Thursday Flakes: McDonald’s McMuffins, Beautiful Libraries and Kids Kicking Seats

Although I have never had a kid kick my airplane seat, I have had to deal with disruptive kids on an airplane before. Thankfully they were resolved without any incident. However, it happens enough and we read enough stories to the point where you have to imagine how one would handle this situation. How long do you let this situation continue? Do you talk to the kid or the parent? Do you offer them candy so they stop? Something to think about.

Here is a few more questions to get the ball rolling in the comments before we dive into another packed bowl of Flakes. Do you have any August travel plans? What the most beautiful library you have ever visited? Have you been to a Korean/Turkish/Japanese bathhouse? How many languages do you speak?

Anyways onto Flakes…

Nebraska Recruiting: Huskers Still in the Mix for Local Kicker | Football | Hail Varsity

The future could gain some clarity tomorrow as well. Millard South kicker and punter Simon McClannan announced he’ll making his college decision on August 7th. McClannan, who has made multiple visits to Lincoln, is deciding between Nebraska, Kansas State and South Dakota State. Maybe it’s something, maybe it’s nothing, but his commitment date announcement came a day after tweeting he’d received an offer from the Wildcats.

Padding the Stats: Thoughts on Inaugural Big Ten Media Days | Volleyball | Hail Varsity

“This is a historic day for volleyball,” Cook told six local writers on Monday, in a separate breakout interview after his time in front of the Big Ten cameras. “And we don’t have to go to Chicago in Nebraska to do this, so I really appreciate all of you guys being here and it’s a pretty cool setup, so I hope you’re enjoying it. But I just want you know I appreciate you guys being here and I think your readers, followers, listeners, all those things will do the same.”

Big Ten Players, Coaches Share Thoughts on Current Summer Workout Structure | Volleyball | Hail Varsity

“The fact you’ve got 100 football players that get to work with football coaches and 15 men’s basketball players and you have 15 women’s basketball players that get to work with their coaches, that’s a little bit of a Title IX inequity right there,” Cook said.

Megan Whittaker Takes Nebraska Amateur Crown | Women’s Golf | Huskers.com

With the victory, Whittaker became the first woman to complete the match-play and stroke-play summer sweep in Nebraska since 2016, when Haley Thiele’s younger sister, Hannah Thiele, accomplished the championship double.

Emma Spence Earns Three Medals at the Commonwealth Games | Football | Huskers.com

Spence earned three bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. A native of Cambridge, Ontario, Spence competed for Team Canada as a Senior National Team Member.

Nebraska Announces Long-Term Commitment to Red Carpet Experience Through Endowment Gift | Sports | Huskers.com

Nebraska Athletics announced on Tuesday that the Red Carpet Experience will continue in the 2022-23 athletic season and well into the future. The program’s future was secured through a multi-year gift from the Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation, and the continued generosity of numerous donors across the state.

Passenger Fined For Bringing McMuffins Into Australia | Travel | Travel + Leisure

The passenger, who was traveling from Bali to Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory, was fined a total of $2,664 Australian dollars ($1,849 USD) for the undeclared food mishap. Australia has strict laws on what can and cannot be brought into the country. The country has also issued an alert and established Biosecurity Response Zones in international airports to monitor foot-and-mouth disease.

Flight Prices Are About to Drop 25% | Travel | Travel + Leisure

According to Hopper, domestic airfare is expected to drop 25% in August, compared to its peak in May of this year. In fact, the average airfare price will decrease to $286 this month, or 3% lower than this time last year, and remain at or below $300 through September. The decrease is attributed to several factors, including a drop in demand after many people “exhausted” the pent up post-pandemic travel demand with summer vacations.

The Best August Events in Each State | Travel | Travel Pulse

Ranging from regional food festivals, state fairs, film fests, bluegrass get-togethers, balloon fiestas and even a party dedicated to twins, the best August events in America are all set to end your summer right way.

The Cost of Travel Right Now | Travel | Travel Pulse

Travel insurtech company squaremouth.com found the average trip cost through early July was around $5,300, down from the average of $5,800 in 2020 and $6,000 in 2019. Data also showed that domestic travel cost more than international vacations for the second year in a row.

20 Summer Travel Destinations Without All the Crowds | Travel | Travel Pulse

If you’re still looking for a way to get away but you don’t want to deal with hordes of other people, you could consider heading to an isolated state like Alaska or Idaho or booking a getaway to a far-flung island off the coast of Norway or Greece. Your best bet depends on the type of trip you want to take, how much you want to spend and whether you want to see amazing sights or you just want to relax in peace and quiet on a beautiful beach.

10 Ways to Navigate This Summer’s Travel Chaos | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

Make sure before heading off to the airport that you’re familiar with the most up-to-date passport, visa, vaccination and covid requirements for where you’re traveling to. Chances are, things have changed since you last traveled, and the last thing you want to do is to get stuck at check-in only to be denied boarding.

How to Handle Disruptive Kids on a Plane | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

If you’re seated near a child, and their actions are disturbing you and your comfort, it’s best to try and handle the situation before getting others involved. Often, a bit of kindness goes a long way.

These Are the Most Popular Destinations to Name Your Baby After | Travel | Travel + Leisure

The survey results reported that from 2000 to 2020, the most popular country to name your child after was Israel (with a total of 36,273 babies in the U.S. receiving the name, both boys and girls). The second-most popular country-cum-baby-name was India (with 9,207 babies, all girls), closely followed by Kenya (with 9,127 babies, predominantly girls).

Meet Southwest Airlines First Mother-Daughter Duo | Travel | Travel + Leisure

The airline recently announced its first-ever mother-daughter pilot duo, Captain Holly Petitt and First Officer Keely Petitt. The pair have already taken their first flight together on Flight 3658 from Denver to St. Louis. “First, I found this career and fell in love with it, and then that one of my kids fell into this and in love with this career too…It’s surreal,” Holly shared in a statement.

Most Beautiful Libraries in Europe | Travel | Lonely Planet

Libraries hold a special charm, offering serenity and knowledge to all who visit them. They can be historical havens, standing as proud relics of the past or sleek modernist sculptures with architectural details that delight and astound. With that in mind, here’s a roundup of some of the most amazing libraries across Europe.

How to Visit a Korean Bathhouse For the First Time | Travel | Lonely Planet

Traditional bathhouses are an essential part of contemporary South Korean culture. Literally “heated rooms,” jjimjilbang (찜질방) are where locals come to unwind, hang out and engage in a whole host of health and beauty rituals that go far beyond a quick soak.

Best Neighborhoods in Barcelona | Travel | Lonely Planet

Barcelona, the capital of Modernism and Spain’s second-largest city, is a compact and relatively easy-to-walk city. Barcelona has several distinct neighborhoods to explore, each with its own vibe and different things to see and do. Here’s our guide to the top neighborhoods to stay in and explore when you visit Barcelona.

North America’s Sacred Trio of Foods | Travel | BBC

In Quebec, the tale of the “three sisters” isn’t just a myth about cooperation; it’s a message from Wendat ancestors that teaches modern people about ancient, life-sustaining food.

The Ancient French Town of Floating Gardens | Travel | BBC

Carved out of the River Somme’s marshy hinterland, the Hortillonnages is made up of 110km of slender canals that have led Amiens to be dubbed “the Venice of the North”.

The Iberian Civilization That Vanished | Travel | BBC

Mystery and myth surround the ancient society of Tartessos – it was even linked to Atlantis at one point. But excavations and technology are shedding new light on the culture.

How to Practice Self-Compassion | Life | Vox

Science shows that self-compassion isn’t about letting yourself off the hook — in fact, it’s the opposite.

CRISPR Cure for High Cholesterol Enters First Human Trial | Health | Big Think

A trial testing a new CRISPR-based treatment to lower cholesterol has officially kicked off in New Zealand. If it works as well as it did in animal trials, the one-and-done treatment could save countless lives — permanently lowering cholesterol and the risk of a heart attack.

One Indian Village, More Than 100 Varieties of Mangoes | Food | Atlas Obscura

With 207 indigenous varieties and counting, it rains mangoes in Kannapuram. In fact, Kuruvakkavu, a small area within Kannapuram, boasts a whopping 102 varieties among 382 trees, growing on a plot of just 300 square meters (3,230 square feet).

Dark Matter from 12 Billion Years Ago Detected for the First Time | Astronomy | Space.com

Scientists used a fossil relic left over from the Big Bang to perform the earliest detection of dark matter ever.

The Best Free Campsites in All 50 States | Outdoors | Outside Online

You don’t need a reservation to pitch a tent at these free and dispersed camping areas on public land, from empty beaches to lush forests to hot springs. Go, enjoy, and pledge to leave the place in better shape than you found it.

How Our Brains Cope With Speaking More Than One Language | Neuroscience | BBC

Speaking a second or even a third language can bring obvious advantages, but occasionally the words, grammar and even accents can get mixed up. This can reveal surprising things about how our brains work.

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