Quack the code

It didn’t matter what your favourite genre was because when you heard it, you began to feel a change. Before you knew it, you were out on the dance floor acting strange. Against all odds, Disco Duck became a #1 hit and Rick Dees became a one-hit miracle 🤣

From the novelty song to Daffy and Donald, ducks have long figured into pop culture. Now a San Francisco business is capitalizing on it. At Kwak, they exclusively sell toy ducks and business is absolutely ponderful.

No pun intended, they’re making bills ;)

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

Sam Altman (OpenAI), Masayoshi Son (Softbank), and Larry Ellison (Oracle) joined President Donald Trump at the White House the other day to announce what Trump called the “largest AI infrastructure project in history.”

The three executives revealed the launching of a new company, Stargate, which will be devoted to the massive expansion of America’s AI infrastructure, beginning with a one-million square-foot data center already under construction in Texas.

On multiple occasions, Altman has flagged the pressing need for the United States to invest in the expansion of its AI infrastructure in order to remain competitive in the field with the rest of the world—and especially with adversaries like China.

“Infrastructure in the United States is super important,” Altman said in a Fox News interview last month.

“AI is a little bit different from other kinds of software in that it requires massive amounts of infrastructure, power, computer chips, data centers, and we need to build that here and we need to be able to have the best AI infrastructure in the world to be able to lead with the technology and the capabilities.”

Alcohol is processed differently by everyone. Some people have a glass of wine and are down for the count, while others can put away a fifth of Jack Daniels and recite the alphabet backwards. Why is that?

The answer is nuanced, in that there are several factors that influence the way someone acts and feels after consuming alcohol, including biology, environment, and genetics.

For instance, two enzymes in the human body exist to process booze: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), and when mutated, they can have various visible effects. In the case of ALDH, if the enzyme is overwhelmed and less active, it can lead to nausea and and a flushed face.

In terms of genetics, those with a family history of alcoholism appear to genetically adapt to the effects of intoxication. For example, those with a family history aren’t as likely to experience static ataxia (bodily swaying) when intoxicated as those without such a family background.

Tolerance build-up is another factor that most are familiar with. The more alcohol one consumes over time, the less sensitive their brain’s neurotransmitters become. This is ultimately detrimental to long-term health, but in terms of intoxication thresholds, the more you drink, the more you need to drink to exhibit the standard symptoms of being drunk.

Netflix announced the other day that it would raise prices for subscribers of all tiers in the United States and Canada after reporting its biggest quarterly subscriber growth ever in Q4.

The streaming giant added 19 million subscribers in the fourth quarter of last year, thanks in large part to its live sports pivot.

108 million people reportedly watched the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match that aired exclusively on Netflix in November, and the platform averaged 30 million live viewers during the two NFL games that aired on Christmas Day.

On top of that, Netflix is now home to the longest-running weekly episodic television show in history: WWE’s Monday Night Raw.

In the United States, standard monthly subscription prices are set to rise from $15.49 to $17.99, while the ad-supported package will rise from $6.99 to $7.99, and premium subscriptions will rise to $24.99 per month from $22.99.

The new prices are already in effect for new subscribers, while existing customers will see the increase on their next bill.

A cold snap has gripped most of the continent this week, causing various degrees of discomfort and even danger in some places. When it gets this cold, it begs the question for some: when is it too cold to walk the dog?

Overall, once the temperature is in the ballpark of 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, extreme caution is recommended. Health risks do vary, though, depending on the dog’s breed and size.

For example, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, and Bernese Mountain Dogs can withstand—and in some cases, prefer—unimaginably cold temperatures for humans. Huskies can endure -60 F, for example.

Such circumstances are rare, though, and the types of dogs that can tolerate extreme cold are rarer.

If your furry friend is small (15 lbs or lighter), he or she can begin to feel discomfort between 32 and 45 degrees, and is at high risk below 32 and extremely high risk below 20. Hypothermia, kidney failure and/or heart failure are all on the table for small dogs at this point.

Medium to large dogs will likely be comfortable at 32 degrees or above, potentially uncomfortable between 20 and 32, and at high or extreme risk below 20 degrees.

Imagine getting to take a vacation on a cruise ship and brag to your fellow passengers about how you designed the boat? A dream situation for anyone (except for maybe Thomas Andrews), and Celebrity Cruises wants you to partake.

Called the Xcel “Dream Makers” initiative, Celebrity is calling for submissions by enthusiasts and aspiring sailors of the Celebrity line to help design various features of the fifth and final vessel to join the Edge Series fleet.

“We want to ensure our guests love our products and experiences, so involving them in the process to perfect Celebrity Xcel was a great way to achieve this,” said Michael Scheiner, the line’s chief marketing and product officer.

“Celebrity Cruises is known for ground-breaking innovation in ship design and experiences unlike any other at sea, when Xcel launches guests won’t have just found their happy place, they’ll have helped us build it.”

From helping with the ship’s broad interior design to providing concepts for dining areas, Celebrity wants to hear it all. You can sign up here to participate.

From cereal to dish soap, we sure have seen a lot of memorable spokespeople and brand mascots over the years.

How memorable, you ask? You can find out by playing 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.