The Mindbender's silent treatment
June 6, 2025
Today is National Donut Day. Well, actually, there are TWO National Donut Days each year. The other is in November.
But nobody is complaining about that. I mean, we LIKE donuts.
As usual, the big chains are offering deals.
And do you NEED a donut to start your day because you just can’t handle mornings?
You’re not alone—a new survey found 38% of Americans admit they are, quote, “bad at mornings.”
The average person stays in bed later than they planned eight times a month. And the average time of the first alarm is 6:33 A.M.
Yeah, go get the donut.
Let's get on with the countdown.
Along with today's Mindbender you get these bonus stories:
The best smells
Your average road trip
Newz For Nerdz
But first, today's Mindbender:
What’s the last thing your spouse did that made you briefly stop talking to them? Nineteen percent of men said (blank).
I'll have a clue coming up.
The best smells
Whenever a survey asks people to name the best smells, several answers pop up every time.
And it happened again. The latest results show the top choices are freshly baked bread, the smell of rain, and cold mountain air.
Some of the others to pop up, however, included cinnamon rolls, clothes fresh out of the dryer, and burning wood.
Further down the list: freshly ground coffee, freshly popped popcorn, and Grandma’s house.
Some of the more unusual choices: The smell of gasoline was #52, “fresh money” was #62, and permanent markers came in at #66.
It’s a fluid survey, so the rankings could change by the time you log in.
Your average road trip
I grew up in a family that took lots of road trips, and I have a lengthy one planned myself for this summer.
If you’ve got small kids, a long road trip might actually be hell for you.
A poll asked parents to name the worst age when it comes to traveling, and the average answer was three-and-a-half years old.
They say it’s because they’re old enough to get bored easily, but not old enough to enjoy any of the good things about traveling.
The average parent says the maximum time they’ll drive with a kid in the car is about seven hours. And they say in those seven hours you’ll listen to 18 sibling fights, 14 mini tantrums, and hear “are we there yet?” 22 times.
Have fun!
Here's a clue for the Mindbender:
So what if it’s full of holes? It’s COMFORTABLE.
Newz For Nerdz
There’s almost nothing more awe-inspiring on Earth than an active volcano.
If you missed the eruption earlier this week at Mount Etna in Sicily, there are all sorts of video choices.
Here’s one, which shows the blast from several angles. It’s so cool.
* * *
People have been eating bread for more than 14,000 years.
Gimme a nice hot loaf with some soft butter and I’m good for days.
A recipe for bread that’s 5,000 years old was uncovered in Turkey—and it’s become a big hit now that a nearby bakery is making it.
* * *
Here come the robots!
Amazon is reportedly training humanoid robots to deliver packages. They already have the mechanical creatures working in some of their distribution centers, but now they’ll drive to your house and walk your package to the front door.
They’re currently being trained at an “indoor humanoid park” in San Francisco. No word yet on when they’ll roll out.
* * *
A study found that having a dog early in life can make children healthier.
Experts think being exposed to all the microbes your dog brings into the house can train your kid’s immune system.
And other studies have found that dogs might lower a child’s risk for allergies and asthma.
And now, the answer to today's Mindbender:
What did their spouse do?
They threw away something of his without telling him.
Clothes, knick-knacks, furniture, you name it.
Hey, we get really attached to some of our crap, ya know?
That'll do it for today's Mindbender. Thank you for being part of The Club.
Enjoy your day!
Dom
I honestly don't think you're going to find the Grand Canyon on this road.