Finding the perfect Mindbender
July 11, 2025
For years, the folks at 7-Eleven have taken advantage of the fact that July 11th is written as 7-11.
So once again they’re offering FREE SLURPEES today, something they’ve been doing since 2002.
It’s true that a Slurpee is the same as an Icee—it just got a special name when 7-Eleven licensed it.
Also, today is National French Fry Day. Although we seem to celebrate that EVERY day. Americans eat about 5.6 billion pounds of fries every year.
Several fast-food joints are offering specials.
Let's get on with the countdown.
Along with today's Mindbender you get these bonus stories:
Cooling down your car
Self-conscious about feet
Newz for Nerdz
But first, today's Mindbender:
A little over half of all women say it’s nearly impossible to find a good (blank).
I'll have a clue coming up.
Cooling down your car
We’re barely into summer (officially) and the heat has already struck with a vengeance. Which makes it no fun getting into a car that’s been parked outside during the day.
A math professor from Cambridge shared a hack on social media to cool down your car fast.
No, it doesn’t involve blasting the AC. Instead, roll down the passenger side window. Then open and close your driver side door four or five times, as if you’re fanning the air.
That forces out the hot air inside your car and pulls in cooler air. While some say it’s nonsense, one test showed it dropped the inside temperature by almost 20 degrees in just a few seconds.
You can see her charming explanation—where she admits you look kinda foolish doing it—right here.
Self-conscious about feet
With those hot temps, maybe you feel like hitting the pool or the beach.
But there’s also a good chance you’re self-conscious about your body. Could be your belly, or your thighs, or . . .
OR YOUR FEET.
A survey found 44% of Americans are self-conscious about their feet.
In fact, two-thirds of people have even avoided wearing open-toed shoes because of it.
The reasons? It varies, from smells, to the shape, to toenail issues, as well as toe hair.
Gen X are the most embarrassed by their feet, while Boomers apparently are over it and really don’t care at all.
Here's a clue for the Mindbender:
They might not even go into the water at all.
Newz for Nerdz
Fun science stories I think you’ll enjoy
In baby news:
If you’ve got a baby who never seems to stop crying, don’t beat yourself up.
A study found some kids are just born fussier than others.
* * *
In space news:
The book that really got me interested in becoming an author was a book I read in middle school called “Rendezvous With Rama.” It told the story of an alien spacecraft that zipped through our solar system and gave us only a few days to explore it.
Well, we might have the real thing now. A report says an object from outside our solar system will race past us at 135,000 miles per hour sometime this fall. It’s only the third interstellar object we’ve seen pass through. The first was in 2017.
It’s likely a comet—but the usual crowd is insisting it’s ALIENS.
* * *
In health news:
Researchers announced a new way to treat sinus infections, and it doesn’t involve swallowing antibiotics.
Instead, you’d shoot an army of tiny robots up your nose.
It’s the latest in nano-bot technology. Basically, these “micro-bots", smaller than a speck of dust, will be programmed to wipe out bacteria.
* * *
And just for some nerdy fun, check out the YouTubers who broke a Guinness World Record for assembling the world’s tallest structure made from dominoes.
It was a little over 33 feet tall. And watching it topple at the end is strangely satisfying.
And now, the answer to today's Mindbender:
More than half of women say it’s nearly impossible to find a good what?
Swimsuit.
A friend once told me it was easily the worst thing about summer.
Not going to the pool or the beach—but finding a swimsuit she’d be happy wearing to the pool or the beach.
That'll do it for today's Mindbender. Thank you for being part of The Club.
Enjoy your day!
Dom
Where the hell have you been? This baby hasn't stopped crying! And she did a doodle.
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