Tim Phillips Show, 8/24/26

We’re all scrolling on our smartphones all the time, but in some states, people spend so much time on social media, it’s practically an obsession. Some people might not realize they have a problem, but a new study reveals exactly where people are hooked on TikTok, Instagram and social sites most.

Winder Law Firm did the research, analyzing Google Keyword Planner data to add up search volume for major platforms - tracking searches like “Facebook login” and “TikTok desktop” in each state, then adjusting the data per capita.
New York leads the list, beating the national average of 135,356 monthly searches per 100-thousand residents with a total of 157,537.
That’s 16% higher than the national average, and about 30.8-million total monthly platform-related searches.
Virginia is a close second with 156,340 monthly searches per 100-thousand residents.
The top five platforms dominating search interest nationwide are YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X and Reddit, while New Yorkers prioritize Instagram and X slightly more than the rest of the country.

At the bottom of the list are Vermont, Wyoming and Alaska, making them the least addicted to social media.

The 10 Most Social Media-Addicted States

New York
Virginia
Washington
North Carolina
Georgia
Massachusetts
Texas
Oregon
Illinois
Pennsylvania
Source: NY Post

Monday Morning Mystery - ENJOY THE SILENCE    DEPECHE MODE   

#8 gold in 1990    

DEPECHE MODE    ERASURE    YAZ

All-synthesized electro-pop group formed in Basildon, Essex, England: singer Dave Gahan (born on 5/9/1962) and synthesizer players Martin L. Gore (born on 7/23/1961), Vince Clarke (born on 7/3/1960) and Andy Fletcher (born on 7/8/1961). Clarke left in 1982 (formed Yaz , then Erasure ), replaced by Alan Wilder (born on 6/1/1959; left in 1995). Group name is French for fast fashion. From 1997 on, group consists of Gahan, Gore and Fletcher.

Top Behaviors People Say Are Cheating … According to a new survey by YouGov 

Having sex with someone else (94%)

Sending naked photos to someone else (82%)

Using a dating app while in a relationship (80%)

Kissing someone else (73%)

Secretly messaging or meeting up with an ex-partner (69%)

Forming a deep emotional attachment with someone else (52%)

Top Sketchy Behaviors People Say Are ALMOST Cheating … According to a new survey by YouGov 

Directly engaging with sexual content creators, such as OnlyFans or similar sites (47%)

Developing romantic feelings for someone else, even if nothing physical happens (40%)

Using AI chatbots or virtual companions for romantic or sexual conversations (30%)

Flirting with someone else (26%)

Fantasising about sex or intimacy with someone else (16%)

Having a crush on someone else (15%).

Tim's News You Can't Use 

AI may be helping students get better grades on homework, but a new study suggests it could be hurting what they actually learn. Researchers tracked more than 26,000 students and found that those using AI saw homework scores rise 18% while cutting the time spent on assignments by nearly 30%. The downside showed up on tests. Within six months, exam scores dropped about 20% among AI users, while college entrance test scores declined by as much as 24% over time. Researchers say many students were using AI to complete assignments instead of learning the material, earning strong homework grades but struggling when AI wasn't available. However, students who used AI as a tutor rather than a shortcut saw far fewer negative effects.
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Dexerto says Pokemon Crocs are set to hit the U.S. in November. The Pikachu, Gengar, and Jigglypuff clogs will cost as much as $85 or $55 more than regular Crocs. 
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Dexerto says Pabst Blue Ribbon is launching their own soap. Dr Squatch is producing the soap and making it with actual Pabst Blue Ribbon lager. The soap is called Blue Ribbon Breeze and costs $8. It has coconut oil, shea butter and kaolin clay. The bar is 98% to 100% natural and has no parabens, sulfates, phthalates or silicones. 
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Over in England, major pub chains and upscale restaurants are banning smart glasses. The bosses at one big pub chain — Wetherspoons, which operates roughly 800 locations — say that wearable cameras violate long-standing rules against filming customers and staff without permission. Their policy is now to ask customers wearing smart glasses to turn off the recording device. Jeremy King, the owner of some fancy restaurants in London, went a step further, asking diners not to wear smart glasses at all to protect guest privacy. 
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Newser says a Surrey, England woman recently turned 117. Ethel Caterham has officially been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the planet's oldest living person and oldest living woman. She was born on Aug. 21, 1909. She marked the milestone with a quiet family gathering at her care home.  Ethel credits her long life to avoiding conflict 
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There's an unusual health warning coming out of China where an 18-year-old camper temporarily lost part of his hearing after spending more than four hours surrounded by the loud sounds of cicadas in a forest. Doctors say the teen developed ringing in his ears and hearing difficulties after exposure to hundreds of the insects at once. While a single cicada isn't typically loud enough to cause damage, experts say large groups can exceed 85 decibels, a level that can harm hearing over time. The teen recovered fully after treatment and two weeks of rest, but doctors say prolonged exposure to any loud noise, even sounds from nature, can pose a risk. (OddityCentral)
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BroBible says a Texas man was recently hit with an HOA citation because of his neatly mowed lawn stripes. The notice cites him for "Maintaining lawn quality beyond reasonable neighborhood expectations". The HOA has asked him to mow in random directions, skip at least one mowing cycle per week, and refrain from posting lawn photos on social media. 
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The Nerd Stash says an Iowa man recently cheated on his girlfriend. She destroyed his van with an axe. A car shop employee filmed the damage after the man admitted to cheating. The girlfriend slashed the van and smashed the windshield. The employee captioned the footage, "Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats."
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A Florida man is facing felony charges after deputies say he snuck onto a parked JetBlue plane at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and fell asleep in the plane's lavatory. 
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In West Virginia, 20-year-old Wesley Jackson has been arrested and is accused of “the theft and destruction of multiple FLOCK cameras.” The license plate readers have been the target of nationwide ire, and now the public appears to be having Jackson’s back. While facing upwards of a year in jail, commenters on the WDTV News Facebook page are offering up alibis for Jackson, saying he was fishing in the Keys with Justin, setting up snake tanks with Isaac, saving the neighbors of a woman named Zoe from a fire, just drinking beer with Dylan, and more. Another commenter pointed out that if he actually did steal the cameras, it should count toward his sentence as community service.