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In this issue...

• When the candles you're selling look like something from the KKK gift shop...

• Snack company blinks and reverses some of their "shrinkflation" tactics

• By the numbers X 10 + 1

• Pillsbury releases a 2024 Grinch Christmas cookie that has people shaking their heads

• Just released: English and French versions of Acadian Recipes and More – Volume 2, English version of Acadian Recipes and More - Volume 3: Holidays

• The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, October 28!

• Halloween is on Thursday, October 31

• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed last week

• Take some time to enjoy nature this fall with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

... and trivia, quotes and more!

When the candles you're selling look like something from the KKK gift shop...

Good heavens. How did anyone not even see that? How could someone at the corporate level not even think for a second that the packaging of these candles looks like it's featuring a lineup of Ku Klux Klan members in white hoods?

Well, apparently, no one did... and now a lot of time and money have been wasted because the product has been yanked off the shelves.

Article excerpt: "Bath & Body Works is apologizing for selling a candle with packaging that some people said looked like Ku Klux Klan hoods.

The 3-wick candle was called 'Snowed In' and briefly appeared on the company's website for purchase. It was quickly pulled off of the website once the issue was brought to Bath & Body Works attention.

The image on the packaging was supposed to convey a snowflake cut out of paper. The outer edges of the snowflake are white and cone shaped, with two holes cut out near the center.

'I have never seen a snowflake that looks like that,' one Instagram user commented."

New packaging designs need to go through someone who has an eye for these things. I sometimes wonder if there are designers with alternative intentions doing this as a joke to see if anyone notices and then cackle with evil glee when it makes it to store shelves. "Surely, they'll notice!" Well, surely they didn't!

Read: Bath & Body Works pulls candle packaging that some said evoked Ku Klux Klan.

Snack company blinks and reverses some of their "shrinkflation" tactics

If you haven't heard of "shrinkflation", it's the act of keeping the price for a product the same while shrinking the packaging. Unless they're paying close attention, consumers often miss the fact that package sizes are changing instead of prices.

In the super competitive world of snacks, however, PepsiCo has blinked and is reversing course a bit by upping the quantities in some of their packaging without raising prices.

Article excerpt: "PepsiCo is unshrinking shrinkflation.

The owner of Lay’s, Doritos, Tostitos and Ruffles chips will put more chips in some bags to claw back customers tired of higher prices with skimpier bags. Shoppers have balked at downsized chips, cookies, paper towels and other products, widely known as shrinkflation, and turned to cheaper options or stopped buying altogether.

A PepsiCo spokesperson told CNN that Tostitos and Ruffles 'bonus' bags will contain 20% more chips for the same price as standard bags in select locations. PepsiCo is also adding two additional small chip bags to its variety-pack option with 18 bags, the spokesperson said.

'It’s the football season. There’s a lot of gatherings,' PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said on an earnings call last week.

It’s a reversal of years of shrinking bags of Tostitos, Ruffles and other chip brands."

With football and hockey seasons underway and the holidays just around the corner, it's make-or-break time for snacks - and manufacturers are listening.

Read: America revolted against Tostitos and Ruffles. Now they’re making big changes.

By the numbers X 10 + 1

• 1. 4 common negative thoughts of struggling adult children

• 2. 9 ways to respond to political misinformation

• 3. 11 surprising phrases that make you "instantly likable," psychologists say

• 4. Did you know you can declutter an entire house in a single day? Professional organizers share 11 tips to get it done quickly.

• 5. 14 fall 2024 fashion trends you need in your closet now

• 6. Meta fires 24 people for "abusing" office meal vouchers

• 7. "Baby Jessica" was rescued from a Texas well 37 years ago. Here's where she is now - and what she remembers from her 2 days underground.

• 8. 7-Eleven shuttering 444 stores in North America

• 9. Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal

• 10. The Internet Archive and its 916 billion saved web pages are back online

• Bonus: 19 Pillsbury crescent roll recipes that will make you a fan for life

Pillsbury releases a 2024 Grinch Christmas cookie that has people shaking their heads

Pillsbury is pretty good at making ready-to-bake cookie dough with internal designs. This time, however, they may have met their match with their 2024 Grinch cookies for the Christmas season.

Unfortunately, some people are interpreting the green "blob" on the right as what happens AFTER you eat the cookie. Uh-oh!

Article excerpt: "Pillsbury fans are certainly not harvesting any holiday cheer after the brand recently released this year's version of their Grinch-themed slice-and-bake cookie dough.

The cookies were unveiled in a new Instagram post made this week by food blogger @Snackolator, but the design has left fans confused and even comparing it to that of 'green poop.'

The new cookie features three red hearts, which are meant to be a nod to the character's famous line in the movie, where they say that his heart grew 'three times' that day.

But it's what's alongside the hearts that is puzzling people the most.

Next to the hearts, there appears to be a green blob emblazoned on the cookie, and it's leaving fans divided over what it really is meant to be."

The green blob is supposed to be the Grinch's head, but it's a bit too vague for anyone to be sure.

Read: Pillsbury fans ruthlessly mock Grinch Christmas cookies: "It looks like green poop."

Just released: English and French versions of Acadian Recipes and More – Volume 2, English version of Acadian Recipes and More - Volume 3: Holidays

Acadian Recipes and More - Volume 2

This book includes 120+ recipes contributed by members of the Acadian Poutine Râpée Facebook Group and others and is the sequel to the #1 Amazon bestseller Volume 1.

English:

• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3B4mOK3

• Amazon USA: amzn.to/4dIYsUN

• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée Restaurant, Bouctouche NB

• Chapters, Dieppe NB

• Jean Coutu Pharmacy, Dieppe NB (123 Champlain Street)

• Monument-Lefebvre, Memramcook NB

French:

• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3ZN5MdQ

• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée Restaurant, Bouctouche NB

• Chapters, Dieppe NB

• Pharmacie Jean Coutu, Dieppe NB (123, rue Champlain)

• Monument-Lefebvre, Memramcook

Acadian Recipes and More - Volume 3: Holidays

This book was published last week just in time for holiday gift-giving and includes approximately 150 recipes focusing on holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving! The French version will be available in the coming weeks. It will also be available in retail outlets soon.

English:

• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3YtU0En

• Amazon USA: amzn.to/4hoAh0j

Also available on Amazon Canada and USA, as well as in select retail outlets

• Acadian Recipes and More - Volume 1

• Recettes acadiennes et plus - Volume 1

• Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1

The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, October 28!

The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night of the 2024-2025 season will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, October 28, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only). (Facebook event listing: bit.ly/3N9nyAB)

Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.

It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8 p.m. Everyone welcome!

Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.

Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).

Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada and Krista Richard's Community Sports Program, among others.

The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.

See you on Monday, September 23!

The Trivia Night schedule for 2024-2025 is as follows:

• Monday, October 28, 2024

• Monday, November. 25, 2024

• Monday, January 27, 2025

• Monday, February 24, 2025

• Monday, March 24, 2025

• Monday, April 28, 2025

• Monday, May 26, 2025

Halloween is on Thursday, October 31

Halloween - with its excited trick-or-treaters and parties - is just around the corner! Here are some links to help you get ready:

• The psychology of ghost stories

• Halloween costume ideas for the pop-culture literate

• Maritimers are spending more on Halloween candy this year: food expert

• Sweet baked "guts": Halloween party recipes or quick spooky dinner ideas before trick-or-treating begins

• Making the most out of old Halloween costumes

• Halloween safety tips for your pet

• Trump, Beetlejuice and Skibidi Toilet? 2024’s most trending Halloween costumes.

• 10 kid-friendly Halloween bakes

• 62 homemade Halloween treats to celebrate spooky season

• 64 paranormal, supernatural and magical romances for spooky season

Before you go: 7 things you may have missed last week

• 1. One Direction star Liam Payne dies after balcony fall (see photo)

• 2. Canada: Will winter redeem its reputation? A sneak peek at winter 2024-25

• 3. Rafael Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, to retire from tennis

• 4. Sleep perfectionists: the exhausting rise of orthosomnia - the obsession with attaining perfect sleep

• 5. CBC Marketplace: Truck driving schools exposed

• 6. The View explains why they won't be dressing up for Halloween this year on show

• 7. Finally… a ranch cup fit for a Whopper sandwich! Burger King and Hidden Valley Ranch team up to create "The Big Dip"

Photo credit: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0

Trivia: Did you know?

If you're out trick-or-treating on October 31, you may want to do it in Oregon, which has a reputation as the only U.S. state where it's customary to hand out full-size candy bars on Halloween.

Quotes of note

• 1. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

- Helen Keller (1880-1968), author and disability rights advocate (see photo)

• 2. "Analysis of death is not for the sake of becoming fearful but to appreciate this precious lifetime."

- Dalai Lama

• 3. "Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75."

- Benjamin Franklin

• 4. "Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy."

- Mike Ditka

• 5. "Self-pity is spiritual suicide. It is an indefensible self-mutilation of the soul."

- Anthon St. Maarten

• 6. "We all have bad days, but one thing is true; no cloud is so dark that the sun can't shine through."

- Miranda Kerr

• 7. "The most intriguing people you will encounter in this life are the people who had insights about you, that you didn't know about yourself."

- Shannon L. Alder

• 8. "Nothing travels faster than the speed of light, with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws."

- Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

• 9. "I'll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure."

- Mae West

• 10. "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying."

- Oscar Wilde

Take some time to enjoy nature this fall with the Greater Moncton Walking Group

The group celebrates the beginning of their 20th year in October when they will be walking in Centennial Park until Thursday, October 31. A beautiful place to enjoy in the fall! Meeting place is in the parking lot on St. George Boulevard.

In November, the group will be walking in Irishtown Nature Park. Meet-up is in the parking lot beginning on Tuesday, November 5, until Thursday, November 28.

In December, the group will be walking on the Humphrey Brook Trail in the Lewisville area of Moncton from Tuesday, December 3, until Tuesday, December 31. Meet-up is at the bottom of Martin Street. (Participants may park on the street.)

The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.

About this newsletter

Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.