Category: Berry Interesting

Life advice you didn’t ask for, trends you’ll forget by next week, and feel-good fluff designed to help you stop doomscrolling, at least for five seconds.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 30-Dec 6

Scott Weiland passes away, a big Salvation Army donation, and an unwanted “Bud Weisser” at Budweiser. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

The Top Yahoo Searches of 2015

The top search on Yahoo in 2015 was “Bobbi Kristina Brown” after she tragically passed away that July. Other top searches included “iPhone,” “Caitlyn Jenner,” “Katy Perry’s Super Bowl Halftime sharks,” and the term “man bun.” (Also of note: People were still using Yahoo back then.)

Scott Weiland Is Found Dead on His Tour Bus

Tragic news hit rock fans in early December 2015 when the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman was found dead on his tour bus. The 48-year-old’s long battle with addiction cast a shadow over his career, but his voice defined an era of ‘90s alt-rock.

Someone Left a Check for Half-a-Million Dollars in a Salvation Army Kettle

Talk about holiday spirit! A Salvation Army worker in Minnesota opened a red kettle to find a $500,000 cashier’s check inside. The anonymous couple instantly made it one of the largest single kettle donations ever.

The Most Streamed Artists on Spotify in 2015

Spotify crowned Drake the most-streamed artist of 2015, with over 1.8 billion streams. The top female artist was Rihanna, the #1 song was “Lean On” by Major Lazer, and the top-streamed album was “Beauty Behind the Madness” by The Weeknd.

Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Songs of 2015

“Rolling Stone” released its Top 50 Songs of the year, with “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd taking the top spot, followed by “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap and “Hotline Bling” by Drake.

“Bud Weisser” Caught Trespassing at Budweiser Brewery

You can’t make this up: 19-year-old Bud Weisser was arrested for trespassing at a Budweiser brewery in St. Louis. Police said he refused to leave – perhaps feeling entitled by name alone. Internet headline writers thanked him for the gift.

Baby Names Inspired by Instagram Filters and “Empire” Characters

BabyCenter.com released a report on baby naming trends for 2015. Some of the trendiest names were based on Instagram filters like Lux and Valencia,“Empire” characters like Dre and Lucious, and royalty like Duchess and Sultan.

“Boomerang Gifts” Go Viral

A “boomerang gift” is when you give someone something you’ll enjoy too – like a Netflix subscription, concert tickets, or a fancy blender you’ll “borrow.” It’s half-thoughtful, half-selfish.

The Most Shocking Celebrity Break-Ups of 2015

The “E! News” round-up included Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner, Mandy Moore & Ryan Adams, Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert, Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale, Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick… and Kermit & Miss Piggy. The on-and-off Muppet couple had released a joint statement that August announcing the split.

A New Shopping Channel That Only Sells Guns

Move over QVC – 2015 introduced GunTV, a shopping network dedicated solely to firearms. It sparked instant controversy when it was announced that December. It launched in April 2026 but missed its mark and shut down just nine months later.

More Than Half of Americans Plan to “Order” Thanksgiving Dinner This Year

If the idea of wrestling a 19-pound turkey at 6 a.m. makes you want to fake a sprained wrist, you are not alone.

A new report says 53% of Americans plan to order takeout or delivery for their Thanksgiving dinner this year… for at least one component of the meal.

That is more than half the country, and a huge jump from 37% last year and 32% the year before.

Another 5% of people say they are not even pretending to cook. They are eating their entire Thanksgiving meal at a restaurant. That number is holding steady from last year, though it is well below the surprise 2023 peak when 17% of Americans apparently said, “Table for four, and please bring the cranberry sauce in a ramekin.”

So why are so many people turning the holiday into a catered situation?

For starters, 63% say they just want to enjoy Thanksgiving without worrying about cooking. Which is fair, because the Venn diagram of “traditional Thanksgiving recipes” and “relaxing activities” is two circles aggressively far apart.

40% of people also believe it is cheaper or at least about the same to buy ingredients and cook everything themselves. Between inflation, the cost of butter, and the fact that somehow green beans now have an attitude problem, they might be right. And 35% of respondents are simply done with the hassle. They want the food but not the emotional trauma of timing six dishes to finish at exactly 3:42 p.m.

Then there are the honesty heroes. 26% say they would prefer a professionally cooked Thanksgiving meal, which is a very polite way of saying “I am a danger in the kitchen.” Another 19% say they are just too busy to prepare anything at all.

So if your Thanksgiving feast comes in plastic containers this year, do not feel guilty. Do not hide the bags. Do not pretend you “made the gravy from scratch” using a suspiciously restaurant-grade container of gravy. More than half the country is right there with you, enjoying a stress-free holiday and letting someone else deal with the dishes.

47% Would Sit at the Kids’ Table to Avoid the Adults

Thanksgiving is supposed to be about gratitude, family, and stretchy pants. But if you’ve ever survived one of those dinners that goes from cranberry sauce to crisis in 20 minutes flat, you already know: it’s not the turkey that gets roasted the hardest.

A poll commissioned by St. Francis Winery revealed that nearly half of Americans (47%) would be open to sitting at the kids’ table to avoid enduring another grown-up food fight over hot topics.

Millennials were especially eager to dodge the drama, with 62% saying they’d happily swap chairs with the juice-box crowd.

So, what exactly are we all trying to avoid this year? According to the survey, here are the top 10 conversation landmines that can turn your gravy boat into a sinking ship:

  1. Politics: No surprise here. Nothing like a heated debate about the Electoral College to ruin the mashed potatoes.
  2. Money: “So, how much are you making now?” is not the vibe.
  3. Appearance or Weight: Don’t be the person who says, “Oh, more stuffing, huh?” (Looking at you, Grandma.)
  4. Religion: Keep the faith talk light or off the table altogether.
  5. Exes: Wondering why your nephew’s girlfriend didn’t come this year? Maybe don’t bring it up unless you want to see him cry.
  6. Mental Health: Important, yes. But on Thanksgiving, nothing’s more important than stuffing and pie.
  7. Career Woes: Let them enjoy their sweet potatoes in peace. No need to remind them they just got laid off.
  8. Personal Struggles: Same goes for any tough life updates. Thanksgiving isn’t a therapy session.
  9. Relationship Status: Wanna make things uncomfortable? Just ask that couple who’ve been dating for eight years, “So, when are you getting married?”
  10. Absent Family Members: Talking smack about relatives who aren’t there is a fast track to arguments and awkward silences.

There’s plenty of other stuff to talk about without making things cringe. So pour the wine, pass the rolls, and stick to safe topics like football, pie, or how wild it is that cranberry sauce still comes in a can.

So, maybe take a cue from the kids’ table this year. Sure, the four-year-old is eating with her hands… but at least she didn’t bring up inflation.

Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving? Maybe Not for Long

Thanksgiving menus are usually locked in tighter than Grandma’s grip on the gravy boat. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, repeat. The only variations tend to happen when your health-nut cousin swaps butter for… whatever they use. But according to a new poll, the real action this year is happening at the dessert table.

Pumpkin pie is still #1

More than 7,000 Americans were asked which pie they want most on Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie still sits on the throne at 30%, followed by apple at 20%, pecan at 15%, and sweet potato at 9%. Basically, all the classics you expect right after you swear you cannot eat another bite and then immediately eat another bite.

But older Americans are keeping it at the top

Here’s where things get interesting. Pumpkin and pecan pies are basically being carried by Boomers and Gen X. Millennials and Gen Z are leaning hard toward apple and, shockingly, chocolate pie. Yes, chocolate. That means we might be only a generation or two away from pumpkin pie going the way of DVDs and landlines.

And if you think the pumpkin pie crisis stops there, buckle up. 10% of Gen Z says they do not want any pie on Thanksgiving. None. Zero. This is compared to just 4% of Boomers, who are spiritually powered by pie and view pumpkin spice as a survival tool.

What each state is googling

Meanwhile, Google Trends dropped a map of which pies each state is searching for the most, and the results are a beautiful, chaotic dessert map. Pumpkin pie is number one in big states like California and New York, plus places like North Dakota and New Mexico. Apple dominates the Northeast and large parts of the Midwest, which feels very on brand for people who treat autumn like a personality.

Shoofly pie, tamale pie, and Frito chili pie

And then, there are the curveballs. Pennsylvania picked shoofly pie, Oregon wants tamale pie, and Kansas is the only state whose top choice is Frito chili pie. Which, to be fair, does sound delicious, but calling it a “pie” feels like someone is bending the rules just to justify eating it for dessert.

So this Thanksgiving, if the pumpkin pie is suddenly replaced by a chocolate silk monstrosity sprinkled with crushed Oreos, just know this is not a mistake. It is a generational shift.

10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Nov 23-29

Reese’s Poop, crotchless “Golden Girls” undies, and Kobe Bryant retires. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Do Reese’s “Christmas Trees” Look Like Poop?

Reese’s Christmas Trees went viral on social media after someone (correctly) pointed out that the definition wasn’t always there… so they often looked more like festive little turds. Reese’s had been selling them since 1993, so it wasn’t exactly a new issue. But the internet roasted the chocolate blobs so hard, you could almost smell the peanut butter. 💩

Kobe Bryant announces retirement in a poem

Kobe didn’t just say goodbye—he rhymed it. The Black Mamba announced his retirement with a heartfelt poem that made fans cry, teammates cheer, and English teachers proud. It was part farewell, part Shakespeare. Kobe retired at the end of the 2015-2016 season. He was tragically killed four years later in a helicopter crash just north of L.A., along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

“Gremlins 3” rumors take off

Zach Galligan – who played Billy Peltzer in “Gremlins” and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” – said the long-awaited third installment would not be a remake. There had been reports a year earlier that the movie was being “fast-tracked.” But a decade later, we’re still waiting. It’s now slated to hit theaters in 2027.

Ringo Starr’s personal copy of “The White Album” goes up for auction

It was stamped with “No.0000001” and was expected to sell for up to $60,000. It instead sold for a whopping $790,000. That’s a lot of money for something you can also stream for free. Peace, love, and deep pockets.

“Golden Girls” lingerie line includes crotchless Blanche panties

Because 2015 was wild: someone released Golden Girls underwear. An Etsy shop started selling granny underwear with images of the “Golden Girls” on the front. The ones with Dorothy’s face on the front were low rise… Sophia’s were high-waisted… Rose’s were sheer… and Blanche’s were crotchless. Eap pair cost $45 and were the perfect way to say, “Thank you for being a freaky friend.”

Police get called to domestic disturbance, but it’s just a man afraid of spiders

Police in Australia responded to reports of a woman screaming and a guy yelling, “I’m going to kill you.” But it turned out he was alone and had just seen a big spider. He was screaming while chasing it around to kill it.

Santa steals a helicopter in Brazil

Ho-ho-holy crap! A man in Brazil dressed as Santa hijacked a helicopter and vanished. Forget the sleigh and reindeer – this Kris Kringle apparently wanted his own whirlybird. Somewhere, the Grinch was impressed.

Woman’s murder plot foiled by bad spelling

A woman in London poisoned her husband with antifreeze and forged a note saying he didn’t want to be resuscitated. She was caught because she misspelled the word “dignity” as “dignerty.” Cops matched the misspelling to other samples of the woman’s writing. She got 15 years in jail for attempted murder. Her husband survived.

Darth Vader robs convenience store

A guy dressed as Darth Vader tried to rob a convenience store in Florida but was taken down by an unexpected weapon: blue cheese dressing. The clerk hurled it at him, and that was enough to scare off the Dark Lord.

Adele breaks NSYNC’s single-week sales record

Her album “25” sold 2.43 million copies in the U.S. in just four days, breaking the boy band’s single-week sales record of 2.41 million for “No Strings Attached” in 2000. She’d eventually hit 3.38 million sold, aided (in a big way) by the fact that her album was withheld from streaming services for the first 7 months after it was released. Her record stood for a decade until Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” hit 3.48 million in 2025.

Four Ways to Cut Calories on Thanksgiving Without Making It Sad and Weird

If you’re trying to keep Thanksgiving a little lighter this year (and not just the gravy), you can cut some calories without turning the meal into a health food hostage situation.

No one’s asking you to swap the turkey for a lentil loaf or serve mashed cauliflower with a side of tears. These tips will let you shave off calories while still keeping the “Thanks” and “giving” in Thanksgiving.

Here are four easy swaps to lighten up your Thanksgiving plate — and no, you don’t have to eat anything that jiggles unless you want to.

Pick white meat, skip the skin.

If you’re a turkey traditionalist, this one’s easy. White meat has about 50 fewer calories per serving than dark meat, especially if you skip the skin. Buying a whole turkey breast instead of a full bird is another smart move, but fair warning — some folks need their dark meat or they’ll riot. Maybe do a quick family poll before going full white-meat-only.

Stuff your stuffing with less fat.

You can still make stuffing from scratch and have it taste amazing. Try fat-free buttermilk instead of whole milk, and only use half the butter you normally would. It’ll still have that cozy, carb-loaded flavor — just with 90 fewer calories per scoop. Bonus: you might feel slightly less guilty going back for seconds.

Green beans over green bean casserole.

We get it, the crispy onion topping is half the reason people even look at green bean casserole. But if you skip the cream-of-something soup and make sautéed green beans with just butter and those same fried onions on top, you’re looking at about 150 fewer calories per serving. It’s still crunchy, still delicious, just… less beige.

Pick pumpkin over pecan.

Dessert is where Thanksgiving calories really go to party. A slice of pecan pie can hit around 800 calories, thanks to its sugary, buttery filling. Pumpkin pie, by comparison, clocks in at about 270. That’s a 500+ calorie difference per slice. So if you want to indulge but not go into a sugar coma, pumpkin’s the smarter pick.

Look, it’s Thanksgiving — no one expects it to be a diet day. But if you make just a couple of these swaps, your belt (and your future self) might thank you. And if you still end up eating like it’s your last meal, well… there’s always January.

Half of Us Have “Revenge Quit” a Job

If you’ve ever fantasized about telling your boss to shove it and walking out mid-shift, you’re not alone – and many of us have actually done it.

According to a new poll from Monster, revenge quitting – quitting without notice as an act of frustration or vengeance – is surprisingly common.

Almost half of us have done it before

47% of workers say they’ve done it at some point in their life. And it’s not just a personal rebellion; 57% say they’ve witnessed a coworker do it too.

Why we “revenge quit”

The top reason people gave for going full scorched-earth on their job? A toxic work environment. Poor management and feeling undervalued were also high on the list. Basically, if your office feels like a daily test of patience, you’re more likely to bail without a heads-up. (aka, no two-weeks notice)

Bad bosses partly to blame

Interestingly, nearly half (46%) of those who revenge quit said they might have stuck it out if they’d had a different boss. So yes, a good boss really can make or break a workplace.

But while revenge quitting might sound like something out of a workplace comedy, it’s often more calculated than it seems. Over half of the people surveyed admitted they mentally checked out at least six months before making their exit. One in five people said they’d fantasized about quitting for over two years before they finally pulled the plug.

In contrast to rage quitting, which is often an in-the-moment emotional explosion, revenge quitting can simmer in the background for months (or years) before someone finally walks out.

Either way, flipping the bird on your way out the door sure sounds fun, right?

An illustration of group of business people towards giant exit word

Now, Amazon Is Selling… Cars

If you have ever thought, I wish buying a car was as easy as reordering trash bags and accidentally buying 200 fruit snacks, Amazon heard you loud and clear.

Amazon has officially teamed up with Ford to sell certified pre-owned vehicles through Amazon Autos. And this time, it is not just a “sneaky” referral link that punts you to a dealership website filled with pop-ups and questionable chatbots.

We are talking real online car shopping. You can browse used Ford inventory, check out financing, compare models, and complete the whole purchase without ever speaking to a salesperson who insists you need “just one more protection package.” (Spoiler: you do not.)

To be clear, your Ford Bronco is not arriving in a box on your porch with a smiley arrow on it. There is no Prime delivery truck towing your Explorer up the driveway.

Once you buy, you simply schedule a pickup at a participating dealership. Think of Amazon as handling the parts of car buying that make you want to scream into a throw pillow, then letting the dealer hand over the keys.

Amazon says the move gives customers access to thousands of inspected, warrantied Ford vehicles and creates a car buying experience with “the convenience Amazon is known for.” Translation: less haggling, fewer mystery fees, and hopefully zero hours spent in a plastic chair waiting for a manager to “see what he can do.”

People online are already hoping this is the beginning of the end for dealership games.

One commenter even posted “death to dealerships,” which feels dramatic… even if Amazon has a history of killing physical stores.

The irony, for now, is that you still have to go to a dealership to pick up your new ride. So the death of dealerships might take a minute.

If you knew Amazon Autos already existed, congratulations, you are one of the twelve people who actually used it. Most shoppers had no idea. This Ford deal could finally give it some traction… since buying a used car online with the ease and familiarity of Amazon is a pretty appealing concept.

Right now, Ford certified pre-owned vehicles are available on Amazon Autos in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas, with more cities promised soon. If this takes off, we may someday live in a world where Amazon reviews include lines like “Love my Escape, but seller used too much packing tape.”

Seven Questions to Ask Your Kid After School That Might Actually Get an Answer

If your post-school check-ins with your kid usually go like this:

You: “How was school today?”
Them: “Fine.”
You: “…That’s it?”
Them: [walks away in silence]

You’re not alone. But the issue might not be their mood—it might be your question.

According to a therapist’s advice that’s making the rounds, the trick isn’t to stop asking questions. It’s to start asking better ones. These seven questions are designed to break through the “meh” wall and actually get your kid talking.

1. “What was the best part of your day?”

This one pushes them to scan their brain for a highlight—anything from nailing a test to an epic game of four square. (Warning: “Lunch” and “recess” are very likely answers.)

2. “What’s a mistake you learned from today?”

This frames errors as growth opportunities instead of things to hide. It helps normalize the idea that messing up is part of the process.

3. “Who were you proud of today?”

It’s not just about what they did—it shifts focus to others, and helps you get a glimpse into their values. Bonus: It encourages empathy.

4. “What’s one thing that would’ve made today better?”

This question gives them room to vent a little but also invites solutions, not just complaints. It helps them think critically about how to improve their own experiences.

5. “Who did you help today?”

Even if the answer is “no one,” it plants the idea that helping others is something to strive for. Over time, it could encourage small acts of kindness.

6. “What was the most interesting thing you learned?”

This one taps into curiosity. It can also reveal what really sticks with your kid—whether it’s science facts or some surprisingly niche knowledge about jellyfish.

7. “What’s something new you’d like to try?”

Encouraging kids to explore new interests keeps them open to growth and change. Whether it’s joining a club or trying broccoli, it counts.

Asking better questions won’t magically turn every conversation into a TED Talk, but they’re a great way to open the door to more meaningful interactions. Try swapping out the standard “How was your day?” for one of these and see what happens. You might just learn something cool about your kid—and maybe even about yourself.

Most People Can’t Tell an A.I. Song from a Human One, and That’s Terrifying

If you’ve been looking for a fresh reason to panic about artificial intelligence, congratulations, your search is over.

A new music survey is basically the plot of every Black Mirror episode we were hoping wouldn’t come true.

In a study that tested whether people could tell the difference between A.I. music and human made music, more than 9,000 people across several countries, including the U.S., listened to three short clips. Two were composed by A.I., one was made by an actual human.

And here’s the unsettling part, the part that should probably count as a dystopian jump scare: 97 percent of participants couldn’t tell which was which.

Yes, ninety. Seven. Percent. For anyone keeping score, that means your odds of spotting A.I. music are now only slightly better than your odds of winning a scratch-off. Not great.

This new finding comes as A.I. generated music becomes more common online, especially on social media where fake collaborations and fake celebrity vocals spread faster than real releases. The study highlights something a lot of people have quietly worried about, that A.I. isn’t just getting good, it’s getting indistinguishable.

And some of these A.I. systems have learned enough patterns from human composition to mimic structure and style so well that even trained listeners are getting fooled.

What makes the whole thing even more intriguing, or unsettling depending on your caffeine level, is the emotional reaction. More than half the people who failed the test admitted they were uncomfortable with how easily A.I. fooled them. So people care, but caring doesn’t seem to help anyone tell the difference. It’s like realizing the call is coming from inside the house, shrugging, and going, “Huh. Weird.”

The broader trend here is obvious. As A.I. improves, creative fields keep bumping into the same question, if you can’t tell what’s real, does it matter who made it? Musicians are already wrestling with deepfaked voices and synthetic samples, and this survey won’t exactly ease their minds.

It also raises questions for streaming platforms, record labels, and anyone who relies on authenticity as part of the art.

So yes, if you wanted another reason to side-eye your playlist, you officially have one. And the next time a new track sounds strangely perfect, maybe don’t assume it came from a human. It might have been cooked up by a server farm somewhere, quietly learning that we can’t tell the difference.

Sleep tight.

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