Grab and go

Pebbles couldn’t talk, but she was easy to relate to. Like you, she couldn’t help but grab everything at the grocery store. That was harmless. A visit to the jewellery store? Not so much, when a necklace wound up in her carriage, and Fred accusing her of being a klepto 🤣

These days, you probably organize your shopping with lists rather than grabbing things on the fly. Do you write them down, or store them digitally? Studies have found that how you write lists can actually reveal a lot about you.

So who are you? That’s between you and your maker ;)

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

WEEKLY POLL

What are we thinking?

IN THE NEWS

Retail cyber attacks on the rise

Retailers are facing a wave of cyberattacks, and it’s starting to hit shoppers where it hurts —empty shelves and blocked orders. Whole Foods’ distributor, United Natural Foods, was breached, disrupting deliveries to stores across the country. Overseas, Marks & Spencer’s website was down for weeks, and Co-op stores struggled with stock shortages.

Hackers aren’t just causing chaos, they’re after money. In addition to creating inventory disruptions, ransomware attacks, where criminals demand payment to restore systems, are becoming more common.

For customers, it’s about more than missing groceries. These breaches can expose customer data, leading to phishing scams and fraud.

Experts warn that cybercriminals are moving faster than security teams can keep up. With retail so dependent on digital systems, businesses need stronger defenses. Meanwhile, shoppers should stay alert for suspicious emails or unexpected account activity.

Industry experts say companies must invest in better cybersecurity, or risk losing customer trust. Cyberattacks aren’t just a tech problem anymore—they’re hitting everyday life in frustrating ways.

THIRSTY THURSDAYS

Spirits on ice? Experts say no

While some folks may like to store their booze in the freezer to keep it chilled, it’s actually not recommended for most spirits.

Let’s start with gin. Storing it in the freezer will ultimately mask the flavors and aromas that make gin what it is. This may take some of the bite off, which actually may cause the beverage to be consumable for those who can’t stomach gin. For those that actually want it for what it is, keep it at room temperature.

The same goes for tequila, which is known for its bright and citrusy notes. If you freeze tequila, you’ll doubtlessly drain it of the aromatic qualities that make it tequila.

Anything brown should also be kept at room temperature or in the refrigerator at most.

“Brown spirits tend to cloud when frozen,” says Jarred Roth, beverage director at Il Buco Family. “You generally lose some of the tasting notes in them at ice-cold temperatures.” 

All of this applies for high-end versions of these spirits, which people tend to buy specifically for the subtle nuances infused into top shelf spirits, flavor-wise or aroma-wise. Putting bottom or middle-shelf spirits in the freezer—along with basically any vodka—will ultimately do just fine.

HEALTH

MIND diet lowers Alzheimer risk

A new study that analyzed data from 90,000 adults found people who adhere to the MIND diet when they’re over 45 years old are notably effective in reducing the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

MIND stands for Mediterranean Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, and combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

The study participants were between 45 and 75 years old, and those who improved their adherence to the MIND diet—which includes leafy greens, berries, nuts, fish, and olive oil—had a greater reduction of likelihood that they’d develop Alzheimer’s.

On average, following the diet resulted in a 9% lower risk of Alzheimer’s, but those who consistently improved their adherence to MIND saw a 25% lower risk.

“Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life, and their improvement over time. may prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” said Dr. Song-Yi Park, Associate Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

“This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia.”

TECH

Unsubscribe links often lead to malicious websites

When you decide you no longer want to receive emails from a known sender, unsubscribing is pretty straightforward. However, when you’re trying to unsub from a list that you never signed up to be on, it’s important to take extra precautions.

Most malicious actors that have come into possession of your email address are sending you emails to determine if the account is active and belongs to an actual person. By clicking on the unsub link, you’re confirming what they’re looking for, and that’s often where the trouble starts, rather than ends.

For example, once they know someone exists and pays attention to their spam, the bad actor can start “building a file” with the eventual intention of extorting that person.

These actors will also often cause unsubscribe links to open to sites that look legitimate, but ask for credentials to unsubscribe. Experts unanimously agree a legitimate landing page from an email to unsubscribe will never ask for a password and username.

To safely unsubscribe from a list, the option that’s offered in each email by the actual email client (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) is a safe bet, and if it somehow doesn’t work, the next best thing is to block or spam-filter emails from the address you’re trying to unsubscribe from, which you can find out how to do by looking through the support material of your given email client.

MUSIC

Paul Stanley’s Vegas update

The Kiss Army Storms Vegas bonanza takes place between Nov. 14 and 16 this year, and will feature signings, collectible exhibits, auctions, and several other special events, chief among them a full, live, electric set from Kiss themselves, with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Tom Thayer all confirmed.

Stanley spoke on the Broken Record Podcast recently, providing updates on the event that will feature the first Kiss performance since the group retired from touring at their last ever show in Dec. of 2023.

"It started off as something, honestly, that Gene and I kind of took a back seat in, and, honestly, we reached a point not too far in the past where we both said, 'You know what? This isn't the way we want it,'" Stanley explained. "And it's going to go through some major changes to be what we think it should be…There will be some announcements forthcoming and a lot of stuff where people are gonna be very happy, as I am."

"We spent 12 years nurturing a Kiss cruise and what that means and what goes into it and what you get to participate in and the social aspects between fans from 33 countries. So, this virtually will become a Kiss cruise in Vegas," he continued. "It doesn't need a ship. It will have all the familiar touchstones that people love about a Kiss cruise, whether it's bands playing, Q&As, contests, food available, good drinks, social aspects to it."

STAKE TRIVIA

Toying with you

From Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots to Easy-Bake Ovens, we sure had a lot of cool toys growin’ up in the ’70s! 😎 

We just named two, but how many more toys do you remember from that era? Find out with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 Amazon eGift Card ;)

Winner will be notified 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.