What does a bad day look like?
What does a bad day look like? This series takes a look at the mildly frustrating to the seriously unfortunate.
Tune in every Tuesday for a new edition, or scroll down to browse previous topics.
Do not sail list
July 14, 2026
Apparently, “smooth sailing” does not apply to cruise passengers across the board. Case in point, two families from a Carnival Conquest cruise had just arrived to the debarkation area in Miami when members of both families began a huge free-for-all. With the debarkation port under the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) sprang into action, noting the incident was deemed “a mutual combatant incident.”
Other passengers in baggage lines looked on as the brawl escalated between the two families while police were attempting to pull people apart.
“We are appreciative of law enforcement’s swift response and handling of the matter,” the Carnival spokesperson said in a statement. “We do not tolerate such behavior, and 16 people have been placed on our Do Not Sail List.”
Content source: People, “Massive Cruise Passenger Brawl Caught on Video Leads to 16 People Being Put on ‘Do Not Sail’ List,” Natalia Senanayake, June 22, 2026.
$250 first date?
July 7, 2026
Yelp! Hopefully, you’re saying that concept is nuts! Even though the idea is out there on TikTok and evidently put into practice enough to make it a thing, Gen Zers are saying no thank you to the high cost of a first date.
Recently on LinkedIn, Sarah Foster commented regarding Gen Zers’ dating philosophy, “When money is tight, romance is what gets cut.” She emphasized that Gen Zers and Millennials are more about “investing for retirement and spending time with friends.”
Gen Zers, born between 1997 and 2012, between 13 and 28 years old, number about 69 million in the U.S.
More power to Gen Z!
Take this show on the road
June 30, 2026
A truck hauling fireworks exploded on Interstate 75 in Tennessee, providing an unplanned air show for drivers and passengers in the area. News channel WTVC observes that the truck “was traveling without several federally required hazardous materials safety measures, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.”
WTVC news also reported, “What many drivers saw as an unexpected fireworks display could have been much worse, investigators say. According to THP, a post-fire inspection conducted by its Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division uncovered multiple hazardous materials violations involving the shipment.” And the driver of the truck has been charged with multiple hazardous materials violations.
Watch the video in the news article here.
The day the music died
June 23, 2026
You might recognize “the day the music died” from Don McLean’s “American Pie” in reference to the tragic 1959 plane crash claiming the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson but for today’s news, we are remembering Clive Davis, a titan music industry executive who used his well-honed people perception skills and intuition to find something special in ordinary folks. The free enterprise entrepreneur took a chance on people who subsequently collectively provide the soundtrack of our country’s culture.
We can relate to finding and building unique talent—or helping hone skills to produce standouts—as we train executives and teams through TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis. Our TapRooT® Instructors work closely in public, virtual, or onsite courses to tailor essential root cause analysis to fit your needs.
Equipment thief caught by new tech
June 16, 2026
A man who stole a boom lift, drove it to the Knoxville Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and vandalized the Hall of Fame property was apprehended by the Knoxville Police Department through new technology,
From WVLT:
“According to the department and court records, 42-year-old Justin Hensley stole the lift from a construction site on Main Street and either crashed it into the [Knoxville Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame] building or threw a rock at a window, breaking it. In total, court records said the damage would cost 8,000 dollars to fix, though nothing appeared to have been stolen.
“Court records also show the boom lift is valued at 360,000 dollars.
“KPD also said a new piece of technology helped officers catch Hensley. According to the department, officers snagged a photo of the suspect using KPD’s Real Time Information Center. The center uses a network of cameras available to officers for researching cases. In this case, Hensley was caught on camera and identified using the footage.
“Hensley was charged with felony theft and felony vandalism.”
A bad day for crime; a successful day for the good guys.
Content credit: WVLT, “Man charged after stealing boom lift, damaging Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville police say,” Camruinn Morgan-Rumsey, published: Jun. 1, 2026 at 2:17 PM EDT; updated: Jun. 2, 2026 at 10:08 AM EDT.
Alligator bites
June 9, 2026
Fortunately, not a whole lot of folks can say that an alligator bit them. But, this one guy from Broward County, Florida, is bringing charges against an airboat company with the assertion that an alligator bit his face during an program offered as a free “alligator encounter.” The company is Airboat Rides and operates in Midway, Florida.
Learn more from WKMG here.
Debit card fraud
June 2, 2026
You’re already busy. Overbooked, some call it. You briefly glance at your bank account and see an identical charge description line after line after line. After perceiving that this is a big problem, you contact your bank and are referred to the fraud department.
This actually happened to me the first time I was planning to travel outside of the U.S. I caught it while leaving work and made a beeline to the nearest bank branch. The good news is that most banks have a reliable fraud department that takes care of your worry and your money.
Dissing safety
May 26, 2026
At your worksite, prepping with the appropriate PPE for all the tasks you’ll be performing is essential for staying safe. Yet, how many folks don’t plan and prepare safety measures for leisure time away from work and often wind up being a victim of an accident?
Memorial Day has become a signature kickoff to summer sports and—along with honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice—it also brings an increase in accidents of all kinds. For example, the NHTSA (National Highway Safety Traffic Safety Administration) highlights the dangers that June and July represent by messaging that fatal vehicle accidents occur 30 percent more frequently during this period.
Whether you’re going rafting, climbing, hiking, picnicking, swimming, or other pursuits, plan ahead and gather all necessary equipment for everyone to safely experience a memorable adventure.
For helpful information, visit the NHTSA website.
Brushing Scams
May 19, 2026
Millions of Americans are receiving packages or envelopes from an unknown sender. The kicker is that these packages and envelopes are often empty or containing items of little value when the recipients open them. A financial news report tells us that what is happening is a brushing scam, a scam that can compromise your personal information and go as far as affecting your credit rating.
Learn more here about what you should do if you are a recipient of a brushing scam.
Office gone wrongs
May 12, 2026
You are not alone in making errors when dealing with tasks that come with employment.
Here are a few examples:
- You’ve gotten a sensitive email and, after absorbing the news, you accidentally hit “reply all” and send it.
- You delete crucial data/unbacked up files.
- Trying to get emails caught up and the power goes out, especially bad on a Friday.
Spirit’s down
May 5, 2026
For the passengers and employees of Spirit Airlines, May 2, 2026, was a dark day as the airlines sputtered out of business due to financial problems. It’s never a good day when an airline company goes under.
