Hot Mess

We've been so busy with the holidays, that we neglected to discuss the hot mess of LeAnn Rimes' appearance on "The X Factor" last week.  I must preface this with the fact that I'm cheering for LeAnn to rise above whatever demons are plaguing her.  She's been through a lot with her marriage and whatnot, but this incident is kind of tough to swallow.

LeAnn sang with 13-year old Carley Rose Sonenclar on the program last week.  The pair sang, "How Do I Live," the hit song LeAnn belted out back 1997--when LeAnn was 14 years old. Back then, LeAnn was amazing on the song.  Today... not so much.  Watch the video of the pair trying to mesh their voices together on it here:

I'd like to blame it on the arrangement, or the fact that perhaps this song was not intended to be done as a duet, but the fact remains:  LeAnn looks rough here and seems to be trying to out-sing Carley... and failing miserably.  
What are your thoughts?  Drop us an email!

Mayan Madness

Everybody's been buzzing about today being the "end of the world," because it was the last date on the Mayan calendar.  The Mayans apparently "knew" that the world would end because they never made a calendar that reached beyond December 21, 2012.

There have been plenty of naysayers to this theory of the Mayan calendar.  Some have proved that the actual "end" would have landed some seven months earlier--due to the Mayans not factoring in Leap Year.  Others have made biblical references and touted that the end would not be determined by a date on a tablet, but rather when God's plan dictates it as such.

So, what's the deal with the Mayan calendar just ending on December 21, 2012?  John posted the amusing cartoon above yesterday.  Quite frankly, tequila very well could have played a role in the incomplete calendar!  I know I've neglected to finish a project or two in my life, due to excessive "fun."

But I truly believe the real reason that the calendar just ended on today's date is due to a common problem that plagues people even today:  Kids who refuse to take over a family business.

Think about it.  Some Mayan family, that was entrusted to creating the calendars by which their civilization planned their daily lives, tried to pass the "business" down to their offspring.  And as is the case even today--kids have their own ideas of what they want to do.  I can almost hear the Mayan parents trying to convince their son to take over the calendar making business.

"Please, son!  It's such an important part of our daily lives!  This is our family business!  It will provide you with something positive to impact our civilization!"

"But Mom and Dad!  I really want to create an all-inclusive resort and build a fortune!"

And so--that's how paradise vacations in Mexico came to being and the calendar creation stopped--effectively fooling everyone into thinking that the world would end on this date.  True story.

Beautiful Tribute on "The Voice"

Did you watch "The Voice" on NBC last night?  They opened the program with a beautiful tribute to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, with Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Here it is, if you missed it:

Kelly Clarkson Engaged!   Tweets Ring

Kelly Clarkson, who has been dating Reba McEntire's step-son, Brandon Blackstock, announced their engagement over the weekend and tweeted a photo of her ring.  It's a big yellow canary diamond, surrounded by smaller white diamonds, as you can see in the photo here.
She wrote, "Brandon designed it with Johnathon Arndt!  They did an amazing job!  I can't wait to make Brandon's ring with Johnathon as well!"

No wedding date has been announced yet.  Maybe they happy couple will decide to tie the knot in Wisconsin, when she's here for Country JAM in July? Wouldn't THAT be awesome?

Do you know what I like best about the photo she tweeted?  Kelly doesn't have crazily manicured fingernails that look like claws, as so many other celebrities do.  She's such a down-to-earth person and that is a telling sign of that as well.

A Huge Night For Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan was the big winner at Fox's 3rd Annual American Country Awards last night. Luke captured nine awards at the event, including the top prize of Artist of the Year. Carrie Underwood added two more guitar trophies to her collection to bring her total to eleven, making her the most awarded ACA artist.  Miranda Lambert also captured more than one award, while Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, and Lauren Alaina were winners as well.  The star-packed event also featured many musical segments.  Luke kicked off the ceremony with his current hit "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," while Jason Aldean, Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, and host Kristen Chenoweth were also among those who entertained the audience.  In addition, host Trace Adkins teamed up for a song with Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Keith Urban shared the stage with young musicians from the Grammy Foundation's Grammy Camp. Here's a look at the major artist winners:
Artist of the Year: Luke BryanArtist of the Year-Male: Luke Bryan Female Artist of the Year:Carrie UnderwoodGroup of the Year: Lady Antebellum Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Jake OwenNew Artist of the Year:Lauren Alaina

Do Your Homework

Those are the words often said to school kids, who are struggling to stay on task with assignments.  Those words are also applicable to adults who perhaps are looking to make a major career change or even land a new account in sales, if that's their field of work.  Background information (ie. "homework") is always a good idea.

As a matter of fact, a criminal often does "homework" prior to embarking on his dirty deed.  That is, unless you're the stupid crook in the picture above.  Yeah, he didn't do his homework.  He broke into the home of boxer, Norm Houston.  You can read & see more about the story as reported by an Oklahoma City TV station HERE. 

(And for the record, we're not endorsing anyone partaking in any criminal activity--just making the point that preparation is important for many things.)

$500 Million! Now what do I do?!?

It certainly is the stuff of fantasy, isn't it? Tonight's PowerBall jackpot is going to be around $500 million. That's a half a billion dollars! Almost an inconceivable amount. I'm not sure how I'd start spending it, but I'd sure like to try, wouldn't you? Let's just say for a sec that you do win tonight. Then what? 

Well, the experts, including financial advisers and former jackpot winners, list some common sense ideas as the most important: 1) Set a budget and stick to it. 2) Invest wisely. 3) Learn to say no. 4) Be prepared to lose friends and even family members through guilt and mistrust. That would be a tough one wouldn't it? Family members and friends you never knew you had come out of the woodwork and try to guilt you into giving them money. There are even stories of total strangers showing up at winner's doors begging for a handout. Is it really worth all those millions? Probably, if you're smart. Get a  lawyer, and financial adviser, and a good accountant and tax expert. 

Oh, and don't forget to take me to lunch! After all, I am your long lost 3rd cousin on your mom's uncle's sister-in-law's side! For more info on what previous winners suggest, follow this link. And head over to our Facebook page to join the Jackpot discussion!

Put Your Brain To Work On This One!

Saw this one out on Facebook and thought we'd share it with you. It just shows how amazing and adaptable the human brain is. After just a few lines your brain will instantly convert the numers to letters and you should be able to easily read it. Very cool!

Han Solo Returns? Possibly!

Now that Disney owns Lucasfilms, and therefore Star Wars, they have announced there will be more sequels on the way, maybe as many as three. Does this mean the return of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia  and Han Solo? Well, Harrison Ford, who played Han in the first three flicks says he'd consider playing Solo again! "Harrison is open to the idea of doing the movie and he's upbeat about it, all three of them are", said a source, referring to Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. The first new star wars film is due in theaters in 2015. We may all laugh at the thought of old versions of the three star Wars heros, but speaking as a huge SW fan, I'd love to see what's happened to them since Return Of The Jedi came out in...are you ready? 1983! 30 years ago! Read more here.

Miranda's Got Milk!

Miranda Lambert is the newest personality to join the "Got Milk?" campaign. The singer revealed the ad campaign's photo of her sitting on a porch wearing a denim shirt and jeans while holding a guitar and holding a glass of milk. The photo also shows her sporting the iconic "milk mustache" that is featured in all of the ads in the campaign. The campaign's slogan is posted in the right hand corner of the photo and it reads, "Fine tune your morning. Got milk? Nourish every day." Miranda says of her involvement in the campaign, "It's such a good fit. I'm a girl from Texas. I grew up having big breakfasts with my family, and milk was always on the table. My mom was always up with us before school and made sure we had protein, which included cereal with milk or a pop tart as we headed out the door with a glass of milk to go." Of course, we'd love to get her here to Wisconsin more often so she can enjoy the best milk in the nation!

Check Out The "Dragon Baby"!

Awesome video! This "Kill Bill" style video pits a toddler vs. a stuffed dragon. No surprise, the baby wins! Check it out!

Daylight Savings: Is It Still Relevant?

So, we're all still adjusting to the time change from the weekend. We essentially gained an hour with the "falling" back of time. As a kid, I LOVED this weekend, and conversely absolutely HATED the spring jump forward, as it made me so exhausted. (Who am I kidding?! I STILL hate the "spring forward" of time!) But is this time swing still necessary these days?

Daylight savings is often erroneously attributed to being encouraged by Benjamin Franklin. He never suggested it. Instead, he was a proponent for "early to bed, early to rise." Which many of us already do, but there STILL isn't enough time in a day to get things done!  I think we've all longed for a few more hours in the day to get things done, but moving the time back or forward an hour doesn't really assist with that now, does it? We still only have 24 hours each day.

I've even heard that it was farmers who pushed for the time change, but that wasn't the case either. Allegedly, farmers wanted more daylight hours to harvest their crops. And while that makes sense, it wouldn't benefit certain farmers, who were unable to start their daily harvest until the dew had evaporated off of their crops.  As a matter of fact, many farmers were against the time shift. 

The act of changing the time was actually first implemented during World War I, by the Germans and their allies, as an effort to conserve coal. And pretty much everyone else decided that was a pretty brilliant idea, so they all followed suit.

Many modern-day "thinkers" have attempted to illustrate the benefits of the time change as a "win" for a variety of things from energy consumption to public safety--because it stays "lighter" outside longer. For me personally, I think it's a waste of energy. MY energy and yours! I think it's a downright drain on my body to adjust twice a year to the change. Plus, by the time I finally get as comfortable as humanly possible with it--we swing the other way again!

And any of us with computers and smart phones know all too well the frustration over them either not making the change or not having the "correct" day to make the change in their system, since we "moved" the date for the fall change back in 2007. As a side note, we REALLY rely far too much on computers for things these days, don't we?!

There are parts of the world, including places here in the United States that do not observe the time change at all. I'm currently considering moving there. 

Ok, not really--I like it too much here, but I really wish we didn't observe this silly time dance twice a year. It's a nuisance, in my opinion. What do you think? Are you in favor of keeping Daylight Savings in effect or do you think it's time to yank it? Drop us an email.

Crane Hanging In There..For Now!

It's become one of the scariest images from the aftermath of Sandy on the East Coast: The damaged and dangling crane hanging from a Manhattan building under construction. And the damaged construction crane perched high atop a luxury high rise in lower Manhattan continues to cause concern. Timothy Galarnyk, an expert in infrastructure risk analysis and prevention says precautions should have been taken before Hurricane Sandy to protect the building and the people in the neighborhood. Mayor Bloomberg said the crane had been inspected on Friday. Several buildings remain evacuated due to the concern the crane could collapse at any moment.

The Deed Is Done!

Ok, it was a bit weird! Deb and I did indeed vote yesterday at City Hall. And, frankly, it wasn't so much that we were voting a week early, it was 'cause so many other people were doing the same thing! No kidding, it looked like voting day down there. I felt bad for the volunteers when we got there, because the computers were running slow and the line was starting to back up. It's a little different procedure: First you check in in the main lobby at one desk, then you take your slip of paper that says "Registered" over to another desk. There they look you up again and print out a label with your name, etc. on it that they put on an envelope and send you to the second floor. There you check in with your envelope and they give you your ballot and off to the voting booth you go! After filling out your ballot, you seal it in the envelpe and drop it in the box and you're outta there. It sounds a little bothersome, but it goes pretty quickly. They have a a lot of great volunteers there, by the way.

      Like I said, it was really busy there. Looks like a lot of people had the same idea that we did about voting early and avoiding the crowds on the actual voting day. So the deed is done, and now we can sit back and watch the circus next Tuesday! Did you vote early? How did you like it? Drop us an email if you'd like: johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com.

We're Voting Today!

     Yep! You might be saying, "John! Election day is next Tuesday, not today." You'd be right, but my wife, Deb and I are taking advantage of  Early Voting to get it done today. Here's why: Deb works 12 hour shifts at Gundersen Lutheran and she's scheduled to work next Tuesday, voting day. By the time she gets done at 7 p.m., and we get to the polls, stand in line, etc., it's going to get real late. You just know since it's a Presidential election the polls are going to be packed in the evening, so we're taking advantage of Early Voting and doing it today. We'll be heading down to the City Clerks office this afternoon and casting our votes.

     What's really interesting is that some folks we know are not happy with us! Some just feel the "sanctity" of voting day shouldn't be messed with, and some feel we're affecting the outcome. I can understand this in some way because if people are allowed to conduct exit polls and release that info, some folks may not be inclined to vote if they feel it would make no difference. But the truth is that something like 4 million people have already taken advantage of Early Voting, including military personel, etc. Are we messing with the sanctity of voting day? Maybe, but it's my vote, and at least I'm exercising my right! What do you think? Shoot us an email: johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com

Toothbrush Exorcism?

I'm highly concerned about my Sonicare toothbrush. I absolutely love the thing. Thanks to the stellar job it does on my teeth, I can get in and out of the dentist office in a half hour. (It would probably be less than that, but my hygienist and I tend to talk a lot.) Bottom line is--the thing does an amazing job cleaning my teeth. However, lately it's been acting... well, possessed!

In the middle of the night, it will suddenly turn on and wake us up with its vibrating madness. I was reaching for the alarm clock, trying to hit snooze--before I realized that was NOT what the noise was. After crawling out of the fog of deep sleep, we shut the darn thing off and stumbled back into bed, only to have it repeatedly go off again and again.

We tried unplugging the charger and removing the toothbrush from the charger, but nothing was making it stop pestering us. Eventually, we moved the sonic demon to the back bedroom and shut the door. Problem solved. Although I could occasionally hear the incessant hum down the hall.

This morning, I crept down that hall and opened the door to that bedroom. There on the floor was the offending dental device. Silent and looking like one of Santa's messed-up toys on the Island of Misfits.

I took the thing back into our bathroom and oddly enough, the battery still had plenty of juice left, despite having run on and off most of the night. The thing works great. It just seems possessed at night.

So, now I'll have to place a call to Sonicare to inquire about an exorcism, or preferably a replacement. Although, with my luck, I'll be just one day past the warranty period, which will force me to buy a new one.

Have you had problems with a Sonicare toothbrush? Drop me a line!

Didja See That?!

On Sunday, daredevil skydiver, Felix Baumgartner finally was able to make his "edge of space" jump. (The operation had been postponed several times previously, due to the winds.)  In a word, the jump was AMAZING.

I consider myself to be a bit of a thrill-seeker, rarely shying away from roller coasters or any other pulse-pounding opportunity. However, I don't know if I would've had the colossal gonads to do what Felix did. 

I felt queasy, just watching the video as he leaned over and leapt from his tiny vessel, to complete the highest freefall in history--a whopping 128,000 feet--approximately 24 miles.

Felix tweeted after the event, "I could feel myself break the speed of sound. I could feel the air building up and then I hit it." 

Check out the video of the jump.

SERIOUSLY?!

Apparently, my dog negates delivery of packages by the US postal service in my area. I arrived home yesterday and made a stop at my mailbox, retrieving some letters and spotted a fluorescent orange note on top of them, which read: "Parcel waiting at Post Office. Unable to deliver because of dog. 10-11-12."

I frowned and gave Bo, the-Attention-Hog-Dog a look. Pondering what he could have possible done to prevent the delivery of a package. I mean, he's a big lug--mostly harmless, really--unless you have food. Then he will drool on your leg and expect you to share... a lot.

At any rate, I traipsed down to the post office to get my package. I decided to inquire what exactly Bo did to the guy. I was told that Bo "charged" the vehicle and was barking. He also said that Bo was "jumping up on the vehicle." That last one, I find hard to believe, as we've NEVER had that issue, but whatever. Bo is more interested in racing you up the driveway. He's a male. They're competitive that way.

Bottom line was, the guy said that they are trained to not get out of the car if there is a dog loose in the yard. I told him that I have invested in a Pet Stop system and that Bo has free reign of the entire expanse of the yard to romp around.  He replied that they are told if they get bit, "it's their own fault and it would not be covered." 

Now THAT gave me pause. Seriously? You work for the government and if you get "injured" on the job--you have NO coverage? No recourse? I was shocked to hear that our government, who seemingly opens the wallet for every imaginable cause would turn their back on their employees who might get hurt on the job.

I let the guy know that I have homeowners insurance and if Bo ever decided to bite him, I would have him covered. But reiterated that Bo is honestly more interested in playing or eating some of whatever he might have to offer.

That didn't seem to ease his concern. He pointed out the "cage" that I have on my porch. The one with the note that read, "Please leave packages in here, as the dog might eat them."

Apparently, he interpreted that as Bo is a snarling mean dog--instead of what it really means: Bo likes to eat. One week before Christmas a couple of years ago, he ingested a deluxe art set that I had ordered for my niece Klarrisa. Needless to say, we had some VERY colorful dog turds the next couple of days. And I had to find an alternative gift for my niece.

I guess if the delivery of packages from the US postal service won't happen because of Bo--I'll instead look to UPS or FedEx, because quite frankly, I don't always have time to run and pick up my packages. What's the point of delivery, if it doesn't get delivered? Feel free to share your thoughts HERE.

Brad Paisley Grants Dying Man's Wish

What a cool story! Brad Paisley granted the last wish of a dying man by taking one of most cherished possessions home with him. The man is Lee Feldman and he has terminal pancreatic cancer and he wanted to pass his custom-made guitar on to someone that will, as he says it, "play the frets off it." A few of Feldman's friends made some phone calls that led to Paisley meeting him at recent concert in Pennsylvania, where he accepted Lee's prized guitar. Feldman said, "He (Brad) told me that his grandfather had died from pancreatic cancer and that his grandfather was the one who taught him how to play guitar in the first place." Lee also stated that Paisley is planned on using the special guitar in a song on his next album. A story like this just goes to show how great country people are, right?

Check This Out

O.k., it's a bit hard to see because I took this picture through my windshield, but take a look at this photo:

I was on the way home yesterday (Tuesday), and couldn't help but notice this vehicle just ahead of me. Look carefully and you'll see it's fom a company called Royal Canine Express, which apparently specializes in safely transporting dogs around the country. Now, I'm sure they do a great job, but look below the sign and you'll see something wrapped up in a tarp on the hitch platform. Could that be????

Jason Aldean Caught In A Kiss

Oh, oh! TMZ is running a bunch of photos on their site of Jason Aldean in a Hollywood bar called The Den with his arms around a girl looking cozier than he should have as a married man. While the allegations are flying around and will more than likely hit the tabloids this week, Jason himself took to Twitter on Sunday evening to share the truth. "Hey Guys – I wanted to talk to you directly, so you were hearing the truth from me and not just reading allegations made about my personal life on gossip web sites. The truth is that I screwed up. I had too much to drink, let the party get out of hand and acted inappropriately at a bar. I left alone, caught the bus to our next show and that's the end of the story. I ultimately ended up embarrassing my family and myself. I'm not perfect, and I'm sorry for disappointing you guys. I really appreciate being able to work through this privately with my family and for all your continued support." And who was the girl? Reportedly, it was former "American Idol" contestant Brittney Kerr. So whatcha' think? A kiss is just a kiss?

Remember When....?

With the Maple Leaf Parade set for tomorrow, I thought I'd see if anyone else remembers the year the parade went the opposite direction than it does now? Yep, I don't exactly remember the year, but I know it was in the late 70's because I marched in it as part of the Central High band. It may have even been my senior year, 1978. As I recall, it was because the new Copeland Ave. southbound overhead was being built over the railroad tracks just north of Sloopy's and they had to route the parade from south to north that year. All I remember from that parade was crossing the northbound bridge on Rose St. That one was the old one that had a steel support system. Anyone else remember that year? If I've got my facts (and memories) mixed up let me know! Drop me an email if you remember that year: johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com.

Hopefully you're ready for a fun and safe Oktoberfest 2012. The opening weekend weather  forecast is awesome! While most of the CC106.3/La Crosse Radio Group crew will be in the Parade tomorrow with our "Break The Vegas Vault" float, I'll be hanging out with Jennifer Livingston and Bill Graul from Channel 8 broadcasting the parade live. I'll be the "man on the street", running around interviewing parade participants and folks in the crowd. Hope to see you there!

The Nightmare Is Over!

Our long national nightmare is over! The NFL and the Referees Association have reached an agreement and the regular refs will be back on the field starting tonight at the Browns-Ravens game. Too late for Packer fans who got royally scr.......uhhh... robbed on Monday night. Here's the full story from Yahoo sports.

Reverse The Call? Never Gonna Happen!

It's been interesting to see the reaction to the blown call in the Packers/Seahawks game Monday night. For the most part, even those who are not Packer fans are commenting that the Pack got robbed on the last play of the game. Even the President said the replacement refs have got to go. I saw a story last night that reported the ref who made the touchdown call on the field had only high school and college experience. I also saw an ESPN analyst say that the problem isn't that these guys are numbskulls, but that they weren't prepared for the pace and intensity of an NFL game. How true. O.k., the ref on the field blowing the call is one thing, but the guys in the review booth upstairs are apparently not replacement refs. And they had all the video evidence right there in front of them with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, and they still screwed it up! Me thinks the NFL may have bigger problems than just a contract dispute. As for the call to demand Commissioner Roger Goodell reverse the call and award the win to the Packers, never gonna happen, gang! Although that would be the "gentlemenly" thing to do, it would leave all reviewed calls up for "further review", so to speak. By the way, resolving the ref issue would reportedly cost each team $300k. And these owners make how much? Hmmm. We'd love to hear what you think! Drop an email to johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com

When I Was a Kid...

How many times have you used that phrase while lamenting how "easy" kids have things these days? "When I was a kid, we didn't have video games!" Or, "When I was a kid, we walked to school!"

Well, for a 12-year-old, named Chase from Kentucky, he'll have a much more savory story to share about when he was a kid.  He got his first kiss from Carrie Underwood!  True story!!

Chase took a sign to the Carrie Underwood concert that read, "Will you be my first kiss?" and Carrie took him up on it!  AMAZING!! What a memory for that kid--he's got some serious moxie!  And his popularity at school has surely just skyrocketed!

Check out the video of his first kiss, delivered by Carrie Underwood here:

It's Not Whining....Really.

O.k., I know non-Packer fans will accuse me of whining about last night's game. But, c'mon! Enough is enough with this replacement officiating! First, let me say that if the Pack had played better in the first half they wouldn't have had to rely on a call on the last play of the game to win. Fair enough? If you don't want to lose the game on a blown call, PLAY BETTER SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO! Now, that being said, everyone in the world including Seahawks fans right there in the stadium could see that Seattle's Golden Tate shoved Packer Sam shields out of the way, then M.D. Jennings clearly caught the ball and went to the turf with it. It was after Jennings caught the ball that Tate shoved his arm in and the refs called it a touchdown! Jennings had posession, Jennings went to the ground, Jennings was down, and Seattle got the TD? The refs said it was a simultaneous catch, and tie goes to the offensive player according to the rule book. Oh, and then the refs forgot that Seattle was supposed to get a point-after attempt even though time had expired, and after 10 minutes brought the teams back out for the kick! Geez, what a mess! Let's go NFL, get this under control. ESPN has great video of the last play for you to take a look at. What are your thoughts on this? Drop us an email at johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com

Heeeeers Johnny.......Again!

As a Stephen King fan, I was really jazzed when I heard this news: After 30+ years, King is publishing a sequel to his 1977 classic, "The Shining". I read it when it came out in '77 and it's still one of the scariest books I've ever read. The book, along with his other early hit, "Carrie" really propelled him into literary stardom. And who can forget Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in the 1980 film adaptation. And here's a bit of trivia: Stephen King never really like the film's treatment of his book. But, geez, when Nicholson does his "Heeeers Johnny" bit? Yikes! Reports are that the new story centers on Danny Torrance, the little boy from the first story. Now middle-aged, Danny uses his psychic abilities to help hospice patients who are near death, and then he encounters....well, you can click here to check out more! The book is due in Spetember of 2013. Can't wait! Any other King fans out there? What's your favorite Stephen King book? Drop us an email and let us know: johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com

Hanson Covers Taylor Swift!

Check this one out! remember the'90s boy band Hanson? You know, "Mmm Bop". Well, they recently got together to cover Taylor Swift's monster hit,  "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and posted the video to YouTube. The video even caught the attention of Taylor herself who took to Twitter to express her excitement about the cover. Swift tweeted, "1) Hanson covered 'We Are Never Getting Back Together'. 2) I didn't just watch the video of it 8 times in a row. 3) #2 might be a lie."

Now Rice Is Dangerous!

 I love rice. Can't get enough of it, seriously. I could eat rice with any meal and never get tired of it. That's why I couldn't believe it when I heard about the report in Consumer Reports that we should limit our consumption of rice because of elevated levels of arsenic! That's right: arsenic as in the poison. And arsenic has been shown to possibly result in cancer, and as a cancer survivor myself, I started paying attention. The theory is the since rice is grown in water it absorbs more arsenic out of the soil, both naturally occurring and from the use of pesticides. They tested more than 60 different rice products and have determined that babies shouldn't have more than one serving of rice cereal a day, that kids under 5 not drink rice milk on a regular basis and that older children not have more than a cup-and-a-half of rice cereal like Rice Krispies in a week. Then the hammer really dropped on me: The reports says that we adults should have no more than 2 regular servings a week! Man, I'm way over that mark! You're probably saying we hear these warnings all the time, that you'd really have to eat a lot of rice, that the testing was done on mice or something. You're probably right, and it sure gets frustrating when you hear about all the things that could cause cancer. Here's what I'm wondering: Do you pay attention to these types of warnings? Would you change your diet or that of your children based on something like this? Email us at johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com. And let's face it, if they said tofu causes cancer, I wouldn't care because I don't eat tofu. But one of my favorites like rice? Lord help me if they start saying nasty things about beer! Here's a link to an article on the report if you'd like to read more.

And here's a report from ABC news:
Arsenic in Rice: New Report Finds 'Worrisome Levels' - ABC News

Keith Urban New Idol Judge!

Well, it's official: Keith Urban is in as the new American Idol judge. He joins fellow newcomers Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj and veteran judge Randy Jackson. While we think it's cool (and about time!) that Idol tapped someone from country music to be a judge, we can't help but wonder why Keith is only worth a 3-5 million dollar paycheck and Nicki Minaj will pull down 10-12 mill? Hmmm. So are you more interested in watching Idol now that Keith Urban will be a judge? Email us with your thoughts: johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com, or go to our Facebook page and post there.

Nail-Biter Games

The weekend was filled with some serious nail-biting games for the midwest. As a Viking fan, I have grown accustomed to disappointment, so when we lost the lead with 20-seconds left in the game--I was not surprised--just sick. But this time, my team did not fail me! They came back with an overtime win! However, both of my hands are now without fingernails, as I chewed them all down to the nubs, during that stretch of time.

I'm not a Packer fan, but I have plenty of friends who are and I was feeling for them, (the ones that aren't jackwagons to me on a regular basis) during that game against the 49ers. There were some ridiculous calls and missed calls by the replacement referees. That was pretty much the consensus during all of the NFL games, judging by both my Twitter and Facebook feed.

It begs the question: Did the Packers lose because of the replacement refs horrible calls, or their own horrible play? Or was it a combination of the two?  Feel free to chime in on our Facebook page HERE.

The New IPhone? Ho hum.

So the new IPhone 5 is due next week from Apple. Wahoo. This is going to surprise anyone who knows how much of a gadget geek I am, but so what? Yes, it's probably going to be the greatest thing since white bread, but didn't we just get the latest and greatest IPhone last year? Honestly, I love tech stuff as much or more than anyone I know, but after a while it just feels like these companies are just turning these updates out to snag more of our money. It's like they count on the segment of the population that just has to have the very latest IPhone, IPad or whatever. There are people I know who will get this phone just because it's the newest. I don't mean to just pick on Apple either. There are plenty of tech giants who do the same thing. I got my Samsung Stratosphere a year ago, and now they have the Galaxy 3, and I'm sitting here thinking, "Man, that is cool! Maybe I need to get one." Agggghh!  Resist, resist! I'm sure there's some truth to it when they say they're just "keeping up with rapidly changing technologies" that we consumers demand, but geez wouldn't it be nice to go for more than a year without feeling like you're behind the times because you got last year's model? Let me know how you approach these things. Do you have to have the latest and greatest? How about your kids? Drop me an email at johns@lacrosseradiogroup.net.

And The Nominees Are....

Here they are! The Major nominees for the 2012 CMA awards!



Entertainer of the Year:

Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist:

Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban

Female Vocalist:

Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood

Vocal Group:

Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo:

Big & Rich, Love and Theft, Sugarland, The Civil Wars, Thompson Square

New Artist:

Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, Love and Theft, Thompson Square

Music Video:


"Come Over" -- Kenny Chesney, "Over You" -- Miranda Lambert, "Pontoon" -- Little Big Town, "Red Solo Cup" -- Toby Keith, "Springsteen" -- Eric Church

And the artist who snagged the most nominations? Eric Church!

The awards will be handed out Thursday, November 1st. So who are your favorites? As usual, we'll make our picks on awards day.

Quote Of The Day from Blake Shelton

This could only come from Blake Shelton. He was asked about the home in Hollywood Hills that he's rented while filming The Voice. It's an Italian designed mansion that is adorned with columns and marble on the interior. The mansion sits atop a canyon and Shelton admits that he enjoys more than the beautiful vista while he is perched on the ravine's edge. Shelton shares, "I bet I'm the only guy within six or seven square miles of this area who goes outside to pee just because it's funny to me to see how far I can pee down into the canyon." Yep, classic Blake!

Need A Good Laugh?

Found this on YouTube, and it really got me laughing! It's the 100 Best Maniacal Movie Laughs. Some are creepy, some silly, some from live films some from animated features. You'll see some maniacal laughs from your favorite flicks in this video, but I couldn't help but notice that both Nicholas Cage and Bruce Willis have several entries, especially Willis as John McClain in the Die Hard flicks.

Enjoy! Bwahhahahahahah!

http://youtu.be/WaIJKM0sjdo

Hot Dog Vendor Getting Leaned On?

I saw this story on Channel 8 last night and thought I'd write about it and get your feedback. Apparently, there's a guy who calls himself "Bronson From Wisconsin" who has set up a mobile hot dog stand in downtowwn La Crosse. I don't know if he sells anything but hot dogs, but the dogs they showed on the report sure looked good. Anyway, he's at the corner of 3rd and Main, and he's open until bar time to serve those who are out late at night. I don't know if he's out there during the day or not, maybe you can tell me if he is. The gist of the story is that it sounds like the City wants to consider new regulations for these type of mobile vendors, specifically in regards to their hours of operation. Although Bronson isn't the only mobile food vendor in town, the police are apparently concerned that Bronson's business keeps partiers downtown longer than they would like to see, possibly contributing to fights, etc. First off, I'm sure the guy has a restaurant license of some kind and follows all the health regulations like he's supposed to, so that's not an issue. The other point to consider is that there are plenty off other food establishments open at the time of night in traditional indoor settings, but nobody seems worried about that. Bronson says his business is giving people something to do after the bars close and they head out in their vehicles. I say he's found a great way to do business. Maybe it's me, but do you think he's getting "leaned on" a bit? What do you think? Should he (and anyone else who opens a mobile food cart) face more regulations than any other restaurant? Should he not be allowed to stay open as long as he likes? If any other restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, can't they stay open as late as they'd like to? I'd like to hear from you if you've ever had a dog from Bronson, or heard about any specific problems his being open has caused. Meantime, I'm going to see if he's open during the day and get a dog with the works! Email us your thoughts at johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com, or post your ideas on the CC Facebook page.

Wild Ride!

Did you see this over the weekend? A 47-year-old Iowa woman walked away uninjured after her SUV's accelerator became stuck on Interstate 35 in Missouri and took her on a high-speed ride with highway troopers in pursuit. Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Sheldon Lyon says the woman's 2011 Kia Sorento hit speeds in excess of 110 mph Sunday after getting stuck at 100 percent throttle. The panicked woman called 911 when she couldn't slow down as she traveled north near Bethany, Mo. I've never had this happen, few of us probably do, but if you've ever wondered what it would be like to have this happen, take a look at the video. Have you ever had anything like this happen while you were driving? Let us know: johnandjacklyn@cc1063.com.
Click here for the video.

5th-Graders Predicted the Internet’s Future

Boy, this is interesting! This is a a PSA from 1995 about kids and the internet. They talk about all the things you'll be able to do, places you can visit, etc. Remember, in 1995 the internet was really just getting started. It's interesting how right on the money they were!