Jason Bailey

We’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news: If you make a batch of caramel apples this Halloween, they might try to kill you. The good news: The only way to stop their murderous ways is to gorge on them immediately.

Seven people died last year from a Listeria outbreak caused by caramel apples. So the University of Wisconsin has been studying them to try to figure out WHY they’re good breeding grounds for bacteria.

They found that dipping an apple in hot caramel doesn’t kill all the bacteria on its skin. In fact, it adds a nice insulated layer for bacteria to grow and multiply. It’s especially bad if the apples are kept refrigerated for a long time after they’re made.

Bacteria can also form around the stick you shoved into the apple if they get enough time.

So . . . don’t give them the time. The scientists say if you wash your apples really well before you dip them in caramel, and then eat them within a few days, you’ll probably be safe from Listeria. Once they sit for weeks or longer, they enter the danger zone.

Of course, if you’re really worried about it, you should avoid caramel and candy apples altogether. After all, there ARE plenty of other ways to get diabetes-worthy amounts of sugar into your body at Halloween.

A new survey found the most popular Halloween candy in each state. And you might think, “Isn’t every candy Halloween candy? So it’s just the most popular candy in each state?” And the answer is . . . sort of.

Because five states picked candy that you really only eat around Halloween . . . candy corn came in first in Oregon, Wyoming, Texas, Tennessee, and South Carolina. No other candy won that many states.

But Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups got the most votes overall. Although they’re only number one in two states . . . Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, and Butterfinger were the only three that got votes from all 50 states.

The most random result is West Virginia . . . they picked Oreos as their favorite candy. Get it together, guys.

But the biggest surprise is probably Arizona . . . people there picked Toblerone. Who knew they were so fancy?

The Internet is making your brain sooooo lazy.

A new survey found HALF of Americans don’t even bother trying to remember information or facts anymore . . . we just instantly hop on Google and look it up.

And then . . . 29% of us immediately forget what we found.

The survey also found our phones are wrecking our ability to remember people’s numbers. Less than half of people know their significant other’s phone number now, and 29% don’t know their kids’ numbers.

And finally, 40% of people say their phone, quote, “contains everything they need to know.”

A paramedic in a dress that costs thousands of dollars is still a paramedic at the core.

Sarah Ray is a paramedic from Clarksville, Tennessee, and got married last Saturday. But while she and her new husband were driving to the reception, she got a call that her grandparents and father had gotten into a CAR accident.

So Sarah immediately sped to the scene and started helping . . . even though she was in her wedding dress.

It turns out someone had run a red light and crashed into her father and grandparents. Fortunately they all survived, although her grandma wound up with some bumps and bruises.

Sarah and her husband eventually made it to their reception . . . and her grandparents are back home in Indiana recovering.

What little things make a bad day better? I mean, besides cat videos.

A new survey found 90% of people think it’s the LITTLE things that can make a bad day better. Here are the top 10 . . .

1. Doing a good deed for someone.

2. Having a stranger do a random act of kindness for you.

3. Finding a bargain.

4. Getting a spontaneous hug.

5. Getting a compliment from a stranger.

6. A car stopping so you can cross the street.

7. Being greeted by your pet.

8. Getting a handwritten letter.

9. Hearing a good song on the radio.

10. A stranger saying hello.

Watch as this guy tries to pick up a girl using lines from Sam Hunt’s “Take Your Time.”

According to experts, taking a break from drinking can have huge health benefits, even if it’s only for a few weeks. Here are four things that happen when you stop . . .

1. You sleep better. One recent study found that drinking before bed increases alpha wave patterns in your brain, which usually happens when you’re awake but resting.

2. You end up with more money in your bank account. If you’re not hitting the bars every weekend, or stocking up on wine or cases of beer, obviously you’ll spend less.

3. You lose weight. A study in 2013 found that women ate 30% more after they had the equivalent of two drinks. And another study found men consume an extra 433 calories on days they drink a “moderate” amount . . . women consume 300 calories more.

4. Your skin looks healthier. Alcohol dehydrates you, which dries your skin out. Stopping drinking can also help with dandruff, eczema, and rosacea.

“Entertainment Weekly” put out a list of “The 25 Best TV Characters of the Past 25 Years,” but it’s not clear that it’s ranked from best to worst since they just have it as a slideshow on their site.

Some of the characters that made the list include Cookie from “Empire”, Olivia Pope from “Scandal”, and Walter White from “Breaking Bad”. Stephen Colbert also made the cut for the caricature of himself that he played on “The Colbert Report”.

Here’s the complete list:

1. Jack Bauer, “24”

2. Homer Simpson, “The Simpsons”

3. Buffy Summers, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

4. Tony Soprano, “The Sopranos”

5. Carrie Bradshaw, “Sex and the City”

6. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, “The X-Files”

7. Liz Lemon, “30 Rock”

8. Cosmo Kramer, “Seinfeld”

9. Ally McBeal, “Ally McBeal”

10. Stephen Colbert, “The Colbert Report”

11. Roseanne Conner, “Roseanne”

12. Felicity Porter, “Felicity”

13. Gob Bluth, “Arrested Development”

14. Olivia Pope, “Scandal”

15. Stewie Griffin, “Family Guy”

16. Omar Little, “The Wire”

17. Barney Stinson, “How I Met Your Mother”

18. Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, “Gilmore Girls”

19. Leslie Knope, “Parks and Recreation”

20. Don Draper, “Mad Men”

21. Coach Taylor, “Friday Night Lights”

22. Walter White, “Breaking Bad”

23. Cookie Lyon, “Empire”

24. Michael Scott, “The Office”

25. Rachel Green, “Friends”

EW.com has brief write-ups on each of them.

A guy in San Francisco got pulled over for not having a license plate on Wednesday, and took off running. It turned out the car was stolen, so that’s probably why. (We don’t know how old he is, but he looks like he’s in his 30’s.)

Anyway, he scaled a fence . . . ran into a building . . . went up to the third floor . . . got out on the window ledge . . . and threatened to jump.

So negotiators spent about three hours trying to talk him down. But he just sat there . . . until a family member showed up with his CAT. Once he saw it, he agreed to let police take him into custody.

And it wasn’t because his family was there . . . it was definitely all about the cat. The police even said it “assisted” with the negotiation, and was “paramount” in getting him to come down.

They haven’t released his name, or any charges yet. But a spokeswoman tweeted a picture of a cop with the cat and said, quote, “Never underestimate the power of [an] owner’s love for their pet.”

It’s finally fall . . . here are six reasons guys actually look better this time of year according to Cosmo.

1. Sweaters. Sweaters have a way of somehow making any guy look more intelligent.

2. Flannel shirts. Flannel makes men look more rugged . . . especially if you roll up the sleeves. Plus, they look good on pretty much any dude.

3. Pea coats. Every guy looks more sophisticated and better dressed in a nice pea coat.

4. Movember. It’s the time of year where even guys who probably shouldn’t have mustaches and beards try to grow them. And for the most part, it’s a good idea.

5. The weather. Colder temperatures make women want to cuddle, it’s just a fact. And when it’s cold out, guys just look warm. While THEY might think it’s lame, you don’t have to do a thing. So don’t mess it up.

6. They’re not wearing sandals all the time. Sorry guys, your feet are kind of nasty to look at in the summer.