News of the Week: Random Notes, Two Million Pennies, and the Amazing World of tm:rw

Random Notes

I’ve had two accidents recently. Last weekend I wrenched my back picking up a plastic container that weighed about a pound, and two weeks ago I accidentally hit myself in the head with a full garbage bag. (Don’t ask.)

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has released their fall forecast, and let’s just say I’m glad to be in one of the “cool, dry” regions.

Looking back, licking a stamp was a really disgusting thing to have to do.

I don’t know if the world needs a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, but I do know that the original – like James Bond movies or It’s a Wonderful Life – is a movie that, if I come across it channel surfing, I have to stop and watch.

“I before e, except after c” is a great grammar rule, if you completely ignore the million examples where that rule is wrong.

There’s nothing “cute” about bugs. Even a lady bug. They’re all gross and annoying and need to be stepped on.

According to Realtor.com, the hottest zip code in America is 01915. That’s Beverly, Massachusetts, just a couple of towns over from where I live. Should I move? I’ve never been “hot” before.

The Sun’ll Come Out, tm:rw

Do you need a $400 toaster with a touchscreen? Of course not.

But if you’re curious, you can check it out at tm:rw (as in “tomorrow”), a futuristic, 20,000 square foot store/amusement park in Times Square that’s packed with new and nifty gadgets and toys. I don’t see any jetpacks, but there’s a “grooming lounge” brought to you by Gillette and Braun and even a cafe where you can get cotton candy prepared by robots.

I could never use a $400 toaster. I couldn’t put just regular bread in it. I feel like I’d have to get really expensive bread from a fancy bakery to justify the cost.

Last Week I Dumped on Gen Z So This Week I’ll Defend Them

Last night I had dinner at 6 p.m. Does that make me weird?

Apparently so! At least according to this columnist at The Guardian. Gen Z likes to eat dinner at that time, and she doesn’t understand why.

I have always had dinner around 6 p.m. Ever since I was a kid. There’s nothing odd about that. And even if we’re talking about going out to a restaurant, 6 p.m. it still seems like a perfectly reasonable time to eat, especially if it’s a weeknight and not a weekend.

One reason she gives for not liking the idea is that, if you have lunch at 2 p.m., you won’t be hungry at 6 p.m.!

Okaaaaaaaay, but … how many people have lunch at 2 p.m.? Unless you’re self-employed, you’re probably having lunch at noon or 1 p.m. And if you do have lunch at 2, then maybe you’ll just eat dinner a little later than 6? You’re an adult, you’ll figure it out.

File this under “Things I Didn’t Know I Had to Be Upset About.”

Man Pays $20,000 Fine with Pennies

Remember the news that the U.S. is going to stop making pennies? Now we know who has them all.

A man in Maine, upset about a $20,000 fine he didn’t think he should have to pay, decided to pay the fine with pennies! If you’re doing the math, that’s two million of the little copper and zinc coins. And he didn’t even put them in rolls! Just a bunch of loose pennies.

It took a lot of shovels and buckets to get the pennies into the office, and it took several days to count them. Apparently, he had the full amount. I wonder if he had been a penny short they would have sent him another bill.

I actually went to a bank once with just $20 in rolled coins and the teller told me she couldn’t cash them in until I signed my name on each roll.

RIP Loni Anderson, Leonard Lopate, Jeannie Seely, Jane Morgan, Jonathan Kaplan, David Kaff, Mario Paglino, and Gianni Grossi

Loni Anderson was best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. She also appeared on Nurses, Melrose Place, The Bob Newhart Show, and The Mullets, as well as in several TV movies. She was once married to Burt Reynolds. She died Sunday at the age of 79.

Leonard Lopate was a host on WNYC and other radio stations for over 40 years. He died Tuesday at the age of 84.

Jeannie Seely was a Grammy-winning country music icon who had several hits, including “Don’t Touch Me,” “Lucky Ladies,” and “Wish I Didn’t Have to Miss You,” a duet with Jack Greene. She was also the first female host of The Grand Ole Opry and had her own show on SiriusXM. She died last week at the age of 85.

Jane Morgan was a singer on The Ed Sullivan Show, Kraft Music Hall, The Tonight Show, and Hollywood Palace, among other shows. She died Monday at the age of 101.

Uploaded to YouTube by The Ed Sullivan Show

Jonathan Kaplan directed such films as The Accused, Love Field, and White Line Fever, and several episodes of ER and Law and Order: SVU, as well as music videos for Rod Stewart and John Mellencamp. He died last week at the age of 77.

David Kaff played keyboardist Viv Savage in the movie This Is Spinal Tap. He was also in the progressive rock band Rare Bird. He died last month at the age of 79.

Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi were top designers for the Barbie line of toys. They both died in a car accident last month. Paglino was 52 and Grossi was 55.

This Week in History

Albert Einstein Sends Letter to Roosevelt (August 2, 1939)

The letter, warning the president that Germany may develop an atomic bomb, was actually written by physicist Leo Szilard and signed by Einstein.

Louis Armstrong Born (August 4, 1901)

It’s pronounced “Lou-is,” not “Louie.”

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “Couples at the Beach” by George Hughes (August 2, 1952)

Better get to the beach soon. There aren’t many weekends left in the summer. Labor Day is only a few weeks away.

Also, I think the baby and the dog on the right are about to get into a fight.

National Peach Month

Have I ever told you that peaches make me cringe? Peaches make me cringe. It’s the fuzz on them. I can’t touch it. Even thinking about it right now is making me shiver a little bit. I’ll take a smooth nectarine, please.

But peaches are delicious! Like in Curtis Stone’s Melon Granita with Nectarines, Peaches, and Mint Syrup or these Peach Melba Popsicles from Smitten Kitchen. Julia’s Album has Chicken with Peaches, Tim’s Special Recipes has Rice Pilaf with Peaches and Rosemary, and Delish has a Balsamic Grilled Steak Salad with Peaches.

You can even eat these meals at 6 p.m. and I won’t tell anyone.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

National Garage Sale Day (August 9)

I had a garage sale many years ago and made the mistake of not putting “No Early Birds” in the newspaper ad. Several people showed up and, boy, were they mad.

Perseid Meteor Shower (August 12)

It’s usually one of the best of the year, and it peaks on August 12. Hopefully the viewings won’t be hurt by all that smoke from wildfires.