Tim Phillips Show, 8/18/26

How To Protect Your Pet In The Fall: As Fall approaches, it’s time to get pet safe for the season. Bay Animal Hospital in Delaware is sharing some tips to help prep for the conditions.

When it comes to cooler weather, they suggest:

Consider investing in pet sweaters or jackets for walks, especially for dogs with short fur.
Provide heated pet beds or blankets to help maintain their body temperature at night.
Avoid leaving pets outside for extended periods, especially as temperatures dip below 50°F.
Check their paws for cracks or dryness, as the cooler weather can be harsh on sensitive skin.
They also point out some seasonal hazards to keep your eye on:

Toxic plants for pets: Some fall plants, like certain mushrooms and garden flowers, are highly toxic to pets if ingested. Keep your pet away from unknown plants while on walks.
Antifreeze: With cooler weather, some people begin using antifreeze in their vehicles. Unfortunately, antifreeze is highly toxic to pets, and its sweet taste can attract them. Be sure to clean up any spills immediately and keep it stored safely out of reach.
Fallen leaves: While piles of leaves may seem like a fun playground for pets, they can hide sharp objects, harmful debris, or mold. Supervise your pet when they’re playing in or near fallen leaves.
Source: Bay Animal Hospital

Two For Tuesday - LA BAMBA - Ritchie Valens, Los Lobos -#22 in 1959

Born Richard Valenzuela on 5/13/1941 in Pacoima, California. Killed in the plane crash that also took the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper on 2/3/1959 (age 17). Latin rock and roll singer/songwriter/guitarist. In the movie Go Johnny Go. The 1987 movie La Bamba was based on his life. AWARD: R&R Hall of Fame: 2001

Back To School Drawing

Dexerto says Oreo has released six carnival-inspired cookie flavors including  Hot Honey Cornbread,  Dill Pickle, Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Milkshake & Fries, Lemonade, and Cotton Candy. The 12-count tin costs $24.99 and is only sold online. 
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TecheBlog says a man named Brendan Carberry has built a battery-powered pocket cooler.  It clips onto a pair of Jorts and chills ice cream sandwiches.  Three heat pumps move heat from the cold side to the hot side.  A small battery runs the system and a remote sets the temperature. 
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The University of Michigan announced it is eliminating traditional letter grades for first-semester freshmen beginning next year as part of a pilot program aimed at improving student mental health. Instead of receiving letter grades, new students will get a simple "pass" or "no credit" on their transcripts during their first term. University officials say the change is designed to reduce academic pressure, help students get acclimated to college life, and encourage learning driven by curiosity rather than grades. The move comes as colleges nationwide continue looking for ways to address rising mental health concerns among students. But while the news may be a relief for freshmen, it isn't really sitting well with some older folks who argue the move is not helping students because it's not preparing them for the real world where there is accountability
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Robots have infiltrated every part of human life, and soon they may be in your kitchen washing dishes and taking out the trash. A San Francisco company called Tau Robotics has launched a pilot program that lets some residents hire humanoid robots to vacuum, wipe counters, and take out the trash for about $30 an hour. The robots use artificial intelligence, but they're still heavily supervised by human operators working remotely through VR headsets. Researchers say today's humanoid robots can still be clumsy, raising safety concerns around children and household objects. Privacy is another issue, since the robots use cameras to navigate and improve their AI systems. While the humanoid robot industry is attracting major investment, analysts say it could take five to 10 years, or more, before robots can reliably handle everyday chores on their own. 
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The Japanese brewery Yona Yona Ale has come up with a wild new way to keep customers from drinking too much beer — and to help them stay hydrated along the way. They created a custom "staggering" beer glass that forces you to sip water all the while you're also sipping beer. The glass features a built-in vertical divider right down the middle, splitting the cup into two separate chambers. You pour beer in one half and water in the other. If you drink only the beer and ignore the water, the shifting weight causes the glass to immediately tip over and spill when you set it down. Even worse, if you try to finish the beer without setting the glass down, tilting it far back causes the water on the other side to pour straight onto your forehead. The goal, of course, is moderation. If you're into that kind of thing.
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London police seized a record $10 million worth of supercars over a single weekend in a massive crackdown on "antisocial driving" in expensive neighborhoods like Kensington, Chelsea, and Hyde Park. The cops impounded 90 high-performance vehicles for offenses including street racing, convoy cruising, and excessive engine revving. The haul included a $600,000 Lamborghini Revuelto and an ultra-rare, $5 million Ferrari Monza SP2 — one of only 499 ever made. 
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The California DMV and California Highway Patrol are working together to punish extreme speeders with a project called Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets — or FAST. If a driver gets a ticket for speeding over 100 miles per hour, they don't just go to court and deal with a judge. They also have to deal with the DMV's Driver Safety Branch. Driver Safety reviews the incident and can suspend or revoke the driver's license. Even if the driver goes to court and is found not guilty, the DMV steps up and acts as judge and jury — and can still mess up the driving record, which leads to higher insurance costs along with the loss of the license.
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 A brazen Boston shoplifter who bragged to store employees that he would keep stealing has been sentenced to prison. Jeramie Croft, 42, got up to three years behind bars for a string of thefts from Home Depot stores in the South Bay Mall and West Roxbury. In one telling moment last February, Croft returned to the South Bay store the day after swiping two drill kits worth $798, and when employees told him he was trespassing, he replied that he had stolen the drills the day before and would be back for more. He kept his word, hitting the same store repeatedly, sometimes wheeling out thousands of dollars in merchandise inside large trash barrels, with the thefts totaling around seven thousand dollars. Croft, who has more than 80 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to seven charges, including being a common and notorious thief.
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A New Zealand parking company has apologized to an Auckland woman after she got a parking ticket for staying too long in a supermarket car park, on the very day she died and was brought back to life. The 54-year-old collapsed in the car park of a New World supermarket in Orewa on July 26th. Her father, Keith Wilkinson, said staff quickly provided help and privacy screens, but it was a stranger who took control and performed chest compressions when no pulse could be found. Paramedics later told the family her heart had stopped and, momentarily, she was technically dead. She was taken to the hospital, and her car sat in the lot for five and a half hours, well past the 90-minute limit. A few days later, she received an $80 breach notice from Smart Compliance Management. Even after the circumstances were explained, the company did not waive the fine but merely reduced it to $30, noting her vehicle had been parked for 341 minutes. Her father called the request offensive, though she paid it to avoid stress. Staff at the supermarket then stepped in, paid the $30 back, and asked that the notice be withdrawn.