are realizing that we’re the only ones that have gone through what we have together, and we relate to one another. It was a place in time, and our lives were very parallel. So, all this unity and coming together and all this love, it’s really cool.”
The comments come after AJ teamed with *NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Joey Fatone for a charity event last month, and after Joey, AJ and Nick — along with Boyz II Men‘s Wanya Morris — announced a four-night engagement in Las Vegas.
Around the time of the charity event last month, AJ told People that the two groups’ supposed “feud” had been “fabricated,” and added, “Just to be able to do something like this together hopefully squashes all that crap that was never true in the first place.”
As previously reported, Backstreet have scheduled a 12-night Very Backstreet Christmas Party residency show in Las Vegas later this year.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Wednesday, July 21

July 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
Amir Durrani and his wife were flying out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for their honeymoon to Guam.
After passing through the airport’s TSA checkpoint, the couple decided to grab some coffee. But when they got to the coffee shop, something was wrong … The newlywed bride realized that the diamond was missing from her engagement ring.
The couple scrambled back to the checkpoint. The TSA staff did the best they could to find the diamond. No luck. It seemed that the diamond was lost forever.
Just five hours later, though, TSA Officer John Killian was standing at his supervisors’ podium and saw a sparkle. Sure enough. It was the diamond, on the floor, between the metal detector and the X-ray machine.
When Amir and his wife landed, there was a text message and voicemail announcing the good news.
Amir explained that their trip “went from a chaotic moment to one at peace,” all thanks to helpful TSA agents and one eagle-eyed supervisor who, literally, found a diamond in the rough. (WPIX-TV)

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The Daily Dish – Wednesday, July 21

July 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
When Jennifer Lopez appeared on the Today show Tuesday, she wasn’t interested in talking about Ben Affleck.
Host Hoda Kotb tried to get the star to spill the tea on her renewed romance with the actor, but J-Lo wouldn’t take the bait.
Hoda said, “You look happier. Look, I just have to tell you, every time I see a picture of you and Ben, I’m like, ‘She looks happier, she looks happier.’ Are we happier?”
Jen avoided any Ben reference, saying, “I’m always happy when I see you Hoda.”
Jen did talk about her song with Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Love Makes the World Go Round,” which has been re-released to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.
Tarek El Moussa flipped out on his ex-wife, Christina Haack, on the set of their HGTV series Flip or Flop.
According to TMZ, Tarek went nuts last Wednesday because he “didn’t like the way she signaled to him that she and the crew were ready to begin shooting.”
Tarek berated his ex, allegedly telling Christina that his fiancee, Heather Rae Young, is hotter and richer than she is.
According to sources, Tarek boasted that he “made” Christina, called her a “washed-up loser,” and said he enjoys watching her fail.
Tarek reportedly yelled, “Look at me, look at me, look at me. It’s called winning.” He ended things by screaming, “The world knows you’re crazy!”
After the incident, they shot their scenes separately.
He’s supposedly angry at Christina for admitting to smoking toad venom, which has him worried for the safety of their two children.
According to sources, this isn’t the first time Tarek went on a tirade against Christina on set.
Harvey Weinstein is on the move.
The disgraced producer, who’s serving a 23-year sentence in New York for rape and sexual assault, was extradited on Tuesday to California, where he faces 11 charges, including rape and sexual battery. If convicted, he faces up to 140 more years behind bars.
Regardless of the California case, Weinstein, 69, will have to return to New York to serve the rest of his sentence there.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Mark Werksman says he’s “disappointed that the court didn’t allow to give time for the court to rule on our habeas petition.”
Weinstein will be arraigned on an indictment in California Wednesday.

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The Coast Social Network with Berrien Community Foundation – Wednesday, July 21

July 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Berrien Community Foundation, Blogs, The Coast Social Network

Zack is joined by Susan from Berrien Community Foundation to talk about the William J. Deputy Grant Winners for 2021, featuring Chikaming Township represented by David Bunte, and the Village of Michiana represented by Joann Fischer. Find out how you can leave a lasting legacy in your community with Berrien Community Foundation at berriencommunity.org.... [Read Full Story]

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Wednesday, July 21

July 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • National Hot Dog Day
  • Junk Food Day
Speaking of junk food … Apparently Cinnamon Toast Crunch Popcorn is now a thing. The 20-ounce bag of popcorn, which is seasoned with “Cinnadust” is available exclusively at Sam’s Club. (People)
What would you do with $100 million? You may have heard that, yesterday, after his space jaunt, Jeff Bezos announced he would be giving $100 million each to Van Jones, founder of Dream Corps, and chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen to “direct to the charities of their choice as they see fit.” He added, “No bureaucracy, no committees. They just do what they want. They can give it all to their own charity or they can share the wealth. It’s up to them.” Jones and Andres are the first two recipients of Bezos’ new Courage and Civility Award, which “recognizes leaders who aim high and who pursue solutions with courage and who always do so with civility.” (Market Watch)
What do you wish you had learned in college? A survey by Experian Boost found that 81% of respondents said they wish they were taught more life skills in college. Among those skills they wish they had learned — how to invest, how to budget, long-term financial planning, and how to manage their student loan debt. And then there were the more basic life skills … 17% of the college grads surveyed said they still don’t know how to cook or do their own laundry. 26% said they can’t do basic home maintenance — like unclogging a toilet or resetting a Wi-Fi router.
Maybe that’s why, according to the survey, 30% of recent college grads moved back in with their parents.
What motto do you live by? Actor Jaren Lewison, who plays Ben on the Netflix hit Never Have I Ever has a life motto he live by: “Remember the feeling.”
“It’s been a motto on my dad’s side [of the family] for as long as I can remember,” Lewison said in an interview with Elite Daily. “Basically, it means to remember to cherish each and every moment — whether you’re eating an ice cream you love, or filming the [Never Have I Ever] Season 2 finale and feeling an unbelievable amount of gratitude and joy. Because sometimes we’re moving so quickly that we don’t stop and remember how lucky we are.” Seems like a pretty great motto to live by.

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Music News – Wednesday, July 21

July 21, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are both eager to add a baby to their family — and they’re reportedly looking into bringing a surrogate mother into the picture to make that happen.
A source close to the couple tells Hollywood Life that Gwen’s been wanting another child for a long time, but she realizes that, at age 51, she’s not likely to do that the old-fashioned way. The insider says, “Gwen and Blake are exploring all options to have a baby. They’re very open to surrogacy and that is what they are honing in on if they do decide to do this. Because of Gwen’s age, they know that it will be difficult to happen naturally but they want a baby together. If they do make this happen, it will be sooner than later. They’ve had serious discussions with medical professionals to move forward with the whole process.”
Gwen has three sons, ranging from seven to 16 years old, with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale.
Coldplay will release its ninth album, Music of the Spheres, on October 15th.
Max Martin, who’s produced and written number-one hits for The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson, produced the album.
Their new single, “Coloratura,” drops Friday, along with another single in September. The band also released a trailer for the album, which is on YouTube now.
Prince’s right hand woman, Sheila E., is the first woman voted into the Modern Drummer Magazine’s hall of fame. She’s on the cover this month. The honor is inspiring her to look back on some of her greatest hits. The 63-year-told us the first time she heard “Glamorous Life” on the radio, she got in a car accident. You can check out Sheila’ series ‘Roots of Latin Jazz’ airing and streaming now on PBS stations.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Tuesday, July 20

July 20, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
Earlier this month, 31-year-old Dusty Campbell strapped on his rollerblades in Jackson, Wyoming, and started skating toward Salt Lake City, Utah — all with the aim of raising money for charity.
47 hours — and 285 miles later — he arrived in Salt Lake City, where he was greeted by supporters and his dog, Koa.
And along the way, he was able to raise more than $15,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity that helps veterans recover from mental and physical injuries.
Amazingly, Dusty rollerbladed through two nights, resting only for three 30-minute naps.
He admitted that the stunt was harder than he imagined, explaining that none of the prep work he did could have prepared him for the real deal. But, Dusty completed the feat because he believed in his cause, offering a message on social media that said, “You gotta have your ‘why.’” (East Idaho News)

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The Daily Dish – Tuesday, July 20

July 20, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Prince Harry is ready to share more of his truth.
The Duke of Sussex has signed a deal to publish a memoir detailing his upbringing.
Penguin Random House describes the memoir as “the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.” Proceeds will go to charity.
Harry says the memoir, which will be published late next year, is being written from the perspective of “the man I have become,” rather than the royal title he was born into.
He added, “I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story — the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.”
Harry adds that he’s excited to share the things he’s learned over his life and promised his book to be a “firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are getting divorced, but they’re still taking family trips together.
According to Page Six, Kim flew from New York to San Francisco late Friday to meet with her estranged husband and their four children. The family had breakfast Saturday morning before heading to the Asian Art Museum.
A source said, “They are getting along great, and it was their first public outing together as a family, reconfirming that they are in lockstep when it comes to co-parenting and putting their kids first.”
KENAN THOMPSON is the longest standing cast member on “Saturday Night Live” EVER, with 18 seasons.  And he plans to keep going indefinitely.
Kenan said, quote, “I keep saying I’m trying to get to 20 [seasons] . . . I don’t really know what to do at this point, as far as leaving is concerned.  Like, why should I ever have to leave?”
The only way he’d leave is if he felt he was taking up someone else’s spot or if he got FIRED.
So we can pretty much count on seeing Kenan this fall.  Can’t say the same for others like PETE DAVIDSON, KATE MCKINNON, or CECILY STRONG, who have yet to confirm their future on the show.

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Tuesday, July 20

July 20, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • National Moon Day: Commemorates the day man first walked on the moon. On July 20th, 1969, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon. Armstrong, who took the first step on the lunar surface, famously described the event as “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
  • National Lollipop Day
  • International Chess Day
What do you and family argue about the most? A survey found that the average household has 21 disagreements a week, with most arguments over trivial things. According to the survey, these are the Top 10 Most Common Family Arguments:
  1. Someone leaving all the lights on when they aren’t in the room
  2. Someone leaving shoes in the middle of the floor/ in the doorway
  3. Messy bedrooms
  4. Someone not doing their fair share of the chores
  5. Not changing the empty toilet roll when the last of it is used
  6. When the heating/air should come on
  7. Squeezing trash into an already full trash can rather than emptying it first
  8. Leaving dirty laundry on the floor
  9. Someone leaving plates and glasses in their bedroom
  10. Leaving dishes in the sink rather than just washing them
Thinking about selling your home? You may want to change the color of your walls. A new survey from Zillow says buyers would pay almost $5,000 more for a home with a bathroom painted sky blue. Bedrooms in a “moody dark blue” could take in $1,500 more. But stay away from trendy colors. A kitchen painted mint green could shave about $1,800 off the price.
We’re in the thick of summer, so a gas company recently commissioned a study to determine what a “typical” road trip looks like. After consulting 2,000 people, the typical road trip lasts just under four hours . . . covers 150 miles . . . features FOUR people . . . who play TWO travel games . . . and who, on average, hear FOUR cries of “Are we there yet?” Families have on average TWO arguments, which involve things like:  Windows being open or closed . . . who sits where . . . and who ate the snacks. A total of SIX snacks are consumed . . . with the most popular being sandwiches . . . chips . . . and sweet stuff. 41% love listening to the radio, and the typical road trip has about 40 songs.  Some favorites include “Dancing Queen” by ABBA . . . “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi . . . “Happy” by Pharrell . . . and “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. Pit stops last roughly 17 minutes  . . . and we usually go on EIGHT road trips like these per year.

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Music News – Tuesday, July 20

July 20, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
The new lawyer for Britney Spears was back in court on Monday.
Afterward, outside the Los Angeles courthouse, Mathew Rosengart held a brief press conference. He could not provide a timetable for Britney’s freedom but said, (quote) “My firm and I are moving aggressively and expeditiously to file a petition to remove Jamie Spears — unless he resigns first.”
Rosengart thanked the #FreeBritney crowd for their support, which has been “overwhelming from coast to coast and literally throughout the world.”
Proceedings in Monday’s hearing are kept confidential but it was expected to focus on the need for bodyguards to protect Britney’s legal personal guardian, Jodi Montgomery. She asked Jamie Spears to allow the conservatorship to pay for 24-hour security due to death threats. But last week, dad denied that request. (E! News)
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett will close the book on their musical partnership next month with two final shows at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
The two Big Apple natives, who started their unlikely friendship with the Grammy-winning 2014 album Cheek to Cheek, will play the historic venue on August 3rd and 5th. The shows, which will feature a big band and orchestra, are likely to be Bennett’s live swan song, since he is 95 years old, and went public with his dementia diagnosis earlier this year.
Don’t expect to see much footage from the shows online: No phones or other devices will be allowed into Radio City, and attendants will collect them at the door, placing them in lobby lockbox stations. (Variety)
What did a year with no live gigs do to the fortunes of pop’s biggest stars?  Well, they definitely took a hit, but for a lucky few, the money kept rolling in thanks to streaming royalties and physical sales of their music.
The queen of all that was Taylor Swift, who returned to the number-one spot on Billboard‘s ranking of the highest-paid musicians of 2020 in the U.S.,  even though her income in 2020 dropped to “only” $23.8 million.  By comparison, the last time she was on the list, in 2018, her income was $99.6 million.
Taylor topped the chart based almost solely on sales of her albums folklore and evermore — physical and digital sales, plus streaming.  Billboard notes that because Taylor owns her masters, she gets 46% of the money they generate, compared with the 33% a top artist usually earns.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Monday, July 19

July 19, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
About a year ago, just before her seventh birthday, eight-year-old Cate Brossia spent four days at a children’s hospital in Toledo, Ohio. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and — thanks to the staff at the hospital — has been able to get the treatment she needs to stay as healthy as possible.
When Cate was in the hospital, the staff also threw her a birthday party with cake and toys.
She hasn’t forgotten that kind gesture and was recently able to give back by donating hundreds of toys, for kids of all ages, including parents, to that hospital.
Cate and her mother, Alicia, collected donations from the community and were able to unload a truck full of these toys at the hospital’s main entrance.
Cate’s doctor pointed out that many children come to the hospital in an emergency and aren’t able to bring things that comfort them.
Thanks to Cate’s generous donation, these kids now have something “fun and friendly” while they are treated. (Toledo Blade)

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The Daily Dish – Monday, July 19

July 19, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
Britney Spears blasted her father, her sister and her critics in a profanity-laced Instagram post over the weekend.
Brit said the court-ordered conservatorship, headed by her father Jamie Spears, has “killed my dreams.“ She also attacked people who criticized the dance videos she posts and claimed that she won’t be performing live again. “For those of you who choose to criticize my dancing videos … look I’m not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think!!!! I’ve done that for the past 13 years.”
She also took issue with her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, and documentaries about her, writing, “I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes!!!!!”
She added, “I didn’t like the way the documentaries bring up humiliating moments from the past.”
She ended the post by telling people that if they don’t like her videos, they should read a book.
Bill Cosby is a free man, but is he also a single man?
Speculation began after his wife of 57 years, Camille, was seen in New York City without her wedding ring.
Camille has stood by her man ever since he was accused of sexual assaulting dozens of women and even greeted her husband when he was released from a Pennsylvania state prison last month. So when her ring finger was bare, eyebrows were raised.
But Cosby’s rep, Andrew Wyatt, tells TMZ the Cosbys are still very much a couple. “I know many people who don’t wear rings and they haven’t worn them in 30 years. It’s hilarious because Mr. & Mrs. Cosby have been happily married for 57 years and counting.”
On the “Office Ladies” podcast, JENNA FISCHER said she played MATT LEBLANC’s wife on the pilot episode of “Man with a Plan”.  But she was recast after the episode went through audience testing.
The audience apparently couldn’t separate Jenna from her Pam character on “The Office”, and they still thought of Matt as Joey on “Friends”.
Jenna said, quote, “They said, this is a literal quote, ‘I don’t believe Pam would marry Joey . . . the chemistry doesn’t work between these two.”
The worst part was she didn’t find out until RIGHT BEFORE she was heading to New York to unveil the show to the public.
Jenna said her rep called her.  Quote, “They said, ‘It’s getting picked up, but without you.’  And I was like, ‘Wow, I guess I’ll unpack my suitcase’.”
Her character was replaced with Liza Snyder and the show ran for four seasons.

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Coffee Talk from Honor Credit Union – Monday, July 19

July 19, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Coffee Talk
TODAY IS:
  • National Daquiri Day
  • National Get Out of the Doghouse Day
Yet another reason to avoid a public wedding proposal … especially not one at a baseball stadium. A man in the stands at Polar Park for a Worcester Red Sox minor league game was introduced to the crowd as he got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend. Only problem? She was clearly not ready and ran off. Oof. Naturally, the video was shared on social media, where spectators can be heard saying, “Oh my god.” (Independent)
The idea of a four-day workweek is really popular … On the heels of that research from Iceland showing that employees working a four-day workweek were happier and just as productive, a new YouGov poll found that 67% of Americans said they would prefer a four-day workweek with 10-hour days. Just 21% said they preferred a five-day workweek with 8-hour days. 12% said they didn’t know.
Cheers to this! A study from Iowa State University found that having wine – particularly red wine — and cheese every day can prevent Alzheimer’s. Of course, moderation is key.
Kids seem to have a superpower for finding all the goodies you’ve stashed in the back of the cupboard, so Oreo is helping you take things to the next level.
They’ve just announced a new “Protection Program,” designed to hide Oreo Thins from your family using camouflaged packaging.  They still say “Oreo Thins” on the front, but the sides look different, so you can stack them wherever you’d want to hide them:  The cupboard, the freezer, the closet, or in the car.
The spines make the Oreos look like:  A cookbook . . . a package of frozen vegetables . . . a pack of t-shirts . . . and a car owner’s manual.  For now, they’re only available through an online sweepstakes.  The deadline is Friday.

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Music News – Monday, July 19

July 19, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Music News Podcast
Britney Spears blasted her father, her sister and her critics in a profanity-laced Instagram post over the weekend.
Brit said the court-ordered conservatorship, headed by her father Jamie Spears, has “killed my dreams.“ She also attacked people who criticized the dance videos she posts and claimed that she won’t be performing live again. “For those of you who choose to criticize my dancing videos … look I’m not gonna be performing on any stages anytime soon with my dad handling what I wear, say, do, or think!!!! I’ve done that for the past 13 years.”
She also took issue with her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, and documentaries about her, writing, “I don’t like that my sister showed up at an awards show and performed MY SONGS to remixes!!!!!”
She added, “I didn’t like the way the documentaries bring up humiliating moments from the past.”
She ended the post by telling people that if they don’t like her videos, they should read a book.
Newlyweds Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani performed a pop-up show at the Tishomingo location of his venue Ole Red.
The couple is now back in L.A. while Gwen makes a new album and Blake films the new season of The Voice.
Blake goes back on tour next month.
Adele attended Game Five of the NBA Finals in Phoenix on Saturday with Rich Paul, who manages LeBron James and numerous other basketball stars. Some say that the two are an item.
Those would include ESPN announcer Brian Windhorst, who called Paul Adele’s “boyfriend” in his post-game podcast, and the website of the British tabloid The Daily Mail, whose lengthy photo spread included nothing that would stand up as evidence of a physical relationship between the two, but certainly shows that they sat next to each other.
In other Adele news, The Daily Mail also reports that she’s purchased a third house in Hidden Hills, California abutting the two she already had there, which makes her compound quite a bit bigger than those owned by such neighbors as Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Lawrence and Zoe Saldana.

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The Happy Headline of the Day – Friday, July 16

July 16, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, Happy Headline of the Day
A little boy cooped up in isolation after cancer treatment found a way to make friends – with Post-It notes.
Five-year-old Meyer Mixdorf was recovering from a stem cell transplant in a hospital in Kansas City, and to cheer him up, his mom, Liz, made a smiley face on his window using sticky notes. The next morning, there was another smiley face in a window across the street.
The back-and-forth continued with more and more elaborate designs, like Mario characters and Angry Birds. It turns out that Meyer’s new friend was Johnna Schindlbeck, an employee at a different medical center. Eventually the Mixdorfs, Johnna and some of her co-workers began watching out for each other and waving when they were creating new Post-It artwork. And once Meyer was healthy enough to go outside, the Mixdorfs headed right across the street to meet his new friends.
Liz says when they got to Johnna’s floor, “everybody started crying.” But the best news — Meyer’s latest scan shows no sign of cancer, and he’s headed home soon. (Good Morning America)

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The Daily Dish – Friday, July 16

July 16, 2021 *Mornings, *Podcasts, Blogs, The Daily Dish
ASHTON KUTCHER would have been going on Virgin Galactic’s next mission to space.  But MILA KUNIS stepped in with some reasonable, but downer advice.
Ashton said quote, “When I got married and had kids, my wife basically encouraged that it was not a smart family decision to be heading into space when we have young children.”  The kids are four and six years old.
So, he ended up selling his ticket back to Virgin Galactic.
But Ashton did say at some point he WILL be going to space . . . I’d guess probably when the kids are older.
If you ever wanted Shaquille O’Neal or Melissa McCarthy to tell you the weather, you’re in for a treat. Amazon has added the two stars to its Alexa digital assistant. Starting Thursday, you can have Alexa speak in the voices of Shaq or Melissa, instead of Alexa’s default female voice.
According to Variety, you’ll be able to ask “Shaq or McCarthy to tell them the weather, play songs, tell jokes, read poems or stories, and more (like asking Shaq to rap or soliciting a funny story from McCarthy).”
In a statement, McCarthy said, “That’s right folks, get ready for the vocal stylings of this nasal Midwestern gal! I am so excited to join the Alexa family. It’s been such a fun experience working on this project. I hope you all enjoy all my dad jokes! Fun fact — if you hear a slide whistle, it’s my personal one that I brought with me to the recording studio!”
O’Neal and McCarthy join such Alexa celeb voices as Samuel L. Jackson, Baby Groot and Gordon Ramsay.
Antonio Banderas has joined the cast of Indiana Jones 5.
The actor will star alongside Harrison Ford, who returns as the whip-cracking hero, along with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen and Boyd Holbrook.
No word on who Antonio will play.
Production has been delayed as Harrison recovers from an on-set injury.
Indiana Jones 5 is still set to hit theaters on July 29th, 2022.

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