Author: Cortlyn McCarthy
Why Planes Dim the Lights Before Takeoff (Hint: It’s Not Mood Lighting)
Here’s a fun little nugget to file under “stuff that’ll make your next flight way more stressful.”
You know how the cabin lights get dimmed during takeoff and landing? It feels kind of relaxing, like they’re setting the mood for a nap or a mid-air spa day. Yeah, nope.
The real reason is much more unsettling.
Turns out, they’re not dimming the lights to soothe you. They’re doing it because those are the two riskiest parts of the flight, and if something goes wrong… you might need to escape in the dark.
The real reason for the moody lighting, according to industry experts, is to give your eyes time to adjust — just in case there’s a sudden loss of power and you need to make a quick exit.
Basically, they want you to be able to see the glowing “EXIT” signs and emergency path lights without your retinas screaming, “Why is it pitch black?!”
Unsettling, yes. Makes sense? Also yes.
Think about walking into a dark movie theater from the blinding afternoon sun. You’re bumping into chairs, whisper-apologizing to strangers, trying not to drop your popcorn. Now imagine doing that, but the theater is a plane, there’s no popcorn, everyone’s screaming, and the stakes are slightly higher.
The dim lights are a pre-game warmup for your eyeballs. If something goes sideways, you’ll be better equipped to see where you’re going instead of flailing around in the dark like you’re in the worst escape room ever.
So the next time you’re buckled in and the lights start to fade, remember it’s not about comfort. It’s about survival. Sleep tight!
Car’s Rattling Noise Has Innocent Explanation
The good news is you don’t have to pay for an expensive fix. The bad news is you can never show your face there again and need a new mechanic.
10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 5-11
Green poop, Princess Leia’s bikini, and Justin Bieber’s ‘baby’ maker. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.
Burger King’s Halloween Whopper was turning people’s poop green
Spookiest fast food item ever? Health experts told people not to worry. Food coloring in the Whopper’s black bun was the likely culprit. The festive fecal fiasco even inspired its own couple’s costume that year.
Justin Bieber stepped out onto a balcony fully naked
He was vacationing in Bora Bora with British model Jayde Pierce when the paparazzi caught him stepping out in his birthday suit. Fans were impressed with what he was packing. Justin’s dad even decided to (oddly) weigh in, tweeting, “What do you feed that thing. #proud daddy.” 👀
The weirdest stuff people ever got trick-or-treating
A BuzzFeed list went viral after readers were asked to name the weirdest thing they (or their kid) ever got while trick-or-treating. Answers included “potato salad in a plastic bag,” “condoms,” and “a pack of cigarettes.” Good job, America.
Princess Leia’s slave bikini sold for $96,000
The skimpy, metallic wardrobe item from “Return of the Jedi” fetched $96k at an auction of Hollywood memorabilia. It turned out to be a pretty solid investment, selling again in 2024 for $175,000.
Bindi Irwin danced for her dad on “DWTS”
Steve Irwin’s daughter – just 17 at the time – broke down in tears at the end of her contemporary dance routine with partner Derek Hough. Her little brother Robert Irwin was in the audience. A decade later, he’d appear on the show as well. His shirtless routine prompted Chippendales to offer him a contract.
A study found these states are the most “normal”
“Business Insider“ used 40 different metrics to rank all 50 states according to how “normal” they are. Most Normal: Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, North Carolina, and Michigan. Weirdest: Hawaii, Alaska, California, New York, and Utah.
First woman to announce MLB postseason game
ESPN analyst Jessica Mendoza (sitting alongside John Kruk and Dan Shulman) became the first woman to ever call a nationally televised postseason game. The Astros beat the Yankees 3-0 in that one, but the Kansas City Royals would go on to become World Series champs a few weeks later, beating the New York Mets in five games.
An NBA player drove 95 miles to fight an NBA coach
Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes reportedly found out Knicks coach (and former Lakers teammate) Derek Fisher was shtupping his wife. Media outlets reported that Barnes drove 95 miles from Santa Barbara to kick Fisher out of his home. Cops were called, but Fisher was gone by the time they got there and no one pressed charges.
4 in 5 people said they’d rather work in solitude
80% of people polled said they preferred working alone because they felt their office work environment was “hostile” or “unhelpful.” COVID would eventually hold their feet to the fire on that one five years later.
“Boob Spelled Backwards Is Boob”
It was like “We Are the World” for boobies! A ton of big stars pitched in on a charity single called “Boob Spelled Backwards Is Boob“ for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. San Francisco DJ Mike Nelson was behind the project – his wife Christi was battling breast cancer, and their eight-year-old son wrote the lyrics.
Featured artists included Florence Welch, Noel Gallagher, Hozier, Michael Franti, Graham Nash, The Grateful Dead, and more. Christi kept fans updated and inspired during her decade-long cancer battle. (Her family got another 10 amazing years with her! Sadly, she passed away in Sept 2025.)
This Fast Food Place Has the Quickest Drive-Thru
Congrats, fast-food chains – you tried to make drive-thrus smarter with A.I., and somehow made them dumber.
According to the latest annual Drive-Thru Study from Intouch Insight, the average fast-food drive-thru experience lasts a little longer than it did a year ago. We’re now clocking in at 5 minutes 35 seconds per visit, or nine seconds slower than last year. That may not sound like much, but when your french-fry-fueled serotonin levels are crashing, it’s a lifetime.
To be fair, they added more chains to their study this time around. If you only look at the ones they tested last year, the average drive-thru time was actually flat – or technically 3 seconds faster than it was in 2024.
Taco Bell has the fastest drive-thru
Taco Bell took the crown for fastest service, at just 4 minutes 16 seconds. Probably helps that every single item is some variation of a tortilla and cheese. KFC, Tim Hortons, and Arby’s weren’t far behind, keeping things moving and the curly fries flowing.
Chick-fil-A had the longest wait times at over 7 minutes. But before you cancel your waffle fry plans, there’s a good reason for that wait. They also had much busier lines, and still managed to rank first in friendliness and customer satisfaction. So yes, it takes longer. But Chick-fil-A customers feel it’s a worthwhile wait.
Burger King and Wendy’s are the most accurate
As for order accuracy, Burger King and Wendy’s tied for first among non-coffee chains, both hitting 88% accuracy. (Am I the only one who thinks that’s pathetic? The best of the best still get 1 in 9 orders wrong?)
The most common flubs overall? “Ice” issues, like ignoring requests for “no ice” or adding too much of it. Next on the list was forgetting an item or giving customers the wrong food.
A.I. screwed up more orders
When drive-thru A.I.’s worked as intended, they did make things go a little quicker. The problem is they’re still not as good at asking “would you like fries with that” as the average 16-year-old employee who does it while scrolling TikTok.
Drive-thrus using A.I. were less accurate, getting orders right just 83% of the time. That’s lower than the overall industry average of 87%.
One in every three customers also had to repeat themselves to A.I., and a human had to take over 21% of the time.
Gen Z Wants Total Silence While Driving
If your ideal morning commute involves no radio, no podcasts, and no phone calls, congrats – you’re at least young at heart.
A new poll by Ziebart found Zoomers are the generation most likely to crave peace and quiet behind the wheel. 55% of Gen Z adults prefer complete silence when they drive. No podcasts. No playlists. No phone calls. Not even the gentle hum of NPR. Just the sound of rubber meeting road.
The poll looked at how different generations use their time in the car, and it turns out every age group has its own road time rituals.
Gen Z: Total silence
The poll didn’t look at why that’s the case, but here’s a guess. They think the radio is from the 1800s… think music should only be consumed through headphones… and/or they’re 24 and just got their driver’s license at 22. So they need zero distractions to avoid driving into a ditch.
Millennials: Chasing productivity
They’re the most likely to use drive time to plan their day, think about the future, or mentally run through their to-do lists. Basically, their brains are in full Google Calendar mode before they even hit the parking lot. They also listen to more podcasts than any other generation. (Probably ones on how to de-stress.)
Gen X: Still blasting those tunes
If you were born between ’65 and ’80, you’re probably still jamming out to your favorite music. A whopping 89% of Gen X respondents said listening to music is their go-to commute activity. Makes sense from the generation that had to wire a tape deck into their dad’s old Trans Am to listen to their Jane’s Addiction tapes.
Baby Boomers: ???
Boomers weren’t represented in the poll. But you can probably find them lecturing their GPS. Or if anyone from those other generations is riding shotgun, they’ll be reminiscing about when gas was under a dollar.
So whether your commute is a silent think tank, a mobile concert venue, or a motivational seminar on wheels, at least know you’re not alone in your habits. (But seriously, Gen Z. Turn that radio on. It’s free and sooooo throwback ’90s of you.)
A Woman Yawned So Hard, It Almost Killed Her
If you needed something new to worry about this week… yawning just made the list. Hayley Black, a 36-year-old mom in the UK, recently shared the terrifying story of how a simple morning yawn nearly ended her life. The incident happened back in 2016.
How a big yawn could paralyze, or even kill you
It all started around 5 a.m., when Hayley woke up to feed her newborn daughter, Amelia. After watching her baby yawn, Hayley instinctively did the same, tossing in a casual stretch for good measure. Then everything went sideways.
“I felt this immediate electric shock sensation go through half my body,” she said. Her arm locked midair, and she started experiencing what she described as seizure-like sensations. She knew right away something was seriously wrong.
Even her husband didn’t believe it
Her husband Ian initially brushed it off, but quickly changed course and called an ambulance. At the hospital, despite Hayley’s obvious pain, scans initially showed nothing. Medical staff assumed she was fine. But the pain kept intensifying, and she became paralyzed on her right side.
How did it paralyze her?
A more in-depth evaluation eventually revealed the horrifying truth: the force of her yawn had caused her C6 and C7 vertebrae to shoot forward into her spinal cord. She was given a 50/50 chance of walking again, or even surviving.
Rushed into surgery
Thankfully, emergency surgery was successful, but recovery was long and brutal. Hayley had to re-learn how to walk and was in a wheelchair for months. She now lives with permanent nerve damage, takes daily medication, and has developed fibromyalgia.
Paranoid it could happen again
Even today, she says any attempt to yawn triggers a wave of fear. “I can’t yawn without panic,” she said. “Every time I take a step [without medication], I get electrical shocks all up my spine and into my head.”
So the next time you feel a yawn coming on, maybe just… sip some water instead.
10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Sept 28-Oct 4
Caffeinated peanut butter, “Family Feud” isn’t so family friendly, and Trevor Noah debuts on “The Daily Show.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.
Trevor Noah debuted on “The Daily Show”
Young people liked it, old people didn’t. “Slate” called Trevor’s debut “a Jon Stewart impression” with “glimpses of something new.” Ratings dropped 37% before rebounding, then cratering to their lowest level ever by 2020. He announced his departure on Sept. 29, 2022, exactly 7 years after his debut. His final show aired that December.
Caffeinated peanut butter?
Yep, caffeinated peanut butter. A company in Massachusetts called Steem came up with it. Shockingly, it was not the huge success they’d hoped it would be. Their website says it’s “no longer in production.”
Hillary Clinton showed up on “SNL”
The presidential hopeful didn’t host (Miley Cyrus did), but appeared in a skit alongside Kate McKinnon. McKinnon played Hillary drowning her sorrows at a bar, while the real Hillary played the bartender. Her opponent Donald Trump did take up full hosting duties that November, prompting protests outside 30 Rock.
“The Simpsons” revealed Smithers was gay
Exec producer Al Jean announced that Mr. Burns’ longtime assistant Waylon Smithers would come out of the closet during the show’s 27th season. He also claimed the show would likely end after its 30th season. (It’s currently in Season 37.) Smithers’ coming out did eventually happen in April 2026 in an episode called “The Burns Cage.”
“Family Feud” wasn’t family friendly
People questioned whether the game show was getting too dirty after Steve Harvey asked contestants to name “the last thing you put your finger in,” and a guy responded with, “My wife!” 👀 “Fox News” called the show “not so family friendly anymore.”
Caitlyn Jenner ducked vehicular manslaughter charges
The L.A. County D.A. opted not to charge her for a crash in Malibu that February that left one person dead. She’d rear ended the person’s car, pushing it into oncoming traffic. Officials determined she did hit the brakes late, but wasn’t speeding.
Honey Boo Boo released her debut single
The reality star’s foray into music was predictably short lived. As you’d expect, her song “Movin’ Up“ wasn’t great. (Honey Boo Boo, aka Alana Thompson, turned 20 this past August, btw.)
“The Martian” was a box office hit
Despite its 2 hour 24 min runtime, the Matt Damon sci-fi flick went on to earn over $630 million worldwide. Meanwhile, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Twin Tower tightrope movie “The Walk” was so realistic, it caused theatergoers to vomit.
Leonardo DiCaprio fought a bear
“The Revenant” wouldn’t hit theaters for another few months, but the official trailer had people saying, “Damn, that bear fight looks intense!” They were correct.
Sean Astin said a “Goonies” sequel would happen
It was just a prediction, not a revelation – he said it wasn’t a question of “if” but “when.” A decade later, that continues to be the question. A recent report suggested the sequel was still “moving in the right direction.”
“Clocked It”: Why Your Teen Keeps Saying It (And What It Means)
The slang term has been gaining traction online and in schools. Now Google says searches for it are at an all-time high.
So, what does it mean? Technically, “to clock” something means to notice it. Simple enough, right? But Gen Z has taken that idea and run with it, applying it to everything from compliments to gossip to petty shade.
A TikTok mom recently went viral for explaining the many ways she’s heard her kids use it. For example, if your outfit looks particularly fresh, they might nod and say, “That outfit slays. Clocked it.” Or if someone spills the latest drama, it’s “Clocked that tea.” It’s basically a casual, sometimes smug way of saying, “I see it, I get it, I’m taking note.”
Hey, kids. It’s not really a new term.
While it may feel like brand-new slang to teens and tweens, using the word “clock” like this isn’t really new at all. According to Merriam-Webster, people have been “clocking” stuff since at least 1929. (It also has roots in trans culture. As in, “I think they clocked me [as trans].”)
Why is it suddenly so popular?
“Sudden” might be a strong word. It’s been going around the internet for the good part of a year, if not longer. The reason more people (parents and kids) are googling it likely has more to do with the new school year than anything else. Teens are using it in class, more parents are hearing it in car rides, and more people are googling it in confusion.
So if your kid tells you they “clocked” something, don’t worry. They’re not tracking time, and they definitely don’t mean they punched someone in the face. They’re just letting you know they noticed. Whether it’s your outfit, your mood, or that eye roll you thought they didn’t see… they clocked it.
“Boyfriend Glow-Ups” Are Taking Over TikTok
If your man has gone from “dud” to “stud” during your relationship, it might be time to jump on TikTok’s latest trend.
“Boyfriend glow-ups” are booming on social media, and the trend is exactly what it sounds like – women posting then-and-now comparisons of their partners before and after they got their hands on them.
The “before” shots usually show guys looking like they just rolled out of a college dorm room. Then cut to present day: tailored haircuts, upgraded fits, and a vibe straight out of “Esquire.”
Does your man qualify?
The transformations we’ve seen range from full-blown rebrands to subtle tweaks to “wait, what changed?” (The “Is this a glow-down?” videos are also fun.) But the best of the best are less “fixer-upper” and more “HGTV-level renovation.” Common upgrades include cooler wardrobes, trimmed facial hair, and the kind of confidence that comes with being loved and styled by someone who knows what they’re doing.
Why girlfriends love it?
Because they’ve been working on you for years, and they finally get to brag. Sure, it’s about growth, partnership, love. But more than that, it’s about the joy of watching them go from “graphic tee and flip-flops” to “knows how to layer.” If your boyfriend used to dress like a background character in a 2005 sitcom and now turns heads at brunch, go ahead and flex.
Choose the right soundtrack
If your guy has gone from “not” to “hot” during your tenure and you’ve got the receipts, then“When Did You Get Hot?” by Sabrina Carpenter is everyone’s song of choice. It’s become the unofficial soundtrack of the glow-up movement. (Like, if you’re not using it, are you even doing the trend right?)