Cyrell Jackson – Page 2

Got a Dark Car? Birds Might See It as a Toilet

Thinking about buying a dark-colored car to make dirt less obvious? That might help with dust—but not with bird poop.

A new report has revealed that bird droppings aren’t entirely random. Some vehicles, especially those with darker paint, seem to attract more than their fair share of aerial “gifts.” And if you drive a Ram, Jeep, or Chevy, you might want to keep the car wash on speed dial.

So what’s the deal with bird poop preferences?

According to the findings, brown vehicles top the list for most bird droppings, followed by red and black. On the flip side, white and silver cars appear to be the least targeted.

The science behind it is actually kind of fascinating: birds can see ultraviolet light and have enhanced color perception compared to humans. That means darker and glossier surfaces might look more reflective, more vibrant—or more threatening. During mating season, for example, birds may even see their own reflections and mistake them for rivals. Cue the attacks. Cue the mess.

And that theory could explain why your freshly washed ride always seems to be the first to get hit. It’s not your imagination—shiny cars may just be more inviting for bird drama.

Now for the brand breakdown. Who gets pooped on the most?

The top three brands that birds apparently prefer to defile are:

Ram
Jeep
Chevrolet

They’re followed by Nissan, Dodge, Kia, Tesla, Audi, Ford, and Subaru. If you’re wondering why certain brands rank higher, it likely has more to do with their popular paint colors or design finishes than some secret grudge birds are holding.

The financial impact of bird bombs

It’s not just an eyesore either. Bird droppings are surprisingly acidic and can damage paint if left too long. According to the report, nearly a quarter of Americans spend more than $500 a year dealing with poop-related cleanups and repairs. Tesla and BMW drivers tend to spend the most—possibly because of the higher-end paint jobs and finishings that require extra care.

So, unless you’re planning to wrap your car in camouflage or install a rooftop scarecrow, maybe just avoid parking under trees… or get used to regular washings.

From Murderers Creek to Satan’s Kingdom: America’s Creepiest Place Names

If you’re into road trips with a side of goosebumps, today’s your lucky day.

Here’s a list of the eeriest-sounding places in all 50 states—and not because anything terrifying happened there, but because the names alone are enough to make you want to keep the car running.

These places have spooky written all over them. So whether you’re mapping out a haunted highway adventure or just want to creep yourself out from the comfort of your couch, here’s what made the list.

Let’s start with a few highlights:

Alaska: Deadman Lake sounds like a spot where you don’t want to find out why it’s called that.
Delaware: Slaughter Beach may be lovely in person, but that name doesn’t exactly scream “family fun.”
Illinois: Bloody Gulch Road feels like it was ripped straight from a horror movie.
Oregon: Murderers Creek? Yeah, maybe we’ll just wave from the car.

And yes, there’s a town in Michigan literally named Hell.

It’s been fully embraced, with “Welcome to Hell” signs and Halloween-level tourism every October.

Other creepy contenders include Satan’s Kingdom State Park in Connecticut, Transylvania in Louisiana, Witches Gulch in Wisconsin, and Death Canyon in Wyoming. So many places that make you wonder who was in charge of naming them—and if that person is okay.

And don’t worry, the South showed up strong too: Georgia’s got Slaughter Mountain, while North Carolina offers Devil’s Courthouse and South Carolina contributes Gravedigger Road.

If you want the full list, Mental Floss has short write-ups on each pick. (And if you visit any of these places, please report back. Preferably alive.)

Bonus ghostly content: CNN recently rounded up the three “spookiest cities” in the country based on their haunted histories. No surprise here—Salem, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and New Orleans, Louisiana top the list.

So, if you’re looking for the ultimate creepy cross-country road trip, maybe it’s time to pack a flashlight, cue up some true crime podcasts, and hit the road. Just… maybe avoid stopping at Dead Women Crossing in Oklahoma unless you’re really feeling brave.

Your October Cheat Sheet

October is here, and while we say goodbye to summer and start dodging pumpkin spice everything, there’s plenty to actually get excited about this month. From big-time sports events to major movie releases (and yes, a few bizarre food trends), here are some of the top things happening in October 2025.

Sports Fans, This Is Your Month

If you’re into sports, October is kind of a buffet. Baseball’s postseason is in full swing, with Game 1 of the World Series scheduled for October 24. Over in the NBA, the new season tips off October 21, and hockey fans get their fix starting October 8 when the NHL drops the puck on its new season.

In short, you can basically glue yourself to a couch and not run out of games to watch.

Big Movies (and Big Stars)

The box office is stacked this month. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is back in action with The Smashing Machine, an MMA biopic landing in theaters this Friday. If you’ve missed Daniel Day-Lewis (who hasn’t?), he returns after a seven-year hiatus in Anemone, also out this Friday.

Tron: Ares hits theaters October 10, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein drops in limited release on the 17th (before heading to Netflix), and Jeremy Allen White stars as The Boss in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, coming October 24.

So basically, whether you’re into robots, monsters, or moody musicians, you’re covered.

TV Shows Are Coming Back to Life Too

Streaming fatigue? October’s got some comfort food TV returning to your screen. Abbott Elementary is back, Saturday Night Live returns for its 51st season this weekend, and Grey’s Anatomy and 9-1-1: Nashville premiere October 9. Other dates to circle: Elsbeth and Tim Robinson’s new HBO Max show The Chair Company on October 12, NCIS on the 14th, 9-1-1 (OG flavor) on the 16th, Tracker on the 19th, and The Witcher season 4 wraps it all up on October 30.

So yeah, your DVR (or algorithm) is about to get real busy.

Holidays, Both Big and Bizarre

Obviously, Halloween caps the month off on October 31. But along the way, we’ve also got Yom Kippur starting tonight, and a double holiday situation with Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 13.

Some of the lesser-known holidays are a little more… creative. Like International Beer and Pizza Day (October 9), National No Bra Day (also the 13th, which makes for a fun combo), and National Cat Day on the 29th.

Whether you’re watching baseball, binging TV, or contemplating green spaghetti (we see you, Arizona), October 2025 is ready to entertain.

What’s “Heavy Soda”?

If you’ve ever chugged a 44-ounce fountain drink and thought, you know what this needs? More syrup… then buckle up. There’s a new trend bubbling up online called heavy soda, and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like — soda with extra syrup and maximum sweetness.

The trend is reportedly taking off at gas stations and convenience stores, especially in southern Missouri, where it supposedly got its start. But thanks to TikTok and Reddit, heavy soda is now going viral across the country.

So, what is heavy soda?

At self-serve fountain drink machines, the soda flavor comes from a mix of carbonated water and flavored syrup. Some stores — intentionally or not — have started tweaking that ratio and upping the syrup, creating a sweeter, “heavier” version of your favorite drink.

Some locations are even labeling their machines so customers know which ones are heavy.

Why are people doing this?

Sure, some folks just like their soda tooth-achingly sweet. But fans of the trend say there’s a practical reason too: if you’re grabbing a huge soda in the morning and sipping it all day, the extra syrup helps combat ice dilution. As the ice melts, the drink still tastes normal instead of watery.

From a flavor science perspective, it kind of makes sense. From a health perspective? Not so much. Critics have pointed out the obvious: even regular soda is already packed with sugar, so heavy soda takes things into turbo mode. Not ideal if you’re watching your sugar intake — but hey, it’s your pancreas.

Haven’t I heard this before?

Some people claim McDonald’s fountain drinks have always had a slightly higher syrup ratio than the standard recommendation, which might explain why their Coke hits different. But heavy soda takes that idea and cranks it up way past fast-food levels.

Curious? There are plenty of TikToks and Reddit threads where people are testing it out. Whether you’re intrigued or horrified, one thing’s clear: we’ve officially reached the point where even our beverages are getting algorithmically optimized for sugar content.

@earlypete
Heavy Soda Explained! #missouri #soda #pop #regionalfood
♬ Blurry – Puddle Of Mudd

Where Do You Keep Your Phone? 5% of People Say… Their Underwear?

It’s 2025, and let’s be honest—your phone is basically a body part at this point. But where exactly do people keep theirs?

A new online poll asked people where their phones live throughout the day, and the results are surprisingly specific (and a little weird). The most popular answer? The right pants pocket. A solid 57% of people keep their phone there, making it the undisputed champion of pocket real estate.

The left pocket is a distant second, with 19% of people claiming it. Another 12% toss their phone into a bag—whether that’s a purse, a backpack, or even a good old-fashioned murse. Seven percent go for the back pocket, despite the ongoing fear of sitting on their phone and cracking the screen (or their spine).

And then there’s the wild card: 5% of people said they carry their phone in their underwear. Yes, underwear.

That number might include some jokesters, but several women chimed in to say it’s actually a real workaround. Since women’s clothing often lacks decent pockets, slipping a phone into a bra or waistband becomes a practical solution, especially when you’re at home and don’t want to carry a purse just to move around your own kitchen.

So while the guys are out here enjoying cavernous cargo shorts, some women are basically running an underground phone storage operation.

Moral of the story: if you’re calling someone and it goes straight to voicemail, maybe… give them a minute. Their phone might be very close, just not in any place you’d expect.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Big AI Reveal? More Like a Glitchfest

Mark Zuckerberg’s big AI moment turned into a tech fail for the ages, after not one, but two onstage demos of Meta’s new smart glasses completely flopped in front of a live audience.

At Meta’s annual Connect conference, Zuck tried to show off the company’s newest pair of AI-powered Ray-Bans and a neural wristband that’s supposed to make digital life more hands-free. Instead, what people saw was a masterclass in awkward silences, failed commands, and some truly brutal buffering.

To kick things off, Zuckerberg joined food influencer Jack Mancuso live on video, and asked Meta’s fancy new glasses to help him make a Korean-inspired steak sauce. Simple enough, right? Not for Meta’s AI. It glitched almost immediately, ignoring basic questions and repeating incorrect steps like a robot stuck in a feedback loop. Mancuso had to ask what to do three times before the AI gave the same wrong answer twice.

The segment was quietly cut short as the team blamed “bad Wi-Fi” and tried to laugh it off. But the worst was yet to come.

In the very next segment, Zuckerberg attempted to make a video call using the new glasses and wristband. What followed was four failed call attempts, a bunch of awkward hand waving, and a visibly frustrated Zuck mumbling things like, “We’ll debug that later,” while the audience sat in secondhand embarrassment.

Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth eventually bailed him out by appearing on stage, cracking a joke about the Wi-Fi. But by then, the damage was done. Even Zuckerberg admitted, “You practice these things like 100 times, and then you never know what’s going to happen.”

The $799 Ray-Ban smart glasses are part of Zuckerberg’s effort to put Meta back on the AI leaderboard, especially after a string of high-profile stumbles.

He even took direct control of Meta’s AI division this year, reportedly offering new hires massive salaries in the hopes of catching up to rivals like OpenAI and Google.

But Wednesday’s fiasco felt like a metaphor: no matter how much money or ambition is thrown at it, the tech still isn’t quite ready for prime time. And when your futuristic glasses can’t even make a steak sauce or dial a phone call onstage, it’s hard not to wonder if we’re just being sold another pair of overhyped goggles.

In the meantime, the internet had a field day. The gifs, memes, and “bad Wi-Fi” jokes practically wrote themselves.

Here’s How to Get That Campfire Smell Out of Your Clothes

There’s nothing like a night around the campfire—roasting marshmallows, swapping stories, maybe dodging a raccoon or two. But the one thing no one wants to bring home from the woods? That smoky, lingering campfire smell that clings to your clothes like it has squatters’ rights.

Luckily, there are a few simple tricks you can use to evict that stubborn scent and freshen up your wardrobe. Here are five proven ways to get your clothes back to their pre-s’mores glory:

1. Air Them Out

Before you panic and toss everything in the wash, try the old-fashioned approach: hang your clothes outside in the sun and wind. Fresh air and UV rays can help break down odor molecules naturally. Let ’em flap in the breeze for a few hours and see what a difference it makes.

2. Wash With Warm Water

Heat helps loosen the fabric fibers and allows trapped odor particles to escape. Just make sure to check the care label on your clothes first—some items prefer cooler temps.

3. Add Baking Soda

This pantry staple is a deodorizing powerhouse. Toss about half a cup into your washing machine along with your usual detergent. Baking soda works to neutralize smells instead of just covering them up.

4. Try Activated Charcoal

Not just for your teeth or your fridge—activated charcoal can absorb smells like a champ. Seal your smoky clothes in a bag with a few charcoal briquettes (or charcoal odor absorber packets) and leave it overnight. Don’t worry—it won’t leave a charcoal smell behind.

5. Lemon Juice Spray

Mix one part lemon juice with six parts water in a spray bottle. Lightly spritz your clothes inside and out, and let them dry completely. It’s like natural Febreze—with the added bonus of smelling like you just cleaned your kitchen.

Bonus Tip: Prevention

Next time, try wearing a designated “campfire hoodie” you don’t mind getting a little smoky. Or better yet, change into fresh clothes before bed and seal the smoky ones in a bag until you can wash them.

Check Out Sydney Sweeney Posing as Dolly Parton

Sydney Sweeney’s new movie Americana is now in theaters, and the marketing team might just deserve its own award. The movie’s turning heads with a series of retro posters that reimagine the cast as iconic country music legends.

Americana stars Sweeney as a young woman chasing her dream of country stardom, and to match that Nashville spirit, the promo campaign recreated classic country album covers—with the cast stepping into some very big boots.

Sweeney herself paid homage to none other than Dolly Parton, posing as the country queen on the 1974 Jolene album cover.

(Most men are bummed she wasn’t recreating Dolly’s Playboy cover.)

Halsey, who also stars in the film, took on the brooding cool of Johnny Cash, recreating the artwork from The Legend of Johnny Cash (2005). If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was a lost Cash promo photo.

Simon Rex stepped in for Chris Stapleton, channeling the vibe of From a Room: Volume 2. If the beard fits…

Zahn McClarnon and Paul Walter Hauser pulled double duty with dueling tributes to Willie Nelson. McClarnon posed for a modern take on Shotgun Willie, while Hauser gave us his version of Red Headed Stranger. Yes, red braids included.

And wrapping it all up, Eric Dane honored Dwight Yoakam with a cover inspired by This Time, the 1993 hit album that made tight jeans and heartbreak look effortless.

Americana is clearly embracing country culture—not just through its story, but in how it’s connecting with fans of the genre. These posters aren’t just clever marketing; they’re love letters to the artists who helped define country music’s look and feel.

If you’re a fan of old-school album art, you’ll probably like them. And if you’re a fan of Sydney Sweeney in a Dolly wig? Even better.

The Craziest (and Funniest) Excuses People Have Used to Skip Work

We’ve all had those mornings. You’re tired, unmotivated, maybe a little emotionally allergic to your inbox. But most of us still manage to slap on some deodorant and show up anyway. Others? Not so much.

Someone on Reddit recently asked for the wildest excuses people have ever given to miss work, and the responses did not disappoint. From wildlife drama to pop star heartbreak, here are some of the most head-scratching—and hilarious—reasons people have called off the job.

1. “I thought Valentine’s Day was a federal holiday.”
We respect the commitment to romance, but no.

2. “I flushed my car keys down the toilet.”
Yikes.

3. “Chipmunks filled my truck’s engine with walnuts.”
A real-life Alvin and the Chipmunks sabotage. Nature: 1, punctuality: 0.

4. Exfoliating injury?
One woman claimed she sliced her own nose while doing skincare. Those exfoliating scrubs are getting aggressive.

5. “I ran out of toilet paper.”
A surprisingly relatable 2020-style crisis that still makes the excuse list.

6. “There was a big bug outside my door.”
Turns out the terrifying “bug” was just… a piece of string.

7. “I ate a whole log of cookie dough.”
No judgment. Honestly, this one feels more like a mental health day than an excuse.

8. “There was a huge human dookie on my driver’s seat.”
That’s a hard pass on carpooling.

9. “A squirrel bit my finger while I tossed a coffee cup.”
The squirrel was presumably offended at the lack of recycling.

10. “Zayn left One Direction. I can’t.”
Grief is real. So is pop culture heartbreak.

Whether you’re Team PTO or Team “power through it,” these bizarre excuses are a reminder that sometimes truth really is stranger (and more entertaining) than fiction. So next time you’re tempted to call in sick because Mercury’s in retrograde or your dog gave you a weird look, just make sure you have a good excuse.

AOL Pulls the Plug on Dial-Up Internet, Ending a Noisy Era

Gen Z may love their wired headphones, thrifted cameras, and all things retro, but if they ever wanted to experience ‘90s-style Internet, that door just got a little harder to open.

AOL has officially announced it will shut down its dial-up Internet service on September 30, 2025. Yes, somehow, this was still an option in 2025.

For millions of Americans in the 1990s, “America Online” was the on-ramp to the World Wide Web. Before broadband and Wi-Fi, you got online through your telephone line — complete with that ear-piercing chorus of digital screeches, beeps, and static that meant you were connecting. And if someone in the house picked up the phone, well, you were instantly disconnected.

Back in the day, AOL flooded mailboxes with shiny CDs promising free trial memberships — often boasting “100 free hours” — before charging a monthly fee. The service peaked when logging on meant chat rooms, AIM messages, and the thrill of hearing “You’ve got mail.”

AOL shortened its name in 2006, but by then broadband and wireless Internet had already taken over. According to U.S. Census data, only about 160,000 Americans were still using dial-up in 2023, making up roughly 0.1% of all Internet connections in the country. It remains most common in rural or remote areas where high-speed options are limited, and satellite is the only alternative.

Dial-up’s one big selling point has always been price — sometimes under $10 a month — but that comes with a glacial speed limit of 56 kilobits per second. At that pace, a single song takes around 12 minutes to download, and a high-definition movie? About 170 hours. That’s over a week of your computer working harder than you do on Monday mornings.

AOL says the shutdown is part of its regular evaluation of products and services, and while this is the end for their dial-up, other companies like Microsoft and NetZero still offer similar connections for the few who want or need them.

So, farewell, America Online. Thanks for the nostalgia, the CDs we used as coasters, and for making us believe the Internet was a place where “getting mail” was exciting.

If you never got to hear that iconic dial-up handshake sound, just know: you really missed out… and also, you’re probably better off.