Crackin' wise

Thanks to the magic of syndicated reruns, you got to enjoy Leave it to Beaver growin’ up in the ’70s. And yeah, we all knew a brown-noser like Eddie Haskell. When the adults left the room and there was no one to suck up to, he started giving you lip 🙄

Truth be told, you probably still know a few folks like Eddie who can’t help themselves from making cheeky comments. If you’re looking for ways to diplomatically shut down ill-mannered people, check out these 7 tips. 

Tell them to bring it on ;)

(Love nostalgia? Play today’s trivia below for a chance to win a $25 Amazon eGift Card!)

WEEKLY POLL

What are we thinking?

THIRSTY THURSDAYS

Minimalist cocktails are back on the menu

The days of a Bloody Mary or Caesar completely loaded with garnish to the point where the beverage becomes the secondary attraction are over. Bartenders and sommeliers are opting to craft the perfect cocktail with as little window dressing as possible, both for the integrity of the spirit and the sustainability that comes with it.

According to Discarded Spirits Co., 64 lemon wedges—or just over 2 pounds worth of lemons—can emit as much carbon as a car driving for 20 minutes. 🤯

“I spend so much time sourcing the exact right products and ingredients, staying up late at night for weeks on end nerding out over glassware selections and investing an unhealthy amount of money on multiple ice options. Why would I then put something on top of it?” says Cody Pruitt, owner of Libertine, a French bistro in New York City’s West Village.

“The majority of the time, garnishes range from either simply extraneous—inedible pineapple fronds—to outright incorrect, such as a lime or lemon or orange wedge encourages guests to squeeze them into the drink, which should be properly balanced by the time the drink is in front of the guest in the first place.”

Then there’s the option of upcycling or using the entirety of the fruit to minimize the vast amounts of waste typical of the cocktail industry. You can learn more about it here.

HEALTH

The magic of Tylenol

After more than a century of use, scientists may finally understand how acetaminophen (which you likely know as Tylenol) actually relieves pain.

The key seems to be a compound called AM404, formed when the drug breaks down in the body. Previously thought to work only in the brain, AM404 has now been shown to also act in the peripheral nervous system—where pain signals originate.

In rats, it blocks sodium channels in nerve cells, stopping pain messages from reaching the brain. That’s a game-changer for understanding how the drug works. And while the study is exciting, more research is needed to see if it translates to humans.

If it does, AM404 could inspire a whole new generation of safer, more effective painkillers. Researchers hope to design better versions of the compound and explore its potential for treating chronic pain.

MUSIC

Kiss revamps Vegas event

Kiss wasn’t messing around when they said changes were coming to improve the event that was initially branded as Kiss Army Storms Vegas.

The enormous meeting of the Kiss fan club is now being referred to as Kiss Kruise: Land-Locked in Vegas, in a nod to to the annual cruise that’s become a smash hit for the Kiss Army.

In a recent video announcement, Paul Stanley revealed the band will now play two shows: the initially-announced unmasked electric concert, and now a second one that will be unplugged, featuring Paul, Gene, and Tommy Thayer.

Kiss hasn’t played a show since the band’s retirement from touring in December of 2023, and though the lid was thought to be fully on the band’s playing career, fans know at this point to never say never when it comes to these shock rock titans.

"The cool thing is, you don't need a ship. We've got everything that you get on a Kiss Kruise. We've got other bands playing. We're doing a full set...we'll be playing all the songs you wanna hear," Stanley said.

There will also be performances by a semi-reunited Ratt, Quiet Riot, Sebastian Bach, Black ‘N Blue, and others.

STAKE TRIVIA

July hits different

It’s amazing how you make such strong associations with the tunes that you love — including things like time and place 😎 🎶 

That kind of information should come in handy for what we’ve got in store for you. We’ll be looking at Billboard #1 hits between 1975-84 specifically from the month of July with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 Amazon eGift Card ;)

Winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon. Keep an eye on your inbox!*

Have a great day ahead Staker!

Today’s issue written by Michael Cowan, Joey Cowan, and Maureen Norman.


*SEE FULL STAKE TRIVIA CONTEST RULES HERE.