\u27a2 A Swiss town’s residents got a bit of a shock when it started snowing particles of fine cocoa powder. While it may have been heavenly delicious, there was a simple earth-based explanation — the ventilation system at a chocolate factory malfunctioned.<\/p>\n
Officials for the Lindt & Spruengli company confirmed local reports that there was a minor defect in the cooling ventilation for a line of its roasted “cocoa nibs.”<\/p>\n
The nibs, fragments of crushed cocoa beans, are the basis of chocolate.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u27a2A 15-year-old computer wiz in Jacksonville, Florida\u00a0has<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0been using the pandemic to refurbish old computers and donate them to kids who don’t have one.\u00a0 His name is Chris Kilpatrick, and he’s done about 20 so far.\u00a0 They’re all going to kids involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.\u00a0 He did it as part of a summer internship with a company that takes old electronics and recycles them, or sells the parts.\u00a0 Instead, he saw an opportunity to help people.\u00a0 (The other person talking in the clip is his boss.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u27a2 The city of Christchurch, New Zealand has an official\u00a0wizard<\/a>, and he gets paid $10,400-a-year.\u00a0 His name is Ian Brackenbury, and he’s been a practicing wizard since 1969.\u00a0 He even has an apprentice now.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u27a2 An expert thinks that the pandemic might mean the end of snow days FOREVER. Why?\u00a0 This era has proven that remote learning is possible . . . and both teachers and students are figuring out ways to make it work.<\/p>\n So once schools are fully back, if there’s ever a situation where there’d normally be a snow day, kids could still stay home . . . but they’ll just have to hop onto Zoom like they do now to have a full day of class.\u00a0 Sorry, kids.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u27a2 People always complain when remakes are announced, but I think this one could work:\u00a0\u00a0“Planes, Trains and Automobiles”<\/strong><\/em>. . . starring\u00a0WILL SMITH\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0KEVIN HART<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The original came out in 1987, and starred\u00a0STEVE MARTIN\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0JOHN CANDY\u00a0<\/strong>as two guys forced to team up on a disastrous road trip to get to their respective homes in time for Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n Martin was pretty much the straight man, while Candy’s character was good natured and well-meaning, but at the same time disaster-prone and a little annoying.\u00a0 I think we can expect Kevin Hart in the John Candy role.<\/p>\n _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n TODAY IS\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n _____________________________________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n COUNTRY MUSIC NOTE<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 1966\u00a0 Born on this day in Jacksonville, Texas, was Lee Ann Womack, country singer, songwriter. Her 2000 single, “I Hope You Dance” was a major crossover music hit, reaching #1 on the\u00a0Billboard\u00a0Country Chart and the Top 15 of the\u00a0Billboard\u00a0Hot 100<\/p>\n _____________________________________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n The Rangers Are Whining Because the Padres Scored Too Many Runs Against Them<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n FERNANDO TATIS JR.\u00a0<\/strong>is an emerging star for the San Diego Padres, and on Monday night, he hit a GRAND SLAM in the eighth inning.\u00a0 Pretty exciting, right?\u00a0\u00a0(Here’s\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>video<\/strong><\/a>.)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Well, the Padres’ opponents, the Texas Rangers, are FURIOUS because the Padres were already up 10-3 before the home run, and the count was three balls and no strikes.<\/p>\n So apparently, Tatis was SHOWING THEM UP by trying to hit a home run.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Rangers responded by throwing behind the next batter to “send a message.”<\/p>\n After the game, Rangers manager\u00a0Chris Woodward<\/strong>\u00a0said, quote, “There’s a lot of unwritten rules that are constantly being challenged in today’s game. \u00a0I didn’t like it, personally.<\/p>\n “You’re up by seven in the eighth inning, it’s typically not a good time to swing [at a 3-0 count]. \u00a0It’s kind of the way we were all raised in the game.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The pitcher who “sent the message” after the grand slam was\u00a0suspended<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0three games.\u00a0 And Woodward was suspended for one, possibly for ordering the hit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Weirdly, even Padres manager\u00a0Jayce Tingler<\/strong>\u00a0said that it would be a “learning opportunity” for Tatis, who’s only 21.\u00a0 And that he should’ve taken a strike at least.<\/p>\n And then, Tatis APOLOGIZED . . . yes . . . for hitting a grand slam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fortunately, not all players put HURT FEELINGS over COMPETITIVENESS.<\/p>\n Cincinnati Reds pitcher\u00a0TREVOR BAUER<\/strong>\u00a0Tweeted<\/strong><\/a>, quote, “Hey Fernando, listen up:<\/p>\n “1.\u00a0 Keep swinging 3-0 if you want to, no matter what the game situation is . . .<\/p>\n “2.\u00a0 Keep hitting homers, no matter what the situation is.<\/p>\n “3.\u00a0 Keep bringing energy and flash to baseball and making it fun.<\/p>\n “4. The only thing you did wrong was apologize.\u00a0 Stop that.”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n FOUR RANDOM FACTS <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n GOOD NEWS <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n A dog treading water nearly four miles offshore in Lake Michigan has been rescued by a family out on a boating trip.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The family was boating from Grand Haven to Frankfort in northwestern Michigan on Friday when Jeannie Wilcox said she saw a \u201cred animal in the lake\u201d and started screaming, \u2018dog in the water!\u2019\u201d\u00a0 They were able to get the dog onto the boat\u2019s swim platform and dried her off,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The family was able to have the dog scanned for a microchip. The owners later were located and reunited with their dog.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI just hope that if this was my dog, somebody would do the same for me,\u201d Wilcox said. \u201cI would just be very grateful, happy because I know how rough Lake Michigan can be.\u201d<\/p>\n ______________________________________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n BIRTHDAYS <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n [74] Bill Clinton, (42nd<\/sup>\u00a0US President 1993-2001)<\/p>\n [72] Jim Carter, actor (\u2018Carson\u2019 the butler on \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d 2010-15)<\/p>\n [57] John Stamos, actor (\u201cFull House\u201d 1987-95)<\/p>\n [51] Matthew Perry, [raised Ottawa ON], actor (\u201cFriends\u201d 1994-2004)<\/p>\n [51] Clay Walker, country singer<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Men in Contrast: A Man Who Saved His Wife from a Shark . . . and a Man Who Left His Woman Behind After a Motorcycle Crash<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n We’ve got two stories today of two different guys who proved on Saturday they’re basically on opposite ends of the “husband material” spectrum.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first comes from New South Wales, Australia.\u00a0 A couple was out surfing on Saturday morning when the husband saw a GREAT WHITE SHARK had bitten his wife’s leg and wouldn’t let go.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So the husband jumped off his surfboard, swam over, and started punching the shark to get it to let go.\u00a0 His wife was rushed to the hospital with severe cuts in her leg . . . but her husband’s HEROICS saved things from getting MUCH worse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our second story comes from Cranston, Rhode Island.\u00a0 A 39-year-old guy named Joseph Bouchard was driving drunk on his motorcycle on Saturday night with his significant other on the back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He crashed into a fire hydrant, then fled the scene on his motorcycle . . . but left his lady BEHIND, injured.\u00a0 She was taken to the hospital, and the cops eventually tracked down Joseph and he had to go to the hospital too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He’s facing SEVERAL charges, including a pair of felonies.<\/p>\n ____________________________________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n HEAR N\u2019 AID:<\/u><\/strong> <\/p>\n Now, if that gives you visions of a smartphone earpiece that has conscious thought and feelings, we\u2019re not talking about something that is quite that self-aware.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to the filing, the tech would give the \u201cwearable audio device\u201d the ability to automatically adjust volume and audio balance based on where the user is and what they are doing. It would employ a system that attempts to figure out what you\u2019re up to based on your location and the noises around you, and adjust audio accordingly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For instance, if you were walking down a sidewalk, it might turn down the volume on whatever ear is closest to the street, so you don\u2019t accidentally wander into traffic.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FYI, filing a patent isn\u2019t always an indication that the product will ever some to market, but it at least shows that it\u2019s something that the company is considering.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n HAPPINESS IS RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE:<\/u><\/strong> But new research says that faking a smile can actually make you feel happier.<\/p>\n Researchers found that forcing a smile can essentially trick the mind into receiving the facial expressions and body language of others more positively, which in turn boosts our own mood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the experiment, scientists asked volunteers to place a pen between their teeth, forcing their faces into a smile. They then asked the participants to evaluate the facial expressions of other people, sometimes with the pen in their mouth and sometimes without.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The results showed that the pen-in-mouth people viewed the facial expressions of others in a more positive light than those without a pen in their mouth. The lead researcher said that the study shows that when your muscles say you\u2019re happy, you\u2019re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19TH<\/sup> \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Philadelphia Flyers 2, Montreal Canadiens 0 – Philadelphia leads series 3 games to 1<\/p>\n Dallas Stars 2, Calgary Flames 1 – Dallas leads series 3 games to 2<\/p>\n Washington Capitals 3, New York Islanders 2 – New York leads series 3 games to 1<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Orlando Magic 122, Milwaukee Bucks 110 – Orlando leads series 1 game to 0<\/p>\n Miami Heat 113, Indiana Pacers 101 – Miami leads series 1 game to 0<\/p>\n Houston Rockets 123, Oklahoma City Thunder 108 – Houston leads series 1 game to 0<\/p>\n Portland Trail Blazers 100, L.A. Lakers 93 – Portland leads series 1 game to 0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/u><\/strong>This is weird. Apple has filed a patent for \u201cself aware\u201d AirPods.<\/p>\n
\n<\/u>You know the routine. You\u2019re feeling grouchy, and someone tells you to smile. And there\u2019s nothing you want to do less than smile.<\/p>\n\n
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