November 19th is the 324th day of the year. There are 42 days remaining until the end of the year

Today is International Men’s Day, World Toilet Day, National Play Monopoly Day, National Macchiato Day, Get A PAL For Your Pet Day, World Portable Sanitation Day and Rocky & Bullwinkle Day

ON THIS DAY WITH NICOLET
— On this date in 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Puerto Rico on his 2nd voyage to the New World

— On this date in 1863, US President Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address beginning “Four score & seven years ago…”

— On this date in 1959, Rocky and Bullwinkle premiered

— On this date in 1980, Bill and his wife T.J. Palmer opened the first Applebee’s restaurant, T.J. Applebee’s Rx for Edibles & Elixirs, in Atlanta, Georgia.

— On this date in 2004, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson of the Indiana Pacers charged into the stands and fought with Pistons fans

— On this date in 2007, Amazon.com introduced the Kindle

THINGS U NEED 2 NO
A poll found the top five must-have Thanksgiving foods are turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie.

Kit Kats shaped like Santa Claus are hitting stores for the holidays.  It’s the first time they’ve done anything other than their normal Kit Kat shape.

People are marinating their Thanksgiving turkeys in pillowcases. NBC Chef Elizabeth Heiskell started the trend. It involves slathering a turkey in butter and then wrapping it in bacon. A clean pillowcase is then soaked in butter, wine and chicken broth before being wrapped around the bird. Once the turkey is fully marinated, it is placed in an oven and baked to perfection.

Hot Pockets has unveiled a limited edition ugly Christmas sweater with zip-off sleeves. The red sweater features a melting snowman and a “hot” caution warning. The $40 sweater will be sold on the company’s website

A new study from the University of Birmingham reveals that a cup of hot cocoa can minimize the negative effects of stress on the heart, especially after indulging in junk foods. The study found that flavanols in cocoa help maintain blood vessels’ function after stress. Doctors recommend incorporating high-flavanol foods, like minimally processed cocoa, into your diet to combat the impact of stress on the body.

A study found adding maple syrup to your coffee instead of sugar can offer some major health benefits.  People’s blood sugar didn’t spike as much . . . their blood pressure fell . . . they lost belly fat . . . and it helped with digestion.

Tropicana ditched its carafe-shaped bottles this year in favor of a more traditional-looking bottle . . . and sales have plummeted

Already got your Christmas lights up?  A psychologist says it might be a sign you’re a self-absorbed narcissist.

Should your next vacation be a “skillcation”?  That’s where you intentionally plan a vacation that involves learning a new skill.

200 monkeys broke free from an enclosure in Thailand and attacked a police station.

Research scientists had success being able to tell which words a person has just heard by examining their brain. They said the discovery put us closer to reading someone’s thoughts.

The Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Hudson, Dan + Shay and the Radio City Rockettes will perform at the Christmas in Rockefeller Center special on December 4th on NBC. A 73-foot tall Norway Spruce will be lit with over 50,000 lights and topped with a Swarovski star. 

Beyoncé will perform at halftime of the Houston Texans game against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day. This will be the second of two NFL games that Netflix will stream on the holiday. USA Today says Beyoncé’s halftime performance announcement has driven up ticket prices. Ticket prices rose by 40% overnight, averaging $528.

62-year-old Evander Holyfield is eager for a rematch with Mike Tyson. After Tyson’s recent struggle against Jake Paul due to a knee issue, Holyfield called for a third fight. Tyson swiftly dismissed the idea, stating their friendship is more important.