MORNING SIDEKICK DAILY PREP TEXT VERSION FOR WEDNESDAY, January 8, 2025
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COMEDY MP3s POSTED ON OUR PREP SITE FOR TODAY: A & M AUTOLAND – Year-End Leftovers
TODAY IS …
(All days repeat annually on today’s date unless otherwise noted; days may or may not be called “National”/”International”/”World” depending on source; sources listed often have additional info. We generally do not list special days which were created by commercial companies for the purpose of marketing – including “holidays” created by the National Day Calendar and Wellcat websites to drive traffic to their websites – or the hundreds of disease awareness listings which occur each year.)
EARTH’S ROTATION DAY
The Time And Date Website says this:
“January 8 is Earth’s Rotation Day, the day commemorates when French Physicist, Leon Foucault, demonstrated in 1851 that the Earth rotates on its axis. To prove his theory, Foucault suspended a lead-filled brass sphere, now called the Foucault Pendulum, from the top of the Pantheon in Paris. He showed that the plane of the swing of the pendulum rotated relative to the Earth’s rotation. You can now see a Foucault Pendulum demonstrating the rotation of the Earth in science museums around the world.”
NATIONAL ARGYLE DAY
The National Day Calendar website says this:
“Deriving from the tartan of Clan Campbell, of Argyll in western Scotland, and from the patterned socks (known as “tartan hose”) worn by Scottish Highlanders since at least the 17th century, the argyle pattern used for kilts and plaids is recognized and honored each year on January 8th on National Argyle Day. Most commonly referring to the overall pattern made of diamonds or lozenges, the word “argyle” sometimes is used referring to an individual diamond in the design. Argyle knitwear became fashionable in the USA after the first world war. U.S. Open and PGA champion, Payne Stewart (1957-1999) was known and loved by his fans for his bright and ‘flashy’ outfits of tams, knickerbockers and argyle socks.”
NATIONAL BUBBLE BATH DAY
NATIONAL ENGLISH TOFFEE DAY
NATIONAL TAKE THE STAIRS DAY
January is:
Adopt a Rescued Bird Month
Be Kind to Food Servers Month
Family Fit Lifestyle Month
Financial Wellness Month
Get Organized Month
National Candy Month
National Clean Up Your Computer Month
National Hobby Month
National Skating Month
National Train Your Dog Month
Walk Your Pet Month
THE BUZZ
UNCOMFORTABLENESS
Reddit asked, “What daily situation makes you feel uncomfortable?” Some of the responses:
– “Accidentally dropping something in public and having to reach down to pick it up.”
– “When I realize I’m going in the wrong direction, I try to turn around casually, like I was just checking something or got distracted, so it doesn’t look like I made a mistake.”
– “Anytime someone tries to high five me.”
– “Getting my hair cut.”
– “Walking back to my seat after bowling a strike. Everyone’s watching, and you’re just like, ‘Yep, that was me,’ but you have no idea what to do with your face or hands. It’s a weird mix of pride and awkwardness.”
– “When I get complimented. I get very uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because as a dude, we don’t get compliments very often.”
– “Getting on an elevator and the are two other people already in the elevator talking and now that you, the third wheel, gets on, they grow silent.”
– “Running into someone you vaguely know and having to pretend you remember their name”
– “When the cashier tries to hand you your receipt and you decline and she gives you a look like, ‘Well, I see this whole thing meant nothing to you.’”
– “Tying my shoe. The laces come undone in public, then you have to bend over to tie them again. Everyone is looking at me, judging.”
– “When you’re trying to grab a lid at a fast food restaurant or gas station for a cup, but there are two lids stuck together and you’re trying to pull them apart but they won’t come apart. And there’s a guy trying to grab a lid too and he’s just standing there waiting for you to get them unstuck so he can reach in and grab one.”
PHONE TOPIC: Is there a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable in public?
MORE AMAZING THINGS AT THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
The Consumer Electronics Show is happening this week in Las Vegas. Here are some more amazing gizmos on display that may soon find a way into your life:
– The Sleep Apnea App: An AI-powered app in development that claims to detect sleep apnea. You tape your phone to your chest overnight, and Apneal collects data on breathing, chest movement, and heartbeats. It will tell you that, if necessary, you should go receive treatment. The company is in the early stages of seeking FDA clearance or approval and hopes Apneal will be available in 2026.
– Automatic Indoor Gardening System: The Gardyn Home and the new Gardyn Studio are indoor gardens that use sensors and cameras to monitor the health of your, ahem, plants. It’ll even automatically water the plants and adjust the lights for the ideal growing environment. The seeds sprout in little pods, and the built-in AI will let you know via an app when it’s time to harvest.
– Razer’s Arielle gaming chair: The chair, meant for long-term sitting, heats or cools, depending on the temperature of your butt, apparently.
– The EverFrost 2 Solar-Powered Electric Cooler: It’s a refrigerator on wheels. The power comes from a solar-paneled beach umbrella. The cooler has a freezer compartment that can keep ice from melting when you’re out at the beach on a hot day.
U.S. NEWS
ROBBER FAILS GETAWAY IN A WAYMO ROBOT CAR
A thief tried to escape in a self-driving Waymo car after robbing a Los Angeles grocery store Monday night. The man had fled the store with the goods after pepper spraying a security guard. He then hopped into a driverless Waymo car, one of many that roam the streets of Southern California, turning it into a getaway car. However, the Waymos are programmed to pull over if they detect police lights and sirens, which were already swirling around the area. Cops caught up to the stopped vehicle about 3 miles from the scene of the crime and surrounded the car.
* What happened to you, Waymo? You used to be cool.
* It could be a movie: RoboCopCar!
* Catch Waymo crooks in a Waymo!
* Don’t let this happen to you, folks. Never pinch pennies when committing crimes. Pony up the money for a getaway driver.
FLORIDA MAN DAMAGES CAR BECAUSE HE WAS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS
In West Palm Beach, Florida, a nude man was arrested after carving initials into a car and trying to carjack it on New Year’s Eve. Police say Jean Rene Mathias, 34, used a large knife to carve his initials, symbols, and pictures into the exterior of the car. When the owner of the car came out, Mathias turned the knife on him and demanded the keys to the vehicle. The car owner ran into his home and locked the door. Mathias continued to damage the car and punctured the tires. When deputies arrived at the scene, Mathias was completely naked in the driveway of the home. He told deputies he wanted to die because he was abducted by aliens.
* Not following the logic here. Is anybody else?
* Were the aliens in the car? Was it a Ford Galaxy?
* Did the aliens keep his clothing? Did they like the style?
* Stuff you never see in car insurance commercials.
NEW TIKTOK TREND: GLICKLES
There’s a new food trend on TikTok: glitter pickles, or “glickles.” There are videos of people pouring edible glitter straight into the pickle jar and stirred or shaking to make sure the shimmer gets on every pickle. The pickles come out looking like a third-grader’s bad art project.
* The problem with glickles is, it leads to gloop.
* If I wanted shiny food, I’d eat glazed donuts. And I do.
* Wasn’t Shiny Happy Pickles an REM song?
* Lots of people like pickles. Try something that really needs help, like Brussels sprouts.
* 2080: “What did you do growing up, Grampa?” “Oh, I was a TikTok influencer. I got people to eat pickles with glitter.”
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: LAST CALL FOR S’MORES AND TOAST-YAYS
Girl Scout cookie season is cranking up.The Scouts want everyone to be aware that this will be the last year for two flavors: “S’mores” and “Toast-Yay!” S’more’s were graham sandwich cookies with chocolate and marshmallow filling, and Toast-Yays tasted like French toast. Those cookies will be discontinued after this year, joining the very popular “Raspberry Rally” cookies from two years ago in retirement. The Scouts didn’t reveal the reason for the retirements.
* Maybe the cookies just want to spend more time with their families.
* Who am I kidding? These have got to be the two flavors with the lowest profit margins.
* It’s going to be like Toys “R” Us. They disappear, but after they do you really don’t miss them.
* Girl Scout Cookie time. I just put on five pounds just thinking about Thin Mints.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
CITY COUNCILWOMAN TOOK THE TOILET, SINKS WHEN SHE LEFT OFFICE
A former city councilwoman in Sao Paulo, Brazil, says she will return the toilet and two sinks she took with her after losing re-election. On January 1, while Janaína Lima was cleaning out her office where she worked for eight years, she had employees take a toilet and two sinks that she said she purchased and installed with her own money when she first moved in. After news of the removal became public, Lima agreed to return the fixtures.
* How else is a politician supposed to wash their greased palm?
* Politicians need toilets, in case they have to pass more than legislation.
* She returned the toilet when she was done with her civic dooty.
* Now if they can just get her to return the carpets and drapes.
TRENDING
TWO “SCHOOL OF ROCK” KIDS GET MARRIED
Two of the kids who were in the classic 2003 film “School of Rock” have grown up and gotten married. Caitlin Hale, who played Marta, and Angelo Massagli, who played Frankie, got married over the weekend. The two met as children, while filming the movie. After the film, the duo stayed in touch through a group chat with their former costars. After Hale happened to move near Massagli in Florida, they reunited and eventually became a couple. Since the movie, Hale works as an OB-GYN ultrasound technologist and Massagli graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 2019. A video from the wedding reception shows a bunch of the grown-up kids reunited for the nuptials; the video includes cameos from Brian Falduto, Joey Gaydos Jr., Rivkah Reyesm Robert Tsai, Maryam Hassan, Aleisha Allen and Cole Hawkins.
PETER YARROW, OF PETER, PAUL & MARY, DIED
Peter Yarrow, best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk-music trio from the 60’s and 70’s, has died. He was 86.During an incredible run of success spanning the 1960s, Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers released six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums and won five Grammys. Yarrow co-wrote the group’s most enduring song, “Puff the Magic Dragon.” They also brought early exposure to Bob Dylan by turning two of his songs, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and “Blowin’ in the Wind,” into Billboard Top 10 hits. Mary Travers died in 2009. (* Could Paul be next? oooOOOOoooo!)
ALMANAC
NOTABLE DATES, UPCOMING U.S. OBSERVANCES
TOMORROW – National Day of Mourning for Jimmy Carter
January 20, Monday – Inauguration Day
January 20, Monday – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 27, Monday – Int’l Holocaust Remembrance Day (UN)
January 29, Wednesday – Chinese New Year (The Year of the Wood Snake)
February 2, Sunday – Groundhog Day
February 12, Wednesday – Lincoln’s Birthday
February 14, Friday – Valentine’s Day
February 17, Monday – Presidents Day / Washington’s Birthday
March 9, Tuesday – Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
March 9, Sunday – Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 17, Monday – St. Patrick’s Day
March 20, Thursday – Spring begins, Spring Equinox is 5:01 a.m. EDT
BIRTHDAYS
Kim Jong-un (Supreme Leader of North Korea) … 41
Gaby Hoffman (actress, “Transparent”, “GIRLS”) … 43
Shirley Bassey (singer, famous for singing the “Goldfinger” James Bond theme) … 88
Today’s Birthdays grade: Thanks, Kim Jong-Un. You drag today’s grade down to an F-minus.
[Want to try something different with the daily birthdays? Try grading them! Some days have “good” celebs, some have “great” celebs, some have “lousy” celebs. For fun, give the group an arbitrary grade: A-plus through F-minus. Sidekick will give you our take on it; you can to take the concept and run with it.]
BIRTHDAY QUOTE QUIZ – Ask your listeners “Who said it?” HINT: Today’s their birthday!
“It is important to launch a mass and society-wide struggle to drastically increase the production of consumer goods.”
(A) The president of Walmart, Doug McMillon
(B) The president of Amazon, Andy Jassy
(C) The Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un
ANSWER: (C) Kim Jong-un
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1999 – The top two executives of Salt Lake City’s Olympic Organizing Committee resigned after disclosures that civic boosters had given cash to members of the International Olympic Committee.
* They also got the Gold and Silver medals for Bribery.
1992 – President George Bush got ill and vomited on the Japanese prime minister’s lap.
* Finally getting them back for shooting down his plane during WW2.
1989 – The Soviet Union promised to eliminate its stockpiles of chemical weapons.
* And donate them to less fortunate nations like Iraq and North Korea.
THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY
2021 – Morgan Wallen released “Dangerous: The Double Album,” with the hit “7 Summers.” It peaked at No.1 in the U.S. and stayed there for 10 weeks, the longest run at the top since Drake’s “Views” in 2016. In March 2022, the album established the all-time record for the longest duration in the No.1 spot (84 weeks and counting) on Billboard’s Country Albums chart. It achieved the most weeks in the top ten of the Billboard 200 by a solo studio album.
2016 – David Bowie released his twenty-fifth and final studio album, “Blackstar,” on his 69th birthday and two days before his death. It became his first and only album to reach No.1 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S.
2001 – A woman who believed that Axl Rose communicated with her via telepathy was arrested for stalking the Guns N’ Roses singer for a second time. Police detained Karen Jane McNeil after she was spotted loitering outside his house.
1996 – A Los Angeles court found Robert Hoskins guilty of five counts of stalking, assault and making terrorist threats to Madonna. He had twice scaled the walls of the singer’s estate and had threatened to slash her throat from ear to ear.
1993 – The Elvis Presley Commemorative Postage Stamp went on sale. The public chose the image of the 50s era Elvis over that of the 70s era Elvis.
1992 – New Kids on the Block singer Jordan Knight denied charges of inciting an assault after allegedly ordering his bodyguard to beat up a man in a Boston nightclub.
1991 – Steve Clark, guitarist with Def Leppard, was found dead in his apartment by his girlfriend, after an alcohol and drugs binge.
1973 – Elvis Presley sued Priscilla Presley for divorce.
X-TREME TRIVIA CHALLENGE
Every installment of X-Treme Trivia Challenge includes three mystery factoids. Create your own “Impossible Question” contest – great for listener giveaways and phone interaction starters! Also a perfect sponsorship opportunity!
1. The average woman will buy about 10,000 of THESE in her life. What are they?
Items of clothing
2. The average woman spends about one year of her life doing THIS. What is it?
Deciding what to wear
3. According to fashion experts, THIS is the number one item of clothing women should never wear. What is it?
Overalls
(c) 2025
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