Content for Wednesday, October 12
Updated: Oct 13, 2021
Americans Quit their Jobs at a Record Pace in August
Americans are quitting their jobs in droves. The Labor Department said that ‘quits’ jumped to 4.3 million in August, the highest on records dating back to December 2000, and up from 4 million in July. That’s equivalent to nearly 3% of the workforce. Hiring also slowed in August, and the number of jobs available fell to 10.4 million, which was down from 11.1 million. As COVID-19 cases surged in August, nearly 900,000 people left jobs at restaurants, bars, and hotels, up 21% from July. Quits by retail workers rose 6%. When workers quit, it is typically seen as a good sign for the job market, because people usually leave jobs when they already have other positions or are confident they can find one. The large increase in August probably does reflect some of that confidence among workers.
Halloween Costumes Parents Agree No Kid Should Wear While Trick-or-Treating
A new survey found moms and dads should think twice before letting their children dress up in certain costumes for Halloween this year. The survey asked parents of children under 10 to weigh in on which “offensive” Halloween costumes they believe should be banned from stores. Holocaust-related costumes, such as the infamous “Anne Frank” outfit that caused a social media controversy in 2017, topped the list of ideas to avoid. Anything related to blackface, displaying the Confederate flag, or transphobia. Other choices Americans think kids should avoid include pandemic-related costumes, such as hazmat suits and also portrayals of cultural stereotypes. Of the 42% of parents who plan to dress up this Halloween, some are reportedly going as Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Superman, Lady Gaga, and Gomez and Morticia Addams. Three-quarters of adults say their kids also plan on dressing up, choosing costumes including Baby Shark, robots, vampires, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. As many parents see those costumes as “safe” options, most agree that the offensive costumes should be left in the past. Half the poll say they’d let their child wear a costume some people consider inappropriate or offensive to school for educational purposes.
Woman Stirs Controversy After ‘Ruining’ Boyfriends Marriage Proposal Plan
A woman feels like she ruined her boyfriend’s marriage proposal. She asked Reddit’s “Am I the A******” forum if she made a mistake. When she and her boyfriend took a weekend trip for their anniversary, she thought he would propose the first day. Then on the second day, she got sick and cut the trip short. Now she’s wondering if she stopped him from popping the question. After they got home she found evidence that he was going to propose. She said, “A week later I was looking for a thermometer and found a ring box in a drawer. I opened it and saw the most beautiful ring. I am an honest person with no poker face so I asked my mom, sister, and best friend if I should tell him and they all said no and basically YTA to me for ruining this for him. I think if anything, I am the AH for telling people I found the ring but not him. Help!” Reddit posters didn’t think she did anything wrong. One person said, "Nah, how were you supposed to know?” Another said, “There was no way for you to know about him proposing.”
Tim McGraw Jumps Off Stage and Confronts Hecklers at Reno Show
Tim McGraw brought his Reno show to a stop Saturday over fans criticizing his performance. While he was performing “Just to See You Smile,” fans thought he sound off and he forgot some of the lyrics. At first Tim ignored the criticism, but then he stood up and stared down the hecklers. He then asked them why they were mocking him and told them to leave if they didn’t like it. However, Tim jumped off the stage, and got in the couple's face. It's unclear what was said, but Tim wasn't happy. Some people in the audience were mad too, because they wanted Tim to continue the show. Tim ended up address the crowd and told them he had been shooting the “Yellowstone” prequel, “1883,” for 48 Horus straight. No word on what happened to the couple, but Tim eventually got back on stage and finished the show.
Twins Set Pickleball World Record With More Than 16,000 Shots
A pair of identical twins in Connecticut set a Guinness World Record with more than 16,000 consecutive shots in pickleball. The former tennis pros spent 6-hours and 11-minutes wielding their pickleball paddles on Sunday to set a new record. The brothers previously set Guinness World Records for longest tennis rally and longest tennis volley rally.
Woman And Her Husband Are Slammed For Giving Chef VERY Specific Typed Instructions On How To Prepare Their Burgers
A couple is being slammed for going to a restaurant and giving the chef a very specific typed instructions on how to prepare their burgers. In the post shared to Facebook page, a couple, known only as Alan and Karen, from the US, penned a six-step guide for the professional on how to prepare their burgers which they wanted for take-out. In the very precise instructions, they requested each part of the meal from the buns, burger patties, vegetables, cheese, fries and sauces to be placed in individual containers. People on social media slammed the couple with one person writing “Wtf Go to the grocery store and cook it yourself Karen”.
FDA Authorizes the First E-Cigarettes
For the first time, the FDA authorized an electronic cigarette. They say the vaping device from R.J. Reynolds can help smokers cut back on conventional cigarettes. The FDA has been reviewing a bunch of vaping products so they can decide which ones should be allowed to stay on the market. They’ve already rejected applications for more than a million e-cigarettes and related products, mainly due to their potential appeal to underage teens. Yesterday’s decision only applies to Vuse’s Solo e-cigarette and its tobacco-flavored nicotine cartridges. The agency said data from the company showed the e-cigarette helped smokers significantly reduce their exposure to traditional cigarettes. While the products can now be legally sold in the U.S., the FDA stressed they are neither safe nor “FDA approved,” and that people who don’t smoke shouldn’t use them.
Coach Will No Longer Destroy Unsold 'Unsalable' Products After Viral TikTok
Over the weekend, a TikToker showed off a series of Coach bags and shoes she bought off of Dumpster Diving Mama, who resells products that have been thrown out by stores but are still useable. When they arrived she discovered they had been slashed and cut up, to the point of being unwearable. However, it’s Coach’s policy to destory returns that are damaged, worn or defective. Not long after the video went viral, Coach took to Instagram to announce that they will discontinue this practice, effective immediately. In a statement Coach said, “We are committed to leading with purpose and embracing our responsibility as a global fashion brand to effect real and lasting change for our industry. We have now ceased destroying in-store returns of damaged, defective, worn and otherwise unsalable goods and are dedicated to maximizing such products reuse in our Coach (Re)Loved and other circularity programs. The damaged product that was being destroyed in stores represents less than 1% of global sales.” This issue of destroying unsold product isn't unique to Coach. It happens across the retail industry, and has a hashtag on TikTok dedicated to collecting stories from people about being directed to do this to "usable items that could otherwise be donated" by their employers. The TikToker is currently working to launch a coalition called Donate Don’t Dump, to enact legislation to address this.
Coroner Releases Results of Gabby Petito Autopsy
According to a Wyoming coroner, Gabby Petito died by strangulation. After the 22-year-old's body was found last month, the coroner ruled that the death was a homicide. He also said the body was outside for three to four weeks before it was found. Brian Laundrie, her fiancé, returned alone from their cross-country trip alone on Sept. 1. Petito was reported missing by her parents on Sept. 11. A nationwide manhunt for Laundrie is still underway. No word on whether the coroner's findings will lead to charges against Laundrie.
White House Warns Parents Might Not Be Able To Get Kids' Christmas Toys Thanks To Supply Chain Issues
The White House is warning American shoppers that they won't be able to get key items like popular kids toys for Christmas due to the ongoing supply chain issues. At almost every link in the chain, there is a shortage… there aren't enough yard workers to unpack the cargo on the ships quickly enough, nor are there enough drivers able to ferry them around on the ground. In stores, retailers don't have enough workers to unpack them once they arrive. Because of this, many goods that are made in China like toys, clothes, home appliances and more are stuck either in factories there or in containers on board cargo ships off the coast that are waiting their turn to dock. The White House said the issues aren’t going to go away anytime soon and people should start stocking up for Christmas now.