Tuesday 6/20/23
Celebrate:
American Eagle Day
National Cherry Tart Day
National Hike with a Geek Day
National Ice Cream Soda Day
National Vanilla Milkshake Day
New Identity Day
Plain Yogurt Day
World Productivity Day
World Refugee Day
Toad Hollow Day of Thank You - It began in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ralph C. Morrison, who taught at a local community college, had an elderly student named Eunice in his class. One day he was reading a story in a local paper that had profiled her. It mentioned the school she had attended while growing up: Toad Hollow Country School. The name of the 1834 schoolhouse, which once stood at the end of Knox Street in Kalamazoo, resonated with Morrison. Being that he was a storyteller, he began incorporating Toad Hollow into his fictional stories. He turned it into a town, and when people would ask him where it was, and he would tell them, "In your heart."
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With the increase in artificial intelligence, the Grammys came out with a NEW rule that only HUMANS are eligible for awards.
The Academy says, quote, "A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any category."
To be clear, a song CAN still have some A.I. The HUMAN creator just has to have a "meaningful" contribution to the music or lyrics.
Weird Al Yankovic noticed that the abbreviation "A.I." can look like HIS name, "Al" if there aren't any periods . . . and he had some fun with that . . .
He says, quote, "Ugh. I keep telling them . . . I AM human!!!"
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Tom Hanks is sharing the simple secret to grandparenting success.
He says, quote, "You have to make macaroni and cheese . . . just perfectly."
That may seem basic, and it is: Just figure out if they prefer the dry mac-and-cheese mix or the gooey variety . . . and if they prefer it to be sticky, or if they like it to have a more liquid-y consistency. And don't try to get cute by adding any vegetables or fancy stuff like truffles. That won't fly.
Tom also jokes that if you love "those little brats," they're as good as gold.
But Tom's wife Rita Wilson says there are other more ADVANCED levels. For that, she says, "You gotta get on the trampoline with them . . . you gotta get in the pool with them . . . you gotta get on the tennis courts . . . you gotta do all the sports . . . you just gotta hang out."
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Why does it seem like the latest technology is always: 5% cool, 5% useful, and 90% terrifying?
Apple has a new mobile feature in the pipeline called "Personal Voice." It will allow your phone to replicate your voice . . . after only about 15 minutes of reading prompts and training.
Which is cool . . . until you consider: What would you do with this?
Apple says it's meant to make their devices more inclusive for people with disabilities. For example, people with conditions like ALS where they lose their voice over time. This tool could help them by reading typed text aloud during calls, and saving commonly used phrases.
The problem is, this will probably only end up being 1% of how it's actually used, and most likely scammers will be in heaven.
Even more reasons not to answer the phone.
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Last week, we were trapped in the car because a skunk was in the yard between us and the door.
After the joke of - Oh cute..can we keep it?" Finally he scampered off so we could get in the house.
How do we keep Skunks out of the yard?
The Old Farmers Almanac has some tips.
Spray a mixture of castor oil and dish-washing detergent diluted in water. Skunks find the smell offensive. Spray the area at night when the skunk is away foraging.
Probably the best skunk repellent is light. Skunks are nocturnal and their eyes are very light-sensitive. A bright light or a motion sensor flood light will scare skunks away.
Most animals, including skunks, dislike the smell of citrus fruits. Place orange or lemon peels around the yard as a natural skunk repellent.
If the skunks are in a smaller garden patch, put bars of strong-smelling soap or a room deodorizer near your garden. Ironically, skunks hate strong scents.
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Today's Useless Fact of the Day - Tim Burton considered casting Bill Murray as Batman instead of Michael Keaton.
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