Tim Phillips Show, 3/16/26

Taking a family vacation can be an exciting adventure, but traveling with young children involves bringing a lot of extra gear and managing many meltdowns along the way. Sometimes it can be so stressful that parents wish they just stayed home, but new research suggests things really start to improve once kids hit a specific age.

According to a poll of 2-thousand moms and dads who’ve traveled with their kids, family vacations are the most fun after kids are eight years old. That when both parents and little ones start to get the most out of their getaways.

By the time kids are eight, they start to form lasting memories, according to 55% of parents.

At that age, 64% think kids get genuinely excited about visiting new places.

By then, kids are also better able to relax themselves (41%), enjoy more shared hobbies and activities as a family (41%) and have longer attention spans (40%).

Value tops the list of things parents look for in a family getaway (29%), followed by a place that suits the whole family (28%) and good weather (28%).

They also want activities everyone can enjoy (17%), a destination that’s easy to get around (15%), and accommodations that are actually family-friendly (14%).

To help make sure the kids are happy on the trip, 30% of parents get them involved in planning it.
This allows their little ones to feel included and valued, creates shared excitement and ensures there are activities they’re interested in.

No matter where they end up and how challenging it is to plan, most say that family trips are worth it, including 86% who say memories with their kids on vacations are some of their most meaningful. ⠀
Source: Talking Points

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Monday Morning Mystery - LYIN' TO MYSELF    DAVID CASSIDY    #27 in 1990    DAVID CASSIDY,    SHAUN CASSIDY,    PARTRIDGE FAMILY

(1950-2017) He was an American actor and musician. While he was best known in the United States for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical-sitcom The Partridge Family, he was an international success in his solo career as a singer. For a period, he was the highest-paid entertainer in the world.

TOP 10 MOMENTS PEOPLE WANT TO FREEZE IN TIME … According to a new survey by Tesco Mobile 

Holding my child for the first time

A family gathering where everyone was still together

An unforgettable family holiday

My wedding day

A magical childhood Christmas morning

Getting the keys to my first home

A long summer’s day playing outside until it got dark

A perfect day at the beach

When I passed my driving test

Watching my favorite band in concert

Tim's News You Can't Use 

A new survey by Casino.org reveals that 58% of Irish people find the phrase “St Patty's Day” offensive and out of touch. Other findings: 
-49% of Irish people find the phrase “Top of the mornin’ to ya” offensive and  outdated
-51% of Irish people say the Irish Car Bomb drink is outdated and offensive 
-23% of Irish people say wearing a leprechaun outfit is out of touch 
-19% of Irish people say dying rivers green is out of touch 
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A new study has found that your brain can't actually do two things at the same time. Even with weeks of practice, researchers found that the brain is just "task-switching" really fast, which makes us tired and prone to making mistakes. Because our brains have to line up these tasks in a specific order, even a tiny distraction can cause the whole system to crash. This is why things like texting while driving remain so dangerous. No matter how much you practice, your brain simply wasn't built to run on two tracks at once.
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AI isn’t just helping us find recipes or craft emails — it’s quietly rewiring how we think without us even noticing. Researchers say that every search result, recommendation, and perfectly‑timed suggestion nudges our attention, our preferences, and even our beliefs in tiny ways over time. Instead of us choosing what to explore, algorithms start shaping what we see, what we click, and what we assume is important. And because the content feels personalized and effortless, we rarely question it. The big worry? We may be outsourcing so much thinking to AI that we forget how to reason, reflect, or explore on our own.
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A new Pew Research Center survey shows that out of 25 countries surveyed, Americans are the only people who believe, by a majority, that their fellow citizens are morally bad. 53% say the morality of other Americans is "somewhat" or "very" bad — a sharp contrast with places like Canada, where only 7% feel that way. People were asked for their views on things like gambling, extramarital affairs and marijuana use. The findings also highlight how deeply divided the U.S. has become. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say Americans are immoral, but both sides increasingly view the other party as unethical. And this pattern isn’t unique to the U.S.; in many countries, people who oppose the ruling party tend to judge their fellow citizens more harshly.
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The NY Post says Amazon's Alexa+ is getting a "Sassy" mode. The new adults-only mode has a sharp wit and a ‘roast’ with every answer.  Users must complete extra security checks in the Alexa app before enabling Sassy.  Sassy won't be active when the Amazon Kids mode is on. Some users say Sassy’s tone is funny, while others say it's too much
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PepsiCo is launching a new line of snacks called "Simply NKD" that removes all the artificial dyes and colors from some of our favorite junk food. Be on the lookout for naked versions of Nacho Cheese Doritos, Cool Ranch Doritos, Cheetos Puffs and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. They'll look plain but -- supposedly -- taste exactly the same as the original. We’ve all spent years wiping orange dust off our fingertips. So maybe these new versions are a real improvement?
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TravelPirates says the British Antarctic Survey is hiring in Antarctica. Jobs include cooks and mechanics at its research bases.  Staff can expect competitive salaries, covered expenses, and the opportunity to save a substantial portion of their earnings while enjoying the incredible sights of glaciers, penguins, and the Southern Lights. No word on exactly how much the jobs pay  
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Newsweek magazine says a Brazilian man was recently shocked when a chest X-ray revealed the source of his discomfort. Artur, who had his wisdom teeth removed, said one tooth slipped into his throat while he was sedated. The X-ray showed the tooth in his lung. Doctors performed a bronchoscopy to remove it.  Art quickly recovered with no lasting damage. 
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A Florida man is in deep doo-doo after he was caught trying to steal a septic tank from a construction site -- twice. Deputies say surveillance video first caught 41‑year‑old Alfio Nocifora on February 22nd struggling to load the massive tank onto his Toyota Corolla. After giving up and driving off, he returned the next day with a rented U‑Haul, successfully loading the tank along with about $2,500 worth of electrical pipe. Investigators say he even covered the truck’s license plate and ID numbers with tape, but a detective still identified him. Nocifora was later arrested and now faces charges including grand theft and obscuring a license plate during a crime. It's unclear what he intended to do with the septic tank.