September 27, 2026

Raging online debate: is it unprofessional to show up to an interview with an iced coffee?

The "pro" case is the drink isn't relevant to qualification - discreet sipping is no biggie. The "con" case is it's errand-like and condensation / rattling ice are distracting.

Gotta say…I'm con. Chug a coffee in the lobby and let it ride.

As always, please forward IQNEWS to a friend if you're a fan!

STORY OF THE WEEK

The pets v. parenthood rivalry heats up

Americans now officially prefer pets over progeny.

According to a new Harris Poll survey, 40% said if they had to choose what to have in the future, they'd prefer pets, versus just 21% who chose children (39% wanted both).

Pet ownership is at an all-time high: 77% of Americans now own at least one pet, up 3 points since 2024, and 83% of pet owners say their pet is "like my own child."

Young folks are driving the trend. Over half of Gen Z and Millennials (55%) say they've thought about building a life around pets over kids, and 54% would leave their pets their inheritance!

Why pets over kids? It's timing (45% say they're "not in the right part of my life to care for a child"), ease (35% say pets are simpler), and money (32% say pets are less of a strain). The irony is pet spending is huge - 3 in 10 owners have gone into debt over pets.

Regardless of feelings on the topic, the future is objectively…furry.

IN OTHER NEWS

Needless surgery, Seoul-searching, dining alone…

Faux Fixes

A new review found many common knee, shoulder, and back surgeries work no better than "sham" operations - same incisions, no actual repair. Yet the real ones are still super common.

Seoul Ties

Seoul just ended London's six-year reign as the world's #1 study-abroad destination, with students in South Korea up 69% in three years. Youngins love K-pop and cheap rent.

Bird Boom

Scientists ranked birdsongs by beauty, and the blackbird won while the barn owl came last. And we're listening more than ever, with nearly 100M people now self-identifying as "birders."

Served Solo

OpenTable just reported that solo reservations jumped 23% this year, and solo diners now spend more than ever ($94 a check). Surprisingly, Saturday is the top night to dine alone.

Stare Master

A Preply survey counters the viral "Gen Z stare" stereotype (a blank, unblinking, deadpan expression in conversation). 58% small-talk in person daily - double Baby Boomers' 31%.

HACK OF THE WEEK

Steal Nonna's sauce shortcut

Want that fresh, slow-simmered tomato-sauce taste without the seven-hour Sunday ritual?

Here's a hack straight from the old country: freeze cherry tomatoes.

Then, when ready to cook, toss a handful straight into a hot, oiled pan - no thawing, no chopping. They burst and melt into a jammy, sweet sauce in minutes.

Freezing actually helps the flavor here. Ice crystals rupture the tomatoes so they break down faster and cook down sweeter than fresh. Add garlic, salt, and pasta - buon appetito!

SHOWER THOUGHTS

1. Cotton is a crop. All cotton shirts are crop tops.

2. Anything that goes wrong at a yogurt company is a culture problem.

3. Pavlov probably thought about feeding his dogs every time someone rang a bell.

4. If your shirt isn't tucked into your pants, your pants are tucked into your shirt.

5. It makes sense that the target audience for fidget spinners lost interest in them so fast.

POST OF THE WEEK

image: X

QUOTE / TIL / WORD / TRIVIA

Rita Mae Brown: “The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself.”

Today I learned Bubble wrap was originally invented as wallpaper. In 1957, two engineers laminated a pair of shower curtains hoping for a 3D wall covering; it flopped, so they repurposed the bubbles for packing. (more here)

flâneur [ flah-NUR ] - noun
someone who strolls a city with no agenda, just to observe and soak it in.
On Sundays he becomes a flâneur, wandering the old quarter for hours with nowhere to be.

Q: A group of cats is called a...?