'Bankrupt - Sbarro' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Today's brief evergreen educational entry features the latest episode in Bright Sun Films series Bankrupt - Sbarro.

Since it started in New York in the 1950's, the Sbarro fast food chain had grown to well over 1,000 locations, many of which inside of shopping malls. The chain became a staple in casual, Italian food and was one of the most recognizable shopping mall institutions in America. However, by the 2010's, the brand would ultimately declare bankruptcy... twice. Join me to find out why.

I last examined Sbarro in 2020's Company Man examines the rise and decline of Sbarro, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, the next to last Retail Apocalypse post before COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic. I hadn't gotten into the habit of taking screen captures of Company Man Mike's reasons for the company declining then, so I'm making up for it by sharing his list from six years ago.


Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films concentrated on the 2007 sale of the company to a private equity firm, followed by the Great Recession and the general decline of malls. As I wrote six years ago, "Sbarro's dependence on malls was helpful until the Great Recession but is hurting the chain now, as more than half of their stores have closed since the company's peak." Private equity taking over the company the first time couldn't have come under worse circumstances. On the other hand, the current private equity ownership has been good for the company so far, expanding it out of American malls to other countries and into other locations. Good news.

On the other hand, Jake had very little to say about the rest of Company Man Mike's list, mentioning ingredient costs first and briefly. He had very little bad to say about the food itself, confining his stale remark to the brand, and only briefly citing consumer comments about the product. For critiques of the food, I plan on turning to Weird History Food, which I featured in The rise and fall of Boston Market, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Flashback Friday, but not today. I'm running late because of the field trip I ran, so I'm going to be a good environmentalist by conserving that resource to use later.

Speaking of conserving resources, I missed two Facebook shares about the Retail Apocalypse in Bloomberg Television explains 'How Gen Z Is Bringing Back The Mall,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse, so follow over the jump for them.

The rise and fall of Boston Market, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Flashback Friday

Happy Flashback Friday! Today's retrospective covers the most read entries about the Retail Apocalypse during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News. Before I recap those, I'm sharing two videos about a restaurant chain I should have covered five or six years ago, Boston Market. I begin with the more recent, The Disastrous Downfall Of Boston Market, which Weird History Food uploaded last month.

Before meal kits, DoorDash, and cheap grocery store rotisserie chickens, Boston Market was a real presence. It promised comfort food classics, like Thanksgiving dinner any day of the week, without the cooking, cleanup, or family drama! At its peak, this fast-casual chain was booming, redefining how Americans ate homestyle meals on the go. But almost as quickly as it rose, Boston Market began to collapse.

So what went wrong? On this episode of Weird History Food, we're taking a look at the strange rise and fall of one of America’s most iconic comfort food chains.

Did you ever eat there? What was your favorite dish? Let Us Know in the comments!

Of course private equity played an important role in this story, especially at the end, but it wasn't what started the chain's decline nearly 30 years ago. Too rapid expansion when the company was publicly traded did. Company Man detailed that when he asked The Decline of Boston Market...What Happened?

In 1997, Boston Market was among the fastest growing fast food chains in the country. By 1998 they filed for bankruptcy and have yet to make much of a comeback from it. This video attempts to find reasons behind what happened.

When my wife and I moved to Royal Oak, there was a recently closed Boston Market within walking distance. We would have brought home meals from there if it had been open. Instead, the nearby pizza place and Coney island got our business. Like Company Man Mike, who missed their cinnamon apples, I missed their food and wondered what had happened to the chain. Now that I've watched both Weird History Food's and Company Man's videos, I know.

Follow over the jump for the most read entries about the Retail Apocalypse last year.

Peaches and carrots, food history from Vox for Throwback Thursday

I closed PBS Terra warns 'A Hidden Antarctic Tipping Point May Have Just Been Triggered' for Wayback Wednesday by telling my readers, "Stay tuned for two videos about food history on Throwback Thursday..." Both are by Vox and the first is The biggest peach myth in America.

Peaches are one of America’s most recognizable fruits. In the US, hundreds of thousands of tons are produced each year, and the fruit is closely tied to one place in particular: Georgia.

The Georgia peach is on license plates, road signs, and even county names. But today, the state doesn’t grow the most peaches. Not even close.

This video explores how peaches became a state symbol, how that reputation spread through active mythmaking, and why the Georgia peach identity has lasted even as the industry changed.

That was a fascinating video that taught me a lot of new things about peaches, including California being the leading peach-producing state, not Georgia. I doubt California will become the new Peach State; my former home state has better things to brag about.

The second explains How we fell for carrot propaganda.

We all heard the myth while growing up: Carrots are good for your eyesight. Or maybe even: Carrots can make you see in the dark. But where did this myth come from? And is there any basis in science?

It turns out that carrots are chock-full of vitamin A, which is necessary for vision. But most people today get enough vitamin A in their normal diet, and eating an excess of the orange vegetable won’t boost your eyesight or grant you night vision. In fact, consuming more vitamin A than your body can handle (via supplements instead of natural fruits and vegetables) can be detrimental to your health.

The origins of this common myth actually lie in World War II.

During the Blitz (the German Luftwaffe’s bombing campaign against London and other British cities), the British government had several important reasons to persuade both its citizens and the wider world that eating carrots improved eyesight. The Ministry of Information and Ministry of Food worked together to spread some shockingly impactful carrot-based propaganda. And the myth remains prevalent to this day.

Vox producer Nate Krieger spoke to an ophthalmologist and a World War II propaganda historian to get to the bottom of the carrot vision myth. This video explores the impetus behind this strangely targeted propaganda campaign, explains why it was so successful, and reintroduces the world to Dr. Carrot.

LOL, World War II British propaganda. Keep calm and carry on, everyone.

Follow over the jump for the top posts featuring Vox on social media last year.

'The Fall of Bahama Breeze,' a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Today's "brief educational entry...I can share next month" is another tale of the Retail Apocalypse, The Fall of Bahama Breeze Poseidon Entertainment.

Wait, really? A video on Bahama Breeze? While it might be forgotten among other chain restaurants, I think that this is still a loss for themed entertainment and I discovered a level of depth here that I didn't anticipate. As weird as it sounds, I'm somewhat sad about the closing of this chain, so join me today as we discuss the fall of Bahama Breeze.

Like Poseidon Entertainment, I will miss Bahama Breeze. My wife and I have dined at both of the nearby locations in Troy, which closed last year, and Livonia, which will close next month. Both were fun places with good food. In fact, I had the conch fritters and mahi-mahi at the Troy location when my wife and I dined there more than a decade ago. I'm sorry we won't be able to repeat that experience.

For a broader perspective, I turn to Cory At Random, who uploaded Bahama Breeze Is Shutting Down — Why the Caribbean Chain Couldn’t Survive last month.

After nearly thirty years in business, Bahama Breeze is closing its doors.

Parent company Darden Restaurants announced it will shut down the remaining twenty-eight locations, with half closing permanently and the other half being converted into different Darden-owned brands over the next twelve to eighteen months. The final day of operations for Bahama Breeze will be April fifth.

This video breaks down why Bahama Breeze is disappearing while other Darden brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse continue to grow. We look at how inflation, shrinking disposable income, and changing dining habits reshaped the casual dining landscape, and why experience-driven chains have struggled to compete in a value-focused market.

Bahama Breeze wasn’t a sudden failure. It was a brand built for a different era of dining, one that thrived on atmosphere and escape. This is the full context behind why it’s ending, and what its closure says about the future of casual dining in America.

It's not just Bahama Breeze. Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Hooters have all suffered from the changing economic environment and consumer tastes. At least Bahama Breeze's parent company, Darden Restaurants, is doing well, especially with Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

Since both Poseidon Entertainment and I mentioned conch fritters, I'm closing with Bahama Breeze: Conch Fritters from the chain's YouTube channel.

Bahama Breeze demonstrates how to make delicious conch fritters using the unique conch meat.

At least I know where to find the recipe should I ever want to eat conch fritters again.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned to see if I post the first retrospective of the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News tomorrow for Wayback Wednesday.

Vox explains why 'The banana is under threat'

I begin today's educational post I can share next month, I'm recycling the opening of Vice News on the 'Bananapocalypse: Why Bananas May Go Extinct'.

I first wrote "the dessert bananas people eat are threatened by fungus because of the unintended effects of growing monocultures of clones" ten years ago, and I haven't stopped warning my students about it since. It's right up there with bees as a story I tell my students, although I write about bees a lot more here than bananas. The last time was 2021 and the time before that was 2014. The latter was an audition for a video to show my students instead of "The Top Banana" trailer, and it failed. They decided that they liked the more fun teaser for a documentary that never happened than the more informative Seeker video. I didn't even try the Business Insider video. I'm planning on trying again with Bananapocalypse: Why Bananas May Go Extinct by Vice News.

I think I showed the Vice News video once three years ago and it didn't get nearly the reaction that "The Top Banana" regularly gets, so the latter stayed in my lectures on biodiversity as natural capital. I plan on trying one more time with Vox explaining why The banana is under threat.

Bananas are one of the world’s most popular fruits. They’re a staple crop in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In the US, the average person eats more than 25 pounds of bananas per year.

The banana found in nearly every lunch bag, smoothie, and cereal is likely a Cavendish banana (a single variety that accounts for 99 percent of global exports), despite there being over 1,000 different species of bananas. This kind of uniformity is what allows the beloved banana to be cheap, durable, and ubiquitous.

It also makes them extremely vulnerable.

A variant of Panama disease, a soil fungus that once wiped out the world’s most commercial banana, the Gros Michel, in the 1950s, is back. And this time, there’s no obvious replacement for it waiting around the corner. So what will it take to save one of the world’s most beloved fruits?

This video explores how monocropping became both a blessing and a curse in the search for the most commercially viable banana, how this assumed ubiquity could lead to the end of the banana as we know it, and what scientists are doing to prevent the extinction of the Cavendish.

Between giving up the Cavendish for other varieties of bananas or accepting genetically modified Cavendish bananas, I'd bet on Americans accepting GMO Cavendish bananas first. We already eat a lot of GMOs in our corn and especially soybeans and have for years.


The rest of the world may not be so accepting and might be persuaded to expand the diversity of the bananas they eat.

This video reminds me of another Vox video I show to my students right after "The Top Banana" trailer, The race to save endangered foods.

Wild animals aren’t the only ones facing extinction.
...
We’re letting foods we’ve eaten for thousands of years disappear from farmers’ fields, and from our plates. Saving them isn’t just a matter of cultural preservation. In the next 30 years, we’re going to need to learn how to feed more people on a hotter planet, and the more genetic varieties we lose, the harder it’ll be to adapt.

To learn more about the foods facing extinction in the US and around the world, check out the Ark of Taste, a project of Slow Food USA.

Journalist Mark Shapiro’s book, Seeds of Resistance, goes into much more detail about the risk that genetic homogeneity poses to our food supply. He also profiles some of the efforts, many led by indigenous communities, to preserve older seed varieties.

For more on seed relabeling, check out the Farmers Business Network’s 2018 Seed Relabeling Report.

The chart on declining global yields for corn, wheat, and rice comes from an article in the academic journal Disasters and Climate Change Economics from agricultural economists Mekbib G. Haile, Tesfamicheal Wossen, Kindie Tesfaye, and Joachim von Braun. Their prediction model takes into account both climate change and price volatility, which is why their estimates are higher than those of some other researchers.

Special thanks to Marie Haga of Global Crop Diversity Trust, and Marleni Ramírez of Bioversity International for sharing their knowledge with me.

The students like this one, too, which I play right after "The Top Banana," but I wonder whether two Vox videos back-to-back will have the same impact.

I close with a video about the Gros Michel and Cavendish bananas that is too long to show to my students, I Ate the Extinct Banana (so you don't have to).

Just a truly devastating video to have to make...

I've spread the myth about banana flavoring being based on the taste of the Gros Michel before I watched this video. Now I say that banana flavoring is more like the smell of Gros Michel. That made watching this video worth it to learn that fact alone and correct my teaching. As I've written before and hope to write again, any day I learn something new is a good day.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for a celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

Happy Lunar New Year and a solar eclipse on Fat Tuesday/Paczki Day!

So long Year of the Wood Snake! Welcome, Year of the Fire Horse! Watch ABC News (Australia)'s Lunar New Year 2026: The Year of the Horse explained.

It's time to say goodbye to the Year of the Snake and hello to the Year of the Horse. What do you know about the Year of the Horse? 0:00 Kai Feng, reporter for ABC Chinese, explains the significance of the horse in Chinese culture and history, 0:49 why 2026 is a 'fire' year, 5:10 and how people across Asia celebrate Lunar New Year.

Not only did ABC News (Australia) explain Lunar New Year, it explained the importance of horses to humans. Bonus educational content!

This is a U.S.-based blog, so I usually include how people celebrate the holiday here. Instead of a Disney parks video, I have two shorts on my YouTube channel that do just that, beginning with Lion Dance at Hudson Yards for Lunar New Year 2026 2/7/2026.

Lion Dance at Hudson Yards for #LunarNewYear2026 2/7/2026
#nyc #lunarnewyear
https://www.twitch.tv/aprylanonymous

I couldn't resist the lions unfurling the banner of the New York Chinese Cultural Center as a finale.

Next, Ribbon Dance at Hudson Yards for #LunarNewYear2026 2/7/2026.

Ribbon Dance at Hudson Yards for #LunarNewYear2026 2/7/2026
#nyc #lunarnewyear
https://www.twitch.tv/aprylanonymous

That's more culture than I'm used to seeing in a mall!

Follow over the jump for Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday and a solar eclipse.

The History Guy remembers Charles Darwin and chocolate for Valentines Day

A late happy Darwin Day on Valentines Day — two holidays at once! I begin today's double celebration with The History Guy remembering Almost Not History: Darwin and HMS Beagle.

February 12 represents the 214th birthday of Charles Darwin, a scientist whose ideas transformed human understanding of the natural world, and undoubtedly one of the most influential scientists in history. But that history may have been different, as Da[rw]in’s career altering voyage aboard HMS Beagle almost didn’t happen.

First, The History Guy uploaded this video three years ago, so last Thursday was Darwin's 217th birthday. Second, I had no idea Robert Fitzroy, captain of the Beagle, was himself an accomplished scientist. Third, I knew that Fitzroy wanted a gentleman scientist companion, but I didn't know Darwin was essentially his third choice; I certainly didn't know the names of the two men who could have gone in Darwin's place. Still, Darwin turned out to be the best person available. Fourth, the video reminded me that Darwin was the grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, the founder of Wedgwood & Sons; I had heard that before, but couldn't have remembered that off the top of my head. I think I'd heard, but had forgotten, that his uncle Josiah II had finally allowed him to go. While not mentioned in the video, I did know that he married his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood, daughter of Josiah II. Talk about a close family!

By the way, I recall being a member of the Paleontological Research Institute back in the late 1980s. I've long since let my membership lapse, along with the rest of my professional association memberships. I've been concentrating on teaching instead of research the past 30 years and didn't have the time, and sometimes the money, for meetings and membership dues.

The History Guy has several videos about Valentines Day. Today's is Chocolate: A History.

From The History Guy archive for Valentine's Day, a brief history of the food of the Gods.

That was fascinating, from cacao's prehistory in Mesoamerica to today, including mentions of almost all of today's big names in chocolate, including Cadbury, Lindt, Nestle, Hershey, Reese, and Mars — sorry, no Godiva. I learned a lot from both videos, making today a good day. The second video also made me hungry. Lunchtime!

That's a wrap for today's educational holiday post. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature with the nominees for Best Action/Adventure Film at the Saturn Awards — Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning vs. One Battle After Another!

'Bankrupt - Hooters' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Last year, I wrote, "No bankrupt company's story seems to be complete without videos from both Company Man and Bright Sun Films." Company Man already asked "The Decline of Hooters...What Happened?" The other shoe has now dropped as Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films uploaded Bankrupt - Hooters on Boxing Day, when I last posted about the Retail Apocalypse.

Since its 1983 debut in Florida as a casual sports bar, Hooters grew exponentially through the 1980's and 90's, growing to become a massive brand across the world with hundreds of restaurants, tens of thousands of employees and a very controversial brand name which created a whole new segment in the industry. However despite all of this success and notoriety, the chain has struggled recently, ultimately filing for bankruptcy in 2025. Join me today as we find out what happened.

Jake Williams added to the story Company Man Mike told with Hooters Air and Hooters Casino, both of which failed because of issues with the brand, which didn't appeal to women, families, and upscale travelers. In addition, Millennials grew up with a poor perception of the brand. Also, Jake made a bigger deal of private equity's role in the story, noting that the same private equity firm owned both Hooters and TGI Fridays. As Jake joked, that ended well — not.

Speaking of endings, I closed my reaction to Company Man Mike's video by writing, "As for Hooters' identity crisis, I wish the chain good luck; they'll need it." That seems to be Jake's take, too.

New guidelines flip the food pyramid on its head

I'm switching from topical posts to evergreen and holiday entries today. PBS NewsHour explaining Why experts are divided over the new federal dietary guidelines is both topical and evergreen, so it makes for the perfect transition.

The Trump administration released new dietary guidelines that will shape everything from school lunches to medical advice. The guidance puts a bigger emphasis on eating more protein and dairy, something Health Secretary Kennedy has long sought. William Brangham discussed the recommendations with Lindsey Smith Taillie, a nutrition epidemiologist and co-director of the Global Food Research Program.

Hearing Lindsey Smith Taillie talk about ultraprocessed food reminds me that I have two questions about the topic in 'Food, Inc. 2' worksheet for National Food Day.

16. What in ultraprocessed foods drives appetites/overeating?
...
19. How much of U.S. calorie intake comes from ultraprocessed food? France? Brazil? Italy?

I haven't shown Food, Inc. 2 either enough times or that recently to have the answers to both questions memorized in detail, but generally the response to the first involves additives to make ultraprocessed food more appetizing while that for the second is that Americans get the majority of our calories from ultrprocessed food while citizens of the other countries eat much less, generally around a quarter. Americans should eat less ultraprocessed food and more whole foods. Yes, I'm agreeing with RFK Jr. on this issue. File that under a stuck clock being right twice a day, and RFK Jr. is definitely a stuck clock.

That's the good news about the food guidelines. The bad news is the recommendation to eat more meat and dairy. That's not good for either health or the environment. Here are the questions I ask my students about the effects of meat and dairy on the environment.

9. Why are dairy farms moving from Wisconsin to California and Arizona and what are the environmental costs, especially on water? Answer both parts of the question.
...
24. Which food contributes most to climate change?

Dairy production requires a lot of water, which is in short supply in California and Arizona, where dairy farmers are moving to because those states have lower non-water costs. As Smith Taillie mentioned, beef has very high environmental costs, including being the food that contributes most to climate change.

William Brangham mentioned that FDA loosened its guidence on alcohol consumption. That got the attention of Stephen Colbert and his writers in Rubio: U.S. Wants To Buy Greenland | Stealing Venezuela's Oil | Dr. Oz: Booze Brings People Together. Skip to 9:04.

The Secretary of State says America's goal is not to invade Greenland but to purchase it from Denmark, President Trump said he will sell 50 million barrels of Venezuela's oil and that he will determine where the profits go, and the FDA removed its own guidance on how much alcohol is safe to drink on a daily basis.

Ultraprocessed food, meat, and dairy may be more important, but booze is funnier. Why do my readers think I post so many cocktail recipes? Because they're fun; I actually drink very little, as I lost interest in alcohol once I developed diabetes. Priorities.

Speaking of priorities, I have to do some maintainence then go to work to prepare for the new semester. See you all tomorrow!

'How cheap renewable energy is finally flattening emissions' is Science Magazine's 2025 Breakthrough of the Year

I'm beginning my year-end retrospectives with Science Magazine explaining How cheap renewable energy is finally flattening emissions, its 2025 Breakthrough of the Year.

For decades, rising carbon emissions have accelerated climate change, but this year marked a critical turning point that could finally reverse that trend. Renewable energy has now graduated beyond the need for subsidies and incentives, emerging as a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels in many countries. News Editor Tim Appenzeller and policy expert Li Shuo describe the economic forces behind this shift, and the obstacles that remain to the continued rise of green energy.
...
1:15 The graph has mislabeled trend lines. "Other renewables" generate more energy than hydropower alone.

This is the same good news reported in PBS Terra says 'We Just Crossed Our FIRST Tipping Point… And It’s NOT What You Think'.

Unlike passing the other tipping points, like the AMOC, permafrost, West Antarctic ice sheet, and coral reefs, passing the renewable energy tipping point is good news. I wrote about it in DW News asks 'Earth Overshoot Day: What can we do to try live within the planet’s limits?'

[C]onvincing people to be less wasteful, particularly creating less food waste and eating less meat, especially beef, would be helpful. [One] could consider that to be a technology. So is renewable energy. Between the two, it would move Earth Overshoot Day back more than a month. Progress!

Yes, it is, and it's good news I can share with my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

Science Magazine's video is shorter and more focused than PBS Terra's, so it's one I'm more likely to show to my students. Again, welcome to blogging as professional development.

Here are the runners-up:

• Custom gene editing shows promise for ultrarare diseases
• New weapons against a sexual scourge
• Neurons make a deadly donation to cancer cells
• An all-seeing eye on the sky
• Face to face with a Denisovan
• Large language models do science
• Triumph of calculation helps resolve particle mystery
• Xenotransplants set new records
• Rice that beats the heat

Including the "winner," that's four health stories, two computer science stories, one of which is also a physics story, an astronomy story, an evolution story, a genetics story that touches on climate change, and an energy story that also touches on climate change. Six of these are biology in some form, so these selections please me as a biologist. One of them is also paleontology, so I'm doubly pleased as a paleontologist. All of that is on top of the good sustainability news.

Not all of 2025's science stories were good. Follow over the jump for the bad news this year.

Broken Peach sings 'Christmas Day'

Merry Christmas! I promised this year's version of Broken Peach sings 'Winter Wonderland' for Christmas, so I kick off today's holiday entry with Broken Peach - Christmas Day (Christmas Special).

"Christmas Day" is a song written, arranged, produced and mixed by Broken Peach.

Yes, an original song by Broken Peach instead of a cover!

I'm continuing the musical portion with Broken Peach - Winter Wonderland (Official Audio), another upload of last year's Christmas Special.

"Winter Wonderland" is a song written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith. Due to its seasonal theme, it is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere. Since its original recording by Richard Himber, it has been covered by over 200 different artists. Its lyrics are about a couple's romance during the winter season.

As a mashup, we have used a melody from the great Bruce Springsteen song: Dancing In the Dark.

"Dancing in the Dark" is a song written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. It was the first single released ahead from his 1984 album, Born in the U.S.A., and became his biggest hit, helping the album become the best-selling album of his career.

I'm closing the musical portion with Broken Peach - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (2021 TV Peachformance).


This post wouldn't be complete without one of my holiday traditions, a drink recipe video. For today's post, I'm sharing MISTLETOE COCKTAIL | CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL.

CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY Cocktail
Ingredients
Rosemary
Cranberries
Lemon Juice
Honey
Cognac

Directions
Boil 3 Rosemary Sprigs in a pot of water. Strain and add to ice cube tray with Cranberries. Once frozen add into a glass Lemon, Honey and Congac. Stir ingredients together. Add 3 cubes of the Frozen Rosemary along with a Rosemary Sprig as a Garnish.

Drink responsibly!

Finally, as Broken Peach themselves wrote eleven years ago, "¡Feliz Navidad! - ¡Bo Nadal! - ¡Bon Nadal! - Eguberri! …. Merry Christmas!" Now stay tuned for an update on the Retail Apocalypse for Boxing Day, followed by year-end retrospectives through New Year's Eve.

Harp Twins play 'Silent Night' and other carols for Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve! I promised a musical celebration for today and I'm following through with three Christmas carols played by Camille and Kennerly, the Harp Twins. I begin with the most recent, Silent Night, Holy Night (Harp Twins) - Official Music Video, which premiered four days ago.

“Silent Night, Holy Night” arranged for harps and voices by Camille and Kennerly

I twice hoped for Broken Peach to Sing “Silent Night, Holy Night” but the Harp Twins played it first. I'll take it.

Working backwards, the next piece is It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (Harp Twins) - Nordic Winter Lullaby, uploaded last month.

We filmed this video in the dead of winter, and it sure was cold! When snow is coming, most people snuggle up for a day inside, but we grab our harps and head out to film! We hope this video brings peace and light to your Christmas season and beyond!
...
“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” arranged for harps by Camille and Kennerly

The final Christmas carol today is The First Noel (Harp Twins) - Celtic Christmas, uploaded last year.

This is our arrangement of the ancient carol "The First Noel" – the 9th track of our WINTER LIGHTS album... We filmed this video in the dead of winter, and it sure was cold! When snow is coming, most people snuggle up for a day inside, but we grab our harps and head out to film! We hope this video brings peace and light to your Christmas season and beyond!

As the previews at the ends of the last two videos show, the Harp Twins have more Christmas songs, which I'm saving for a future holiday entry. I'm an environmentalist; I don't just recycle, I conserve my resources!

In lieu of a drink recipe, I'm sharing National Day Calendar celebrating NATIONAL EGGNOG DAY - December 24.

National Eggnog Day raises a holiday toast once a year on the day before Christmas. Also known as egg milk punch, eggnog is a popular drink throughout the United States during the holidays.

That's a wrap for today's holiday observance. I mentioned Broken Peach above, so stay tuned for this year's version of Broken Peach sings 'Winter Wonderland' for Christmas.

The Maccabeats sing 'HanuKpop Demon Hunters,' a Kpop Demon Hunters Hanukkah Medley

Happy Hanukkah! KPop Demon Hunters, TIME's Breakthrough of the Year, has inspired today's music for the holiday, HanuKpop Demon Hunters | The Maccabeats | Kpop Demon Hunters Hanukkah Medley.

We’re thrilled to share this year’s Chanukkah video, inspired by the dynamic style of KPop Demon Hunters. This project blends our music with a bold animated world that aims to bring Chanukkah to life in a fresh, vivid way. We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed creating it :-)

Please subscribe, comment, like, and share with your friends who love Chanukkah, KPop Demon Hunters, or both!

I've been seeing The Maccabeats in my YouTube search results for Hanukkah videos for years and this year's video finally inspired me to use one of their songs. Behold the power of the YouTube algorithm KPop Demon Hunters! Also, I'm hungry.

The other big musical movie this year is Wicked and The Maccabeats covered it last year, Defying Gravity (We’ll Rise Above) | 2024 Hanukkah Anthem | The Maccabeats, which I'm using for an encore.


I think these videos qualify as evergreen and educational, as I promised yesterday. Stay tuned for more awards show coverage tomorrow, as I will finish my grading today.

Gingerbread houses at Disney World and Disneyland for Gingerbread House Day 2025

Happy Gingerbread House Day! I'm returning to Disney World and Disneyland for this year's celebration beginning with EVERY Disney World Gingerbread Display for 2025 + A SECRET Christmas Fireworks Viewing Spot from Magical Hijinx.

Sup my dudes! It’s Demi, and tonight we are going on a full resort crawl to check out the 2025 Walt Disney World Gingerbread Displays!🎄✨

Every holiday season, the Disney resorts transform with incredible pastry creations, but this year is a little different. We are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Beach Club Carousel (with 5 incredible horses!), checking out the Boardwalk’s Deli replica, and heading to the Contemporary for a Frozen-style castle. HOWEVER, we have some shocking news regarding the iconic Grand Floridian Gingerbread House and the new construction in the lobby. Is it gone forever?

Come along as we hunt for hidden Mickeys, review the exclusive holiday treats (Italian cookies, frozen hot chocolate, and more), and catch the Very Merry fireworks from a secret viewing spot! Plus, we take a peek at the ALL-NEW display coming to Wilderness Lodge. Let’s get into some Holiday Hijinx!

No Grand Floridian gingerbread house because of construction, but Wilderness Lodge's gingerbread cabin returns for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moving to Disneyland, Daps Magic presents Mickey's Christmas Carol Gingerbread House at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa 4K.

A new gingerbread house at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa brings 'Mickey's Christmas Carol' to life at this beautiful hotel.

There is one more gingerbread house inside Disneyland proper, which Attractions Magazine covered in Haunted Mansion Holiday Gingerbread House at Disneyland 2025.

Each year, a new design for a real gingerbread house is created for Haunted Mansion Holiday in Disneyland Park. This is the 2025 edition.

Welcome to the "scary Christmas house" and Merry Creepmas!

That's a wrap for today's holiday. Stay tuned for Time's Person of the Year.

SciShow explains why 'Your Coffee Mug is a Physics Disaster'

Today's evergreen educational entry is SciShow explaining why Your Coffee Mug is a Physics Disaster.

Coffee spills more than most beverages. And it all comes down to an unlucky connection between your walking pace, the cup, and that tasty morning brew.

Hosted by: Madelyn Leembruggen (she/her)

I'll repeat what I wrote for SciShow explains 'How To Make The Best Coffee, According To Science' for National Coffee Day: "Lots of great science — ...chemistry, and physics — in this video, as well as practical science-based advice" for choosing a coffee mug and carrying it. May my readers and I not spill our coffee!

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for more science tomorrow on Nobel Prize Day.

Vox explains 'The salmon dilemma'

Today's evergreen educational video is Vox explaining The salmon dilemma.

Earth’s population is growing. We’re expected to have 2 billion more mouths to feed by 2050. But how can we feed all those people in a way that is still sustainable and ethical? Many have argued that aquaculture (or fish farming) is one of the most sustainable ways we can consume animal protein, since it requires less land use. It’s currently the quickest-growing form of food production in the world. But how exactly does it work? And is it really the best path forward?

To find out more, Vox video producer Nate Krieger went down the rabbit hole on salmon aquaculture. Salmon is currently the most popular fish in the US: The average American consumes 3.2 pounds of salmon annually. And over 70% of that salmon comes from farms, totalling 3 million tons of salmon a year.

To understand the impact that the salmon industry is having on our planet and our future, and on the salmon themselves, we spoke to industry insiders, marine biologists, and fish welfare experts.

This is a complicated issue, full of lots of caveats and trade-offs. But the more we know about the food we eat and where it comes from, the more responsible we can be.

Many of the commenters on this video called it superficial and too slanted in favor of salmon aquaculture. Maybe, but I know exactly where in my environmental science course to show it, so this is blogging as professional development about one of the stories I tell my students. The video also applies to one of the questions I ask in 'Food, Inc. 2' worksheet for National Food Day.

28. Why is Bren Smith raising kelp and oysters instead of fish? What are their advantages? Answer both questions.

Fish farming disgusted him. The fish had sea lice and looked miserable and stupid. Also, it was like raising pigs and cattle in a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation). He decide to raise organisms that didn't need to be kept in pens and would improve the environment.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned to see if I post another evergreen entry tomorrow or go full holiday for the rest of the week.

Company Man asks 'The Decline of Chi-Chi's...What Happened?'

Today's evergreen educational post is Company Man asking The Decline of Chi-Chi's...What Happened?

In 2004, the chain of Mexican restaurants closed all of its locations. This video explores the history of the brand while identifying some of the main reasons behind its decline.

Here's Company Man Mike's list.


I begin with competition. When my ex-wife, son, and I moved to Ann Arbor in 1989, Chi-Chi's was the only chain Mexican restaurant in town.*  I found it adequate, but not excellent. I had higher standards having grown up in Los Angeles. Other Californians I encountered who moved to Michigan were also disappointed by the lack of the ethnic cuisines they left behind, a story I recounted in Impaling Vlad, or With friends like this, Kunstler hardly needs enemies.

For years, when I ran into another person who had moved to Michigan, I asked them, "So, do you miss Mexican food?" and they invariably answered, "Yes! Do you know where any is around here?" They also missed cheap Cantonese food, too. I was always happy to steer them to the nearest good examples of both.

Within the past decade, Chinese takeout places run by immigrants from the mainland have sprung up all over southeast Michigan, to the point where two of the three small towns on the outskirts of Irish Hills each have one and the next small town I moved to had one as well. Also, Mexican food has become common enough and people have developed enough of a taste for it that the local blues joint that served ribs has become a Mexican restaurant. I no longer run into Californians who can't find the food of home; it's now all around them. I personally consider this to be an improvement.

I still do, but it probably helped doom Chi-Chi's, which I mourned briefly when it closed down, but didn't really miss. There are much better options for Mexican food in Michigan today.

I didn't know the rest of Chi-Chi's story except for the addition of El Torito to the company. That was my favorite chain of Mexican restaurants in southern California, and I was hoping Chi-Chi's would incorporate some of what I liked about them. It didn't happen. That was disappointing, but at least El Torito still exists.

By the way, Company Man Mike mentioned that both Chi-Chi's and El Torito were owned by Foodmaker, which owned Jack-In-The-Box, a story I recounted in Business Insider examines the rise, fall, and return of Twinkies.

Business Insider's video also lists Purina as a former owner of Hostess's parent company from 1984 to 1995. That means I have a distant connection to Hostess, as my first job for a large employer was as cook and cashier for Jack In The Box from 1977 to 1979, which Purina owned from 1968 to 1985. My fellow employees and I joked that we worked for Purina People Chow. Our manager told us to never say that in front of the customers. We didn't.

At least Purina no longer owned Foodmaker by the time it acquired Chi-Chi's, so Chi-Chi's never did serve "Purina people chow."

That's a wrap for today's Retail-Apocalypse-adjacent story. Stay tuned for World Television Day. I have a Storied video to share.

*ETA: There was and still is a locally owned Mexican restaurant in town, Tios, but I never went there.

Think about the fast food workers on National Fast Food Day

I twice promised times that I would examine the visual media GRAMMY nominees for today's Sunday entertainment feature, but it's taking too long. I'll finish and post it tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm sharing National Day Calendar's National Fast-Food Day | November 16.

While fast food began as sandwiches and sides, the menus expanded over time. Today fast food includes fish, a variety of fried chicken, tacos, pizza, and a wide selection of sides.

Sodas quench the thirst and desserts sweeten the menu. From ice cream and shakes to pies and cakes, fast food delivers.

Happy National Fast Food Day, but remember the relevant questions I asked in 'Food, Inc. 2' worksheet for National Food Day.

20. How long has the federal minimum wage been at $7.25 per hour?

Since 2009.

21. How much does the CEO of Yum Brands earn in an hour? How much does the average Taco Bell worker make in a year? Answer both questions.

I forget the exact amount, but the CEO of Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut, makes slightly more in one hour than the average Taco Bell worker makes in a year, about $12,000.

22. Which two companies’ workers are the biggest users of food stamps and Medicaid?

One of them is McDonalds. The other is Walmart.

That's a wrap for today's food holiday, making four in a row. Stay tuned for Grammy nominees tomorrow.

Colbert, Stewart, Kimmel, and Meyers take closer looks at SNAP benefits expiring

I promised "a closer look post [today] — comedy about the news because it hurts too much to cry." I'm fulfulling that beginning with Stephen Colbert's MAGA Parties While Children Go Hungry | Trump's Shady Crypto Pardon | NEO The Housekeeper Robot.

President Trump, who hosted a lavish Halloween party while refusing to fund SNAP benefits for needy American families, told Norah O'Donnell on "60 Minutes" that he pardoned a man he knows nothing about. In tech news, a robot named NEO might be the next big thing in house cleaning.

If one of my readers had asked me if the shutdown would still be going on by now, I'd have said no. I was wrong. Neither side is ready to fold.

As for NEO the robot, I doubt I will ever pay $20,000 for a hi-tech puppet, not even a robot, operated by someone who thinks a walnut is an egg. Just the same, NEO is proof that we live in science fiction times, or, as my friend Nebris says, SciFi is now.

John Stewart examined most of the main issues in Trump Throws Gatsby Party as SNAP Funding Expires, Makes It Rain on Argentina | The Daily Show.

Between Trump throwing a lavish "Great Gatsby"-themed party on the night that SNAP benefits ran out for millions of Americans, dragging his feet to open court-ordered emergency funding for food stamps while throwing billions of bailout dollars at Argentina, and the GOP's general racism-tinged disdain for SNAP recipients, Jon Stewart seriously doubts that the president's "big heart" goes out to anyone but himself and the toadies on his VIP list.

Good news! The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was cancelled, but at least we get another season of The Daily Show. That will keep us entertained and informed as we deal with the Satan Sandwich of the Big Brutal Bill. I think people would rather have food and healthcare. I'm not looking forward to seeing the prices of my health insurance options when I get to my office this afternoon. I'm fortunate my wife and I are old enough that I qualify for Medicare; we have another choice.

Jimmy Kimmel examined the news from the West Coast in Trump Throws Great Gatsby Party as SNAP Benefits Expire, Blames Democrats for Shutdown & Dodgers Win.

The Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend to become back-to-back World Series champions, Los Angeles went crazy after Game 7 ended, Trump took to Truth Social to congratulate them, he spent the weekend posting photos of the awesome new toilet renovation at the White House, according to a new poll from CNN Trump's approval rating is at its lowest point since he re-took office, hours before millions of low-income Americans were set to lose their SNAP benefits Trump decided to throw a Great Gatsby themed Halloween party, today we learned that the Trump administration is only going to fund about half the monthly food benefits families on SNAP usually get, Donald sat down with "60 Minutes" where he was desperate to try to blame his shutdown on Democrats, Jimmy invites Trump once again to participate in a televised IQ contest against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and our faith in humanity was restored thanks to a young man trick-or-treating on Halloween.

I grew up as a Dodgers fan, so I'm thrilled that they won the World Series again. Yay! I'm also glad Colbert and Kimmel clipped two of the most ridiculous and appalling parts of Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's 60 Minutes interview. I wonder if that will earn an Emmy nomination. I hope not.

Of course, it wouldn't be a closer look without Seth Meyers, so here's Trump Renovates White House Bathroom as Courts Rule Against Him on SNAP Funding: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at the Trump administration trying to cut off funding for food assistance for struggling families while he renovates a bathroom in the White House.

No party, but lots of aircraft carrier catapults and toilets, both of which are Hoover Cleveland's obsessions, not Seth's.

I close by returning to The Late Show with last night's cold open, The President's Solution For Widespread Flight Cancellations.

President Trump explains how his revolutionary air transport system works.

*Snort!*

That's a wrap for today. I plan on re-examining ABC suspending Jimmy Kimmel tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Drink to PBS Storied's 'King Kong: A Complete History' on Pumpkin Day

For this week's Sunday entertainment feature during spooky season, I'm returning to an agenda item from 'Godzilla Minus One' wins two Critics Choice Super Awards plus an entertainment retrospective.

Dr. Z is in the middle of a series about Kong and has a review of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire up, which I'm saving until she finishes her series. I'm an environmentalist. I don't just recycle, I conserve my resources!

Dr. Z finished her series more than a year ago, so it's well past time to follow through. Watch King Kong: A Complete History, Part 1 | Monstrum.

In this episode, we explore the legacy of the monumental 1933 film, King Kong, its groundbreaking special effects, and the complex racial and colonial undertones that continue to shape our understanding of this timeless classic.

Be sure and check back with us for our next episode, which will explore Kong in modern times!

Storied uploaded that in April 2024. It took the channel until that June to upload King Kong: A Complete History, Part 2 | Monstrum.

Since his 1933 movie debut, King Kong’s impact on our culture has been persistent. For nearly a century, Kong’s story has changed to reflect, and sometimes comment on, our society’s issues with racism, sexism, and fear of the unknown. Let’s talk about how well this iconic monster’s evolution keeps up with our changing times.

Dr. Z's comment about Peter Jackson's island inhabitants being the most violent in the franchise brings back my impression of them when I watched his King Kong in the theater 20 years ago; they reminded me of his orcs from The Lord of the Rings movies. Less than human, indeed!

I close PBS Storied's part of the post with Monster Expert reviews Godzilla x Kong.

Here's my hot take on the new monster extravaganza: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Another @pbsstoried short from your friends at Monstrum!

Based on that review, it's no surprise that Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice beat Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire for Best Fantasy Film at the Saturn Awards.

Now, the relevant drink from Secret of the Booze, King Kong Cocktail.

RECIPE:

1 banana
6 oz. dark rum
2 oz. banana liqueur
Ice

Blend ingredients and garnish with a banana.

That was appropriately silly.

If none of the above is spooky season enough for my readers, I'm sharing ATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY | October 26th - National Day Calendar. That's seasonal enough.

October 26th is National Pumpkin Day! Marlo Anderson tells us all about this national day.

I'm a biologist, and I can confirm that pumpkins are fruits, just like tomatoes. Both pumpkins, along with all other gourds and squashes, including cucumbers and melons, and tomatoes are berries. We just eat them like vegetables. So concludes the science lesson for today.

Stay tuned for more Halloween posts through the end of the month plus a bonus Day of the Dead entry. Trick or treat!