8/29/2023: Are You Getting Enough Sleep? đ´
PLUS: Mountain Heist; Simone Biles is the G.O.A.T.; and Windsor Family Values
Today is Tuesday, August 29, 2023.
It is the 241st day of the year.
124 days remain.
PROGRAMMING NOTE
There will be no newsletter on Monday, September 4, in observance of Labor Day.
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WHATâS ON TAP
Some well-trained mountain climbers perform a high-altitude heist and a housecat sets a new world record. More in HIT LIST.
STEVE HARVEY addresses some cheating rumors and MILEY CYRUS says touring isnât for her. More in CASTING CALL.
SHAKIRA will be honored at next monthâs VMAs and DR. SEUSS is getting a podcast. More in CASTING CALL.
KIM KARDASHIAN is living in a Barbie World. More in KARDASH.
A show of unity at Balmoral for the royal inner circle. More in ROYALS.
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HIT LIST
A group of well-trained criminals with serious mountain climbing skills have managed to walk away with a box of money hidden at an elevation over 7,700 feet.
The donation box belongs to a club that manages a climbing route on the Gemmi pass in Switzerlandâs Leukerbad village â and only expert climbers can get to it. If a climber wants to leave a token of gratitude for the clubâs work, they pitch in a little bit. The funds then go toward supplies and overhead costs for the volunteers who manage the group.
Now that money is missing, and only an expert climber could get to it, leaving many wondering whoâs responsible. Not only would they need to climb up to it, theyâd have to have brought tools to smash it open.Â
The haul itself didnât make for a particularly extravagant heist â there was likely only about $500 worth of bank notes and coins in there.Â
GOOD NEWS: A kind climber sent the group 500 Swiss francs as a donation to replace what was lost. [via BBC]
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The CDC says around 35% of adults in the US donât get enough sleep, and itâs taking a toll on their health. Those getting less than seven hours of sleep a night are at an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and frequent mental distress.
While experts know that sleep issues can stem from a variety of physical and behavioral factors, they also believe that oneâs environment plays a key role in a successful nightâs rest.Â
Looking into how temperature affects oneâs sleep, a team of researchers from Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, studied the sleep habits of 50 adults across nearly 11,000 individual nights of sleep. What they found was that for a good nightâs sleep, the room should be somewhere between 68 degrees and 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
But what about those who prefer a warmer or cooler temperature than their partner? Or what about those who sleep alongside a chronic snorer? The American Academy of Sleep Medicine asked a group of US adults just that and one-third of respondents say they have gotten a âsleep divorce,â meaning they choose to sleep separately from their partner in order to get enough Zzzzs. [via ScienceDirect, AASM]
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The increasing cost of insurance policies in an increasingly inflated economy is leaving more and more homeowners without basic protection policies for their property, the Wall Street Journal reports.Â
This year, 12% of homeowners decided against coverage â which is up 20% year over year for a $250,000 policy. [via Wall Street Journal]
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Passengers aboard a hot air balloon are safe after its pilot managed to bring the dirigibile down to safety â sort of: he had to land on the middle of the Interstate.
Fortunately, the fire department in Hartford, Vermont, was alerted to the situation and was able to clear that stretch of highway for about 20 minutes.Â
The pilot said he decided to bring the balloon down as a precautionary measure, after winds totally died and they continued to burn fuel, fearful he would eventually lose control of the aircraft well out of its typical territory. [via VNews]
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A 13-year-old Tabby from Missouri has set a new world record for most skips by a cat in one minute.Â
Kit-Kat, along with his owner Trisha Seifried, jumped a rope nine times in 60 seconds, according to the Guinness World Record.
Along with being a super jumper, Kit-Kat can also give high-fives, wave, spin, and meow on command, according to Guinness. [via People]
Watch Kit-Katâs record-setting trick here>>>
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DEATHS
SAMUEL JOSEPH WURZELBACHER aka âJoe the Plumberâ has died.Â
He passed away Sunday after a battle with an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer.Â
Samuel earned his nickname after confronting then-presidential candidate BARACK OBAMA in 2008.Â
He was 49.Â
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SICK BAY
ELTON JOHN was hospitalized over the weekend after falling at his French villa.Â
The 76-year-old was treated for minor injuries by the orthopedic department and discharged the following day.Â
He is now back home and in good health.Â
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BY THE NUMBERS
đ The DOW added 213 points (0.62%) to close at 34,560 on Monday. The S&P was up 27 points (0.63%) to close at 4,433 and the NASDAQ was up 114 points (0.84%) to close at 13,705.
đ˘ WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $80; BRENT CRUDE at $83.
â˝ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.81 on Monday.
âż BITCOIN dropped about half a point on Monday, trading just under $26,000.
đŠ There were more than 2,750 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Monday and more than 140 such cancellations.
đ°Tonightâs MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $67 million jackpot or a $32.3 million cash payout.
SHOWBIZ NEWS
Former âGMA3â anchor AMY ROBACH is back on Instagram after nearly a year-long hiatus following news of her affair with co-host TJ HOLMES.Â
Her first post was a black-and-white shot of two pairs of feet wearing Nike running shoes. She captioned it â#nycmarathon đđžââď¸đââď¸.â
Running has been a theme of the couple's relationship, with many speculating things turned romantic between the two while they were training for the TCS New York City Marathon last year. At which point they were both still married to their respective spouses.Â
Remember, in light of their affair both Robach and Holmes parted ways with the morning news show in January. [via E!]
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OLIVER ANTHONYâs âRich Men North of Richmondâ remains at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for the second week in a row.Â
It also currently sits on top of Billboardâs Hot Country Songs chart.
FUN FACT: The song is only the eighth Hot 100 No.1 to have a US city in its title -- and the first since 1985. [via Billboard]
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STEVE HARVEY is shutting down rumors that his wife, MARJORIE BRIDGES, cheated on him with their bodyguard and personal chef.Â
âMan, I ainât got no time for rumors and gossip. Godâs been good to me, Iâm still shining,â he told the crowd at Invest Fest in Atlanta over the weekend.Â
The cheating rumors started last week on X (formerly Twitter) -- around the same time as a post from one of Harveyâs staff that caused some drama.Â
The post asked Harveyâs followers which âcomedian they didnât find funny at all.â It was deleted amid the backlash and Harvey issued an apology for it on Friday. [via Daily Mail]
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MILEY CYRUS isnât sure if she will continue touring.Â
Sharing her thoughts on TikTok, Cyrus told her followers that she feels she âgets overusedâ on tour and âonce that switch is on [...] itâs the hardest switch to turn off.âÂ
This tracks with what Cyrus said earlier this year, explaining that after her 2014 tour she âcanâtâ do it anymore. [via Deadline]
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DENNIS RODMAN honored his relationship with girlfriend, YELLA YELLA, by getting a portrait of the two of them tattooed on his butt.Â
âAlways By My Side đŻđŤŁđ¤,â Rodman captioned a clip of the new ink.Â
The majority of his social media followers were not surprised by the tat -- or location-- though one commented, âI could have LITERALLY gone my whole life NEVER seeing this đŤŁ.â
This is the second tattoo dedicated to Yella. In July, Rodman showed off an image of her that he had tattooed on his face. [via Page Six]
BY THE WAY: The two have only been dating about a year-ish.Â
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With her eighth national championship win over the weekend, SIMONE BILES now holds the record for most national titles. The record was previously held by ALFRED JOCHIM, who won seven titles from 1925 to 1933.Â
At 26, Biles is also the oldest woman to win a national title in 60 years.
Still no official word on whether or not she will compete in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. [via Hollywood Reporter]
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CASTING CALL
âBarbieâ has now surpassed âHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2â as Warner Bros. highest-grossing global release.Â
After bringing in over $18.2 million last weekend, âBarbieâ has now hit more than $1.34 BILLION at the global box office.Â
If the momentum keeps up, âBarbieâ could become the No. 1 film of 2023, passing âThe Super Mario Bros. Movie,â which grossed nearly $1.36 BILLION. [via Variety]
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In addition to performing at the VMAâs for the first time in 17 years, SHAKIRA will also receive the Video Vanguard Award.
She is nominated for four awards too, including Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration, and two nods in the Best Latin category. The 46-year-old has four VMA wins throughout her career.Â
The 2023 VMAs will be held in Newark, NJ on September 12. [via Page Six]
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RONDA ROUSEY is looking to end her time with the WWE and get one more go at a UFC title before retiring from the sport for good.Â
Insiders told the Daily Mail that the 36-year-old is also considering a move to TV or film and adding to her growing family. She, and retired fighter TRAVIS BROWNE, are currently parents to one-year-old daughter Laâakea Makalapuaokalanipo Browne. [via Daily Mail]
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Dr. Seuss is getting the podcast treatment.Â
A new partnership between Wondery Kids & Family and Dr. Seuss Enterprises will lead to the creation of a slew of podcasts. The first will be called âThe Cat in the Hat Cast,â which has been described as a âfantastical variety show-style podcast series hosted by everyoneâs favorite red and white hat-wearing Cat.âÂ
The weekly series will debut on September 18 on the Wondery app and Wondery Kids+ on Apple Podcasts.Â
Additional Seuss series will be announced in the coming weeks. [via Variety]
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THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
KIM KARDASHAN landed her own piece of Barbie memorabilia during her recent trip to Japan with daughter NORTH WEST.
Amid all their sightseeing, Kim made sure to stop at Vintage Ecoland, where she snagged a vintage Chanel choker. Turns out that necklace is the exact piece worn by MARGOT ROBBIE in âBarbie.âÂ
Kim showed off her find on Instagram, pairing the choker with bubblegum-pink quilted Chanel handbag. [via InStyle]
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WEâLL NEVER BE ROYALS
As the most senior members of the royal family gather at Balmoral, they appear to be showing one sign of unity amid the various turmoil and scandals: PRINCE ANDREW rode along with PRINCE WILLIAM and PRINCESS KATE on their way to church on Sunday.
William sat behind the wheel with his uncle, Andrew, riding shotgun and Kate in the backseat.Â
WORTH REMEMBERING: Wills was reportedly behind the final decision to strip Andrew of his formal titles following a disastrous interview about his connection to Jeffrey Epsteinâs pedophilia and sexual abuse ring. [via DailyMail]
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DAY OF THE YEAR
Individual Rights Day
National Lemon Juice Day
Potteries Bottle Oven Day
National Chop Suey Day
More Herbs, Less Salt Day
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ON THIS DATE
1786 - The first organized uprising of the Shays' Rebellion begins.
Burdened with debt after the Revolutionary War, many veterans were unable to pay money owed without an established American currency or banking system.
As families were ruined in debtors' courts, Daniel Shay rallied like-minded farmers to violently shut down courts that issued verdicts forcing people to sell off their land and possessions to pay owed debts. The impromptu militia wore their revolutionary uniforms, distinguishing themselves with a sprig of hemlock in their hats.
Five of the fighters were eventually found guilty of treason in Massachusetts. But when John Hancock became the new governor, he pardoned the men.
The entire uprising encouraged the Founding Fathers to design a strengthened national government.
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1842 - The first American design patent is issued, and goes to George Bruce for a new typeface.
The patent is designed to protect objects with "practical utility." The Coke bottle shape, for example, is covered under design patent 48-160.
Similarly, typefaces and computer icons can be covered under this type patent.
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1949 - Soviet scientists detonate the country's first atomic weapon in Kazakh.
Named Joe-1 after their Fearless Leader Josef Stalin, the 22 kiloton bomb closely resembled the Fat Man explosion over Nagasaki thanks to successful espionage during World War II.
The Soviets built dummy houses and a train system and brought in 1500 animals and old aircraft to see the bomb's effects first-hand. Its explosion was more destructive than originally predicted.
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1982 - Two explorers complete their Transglobe expedition.
Ran Fiennes and Charles Burton circumnavigated the Earth along the 0-degree-longitude line, beginning in Greenwich, England.
Heading south, they braved the Sahara, jungles in Mali, the cold Antarctic, the Northwest Passage and ultimately the Arctic Ocean.
The 100,000 mile trek took almost three years. That's about four-times the circumference of the Earth. Since the adventurers didn't follow a straight line around the globe, the total mileage added up quickly.Â
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2005 - Hurricane Katrina makes landfall in the Gulf Coast.
The category 3 hurricane was the most destructive natural disaster in America's history, damaging the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. New Orleans famously bore the brunt of the destruction.
At least 1,800 died and up to $115 billion in damage was incurred.
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2018 - Senator John McCain is the third person ever to lie in state at the Arizona State Capitol Rotunda in Phoenix.Â
He had passed away days earlier after losing his battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.Â
The two others to have lied in state include Arizona State Senator Marilyn Jarrett in 2006 and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens in 1980.Â
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BIRTHDAYS
Liam Payne - pop singer - 30
Chelsea DeBoer - reality star, âTeen Momâ - 32
Nicole Anderson - actress, âRavenswoodâ - 33
Lea Michele - actress, âGleeâ - 37
Nicole Byer - comedian - 37
Dante Basco - actor, âAvatar: The Last Airbenderâ - 48
Carla Gugino - actress, âSpin Cityâ & âSan Andreasâ - 52
Armando Martinez - boxer - 62
Chris Hadfield - astronaut - 64
Iris Apfel - co-founder of Old World Weavers - 102
Born On This Date
Michael Jackson - pop singer - 1958 (d. 2009)
John McCain - politician - 1936 (d. 2018)
William Friedkin - director, âThe Exorcistâ - 1935 (d. 2023)
Richard Attenborough - director, âGhandiâ - 1923 (d. 2014)
Ingrid Bergman - actress, âCasablancaâ - 1915 (d. 1982)
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