Fonseca Trending 08/18/21
The Girl Scouts Are Adding a New Cookie for the 2022 Season
If your Girl Scout has been spending her summer days putting in long hours at the lab, we now know why: They've been secretly working on concocting a new cookie flavor. The Girl Scouts are adding a new cookie called "Adventurefuls" . . . and they're a "brownie-inspired treat featuring a caramel-flavored cream center, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and a touch of sea salt." (Here's an image of them.) They'll be available in January, when the Girl Scouts begin selling for next year. That's 145 days away . . . according to their countdown clock. You can sign up on their website to be reminded when they're unleashed. Of course, all the classic cookies will be back, along with this year's addition of the Toast-Yays. It doesn't sound like they're discontinuing anything. The Girl Scouts organization also wants to remind everyone that this is more than just a fundraising tradition that turns Girl Scouts into a conduit for your sugar fix. They're introducing new Cookie Business badges, which will "encourage girls to think like entrepreneurs, as they run their own cookie businesses and incorporate online sales [through] the Digital Cookie platform."
What's the Big Secret Netflix Is Revealing About Bob Ross???
We all know BOB ROSS as that gentle "Joy of Painting" guy with the soothing voice and comforting afro. But apparently, there's some kind of DIRTY SECRET behind the scenes that we didn't know about. And it will be revealed in the new Netflix documentary "Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed". Netflix released a 20-second clip yesterday that says, quote, "We want to show you the trailer for 'Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed'. But we can't." Then an unidentified voice says, quote, "I've been wanting to get this story out for all these years." The movie hits Netflix a week from today. Bob died of lymphoma in 1995. He was only 52.
Most Americans Are Uncomfortable Sitting Anywhere But Their "Assigned Spot" at Home
Do the people in your household settle into the exact same spots when you're at the kitchen table? Watching TV? Or just lounging around? In a new survey, two-thirds of Americans say they do have unofficial, "assigned" seating in their homes. And most of those people say they're very passionate about their "spot." In fact, 55% would feel "uncomfortable" sitting anywhere else. A lot of that is probably just routine, but 63% say they actually associate "positive memories" with particular areas or pieces of furniture. These numbers are backed up by another recent poll, where 63% of people said that when they eat dinner at home, they generally sit in the same place. Only 18% said they did NOT. 14% said they either don't have a table . . . or they don't have anyone to eat with.
Are These the Dumbest Songs Ever?
A writer for a Minnesota newspaper called the "Morrison County Record" asked his readers to name the DUMBEST SONGS OF ALL TIME. With their help, he came up with a list of the Top . . . or I guess BOTTOM . . . 40. And it turned out to be a pretty decent list. Check out the "Bottom" 20 . . . 1. "They're Coming to Take Me Away", Side B by Napoleon XIV (1966) (This was just the song played backwards. It appeared on the B-side of the single.) 2. "Louie, Louie" by the Kingsmen (1963) 3. "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by Ylvis (2013) 4. "Earache My Eye" by Cheech & Chong (1978) 5. "Disco Duck" by Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots (1976) 6. "Call Any Vegetable" by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (1970) 7. "Existential Blues" by Tom T-Bone Stankus (1980) 8. "Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out)" by the Hombres (1967) 9. "Bicycle Race" by Queen (1977) 10. "Chick A Boom" by Daddy Dewdrop (1971) 11. "Star Trekkin'" by The Firm (1987) 12. "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen (1963) 13. "They're Coming to Take Me Away", Side A by Napoleon XIV (1966) 14. "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris (1968) 15. "Take Me to the River" (Talking Wall Fish) by Big Mouth Billy Bass (1998) 16. "Blue" by Eiffel 65 (1999) 17. "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs (1965) 18. "Chicken Song" by the Spitting Image (1986) 19. "Leader of the Laundromat" by the Detergents (1965) 20. "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland (1960) (Check out the complete list here. Somehow, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" only made it to #23.)
Hotels Have Started Adding Fees to Use the Pool and Gym
Spirit Airlines started charging people for carry-ons in 2010. Now they charge for EVERYTHING, and other airlines have followed suit. So could the same thing happen with HOTELS next? Well, it's already started. "The Wall Street Journal" just did a big story on a company called MCR Development that owns over 100 large hotels around the country. They're the fourth-largest hotel operator in the U.S., and they've been testing out the à la carte business model. Around a dozen of their hotels now charge $25 to use the pool . . . $20 to check in early . . . another $20 to check out late . . . and an additional fee to use the gym. They claim it's going to allow them to offer rooms at slightly cheaper rates.
Seven Dollar Store Items That Are Cheaper Elsewhere
Dollar stores stay in business by getting overstocked stuff in bulk. For example, a $1 toothbrush only costs them a quarter. And they can get eight-packs of crayons for 30 cents, then resell them for a buck. But not everything they sell is a deal. They also partner with companies to sell smaller-sized products that fit their $1 price point. And sometimes you get less for your money that way. Here are a few dollar store items that aren't actually a deal . . . 1. Scott brand toilet paper. A single roll at Dollar Tree costs about two bucks, or 30 cents more than Target. 2. Old Spice deodorant. They usually sell smaller tubes of it, and you pay $1.25 per ounce. But a larger size at Walmart is 97 cents an ounce. Or 75 cents at Costco. 3. Sharpies. $1.00 at most dollar stores, and 80 cents at Walmart. 4. Crest toothpaste. 42 cents an ounce versus 25 cents at Target. 5. Cereal. Cheerios are 29 cents an ounce at Dollar Tree, or 17 cents at Walmart. 6. Top Ramen noodles. 20 cents an ounce, versus 17 cents at Target. 7. Gain laundry detergent. 10 cents an ounce, or 9 cents at other stores.
Should High Schools Teach Money Management? Only 8% of Us Say No
Here's a good question as school starts back up: Should high schools teach kids how to handle money and avoid debt? A new poll asked 1,500 people if personal finance should be taught in schools, and almost everyone says YES. 83% said "yes" or "DEFINITELY yes" . . . another 9% said maybe . . . and only 8% think it's a bad idea. A similar survey a few years ago asked recent high school graduates what type of course would help them the most. And money management dominated with 50% of the vote. Math was next at 18%.
Today's Showbiz Highlights
1. DANIEL CRAIG says he's not leaving his kids anything when he dies. Quote, "I think inheritance is quite distasteful. My philosophy is get rid of it or give it away before you go." 2. A list of celebrities who dropped out of college includes Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Zooey Deschanel, and Ben Stiller. 3. ALEX RODRIGUEZ was sent chicken pizzas from someone by the name of "Ben Afflec". It's unclear what message he was sending because there was no note attached . . . but he or she spent $141 to do it. 4. LIZZO said an old paparazzi video of CHRIS EVANS hollering at a black girl was what motivated her to (drunkenly) slide into his direct messages. She said he was, quote, "Christopher Jamal" and he had a little bit of game. 5. TIM TEBOW was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday, in large part because he couldn't tackle . . . which he'd have to be decent at to help out on special teams. He thanked the Jaguars for giving him a chance. 6. The Netflix movie "Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed" will premiere next Wednesday. So far, Netflix is being pretty secretive about its content. 5 Adidas made a pair of sneakers inspired by the outfit of next door neighbor Ned Flanders from "The Simpsons". They come out on October 3rd to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the season three episode, "When Flanders Failed". 6. A list of the dumbest songs of all time is topped by the 1966 "classic" "They're Coming to Take Me Away", Side B . . . which is just the song played BACKWARDS. It's followed by "Louie, Louie" and "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" 7. ANDERSON .PAAK got a tattoo on his forearm that says, quote, "When I'm gone, please don't release any posthumous albums or songs with my name attached. Those were just demos and never intended to be heard by the public." Couldn't be any clearer than that. 8. DAN + SHAY set out to autograph 10,000 copies of their album, "Good Things" . . . and then blew right by that number. They signed until their hands cramped-up, and then they signed some more. 9. DUSTIN LYNCH sang "Thinking 'Bout You" with a 17-year-old girl he pulled out of the audience at Country Fest back in June. Two videos of them performing together have now racked-up over six million views.