Content for Monday, October 4
Holidays: 1 in 8 say Loved Ones with Opposing COVID Views won’t Get a Gift
A new survey finds one in eight Americans plan on skipping holiday shopping for family and friends who do not share the same COVID-19 opinions as them. 64% say they’re looking forward to the holiday season this year. 39% say they can’t afford to buy as many gifts as usual. Only 59 percent of Americans say they have a strict holiday budget this year. That number was 67% in 2019. 68% say they prefer money over physical gifts. 28% plan on “re-gifting” this year and over a quarter of that group feel less guilty about it due to the pandemic.
Seven in Ten Americans ‘Love’ Their Job
According to a new poll, 69% of employed respondents say they “love” their current job. 41% go so far as calling it their “dream job.” While 82 percent of male respondents claim to enjoy what they do for a living, only 59 percent of female respondents said the same. Women were also less likely to cite their current role as a dream job (31%) compared to more than half of men (52%). The study finds the average worker cycles through four different positions before finding their “dream job.” Factors that people give as a reason for loving their job: 44% say it’s the people they work with. 39% say it's their actual roles and responsibilities that make the job worth it. Seventy-five percent think it’s because they’re given the time to do what they love outside of work. Sixty-three percent of employed respondents worry about getting burned out at their current job, including 55 percent of women and 72 percent of men. Top concerns include increasing workloads (45%), stressors unique to their particular industry (40%), and a lack of work-life balance (37%).
(FOLLOW-UP)... ‘Devious Licks' Asks Students Via TikTok To 'Smack A Staff Member'
The “devious licks” TikTok trend is now asking students to “smack a staff member.” In September, the so-called “devious licks" trend challenged students to steal and vandalize school property. This led to several teens across the country being arrested. According to a list that’s been circulating online, this month’s challenge is to “smack a staff member.” A Florida High School student was arrested after allegedly throwing rubbing alcohol on a teacher. Schools across the US are now warning staff members to be on the lookout for possible violence against them.
Powerball's Winnerless Streak Continues
No ticket matched all five numbers and the Powerball on Saturday night. The estimated jackpot for tonight's drawing is $670 million. The Powerball has gone 40 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner, which is a record streak for the game. There hasn't been a bigger Powerball jackpot since a $731.1 million prize was won on Jan. 20. Saturday's grand prize of $635 million would have been the 10th largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won.
Your Crappy Diet Makes You More Likely to Get into a Car Crash
Drivers whose diets are loaded with sugar, processed meats, and junk food are more likely to be involved in a car accident, according to new research. Scientists say snacking on burgers, or guzzling soft drinks, is linked to riskier behavior behind the wheel, too. Researchers say junk food diets and unhealthy snacks contribute to fatigue, which can lead to dangerous driving. They found that people who drink energy drinks at least once a week were twice as likely to speed as those who didn’t consume them as often. High sugar and fat content may briefly increase alertness, but it can cause a reduction in concentration levels and mood.
Woman’s Wedgie From High-Cut Jean Shorts Landed her in The Hospital
A 25-year-old woman from North Carolina, didn’t expect any side effects when she decided to wear some high-cut jean shorts on a date. She shared her story on TikTok about how the wedgie created by her shorts and underwear actually contributed to her ending up in the ICU with cellulitis and sepsis. Cellulitis is a painful skin infection, while sepsis is a life-threatening response the body has to an infection.
She said, “I went on a full day-date with this guy I was newly dating, and realized I was wearing very uncomfortable clothes. I chose to ignore it and just enjoy my time. The next day, I felt very sore and then started feeling ill, just not 100%. That night, I noticed that I had a large bump where the chafing had occurred, and as time went on, it started becoming more painful. The pain was isolated to one spot and it felt like a throbbing, stabbing pain." The woman went to the doctor the next day to get treated for a possible skin infetion, but it was already too late. She was in septic shock and was rushed to the ER by her mom. They admitted her to the ICU and that’s when she realized it was more serious than she anticipated. She was in the ICU for almost 4 days, when the doctors were debating debridement surgery, cutting off the part of her butt that was infected.
Will Smith Reveals Pick For His Worst Movie... Do You Agree with Him?
Will Smith revealed what he thought was his worst movie… “Wild Wild West.” In an interview, the actor was asked what was his best and worst movie. For his least favorite he replied “I don't know… 'Wild Wild West' is a thorn in my side.” He added "To see myself in chaps… I don't like it." Smith then said "For the best, I think it's a tie between the first 'Men in Black' and 'Pursuit of Happyness.’”
Britney Spears Has No Plans to Perform After Conservatorship
Britney Spears won’t be returning to the stage once her conservatorship is done. Sources say she doesn't want to work or perform right now, and that's been her mindset for a long time. Her manager, Larry Rudolph, resigned from her team in July and mentioned Britney’s desire to “officially retire.” At the time he said, “It has been over 2½ years since Britney and I last communicated, at which time she informed me she wanted to take an indefinite work hiatus.”
David Lee Roth Says He Is 'Retiring' After Las Vegas Residency: 'These Are My Last Five Shows'
David Lee Roth is retiring from music after his Las Vegas residency in January. The Van Halen frontman said in an interview on Friday, “I'm throwing in the shoes. I'm retiring. This is the first, and only, official announcement. … You've got the news. Share it with the world. I'm not going to explain the statement. The explanation is in a safe. These are my last five shows." Roth also had mentioned he’d been thinking about “the departure of my beloved classmate recently,” a clear reference to guitar god Eddie Van Halen, who died of throat cancer on Oct. 6. Roth said, “I am encouraged and compelled to really come to grips with how short time is, and my time is probably even shorter.” “I thought I might have been the first, frankly. I might have thought the Marlboro Man would’ve got me. ‘Hey Ed, objects in the rear-view mirror are probably me'. And my doctors, my handlers, compelled me to really address that every time I go onstage, I endanger that future.” Roth will return to at Mandalay Bay's House Of Blues in Vegas for a new series of shows that will kick off with a New Year's Eve performance, followed by four concerts in January 2022.
Calif. Governor to Require All Schoolchildren to Get COVID-19 Vaccine
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the nation's first coronavirus vaccination mandate for schoolchildren. His plan will have all elementary through high school students get the shots once the vaccine gains final approval from the federal government. The government has approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and older. The state's vaccine mandate would take effect the semester after the federal government grants final approval. Students could receive religious and medical exemptions, but the rules have not been written yet. Any student who refuses to take the vaccine would be forced to complete an independent study course at home.