Nikki Bella Turns Up In Augusta For The Masters Wearing Green, Scottie Scheffler Memes & A Blackjack Run
It's 29-degrees and I have a baseball practice to run in an hour
That means I have to pound out this edition. Yes, it's a little smaller than the Saturday editions you've been used to through the winter, but it's not because I'm being some loser this morning.
I have 11 & 12 year old to manage for 90 minutes before playing indoor golf which then leads into the Taste of the Masters meal that I've been waiting for. That's a full Saturday.
Real quick:
- I forwarded the first Screencaps newsletter to around 100 of you at 5 p.m. ET Friday. I'm still getting some requests that have trickled in. Guys, I have to cut this off at some point. If you want the first edition, I will make one final forward on Sunday morning.
- Send me an email titled, "Hey, Joe, send me that Screencaps newsletter" and I will get it over to you.
- That said, I need you guys to get signed up: https://www.outkick.com/newsletters
- Yes, I know some of you are saying that the newsletter never arrived. Check those junk folders. The first one will have "Screencaps" in the title to make searching as easy as possible.
As for those of you saying you signed up and it never arrived, I will ask T-shirt Manager Olivia G., who handles newsletter technical questions if there's a solution there.
And, finally, you'll have SeanJo on Monday morning. I will be out of town for about 14 hours for a work trip.
I didn't think this post would take off, but it has and people are hammering the inbox with their own takes
If you haven't read the RFK Jr. on doughnuts post, here it is.
The premise here is simple: It's time to pump the brakes on ripping doughnuts when we talk about fat ass Americans when there are other consumer items that are way worse.
— Deede agrees, it's time to stop attacking doughnuts:
No, attacking doughnuts is not the answer. We need to start teaching our kids what is healthy and how to cook healthy, tasty food. This needs to start young and continue through high school. I am amazed at the number of people that don't have any idea how to cook, or even make tuna salad. No wonder everyone eats out all of the time.
— Barbara writes:
I think the solution to the obesity problem in the United States should follow the anti-smoking plan. Sugar is an addictive drug and should be labelled as such. You have to start with the children and teach them that sugar equals white death.
— Jaime M. has an idea:
Sir my suggestion to get America back into shape is to return to the 1950's physical fitness programs in school. If you return to fitness test to graduate high school or atleast requiring physical education courses through out our childrens education which means kindergarten thru 12 grade. This focus on physical fitness at a young age will bring about a whole family focus on health & health eating habbits. Children will encourage the parents to refocus on health choices for the entire family.
Second advertisement the true ingredients & their effects on the body & health effects thru our childrens lives. The disclosure is vital as most Americans have no clue how addictive the sugary drinks & corn syrup in every food item is slowly killing us all.
Just a suggestion as we need healthy young Americans to fight China.
— Don H. opines:
For years, I've been saying that diets are ridiculous......just eat normal food and lay off the sugars.
Americans have an addiction to processed, industrialized, sugar and chemical laced foods.
That being said, companies involved in the production of these foods spend millions of dollars testing ingredients to be added to certain foods in order to create a likable taste. They test humans by watching how the brain reacts(computer tomography) to certain additives. They are actually creating an addiction to their products........the same principle as the cigarette industry did years ago by increasing the nicotine in cigarettes to create an addiction. So I've been waiting for someone to file a lawsuit against these companies as was done against the cigarette industry.
Yes, it's the fault of the consumer but so was the addicted cigarette smoker.
My grandfather, who was a butcher and smoked Chesterfields all of his life, said 2 things to me in the early 1980s.
He tried a mcdonald's hamburger once and said "what in the hell is this"? He said it doesn't taste like a hamburger at all.
I asked if he was worried about getting cancer for smoking all of his life. He said, "hell no".....he tried another cigarette once and said "I don't know what they're putting in this cigarette but it's not just tobacco.
Anyway, highest rates of obesity, autism, diabetes, heart diseases, hyper activity and cancers are in the USA.
Don added:
Couple of other things......
I've lived in France since 1988.
In the grocery stores, there is always a huge vegetable and fruit section. Plus, with fresh meats, fish and cheeses in the same section.
A small section of cereals and carbonated drinks.
I live in Russia since 2022. Unfortunately, I was in the hospital for cancer treatment by which I am cancer free at the moment.
Anyway, for breakfast in the hospital, I was served either oatmeal, creme of wheat or a corn flavored porridge. Kefir which a type of yogurt. 1 slice of brown bread and 1 white bread. An apple and a tea. Another day, a boiled egg, slice of cheese, slice of ham, a kefir, an apple and a tea. The same bread.
No sweet pastries!
I've rarely seen any obese children in France or Russia. In fact, I've travelled all over Europe and rarely seen any obese kids.....except a few in Italy....pasta!
— Bob C. responds:
The article makes some very good points. We all have a choice when it comes to selecting foods, drinks and bad habits. The idea or rewards in insurance costs for good results is appealing. For my money RFK Jr is the first to attempt to tackle the criminal food processing scams and fake data usage in the medical field.
Additives that are bad for our health should not be permitted in our food. Other countries get it so why can't we? The current situation is quite frustrating to consumers trying to be responsible. We would need to memorize all the bad additives and all the cloaked derivative names for the bad additives. Most of us are not chemists and all of us deserve a good faith effort by the regulators, not to mention the food industry.
The medical services certainly know better about the big pharma scams but fail to protect us. There are good supplements that could be used until drastic intervention is required for worst cases. The certificated medical practitioners are the only option covered by insurance. Integrative medicine has much to offer but not being recognized means the alternatives are not regulated for safety. Each time the Dr tells me to "eat properly" I challenge that Dr. to fine properly and offer some supportive nutrition help. Not covered. The chemical solution; which invariable includes side effects that often range into worse than the disease, is the sole solution covered by insurance. The other herbie to overcome is dishonest FED agencies using dishonest data to support bad-for-my-health medicine.
Keep up the efforts to expose the sad truth about our available choices and recognize that the consumer fails to make good choices largely by design!
— Gary K. tells me:
We are evolutionarily built to store calories.
Putting on weight is easy, taking it off ... is not.
People can be convinced of even stupid things, like that men can have babies or all cultures are equally valid. So much so that it becomes people's identity (See loons keying Teslas).This means people can be socially programmed.
So show an ideal of "normal healthiness" and create expectations and people will gravitate toward that.
Remember: We all but eliminated snuff and reduced smoking by societal expectations.
So:
1) Bring back self-reliance: you are responsible for yourself.
2) Bring back societal disapproval: people like to be liked and approved of.
3) Caloric information on fast food and coffee products on the purchased package, just like at grocery stores
— George says:
Regarding your article about RFK Jr.: it's a free country do whatever you want, consume whatever you want, just don't expect other people (tax payers) to pay for your health care.
— Brad L. wants to make a couple of points:
- I drink my coffee straight, no cream, no sugar. Like the taste of the coffee itself.
- You can't control genetics. You can control behavior. Get some tickets, have some accidents, pay higher auto insurance premiums. No one bats an eye. Why not let private insurers (get the government out of this) apply the same logic to health insurance?
— Charles the Canadian shares his opinion:
Hello, I am a Canadian who enjoys reading articles on Outkick. Realizing I am Canadian, I don't know if you will care about my solution, but here it is:
The Power to Act:
The government has the power to eliminate what is harmful to the citizens of its country. Take red dye No. 3, for example. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of red dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs due to potential cancer risks observed in lab rats, despite not being a concern in humans. The FDA's action stems from a 2022 petition and the Delaney Clause, which prohibits the use of food additives found to cause cancer in animals or humans.
Why Should the Government Act?
Obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing several types of cancer, including colorectal, post-menopausal breast, uterine, esophageal, kidney, and pancreatic cancers. Experts believe that excess body fat, especially visceral fat, can trigger inflammation, which may contribute to cancer development. Obesity can lead to increased levels of hormones like insulin and estrogen, which can stimulate cell growth and potentially increase the risk of certain cancers. Obesity is also linked to other conditions that can increase cancer risk, such as type 2 diabetes.
The Source of the Problem:
The simple answer is sugar. Consuming more sugar than the body needs can lead to weight gain because the excess sugar is converted to fat and stored in the body. Sugary drinks like soda, juice, and sweet tea are often high in fructose, a type of sugar that can increase hunger and make it harder for the body to regulate food intake, contributing to weight gain. Drinking large amounts of sugary beverages is linked to an increase in visceral fat, a type of deep belly fat that is associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Numerous studies have shown a positive correlation between sugar intake and weight gain, with some studies finding that people who increased their sugar intake gained weight in a relatively short amount of time.
Possible Solution:
The FDA can force regulate the levels or amounts of sugar as a food additive. This regulation would affect "Big Coffee" for example. The high levels need to be addressed, as this addiction to sugar is contributing to obesity. The obesity, in turn, contributes to cancer in humans. If it can be done with red dye No. 3, it can be done with sugar. This won't fix how much sugar humans consume on their own accord (teaspoons poured into coffee, chocolate bars consumed, etc.), but it WILL drastically reduce the amount consumed without the knowledge or understanding of humans as they order drinks at a "Big Coffee" producer/retailer.
Source of Information and Disclosure:
All information was obtained through a simple Google search online. I am not a doctor, nor do I have any expertise in weight gain causes or effects of weight gain in humans. What is troubling is that this information is freely available, and yet the "Big Coffee" industry cares only about sales. It's about time this stops.
Kids and Cellphones in 2025: When is too soon?
This is a topic that Mrs. Screencaps are about to find us debating in the very near future as Screencaps Jr. heads into junior high. It's also a topic that a bunch of readers are not only discussing, but constantly thinking about. The inbox lit up Friday.
— Teacher Geoff advises:
I don't frequently drop everything that I'm doing and fire off an email in response to ScreenCaps, but parenthood topics will frequently get me involved! I've been a high school teacher for 10 years, and my wife has taught upper elementary for 15.
We've got four kids, oldest being a sixth grader. We're right there with you. Our oldest two have watches that let them call/text a handful of people, but don't let them participate in big text chains. My oldest is a boy, and having watched the cancel culture come after young men for ridiculous things that they've tweeted/texted when they were younger, I am very reluctant to put my son (or girls) in a situation where they can say things in an unsupervised situation that can be "circled back to" by others who would choose to do them harm.
Additionally, I have had so many conversations with high schoolers about how they "wish they didn't see so many things on Snapchat" or how "smart phones are so difficult to manage from all the distractions" that are inherent with those devices, that I don't think that the pros of better/more convenient digital communication are worth it.
It'll be a little bit different when little man is driving (we live in a Midwestern state where kids can start driving at 14), but even then, brick phones have value, too! I'm sure you'll get lots of emails on this one, and most of them will be very passionate!
— Jeff H. writes:
Love the question. We’ve got a lot of experience here – 7 kids and all, ranging from 22 down to 9. The short answer is just like you parent each child differently, you make decisions like a cell phone uniquely for each kid.
Our general rule has been not until you start driving, which for my oldest two was 17. My 3rd is a social butterfly, so we got him a phone a little earlier, when he turned 16. My only daughter is 15 and we got her a phone when she turned 15 because 1) we trusted her, 2) she is really into pottery and that means evenings at the pottery studio, so I wanted to be able to track her – made me feel better.
But the younger boys won’t sniff a phone of their own until at least 16. Are we too strict? Maybe. Will there be wailing and gnashing of teeth? Most definitely. Do I care? No. Once they have a phone you can never go back. You’re dealing with filters and phone trackers and watching content you can’t possibly screen. Lot of management for very little actual benefit.
Bottom line – EVERY other parent I’ve talked with about this has said they wish they would have waited longer to give their kid a phone. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
Another topic that goes hand-in-hand with a phone is social media accounts. Our standing rule, no exceptions, is not before 18. We grew up just fine without social media and my kids will too.
— Ron in Lake O, Oregon checks in on this one:
Good morning. Well if he already has the Apple Watch he is doomed so you may as well do the Apple Phone too.
Most schools have a no personal electronics during school hours policy now so kids seeing social media crap or texts from their friends doesn't, generally, happen between 0800 and 1600. You can take that statement with a grain of salt.
After and before school the group texts are huge and using an Apple phone magnifies it. Personally I loathe Apple for various reasons and we were LG and are now Google Phone family. Except for our daughter who is a sophomore in HS. She paid for an iPhone with her own money so she could be in her friends' text groups and also HAVE THE RIGHT COLOR TEXT BOX. Yep, peer pressure, FOMO, and the need to keep up even includes not being a greenie in a bluey world or the other way around.
You can monitor everything now though so at least you can see what he is doing.
— Chris B. in Johnson City is going through this in his household:
I have a fresh data point for you regarding kids getting phones. We just went through this in our house during the past few weeks.
For background, my wife’s phone developed an "anomaly" a few months ago. This meant that she had to turn her phone to landscape in order to text. She was growing frustrated with it but mine was fine. We had talked about getting the kids phones now that both are in middle school and stay after school for practices and such.
What really made us pull the trigger was my daughter making the cheer squad. At the first meeting, the girls were told to join an app and text group as the coach didn’t want texts from moms all the time. Being the youngest on the squad, and apparently the only one without a phone, my wife didn’t want to rock the boat. Verizon happened to send my wife an offer and, long story short, we got 4 new iPhone 16s.
Yes, my daughter (11) and son (13) have 16s. It all happened a little fast, but I’ve been a little surprised. After a few days the novelty started to wear off. I don’t think my son has sent a single text. He got a game and plays it occasionally. He’s more interested in his 3D printer. My daughter texts with a few friends and cousins and has, thus far, kept any boys from getting her number. (Apparently, if you respond to a text from a boy, it means you’re "dating.") It even seems like she is annoyed with checking the app and group text each night.
It should be interesting going forward. My wife set up all the parental controls and I enjoy laughing at the texts between middle school girls after the kids go to bed. Maybe knowing that your parents can go through your phone at any moment put a damper on getting a phone as a young kid.
— Joe M. says keep the kids out of text groups:
You do not want your kid in one of these text/Snapchat groups. The bullying kicks into high gear because everyone and their brother has a phone in sixth grade. However, the kids also use FaceTime to work on group projects, which is ridiculous. Ex wife bought my 12 year old a phone when he had an Apple watch, in the first week of 6th grade. The assistant principal had to get involved the three days into school, because a couple of girls kept adding him to text groups that he repeatedly tried to leave, etc.
This is also precisely when kids fall into the hole of YouTube and learn interesting things like how much instant money they can make starting a drop shipping business! Yes, it’s a scam, but YouTube is the gateway.
F cell phones for kids that aren’t driving. Nothing good comes from them. They can’t use them during school hours anyway in our school district. If it hasn’t happened in your district yet, it’s probably coming.
— Billy P. has thoughts here:
Hey Joe! Long time reader of Screencaps. Regarding kids and cell phones, I've been really happy with how it has worked out with my oldest (now 17). We started him on a flip phone in 6th grade, he had that all through middle school. Got him a cheap Android ($100) for freshman year and then the cheapest iPhone (SE) sophomore year.
This year he got a job so he's upgraded to the iPhone 15 because he pays for it. Never had a lost or broken phone. Also, no social media. My original plan was to let him get on when he was 16 but he must have grown tired of asking about it. Phones go on the charger an hour before bed and they charge them outside their rooms.
Youngest (13) currently has a flip phone. He says he's embarrassed about it so he constantly forgets to bring it with him to school (which is a plus in my mind). But he can still call his friends, text in group chats, and we can get in touch with him when we need to.
— Rob in Tennessee shares how this went in his house:
Hey Joe, responding to the question about the correct age for kids to get a cell phone. My kids weren't allowed to have one until age 13, and there were strict-but-reasonable rules that came with getting one:
1) no social media apps allowed; don't bring that nonsense into my house
2) gotta ask before watching youtube videos, as they're not all age-appropriate or productive
3) phone does not stay in your room at night (no kid needs that temptation after bedtime - charge it on the kitchen counter or whatever designated central place)
4) parents can inspect at any time. (Never had to snoop on my kids, but they follow the rules.)
5) break the rules, and the phone goes away - not a threat, it's a promise
The rules work. We've never had any issues with online bullying, self-esteem problems, or doing stupid stuff to get "likes" or attention. It's a win-win system, kids get to be able to communicate with you and not be a tech luddite or pariah amongst their peers, and you get to raise well-adjusted kids that aren't warped by tic-tok trends and unhealthy influences.
Screencaps reader finds himself at Augusta National for the second straight year
— Ricky A. writes:
Once in a lifetime experience has somehow morphed into two straight years at Augusta. From a friend being gracious with his four-ticket sweep to the Tuesday practice round last year (yes Joe I looked for you & crazy to find out you were no more than a hole away), to somehow having a last late cancellation of another friends family member lands me on the hallowed grounds for the first & second rounds.
Very surreal.
Notable observations: the area is still struggling. Once about 20 miles out driving in the damage around is very evident. Getting into Augusta still plenty of ravaged business buildings unable to reopen.
As for the course?
I obviously don’t recall each & every tree, nor am I an arborist, but there are numerous trees across the course leaning/massively trimmed/clearly replaced. That said? Course is immaculate & words never do it justice.
Apparently it’s spring break around here. Amazing to see these (high school-ish) aged kids up & at the course at the wee hours putting in working hours & staffing a lot of the retail areas. In addition: I don’t know what some of you all are putting into your bodies to do things to these bathrooms, but have mercy is it unbearable at times.
Yet these kids muscle up & keep the facilities running. No way what Bobby Jones had in mind when designing this place. Sheesh. Coolest thing? No clue what it’s called or even if they show it, but sat behind the green on 2, and there’s this black telescoping rod/whip deal that’s used to knock the sand off. Our entire group got more excited for this than any birdies made on the hole. Maybe it’s one of those things you just have to see to appreciate, but just seems like something primed for a TNML member looking for a high end detailing aid.
Been a wild past few days & greatly appreciate the opportunity. Let me end with this, never miss the opportunity if you have the ability to make it to the Master’s. If you don’t? The viewing experience from your home (or gathered with others elsewhere) is better than being at the course. Enjoy your taste kits for those lucky enough to score them.
Enjoy the viewing. Continue looking for ways to support those still in need of these areas. Thank you Joe & to those in Screencaps community for all you do.
Kinsey:
I was told by a local last year that it was Spring Break. Sounds like that's a yearly tradition, which makes sense for homeowners who rent out their places while they're on vacation.
Dan is the Masters patron who ran into Masters Anonymous Employee No. 1, who happens to be a Screencaps reader
— Dan in Mequon, Wisconsin writes:
Because of America's Greatest Daily Column (damn right), two random strangers standing next to each other at the 2024 Par 3 Contest in Augusta, Georgia discovered that one was a Masters (anonymous) contributor and the other a daily reader. Over a joke about a player's WAG we started a conversation, a realization of who the Master employee was, and now a friendship. In honor of that encounter, this year I had to toast my friend from my home in Wisconsin. But to continue the connection, Thursday, my son who was with me a year ago, attending this year's Masters stopped by to see Employee #1 pouring beers. Employee #1, keep the Masters intel and observations coming, and enjoy a beer on the patio at Augusta CC. The pictures from earlier this week looked great.
Joe, on Monday you displayed pictures from last year's Masters trip, and I couldn't help but notice that one was very similar to my picture from 2006. I didn't black out the ticket but it came from a Member who has subsequently passed, so I think I am safe.
I received the Wednesday newsletter and it was great. Enjoyed the list of books so keep it coming to our inboxes. I'll add the Daily Outkick that comes in the late afternoon is a nice summary of that day's columns and news bits. It gives me an opportunity to circle back on anything I missed.
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That is it for this Saturday morning. Helluva post for one that I slapped together at 6 a.m. after having myself a Bulleit old fashioned last night while watching Masters coverage.
Now it's time to get this day rolling. It's cold. It's sunny. It's not baseball weather. But, we're going to get out there and get these kids running and sucking air.
Go have a great Saturday.
Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com or use my personal Gmail.