Today Is Friday February 26th

Celeb Celebrating Birthdays Today

Eryka Badu 38; R&B Singer

Michael Bolton 57; Soft Rock Singer

Today is National...

For Pete's Sake Day

Personal Chef Day

Tips For Tipping

Have you ever wondered how much to tip someone for their service? Here are a few guidelines for proper tipping.
When at the hair salon; The shampoo person = $2 tip. The Stylist = 15-20% of the bill.
Food Retailers and Coffee Shops; No tip. Smaller food vendors that have tip jars typically pay employees at least min wage, but if you frequent the shop alot occasional tipping is a good way to say thanks.
Restaurant Servers; 15% pretax of bill. Because servers minimum wage is much lower, they rely on tips to bring their wage up.
Pizza Delivery; 10% of pretax bill. But can be debated, some say to tip 10-20% based on how difficult the delivery is.

According to Yahoo Finance, tipping is a way to reward someone for their service, typically you will receive great service, so the server gets a great tip.

Tiger Woods Dropped By Another Sponsor

As if Tiger hasn't had enough problems lately, just announced another major sponsor has called it quits. Gatorade just announced it is pulling the plug on their contract with Woods. A spokesperson for Gatorade said, "We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship. We wish him all the best." Gatorade says they will continue their relationship with the Tiger Woods Foundation. They wouldn't however comment on whether they terminated Woods because of recent drama of infidelity.

John Mayer Actually Does Good

After John Mayer's month of looking bad from a interview gone wrong with Playboy and accusations of being racist it was about time for him to do good. While performing a concert on Sunday Mayer saw a boy in the crowd with a sign that said, "Can I play 'Belief' with you?" Mayer invited the 11 year old boy up on stage and let him play guitar in front of 25,000 people. Austin, the little boy had a blast playing the song he practiced 2 years to learn. The fun didn't end there, after the concert Mayer let Austin keep the Squier guitar and picks. He also autographed the guitar with the message "To Austin, You rock. Keep playing. See you at your show."

That was actually cool of John Mayer to do that, hopefully he did it because he wanted to make the kids day and not to look good for the public.

Today Is Thursday February 25th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Carrot Top 45; Comedian, known for his red hair

Ric Flair 61; WWE Pro Wrestler

Sally Jessy Raphael 75; Former talk show host

Today is National...

National Chili Day

*Chili sounds so good right now, I bet it would knock the cold right out of me*

GM To Shut Down Hummer

General Motors the maker of the big framed, gas guzzling SUV, Hummer will be shutting down that line of vehicles. They attempted a last minute buy out to a heavy machinery company in China, but that deal couldn't be completed before the deadline so it was scratched.
The popularity of Hummers have diminished a lot over the last four years since gas prices jumped. In 2006 over 71,000 Hummers were sold then in December of 2009 only 325 units sold, a decrease of 85% in one year. These vehicles are not inexpensive either, starting price is $42,500 and can go up to $63,000.
GM says they will continue to service and warranty the Hummer line of products, and will make the phase out process as easy as possible for customers and employees.

Math Teacher Saves Lives During School Shooting

On Tuesday there was an all to familiar nightmare that shook Littleton Colorado. A gunman stood outside a school in Littleton taking shots at students. It is extremely lucky for everyone that the schools math teacher David Benke was able to keep his wits about him. He was able to recognize that the gunman was using a bolt action rifle, and that he would have enough time between shots to get close enough to take him down. And that is exactly what he did, he was able to tackle the gunman until police could arrest him. Benke says that after the first shooting the school system did training drills for this kind of thing, he said if the situation ever came up again he would want to do what he could to help. Even though Benke was able to get the gunman to the ground, he still wishes he could have done more because two kids were shot before he could get to the shooter. Both students will recover from their injuries.
This same town got turned upside down 11 years ago when we all heard about the Combine school shooting. Luckily no life was lost during this incident, and the gunman... he is facing to charges of attempted murder.

Whale Responsible For Trainers Death

Well Sea Worlds killer whale has lived up to its name yesterday, after dragging a trainer into its pool and drowning her. According to CNN, the whales name is Tillikum and is 11,000 pounds and is 22 feet long. The accident occurred after a show at Sea World, when the trainer was just hanging out petting and hugging the whale. Witnesses said they saw the whale grab her by the waist and drag her underwater and pushed and played with her until she drowned. The trainer was 40 year old Dawn Brancheau, one of the most experienced trainers. Apparently this is not the first accident that Tillikum has been responsible for, back in 1999 a 27 year old man hid in the park until after it closed then jumped in the tank with the whale. Tillikum, not being used to having people in its tank. thought he was a toy and played with him until he drowned.

*I just hope that they do not destroy the whale because of this, its not the whales fault. Someone scooped him out of the ocean and put him in captivity. They gave him a little tank and taught him to dance for a crowd, not typical behavior for a whale in the wild. Then they wonder why bad things happen when they play around with wild animals.

Today is Wednesday February 24th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Kristin Davis 45; Actress 'Sex and the City'

George Thorogood 60; Singer 'Bad to the Bone'

Today is National...

Inconvenience Yourself Day

Best & Worst Fast Food French Fries

The guys from Mens Health Magazine and the authors of 'Eat This, Not That' have found the best and the worst fast food french fries. They have broke the taters into different groups to help you make better food choices.

*Worst Curly Fries- belongs to Arby's @ 640 calories per serving. What to order instead; small homestyle fries, only 350 calories per serving.

*Worst Wedge Fries- belongs to Jack-In-The-Box; Bacon Cheddar Wedges @ 715 calories per serving. What to order instead; Grilled Chicken Strips w/ Salsa @ 185 calories.

*Worst fries for your blood pressure- belongs to Dairy Queen; Chili Cheese Fries @ 1,240 calories! What to order instead; Regular french fries @ 310 calories per serving.

The winner of the best fast food fries in America is... McDonalds! Their small order of fries is only 230 calories.

Johnny Depp Tries To Free Convicted Murderers

Actor Johnny Depp is taking time out from promoting his new movie Alice In Wonderland to try and get a new trail for three convicted murderers. Back in 1993 three teenagers were convicted of killing 3 children. The trio of teenagers were dubbed the 'West Memphis 3'. Depp truly believes that these three people are innocent and have been spending the years in jail and even on death row wrongfully. Depp cites a botched crime scene, a mishandled investigation, and too much media coverage for them to get a fair trial. Depp will be appearing on the TV show '48 Hours Mystery' to promote his thoughts on their innocence and hope for re-trial. The show will air this Saturday night.

Charlie Sheen Takes Time Off- Back To Rehab

According to thewrap.com Charlie Sheen will be taking time off from the TV show 'Two and a Half Men' to check into a rehab facility. Sheen's publicist says his stay at rehab is for "preventative measures", and wouldn't issue any other comment on why he is going.

Much of Charlies recent publicity has occurred because shortly after Christmas Charlie Sheen and wife Brooke Mueller went through a 'domestic issue' and Brooke went to rehab at that time.

Now Charlie will be going to rehab, meaning filming of 'Two and a Half Men' is suspended. Producers of the show say they fully support him and hope he works through his issues. Depending on how long he is in treatment, producers think they have enough new episodes already taped so there wont be any interruption of the show.

Today is Tuesday February 23rd

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Dakota Fanning 16; Actress

Michael Dell 45; Founder of Dell Computers

Patricia Richardson 59; Actress Jill from 'Home Improvement'

Peter Fonda 71; Actor

Today is National...

Curling is Cool Day

Bristol Palin Taking Up Acting?

Daughter to Sarah Palin, young teenage mother Bristol Palin will be making an appearance on the ABC's Family Channels TV show 'The Secret Life Of The American Teenager'. Bristol says she is "Thrilled to be on this show and to be a part of a program that educates teens and young adults about the consequences of teen pregnancy". The show will air sometime this summer.
Lately Bristol has been going on talk shows and making appearnces to try and educate and encorage young adults about teenage pregnancy. Bristol has also vowed not to have sex again until she is married, and is encouraging other teens to think the same way.
What do you think... is her agenda a good thing, or is she trying to stay in the spotlight?

Wisconsin Man Commutes 1000 Miles To Work

Michael Hanley from Janesville Wisconsin drives 1000 miles each week just to hang onto his job. Hanley worked at the GM dealership in Janesville for 23 years until it shut down last year. After that he was faced with the hard choice of trying to find a job like all the other plant workers and try to make the same wage of $28/hour or follow the job to keep his pay and his benefits. In his eyes only one option, follow the job. The job now located in Fairfax Kansas is where he drives to every week, it 530 miles each way, about 16 hours of driving a week. There is a lot of stress in the family since the change in location, but he says they need the insurance due to his wife's illness that need costly treatments. Hanley just keeps in mind that if he sticks with this for another 18 months he can retire at 50 years old and take GM's retirement package and get back to spending time with his family.
That is dedication.

Thanks To Facebook, Betty White May Host SNL

Since December of 2009 many Facebook fans have been rallying together to get Betty White to host an episode of Saturday Night Live. A group was started called 'Betty White to host SNL (PLEASE)' and since its start over 425,000 members have joined. If she comes to the show she would be taking part in an episode honoring 'women in comedy' and they would also bring back Tina Fey and Molly Shannon. There is some concern whether Betty can physically handle doing the show they fear that at 88 years old, setting the record as the oldest host, there might be to much involved for her to handle. To do one SNL there is a week of prep, then a full dress rehearsal and a live taping in front of a live audience. It will be interesting to see if she in fact listens to her Facebook fans and does the show.

Today is Monday February 22nd 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Drew Barrymore 35; Actress

Today is National...

Single-Tasking Day

*Stop being efficient for today... just pick one thing and do it well*

Doctors Want To Change Hot Dogs

According to Yahoo Health; pediatricians want the food industry to change the shape of hot dogs and certain candies to help prevent child choking hazards, they are also pushing for warning labels on the packaging. Doctors say they know what sizes and shapes cause the highest risk of choking for kids, they say that cylindrical and round shaped foods have the highest hazard. Hard candy that is round shaped is bad and are hoping to get them changed to a flat shape. I can understand changing candy... but after hot dogs have had the same shape for so long wouldn't it seem unappealing to see them in some different shape? Could you imagine a hot dog patty?

Why Ohno Yawns Before Each Race...

Last weekend many of us watched speed skater Apollo Ohno skate amazingly awesome and win the silver medal. But if you noticed during warm ups and even right up to the races Ohno seemed incredibly calm, so calm in fact that he was yawning as he approached the start line. Many people thought that he was just not that excited, in fact he was bored to be there. Actually it is quit the opposite. Ohno was nervous just like everyone else but the yawning? He does that on purpose. Yahoo Sports did a little investigating and while talking to one of Ohno's friends found that he yawns before a race to get as much oxygen into his lungs as possible before rushing across the ice. Ohno confirmed that saying 'It gets the oxygen in and the nerves out."

Jimmie Johnson... Another Great Year To Come?

Yesterday was the Auto Club 500 Sprint Cup NASCAR race from Fontana California. Taking the checkered flag after holding of Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson wins the race. This victory makes his 5th win at Fontana and his 48th career win. This is a great way to follow up last years season and a great way to kick off 2010.

Next week... Racing action from Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Will Jamie McMurry and Jimmie Johnson's good luck continue? Will Danica Patrick make a good run? check back for more details.

Today is Friday February 19th 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Seal 47; Singer and married to Heidi Klum

Jeff Daniels 55; Actor 'Dumb and Dumber'

Smokey Robinson 70; Singer

Teen Wins $60,000 For Text Messaging

16 year old Iowa teenager Kate Moore is a serious texter... but instead of racking up the cell phone bill she is racking up prize money. Moore entered the LG U.S. National Texting Championship winning a total of $60,000 in prize money in the last year. The competition is harder then just sending short little messages. They are challenged to text phrases like the 'Zippity Do Dah' jingle from Mary Poppins. Moore was able to text the whole jingle in less than 60 seconds. Her quick texting skills are what helped her and her partner place second behind a team from Korea. What did she do with the money? Well being responsible she put a lot of it in savings, then bought a new laptop and some clothes. She is considering taking her family on a vacation and donating some of it. Who would have thought texting could be a money making opportunity.

Oddest Olympic Injury

We are used to hearing about all sorts of injuries that occur during at the Olympics, injuries like torn ACL's, sprained ankles and ripped shoulder muscles. However I have just heard about the weirdest injury yet, and it didn't even happen during a sporting event. During a photo shoot German luger, David Moeller chipped his tooth after he bit his Olympic medal. It is a tradition that you bite the tip of your medal for photographs, but he went a little to hard and chipped the tip of his front tooth resulting in an emergency visit to the dentist.

Today is Thursday February 18th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Jillian Michaels 36; 'Biggest Loser' Fitness freak

Molly Ringwald 42; Actress 'Breakfast Club'

Dr. Dre 45; Rapper

Matt Dillon 36; Actor 'Something About Mary'

Vanna White 53; Letter turner for Wheel of Fortune

John Travolta 56; Actor

Cybill Shepard 60; Actress

Yoko Ono 77; Musician

Today is National...

Introduce A Girl To Engineering Day

Pluto Day

Anniversary of the First Cow Milked While Flying

Big Announcement Coming To Facebook Fan Page!

If you like weeknights on Magic 105, get more by becoming a fan of my show on Facebook. I'll get you extra celeb gossip, invites to parties and events... and the opportunity to win 'Fan Only' prizes.

I have a very exciting announcement coming to my fan page on Monday... something you definitely don't want to miss out on. But the only way to know what the big news is, is to become a fan. I have made it super easy to do... just click the Facebook link here on my blog and it will take you right to the fan page.

Zamboni Machine Trucked In Fix Olympic Ice

After Monday nights delay during the 500 meter speed skating events, due to broken ice resurfacers, a special trip was made to truck in a Zamboni brand resurfacer from Calgary to fix the ice at the Vancouver Olympics. It turns out that the Olympic committee for these ice events chose to go with a Canadian based resurfacing company instead of the Zamboni brand to cut costs, even though their budget allowed them to spend the money. Zamboni is the most popular and reliable company for ice resurfacing, so much so that they have been used in past winter Olympics like those held in Torino and Lillihammer. The Zamboni is also environmentally friendly for those who were concerned, it is a battery powered electric machine. Many contenders are very upset and some even dropped out of the competition.

Gaga Could Put Akon Into Retirement

Recording artist Akon says with all of Lady Gaga's success he could retire... but he wont. When major record labels dropped Lady Gaga as an artist, her and Akon crossed paths at just the right time. He just started his own record label called KonLive, saw Gaga and just knew she would be big. With a little bit of faith Gaga has been very good for Akon, she turned out to be one of the top selling artists of 2009. Akon is still recording, in fact he has a new album set to release this year, and one of the many featured artists on it... Lady Gaga.

Today is Wednesday February 17th 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Paris Hilton 29; Why is she famous again?

Jerry O'Connell 36; Actor 'Sliders'

Billie Joe Armstrong 38 ; Singer, Green Day

Denise Richards 38; Actress 'Wild Things'

Michael Jordan 47; NBA player

Rene Russo 56; Actress 'Lethal Weapon'

Today is National...

Ash Wednesday

My Way Day

World Human Spirit day

PTA Founders Day

Dog Show Last Night

Last night there was lots of primping, fluffing, brushing, hair spraying and clipping. No this is not the dressing room of the Miss America Pageant, this is the dressing room for the Westminster Dog Show. Many many dogs took the ring at Madison Square Garden in New York last night. The best of the best for all breeds were on hand..err on paw... to find the top dog of the year. Of course I had to check out the competition for the hunting dogs and the working dogs, those groups include the Labrador retriever and the doberman. For some reason I seem to favor those breeds (My little Nos and Holly wouldn't have anything to do with that). The dobe did take best in show for the working dog class, and the lab took forth as a hunting dog. The big winner of night was, Sadie the Scottish Terrier.

Pregnant Olympian

There has only been two women before this year that have taken part in the Olympics while pregnant. The first was 90 years ago, Magda Julin was in her first trimester when she won the gold in figure skating. The other was Diana Sartor who took fourth in Skeleton in 2006. This year at 5 1/2 months pregnant Kristie Moore will participate in the Olympics. Moore is an alternate for Canada's curling team. Moore is very much showing a healthy baby bump, but her team is not worried, in fact they invited her on the team knowing she was pregnant. Now Moore will most likely not get to take the ice because she is an alternate, meaning she only plays if one of the starters is unable to. But if the need arises she is ready to go, and if Canada medals Moore will receive one as well.

Nicole Richie Getting Married

Nicole told David Letterman on Monday that she is getting married. Richie, who has been dating Joel Madden from the band Good Charlotte since 2006, they have two children together, 2 year old Harlow and 5 month old Sparrow. Madden confirmed the engagement via Twitter saying, "Yeah we've been engaged for a while so your all kind of late on that."

Nicole has been active it all of the wedding planning and the ceremony is planned for sometime this summer. Oh yeah and her engagement ring is said to be valued at $250,000!

Today is Tuesday February 16th 2010

Celebs Celebrating a Birthday Today

Ice-T 52; Rapper & Actor 'Law & Order SVU'

LaVar Burton 53; Actor 'Star Trek Next-Gen'

Today is National...

International Pancake Day

Mardi Gras

*Everyday is Pancake Day for me... I LOVE pancakes!*

Celine Dion Returns To Vegas For Three More Years

Dion is returning to Las Vegas after leaving to go on her 'Taking Chances' world tour. That tour wrapped up last year and now after three years of being on the road, Dion is returning to Caesars Palace Theatre.

Her new contract which begins in March of 2011, is for performing 70 shows a year for the next three years and all that has been said is that it is a "multi-million dollar deal". Dions last contract grossed about $400 million dollars.

How To Save $$ On Your Phone Bill

Are your shocked or unhappy with your phone bill when you open it? Do you often rack up extra fees for overages? Here are some tips on how you can save some extra money on your phone bills.

Do you have a cell phone and a land line? If so you may want to consider dropping the land line and just use your cell phone to place local and long distance calls. The downfall; if you need to call 911. 911 can track your location from a land line a lot faster than cell numbers.

You may also want to consider dropping your land line to a basic package; no long distance, and few options. This package can cost as little as $15 a month and still allows calls to 911.

Internet phone options; Services like Magicjack, Vonage, and Skype allow you to make your calls using your computers modem for prices ranging from $2.95 to $25.00 a month. However some of these companies allow advertising to pop-up on your computer.

Re-evaluate your cell phone plan; look at how many minutes, texts, and pics you use in a month. You may be able to downsize to a more affordable plan. However if you are always going over in minutes or texts, the cost of a bigger plan may be cheaper than your overage fees.

According to MSN Money.

Madonna To Direct Movie

According to Variety, Madonna will be taking to the director's chair very soon. The movie is called "W.E." and it is about King Edward VIII and his romance with Wallis Simpson. Madonna told Variety that Vera Farmiga (from the movie Up In The Air) will be playing Simpson. As of right now no one is lined up to play King Edward.

This is not Madonnas first attempt at directing, she also did the movie "Filth and Wisdom".

Today is Monday February 15th 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Renee O'Connor 39; Actress, 'Xena Warrior Princess'

Matt Groening 56; Creator of 'The Simpsons'

Jane Seymour 59; Actress 'Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman'

Today is National...

Presidents Day

*Most gov't and federal offices closed, no mail delivered today*

Facebook Fan

I would like to thank all you listeners for your feedback over the last couple weeks since I became your voice for the weeknights. I am always looking for your feedback, questions, comments, and even requests. Now I have made it even easier to contact me, I have a setup a Facebook Fan Page. So if you like the show and want to get in on extra discussions, stories, and even contests become a fan of the show. I have included on link here on my blog to Facebook to make it extra easy to become a fan. Again thanks for your support and feedback.

Jamie McMurry Wins Daytona 500

The Great American Race, The Super Bowl of NASCAR, The First Big Race, no matter what you call it, the Daytona 500 is what truly kicks off the NASCAR season. This years Daytona 500 was held yesterday. The race was filled with red flags and even road construction. During the race around lap 123 a 15 inch pothole formed in the track between turns 1 and 2. The race was red flagged while track officials attempted to fix it, resulting in a two hour delay. The repair did not last long less than 30 laps later to hole reopened resulting in another 40 minute delay.
Putting the road construction aside, it was a surprising race. Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. back? He had a great run coming up through the pack for a drag race to the finish against Jamie McMurry. Earnhardt crossed the checkered in 2nd place. A great start for him, hopefully he has a good season underway. Jamie McMurry, driver of the Bass Pro Shop #1 car took the checkered flag after starting in 13th place. It was a very good day for him.
Next NASCAR race is next Sunday from Fontana for the AutoClub 500.

This Weekend Kicked Off Winter Olympics

Opening ceremonies were on Friday night for the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver Canada. Only one minor flaw with the torch lighting portion, just three of the four towers stood up to form the main torch, the fourth was stuck under the stadium floor. If that is the worst thing that happened, I'd say opening ceremonies were a success. The weekend was filled with skiing, and jumping, and skating, and lugeing. Some of the women's skiing events had to be postponed due to rain, melting snow, and fog. Those events will be held later this week. The highlight of the weekend... Apollo Ohno won the silver medal is speed skating, it was totally awesome to watch. It was his third Winter Olympics, he is only 27 years old, and now has 6 Olympic medals, enough to tie Bonnie Blair for the most medals received.

Today is Friday February 12th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Jennifer Stone 17; Actress- Wizards of Waverly Place

Christina Ricci 30, Actress- Addams Family & Casper

Arsenio Hall 50; Former late night talk show host

Judy Blume 72- Author of youth books

Today is National...

Backyard Bird Count Day

John Mayer Breaks Down Into Tears During His Concert

While giving a concert in Nashville John Mayer broke into a speech while in the middle of one of his songs. Mayer apologized for his behavior in the past and to all the people he has hurt along the way during his fame. This all was sparked after and interview Mayer gave to Playboy. Apparently he acted liked a pig. He made very personal and explicit comments about his ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson. He also made some racists comments even using the 'N word'. After the interview Mayer tried damage control via Twitter, but apparently it didn't cure his guilty feelings. During his concert on Wednesday Mayer tearfully announced he would 'quit the media game' he 'just wants to play his guitar'.

What do you think... heartfelt or another media stunt?

President Clinton Hospitalized

According to Associated Press, 63 year old former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized in New York for chest pains yesterday. It turns out Clinton had a clogged artery and had 2 stents inserted to correct the problem. Clintons' advisor Douglas Brand said he "is in good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery effort."

Doctors explained that this isn't unexpected, and that blockages tend to develop 5-10 years after a bypass surgery. In 2004 Clinton underwent a quadruple bypass to repair badly clogged arteries.

Deadliest Catch Captain Phil Harris Dies

At age 53 Captain Phil Harris from the Discovery Channels hit reality show 'The Deadliest Catch' has passed away. According to the Associated Press the captain of the Cornelia Marie suffered a major stroke on January 29th while at St Paul Island, Alaska. On the website for the Cornelia Marie, the family made comments that on Saturday he was improving by talking to friends and family and showing progress. As of right now no other information is available.

*I'm sad from this news, I love that show and Captain Phil was my favorite. Here is some background. 'The Deadliest Catch" has filmed for 5 seasons now, showing the lifestyle of crab fishing in the Bearing Sea off of Alaska. If you remember 2 seasons ago we were introduced to Captain Phil's health problems when a huge storm tossed their boat around the sea. Phil was thrown from his bed and thought when he hit the dresser in his room that he had cracked some ribs. We later discovered that the chain smoking, Red Bull guzzling captain had suffered a blood clot from his leg traveled through his heart and into his lungs. He almost died. *

Now two years later his kids made the statement, "It is with great sadness we say goodbye to our dad- Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end."

Today is Thursday February 11th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Taylor Lautner 18; Actor in Twilight: New Moon

Kelly Rowland 29: Sing from Destiny's Child

Brandy 30; Actress and Singer

Sarah Palin 46; Politician?

Sheryl Crow 47; Singer

Burt Reynolds 74; Actor from Smokey and the Bandit

Today is National...

White Shirt Day

Satisfied Staying Single Day

Pro Sports Wives Day

Be Electrific Day

Angelina Jolie Heads To Haiti

After taking in the Saints/Colts game on Sunday, Jolie hopped a plane and flew to the Dominican Republic on Monday. Her trip as a UN goodwill ambassador included a visit to a hospital in the Dominican Republic to meet with earthquake victims. Then she met with the Dominican President Leonel Fernandez. On Tuesday she went into Haiti to see the devestation and damage from the earthquake. Angelina and husband Brad Pitt have donated $1 million to the emergency medical operation in Haiti.

Does Unplugging Your Electronics Really Save Money?

We have all heard that if you unplug electronics when you're not using them, you will save money on your electric bill... but is this really true? According to YahooGreen it is common knowledge that appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off and still plugged in. The fact is, yes it will help you save money, but can be annoying and difficult to remember. Some easy ones to remember are cell phone and laptop chargers, but the big electronics like T.V.s and gaming consoles can be harder to do. Your gaming consoles like PS3's and X-Boxes can use the same amount of energy when sitting idle or playing games, so remember to unplug those. One easy solution is to plug everything into a power strip, then you can switch everything off at once.

There are some other ways to save money on your electric bill with out unplugging everything. Set the power save mode on your computer, it will use less energy and is better for your computer by helping it run cooler. Wash your laundry in cool water, it will cut down on the work load of your hot water heater, and is better for the life of your clothes. And the fail safe, shut off the lights when you leave a room.

Happy savings!

Alright Guys, The Big Day Is Just Around The Corner

With Valentines Day Lingering in the very near future, there is one question to ask... are you ready? If you have a special someone in your life and you want to spoil them in love tokens, or give one meaningful gift, here are some ideas to making your shopping trip a little easier.

According to ForbesWoman, here are a couple of gifts that she will either want or need and each are affordable.

1) $10.00- She loves her IPod, so why not surprise her with a new pair of earbuds.

2) $50.00- Charmed jewelry, bracelets and rings with charms are very popular, try to find one with an anchor shaped charm. The anchor is a nontraditional symbol of love.

3) $50.00- A warm button-up sweater, she will love that she can cuddle up with your gift all winter.

4) $100.00- Digital photo frame, a great way to brag to her office friends, but remember to load it up with great photos of you two.

Remember V-Day is Sunday, if all else fails plan a nice home cooked meal, maybe a foot massage, and a chick flick. A great way to make the day all about her, while keeping it inexpensive.

Today Is Wednesday February 10th 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

George Stephanopoulos 49; Good Morning America co-host

Today is National...

Plimsoll Day

*Ya, I didn't know what that was either... so I looked it up.

The day honors Samuel Plimsoll, an old guy from the 1800's who

developed the Unseaworthy Ships Bill, to prevent overloaded sea ships.

It could also honor the Plimsoll shoes, aka sneakers.

You can decide which is more fun to celebrate*

Would You Give Your Dog CPR?

A recent poll was taken on pet owners to see who would be willing to give mouth-to-muzzle to save their pet. According to Associated Press 58% of pet owners (63% dog owners, 53% cat owners) said they would try CPR on their pet in the event of an emergency.

This isn't something you would typically think of doing to your pet, but the truth is the procedure isn't much different that what is done to people, size is the biggest difference. Did you know that there are pet first aid classes? and having a pet first aid kit for your house is available? Many people think of their pets as kids and would do the extreme to help save their lives.

I once saw on TV a guy give mouth-to-mouth to baby deer that wasn't breathing after he did a crude C-section to get him out of his moms belly after she had been hit by a car. It was one of the most amazing things to watch, he ended up saving the fawns life!

Do you have any amazing pet survival stories? If so please share with me.

Can Soda Cause Cancer?

A study was conducted in Singapore following around 60,000 test subjects for 14 years monitoring who drank soda and who preferred juice. The study showed that those who drank two or more soda a day had a 87% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer then those who didn't drink any soda. Researchers found there was no link between juice and pancreatic cancer, probably because it has a less effect on glucose and insulin levels. Of course there are different factors that were factored into the study such as personal health, smoker status, diet, and exercise.

And of course the soft drink industry disputes the findings.

I think;

Who can really know what causes what, there is so many differences in each of us individually...

What Happens To The Unused Colts Tees And Hats?

Well by now life for most of us are back to normal after the Big Game on Sunday, but have you ever wondered what happened to the unused Indy Colts memorabilia? At the Super Bowl there is a supply on hand of t-shirts and hats for both teams, so the winning team can instantly wear their winning Super Bowl clothing. But what happens to the stuff for the team that doesn't win? In the past I would have thought (since we are good at being wasteful at times) the shirts and hats would have been thrown away. Much to my surprise and approval the unused clothing is shipped to 3rd world countries and donated to the people there. That is a great way to not be wasteful and to do some good somewhere else, because after all we are talking about hundreds maybe even thousands of unused hats and tees. This year the clothing will be donated a little closer to home... they will be donated to the people of Haiti.

Do you think this is a good thing?

Today is Tuesday February 9th 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

David Gallagher 25; Child Actor from 7th Heaven

Travis Tritt 47; Country singer

Joe Pesci 67; Actor from Goodfellas

Today is National...

Extraterrestrial Culture Day

*Celebrated in New Mexico, but I'm always open for another reason to celebrate...

Do you think E.T. would like a cake?*

Michael Jackson's Doctor Goes Down For Manslaughter

Yesterday afternoon prosecutors charged Dr. Conrad Murray with involuntary manslaughter for death of singer Michael Jackson. Murray has been a prime suspect in the death of Jackson after the coroner ruled his death due to propofol and lorazepam, both heavy sedatives. The charge means that Murray is responsible for his death but did it "unlawfully and without malice" said the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.

If Murray is convicted he will only have to spend a short time in jail, and sure his professional career is probably over, but tell me if you think this is fair...

Murray is found guilty he will serve up to four short years in prison... Michael Jackson will still be dead forever.

Tell me if you think 4 years is long enough for purposing being irresponsible.

Avatar Knocked Off Top Of List

After 7 long weeks as the #1 movie, Avatar has finally been knocked down. So what movie is now #1? The new romantic comedy called 'Dear John'. Pulling in a large number of young females Dear John grossed $32.4 million over the weekend. Avatar earned another $23.6 million bringing in a total of $630.1 million, beating Titanic for highest grossing movie by almost $30 million.

Worlds Tallest Tower Closes To Visitors

The newly opened, worlds tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa has unexpectedly closed its observation platform with no definite reasoning. The tower is sitting empty right now and the only part that has been opened to the public was the observation area on the half mile high building. After stating the platform closed because of unexpected high traffic, then changed to a generic reason of electrical problems, no one is really sure of the extent of the electrical problems, what all is effected, or when the building will reopen. We do know that Contractors are working on the problem.

The building was built to help bring tourism to Dubai, people have already stood in line and bought advance tickets (at about $27 each) to travel to the top. Now they are standing in line again to get a refund. The building stands about 160 stories high (yet the exact number is not known) and the observation deck is located on the 124th floor.

Today Is Monday February 8th 2010

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Seth Green 36, Actor from movies like Austin Powers

Gary Coleman 42, Childhood TV actor

Vince Neil 49, Lead sing of Motley Crue

Ted Koppel 70, Newcaster "Nightline"

Today is National...

Boy Scouts Day

&

Laugh and Get Rich Day

Snow Piles Up In The Nations Capital

One of the biggest snow storms in history has just struck the east coast, blanketing Washington D.C. and surrounding areas with up to 3 feet of snow! The snow storm has once again called off work and classes for the federal government offices and schools in the area. Travel is almost impossible and power has been knocked out to thousands of people. Utility companies say it could be days before power is restored. More bad news is on the way for the east, as more snow is scheduled to fall over the next few days. Imagine what a mess it would be if they got a blast of warm weather, where would all that melted snow go?
We need to keep our shovels handy here as well, being we are in the line of fire of a slow moving snow storm. Drive careful!

Were The Ads From The Big Game Funny Or A Flop?

With the Big Game done and gone what are your thoughts? Even if you weren't interested in the teams, many people tune in each year to check out most expensive and most exciting commercials of the year... But this year are they up par with past ads? I can honestly say that this year, none of the commercials are standing out in my minds are being as good as usual. Of course most people are talking about the Snickers and Dorito ads as being the best, and showing disappointment with the Budweiser Clydesdale's, and has the funniness of the talking babies from E-Trade worn off?

Big talk also came with the surprise commercial starring David Letterman, Oprah, and Jay Lenno. When originally planning the spot they hoped that Connan o'brien would join them, but were told that Connan's people weren't in a place were they could make decisions like that yet.

What were your favorites and non=favorites? Personally of all that were shown, I have to say my fav was the Budweiser Clydesdale's with the long horn calf. Let me know what you think.

The Saints Are Marching Home As Super Bowl Champs!

Who dat?! For the first time ever the New Orleans Saints not only made it to the Super Bowl, but they competed, and won! The Saints are the 2010 NFL champs. I don't think there is any team that deserved this better then them. Sure I would have been awesome to see the Packers hit the field in Miami, but I think the Saints really needed this. The scores were pretty close all game long, but of course the 4th quarter was the most exciting. The saints were up, but what sealed the deal was the interception that resulted in the saints running it back for a touchdown. That thrown interception was very Favre-like of Manning. Mardi Gras has definitely started early in New Orleans.

Celebs Secret Talents

We all know that our favorite celebs are great at acting, or singing, or dancing, or a combination of all three, but what are they're hidden talents?

Here are a few of your fav's with their hidden skills.

Did you know....

Former game show host Bob Barker cannot only tell you if the "price is right", but he can also whoop your booty because he is well trained in karate.

Actress Geena Davis, played in movies like "A League Of Their Own", but off set she is a very skilled archer and was an Olympics archery team semi-finalist.

Debra Messing learned how to juggle in college when she took a circus performer class.

Zac Efron has his living room set up like a skate park with ramps and all because he has mad skills on his skate board.

Sean "Diddy" Combs Launching A Business School

According to msn.com rap mogul Diddy (Sean Combs) who has been there and done it all, is starting his own business school in New York. Diddy started as a rapper and a record company intern, then became CEO of his own label Bad Boy Records, then CEO of his own clothing line Sean John, created a reality show for MTV, and owns his own restaurant. Now he wants to share the secrets of success with up-and-coming entrepreneurs, at the academy that he is creating. In a surprising statement to CCN Combs says, "I want to have an academy that is known for building leaders. I feel that is one thing I can have an impact on." Combs says that he is determined to be a good role model for youngsters.

What It Costs To Be An Olympian

With the 2010 Winter Olympics just around the corner this month, other than having lots of talent, I thought a little info on what it takes to make it to the Olympics might be interesting.

According to Forbes.com the investment into an athlete is staggering.

*First off there is the investment of dedication. Most Olympic contenders are still young and in high school or college. Educations are often interrupted or sacrificed with the kids either dropping out of school or barely attending, and completion of college is almost unheard of.

*Then there is the financial investment. So much money goes into equipment, training, gym time, travel, and dues. Depending on the sport and what is involved to get to an elite level determines how much you spend. A speed skater can spend $13,500 a year. Downhill skiers spend from $6000-$30,000 a year. Figure skating can cost the most with the private ice time, lessons, costumes, and equipment you're looking to spend over $100,000!

*Are there "bargin" Olympic sports? On the lower end of the spending range is cross country skiing and curling, lower equipment costs and more financial backing helps keep the costs low.

Today is Friday February 5th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Marilyn Manson 42: Shock Rocker

Diane Keaton 65: Actress

Robert Duvall 80: Actor

Today is National...

Bubble Gum Day

Wear Red Day

Weatherperson's Day

Today is Thursday February 4th

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Natalie Imbruglia 35: Singer

Oscar De La Hoya 37: Olympic boxer

Alice Cooper 62: Rock singer

Dan Quayle 63: Former US Vice President

Today is National...

Quacker Day

Pinch Pennies Not Quality For Valentines Day

V-Day is just around the corner (Sunday Feb 14th), do you have a special sweety that you want to show your love too? With todays economy everyone wants to save a few bucks, but you don't want to sacrifice the quality of your love token. Here are a few tips on surviving Valentines Day.

When surprising her with flowers...

*Get a weekday delivery: This year V-Day is on a Sunday, save money on delivery fees and have her flowers delivered during the week. Besides it will make all her co-workers jealous when they see her getting flowers at work.

*Mix it up: The less roses in the bouquet the cheaper, mixing in different types of flowers can cut the cost, and can even look more impressive.

*Go with a single stem: Surprise your sweety with one single rose, it still makes a romantic statement and saves you more money for dinner or a night out.

6 Things You Use That Are Way Overpriced... Part II

As promised according to CNNmoney.com here are more items and services that have an enormous markup.

4) Name-brand pain killers: Is it worth paying more for a pain killer that is in a bottle that you saw on TV, or are you willing to save money by buying generic? A name brand bottle of ibuprofen can cost aprox $8.49 and the same dosage and count of generic (store brand) ibuprofen can cost aprox $5.29, that is a 60% markup. Is generics safe? FDA mandates that generics have to be just as safe as name brand.

5) Wine at a restaurant: Enjoying a bottle of wine at a restaurant can cost you about 6 times as much as it would to enjoy at home. Restaurants typically mark up a bottle 500%. Cheaper wines are sold at three times their regular retail price and expensive wines marked up two times as much. Maybe staying home isn't that bad of an idea.

6) College textbooks: Something you normally wouldn't consider until you are standing in the campus bookstore. College kids are forced to buy books for their classes spending on average $900 a year, and many people don't agree with the prices. Single text books can cost anywhere from $20 to over $200 and usually are considered outdated within a year or two. Unfortunately the resale value on text books is almost nothing.

Unfortunately we are at the mercy of these retailers for the pricing on what we want and need.

6 Things You Use That Are Way Over Priced... Part I

According to CNNmoney.com Americans are way overpaying for items and services that you use almost everyday. Here are 6 things that you can't help but pay to much for...

1) Text messaging: If you have a plan that is pay per text your paying aprox $0.10 - $0.25 each. Even plans that are unlimited for a flat rate you're still way overpaying! why??? because texts are such a small amount of data that it costs the carrier less than a penny each to transmit. What does that mean??? You are paying a markup of up to 6,500 %, that's pure profit for the carriers. Phone companies say they use that money to invest in new technology.

2) Movie theatre popcorn: One of the cheapest snacks known to man (so cheap that even bars give it away for free) is popcorn. On average a medium bag of popcorn only costs $0.60 to make and retails for about $6.00, that is a markup of 900%. So why so expensive? Theatres don't make much profit off of movie tickets so they make it up with the snack stand. Popcorn profits are what pays the payroll and maintenance costs.

3) "Free" credit reports: Some websites offer a print out of your credit report... what they don't tell you up front is that it is only free if you sign up (and pay for) their credit services. Which can cost anywhere from $14.95 a month to about $200 a year. That is a lot to pay for a "free" credit check. Instead you can go to AnnualCreditReport.com which is run by the Federal Trade Commission and you can get one truly free credit check a year.

Check back tomorrow for more items/services that are overpriced and why they are that way.

Today is Wednesday February 3rd

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Morgan Fairchild 60- Actress

Today is National...

Girls and Women in Sports Day

CBS To Deny Racy Superbowl Ads

This year CBS is taking a stand against airing racy advertising during the Superbowl. The most recent denial is for a male dating site called ManCrunch.com. It was a 30 second ad that featured two men groping each other. CBS told the company that all ads were sold out. ManCrunch asked to be put on a list for reconsideration if someone else dropped out. Later CBS said that the content "creative is not within the networks broadcast standards for Superbowl Sunday." ManCrunch commented that if their commercial would have featured a heterosexual couple of even two women it probably would have been approved. Another big advertiser during the big game has been godaddy.com known for their racy ads, CBS denied one of their commercials this year too.

What do you think, is CBS making an obvious stand on certain types of sexual situations? Do you think they are legitimately doing their part to clean up TV? Let me know what your thoughts are.

Following Up On Toyota Recall

As we learned last week, Toyota has issued a huge recall effecting 8 of their vehicle models. Then learning that the issue was so big that the auto company had to shut down their production lines and stop selling those models of cars and trucks until the problem is repaired.

To update you on the status of the recall and repair... Toyota issued a statement on Monday saying they have found a way to repair the sticky gas pedal problem and that parts are being shipped to dealerships by the end of the week. Toyota is also instructing the dealerships on how to repair the vehicles, and some dealerships will be staying open around the clock to repair customers vehicles. The sale of the effected vehicles can begin again once the repair work is complete on them, but cars already on the road are first priority. Production of the Toyota vehicles will begin again on Feb 8th.

If you have any questions on whether your vehicle has a recall on it... please contact you local Toyota dealer.

How TO Lose Weight W/out Starving... Part II

Here is part 2 of helpful tips from Prevention Magazine on how to lose weight without sweating it out at the gym or living on salads.

1) Play waiting games: Instead of sitting there watching your computer download, do some stretches or butt squeezes. The key is to be active whenever you can.

2) Do chair-robics; for example... set a timer to go off every hour. When the buzzer dings stand up and sit down four times in a row. It is a great way to stretch during the day and you get in many rounds of squats each day, a great way to strengthen your lower body.

3) Go the distance: Instead of using the closest rest room or parking space. Challenge yourself to get in more walking by parking further away. Try using the rest room on another floor and take the stairs to get there. A great way for busy working women to get in a little extra exercise.

Today is Tuesday February 2nd

Celebs Celebrating Birthdays Today

Shakira 33: Singer also known for her sexy belly dancing.

Christie Brinkley 56: Super model, also married to Billy Joel for awhile.

Farrah Fawcett 63: Charlies Angels actress, recently passed away from cancer.

Today is National...

Groundhog Day

*Will he see his shadow?*

Kim Kardashian Helps With Haiti Efforts

Reality TV star and fashion diva Kim Kardashian plans to help out with the Haiti relief efforts by cleaning out her closet, and selling the items on eBay. Kim is not going at this alone, she is getting donations from her two sisters (Kloe and Kourtney), her mom, boyfriend Reggie Busch, and Kloes husband Lamar. Kim has set up an eBay store where the items will be listed, it is called Kims Closet, and the items sold on the eBay store will be donated to help Haiti.

On a side note Kim has just launched her own line of shoes called ShoeDazzle, where she is the companies chief stylist and has designed many of the shoes herself.

Will Smith For President?

Rumors are now circulating that actor/singer Will Smith is seriously considering a political career, and running for President of the United States is not out of the question. His wife Jada Pinkett Smith told The National Ledger that he is even willing to move his family to Washington D.C. to pursue his goal. She also says that he is serious and believes he could be elected.

What do you think, can an actor make a genuinely good candidate for President or will it be considered a joke, following in the footsteps of Arnold (the Govenator)? Personally I think Will Smith could be a good President... It might be time to get someone with an even different perspective with a fresher outlook and goals.

How To Lose Weight W/out Starving... Part I

We all know that in order to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in, usually involving a low cal diet with a regular exercise routine. Prevention Magazine gives us a few tips on how to lose weight without devoting hours in the gym of living on lettuce.

1) Fidget: Studies show that doing little things like tapping toes or choosing to stand instead of sit burns 350 more calories a day than those who sit, that equals 37 pounds a year!

2) Keep meals under 400 calories: and space them out evenly throughout the day. Studies show that if you make your meal time consistent that you are less likely to overeat, have better blood pressure and insulin response, and likely to burn more calories after eating... Just remember to make your meal choices healthy choices.

3) Get off of cruise control; Make your daily routine more active. Take the little things you do each day like vacuuming, walking the dog, or making dinner and make them more fun and active... add music, dance around, being goofy can burn those cals!

These are just three of the tips that Prevention has for you... check back tomorrow for more easy tips to lose some pounds.

Today is Monday February 1st

Celebs celebrating Birthdays Today:

Lauren Conrad 24; From tv show The hills.

Lisa Marie Presley 42; Daughter of Elvis, ex-wife to Michael Jackson

Pauly Shore 42; comedian & actor

Princess Stephanie of Monaco 45; Fashion forward royalty

Today is National...

Freedom Day

&

Working Naked Day

*I am not responsible for what your boss does about you celebrating that today *

HDTV's Prices Slashed In Time For Big Game.

Just in time for the 'Big Game' retailers are all trying to cash in on supplies for your big party, usually with displays of everything you need for food and drinks, to tee's and sweatshirts. This year electronics stores are thinking bigger, according to yahoo.com major retailers like Wal-Mart, Sears, and Best Buy are dropping or discounting the prices on their HDTV's hoping that in combo with the anticipation of the big game and the new lower price you will be motivated to upgrade to a new tv. I have read that retailers are taking discounts of 5% off and even some (depending on model of course) are dropping prices from $30 to $600 off! Like football or not, if you are shopping for a new tv now might be the time to buy.

Vikings Pro-Bowler Kicked Out Of Game

The Minnesota Vikings are still licking their wounds from their last game, that because of one bad throw denied them going to the Super Bowl. Now to add insult to injury one of their team members that was selected to play in the upcoming Pro-Bowl has been taken off the roster because of his poor (or lack of) actions. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie was kicked out of playing in the Pro-Bowl after he failed to attend practices and meetings last week, unexcused. It turns out the night life and clubs of Miami may be to blame, because even though he hasn't made it to practice it hasn't effected his ability to party. Now team members are upset and let-down by him because it limited who the NFC has to work with. Talk about a good year turned bad for the Vikes.

Miss America Crowned on Saturday Night

I was glued to my tv saturday for the 2010 Miss America pageant. First off... a HUGE congrats to Kristina Smaby from right down the road in Holmen, she represented us as Miss Wisconsin. She was one of the few girls nominated for the peoples choice. Unfortunately Kristina did not go on to the the top 15, but she looked absolutely gorgeous Saturday night. We are very proud of all of her accomplishments in this program. The rest of the pageant was filled with swim suits, singing and dancing, interview questions, and beautiful evening gowns. Taking the crown for the role of Miss America 2010 was... Miss Virginia.