Tim Phillips Show, 7/13/26

Most of the main American fast food brands, like McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, and Starbucks, are already easy to find around the world. But for visitors looking for a more uniquely American experience, smaller regional chains offer menu items that are much harder, or even impossible, to find outside the U.S. These restaurants have become local icons, each with a signature item that reflects a different part of American food culture.

Think of this as a fast food bucket list for World Cup visitors, where every stop has one iconic menu item that's earned a loyal following and is well worth trying:

In-N-Out: Order the famous Double Double, or ask for it "animal-style" to get mustard-grilled patties, grilled onions, pickles, and extra spread.

Whataburger: The Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit combines crispy chicken with sweet honey butter on a flaky Southern-style biscuit.

Sonic Drive-In: Cool off with a Cherry Limeade, a sweet-tart drink served over Sonic's signature crushed ice.

Culver's: Try the crispy Wisconsin Cheese Curds, made with real Wisconsin cheese and inspired by Midwestern fairs.

Jersey Mike's: Order any cold sub "Mike's Way," which adds onions, lettuce, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and salt for the chain's signature flavor.

Dairy Queen: A classic Blizzard blends soft serve with candy, cookies, and other mix-ins for one of America's favorite frozen treats.

White Castle: The original Slider keeps it simple with a small beef patty, grilled onions, and a pickle, offering a bite of fast food history.

Whether you're crossing the country or just passing through one city, these signature bites offer a fun way to experience regional American fast food traditions. Just be prepared to leave with a few new favorites.

Source: Food and Wine

HIGH ENOUGH    DAMN YANKEES   #3 in 1990    

TED NUGENT    TOMMY SHAW    NIGHT RANGER

All-star rock band: Ted Nugent (guitar, vocals), Tommy Shaw (guitar, vocals), Jack Blades (bass, vocals) and Michael Cartellone (drums). Nugent was with the Amboy Dukes. Shaw was with Styx. Blades was with Night Ranger. Shaw and Blades also recorded as a duo in 1995.

Who are kids’ biggest heroes today? Mom and dad top the list, according to new research, but Spider-Man and Rumi the KPop Demon Hunter make the list, too. The poll looks into who the youngest generation looks up to these days and how the definition of a “hero” has evolved over time.

According to a survey of 2-thousand parents of children ages four to 12, people in kids’ everyday lives are the ones they look up to most. Parents are number one (71%), followed by teachers (40%), siblings (37%), extended family members (33%) and friends (31%).

But we are talking about kids, so fictional superheroes (29%), celebrities (22%), and fictional characters (22%) are also on the list.

When asked who their child’s specific “hero” is, the top responses were Mom, Dad, Grandma, or Grandpa.

As for who kids idolize, athletes like Michael Jordan and LeBron James were popular answers, as were celebs like John Cena.

A lot of kids still idolize superheroes including Spider-Man, Batman, Superman and the Black Panther, along with characters like Rumi the KPop Demon Hunter, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Bluey.

More than half (58%) of parents polled define a “hero” as someone who goes out of their way to help others. Others say a hero is someone who puts others before themselves (53%) or who has a strong moral compass and sticks to it (48%).

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of moms and dads say their definition of a hero has changed as they’ve gotten older and 38% now have a different hero than they did as a kid.

Parents say their children choose their heroes based on traits like bravery (38%), strength (37%), kindness (37%), and honesty (31%).

When asked which “heroic” qualities their own kids have, kindness (37%), honesty (30%), intelligence (27%), positivity (27%), and compassion (27%), were the top responses.

And parents are helping their kids develop heroic qualities by teaching them to express themselves in healthy ways (57%), letting them explore their own interests (55%), practicing patience in stressful situations (52%), and to follow their own dreams (50%).

Source: Talker

Tim's News You Can't Use

We're used to having a leap day every four years, but how confusing would it be if there was suddenly a leap hour? That's what the General Conference on Weights and Measures is considering so the world can maintain Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The Earth has sped up in the past couple years, which means we might need a "negative leap second" in three years' time. And that second could cause a huge problem for high-precision systems in communications, GPS, banking, and more. The scientists believe that doing a leap hour might be easier on those systems, as the additions would happen much less frequently, and companies would have more time to prepare for the leap hour.
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Foodbeast says Taylor Farms is producing a new Minions Caesar salad. The salad is chopped and has buttery half popcorn bits that resemble Minions. It is available nationwide
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The Nerd Stash says some gas stations and stores are now locking milk in secured cases due to shoplifting.  Customers must ring for employees to come and unlock the cases. Stores are hoping the cases curb theft
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Play-Doh is branching out beyond kids with its first product line designed specifically for adults. The new Blooms by Play-Doh kits let users create realistic floral arrangements using modeling compound, molds, tools, a vase, and a finishing spray that helps preserve the finished bouquet for months. The kits are now available at major retailers, with prices starting at $24.99, as Hasbro expands into the adult crafting and home décor market.
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Thrill seekers have a new record-breaking ride to conquer because Six Flags Over Texas has officially opened Tormenta Rampaging Run, billed as the world's tallest, fastest, and longest giga dive coaster. The Spanish-themed attraction features a 309-foot climb, a 285-foot beyond-vertical drop, a top speed of 87 mph, and also holds records for the tallest vertical loop and highest Immelmann inversion on a dive coaster. The ride's debut is part of the park's yearlong 65th anniversary celebration, which includes new entertainment, attractions, and park improvements.
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WDW MAGIC says Disney is planning a massive rebuild of Space Mountain in Orlando.  The plan would re-track the ride and touch almost every part.  Changes to the wait lines and loading stations are also part of the plan.  If true, the project could take about two years.
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The Hilda Houseplant Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, lets plant owners drop off their struggling greenery for what founder Rosanna Costello calls surgery. Customers bring their plant in for a consultation, where staff take a patient history, asking how long they have had it and what they think is wrong. Costello then treats it, cleans it up, and calls the owner when the plant is ready to go home
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Nebraska officials confiscated about 60 animals, including a zebra, from a home near Omaha after an anonymous tip led to a search warrant. The Nebraska Humane Society said the animals were living in deplorable conditions, and charges are pending. Rescuers found dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, geese, donkeys, an emu, an alpaca, and more, and had to make several trips to shuttle everything out. Humane Society official Steve Glandt said that even with careful planning, crews were overwhelmed by what they found. Nebraska law requires a captive wildlife permit to keep a zebra, and Omaha ordinances also restrict exotic animals. Glandt warned that zebras are unpredictable and dangerous. Many animals were emaciated, and some needed immediate care. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo has been contacted about caring for the zebra.
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The Oneida Dispatch says a Utica, New York woman, named Tiffany L. Greene, was recently arrested for stealing 26 Kit Kat and Kinder Bueno candy bars from the Street Corner Market Store. She stuffed the candy in a duffel bag. Deputies arrested her and recovered all 26 candy bars. She was charged with larceny 
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WKRN says a naked man recently broke into a Lebanon, Tennessee Walmart.  Walmart employees called 911 to report the break-in.  They then sheltered in a secure area. Cops quickly arrived and found the 26-year-old naked man sitting on a pallet of dog food. He tried to run into the clothing department.  Officers arrested the man and charged him with disorderly conduct, public intoxication, vandalism, trespassing and other offenses.