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CONNECT SELECT A wide selection of interesting and trending stories – rip ‘em, read ‘em and post ‘em! FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11th, 2020

TODAY IS…

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11…

 NATIONAL APP DAY – Ya know, it wasn’t that long ago that “app” was just a goofy way to say appetizer. Now, we can’t live without ‘em! There are now millions of apps out there that can do just about anything. The word “App” (short for ‘application’) was the American Dialect Society’s word of the year in 2010.  NATIONAL SALESPERSON DAY (second Friday of December) – Celebrating all the hard-working people who make sure you keep buying stuff - whether you actually need it or not.  NATIONAL NOODLE RING DAY – Honoring that weird ring-shaped pasta that’s mostly used in soups and casseroles. Or by second graders when they make those macaroni portraits.  FLAMING LIPS ‘BUBBLE CONCERT’ – The Flaming Lips will perform a weird concert tonight in Oklahoma City tonight. The crowd will be inside huge plastic bubbles. Each one can hold 3 people. At least they’re socially distancing…  MAGNUM P.I. PREMIERE ANNIVERSARY (1980) – The only time a Ferrari, a mustache and a Hawaiian shirt should ever be combined. Higgins! o HERE’S A LINK TO THAT AWESOME THEME SONG (BY MIKE POST)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12…

 NATIONAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DAY – Gingerbread has been around for more than a thousand years, but it wasn’t until the Brothers’ Grimm wrote ‘Hansel and Gretel’ that we started making them for fun. How a children’s horror story became a warm-and-fuzzy Christmas tradition is still kind of a mystery.  NATIONAL POINSETTIA DAY – Next to mistletoe, this might be the second-most Christmassy plant out there (we don’t count Christmas trees as ‘plants’). Poinsettias have been a holiday tradition since the 16th century, originating in Mexico. But don’t let the pets near ‘em! If eaten, poinsettias can be deadly to a dog or cat.  NATIONAL DING-A-LING DAY – Because you can’t grow corn in crap. World Soil Day encourages preserving soil biodiversity and heathy ecosystems.  ANNIVERSARY OF THE PREMIERE OF ‘’ (1984) – (Keep your pants on, it’s not what you think!) Today, we’re all encouraged to pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t talked to in a while (don’t text them, CALL!). Maybe it’s grandma. Or your 8th-grade teacher you still keep in touch with (nerd!). By the way, ‘Ding-a-ling’ is what they used to call phone calls a long time ago (so get your head outta the gutter!). o HERE’S A LINK TO THE SOUND OF A PHONE RINGING (LANDLINE) o HERE’S A LINK TO A WEIRD SONG ABOUT DING-A-LINGS  121st ARMY VS NAVY GAME (CBS) - KICKOFF: 3:30 PM ET – This year marks the 121st match-up of one of college football’s most treasured games. The Army-Navy tradition dates back to 1890, and has been played every year since 1930. Navy won last year, and for anyone who’s keeping count: Navy leads the series 61-52-7.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13…

 NATIONAL COCOA DAY– Whether you drink it with or without marshmallows, a cup of cocoa is an awesome way to warm up. Just remember, cocoa isn’t the same as hot chocolate. Cocoa is always made using cocoa powder and hot milk. The ancient Mayans started drinking the stuff 2-thousand years ago (and who are we to argue with ancient Mayans?!). A recent study found that drinking hot cocoa can actually make you smarter by improving cognition and helping you think faster (go figure!).  NATIONAL GUARD BIRTHDAY – First established on December 13, 1636 - way before America was even a country. Today, about 350-thousand men and women serve in both the National Guard and the Air National Guard, making up 40 percent of the US Army’s operational force.  STREAMY AWARDS – The 10th annual ‘Streamy Awards’ are handed out tonight (on YouTube, of course). They celebrate creators and talent in online video. Vloggers David Dobrik, Emma Chamberlain and James Charles lead the nominations with five each.  NATIONAL VOILIN DAY – Here’s to one of the saddest sounding instruments around, unless you’re playing it like a fiddle, then YEE-HAW, that thing sure can cook! The violin was invented in the 16th century, and further ‘fiddled’ with until the 1800s when they designed the version we know today.

BIRTHDAYS:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11:

 HAILEE STENIFELD, 24 – Actress/Singer. Steinfeld was nominated for an Oscar for her first film role at 14 in “True Grit.” Also starred in “The Edge of Seventeen,” “Bumblee,” and “Pitch Perfect 2 and 3.” She is the niece of popular bodybuilder (and not at all related to Jerry SEINFELD).  MO’NIQUE, 53 – Actress who won an Oscar for her role in the movie “Precious.” She also appeared in the TV show “The Parkers.” Before she became an actress, Mo’Nique worked as a telephone operator.  NIKKI SIXX, 62 – Musician. Sixx, born Frank Ferrana, Jr., is the co-founder, bassist, and main songwriter for the band Motley Crue. o HERE’S A LINK TO THE MOTLEY CRUE SONG “GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS”  BRENDA LEE, 76 – Singer. Best known for her 60s hits: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, “I’m Sorry” and “Break it to Me Gently.” o HERE IS A LINK TO “ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE”  RITA MORENO, 89 – Actress. Moreno famously played Anita in the classic film “.” o HERE IS A CLIP FROM “WEST SIDE STORY” WTH MORENO SINGING “AMERICA”

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12:

 DIONNE WARWICK, 80 – Singer. Warwick had a string of hits in the 60s and 70s and charted again with the 1985 monster hit “That’s What Friends Are For,” a song that raised money for AIDS prevention and awareness. Warwick is a cousin to late superstar . o HERE’S A LINK TO WARWICK’S 60S HITS “WALK ON BY” o HERE IS A LINK TO THE SONG “THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR”  DICKEY BETTS, 76 – Musician. He was a singer, guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the legendary classic rock band The Allman Brothers. o HERE IS A LINK TO THE ALLMAN BROTHERS SONG “RAMBLIN’ MAN”  , 50 – Actress. Hall is known for a number of roles in films including the “Scary Movie” films, “Love and Basketball,” “Girls Trip,” and “The Hate U Give.” Before acting, she worked as a dental assistant and hated it.  JENNIFER CONNOLLY, 50 – Actress. Connolly broke out in the 1984 film “Once Upon a Time in America” and has starred in many acclaimed films, including “A Beautiful Mind,” “Labyrinth,” and “The Rocketeer.” She also played the wronged wife in “He’s Just Not That Into You.”  BILL NIGHY (nye), 71 – Actor. (NOT ‘THE SCIENCE GUY’). This is the English actor known for his role as rocker Billy Mack in “Love, Actually” and Davy Jones in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. o HERE’S A CLIP OF NIGHY SINGING “CHRISTMAS IS ALL AROUND” IN THE FILM “LOVE ACTUALLY”  MADCHEN AMICK, 50 – Actress. Amick broke out playing Shelley Johnson on the cult TV series “Twin Peaks.” Now she plays the role of Alice on “Riverdale.” Her name Madchen means “girl” in German.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13:

 TAYLOR SWIFT, 31 – Singer/Songwriter. She went from “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops on My Guitar” to multiple award-winner and platinum selling pop superstar. Swift became the youngest solo artist to write and record a #1 hit on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart with the single "Our Song” when she was only 18. Her 8th studio album, “Folklore,” was released over the summer, her seventh consecutive number #1 album in the U.S. o HERE’S A LINK TO SWIFT’S CURRENT HIT “BETTY” o HERE’S A LINK TO SWIFT’S FIRST HIT “TIM McGRAW”  JAMIE FOXX, 53 – Actor/Singer. Foxx started out in the comedy show “In Living Color” and went on to become an Oscar-winning actor for the film “Ray,” where he portrayed legendary singer Ray Charles. He also starred in the films “Dream Girls,” “Baby Driver,” and “The Amazing Spiderman 2.” He also hosted and produced five seasons of “The Jamie Foxx Show.” Foxx began playing the piano when he was five years old.  , 95 – Actor. The legendary actor known for playing the chimney sweep ‘Bert’ in “.” He also starred in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” His later film roles include ones in the films “Night at the Museum,” “Curious George” and “Mary Poppins Returns.” He won five Emmys, one Tony, and one GRAMMY Award. He was inducted in to the Television Hall of Fame in 1995. o HERE IS THE THEME SONG FROM “THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW” o HERE IS VAN DYKE SINGING “CHIM CHIM -EE” from “MARY POPPINS”  TED NUGENT, 72 – Musician. Rocker Nugent hit big with his 1977 hit “Cat Scratch Fever,” and then again in the super group band Damn Yankees. The “Motor City Madman” is an outspoken conservative activist and gun advocate. Nugent also had a few acting roles on the TV shows “,” “Undeclared,” and “That 70s Show.” o HERE IS A LINK TO “CAT SCRATCH FEVER”  STEVE BUSCEMI (buh-SEM-ee), 63 – Actor. Buscemi is a veteran actor who has had roles in “Reservoir Dogs,” “Spy Kids,” “Fargo,” and “The Big Lebowski.” He starred in the series “Boardwalk Empire,” and had a prominent role in “The Sopranos.” Before acting, he worked as a firefighter in New York City.

TRENDING/ODD:

TINDER MOST USED EMOJIS (00:15) Tinder has just put out a list of the emojis used most by single people, and since it's 2020, a roll of toilet paper was among the ones used on the dating app. The 'shrug' emoji was THEE most popular. A black fist (representing Black Lives Matter) and a grocery cart were up there, too.

1000 CUSTOMERS PAY IT FORWARD AT MINNESOTA DAIRY QUEEN (00:23) A drive-thru in Brainerd, Minnesota is proof there really is good in the world. On December 3rd, a customer paid for the vehicle behind him, and set off a chain reaction that's lasted more than a week! On Facebook, staff at the Dairy Queen say nearly a thousand customers have gone through the drive-thru, donating more than 10-grand so others don't have to pay, and that's prompting even more donations.

WOMAN ELECTROCUTED WHEN IPHONE FALLS IN BATHTUB (00:18) A 24-year-old wannabe-Instagram model in Russia was electrocuted when her iPhone fell into her bubblebath. It happened to be plugged in at the time. Maybe there should be a warning about this sorta thing, because several young women and teens in Russia have been electrocuted the same way over the past few months.

WOMAN SUES BOYFRIEND FOR NOT PROPOSING (00:18) Note to all guys who haven't put a ring on it yet: A woman in Kenya is suing her boyfriend-of-8-years for not proposing to her. She claims her 'boo' wasted enough of her time to constitute a legal penalty. But the court disagreed. Even though the couple has a kid, he claims he doesn't have enough money to get married (riiiiight).

CHINA RECOMMENDS FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WEAR DIAPERS (00:14) As part of the Chinese government's COVID suggestions, they're not recommending flight attendants avoid using airplane bathrooms and wear diapers instead. You wouldn't think, it but the bathroom is the one place where most passengers take their masks off.

HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN: DON’T REPLACE MASKS WITH SCARVES (00:12) Now that it's getting colder, health officials are now warning that a winter scarf is 'no replacement for a face mask'. Scarves might feel thick and plush, but their fibers don't catch particles the way a mask does.

DRUG COMPANY ACCIDENTALLY PACKS ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION DRUGS WITH ANTI-DEPRESSANTS (00:16) A drug company accidentally mixed some generic Viagra pills into bottles of a popular antidepressant (Trazodone). The pills look almost identical, and if you take it, you should check with your drug store. So far, no one's reported taking the wrong drug…well, no one's complaining, at least…

LAW & DISORDER

ONLY ANNE FRANK STATUE IN U.S. DEFACED WITH SWASTIKAS (00:20) In America we've got only one statue of Anne Frank, and it's in Boise, Idaho. Police are investigating who defaced it with swastika stickers. The stickers say, "We are everywhere." One placed on the bronze statue's diary. During World War II, Anne Frank and her family spent over two years in a secret hideaway, where she journaled about their life.

MINNEAPOLIS SLASHES POLICE BUDGET (00:18) In the city where George Floyd was killed, a major transfer of budget money away from the cops. Eight million bucks will go to other city services like alternative policing and mental health crisis teams. The city council in Minneapolis compromised with the mayor, and left out the part where officers would lose their jobs.

WEIRD SCIENCE & TECH

STUDY: MORE TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA LEADS TO DEPRESSION (00:23) Addicted to scrolling on Instagram? How many perfect bikini bodies can you take? A new study says all that stalking will lead to depression. Researchers talked to young adults, and compared those who were on social media 2 hours a day to those on 5 hours a day. They found those on longer were nearly three times more likely to be depressed in six months. Jeez! And it's all FaceTune and "Fakebook" anyway!

STUDY: LIVING NEAR A CONVENIENCE STORE MAKES KIDS FAT (00:17) Kids who live by convenience stores tend to be on the chunky side. A new study findswhen kids live by stores with junk food and fewer grocery stores are at a greater risk of obesity. This is especially true in low-income neighborhoods. Good news is when healthy options are available, kids will eat 'em.

DOLPHINS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION (00:12) Get your love of dolphins in while you can! Four species of freshwater dolphins are in danger of extinction. Of course, it's us that's the problem. Fishing and pollution are hurting the dolphin population.

YOUR MONEY/SHOPPING

UNITED ‘VIRTUAL’ CUSTOMER SERVICE (00:24) Next time your seat assignment gets screwed up, you might be able to yell at a 'virtual' customer service rep instead. United has just unveiled a new app called ‘agent on demand’. It's supposed to let you have contact-less customer support. It'll be available at the big airports by the end of the year, and lets you now tell a United customer service rep - by phone, text or video - just how important you think you are.

CRAVING COOKIES? PEPPERIDGE FARM CAN'T KEEP UP (00:25) Eating cookies as therapy through these hard times? Yeah we are! Pepperidge Farm can't keep up! The coronavirus has people out sick at Pepperidge Farm production plants. Problem is, their cookies with their unique shape can't be sent out to another manufacturer, plus with high demand, get 'em while you can in stores. Since the pandemic began, cookie buying is up 25 percent. And can you relate? One in five Americans eat over three cookies per day.

OVER-THE-COUNTER COVID TEST NOW AVAILABLE (00:16) Just in time for Christmas, the perfect stocking stuffer: an over-the-counter COVID test has been approved by the FDA. You'll have to send your nasal swab sample to a lab for testing, but still - no long lines! The kits are already being sold online and should be in stores soon.

LIFE/SURVEY SAYS…

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ‘SHAMED’ BY POLITICALLY CORRECT NEIGHBOR (00:26) A politically correct Grinch in Minneapolis is getting roasted for sending an anonymous letter to a family, hating on their Christmas lights. The letter said the colorful lights are a reminder of "divisions in society" and "systemic biases against neighbors who don't celebrate Christmas, or can't afford to put up lights of their own." And if you're picturing some gaudy light show, it’s not. Just a string of lights along the roof and a wreath that glows.

FEWER 2020 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WENT OFF TO COLLEGE (00:24) As we live through this pandemic nightmare, who needs college! 2020's graduating seniors were less motivated to go to college. And really, who wants to do more online classes? New research finds this fall, the number of students going to college dropped over 20 percent. The numbers were even worse in urban areas, with more than a third sitting out this year. It could have something to do with family financial struggles too.

BOY RESCUED FROM TX WELL (00:24) A miracle rescue of a little boy who fell down a well in Starr County, Texas. It took over six hours and 4 fire departments to get to him. He fell in while on a walk with his family. The well's hole so small, it was impossible to reach in. The 4-year-old got stuck about 9 feet down. Rescuers had to dig next to the well to get him. The boy was flown to the nearest hospital, and the well was closed and filled with dirt.

ENTERTAINMENT

TAYLOR SWIFT DROPS SUPRISE ALBUM (00:18) Surprise! Taylor Swift dropped another new album! 'Evermore' is her second since July, and is supposed to be a sorta 'sister' album to 'Folklore' (so basically, whatever didn't make it onto the first one). She announced it on Twitter and released it at midnight, just ahead of her 31st birthday on Sunday. And just like most of her albums, no one had any idea it was coming! HERE’S A LINK TO HER NEW SONG ‘WILLOW’ (CHECK OUT HOW MANY VIEWS ALREADY!)

HARRISON FORD MAKING ONE LAST ‘’ MOVIE (00:16) He's 78-years-old, but Harrison Ford will play 'Indiana Jones' one last time. The movie star is taking his whip out of storage and reprising the role for the fifth and final time. They haven't revealed much, except to say the last 'Indiana Jones' sequel should be out by summer 2022.

KARDASHIANS SIGN NEW TV DEAL WITH HULU (00:18) So much for the Kardashians leaving TV. The reality show family has signed a new deal with Hulu! Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, their mom, as well as Kylie and Kendall will produce content for the streaming service. But they haven't announced whether they're bringing back the original reality series that made them famous.

ELLEN HAS COVID (00:16) Ellen DeGeneres has announced she's tested positive for COVID. She says she's feeling fine right now and is following all the quarantine and CDC guidelines. It means the show is going into reruns, which they've already done a lot of this year. Ellen says she'll return after the holidays. HERE’S A LINK TO THE ELLEN THEME (FROM AN EPISODE OF HER SHOW) HERE’S A LINK TO ELLEN’S CATCHPHRASE ‘ANYWAY’

GRAMMYS CONTROVERSY AGAIN! (00:34) More controversy with this year's Grammy Awards. Comedian is nominated this year for best comedy album. But she says she feels disrespected by the Grammys. Tiffany was asked to host the three hour pre-show livestream. But the Recording Academy refused to pay for her time, hair, makeup and wardrobe. She told Variety it's like being asked on a date and then having to pay for yourself. The Recording Academy's president publicly apologized to Tiffany on his Instagram. Just last month, The Weeknd tweeted how corrupt the Grammys are. His album "After Hours" didn't get a single nomination.

WEEKEND / "ICYMI"

HEALTHY EATING IS UP, BUT SO IS SNACKING (00:26) Have you thrown out any semblance of trying to remain healthy during the pandemic? You are not alone. A new study published in the journal "Obesity" reported that while healthy eating is up, sugary snacking is up, too. Physical activity went down while sedentary behavior went up. Twenty-seven percent of survey respondents say they gained weight while 17-percent lost weight. Experts are worried it will only get worse as the holidays approach and the winter months move in.

BREAKDANCING, SURFING & SKATEBOARDING NOW OLYMPIC SPORTS! (00:21) Breakdancing is now an Olympic sport, and the Internet is torn about it! Some are mocking it, suggesting 'line dancing' should be next. But others say it requires more athleticism than other sports like rhythmic gymnastics and table tennis. Surfing and skateboarding have also been added to the roster of new Olympic sports that'll be introduced in the 2024 summer games in Paris.

LOST WALLET FOUND IN 9 TONS OF TRASH (00:22) A guy in Indiana threw out an old pair of pants, but forgot to take his wallet out of them first. Even worse: it was FILLED with cash. So he called the local garbage depot, and the guys there were so nice, they waded through 9-tons of trash until they found the pants at the bottom of the pile. The wallet with all the money was still in the pocket. The crew refused to take a cash reward.

OUR CREDIT CARD DEBT IS DOWN (00:19) A lot of us are using our credit cards less being stuck at home. With fewer restaurants open, who needs new shoes? Fresh data shows our credit card debt fell 6 percent this year, with our income up 6 percent as well. The states carrying the biggest debt load are Louisiana and Mississippi. With the least debt? Massachusetts and Washington DC.

GINGERBREAD MAN'S MISSING INGREDIENT (00:13) Those holiday gingerbread cookies may not taste the same this year. That's because there's a worldwide shortage of ginger, especially the powdered stuff. They're blaming a lousy harvest in China on farms hit hard by the coronavirus.

REPORTED BURGLARY TURNS OUT TO BE BRAWLING RACCOONS (00:21) Police in Richmond, California responded to a suspected burglary call after the caller said someone was banging on his door and trying to break in. The cops were ready to take action for what they thought would be a felony in progress. What they found were a dozen brawling raccoons making a ruckus. Faced with the possibility of arrest, the 12 little rascals fled the scene, as did the police officers.

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