Magpie News Collector

Debate Settled! Find Out If It’s Better to Dry Your Hands with Dryers or Paper Towels

By Reader's Digest | Lisa Lombardi | 12/10/2025 8:12 PM

Our experts settle the debate once and for all. Here's whether it's safer to use a hand dryer or paper towels in public restrooms. The post Debate Settled! Find Out If It’s Better to Dry Your Hands with Dryers or Paper Towels appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Is It Really Rude to Decline to Chip in for the Group Gift?

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 12/10/2025 6:53 PM

Your co-worker's retirement, your kid's soccer coach, your neighbor's baby shower—at a certain point, "In THIS economy?!" stops being a joke. The post Is It Really Rude to Decline to Chip in for the Group Gift? appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Here’s Why Everyone Is Talking About the Epstein Files and What We Can Expect to Learn from Their Release

By Reader's Digest | Dan Bova | 12/9/2025 3:49 PM

Here's what you need to know about the politically charged files—and why they became a lightning rod of controversy in 2025. The post Here’s Why Everyone Is Talking About the Epstein Files and What We Can Expect to Learn from Their Release appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

This Is the No. 1 Rudest Thing Passengers Do When Deplaning. Are You Guilty of It?

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 12/4/2025 10:16 AM

Flight attendants reveal the deplaning behavior that drives them up the wall—plus other rude moves you might not realize you're making. The post This Is the No. 1 Rudest Thing Passengers Do When Deplaning. Are You Guilty of It? appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Is It Really Rude to Bring Store-Bought Food to Potlucks, Parties and Bake Sales?

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 12/3/2025 6:00 AM

The sign-up sheet says "dessert." Your grocery-store receipt says "family-size Chips Ahoy." Let's discuss. The post Is It Really Rude to Bring Store-Bought Food to Potlucks, Parties and Bake Sales? appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Is It Really Rude to Venmo Request for a $3 Coffee?

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 11/26/2025 4:01 AM

Here's how to navigate the treacherous waters of Venmo requests without losing all your friends. The post Is It Really Rude to Venmo Request for a $3 Coffee? appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Finally! Scientists May Have Found Out Why We Cry When Cutting an Onion—And the Simple Secret to Stopping the Tears

By Reader's Digest | Lisa Lombardi | 11/25/2025 5:14 PM

Yes, there’s really a scientific trick to chopping an onion that prevents waterworks, and we've got it right here. You’re welcome! The post Finally! Scientists May Have Found Out Why We Cry When Cutting an Onion—And the Simple Secret to Stopping the Tears appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

The Secret Government Projects in Stranger Things Aren’t All Fiction—Here Are the Surprising Initiatives the U.S. Actually Tried

By Reader's Digest | Tina Donvito | 11/25/2025 4:37 PM

As they say, truth is stranger than fiction. The U.S. government actually engaged in these Stranger Things–esque covert operations. The post The Secret Government Projects in <i>Stranger Things</i> Aren’t All Fiction—Here Are the Surprising Initiatives the U.S. Actually Tried appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Dining at a Communal Table? Try These 6 Tips to Make Friends with Your Neighbors

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 11/21/2025 4:07 PM

Sure, communal dining can be awkward, but it's also fun if you're interested. We have 6 tips for having a good time—plus what not to do. The post Dining at a Communal Table? Try These 6 Tips to Make Friends with Your Neighbors appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Is It Really Rude to Recline Your Seat on an Airplane?

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 11/21/2025 12:04 PM

I've been the recliner and the reclinee, and I'm here to tell you: We're all doing it wrong. The post Is It Really Rude to Recline Your Seat on an Airplane? appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Ice, Ice, Baby! 13 Cool Facts About Antarctica

By Reader's Digest | Emily Goodman | 11/21/2025 4:01 AM

How much do you really know about the coldest place in the world? Expand your knowledge of Antarctica with these surprising facts. The post Ice, Ice, Baby! 13 Cool Facts About Antarctica appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

If You See a Stop Sign with Holes, This Is What It Means (No, They’re Not Bullet Holes!)

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 11/18/2025 9:24 PM

Some of those holes are intentional—and they're doing way more than you think. Here's what you need to know about this roadside mystery. The post If You See a Stop Sign with Holes, This Is What It Means (No, They’re Not Bullet Holes!) appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

I Watched All 12 Hours of Ken Burns’s Revolutionary War Documentary So You Don’t Have To—Here Are the 12 Most Interesting Things I Learned

By Reader's Digest | Marcy Lovitch | 11/17/2025 5:45 PM

It’s not cheating—it’s the Reader’s Digest version! Here are the most interesting highlights from the series. (You’re welcome.) The post I Watched All 12 Hours of Ken Burns’s Revolutionary War Documentary So You Don’t Have To—Here Are the 12 Most Interesting Things I Learned appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Doing This Simple Thing for Just 2 Hours a Week Can Actually Keep Your Brain Sharp

By Reader's Digest | Charlotte Hilton Andersen | 11/17/2025 1:41 PM

No apps, no subscriptions, no complicated routines required. Just this one ridiculously simple habit that your grandma was probably right about all along. The post Doing This Simple Thing for Just 2 Hours a Week Can Actually Keep Your Brain Sharp appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Here’s What It Means if You See a Purple Parking Space

By Reader's Digest | Aaron Rasmussen | 11/10/2025 12:59 PM

These special parking spots are reserved, but who are they for? We have answers about the history and laws behind these bright purple spots. The post Here’s What It Means if You See a Purple Parking Space appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Here’s Where the Word “Dude” Came From—And Trust Us, You Are Never Going to Guess This One

By Reader's Digest | Jo Ann Liguori | 11/7/2025 3:39 PM

We've been saying "dude" for as long as we can remember, but where did it come from? Does it mean the same thing now as it did then? We investigate. The post Here’s Where the Word “Dude” Came From—And Trust Us, You Are Never Going to Guess This One appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Here’s the Real Reason Police Officers Are Called “Cops”

By Reader's Digest | Jo Ann Liguori | 11/3/2025 6:01 AM

Get ready for the arresting truth about your go-to word for police officers. Here's the surprising origin of the word "cop." The post Here’s the Real Reason Police Officers Are Called “Cops” appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

New Study: Birds Are Most Likely to Poop on This One Type of Car (Yes, Really—This Was an Actual Study)

By Reader's Digest | Natasha Burton | 10/31/2025 4:19 PM

Is it yours? Find out which cars are more likely to be targeted from above by our avian friends, why it happens and what you can do about it. The post New Study: Birds Are Most Likely to Poop on This One Type of Car (Yes, Really—This Was an Actual Study) appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

This Is the Real Reason Why Restaurants Can’t Seat Incomplete Parties (So Think Twice Before Asking!)

By Reader's Digest | Alexandra Kelly | 10/30/2025 9:54 PM

No one likes waiting, but good luck getting seated before the rest of your group arrives! Experts explain why it's important to be on time. The post This Is the Real Reason Why Restaurants Can’t Seat Incomplete Parties (So Think Twice Before Asking!) appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

knowledge

Here’s What to Do If You Get an Out-of-State Speeding Ticket

By Reader's Digest | Cynthia Sanz Carstens | 10/29/2025 9:13 PM

Traffic tickets are no fun anywhere, but getting one outside your home turf can be particularly scary. Here's what to do if it happens. The post Here’s What to Do If You Get an Out-of-State Speeding Ticket appeared first on Reader's Digest. ... Read full Story

book

The Wolf and His King

by BookPage | Jan 30 2026

fashion

4 troubling signs that your nail salon will give you an infection

by NY Post | Jan 30 2026

FFNEWS

ArcBest, LTLs still waiting on recovery

by FreightWaves | Jan 30 2026

finance

My untrustworthy and selfish brother is executor of our family estate. How do I stop him from cheating us?

by MarketWatch.com | Jan 30 2026

food

Bourbons over $300 worth the splurge

by THE MANUAL | Jan 30 2026

health

Healthgrades Names America’s Best Hospitals for 2026

by Healthline.com | Jan 30 2026

how_to

Australian Open 2026 Tennis Livestream: How to Watch the Finals for Free

by CNET | Jan 30 2026

long_island

Sunday marks last call for Buffalo Wild Wings at Broadway Commons

by greaterlongisland.com | Jan 30 2026

mental

People Who Did This One Thing in Their 20s Were the Happiest at Age 80

by thehealthy.com | Dec 22 2025

new_jersey

Op-Ed: NJ families need relief from high energy prices. Community solar can deliver

by NJ Spotlight | Jan 30 2026

odd_fun

Watch: Lost dog found in Philadelphia after four years

by United Press International, Inc. | Jan 30 2026

science

New triple-drug treatment stops pancreatic cancer in its tracks, a mouse study finds

by LIVE SCIENCE | Jan 30 2026

shopping

This Rare Kawasaki Motorcycle Helped Bring Turbos to Two Wheels

by Gear Patrol | Jan 30 2026

soccer

🗞 Mourinho back at the Bernabéu, Atleti and Barça up next

by Yahoo Sports | Jan 31 2026

travel

Golf Guide to Limassol Greens, Limassol, Cyprus

by The Travel Magazine | Jan 30 2026

Word of the Day

short shrift

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for January 31, 2026 is:

short shrift • \SHORT-SHRIFT\ • noun

Short shrift means “little or no attention or thought” or “quick work.” In religious use it refers to barely adequate time for confession before execution.

// Certain neighborhoods have received short shrift from the city government.

See the entry >

Examples:

“[Charlie] Caplinger echoed the concerns of many speakers at the meeting, with charter captains saying the recreational fishing industry’s economic contributions were being given short shrift.” — Mike Smith, NOLA.com (New Orleans, Louisiana), 6 Nov. 2025

Did you know?

We’ve got a confession to make, but we’ll keep it brief: while it’s technically possible to make “long shrift” of something, you’re unlikely to find long shrift in our dictionary anytime soon. Short shrift, on the other hand, has been keeping it real—real terse, that is—for centuries. The earliest known use of the phrase comes from Shakespeare’s play Richard III, in which Lord Hastings, who has been condemned by King Richard to be beheaded, is told by Sir Richard Ratcliffe to “Make a short shrift” as the king “longs to see your head.” Although now archaic, the noun shrift was understood in Shakespeare’s time to refer to the confession or absolution of sins, so “make a short shrift” meant, quite literally, “keep your confession short.” However, since at least the 19th century the phrase has been used figuratively to refer to a small or inadequate amount of time or attention given to something.

Debate Settled! Find Out If It’s Better to Dry Your Hands with Dryers or Paper Towels

Is It Really Rude to Decline to Chip in for the Group Gift?

Here’s Why Everyone Is Talking About the Epstein Files and What We Can Expect to Learn from Their Release

This Is the No. 1 Rudest Thing Passengers Do When Deplaning. Are You Guilty of It?

Is It Really Rude to Bring Store-Bought Food to Potlucks, Parties and Bake Sales?​

Is It Really Rude to Venmo Request for a $3 Coffee?​

Finally! Scientists May Have Found Out Why We Cry When Cutting an Onion—And the Simple Secret to Stopping the Tears

The Secret Government Projects in Stranger Things Aren’t All Fiction—Here Are the Surprising Initiatives the U.S. Actually Tried

Dining at a Communal Table? Try These 6 Tips to Make Friends with Your Neighbors

Is It Really Rude to Recline Your Seat on an Airplane?

Ice, Ice, Baby! 13 Cool Facts About Antarctica

If You See a Stop Sign with Holes, This Is What It Means (No, They’re Not Bullet Holes!)

I Watched All 12 Hours of Ken Burns’s Revolutionary War Documentary So You Don’t Have To—Here Are the 12 Most Interesting Things I Learned

Doing This Simple Thing for Just 2 Hours a Week Can Actually Keep Your Brain Sharp

Here’s What It Means if You See a Purple Parking Space

Here’s Where the Word “Dude” Came From—And Trust Us, You Are Never Going to Guess This One

Here’s the Real Reason Police Officers Are Called “Cops”

New Study: Birds Are Most Likely to Poop on This One Type of Car (Yes, Really—This Was an Actual Study)

This Is the Real Reason Why Restaurants Can’t Seat Incomplete Parties (So Think Twice Before Asking!)

Here’s What to Do If You Get an Out-of-State Speeding Ticket

The Wolf and His King

4 troubling signs that your nail salon will give you an infection

ArcBest, LTLs still waiting on recovery

My untrustworthy and selfish brother is executor of our family estate. How do I stop him from cheating us?

Bourbons over $300 worth the splurge

Healthgrades Names America’s Best Hospitals for 2026

Australian Open 2026 Tennis Livestream: How to Watch the Finals for Free

Sunday marks last call for Buffalo Wild Wings at Broadway Commons

People Who Did This One Thing in Their 20s Were the Happiest at Age 80

Op-Ed: NJ families need relief from high energy prices. Community solar can deliver

Watch: Lost dog found in Philadelphia after four years

New triple-drug treatment stops pancreatic cancer in its tracks, a mouse study finds

This Rare Kawasaki Motorcycle Helped Bring Turbos to Two Wheels

🗞 Mourinho back at the Bernabéu, Atleti and Barça up next

Golf Guide to Limassol Greens, Limassol, Cyprus

Word of the Day

10 Odd & Fun

1.Watch: Lost dog found in Philadelphia after four years

2.Ohio man's stocking stuffer delivers $100,000 lottery prize

3.11-year-old juggler breaks world record using a pindaloo

4.Watch: Raccoon stows away to Belarus in shipped car

5.Watch: Bighorn sheep rescued from frozen river in Colorado

6.Maryland man collects his second big lotter prize in under 2 years

7.Watch: Semi crash covers Wisconsin highway in beer kegs

8.Watch: Production error turns 'crying horse' toy into viral sensation

9.Look: Michigan State Police capture mini donkey named Dolly Parton

10.Look: Kangaroo found hopping loose down Texas road

Is It Really Rude to Bring Store-Bought Food to Potlucks, Parties and Bake Sales?

Is It Really Rude to Venmo Request for a $3 Coffee?