9/12/25 - Emmys, Pumpkin Spice Everything, and Be A Good Guest

Friday 9/12/25

Celebrate:

National Chocolate Milkshake Day

National Day of Encouragement

National Hug and High Five Day

National Just One Human Family Day

National Police Woman Day

National Report Medicare Fraud Day

Stand Up To Cancer Day

Video Games Day

World Dolphin Day

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The Emmys are Sunday night, and of all the nominated series in all categories, American watched one WAY more than any of the others. 

"Survivor".  It's up for Outstanding Reality Competition Series, and it racked up 462.4 million total viewing hours.

The second most-watched show didn't even get half that.  "The White Lotus", which is up for Outstanding Drama Series, "only" had 210.7 million hours.

Outstanding Comedy Series nominee "Abbott Elementary" is third, with 184.1 million hours.

"Only Murders in the Building" is fourth, with 159.1 million.  And "Severance" rounds out the Top 5, with 157.5 million hours.

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We're used to watching ads in order to stream content, play games, and a million other things.  Here's one-million-and-one . . .

If you walk into a public bathroom in China, there's a chance you'll have to watch an ad to get TOILET PAPER.

There's a video going viral that shows how it works.  You scan a QR code that plays an ad on your phone.  Then the machine spits out a modest amount, like six squares.  If you need more, you have to watch another ad.  

If you don't want to watch an ad, there's an option to pay a few cents for toilet paper instead.  But it looks like you have to pay with your phone.  So if you don't have it on you, you're out of luck. Wait...if you don't have your phone you can't scan the code and watch to get TP either...ohhhh tough luck! I hope you didn't like those socks.

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We've got pumpkin spice everything now, and we're somehow still not sick of it.

Google says searches for "pumpkin spice" just hit an all-time high.  They always peak in September, but we're searching for pumpkin spice stuff more than ever.

Searches for "pumpkin spice near me" also hit an all-time high.  Florida and New Mexico are googling it the most.

They looked at some of the top pumpkin spice products we've been searching for over the past month.

The top-trending products overall are:

Pumpkin spice floor cleaner

toilet paper

trash bags

lotion

pumpkin spice brooms.

The top pumpkin spice apparel items are:

Pumpkin spice PJs

sweatshirts that say "Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice"

pumpkin spice shirts

pumpkin spice purses

pumpkin spice underwear.

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"Huff Post" has a list of the rudest things you can do while staying overnight in someone's home.

1.  Snooping.  Don't peek in their medicine cabinet or start riffling through drawers.  If you need tweezers, ask where they are.  Don't just go looking.

2.  Making a mess and hiding it.  If you spill wine on the couch, tell them.  Don't cover it up with a pillow.  If you don't fess up, you're definitely a bad guest.

3.  Telling them how to parent.  They're nice enough to host you, don't start critiquing their parenting skills.  A lot of GRANDPARENTS have a tough time with that rule.

4.  Not pitching in to help.  Tidy up or do some dishes.  They probably won't ask you to, but they'll appreciate it.

5.  Expecting access to their car.  Don't assume you can borrow it unless they offer.  If you know you'll need a car ahead of time, tell them you might rent one and see what they say.

6.  Not giving your host a break.  Don't expect them to entertain you the whole time.  And don't be the person who never leaves the house unless they take you somewhere.  Hosting is hard, especially with extended stays.  So make sure they get some alone time.

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Today's Useless Fact of the Day - Al Green's "Take Me to the River" was a big hit . . . but it made its biggest chunk of royalties from being the song that's sung by the Big Mouth Billy Bass electronic fish.

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