Tim Phillips Show, 8/26/26

Americans take pride in being hard workers, and research shows we put in an average of 18-hundred hours a year on the job. To compare, that’s 468 hours more per year than Germans work, but 405 fewer than Mexicans do. Nearly half of workers in the U.S. don’t expect to use all their allotted vacation days this year. But those in some areas put in more hours than others and a new report tells us where they are.

WalletHub has just come out with their ranking of the hardest-working states for 2026.
They judged each state on 10 key indicators, including average workweek hours, share of workers with multiple jobs, average commute time, and annual volunteer hours per resident.
Based on all that and more, this year’s hardest-working state is South Dakota. The state has the highest employment rate in the country at 98% and 6.5% of workers have multiple jobs.
The study finds that Alaska has the highest average workweek hours, while Massachusetts and New York tie for the lowest. Utah has the highest number of volunteer hours per resident, and Arkansas has the lowest.
Overall, Michigan lands at the bottom of the list, making it the least hard-working state. It’s followed by Oregon and New Jersey.
The Top 10 Hardest-Working States

Montana is 17th

South Dakota

North Dakota
Alaska
Hawaii
Wyoming
Nebraska
Texas
New Hampshire
Tennessee
Georgia
Source: WalletHub

One-Hit Wonder - NOTHIN' MY LOVE CAN'T FIX    JOEY LAWRENCE    #19 in 1993

Born on 4/20/1976 in Montgomery, Pennsylvania. Teen actor/singer. Acted on TV’s Gimme A Break, Blossom and Brotherly Love.

Behavioral experts are sharing their favorite mental health “cheat codes.” These techniques can help when you’re just feeling tense or moments away from a mid-workday meltdown. And the best part? You can do them almost anywhere.

Hum your favorite song - If it’s not inappropriate or too embarrassing, the top recommendation is to hum or sing your favorite song, or any song, for about 30 seconds. Humming “creates gentle vibrations” that can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, plus it gives your brain something to focus on other than spiraling thoughts and worrying.
Change your speed - Try switching up the pace and speed of whatever you’re doing, since we tend to speed everything up when we’re anxious. Intentionally slowing down everything, from reaching for coffee to turning a doorknob, can signal to your body and mind that there’s no emergency and it’s okay to calm down.
Put both feet on the floor - This one couldn’t be easier, all you need to do is plant your feet on the floor and notice what you physically feel. Pause for 10 to 20 seconds with your feet flat on the floor and notice the pressure under them, the texture of your shoes or socks, and how your weight is distributed. It’s literally grounding your attention and that can help interrupt rumination and bring thoughts back to the present moment.
Find five circles - Take a visual break and challenge yourself to find five circles in the room or count everything blue you can see. This cheat code also works to redirect your attention from worry back to the present.
Make one tiny decision - Stress can feel overwhelming, making it hard to get anything done. So, instead of trying to solve everything, make one small decision you’ve been avoiding or do one tiny thing right now. This can make you feel more in control and be surprisingly calming.
Source: Real Simple

Tim's News You Can't Use 

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school in participating areas.
Dolly Parton Has Thousands Of Unreleased Songs: Country Living says Dolly Parton has hundreds, even thousands, of songs in a secret vault. One track, ‘’My Place in History’’, stays locked at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge until her 100th birthday in 2046.
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Top 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Dolly Parton … According to a new article by Business Insider
1. Although Parton had her own theme park, she never went on the rides
2. She didn't write 'I Will Always Love You' about a romantic partner
3. Parton created a library to promote literacy
4. Her hit 'Jolene' was partially inspired by a bank teller
5. She's Miley Cyrus' honorary godmother
6. The singer once lost a Dolly Parton-lookalike contest
7. Parton played a lot of musical instruments
8. Her tattoos cover up small scars
9. Parton slept in her makeup
10. She rejected an offer for Elvis Presley to record her song.
The World’s First Cloned Sheep Was Named After Her
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Collider magazine says Ryan Gosling is in the early stages of developing a live-action Flintstones movie for Warner Bros. The film will follow an adult Bamm-Bamm Rubble.
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BroBible says Tom Brady will walk Gucci’s runway during New York Fashion Week in Times Square. He tells GQ that he has leather pants in his closet and likes their look because they are comfortable. Fans mocked the move
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Business Insider says Uber's new live-stream feature lets parents monitor their teen's rides.  The live stream uses the rear-facing camera on drivers' phones and is being tested in nine cities. When a trip begins, a parent gets a push notification that live video is available. The driver and the teen are notified when the parent starts viewing. No one can access the video after the ride ends. 
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AOF says a Milwaukee, Wisconsin landlord recently found a missing Picasso in an evicted tenant's apartment. Tim Dertz found the $50,000 piece hanging in a dusty spot in a corner. Art gallery owner Bill DeLind says the print is one of 30 known Picasso etchings signed by Pablo Picasso. Police verified the artwork matched the missing print and returned it to DeLind. The artwork was stolen in 2018 
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CGTN says a Yancheng City, China man recently got locked inside the trunk of his own car after his foot hit an electric button.  The engine had died and the trunk was baking. Police tried to free him and then called firefighters. The man was freed after about five hours
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There can be challenges when it comes to using AI-based facial recognition software…just ask Nidia Webb. Webb is a legal resident of the UK, but was left stranded in a Spanish airport when the Home Office’s “post-Brexit visa system” confused her with her twin sister. This was apparently a “known issue” with the system, which was “brought in as a way to digitize the UK’s immigration system.” Because of the glitch, Webb missed her flight home and had to wait around until humans were able to step up and figure out the mess.
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A 32-year-old restaurant worker from Osaka, Japan has been arrested after she was accused of placing more than 2,000 orders she never intended to complete from a company by the name of Shueisha. Authorities say Mayu Yoshida created 238 accounts to place orders for products with a total value of more than $27 million. When ordering, Yoshida would allegedly select the “cash on delivery” method of payment, but then refused the deliveries once they arrived. As to why she did this, Yoshida says she had “resentment” toward the company, but said she just felt a sense of satisfaction when she was able to “order items before they sold out”…and she used this as a coping mechanism for stress.
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A Polish man could spend up to eight years in prison for a pizza delivery prank that turned into something far more sinister. Poland's Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime arrested a 23-year-old man from Szczecin on suspicion of stalking, identity fraud, and causing major financial losses by ordering hundreds of pizzas to random addresses in other people's names. None of the supposed recipients knew about the orders. Investigators say the orders included personal details that only the victims or those close to them would know, along with disturbing threats such as abducting a minor, setting fire to workplaces, and causing road accidents, leaving many victims feeling tormented. Most orders targeted Szczecin, but dozens went to cities like Warsaw and Krakow. Some restaurants took serious losses, while others canceled orders they could not fill in time.
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Cleveland.com says a Bainbridge Township, Ohio man recently crashed into his neighbors’  parked cars and then hid in his home.  Police found the truck in the suspect’s driveway with heavy front-end damage, and his keys,  wallet and an empty alcoholic beverage container in the cup holder. A woman inside told officers they could not enter and shut the door. Police towed the truck for evidence. The man is going to be charged with failure to control his vehicle and failure to stop at the accident scene.