The Mindbender for breakfast
June 20, 2025
Summer officially begins tonight (Friday) at 10:42 Eastern time.
That means the days officially start getting shorter tomorrow. Boo!
Speaking of summer: Today is also the 50th anniversary of what is generally considered the first-ever summer blockbuster film.
Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” came out on this date in 1975.
Some call it a perfect film, and I agree. So let’s a raise a toast today to Bruce. That was the name of the movie’s mechanical shark.
Let's get on with the countdown.
Along with today's Mindbender you get these bonus stories:
The recycle lottery
The most expensive sports team sales
Newz for Nerdz
But first, today's Mindbender:
What non-traditional thing do you normally have for breakfast? Nearly 20% of people said (blank).
I'll have a clue coming up.
The recycle lottery
For decades, officials have wondered how to get more people to participate in recycling efforts.
Well, when in doubt, do what always works: Turn it into a lottery.
A study found turning recycling into a lottery system could boost participation dramatically.
Every time someone turns in recyclable materials, they would get an entry into a lottery that pays $1,000.
They’re already doing this in Norway, where you can win prizes between $1 and $100,000. It’s so popular that Norway’s recycling rate is close to 100%.
The most expensive sports team sales
If you didn’t see the news this week, the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team just sold for $10 billion. It’s the most expensive sports sale in history.
Well, at least for now. You know how these things escalate.
Jerry Buss paid $16 million for the Lakers in 1979. That’s a pretty good return for his family.
So what are the other most expensive sports sales ever? The rest of the top five are:
- Boston Celtics: $6.1 billion
- Washington Commanders: $6.05 billion
- Denver Broncos: $4.65 billion
- Phoenix Suns: $4 billion
Find the top ten here.
By the way, to put it in perspective, the first time the Lakers sold, back in the 1950s, the price tag was $15,000.
Here's a clue for the Mindbender:
It’s the real thing.
Newz for Nerdz
Fun science stories from this week
In space news:
SpaceX lost another one of its Starship rockets yesterday. This time it exploded while still on the ground. No one was hurt.
A team covering it live on YouTube had a classic response: “So, about those launch dates—I think that may delay a bit.”
Personal commentary: These things happen. This is WHY you test and test and test. The earliest failed attempts with airplanes were all about learning. So is this. Be patient.
* * *
Space news Part II:
Guess who else is getting into the space business? Japanese carmaker Honda.
They tested and landed their own reusable rocket this week.
* * *
Space news Part III:
Astronomers now say there’s a 40% chance that we’ll find a ninth planet in our solar system.
Until now, it’s just been referred to as “Planet X.”
* * *
In health news:
University researchers developed an algorithm that makes fitness trackers more accurate for people who are obese.
The bigger you are, the more calories you burn. But most fitness trackers today don’t factor that in.
And now, the answer to today's Mindbender:
What non-traditional thing do they choose for their breakfast?
A soda.
Hey, it’s another form of caffeine in the morning, I suppose.
I once knew someone who drank a six-pack of Coke every single day. Not Diet Coke, but Coke. Every day. Whew.
That'll do it for today's Mindbender. Thank you for being part of The Club.
Enjoy your day!
Dom
What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks.
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