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10 Things That Happened 10 Years Ago: Oct 26-Nov 1

Halloween crime, the Starbucks Frappula, and “a small loan of $1 million.” Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.

Stormtrooper was a hot Halloween costume

A Fandango poll found it was the most popular costume inspired by a 2015 movie. Everyone was amped for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to hit theaters that December – the first new “Star Wars” flick in a decade. (“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” came out in 2005.) The second most popular costume was Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.”

A zombie and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle helped Beetlejuice cover up a hit-and-run

A woman dressed in a full Beetlejuice costume was driving in Atlanta and slammed into a Mercedes parked on the street. She did some serious damage, and her car was stuck on top of it. So she called some friends, and two guys dressed as a zombie and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle showed up a few minutes later. They helped push her car off the Mercedes, and they all took off. They didn’t realize someone’s security cam got it all on video.

*Indiana Jones also got into a high-speed chase that same week, but it wasn’t a Halloween costume. It was just a guy in Upstate New York named Indiana Jones.

A Fort Bragg soldier’s ill-advised Halloween costume

A bomb squad at Fort Bragg in North Carolina scrambled when a soldier showed up at a security gate dressed as a suicide bomber. The costume included a fake explosive vest.

The five fears we google most

A study by “Time“ magazine found the most-googled fear is a big one: death. The top three (at least in 2015) were: “fear of death”, “afraid of love,” and “fear of people.”

Starbucks debuted the “Frappula”

A play on the words “frappuccino” and “Dracula,” most fans loved the new spooky drink… while a few thought it tasted like crappula.

2015’s most influential teenagers included…

“Time” put out a list of the year’s “30 Most Influential Teens.” They included Kylie Jenner (18), Kendall Jenner (19), Zendaya (19), Malia Obama (17), Maisie Williams (18), Bindi Irwin (17), Jaden Smith (17), an up-and-coming Vine star named Shawn Mendes (17), and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai (18).

Taylor Swift’s “1989” album spend a full year in the Top 10

It went its first 52 weeks without dropping out of the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Only four other albums had done it before that. The last was Adele’s “21” that came out a few years earlier in 2011.

“A small loan of $1 million”

Then-candidate Donald Trump riled people up when he went on the “Today” show and said, “It has not been easy for me. I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars.”

A Black Friday shopper camped out over a month in advance

A Florida man named Kevin Sutton camped out in front of his local Best Buy 33 days before the big day. He was hoping to land a deal on a new TV – and also used the stunt to raise money for charity. 10 years later, most of the Black Friday deals have moved online.

The Kansas City Royals won their first World Series in 30 years

They tacked on five runs in the top of the 12th inning to beat the Mets 7-2 in Game 5 and bring home their first championship since 1985.

Halloween: The Loneliest Night of the Year (and Not Just for Ghosts)

Apparently, Halloween isn’t just spooky for kids… it’s also terrifying for single adults?

A new survey from Dating.com found that 59% of single people say Halloween is one of the hardest days of the year… and 57% say it’s actually worse to be alone on Halloween than on Valentine’s Day. Which is wild, considering Valentine’s Day was literally invented to make single people feel awkward.

Almost 80% admit they feel lonely on October 31st, and more than half have even cried after opening the door to trick-or-treaters. (“No, I’m not crying… you’re crying. Now take your Snickers and leave me to my pumpkin spice despair.”)

So why does Halloween hit so hard? For one, it’s a very group holiday.

There are couples costumes, family parties, and squads of friends all pretending to be vampires together. And, if you show up solo, you may think you look like you wandered out of a haunted house looking for emotional support.

And even staying home isn’t exactly a win. Watching horror movies or baking festive treats alone sounds cozy in theory, but in practice it’s a lot more fun when shared with someone (anyone) else.

77% of singles admit they’ve pretended to have plans on Halloween, and 73% say social media makes it worse.

It’s tough scrolling past photos of matching “Barbie & Ken” costumes when you’re dressed as “Person Eating Candy Alone, Again.”

So if you’re flying solo this Halloween, remember: you’re not alone in being alone. Just think of it as the one night you can wear a mask and emotionally hide behind it.

The Movies Everyone Secretly Loves… Even Though Rotten Tomatoes Hates Them

We all have that one movie we’ll defend with our whole heart, no matter how much critics tear it apart.

Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the soundtrack, or maybe we just like bad movies. Either way, the people of Reddit have spoken, sharing their favorite films that scored 20% or less on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s a surprisingly relatable list.

According to the thread, cult favorites like “Out Cold” (8%), “Jingle All the Way” (20%), and “White Chicks” (15%) are some of the most-loved “bad” movies out there. Each one might have bombed with critics, but fans can quote every line, and that’s what really matters.

Here are some of the top mentions:

  • “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” (2011) — 18%. Nicolas Cage on a flaming motorcycle. Enough said.
  • “The One” (2001) — 13%. Jet Li fighting alternate versions of himself. Is it high art? No. Is it awesome? Yes.
  • “Kung Pow! Enter the Fist” (2002) — 13%. An absurd martial arts parody that’s either genius or madness.
  • “Grandma’s Boy” (2006) — 15%. Stoner humor and video games … the ultimate early-2000s combo.
  • “Encino Man” (1992) — 17%. A thawed-out caveman in modern-day California? Brendan Fraser made it work.
  • “Christmas with the Kranks” (2004) — 5%. It’s aggressively cheesy, but somehow still a holiday staple.
  • “The Master of Disguise” (2002) — 1%. “Am I not turtley enough for the Turtle Club?” lives on forever.
  • “Troll 2” (1990) — 13%. Universally considered one of the worst movies ever made, and that’s the point.

Even rom-coms got some love, like “A Cinderella Story” (11%) and “Couples Retreat” (10%). Sure, the dialogue might be rough, but if it makes you feel good, who cares what the tomato meter says?

If you’ve ever found yourself saying “hear me out,” you’re in good company. Some movies aren’t meant to win awards; they’re meant to live rent-free in our hearts and on our streaming queues forever.

So, what’s your “so bad it’s good” favorite? Bonus points if you can quote it from memory.

Pittsburgh Walk of Fame Honors Michael Keaton with a Typo

Michael Keaton just got his hometown hero moment in Pittsburgh, and it came with an unfortunate typo.

The legendary actor was inducted into the inaugural class of the new Pittsburgh Walk of Fame on Monday, but eagle-eyed fans noticed a pretty big mistake: his name was misspelled on the plaque.

While the star itself got it right, the paragraph beneath listed him as “Micheal Keaton” instead of “Michael.” (Ouch.) For a man who’s been Batman, Beetlejuice, and a symbol of Pittsburgh pride, that’s not exactly the tribute he deserves.

The executive director of the project was quick to own up to the slip-up, saying, “I’m so sorry that this happened. He was so gracious when he was here, so expressive about his love for Pittsburgh and the people here. I can only hope he shows some grace and forgive me for this faux pas.”

A corrected plaque is reportedly already in the works.

It’s not clear if Keaton noticed the mistake. During his acceptance speech, he shared heartfelt words about what the honor meant to him: “There’s nothing like being recognized by your hometown, because it’s actually the place that makes you who you are. I hope when kids walk through here and look down at this star of mine and all these others, they look up and just wonder what’s possible.”

Keaton joins an impressive first class of honorees that also includes George Benson, Nellie Bly, Andrew Carnegie, Rachel Carson, Fred Rogers, Dr. Jonas Salk, Andy Warhol, Roberto Clemente, and August Wilson.

Still, Pittsburghers can’t help but laugh at the mix-up. It’s the kind of mistake that reminds you: even when honoring perfection, humans are gonna human. At least the city gets another chance to spell it right, because if there’s anyone who deserves it, it’s Michael Keaton.

Where You’re Most Likely to See Bigfoot (and Where He’ll Never Be Caught Dead)

This week the internet is celebrating National Sasquatch Awareness Day, which raises one big question: do we really need to be more aware of Bigfoot?

If a seven-foot-tall, hairy dude comes lumbering out of the forest, awareness won’t be your problem…

Still, a new report just ranked the places in North America where you’re statistically most likely to bump into Bigfoot. And no, you probably won’t find him chilling outside a Starbucks in Miami.

Researchers looked at reported Bigfoot sightings, how forested each state or province is, and the average temperature. (Apparently, the ideal Bigfoot climate is a pleasant 55 degrees Fahrenheit.)

If you’re hoping to make a found-footage horror movie, here are the top ten places to go Bigfoot-hunting:

  1. Washington
  2. West Virginia
  3. Oregon
  4. British Columbia, Canada
  5. Michigan
  6. Maine
  7. Pennsylvania
  8. Idaho
  9. Ohio
  10. Massachusetts

Prefer to stay Bigfoot-free? These are the least likely places to find him:

  1. Quebec, Canada
  2. Maryland
  3. Arizona
  4. Alberta, Canada
  5. Louisiana
  6. Manitoba, Canada
  7. Indiana
  8. California
  9. Alaska
  10. Wyoming

Really? If I were Bigfoot, I’d totally pick Wyoming or Alaska over, say, Florida. (Too many gators, not enough privacy.)

“Stranger Things” Confirms What We Feared: Eddie Munson Is Gone for Good

The dream is dead, “Stranger Things” fans – literally.

Creator Matt Duffer has officially crushed the long-running theory that Eddie Munson might somehow make a comeback in the show’s fifth and final season.

In an interview, Duffer confirmed what most of us probably knew deep down but refused to accept: Eddie’s gone for good. “I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people,” Duffer said. “But no, he’s dead. Joe is so busy anyway. He’s shot like five movies since! When’s he got time to come and shoot ‘Stranger Things‘?”

Duffer added,”No, sadly, RIP. He’s fully under that ground.”

It’s a rough blow for fans who fell in love with Eddie’s chaotic energy and heavy metal heart. His heroic Season 4 sendoff shredding Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” in the Upside Down before sacrificing himself, was one of the show’s most unforgettable moments. But ever since, the fandom has been buzzing with conspiracy theories and wishful thinking.

Joseph Quinn, who played Eddie, didn’t exactly help. In mid-2024, he told fans there was a “high chance” of his character returning, fueling months of speculation that maybe, just maybe, the lovable metalhead wasn’t gone forever. Was he messing with us? Or was Duffer playing defense to keep a secret twist under wraps? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Fans have been flooding social media with heartbreak and memes, mourning Eddie all over again. One fan on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “They could’ve at least given us ghost Eddie. Justice for Hawkins’ most misunderstood rock god!”

The countdown is now on for the show’s final chapter. The first four episodes of “Stranger Things” Season 5 will drop November 26th on Netflix.

Long live the Hellfire Club.

1 in 4 People Use Zero Vacation Days?

A new report found that 23% of employees didn’t take a single vacation day in the past year, even though most of them technically have PTO.

You’ve probably heard it from your boss or HR team: “Make sure you take time for yourself!” Which sounds lovely… until you try to schedule a week off and suddenly you’re treated like you just asked to take the breakroom coffeemaker to Mexico.

The main reason? Work has become like a treadmill that’s on fire.

43% say their workload is just too heavy to justify taking time off, and 30% worry they’ll drown in emails the second they get back. Another 29% say they feel guilty about requesting PTO because it might make them look “less committed,” and one in four workers say their boss would probably react badly if they asked for a whole week off. (Apparently, “mental health” is only encouraged on weekends and national holidays.)

Then there’s the “unlimited PTO” trap… a perk that sounds amazing until you realize it’s really code for, “We’ll never tell you what’s too much, but you’ll know when you’ve crossed the line.”

Workers in tech know this game well: unlimited vacation, but somehow every week is the wrong week to take it.

And sure, some people say they don’t have enough PTO to take a real vacation anyway. A day off to do laundry and cry into a sandwich doesn’t count.

Here’s the thing: time off actually helps companies. It boosts morale, focus, and productivity. It even makes workplaces feel more like a team instead of a group therapy session that charges by the hour.

So yeah, “take time for yourself.” Just make sure it’s not during a busy quarter, before a product launch, after a holiday, or on any day ending in “Y.”

Joe Pesci Was the Only Person to Turn Down Apple TV’s Martin Scorsese Docuseries

Apple TV is rolling out a five-part docuseries about one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, Martin Scorsese. The project, simply titled Mr. Scorsese, dives deep into the filmmaker’s life and career, featuring interviews with some of the biggest names in entertainment.

But one major name is missing: Joe Pesci.

Director Rebecca Miller revealed that Pesci was the only person who said no to being interviewed for the series. Which, considering his role in so many of Scorsese’s best films — Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, and The Irishman — feels like a cinematic tragedy. Pesci even took home an Oscar for Goodfellas, so it’s not like his absence goes unnoticed.

According to Miller, though, Pesci’s decision wasn’t about ego or scheduling conflicts. It was personal. She explained that Joe “just doesn’t want to talk about the experiences that made him so perfect for this kind of role.” Apparently, those experiences hit a little too close to home.

Miller hinted that Pesci’s childhood in Newark, New Jersey, surrounded by real-life criminals, shaped his ability to play Scorsese’s volatile underworld characters so convincingly. “Joe was marked far worse than Marty was by those people,” she said. “I don’t think he wants to go over all that.”

One of the most famous scenes in “Goodfellas” was based on something Joe actually witnessed:

It’s a reminder that for some actors, art really does imitate life — and sometimes that life is better left off-camera.

So while Mr. Scorsese promises plenty of star power and behind-the-scenes insight, don’t expect any of that signature Pesci fire. The man who gave us “Funny how? Am I funny like a clown?” is sitting this one out, and for reasons only he can truly understand.

The World’s Favorite Crayon Color Is…

In the most pressing news your inner child (or actual child) will care about, Crayola just released results from a massive global poll to find the world’s favorite crayon color.

After surveying people in 183 countries, we finally have an answer – and yes, it’s incredibly specific.

Our Favorite Crayon Color? Cerulean

Yup, that soft, sophisticated shade of blue that Meryl Streep’s character famously lectures Anne Hathaway about in The Devil Wears Prada. You might remember the monologue where a simple sweater becomes a masterclass in fashion history. Turns out it’s also a global favorite when it comes to coloring outside the lines.

The top three crayon colors in the world are Cerulean, Robin’s Egg blue, and Wisteria purple.

Each generation’s favorite color?

Crayola also broke it down by age, and the blue obsession crosses generational lines. Boomers are the only generation that didn’t have blue at the top of their list.

Blue has been a top pick for decades

This isn’t the first time blue has dominated the crayon world. In fact, it’s kind of a long-standing monarch. Back in 1993, Crayola polled Americans and blue won then too. Then in a 2000 poll, six different shades of blue made the Top 10. So if you’re wondering why your kid’s coloring books all look like the ocean, now you know.

Dentist Says: Go Ahead, Eat All Your Halloween Candy at Once

It’s the kind of professional advice kids dream about: a real, actual dentist just gave Halloween the green light to go full sugar overload.

Dr. Olivia Mason, a dentist from West Virginia, has gone viral for suggesting that when it comes to protecting your teeth, eating all your Halloween candy in one sitting is actually better than dragging it out over days or weeks.

Yep, you read that right.

Dr. Mason, who runs Almost Heaven Family Dentistry near Wheeling, told her local news station that from a dental health perspective, a sugar binge is technically less harmful to your teeth than snacking on candy day after day. The reason? Frequent exposure to sugar gives cavity-causing bacteria more time to do their thing. If you’re only attacking your enamel once instead of over and over, your teeth (weirdly) come out ahead.

So if your kid housed their entire candy haul in one night, don’t panic—they may have accidentally made the dentist-approved choice. Just maybe not the stomach-approved one.

Of course, Dr. Mason did clarify that this strategy isn’t exactly a health win overall. Eating a mountain of candy at once isn’t easy on your digestive system, and might end in some serious sugar regrets. But when it comes to dental hygiene, it’s kind of a smart play.

She also dropped some candy wisdom: the worst offenders for your teeth are sticky, chewy treats like Starburst or Jolly Ranchers. Those little guys cling to your enamel and can be tough to brush away. Chocolate, while still sugary, melts more quickly and doesn’t stick around as long—which makes it slightly less evil in the eyes of your dentist.

The advice might sound like a Halloween fever dream, but it checks out.

The American Dental Association has shared similar guidance over the years, noting that it’s better to consume sweets in one sitting rather than snack on them all day.

Just make sure to follow it up with a good brushing, plenty of water, and ideally, a visit to the dentist sometime before next Halloween.

So go ahead, let the kids dive headfirst into their pillowcases full of candy. Just maybe keep a trash can—and a toothbrush—close by.

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