Tim Phillips Show, 9/4/26

Not all of us are lucky enough to live in the place we’d most like, and plenty of factors can put that possibility out of reach, especially money. Where you live can make a huge difference in how much it costs just to keep the lights on and the bills paid, and a new analysis looks into how basic monthly household expenses compare across the country.

It ranks all 50 states on factors including housing, utilities, insurance and Internet, to find where residents are paying the most and least each month.
New York comes out as the most expensive state, with average monthly bills of $7,016, nearly 40% above the national average.
California is second at $6,996 a month, with the highest average mortgage payment, and Hawaii was right behind at $6,872, with high housing and energy costs helping drive up the total.
Arkansas is the least expensive state, with average monthly bills of $3,864, about 23% below the national average.
States With The Highest Monthly Bills:

New York
California
Hawaii
Massachusetts
New Jersey
States With The Lowest Monthly Bills:

Arkansas
Indiana
Iowa
Ohio
The difference is pretty dramatic. Depending on the state, just covering the basics can mean shelling out thousands more every month.⠀

Source: Travel & Leisure

Friday Flashback - YOU SHOULD BE DANCING    BEE GEES    1976

Today, we’re headed to the 70’s, to a year where Apple Computer was formed, the first commercial Concorde flights took off, Nadia Comaneci won 3 gold medals at the Montreal Olympics with seven perfect scores. Polaroid Cameras were selling for $28.00, CB Radios $147.00. People were also buying wood bracelets, ankle strap shoes, lace boots, corduroy suits, Fonz jackets, toy typewriters and sewing machines, On TV: The Six Million Dollar Man, Kojak, The Jeffersons and All in the Family. On the big screen: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, All the President's Men, The Omen, Taxi Driver, The Outlaw Josey Wales and Rocky. On the radio, the hits went like this: (hooks of Don't Go Breakin' My Heart, Let 'Em in, I'd Really Love To See You Tonight). What year was it: 1974, 1975 or 1976? The answer and, the #1 song for an Australian singing trio, next on the Friday Flashback!

Taco Bell Ranked Most Likely To Get Your Drive Thru Order Wrong ... According to a new survey by Study Finds. Restaurant followed by the chance they botch your order

Taco Bell: 15 percent chance

Wendy's: 13 percent chance

Dunkin': 13 percent chance

Burger King: 12 percent chance

Raising Cane's: 12 percent chance

Arby's: 11 percent chance

KFC: 11 percent chance

Carl's Jr. / Hardee's: 10 percent chance

McDonald's: 7 percent chance

Chick-fil-A: 7 percent chance

Tim's News You Can't Use 

Labor Day weekend is upon us, and so is one of the busiest travel times of the year. Millions of Americans are expected to take to the roads, pass through airports, or set sail on cruises as they make the most of the final holiday weekend of summer. According to a new report from AAA, mild temperatures and a little extra daylight are inspiring travelers to spend more time outdoors. Popular trips include Alaska cruises, river cruises, visits to national parks, and sightseeing tours across Europe. 

But here at home, AAA has identified the top domestic travel destinations this weekend:
Seattle, Washington
Orlando, Florida
Boston, Massachusetts
Denver, Colorado
New York, New York
Chicago, Illinois
Anaheim/Los Angeles, California
Las Vegas, Nevada
Anchorage, Alaska
Atlanta, Georgia
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It's Labor Day Weekend — the unofficial end of summer and a great time to celebrate by firing up a grill. According to a new survey, here's a rundown of some unusual things people in different states enjoy cooking over an open flame:

Alaska — moose burger
Colorado — Rocky Mountain oysters (also known as bull testicles)
Florida and Louisiana — gator
Maine and Massachusetts — lobster
Maryland — crab
Montana — elk
Rhode Island — clams
South Dakota — pheasant
Wyoming — bison
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Frontier Airlines’ Fall & Winter GoWild Pass is back on sale for $249, offering nearly unlimited travel through February 2027. Pass holders pay just one cent in airfare per flight segment plus taxes, with one personal item included, while checked bags, larger carry-ons and some seat assignments cost extra. The pass can be especially useful for fall foliage trips, ski getaways and escapes to warmer destinations across Frontier’s network. The airline also offers annual and monthly versions of the pass for travelers who want even more flexibility.
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The New York Post says Tesla's new driverless Cybercab has no steering wheel or pedals. The Cybercab is a two-seater with butterfly doors. Tesla has been testing robotaxis in several U.S. markets, but those vehicles have used traditional steering controls and had a human driver onboard. Waymo operates  4,000 driverless robotaxis in 14 U.S. cities. 
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Motor Biscuit says the Volonaut Airbike is a real-life flying motorcycle with a launch price of $880,000. The single-seat aircraft uses jet propulsion and can take off and land vertically. It weighs just 66 pounds and has been compared to a speeder bike from “Star Wars.” Its top speed is capped at 63 mph to comply with Federal Aviation Administration ultralight regulations. Buyers will not need a traditional pilot’s license to fly it.
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A glacier at the base of Mount Everest is being melted, and experts are saying that “thousands of gallons of pee” are to blame. Khumbu Glacier sits at the base of the Earth’s highest peak, and 150 metric tons of water have been melted from it. That’s because the glacier has been used as a base camp for climbers, and when nature calls, that urine must go somewhere…and is eventually going to have an effect. The glacier has approximately 1,600 tents set up on it, and the people who inhabit those tents all have bodily function needs. Experts are strongly recommending “relocating” that base camp to a more stable area with more appropriate personal relief stations.
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A Nashville man is being accused of stealing an ambulance because he didn’t have a ride home. Christopher Bradford was discharged from TriStar Centennial Medical Center but didn’t have a ride home, so he allegedly took an ambulance. Documents show Bradford claimed the ambulance was unlocked, but medics told officers they locked it. GPS tracking led officers to the ambulance at an Exxon station. Police blocked the vehicle and took Bradford into custody.
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Guessing Headlights says police took a 33-year-old man into custody after he damaged 90 vehicles in a Richmond, Virginia, parking lot. The vehicles were parked near Virginia Commonwealth University. Police say the man used bricks to smash the windshields and left some of the bricks on the vehicles. Drivers returned to find entire rows of cars damaged. The suspect, identified as Tyler Holtrust, is facing one felony count and eight misdemeanor counts of destruction of property. Officials have not released a reason for the damage.
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Guessing Headlights says a South Carolina inmate recently escaped from his jail cell by using a pencil to manipulate the door’s locking mechanism. 30-year-old Charles Alexander Dieterich lifted the cell door just enough to slide a pencil into the lock. He then went through the jail kitchen and out an unlocked door used by kitchen workers and jail trustees.  Dieterich climbed over fencing and barbed wire surrounding the secured area. Deputies found Dieterich  less than 30 minutes after his escape. He was taken for treatment before being returned to the detention center.
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A Florida man who made headlines last year for hunting a swan because -- as he explained, "I was hungry, so I hunted" -- is back behind bars -- this time for being hungry at Arby's. Police say they arrested 34-year-old Adonis Leyva earlier this week after going on a metal pipe rampage. He smashed an Arby's window, a Dunkin' Donuts sign, and a bank ATM. He later threw the pipe at passing cars. Leyva had been released from jail less than a month ago after serving nearly a year on animal cruelty charges related to the swan killing. He's now facing new felony criminal mischief charges. (NY Post)
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KATU says a Portland, Oregon man is being held without bail after he threatened a local record store owner and tried to burn down his business. 40-year-old Adrian Orange was arrested after setting a fire under the front door of the Vinyl Resting Place.  The store owner said Orange came in trying to sell some of his records. He got mad when he refused to buy them.