Best and Worst Celebrity Baby Names of 2010

BabyCenter's Top 10 Favorite Celebrity Baby Names
1. Grace Margaret (Mark Wahlberg & Rhea Durham)
2. Harper Grace (Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka)
3. Aviana Olea (Amy Adams & Darren Le Gallo)
4. Olivia Marie (Lance Armstrong & Anna Hansen)
5. Bryn (Bethenny Frankel & Jason Hoppy)
6. Eli Benjamin (Rachel Dratch & John Wahl)
7. Stella Zavala (Matt Damon & Luciana Barroso)
8. Gia Francesca (Mario Lopez & Courtney Mazza)
9. Levi James (Sheryl Crow)
10. Easton Quinn Monroe (Jenna & Bodhi Elfman)

BabyCenter Top 10 Least Favorite Celebrity Baby Names
1. Buddy Bear Maurice (Jamie Oliver & Juliette Norton)
2. Egypt Daoud (Alicia Keys & Kaseem Dean, aka Swizz Beatz)
3. Cosima Violet (Claudia Schiffer & Matthew Vaughn)
4. Axel (Will Ferrell & Viveca Paulin)
5. Krishna Thea (Padma Lakshmi)
6. Gideon Scott (Neil Patrick Harris & David Burka)
7. Billie Beatrice (Eric Dane & Rebecca Gayheart)
8. Abel James (Amy Poehler & Will Arnett)
9. Vida (Matthew McConaughey & Camila Alves)
10. Nelson (Celine Dion & Rene Angelil)

Holiday Songs

According to a new Harris Poll here is the list of the Holidays Songs Most People Look Forward to Hearing at Christmas
1. "Silent Night"
2. "White Christmas"
3. "Oh Holy Night"
4. "Jingle Bells"
5. "Little Drummer Boy"
6. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
7. "The Christmas Song"
8. "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
9. "Joy to the World"
10. "Jingle Bell Rock"

From the same Poll here is the list of Holiday Songs People Wish They Would Never Hear Again After Christmas
1. "Jingle Bells"
2. "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer"
3. "Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer"
4. "White Christmas" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" - tied
6. "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
7. "Jingle Bell Rock"
8. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
9. "Alvin & The Chipmunks"
10. "Silent Night"

Black Friday 2

Here's the link you need to see where all the deals are on Black Friday - click here.
Now you know what your what and where to go for it, but there is more. Yes here is your guide to Black Friday 2010:
1. Map out your plan.
2. Gathering Coupons
3. The More the Merrier!
4. Good Music (CC106.3), beverages and snacks
5. Warm jacket, gloves and hat
6. Large purse
7. Trunk Space (very important)!
8. Wear comfortable shoes
9. Cell phones
10. Medication
Click here for all the details.

Black Friday

Black Friday is a day I look forward to, it's tradition. One day I don't mind getting up early and being a part of the great deals, but I'm not ever going to go to the extreme that this couple in Florida is. A Florida couple are already in line at Best Buy for Black Friday, yes they are sitting in line at Best Buy and started to do so on Wednesday. They were tried of being second in line, so this year they wanted to make sure they were first and they accomplished their goal and national attention. Is it worth it? You would have a very hard time convincing me of this one. Click here to read the whole story.

CMT Looks Back at the Decades Top Videos

CMT's "40 Greatest Songs of the Decade" will premiere Saturday night at 7:00 pm. The show is set to include Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Trace Adkins and others. What is the top song of the decade according to CMT? I guess we have to watch to find out.

Check out http://www.cmt.com/ for more information on the show.

Not Impressed

She will not be Grandma-of-the-Year and for good reason. This Florida Grandma, Patty Bigbee, tried to sell her 8-week old grandson for $30,000 last Friday and is now held on $100,000 bond. Sad. How someone could do this with their own flesh and blood, I'm not sure, but the good news is that grandma is in jail and the grandson is in the care of the state. Hopefully his future will be much better than the start of his life. Read more.

America's Top 8 Nervous Habits

Some people twirl their hair, others bite their fingernails and some crack their knuckles all to calm themselves. Nervous habits of Americans can be damaging and you can find out why from health.msn.com.
Don't think you have a nervous habit, well check out the list -
1. Face Touching and Rubbing
2. Sucking on Pens
3. Cracking Knuckles
4. Crossing and Uncrossing Legs
5. Nail-Biting
6. Teeth Grinding and Clenching
7. Smoking
8. Hair Twirling and Pulling
Have I got your attention now? Check out more by clicking here.

Halloween Safety Tips

Just a reminder for keeping your Halloween safe from the La Crosse Police Department.
1. Limit Hours of Treat or Treating to between 4-8pm.
2. Citizens wishing to greet children with at treat should keep their outdoor lights on during 4 and 8pm.
3. Young kids should be accompanied by an adult.
4. Take all treats home to examine before eating.
5. Please give only wrapped or packaged candy out.
6. Wear light colored clothing that is short enough to prevent tripping, add reflective tape to the sides, front and back of costumes.
7. Stay within the neighborhood and visit homes that you know.
8. Watch for traffic, drivers should be on constant lookout for children.
9. Children should carry a flashlight.
10. Keep costumed children away from pets. The pet may not recognize them and become frightened.

And finally have FUN!

Halloween = Candy

The report is out and just in time for Halloween, based on fat and sugar what are the top 5 best and the worst candy for your health. I can tell you unfortunately chocolate is not in the top 5 best candy, but it did make the worst. Will that information keep me from enjoying a piece or two, probably not.
Here is the list of the Top 5 best candy based on fat and sugar:
1. Jolly Ranchers
2. Blow Pops
3. Gobstoppers
4. Pixy Stix (really that candy made a top best list? All it is, is sugar right?)
5. Candy Corn
Okay now I'm going to break the Top 5 worst candy list to you:
1. Mr. Goodbar
2. NutRageous
3. Snickers
4. Baby Ruth
5. Mounds
You can read all the details by simply clicking here.

Tips for Carving your Pumpkin

Good carving takes a good pumpkin and a boning knife works the best for cutting the lid.
For the gooey mess inside try using an ice cream scoop.
Hold the pumpkin so it is looking at you when you start carving the features with clean up and down slices.
Use discarded shell to make a tongue for your creation and keep the whole thing fresh with petroleum jelly.
If you like to keep the lid on when the candle is going, make a chimney for the smoke by making a small hole in the lid.
This one is really great, by adding cinnamon to the inside of the lid your jack-o'-lantern will smell like pumpkin pie.
For more details click here.
Happy Halloween!

Girls Night Out is a Good Thing!

Calling all you mothers and guilt laced wives and girlfriends! Yes it is good for you to go on a girl's night out. I know how hard it is to leave your children, husband or boyfriend sometimes, but it is healthy to connect with other women who understand you and face it, it is a lot of fun! (By the way it has been a long time since we have had a girl's night out all you ladies on the other side of the river.)
You can read the whole story and take notes for the next time you are planning a night away from the guys by just clicking here. And have a great time you deserve it!

Remember

Click here to go back nine years today and remember.

Are you ready for some Football

Or the food at least? The season officially started last Thursday and so did the tailgating season. According to a FoodNetwork.com poll, wings are the most popular tailgating dish with a third of the polled choosing to serve them at their party. More than 15% like to keep it simple with chips and dip and 11% prefer some hot chili. For 7% they need to have sliders to complete their tailgating and 3% just like to have something sweet while watching the game. Don't worry there is 31% of those polled that say serve what you like because they enjoy a variety of things to eat, so just enjoy the football season!

Fall Vacation Plans

Many Americans have decided to vacation sometime before the end of the year according to the latest TripAdvisor poll. But where is everyone going? 41% say they will be going to a city with 37% choosing a city outside of the U.S. The most popular international cities are London, Paris and Rome. Then there is the 39% who plan on a nice relaxing get away on the beach and 32% who are looking forward to time in the country. The national parks are not being left out with 15% planning a visit there, while 11% will get their sea legs ready for a cruise.
I know I'm not a part of any of these percentages, but I do believe there will be some very excited individuals and families enjoying their fall.

Country Weekly's Country's Most Beautiful Woman & Country's Sexiest Man

Who should it be? You can decide who country's most beautiful woman and country's sexiest man are by simply going to http://www.countryweekly.com/. See pictures and place your vote today. You have until September 15th to vote for the man and September 22nd to vote for the woman, so don't wait too long.

Need Help With Your Lawn Care?

Taking care of the lawn, you either love it or hate it. If you error on the side of hate you may want to check out the latest in lawn maintenance.

GOATS!

Check out this great MSN Video: Goats Invade Vanderbilt Mansion
Click here to read more.

What????

A story from New Mexico - A seven-year-old girl came home last week with her eyebrows nearly completely shaved off by classmates. What? 7-year-old classmates can do that, would do that to someone? The girl's mother is not happy because she reports her daughter now suffers emotionally and that the investigation is moving too slow and the officials from the school say there are too many versions of the story to figure out what happened. I have to side with the mother on this - if this was my daughter I would want to know something and quickly. Granted the girl was not hospitalized and it could have been worse, but isn't that where things start, small? They also seem harmless until someone does get really hurt, besides when you are 7 years old doesn't everyone get along?

Acid Attack

For no apparent reason this women went from the picture on the left to the picture on the right in seconds. An unknown female attacker approached Bethany Storro on Monday and threw liquid acid on her face and chest.

The only thing she said before throwing the acid was "Hey pretty little girl want to take a drink of this?" Bethany declined the offer and had it thrown in her face instead.

It is hard to think that there are people out there that would do such a thing to anyone, but there are. And it is hard to believe that Bethany would ever forgive her attacker, but she says quote "In time I'm going to forgive her because if I don't then it's hard to move on with my life."

Read the whole story by clicking here.

And That's All Folks

After 20 years, Brooks & Dunn have performed their final show of their musical partnership. They held their finale of the Last Rodeo Tour at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena Thursday night with special guest Reba McEntire. The final song that ended it all was the same song that started it all in 1991 - "Brand New Man."

Earlier on Thursday the duo thanked fans via Twitter and wrote quote, "Gearing up for our last show in Nashville tonight. Thank you guys for an amazing ride!"

Brooks & Dunn fans don't worry you may see them together again in the near future as they have been nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year for the 44th Annual CMA Awards on November 10th.

Jason Aldean and I

This is not my tractor color of choice, but thanks to Sue and Kim here I am wearing the shirt and a pair of pretty pink socks (you will have to trust me on those)!

Rushford Homecoming 2010

With all that Rushford went through in the flood of 2007, they are proving they are back and as good as ever this weekend at the annual Rushford Days. This year they have even renamed the weekend to Rushford Homecoming 2010. Don't worry there is plenty of things to do for the whole family and you can see the whole schedule by clicking here.
See you Rushford this weekend!

Chat with Taylor Swift via the Internet

Taylor Swift is planning a web chat next week Tuesday, July 20th at 5:00pm Eastern time. She decided to go ahead with this when she received so many questions from fans on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, her website and everywhere. Taylor says she wants her fans to be the 1st to know about her new music and she cannot wait to talk to everybody as directly as she can via the world wide web.
If you would like to join in on the conversation you can do so a few different ways.
1. Online at Taylor's website or
2. Her MySpace page or
3. Her Facebook page or
4. at Ustream.tv/taylorswift

Collection for Operation Homefront

Steve Low's Midwest Toyota is collecting for Operation Homefront and is asking for your help. Stop by Steve Low's Midwest Toyota, 800 South 3rd Street La Crosse, with your donation anytime until July 2nd or when you come to the Logger's home game on Friday, July 2nd you can bring it with you at that time. Show your support for the members of our military with your donations to Operation Homefront.

Here is a list of items that Operation Homefront is collecting at this time
in order of priority.

Letters/Cards of Support/Encouragement

Beef Jerky

On-the-Go Packs (to flavor water)

Protein/Granola Bars

Trail Mix/Snacks

Baby Wipes (non-oily)

Chap Stick

Toothbrush/Toothpaste

Body Wash

Sports Magazines

Cash Donations always appreciated.

Condoms for FIRST Graders?

Yes you read that correctly, but I'm still trying to figure it out myself.
A Massachusetts's Elementary School is implementing a policy to hand out condoms to their students, even 1st graders, starting this fall.
I think this is absolutely crazy. As a mother of a 3rd grader I don't want the school having the ability to give my daughter a condom just because they will counsel her before doing so. And the fact that the policy does not require the school to contact the parents is even more reason to get my blood boiling. Yes a comment on this issue from one of the board members saying there is no set age as to when sexual activity begins is true, but it still is no reason for elementary schools to hand out condoms.
How about if the school notices something are is confronted by a student then they call the parents and leave it up to the parents to make the decision on the minor in their custody? How about we as parents take notice of what our children are doing and talk to them about the risks, dangers, etc...?
I'm having such a difficult time processing this and why this new policy would even pass. Just unbelievable! Right now I could not be happier to be living where we are and having my children in the school they are in.
Your thoughts...share them with me just click on the word email to the left of this article.

You have to check these out

Times have changed and you can definitely tell that is the case after viewing the rest of the ads from the past. Really what were the advertisers thinking? Check them out. Have fun!

Just Say NO!

Yes, my children (especially my son) can be challenging and yes I would like them to really just rest sometimes, but give them a sippy cup of wine to accomplish this no. Of course this did happen in Atlanta where a 41 year old babysitter gave a 9 month old wine in his sippy cup to make the child fall asleep. The child's grandmother came home to find the baby in a lifeless state and when taken to the hospital was found to have a blood alcohol level of .33. Just to put that in perspective that is more than 4 times the legal limit for adults. Yes the baby did survive thank goodness.
This incident happened in 2009 and the babysitter confessed and was sentenced to 8 years in prison and 4 years of probation.

A Sad Ending

An 8 year old and a 17 month old both lost their lives on Friday when a fire broke out in their New York apartment. The really sad part of this story is that the 8 year old boy was carried out to safety and then realized that his younger brother was still inside, so he ran back into the fire to save him. He was a brave 8 year old that loved his brother very much and his grandfather has been quoted saying "I'm not surprised that he would do it. He would never want to see his little brother suffer."
This is a story of a brave little boy, but also a reminder to each and everyone of us that we can not go back in a fire for anything or anyone. I cannot imagine being in their shoes, it would be hard to stand out outside your home while it is burning knowing that a sibling, a child or anyone you love is inside. My thoughts and prayers go out to this family that has suffered a great loss.
Read the whole story.

Crocs (the shoes) Save a 3 Year Old Boy

The 3 year boy from Essex was in the swimming pool when he picked up a faulty hairdryer and was shocked. The electricity that want through the little boy actually was enough to char his clothes and send a bright blue bolt down his arm, but his Crocs received no damage. And the paramedics are saying that the Crocs saved the 3 year old's life. You can read the whole story - click here.

Need a Job for Your 18 Year Old?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are seeking 250 students that are at least 18 years old for an employment opportunity. They do need to have one job skill, but only one and that is they must know how to flush a toilet. Yep construction is almost done on their new stadium, so they need to test the facilities and it takes a lot of people to do it. What they are calling the "Student Flush" is happening Thursday, June 10th.
Hard to believe isn't it...well check it out for yourself.

It's Gone to the Dogs

Well this week in movies it has gone to the dogs with "Marmaduke" opening up this weekend, but let's not forget some great classic dog movies that we all know and love - "Old Yeller," "Turner & Hooch" and "The Shaggy Dog." According to MSN movies they sat down and watched some of the classics and came up with their 10 Best Dog Movies of All Time. I would definitely not agree with all of their choices, but I have to honestly say I have not seen them all either. So take a look and decide for yourself if you agree with MSN or if you think they may need some help coming up with the next list. View the list of the 10 Best Dog Movies of All Time.

What Movie Could You Have Gone Without Watching?

We have all seen movies that were a complete waste of our time or how about the movies that I swear have made us stupider for watching it. Okay this may apply to more of the movies that guys like, so to be fair to the opposite sex - how about the movies that are so sappy and unbelievable, ya right the guy always falls for the ugly duckling with the great personality. So what movie fits in this profile for you? I just have to ask how many times do we really have to watch the Gladiator? Well here are a few movies that make the list for other males and females, maybe yours will be on the list. Check it out.

Gary Coleman Remembered

Gary Coleman has died at the age of 42 on Friday, May 28th. He had a brain hemorrhage on Wednesday and with his family by his side the life support was terminated Friday. We know we have heard about all his legal troubles lately, but the way I will also remember Gary Coleman as the kid from "Diff'rent Strokes" going around saying, "Whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis?" Read more and remember Gary by clicking here.

What would you do?

So what would you do if you would go through a drive-thru and was handed a bag, but when you went to get your food from the bag it was $2000 instead? This happened at a Taco Bell in Ohio where on Tuesday a woman was handed a bag that contained the restaurant's bank deposit, $2000. The store's policy is to place the deposit in a Taco Bell bag and hand it to the manager through the drive-thru window, but this time it was handed to the wrong person. The police are still looking for this particular person that received much more than a value meal.
Okay, so there are a few things here - 1st of all I'm thinking the employee that handed the bag to this particular person could be in on this. The employee should know what the manager looks like correct?
Either way what if it was you that was handed the bag - what would you do? Would you take off and never come back or would you bring it back to the store thinking it was a mistake? Email me and let me know.

New Recipe for Heinz Ketchup

What! Heinz ketchup does not need to change, it is perfect the way it is, but because of the high content of salt Heinz has changed the recipe. This is one product that I do not waiver on, it is Heinz only for my family. As one man in this article said, "if it is not broke it does not need fixing." Obviously we will get use to it, but maybe you want to stock up before summer with the "old recipe. Read the whole story. What are your thoughts?

Pain Fighting Foods

How do you like the sound of dark chocolate fighting sunburn. One more reason to eat chocolate - I'm in! They say that the antioxidants in dark chocolate and reduce roughness in the skin and provides skin protection. Definitely a good thing to know going into summertime. Read about more foods that will help with headaches, aches from exercising, belly-aches and more by clicking here.

Hair for Oil Spills Program

Yep, you read it right - Hair for Oil Spill. They are looking for donations of hair, fur and nylons to send off to nonwoven needlepunch factories to make batches of hairmats. The mats are for emergency oil spills, oiled birds and mammal cages. The program started in 2000. The have a website http://matteroftrust/org/programs/hairmatsinfo.html where they have a sign up for anyone who would like to help. You can also find exact instructions, flyer's, the history and more.

America's Favorite Singer is....

Celine Dion! According to the Harris Interactive poll that asked "Who is your favorite singer/musician?" Celine Dion has come out on top. U2 takes the second spot followed by a third place tie for The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Don't worry country music has not been forgotten - Tim McGraw, George Strait, Rascal Flatts and Alan Jackson all made it in the top ten. You can see how the voting broke down with adults, age groups, genders, political party identification, region and income by clicking here.

Betty White will host Saturday Night Live

Well it is finally here - Betty White is hosting this week's Saturday Night Live with Jay-Z. Betty appearance on SNL is all because of a social networking campaign that NBC could not ignore. At the age of 88, I wonder if Betty is the oldest host that SNL has ever had? Definitely a different look and approach for SNL. Show airs Saturday night on NBC.

Glee

Glee is Fox's newest creation that is taking the world by storm. Since the show airs after American Idol on Tuesdays I have been watching it and have been enjoying the music. I can honestly say that I'm not a die hard fan, but it is a good show. Check out the Total Eclipse of the Heart song that was performed this past week - click here.

If you have never seen the show I will fill you in that each week the cast sings a variety of music, though I have not heard country yet. :) One week the cast did a tribute to Madonna, so Britney Spears' manager, Adam Leber, has started working via twitter to get support for a Britney-themed episode of Glee. Well one of the stars of the show, Matthew Morrison, let "Weekly" magazine now how he feels about it, quote "That's a rumor her manager started. I hope our show doesn't go along that route." And I have to say I could not agree more, but you never know, we will have to wait and see.

American Idol

Well Aaron Kelly is gone even though I think it should have been Casey, but I cannot complain too much because I did not vote. I did really enjoyed the performances this past week even though many people did not except I think most would agree with me that Casey's performance was probably the worst.

Anyway we must move on to this week and the four remaining contestants that will be singing movie themes with the help of Jamie Foxx. I'm looking forward to another great week of Idol.
Oh and did you hear that Bon Jovi and Daughtry are set to perform on Wednesday's Idol? Two good nights of Idol, the dishes and the clothes can wait until Thursday night. Read more on Idol by clicking here.

17th Annual Grand Garage Sale

The Grand Garage Sale is set for 2010 to support the Children's Miracle Network!
Date: Saturday, May 15th
Time: 8:00am
Place: ACE Hardware Distribution Center - 500 Fanta Reed Pl. (Airport Exit 2)

What: You save BIG on ACE Hardware retailer's surplus merchandise, seasonal carry-over and close-out inventory including: Tools, Toys, Housewares, Fertilizer, Automotive and Electrical and Plumbing Supplies, Home Decor and Crafts and guess what much, much more!

CMT Music Awards - You pick the winners!

Kid Rock says "All I can promise is I will be awesome" as the host of the upcoming CMT Music Awards in June. I'm thinking he is pretty confident, so he better live up to his promise. :) All set to perform are Toby Keith, Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum.
The really cool thing though is that you can vote who will win the awards! Cast your votes at CMT.com for your favorites and do it soon as they will reveal the finalists on May 11th. And if you don't get a chance to vote for the 1st round, a new round of voting starts after that.
You can watch the CMT Music Awards show on CMT on June 9th.

And you think your job is stressful?

www.CareerCast.com has published their top 10 Most Stressful Jobs of 2010 and guess what - Radio DJ is not on the list. :)
Top 10:
1. Firefighter
2. Corporate Executive
3. Taxi Driver
4. Surgeon
5. Police Officer
6. Commercial Pilot
7. Highway Patrol
8. Public Relations Officer
9. Advertising Executive
10. Real Estate Agent

And the least stressful of all jobs from CareerCast.com, drum roll please, Musical Instrument Repairer.

Inspired by Johnny Cash

The "Johnny Cash Project," a "unique communal work, a living portrait of the man in black." On the website www.thejohnnycashproject.com you are able to submit a drawing for a music video for the song "Ain't No Grave." If you are not an artist just go check out to see what everyone else has done. It really is amazing at the talent out there. Click on the site to check it out.

ACM's on Sunday

The 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be taking place this Sunday from Las Vegas and will air on CBS. Lady Antebellum leads the way at the top nominee, but Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood are not far behind. Besides the awards we can always look forward to great entertainment as well. Those looking to perform are Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Billy Currington and Brooks & Dunn for their final ACM Awards appearance as a duo. Sounds like a very exciting show, so you know what I'm doing Sunday evening.

HAPPY EASTER!

Have a Blessed Easter Weekend!

Precious Time

We all have too much to do and not enough time to do it, right? So what can you do to at least help you through the week and the chores? Well click here to see 10 Time saving Tips and Tricks.
My favorite on the the list is the one that includes everyone in the family choosing what to have for dinner on at least one day the following week. So they sit down on Saturday and everyone in the family gets to "pick" what they want for dinner and write down any groceries they may need to make it happen. One rule the example family has is that there is only one day of pasta and you have to keep allergies and picky eaters taste in mind. I'm not sure about you, but this one tip would alleviate so much time. I'm continually trying to figure out what dinner. Then there is the blank stare in the cabinet or freezer to find nothing and doing it over again like an endless circle. I may only get help a few nights of the week as there is only 4 people in my family, but yeah it's a start!

Easter Egg Hunt

Join us for an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 27th at 10 am. It is held at St. John's Lutheran Church/School in Nodine, MN and it is free. It's a great morning with your kids and they get to have fun looking for Easter eggs filled with goodies! For more information or directions - click here.

Where did you say "Yes"

There are some great story and some not so amazing stories (mine) on how people got engaged. Your husband maybe proposed on the bus he knew you would be on (read the story) or maybe while you were sitting on your parents couch. :) Whatever your story I would love to read it, so email me your great proposal story (just click on the word email to the left) and I will share it next week on the air. And don't worry I will not use your real names. The biggest question - can your story top the bus story?

Custom Auto Show

The Custom Auto Show is going on all weekend at the La Crosse Center. There's something for everyone. I have been to the Custom Auto Show in the past and I can honestly say I'm in no way a car person, but I did enjoy checking out the cars displayed there. So if you are looking for something to keep you busy this weekend check out the Custom Auto Show at the La Crosse Center. See all the details by clicking here.

More Pictures of the Week

All I have to say is check out the rest of the week in pictures thanks to msn.com. Click here.

Dreadlocks or No Dreadlocks?

Crystal Bowersox has held her own on American Idol and I loved her performance of Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason," but can she do something with her dreadlocks? I read a story stating the fact that Bowersox wants to stay real and that means keeping the dreadlocks that she has had now for 4 and 1/2 years. I'm just not a big fan of them even though she says she washes her hair, the dreadlocks look dirty and she looks unkempt. I know she is not any of these. It would really be nice to see her with "normal" hair at least once, but if not at least she can still sing! Read more.

Drinking Coffee Decreases the Change of Heart Problems

It seems one story says "don't drink coffee it's bad for your health" and now this story says "go ahead drinking coffee can be a benefit." Well as a coffee drinker I'm really happy to hear the positive effects, so I thought I would share them with you. The new study shows that drinking coffee daily decreases your chance of a dangerous irregular heartbeat. So for now drink up and enjoy your cup every morning with a smile with the thought that you are helping your heart health. Read the whole story by clicking here.

"You're So Vain"

Well I just heard the song on "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" when I was watching the movie Valentine's weekend, but this song has been on many other movies, shows and radios. I guess I never wondered who Carly Simon was singing about in "You're So Vain". I just thought of it as another song. For others this mystery of who Carly was referencing in this song has kept them up at night - okay maybe not, but now it is believed that she sang this song about David Geffen. Supposedly if you play her new release of the song backwards she says David Geffen's name - is it true or not only Carly Simon will ever know. Click here to read more.

Help Support the Nodine Volunteer Firefighters and First Responders

The Oyster Supper and Chili Feed is an annual event and it is happening on Saturday, February 27th from 2pm-7pm at the New Hartford Town Hall in Nodine. Well I have been told the oyster stew is good, but as I do not eat it I can tell you the chili is delicious. Of course there are the sandwiches that my children like the best and the desserts that the "locals" bring in are a big bonus! You can eat in-house or come get a carryout. $9.00 per person with children 10 years and under free.
See you in Nodine on Saturday afternoon!

One Last Chance

The 2010 Winter Olympics just started it seems, but they will be over on Sunday. I don't know about you, but I have enjoyed watching the talented athletes in the various sports. And it is awesome that the U.S. Men's Hockey team will be playing for the gold on Sunday. But as I mentioned it is coming to an end and now what? I will have to go back to normal TV or maybe I'll read a book.
Well let's enjoy as much as we can until Sunday and you can plan your weekend by clicking here to view what events are left and what time they will be televised.

Disqualified from Idol

So Chris Golightly was in and now he is out of the top 24 of American Idol. He has the talent, but he also had a contract with a boy band. The twist is that the contract he had (yes had) expired in June of 2009 prior to his audition in July, so what's the problem? For some reason Fox producers needed to see the release from his contract and Chris could not provide right away, but was able to get the proof at the last minute and he is still out. And because he was in the top 46 he cannot try out for next season.

This is horrible. Why did he have to be replaced so quickly and what would be so wrong with having a top 25 because the Fox producers made a mistake? Chris was really banking on this opportunity with Idol - he gave up his apartment lease, sold his car to cover the remaining lease fees and found out hours before Wednesday's show aired he was going to be disqualified. Heartbreaking to say the least. I really hope American Idol steps up on this and does something to help Chris out. Read more - just click here.

Olympic Schedule

The Winter Olympics don't happen everyday, so maybe you will have sometime to tune it. Click here to view the schedule of events.

Unfortunate start to the Olympics

Unfortunately before the official start of the Winter Olympics there is tragedy. A 21 year old Olympic Luger from the country of Georgia died when training on the fastest track just hours before the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics. Sadness and concern loom in Vancouver as this is only the fourth time someone has died at the Winter Olympics since 1992. Our sympathy goes out to his family, teammates and all others affected. Click here to read more on this story.

Say I Love You

Sunday is Valentine's Day and there are many ways to say "I love you," but I'm assuming you have never thought of using manure to do so. Yep it happened in Albert Lea, MN where a farmer created a valentine for his wife of 37 years with manure. Very original and creative, plus this half mile heart took him 2 days to complete. Oh and his wife thought it was cute, she says "Why not do something fun with what you got?" You can read the whole story - just click here.

I Hope Not

Did you hear that American Idol producers reportedly approached Howard Stern to replace Simon Cowell next year. WHAT? This is so wrong in so many ways. If this happened I'm not sure if I could even what Idol. Stern just seems to be the biggest joke and I get that he is popular as he is one of the nation's highest paid radio personalities, but come on there has to be someone better than Stern for Idol. Maybe someone that knows something about music even.
Read the whole story.

Why do you watch the Super Bowl?

Okay the Vikings did not make the Super Bowl, so now it is just another football game. Do you watch for the game or the commercials? If the game is good then yes I will pay attention, but I really pay close attention to the commercials. That is probably why the cost to advertise is so insane.

Well some ads we can look forward to are from Budweiser featuring the famous Clydesdales and some famous Chicago Bears from the mid-eighties. Oh and Harry Potty has some big plans to announce during the Super Bowl ads. If you cannot wait until Sunday you can check out more here.

Next Big Thing?

David Sills is a 7th grader who gave a verbal commitment to USC to be their quarterback in 2015. Nothing like planning ahead. Impressive for a 7th grader though. Now only time will tell if David can hold his own throughout the upcoming years and stay healthy and accident free. Check out more on this by clicking here.

11 Year Old Girl Gives Birth

I was 24 years old when I had my 1st child and that was tough. I cannot even start to think about having a child at 11 years old. At 11 years old you are in what 5th grade and taking care of yourself can be a challenge at times, but this girl has another person to care for? I know there are some very responsible kids out there and they have to be due to circumstances, but for lack of better terms it is not fair! Kids should have the opportunity to be kids - play, have fun and not worry about a thing, just not have to be an adult yet.
Baby and mother are okay and grandma says that the baby is absolutely beautiful. I just hope and pray that this 11 year old child will have the help she needs as well as the baby. You can read the whole story by clicking here.

Kwik Trip is Open

I know you are thinking, yes there are many Kwik Trips open around the area. I'm talking about the Kwik Trip that replaced the Nodine Trucker's Inn in Nodine. The Nodine area has been without that staple in our community for a long 6 months and we welcomed with open arms the new Kwik Trip that opened just over a week ago. Of course you never know how much you rely on something until it is gone, but then to have it replaced with something that is so much better is wonderful. I have enjoyed grabbing milk, pumping gas and sipping the chocolate macadamia nut coffee all from the convenience of being a few minutes from my house. I believe Kwik Trip will continue to do well in Nodine even when the "newness" wears off and when you are traveling up in the area remember to stop by it's a great looking place. Read more on this.

How well do you know your Game Shows?

Here is the most recent test for you. How much of a game show junkie are you? I thought I would do well at this one, but I was mistaken. I scored 6060 and now you can try to beat that. Click this link and try it for yourself.

More from Platt

"General" Larry Platt who sang "Pants on the Ground" on American Idol last week is now hoping to makes some money off of the song. He is looking for representation to help him collect on the song that he did not copyright before singing it on "Idol." The popularity of the song even reached Brett Farve who was singing it in the team's locker room last Sunday. Platt would be interested in singing a duet with Brett if he is interested. :) He may be a day late dollar short though on making any other profit from the song any other way.

Help out those in Haiti

To donate $10.00 to Haiti with the American Red Cross - simply text to 90999 the word Haiti and $10 will be added to your next cell phone bill.

Golden Globes

The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be presented this Sunday, January 17th during a star-studded awards ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. British actor and comedian Ricky Gervais will host the ceremony. NBC will broadcast the event live coast-to-coast starting at 5:00 pm Pacific and 8:00 pm Eastern.

Here is a list of nominees for the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards:
BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
AVATAR
THE HURT LOCKER
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
UP IN THE AIR

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
EMILY BLUNT -- THE YOUNG VICTORIA
SANDRA BULLOCK -- THE BLIND SIDE
HELEN MIRREN -- THE LAST STATION
CAREY MULLIGAN -- AN EDUCATION
GABOUREY SIDIBE -- PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
JEFF BRIDGES -- CRAZY HEART
GEORGE CLOONEY -- UP IN THE AIR
COLIN FIRTH -- A SINGLE MAN
MORGAN FREEMAN -- INVICTUS
TOBEY MAGUIRE -- BROTHERS

BEST MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
THE HANGOVER
IT'S COMPLICATED
JULIE & JULIA
NINE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
SANDRA BULLOCK -- THE PROPOSAL
MARION COTILLARD -- NINE
JULIA ROBERTS -- DUPLICITY
MERYL STREEP -- IT'S COMPLICATED
MERYL STREEP -- JULIE & JULIA

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
MATT DAMON -- THE INFORMANT!
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS -- NINE
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. -- SHERLOCK HOLMES
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT -- (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
MICHAEL STUHLBARG -- A SERIOUS MAN

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
CORALINE
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
UP

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
PENÉLOPE CRUZ -- NINE
VERA FARMIGA -- UP IN THE AIR
ANNA KENDRICK -- UP IN THE AIR
MO'NIQUE -- PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
JULIANNE MOORE -- A SINGLE MAN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
MATT DAMON -- INVICTUS
WOODY HARRELSON -- THE MESSENGER
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER -- THE LAST STATION
STANLEY TUCCI -- THE LOVELY BONES
CHRISTOPH WALTZ -- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE
KATHRYN BIGELOW -- THE HURT LOCKER
JAMES CAMERON -- AVATAR
CLINT EASTWOOD -- INVICTUS
JASON REITMAN -- UP IN THE AIR
QUENTIN TARANTINO -- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE
NEILL BLOMKAMP, TERRI TATCHELL -- DISTRICT 9
MARK BOAL -- THE HURT LOCKER
NANCY MEYERS -- IT'S COMPLICATED
JASON REITMAN, SHELDON TURNER -- UP IN THE AIR
QUENTIN TARANTINO -- INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE
MICHAEL GIACCHINO -- UP
MARVIN HAMLISCH -- THE INFORMANT!
JAMES HORNER -- AVATAR
ABEL KORZENIOWSKI -- A SINGLE MAN
KAREN O, CARTER BURWELL -- WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE
CINEMA ITALIANO -- NINE (Music & Lyrics by: Maury Yeston)
"I WANT TO COME HOME" -- EVERYBODY'S FINE (Music & Lyrics by: Paul McCartney)
"I WILL SEE YOU" -- AVATAR (Music by: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Lyrics by: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell)
"THE WEARY KIND (THEME FROM CRAZY HEART)" -- CRAZY HEART (Music & Lyrics by: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett)
"WINTER" -- BROTHERS (Music by: U2, Lyrics by: Bono)

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
BIG LOVE (HBO)
DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
HOUSE (FOX)
MAD MEN (AMC)
TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
GLENN CLOSE -- DAMAGES
JANUARY JONES -- MAD MEN
JULIANNA MARGULIES -- THE GOOD WIFE
ANNA PAQUIN -- TRUE BLOOD
KYRA SEDGWICK -- THE CLOSER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
SIMON BAKER -- THE MENTALIST
MICHAEL C. HALL -- DEXTER
JON HAMM -- MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE -- HOUSE
BILL PAXTON -- BIG LOVE

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 ROCK (NBC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
GLEE (FOX)
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
THE OFFICE (NBC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
TONI COLLETTE -- UNITED STATES OF TARA
COURTENEY COX -- COUGAR TOWN
EDIE FALCO -- NURSE JACKIE
TINA FEY -- 30 ROCK
LEA MICHELE -- GLEE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ALEC BALDWIN -- 30 ROCK
STEVE CARELL -- THE OFFICE
DAVID DUCHOVNY -- CALIFORNICATION
THOMAS JANE -- HUNG
MATTHEW MORRISON -- GLEE

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE (LIFETIME TELEVISION)
GREY GARDENS (HBO)
INTO THE STORM (HBO)
LITTLE DORRIT (PBS)
TAKING CHANCE (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
JOAN ALLEN -- GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
DREW BARRYMORE -- GREY GARDENS
JESSICA LANGE -- GREY GARDENS
ANNA PAQUIN -- THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER
SIGOURNEY WEAVER -- PRAYERS FOR BOBBY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
KEVIN BACON -- TAKING CHANCE
KENNETH BRANAGH -- WALLANDER: ONE STEP BEHIND
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR -- ENDGAME
BRENDAN GLEESON -- INTO THE STORM
JEREMY IRONS -- GEORGIA O'KEEFFE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
JANE ADAMS -- HUNG
ROSE BYRNE -- DAMAGES
JANE LYNCH -- GLEE
JANET McTEER -- INTO THE STORM
CHLOË SEVIGNY -- BIG LOVE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
MICHAEL EMERSON -- LOST
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS -- HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
WILLIAM HURT -- DAMAGES
JOHN LITHGOW -- DEXTER
JEREMY PIVEN -- ENTOURAGE

Pants on the Ground

Loved it! It is definitely a catchy tune and thanks to Larry Platt the whole country is singing to the all those who have a hard time keeping their pants pulled up where they should be. :) Will the song make a difference to those that wear their pants that way - hey it is worth a shot isn't it. And this is not the first time Larry Platt as stood for something he believes in. He has pictures with Martin Luther King Jr. and other political figures and worked to get Obama elected. What else? Well click here to read more about the new singing sensation Larry Platt. Oh and if you did not hear his performance - you can view that too by clicking above.

Be Careful and Smart

A teen in Pine Island, MN is in trouble after posting a threat on Facebook. If you are on Facebook or not, I'll just fill you in - there are a lot of people that can read what you post. Was this just an attention getter for this teen threatening to bring a gun to school and shoot the girl and some others maybe, but certainly nothing to take lightly. If I was the girl receiving the threat I would have called the authorities too because you never know if what someone is typing is truth or not. Teens, everyone - please be smarter than that and just don't write threats on Facebook. Read the whole story.

Pictures say a Thousand Words

2009 is over, but I cannot believe that a decade has passed already. Looking back, there are so many things that have happened and what better way to remember than with pictures. Click here to view.

The Age of Technology

Well every New Year brings out the best (and the worst) of the old Year. We usually look at the top news stories, the top baby names and etc... This year we have the most popular YouTube videos. Some I myself have viewed before and others were new to me today. More more can you say, but here is the link for you to view them for yourself. Story of the most popular YouTube videos, with the links to view them.