The Happiest Country in the World
The best country in the world is probably the one you live in. I mean, that’s why you live there, right? Other people can tell you why your country is bad and maybe you sometimes think that way too. But I think most people simply balance the good and bad when it comes to where they live, and I would bet most people like where they live overall and wouldn’t even dream of leaving their home country.
But if you do want to move to a different country, wouldn’t you want it to be a happy one? Apparently there’s a science out there that figures out which country is actually the happiest, best, kick-up-your-heels place to live. And that country is Finland, for the eighth year in a row.
It’s probably good that everyone who lives in Finland is happy. People hate helping their friends move across town. Imagine what it would be like helping your friends move their couch to another continent.
Almanac vs. Almanac
My brother used to get a Farmers’ Almanac every single Christmas. Wait, I should clarify that. It was The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Not Farmers’ Almanac.
Did you know that there were two of them with similar names? I knew that there were various almanacs, but I didn’t know there were two that were so similar they are sometimes confused. The Old Farmer’s Almanac started in 1792 and Farmers’ Almanac started in 1818.
But this year there’s another battle going on. The two publications have very different predictions on what weather we’re going to see this winter. As a fan of cold and snow, I know which prediction I’m rooting for.
“That’s A.I.”
Leave it to the kids to come up with an expression that’s pretty much perfect for these artificial times.
(On a related note, nobody in Hollywood wants to work with Tilly Norwood.)
Product of the Week
Maxwell House, which I mentioned last week for National Coffee Day, is rebranding. It is now called Maxwell Apartment.
I know that sounds like an April Fool’s joke, but it’s true! They’re making the name change because people are renting more and more these days instead of buying a house. You can get a 12-month “lease” of the coffee — four tubs — at Amazon for the special price of $39.99.
Obviously, this is temporary but I think it’s funny.
RIP Jane Goodall, Henry Jaglom, Russell Nelson, Steve Hayden, Sonya Hamlin, Marilyn Diamond, and George Hardy
Jane Goodall was arguably the most famous and influential primatologist and conservationist. She died Wednesday at the age of 91.
Henry Jaglom directed such films as Eating, A Safe Place, and Last Summer in the Hamptons. He died last week at the age of 87.
Russell Nelson was the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He died Saturday at the age of 101.
Steve Hayden wrote Apple’s classic “1984” ad. He died earlier this month at the age of 78.
Uploaded to YouTube by Mac History
Sonya Hamlin was a groundbreaking host of talk shows for women. She died last week at the age of 94.
Marilyn Diamond co-wrote (with her husband Harvey) the best-selling diet book Fit For Life. She died earlier this month at the age of 81.
George Hardy was one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen. He died last week at the age of 100.
This Week in History
Ford’s Model T Goes on Sale (October 1, 1908)
It was advertised in the pages of the Post. It cost $850.00, which is almost $30,000 today.
The Honeymooners Premieres (October 1, 1955)
It’s 70 years later, and if you really love the show, you can get Ralph Kramden’s bus driver uniform (starting bid is $20,000), scripts from the show, and even the sink from the Kramdens’ kitchen!
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Applju (September 27, 1919)
This was a popular apple-flavored sparkling juice (“Drink an Apple”) sold by the Olympia Brewing Company in Tumwater, Washington. They also had a loganberry-flavored juice called Loju but they stopped making them because of the sugar shortage caused by World War I.
October Is National Apple Month
Can we all agree that apples are the best fruit for desserts? I don’t want to hear any arguments about this.
The Pioneer Woman has a recipe for Homemade Apple Pie, Curtis Stone has one for Spiced Apple Pie, and Sally’s Baking Addiction has one for Apple Cheddar Pie.
That’s right, I included three recipes for apple pie.
Beyond the pie, you can use apples for an Apple Crisp from Love & Lemons, an Applesauce Cake from The Cookery Monster, or these Danish Pastry Apple Bars from Allrecipes. Allrecipes also has a recipe for The Best Caramel Apples.
If someone tells you there’s a better fruit for desserts than apples, just say “that’s A.I.”
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
NFL London Games (October 5)
The Minnesota Vikings play the Cleveland Browns at 9:30 a.m. ET on the NFL Network. It’s the first of three games in London. The Broncos play the Jets on October 12 and the Rams play the Jaguars on October 19.
Leif Erikson Day (October 9)
It’s for this guy. Not this guy.
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Comments
Narcissistic evangelical motorcyclists who (incredibly) believe bot ads are protected as free speech in a commercial comments section are, ironically, more off-putting than the bot ads!
So mote it be.
Hey Mr Creecy. I’m not a fan of that either, but there are such things as freedom of speech, guaranteed by the 1st Amendment of our US Constitution and censorship which is not and is wrong unless it is offensive, degrading, misleading, or demeaning type speech. My advice to you is to put your big boy pants on and just ignore it. I do. You don’t see me getting my drawers in a wad over this. Get over it.
Bill, I do have to agree with you on these ‘ads’ appearing in the comments section in the Post’s online features since what now, August? Well over a month. They’re off-putting, probably causing hesitation in readers posting since they started appearing.
Bob, I hope you get your cold weather to your liking. We both hate the heat, but (don’t laugh) my own cold limit is about 32 degrees for the dash from or to the car then indoors. The heat, about 110 for the same. Lots of electrolytes and a Xanax on that one. Only outside briefly if forced to be.
Have you seen the YT videos by Zac Rios and Hayden Schreier on what absolute junk late model cars are?! This is now across the board by every manufacturer. Filled with tech screens designed to break down that you MUST have fixed at the dealership. $60k+ vehicles designed with transmissions to fail after 6k miles.
Getting repoed left and right because the “owners” can’t pay the $3k+ per month for the vehicle and the insurance, and are still on the hook for all of it anyway. Yeah, no $#1+, and NO thank you! Keepin’ my ’99 RAV-4. Amen.
Maxwell House’s publicity stunt is actually kind of clever. I would think most apartment residents still think of their residence as a house. Definitely a home either way. I’m going to re-start some horseback riding this week with the cooler weather. Dog-sitting (nice extra cash) for a white 2 year old American bull terrier named Vikki.
She loves sliding down slides and rolling around in the cool mud. Huffing and puffing, having a blast, but no cuddle time until she’s been hosed off and dried off with the fluffy terry cloth towel. She likes the garden hose anyway to drink from. “Oh Vikki!” Great Appleju ad from 1919 featuring the well-to-do right after World War I.
Why does the SEP allow this guys advertising every week. Either charge him or get him off!!