Today we visit with best selling author Dr. Ian K. Smith about his new book “Beyond Midnight” An Ashe Cayne Novel, Book 5―A Gripping Chicago Mystery of Political Corruption, Deception, and Murder―Get Lost in the Pages of this Captivating Summer Read (An Ashe Cayne Mystery, 5)
AVAILABLE NOW: https://amzn.to/49wXETF
TODAY'S REASON TO PARTY! (special thanks to ListOfNationalDays.com)
Ohio Day
https://punchdrink.com/recipes/ohio-cocktail/
SURVEYS, STUDIES & SUCH
What does it mean to be cool? An international team of researchers claims to have finally defined what makes someone “cool.” The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, analyzed nearly 6,000 people from 12 countries – and found that coolness looks the same around the world. Cool people are seen as more extroverted, adventurous, open, powerful, hedonistic, and independent — traits consistent across cultures. By contrast, “good” people are viewed as kind, calm, and traditional. Co-lead researcher Todd Pezzuti said coolness reflects boundary-pushing and innovation, not just popularity. He pointed to Elon Musk as a prime example, calling him powerful, daring, and autonomous. The researchers say studying coolness helps explain how social status, identity, and influence are shaped in modern culture.
BIG SCREEN-LITTLE SCREEN
Just in time for Halloween, the trailer for “Scream 7” dropped on Thursday, welcoming Neve Campbell back to the franchise as her iconic ‘Sidney Prescott’. Plus, it looks like ‘Ghostface’ is making the slasher flick into another Prescott family affair, as Sid’s husband ‘Mark’, played by Joel McHale, and daughter ‘Tatum’ (Isabel May) find themselves face-to-face with the killer throughout the new teaser. Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown also return. Scream 7 hits theaters on Feb. 27th. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/5x8xajmv
This is certainly going to make the “NCIS” and “NCIS: Origins” crossover even more special: Mark Harmon is reprising his role as ‘Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ in the first hour. CBS announced Harmon’s special guest appearance thusly: “Four years ago, Gibbs disappeared to Alaska to live a life of solitude. We know how much fans have missed seeing Mark and have wondered what Gibbs is up to today. Well, on Nov. 11…Mark Harmon will return as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the…crossover event. We don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say Gibbs is no longer alone.”
Robert Englund, famous for playing ‘Freddy Krueger’ in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” films, will get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today…because of COURSE he’ll get his star on October 31. Filmmaker Eli Roth will be among the speakers at the event. Englund said he remembers his early Hollywood days and used his experiences to make Freddy one of the most famous horror characters ever.
DID YA KNOW!?
A new report from market research firm Circana shows non-chocolate candies are gaining ground, with shoppers reaching for fruity gummies and colorful sweets. Last year, chocolate made up 52% of Halloween candy sales in the US, but that dropped to 44% this year. Among those planning to hand out treats, more than 70% will be giving out packaged candy. Rising cocoa and chocolate costs, driven by poor harvests in Africa have pushed shoppers toward cheaper, non-chocolate options.
JOKE OF THE DAY
(FROM
HEIDI)
SCOOP
OF THE DAY
Last week, we heard that AI chatbots are too persuasive when giving medical advice…and now, a study is warning that turning to AI chatbots for “personal advice” may come with what’s being called “insidious risks.” With chatbots becoming a major source of advice on relationships and other personal issues, researchers found that popular chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Llama often affirm users’ views — even when those views are harmful or misguided. Stanford’s Myra Cheng said this “social sycophancy” can distort people’s self-perception and relationships by reinforcing existing biases. In tests on over 1,000 users, people who received flattering chatbot responses felt more justified in bad behavior and were less open to reconciliation. Chatbots also endorsed user actions 50% more often than humans did. Experts say developers must curb this digital flattery – and users should seek advice from real people, not algorithms.
THE MOVIE QUOTE OF THE DAY
If you have a favorite quote.... you can send it to us at the bottom of the page at JohnAndHeidiShow.com
"Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away." -Hitch (2005), Alex Hitch (Will Smith)
NEWS TO ME
(FROM HEIDI)
FUN
FACT FOR YOU:
Share
this with your friends... they'll think you're really smart!
✓ Adding carrots to concrete makes it stronger (the concrete, not the carrots…).
✓ There are about 200 million insects for every person on Earth.
✓ King Tut was buried with 145 pairs of loincloth underwear.
✓
Booze
was invented before the wheel was.
✓ If you ate a serving of
potato chips each day for a year, you’d consume about 1.5 gallons
(5.7L) of cooking oil.
WEIRD NEWS
A doorbell camera in Alexandria VA captured 3 eerie, costumed figures approaching a home, prompting a police investigation into a possible burglary attempt. Cops issued an appeal for information, and asked nearby residents to check their own security cam footage for any sightings of the suspects. Eventually, it was determined that the 3 people were teenage boys related to the home’s residents, playing a prank. It was also found they had been assisted by 3 adult family members and another child. As harmless as their intentions were, a police spokesperson called it a “a moral failure” that could have led to serious consequences. LINK: https://youtu.be/zbD_N7PyquQ
QUESTION OF THE DAY
23% of people say they do THIS every Halloween. What is it?
Answer: Pretend they aren’t home
SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH HEIDI SMALL
(FROM HEIDI)
THE LIST
NOT THE NEXT BIG THING:
Every so often, a new product hits the market, and people call it ‘The Next Big Thing’. Sometimes they’re right…and sometimes not. Recently, a Reddit user asked: “What was supposed to take off, but never did?” Here are some of the best responses…
➢ Google+ – The invite-only “exclusive club” nobody wanted in on.
➢ Quibi – An app with 8-minute shows…that lasted about 8 weeks.
➢ NFTs – Even now, no one knows what they actually are.
➢ 3D TVs – Everyone saw the ads, no one bought ‘em.
➢ Segway – Promised to change cities; just changed sidewalks.
➢ Crystal Pepsi / Coke Clear – See-through sodas, zero staying power.
➢ Sega Dreamcast – Brilliant console, gone too soon.
➢ Metaverse – Zuckerberg’s billion-dollar empty room.
➢ Juicero – $400 for a machine that squeezed a juice pouch?
➢ Hoverboards – Didn’t hover. But sometimes they exploded.
GOOD NEWS
Buffalo
Principal Gets The Sweetest Surprise Wedding From Her Students
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
