Wed, January 25, 2012

SOLAR STORM
The largest solar storm in nearly a decade is blasting the Earth. Some radio communications have been affected, and your GPS system may have outages. Your cellphone will probably not be affected... however some flights have already been rerouted so the charged particles in the atmosphere won't interfere with nagivation systems. (The earth's electromagnetic field will get all stirred up by radiation coming off the sun, and the signals we receive have to pass through that stirred-up area.)

NEW WALMART OPENS AT 100 OAKS
It's all the buzz in the 100 Oaks area.... the new Walmart on Powell Avenue is opening today, in the former Expo Design Center location. The 92-thousand square foot store... will be the smallest Walmart Supercenter in Nashville... but will employ more than 200 people... and sell most of the things the larger supercenters carry, including groceries, and garden supplies.

HEALTH: PFCs WEAKEN IMMUNE SYSTEM
There's something around your home that could be making your child more likely to get sick. it's a chemical in non-stick frying pans... perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs. They're found in non-stick cookware, food packaging and stain-resistant fabrics. Researchers found that five-year-olds who had high levels of the chemical in their blood didn't produce as many antibodies after they got their vaccinations... which means the vaccinations wouldn't be as effective in preventing illnesses. (PFC use is falling in the U.S. but remains high in many other parts of the world, like China. The study appears in the "Journal of the American Medical Association.")

"BON APPETIT" NAMES NASHVILLE SOUTH'S TASTIEST CITY
And you know we know good food! Now "Bon Appetit" magazine knows it. In its February issue the culinary magazine showcases Nashville food scene hot spots, where to stay and shop, and talks about which restaurants local celebrities like Sheryl Crow and Taylor Swift prefer. Prince's Hot Chicken, Arnold's, Mas Tacos Por Favor, City House, Capitol Grille, Martin's BBQ in Nolensville, Catbird Seat.

MORNING SHOW'S WEBSITE WEDNESDAY IDEA
www.bonappetit.com
It's a site you might not think to look for when you have a few spare minutes, but if you love food, it's an awesome site. Especially since right now it's about some of the best food places in Nashville (like Princes hot chicken, Arnold's Country Cooking).
And even if you don't go check out those places, it has recipes from them, including the Macaroni and Cheese from Arnold's, and Sweet Potato Fries with Sriracha Crème Fraîche.... (Sriracha is that red, hot sauce you find at Chinese restaurants).
Also includes things like: the top 10 best cooking apps, and 11 ways to cook short-ribs. It'll make your mouth water. You can see it, and all our Website Wednesday Ideas at www.mix929.com  Scroll over the MORNING SHOW page link, and you'll see 'em.

CELL PHONES HURTING 911 FUNDING
So many people are giving up land lines for cellphones that some 911 systems are struggling to find money to operate. 911 systems normally got a dollar-fifty or so from each landline bill. The state only gets 1.00 per cell phone each month. People leading emergency systems say we have to figure out another way to pay for services such as dispatchers.

GOOGLE TRACKING EVERYTHING NOW
If you use any Google service: Gmail, Google search, YouTube, or other sites they own, starting March 1st they're going to start tracking you. Google says its intent is to help develop a customized experience for each user. It's also expected to help Google compete against rivals Apple and Facebook, which are already tracking where you go and what you look at.

OBAMA STATE OF UNION SPEECH
President Obama's State of the Union address last night emphasized keeping the basic American promise ... which he says is, if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your children to college and have a little left over for retirement. Obama said, "No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important."

TENNESSEE EARNS B-MINUS IN TEACHER POLICY
Tennessee is doing pretty well at preparing, rewarding and keeping effective teachers, according to a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality. They give us a B-minus, and rank us 16th best nationwide. Five areas were judged ranging from identifying effective teachers, which the state received a "B," and exiting ineffective teachers, which it earned a "C." Overall, the state ranks 16th nationally and is considered comparatively achieving a high degree of progress in the past two years.

PATERNO FUNERAL
Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno will be laid to rest today in a private funeral and burial service. A public memorial is scheduled for tomorrow on the Penn State campus.

THP CITIZENS' ACADEMY
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is accepting applications for the first session of its new Citizens' Trooper Academy. It's a nine-week course where you get about 30 hours of training, to see what THP officers deal with day to day basis. I'm not sure about the THP class, but I've taken a Citizen's Police Academy class, and they include ride-alongs. The first session is Monday, March 5th. .. 6 to 9pm. You can register online. (The deadline to register is February 3rd. www.tn.gov/safety for application online)

GRANDMOTHER CONVICTED IN PIT BULL ATTACK OF CHILD
A grandmother who let her six pit bulls play in the front yard with her two year old grandson... will serve at least two years in prison, after the dogs attacked the little boy. The boy's mother is also charged with felony child abuse but her case hasn't gone to trial yet. The child is about 3 now and has recovered.

PREDS WIN AGAIN
The Nashville Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks last night, 3 to 1. This is their fourth straight victory and 12th win in 14 games.

FIRST LADY TO UNVEIL NUTRITION STANDARDS AT ELEM SCHOOL
First Lady Michelle Obama will introduce the Department of Agriculture's new nutrition standards for school lunches today. They'll include fruits and vegetables with every meal, adding more whole grain-rich foods and better portion sizes. It's the first change in the FDA guidelines in 15 years.

3-YEAR-OLD LEFT IN DAYCARE VAN, WORKER CHARGED
A Kentucky daycare employee was arrested Monday after she left a three-year-old girl alone in the daycare van she was driving and then neglected to tell the little girl's mother what had happened. The little girl is okay. 40 year-old Erica James is charged with felony wanton endangerment.

HEALTH: 'SHROOMS HELP ALLEVIATE DEPRESSION
Magic mushrooms could be used in future for depression. Two new studies show 'shrooms create changes in the brain that help people recall happy memories, and decrease the ability to organize and make sense of the world.. something that's overactive in people with depression. (The first study appears in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." The second will appear tomorrow in the "British Journal of Psychiatry.")

HEALTH: SWIMMING HELPS BLOOD PRESSURE /PUZZLES REDUCE ALZHEIMER'S RISK FACTOR
Other new health information for you: that swimming a few times a week has been found to lower blood pressure, and that playing games, doing crosswords, reading and writing can help keep Alzheimer's-linked protein deposits from forming in your brain. (The new study suggests that it's important to make activities such as working crossword puzzles a lifelong habit. Results of the research are published in the "Archives of Neurology.")

DEMI MOORE UNDER MEDICAL CARE
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9037261/Demi-Moore-admitted-to-hospital-for-exhaustion.html
Actress Demi Moore is under medical care. She says she's getting professional help to treat "exhaustion" and "overall health" issues, TMZ.com reported that she was rushed to the hospital Monday night for substance abuse problems.

OKLA. HOSPITAL MUST RETURN $500K TO GARTH BROOKS
http://www.wkrn.com/story/16592887/okla-hospital-must-return-500k-to-garth-brooks
An Oklahoma jury has ruled that a hospital in Garth Brooks' hometown has to give back $500,000 that the country singer donated to the hospital... because it didn't build a women's center to honor his late mother, as he'd been promised.

MAN SUES PRISON FOR NOT FINDING BIG ENOUGH JUMPSUIT
And a former New York City inmate is taking his jailers to court because they didn't produce a prison outfit in his size. Elias Diaz, who weighs 400-pounds, is suing the jail for making him wear the same sweat pants and t-shirt he was wearing when he was arrested. He says he had to wash it out every day for eight months, and because the jail didn't buy the size 7x jumpsuit he needed... he'll require psychiatric care to recover. He's asking for a million dollars.

COUPLE WINS LOTTERY, PUT OFF CELEBRATIONS FOR CHILD'S FOOTBALL
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9035974/Mansfield-lottery-win-couple-put-off-celebrations-for-childs-football-match.html
And what would you do if you won the lottery? Maybe what this couple did? A husband and wife found out they won in the million dollar lottery... but they put off their celebrations, because they had to take their kids to their soccer match, entertain friends that evening, then hold a sleepover for the kids, then entertain friends that evening. Couldn't cancel anything, and didn't want to disrupt the kids' schedules. They waited till the kids got home from school the next day to break the news.