The Mason Minute

Our world is obsessed with ranking things. In recent weeks, I've mentioned the list for both the healthiest and happiest states. Today, we're checking out the most sinful states. I don't understand how you can quantify something like sing, but the folks at WalletHub had no problem. They quantified things like jealousy, greed, lust, and laziness and then turned that data into a ranking. The most si...

On Monday, we learned that a long-time friend and former co-worker had passed away over the weekend. The world of country music insiders is small, so the tributes flowed on Facebook. I'd known Tom Moran for nearly 30 years, and we worked together for almost a decade. Like many in the business, Tom was very passionate and opinionated. Some loved him, and some didn't. I know that feeling well. But i...

Orkin, the pest control and extermination service, has just released a ranking of the top U.S. cities for bed bug infestations. Some of the largest cities, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, are near the top of the list. That makes sense. Nashville came in at 30 on the bed bug ranker. Of course, people around here are freaking out. I was concerned!  But then I saw that some smaller cities, like D...

Password sharing is nothing new. It's been around as long as the internet. But as many subscription sites look for ways to increase revenues in recent years, they've started cracking down. Netflix made a big deal about it a little over a year ago. Since they began to issue warnings, subscription numbers have increased. Hulu just announced that they were going to do the same thing. I understand the...

We were discussing snacks the other day and got into a discussion about graham crackers. For most people, they're just something you combine with chocolate and marshmallows to make s'mores. They're often used to make the crust for pies and cheesecakes. When I was younger, we always seemed to have a box in the pantry. They were a great snack when you were feeling under the weather. I've always enjo...

Scrolling through YouTube the other night, I found a clip from last week's Saturday Night Live. I've been watching SNL since it debuted in 1975. I haven't missed many episodes through the years. I realize that young people today no longer watch the show each Saturday night. They catch the clips online. And what amazes me is that the skits I think are funniest usually end up with the most views onl...

The state legislature here in Tennessee has been in the news a lot over the last few months. Sadly, it's not for the good things that they're doing. Our representatives are some of the most dysfunctional politicians in America. And in our current political climate, that says a lot. Right now, they're all here in Nashville working on new legislation. One of the pressing topics is making hot slaw, t...

One of the downsides of working near downtown Nashville is the daily sounds of construction. They've been working on a 16-story building next door to our office for nearly a year. But yesterday, the banging and clanging we heard all day went silent. The city had issued a stop work order for the latest Nashville high-rise. The forced stoppage was the result of an accident the day before. Fortunatel...

When heading to work the other day, I saw one of the overhead highway signs bearing the message 'Rough Pavement Possible.' I didn't think anything of it and kept driving. Then, a few miles down the road, another sign had that same message. At that point, it struck me that they meant to watch out for potholes. Since our big storms with snow and then ice last week, the roads have become littered wit...

Through the years, I haven't thought much about retirement. I should have planned ahead, but I could never imagine calling it a day. I have some friends who started planning back when they were in their 20s. Most people stay where they've been living, but experts say you may need to move to get the most out of your golden years. I never thought about where to live when it's time to retire. But, be...

The stage is set for this year's Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers. Usually, people would discuss whether the Chiefs can win back-to-back titles. But this year, many will be more concerned with how much screen time Taylor Swift will get during the game. Taylor and her fans, the Swifties, have been the talk of the season. Some are upset she's getting so much cover...

Like many cities, Nashville has a pothole problem. And because of our recent snow and ice storms, followed by a 50-degree warm-up, the roads have become dangerous. When you combine them with another road hazard here in Tennessee, the lack of working streetlights makes driving challenging. Dodging potholes at night around town is impossible. Not only are our city streets dark, but so are our highwa...

Back in the day, one of the most popular lunches for kids was Sloppy Joes. It was almost as popular in the school cafeteria as that square they used to serve. And when Manwich hit the grocery store shelves, they became even more popular. I feel they're less popular with kids today. I preferred the Maid-Rite or loose meat sandwich more than Sloppy Joes. And recently, I learned about a variation I'd...

Last Monday was National Hot Sauce Day. Around our house, we celebrate at least two or three times each week. Right now, I think I have six or seven brands around the house. Some say most brands taste the same, but connoisseurs can tell the difference. In honor of this special day, Instacart released a report detailing the most popular brands from around the U.S. I would have thought that Tabasco...

To stay healthy, many people take multivitamins every day. For kids, it starts with Flintstones Chewables, or maybe gummies. As we get older, popular choices are Centrum or One-A-Day. And even though some claim that these daily supplements don't help you, many continue to take them out of habit. New research tells us that as we age, these vitamins could unexpectedly help us by helping prevent memo...

Airplanes have been in the news a lot lately. Last week, there was a problem with the door plug on the Alaska Airlines flight. Yesterday, I read a story about a passenger noticing some wing bolts missing on a Virgin Airlines plane. I've never had a fear of flying. I remember flying across the country back in the 1960s. And while I've never been a frequent flyer compared to friends in the music bus...

Last week, we had our first significant snowfall in a few years. Typically, Nashville only gets 4-5 inches of snow each Winter, But last week, we got nearly 8 inches in less than a day. And everyone wanted to take advantage of this rare occurrence. Naturally, many people went sledding. Some tried to build snowmen, but it wasn't a good packing snow. And since they couldn't even make snowballs, many...

I've been driving for a long time. And much about how we travel by car has changed over the years. We used to carry paper maps and now have that information on our phones. Until a few years ago, the radio was the only way to learn about traffic accidents. But now we have phone apps and electronic overhead signs to help us avoid trouble spots. Many states try to get people to pay attention to those...

Last weekend, while watching some of the NFL wild-card playoff games, I noticed that all players had the words 'Be Love' on the back of their helmets where the team name would usually be. I didn't think anything of it. The league had used that space to share social messages in the past. But when I was watching yesterday's action, I noticed the words were gone on all of the helmets. That made me cu...

It doesn't often happen, maybe every few years, but Nashville got walloped with a big winter storm this week. It's nothing like the weather they get in places like Buffalo, but the 8 inches of snow we got this week nearly shut the town down. Then, two days after the snow, we were hit with a day of freezing rain. That means most people haven't left the house for days. Years ago, being cooped up in...

Last Friday, we discussed the happiest and unhappiest states in America. This week, researchers released data on the healthiest state. They look at factors like life expectancy, obesity, substance abuse, and chronic disease. I was surprised by last week's rankings for happiness. Regarding health, the results were, in many ways, what I expected. And while the healthiest states spanned the entire co...

I have long been fascinated with home remedies for a variety of things. Some seem logical, while others come off sounding like a joke. Recently, I saw a headline claiming pickle juice could ease a sore throat. At first, I thought it was a joke. But after the story appeared on three or four more sites, some very reputable, I decided to get some details. I've always preferred hot beverages and cough...

In recent years, there's been a lot of talk about the need to focus on mental health. Years ago, when I lived in Northeast Ohio, I learned a lot about seasonal affective disorder (SAD). At first, when people told me it affected so many people this time of year, I brushed it off. But after a decade of winter in the Cleveland area, I became a believer. Recent research into SAD shows that only certai...

Some of the hottest items for Christmas this year were tumblers from Stanley. They created the vacuum thermos over 100 years ago, and like any longtime product, sales ebb and flow. But a few years ago, one of their marketing people decided to chase the insulated beverage cup sector that Yeti was dominating. However, Stanley created them in pastel colors and targeted young women. To say they're a h...

For many, getting a letter telling you you must report for jury duty brings a sense of dread. Well, it looks like some criminals are playing into that feeling. They've come up with a new phone scam. People across America are reporting that criminals are calling to tell you that you missed a jury duty summons and you're about to be arrested. The crooks are posing as court officers and telling you t...