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J103:

THE MORNING SHOW WITH TED

Congratulations to Madison Arnold, 7 in South Pittsburg- YOU ARE TODAY'S WINNER!  Enjoy the DQ Grill and Chill Ice Cream Cake: 

 

Sunday Birthdays (2-5-12)

Zach Brown, 23 in Cleveland

Jordan Lewis, 10 in Sale Creek

Saturday Birthdays (2-4-12)

Danny Miller, 23 in Pelham, TN

Olivia Hardy, 8 in Chattanooga

Jason, 39 in Cleveland

Megan, 8 in Cleveland

Friday Birthdays (2-3-12)

Angie Vineyard, 40 in Dalton

Alex Tweed, 14 in Charleston

Friday Topics:

Americans' Favorite Super Bowl Party Snacks: Party hosts who want to plan a crowd-pleasing menu should put chips and dip atop their game-day shopping lists: 61% of Americans chose the dish as their favorite food to eat on Super Bowl Sunday. Other favorites include pizza (55%), nachos (41%), subs/sandwiches (38%), barbecue (37%), fried finger foods (35%) and burgers (32%).

Domino's Pizza Prepping For Biggest Day Of The Year: Domino's anticipates delivering over 11 million slices of pizza in the U.S. on Super Bowl Sunday. Domino's Pizza Game Day Stats:

• Domino's says sales tend to increase when the game is close and viewers are glued to their TVs. Also, while both New York and New England Domino's stores will see high sales at the beginning of the game, the city of the winning team will likely see higher sales at the end of the night.
• During last year's game, Domino's delivered enough pizzas to stretch across more than 5,000 football fields.
• Pepperoni pizzas are America's favorite pizza topping, and the same should hold true for this Sunday. Domino's anticipates almost 60% of pizza orders will be for pepperoni pizzas, with sausage being the second most popular topping.
• Domino's delivery drivers will cover up to 4 million miles this Sunday in the U.S. alone.

Super Bowl Spending: More Americans than ever plan to celebrate the Super Bowl this year - with total spending expected to reach $11 billion. Nearly 173 million Americans plan on viewing the game, up from 171 million last year. The average game watcher is expected to shell out around $63 on related merchandise. Of those planning to watch the game, at least 5.1 million will buy a new television specifically for the big day.

Chicken Wings And Super Bowl Weekend: As Americans plan their menus for Super Bowl Sunday, the second biggest eating day of the year after Thanksgiving, few items will be more prominent on viewers' plates than America's favorite appetizer - chicken wings. More than 1.25 billion wing portions will be consumed during Super Bowl weekend in 2012. Some 23% of those who watch the big game will eat chicken wings, and second only to dips and spreads on Super Bowl menus.

Few Fans Jilted At Last Year's Super Bowl To Attend This Year's For Free: At last year's Super Bowl in Dallas, 3,200 ticket holding fans were denied the chance to take their seats because some seating was deemed unsafe. While all were given the opportunity to go to this year's Super Bowl, only 246 took the NFL up on its deal to attend. The fans that denied the tickets are either awaiting a better matchup of a Super Bowl or are involved in a lawsuit about the fiasco.

Thursday Birthdays (2-2-12)

Kelly Fox, 34 in Cleveland

Clayton Sisk, 56 in Ringgold

Isaac Kuale, 11 in Chattanooga

Audrey Johnson, 53 in Sale Creek

Taylor Richey, 14 in Chattanooga

Evan Hood, 7 in Rocky Face

Katie Isbill, 15 in Benton

Kelsey Isbill, 15 in Benton

Wednesday Birthdays (2-1-12)

Tucker Chrisman, 11 in Hixson

Jaret Bailey, 14 in Soddy Daisy

Sydney Grace Robinette, 2 in Tunnel Hill

Kayla Crisp, 17 in Riceville

Dylan Miller, 11 in Evensville

Chase Clifton, 18 in Athens

Kelsey Brock, 16 in Rocky Face

Dianne Stone, 52 in Dayton

Super Bowl Snack Recipe Contest:

Brittany Hurd's Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Balls:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 teaspoons butter softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 package of chocolate Candiquik or chocolate of choice

Soften 6 teaspoons of butter by placing in microwave 15-20 seconds. Mix 1 cup peanut butter, 2 cups confectioners sugar and the softened butter in a bowl until a nice texture is formed. Spoon out mixtures, roll into balls and place on wax-paper. Let stand for 10 minutes. Melt chocolate and dip in the peanut butter balls. Place on wax-paper.

Janet Tomaszewski's Sandwiches:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 onion, grated
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
• 2 (12 ounce) packages white party rolls
• 1/2 pound chopped cooked ham
• 5 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together butter, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce and prepared Dijon-style mustard. Slice rolls in half horizontally and set aside tops. Spread bottoms with the butter mixture. Top with ham and Swiss cheese. Replace the tops. Arrange rolls in a single layer in a medium baking dish. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until rolls are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Todd Hartman's Grillin' Super Bowl Wings:

• 5 or 10 bag of Tyson or similar precooked wings (Tequila Lime)

Let thaw in refridgerator day or so before. On the day that you plan to serve, put them on grill for 25 minutes at 225-250, turn occasionally and do this for 20 minutes. Put in metal pan (1/2 aluminum pan) with 1 stick of butter, sprinkle on your favorite seasoning. Put in oven or grill for 30 minutes, at 250. Take out, pour your favorite BBQ sauce about 1/2 cup all over and mix up good, put a lid (foil) on. Put back in oven for 30 minutes at 250. Let stand for a few minutes then uncover.

*To enter the Super Bowl Snack Recipe Contest, send your recipe and photo to jocks@j103.com.

Tuesday Birthdays (1-31-12)

Kaitlyn Rose, 13 in Ooltewah

Tristan Fowler, 14 in Cleveland

Kayla Long, 17 in Crandall

Kaitlyn Wells, 11 in Cleveland

Jacob Parrott, 12 in Harrison

Keaton West, 7 in Cleveland

Jordan Ray, 16 in Chatsworth

Kristy Morgan in Evensville

Eddy Cloud, 51 in Trenton

Denise Montgomery, 48 in Ringgold

Victoria Scott, 19 at ETSU

Tuesday Topics:

Danny Gokey Gets Married: "American Idol" alum Danny Gokey has married model Leyicet Peralta. The couple said "I do" among friends and family in Florida. This is the second marriage for Gokey, 31, who tragically lost his first wife in 2008 after a routine surgery for congenital heart disease. The couple asked their guests to provide all gifts in the form of a donation to the children's charity founded by Gokey to honor his late wife.

www.neverlikeditanyway.com: Just in time for Valentine's Day, a new website has been created for those who want to dispose of unwanted gifts from ex-partners. The site discovered the opportunity to make money from selling unwanted gifts. Each item comes with a story that explains why their post-relationship item is up for grabs.

Eatery Bids Goodbye To 2-Foot Hot Dog: Connecticut restaurant Doogie's said its famous 2-foot hot dog will soon be a thing of the past after its manufacturer closes down. The owner of Doogie's said that he received a call informing him that the company was closing down after 122 years, leaving the restaurant without a supplier for the 2-foot hot dog.

UPS Driver Goes 50 Years Accident-Free: UPS is celebrating a first for one of its drivers - 50 years behind the wheel without an accident. Ohio driver Ron Sowder figures over the last 50 years, he's driven more than four million miles and delivered more than 35 million packages.

College Student Fined $200 For Stealing 79-Cent Donut: A Wyoming college student was charged with misdemeanor shoplifting after employees at a store say they spotted him leaving without paying the $.79 for the donut. Rather than go to trial, the 19-year-old made a deal with the city attorney to pay a $200 fine, $10 in court costs and the original $.79 that he was supposed to pay for the pastry.

School Bans Ugg Boots: A Philadelphia school has banned Ugg boots because students have been using them to hide banned cell phones inside. The school principal asked for the boot ban "because of the classroom disruptions that are resulting from ringing cell phones."

Baby Lotion Recalled Over Bacteria: Johnson & Johnson is voluntarily recalling a single lot of Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion after a test by the Food and Drug Administration found it contained more of a form of bacteria than specifications allow. The product was distributed in states such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. Consumers who would like a refund can call 877.298.2525. 

Monday Birthdays (1-30-12)

Katelyn Kimich, 13 in LaFayette

Megan Kimich, 13 in LaFayette

Jacob Lamb, 22 in Chickamauga

Robert Veal, 47 in Chickamauga

Youth Pastor Jimmy Gravley, 28 in Dayton

Monday Topics:

Monday Morning Chuckle:

Philippe's Coffee Goes Up: Philippe's restaurant is raising the price of a cup of coffee from 9 cents to 45 cents. But Philippe's owners say their coffee costs have risen too high to keep the bargain price. The new price goes into effect next week.

Jail Allows Online Visits: A county jail in Garden City, Kansas, now allows online visiting. Family and friends of inmates don't have to travel beyond their computers, but this is no get into jail free program. The online jailhouse visits cost 50 cents a minute, or $10 for the maximum 20 minute chat.

How To Guard Against The Flu: Wash your hands often and get an annual flu vaccine - those are the best ways to avoid getting sick, but not the only ways. Other tips:

• Stop touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Give up cigarettes and heavy drinking.
• Live healthfully.
• Use a humidifier.
• Carry hand sanitizer.
• Use sanitizing wipes.
• Avoid crowds.
• Ask about prescription medication.

Taco Bell Debuts Breakfast Menu: Taco Bell has debuted a breakfast menu with fast-food Mexican breakfast items to go. The menu includes items such as burritos filled with eggs and sausage, bacon or steak, egg wraps, hash browns, coffee and orange juice. Unfortunately, the 11 new menu items will only be in a limited number of states until 2014 including: California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma and Nevada.

Things You Shouldn't Talk About During Interviews: Some managers are good at getting job candidates to let their guard down and give job interviews a more casual twist. If you are put in this situation, you'll need to avoid over-sharing and spoiling your prospects. Most applicants know better than to rant about religion or politics, but there are more mundane subjects that might seem harmless at first, but can easily derail your job prospects. Main Street identifies these topics to avoid:

• Complaining about your old job
• Child care needs
• Your age
• Financial problems
• Questionable hobbies

Sunday Birthdays (1-29-12)

Jimmy Brown, 52 in Etowah

Rhonda Hood, 44 in Ringgold

Brett Sexton, 40 in Chattanooga

Jennie Riddle, 61 in Ringgold

Taylor Fuquea, 21 in Flintstone

Saturday Birthdays (1-28-12)

April Caudill, 30 in Dayton

Kaitlin Kibble, 15 in Ringgold

Austin Kibble, 15 in Ringgold

Amy Shuster, 25 in Ider, AL

Dee Moore, 55 in Riceville

Ania Arias, 30 in Dalton

Lindsay, 28 in Soddy Daisy

Friday Birthdays (1-27-12)

Jackson Fox, 6 in Cleveland

Holly Graham, 16 in Soddy Daisy

Joey Cope, 27 in Dalton

Jana Cope, 25 in Dalton

Tristin Card, 11 in Chickamauga

Jill Climber, 40 in Tunnel Hill

Morgan Shamblin, 20 in Cleveland

Kathy Stott, 43 in Apison

Travis Moore, 27 in Cleveland

James Sims, 55 in Lookout Mountain

Friday Topics:

Coffee, eucalyptus, menthol and flower are all failed flavors of what treat? *PEZ candies

Pope Encourages Avoiding Social Media Overload: Pope Benedict is asking people to turn off social media every now and then and just enjoy the silence. Benedict released his annual communications message and he says tuning out of social media occasionally allows time for greater reflection and can encourage good listening skills while you listen to others. The Pope is not against media, while he tweets and has a Facebook page.

Why Watch The Super Bowl?: Not everyone watches the Super Bowl solely for the love of the game. While 47% of those who plan to watch the Super Bowl this year said that it's because they love NFL football and would never miss it, 37% said they'll watch the game primarily for the commercials and 33% watch the game because it's fun to go to Super Bowl parties.

Spare Tires May Soon Be A Thing Of The Past: Buying a car can be a stressful experience. One thing buyers could depend upon was that the new vehicle included a spare tire. However, to meet new government fuel efficiency standards, some vehicle manufacturers are omitting heavy spare tires and equipping new vehicles with an emergency sealant and inflator kit, or tires that if damaged can run reasonable distances without air.

Valentine's Day Dinner: According to a new survey, 44% of couples intend on dining out this Valentine's Day, while 35% are preparing a gourmet feast at home. Even worse, the average expected dinner tab comes out to $147 per couple, and that's not counting the $88 that they're also spending on gifts for their sweetie. Forty-eight percent are picking the perfect place to eat based on the quality of the food, while 29% are scouting a fancier, candle-lit atmosphere. Also, 46% of mostly female respondents say their date is picking up the bill.

Smithsonian To Get Space Shuttle: One more flight is planned for the space shuttle Discovery. The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum is adding the retired space vehicle to its collection. Museum officials say a flyover above the nation's capital is planned for April 17th.

Thursday Birthdays (1-26-12)

Kassidy Rodriguez, 14 in Flintstone

Terri Camp, 43 in East Ridge

Ethan Blair, 11 in Chatsworth

Tanner, 9 in Ringgold

Hudson Sexton, 12 in Chattanooga

Leah Underwood, 12 in Whitwell

Holly Poe, 36 in Dalton

Nathan Carver, 8 in Chickamauga

Mallory Hefner, 7 in Cleveland

David Snell, 11 in East Brainerd

Thursday Topics:

Voice Of 'Lost In Space' Robot Dies: Dick Tufeld, who spent three decades as the voice for ABC daytime programming and achieved pop-culture fame as the voice of the robot in "Lost In Space," died January 22 at his home in Studio City, California, at the age of 85. The 1965-1968 CBS science-fiction series had Tufeld speaking for the B9 Robot with such monotone sayings such as "Warning, warning," "Danger, Will Robinson!" and "It does not compute." Bob May, the man inside the robot suit, died in January 2009.

Super Bowl Scarves: It's a warm souvenir for an army of Super Bowl volunteers. Organizers of the big game are giving blue-and-white Super Scarves to each of the 8,000 volunteers. The idea is to keep them warm in chilly Indy and make them highly visible during Super Bowl week. The scarves were knitted by everyone from great-grandmothers to prison inmates.

$100 Hot Dog Includes Cognac, Lobster: The world's most expensive hot dog has debuted in Vancouver, costing $100 for the foot-long dog infused with cognac, lobster, and Kobe beef. The hot dog is named the Dragon Dog in honor of the Chinese New Year, which celebrates the year of the dragon this year. The founder of this expensive hot dog plans to enter it in the Guinness Book of Records.

Bosses Get Nicer With Exercise: Regular exercise can help grouchy bosses be nicer to their employees. After a study was done, it seemed that there was a connection between negative behavior in bosses and lack of exercise.

Costa Concordia Rescuers Find 16th Body: Rescuers searching the stricken Costa Concordia found another body, bringing the number of confirmed dead from the wreck to 16. A class-action lawsuit will be filed in Miami against Costa and its parent company, Carnival Corp. The suit, in collaboration with two U.S. law firms, is "aimed specifically at getting compensation for all damages to the boat passengers." The class-action suit, which is open to passengers of any nationality, will request at least $160,000 per passenger.

Disney To Let Workers Don Beards: Disney's strict theme park employee grooming code has always banned beards and has only allowed mustaches since 2000, but the company is overturning the rule on February 3rd. It's also introducing casual Fridays for employees who don't interact with customers.

Wednesday Birthdays (1-25-12)

Becky Meers, 25 in McDonald

Mark Mariakis, 50 at Ridgeland High School

Jill Brooks, 7 in Bryant

Jazmine Hall, 7 in South Pittsburg

Nolan Brown, 6 in Etowah

Janice Graham, 56 in Rock Spring

Beth Glenn, 42 in Hixson

Benjamin Bradley, 27 in East Brainerd

Ethan Shephard, 9 in Englewood

Jim Bolton, 52 in Cleveland

Wednesday Topics:

Westboro Baptist Church To Picket Paterno's Funeral: It was announced on Twitter yesterday that the church that is known for their extreme views against homosexuality and policy of disturbing the bereaved would be picketing the funeral of Joe Paterno. It seems WBC is targeting the legendary Penn State football coach because of his ties to the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Top Family Destinations For 2012: Spring Break is around the corner and ABC City Guides for Kids has released its annual Top 7 Family Destinations List:

• Pittsburg, PA: Heinz History Center and the Carnegie Science Center are world class.
• Atlantic City, NJ: Visit the Absecon Lighthouse, Historic Gardner's Basin, Steel Pier and Ripley Museum.
• Times Square, NY: See the Gazillion Bubble Show on Broadway, ride the Giant Ferris Wheel inside Toys "R" Us, and visit the Hershey and M&M super stores.
• Chicago, IL: Plan a summer visit during the Taste of Chicago Festival.
• Philadelphia, PA: Start at the Rocky statue then race to the top of the Art Museum steps and plan a city sculpture scavenger hunt.
• Louisville, KY: The Louisville Slugger Museum may have the best "factory" tour in the country. Visit Churchill Downs, Ali Museum, and Louisville Stoneware factory and gallery. Kids will want to eat every meal at Lynn's Paradise Cafe.
• Washington, DC: The Smithsonian Museums, International Spy Museum and Newseum will be bustling all year.

Find out more about ABC City Guides For Kids at www.kidstravelguides.com.

George Lucas Proven Right: The new film "Red Tails" is flying high at the box office. The movie finished second in its first weekend in theaters, which is better than 20th Century Fox thought that it would do. The second-place finish justifies the battle executive producer George Lucas put up to get the film made. A grass roots effort to get people to support "Red Tails" and positive word-of-mouth helped the film.

www.rentagrandma.com: RentAGrandma.com is hiring, helping to bring loving Grandmas to families everywhere. Every Grandma is "a mature woman who is only the most professional, experienced staff and meets the standards customers will demand for their own Grandmas." Rent a Grandma provides care for children, the elderly, and pets. Prices for the service range from $14 to $20 an hour.

Tablet, E-Reader Ownership Almost Double: The number of Americans owning a tablet computer or e-reader nearly doubled over the holiday period as Kindles, Nooks and iPads proved to be popular gifts. Men and women were equally likely to own a device but ownership was more likely among people with higher education and higher income.

Ditching The Bookbag For iPad: Apple is hoping that high school books can soon be replaced by iPads, now that it has launched an upgrade to its iBooks application that can handle text books. The company says that it will also begin selling e-texts, electronic versions of standard high school books. There are still some obstacles that could keep this Apple dream from becoming a reality.

The Germiest Places In Your Kitchen: "Good Morning America" teamed up with Consumer Reports to find the germiest places in a kitchen. Here are the biggest offenders:

• Your Stuff and Your Counter Tops: Your keys, your purse, and even the mail can transport bacteria into your home from the outside.
• Sticky Fingers: Your own fingers can spread more germs than any other tool in your kitchen.
• Reusable Grocery Bags: Doing your part to save the planet may contaminate the environment in your kitchen.
• The Fridge and Freezer: Keep them cold enough.
• Dishcloths: They are often crawling with bacteria while posing as a cleaning tool.
• Kitchen Sink: The kitchen sink harbors dirty dishes, a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Microwave: The microwave is a hotbed of germ activity.

Tuesday Birthdays (1-24-12)

Nicholas Trew, 13 in Chickamauga

Elizabeth Kvale, 9 in Chattanooga

Mitzi Callahan, 42 in Ringgold

Conrad Sarver in Ringgold

Tuesday Topics:

Jim Carrey's Daughter Wants To Be An 'Idol': Jim Carrey's daughter Jane is setting her sights on becoming the next "American Idol." The new mother was revealed as a contestant on the show when she performed "Something To Talk About" in front of the judges, who all voted her through to the next round.

Mom Arrested For Letting 10-Year-Old Son Get Tattoo: An Acworth, Georgia, mom was arrested for allowing her 10-year-old son to get a tattoo in memory of his deceased brother. The boy asked his mother if he could get one like the one that she had, and while she knew that it was against the law, she let him get it anyway. The woman was charged with misdemeanor child cruelty after someone at the boy's school saw the tattoo and reported the mom.

Teacher In Hot Water Over Potty Break Policy: Parents at a Brooklyn elementary school are furious over a fifth-grade teacher's bathroom policy that prohibits students from using the restroom more than three times a week. Students are given three vouchers a week that entitle them to bathroom visits. Students who do not use all three of the vouchers by the end of the week may hand in the leftovers in exchange for tickets they can redeem for small prizes. The teacher has since been told to drop the policy.

Spending As Much On Java As Commuting: A new study shows that the average worker spends almost as much on coffee every year as they do on commuting to and from their job. While the average amount spent on coffee per year is around $1,092, commuting costs for the average worker comes out around $1,476 per year.

Going To The Gym - Not So Much: Seventy-four percent of U.S. adults say they won't be getting a new gym membership or renewing an existing one this year. Seven percent said they have signed up for a gym membership as a New Year's resolution and quit before the year was over; 70% of those quit within five months, 9% quit in January, and 15% quit in February. Of those who already have a membership this year, their frequency at the gym varies as such:

• Once a week or more - 53%
• Once a day or more - 15%
• Less than once a month - 10%

Men are significantly more likely to go to the gym than women, at 79% and 67%.

Bad Couponing: 9 Tips To Avoid It: Some tips to keep you away from illegal, risky, and cheating couponing:

Illegal Activity:

• Making your own coupons. Counterfeiting coupons is a crime just as counterfeiting money is.
• Photocopying coupons. This is also a type of counterfeiting.
• Stealing newspapers. You may have seen couponers do this on Extreme Couponing, but taking something that isn't yours is theft.
• Bottom Line. Think of coupons as dollar bills. If you wouldn't fake, photocopy, or steal a banknote, don't do it with coupons either.

Risky Business:

• Buying coupons. While buying coupons isn't illegal, you could be buying illegal coupons.
• Dumpster and recycling-bin diving. Removing recyclables can get you arrested for theft.

Cheating The System:

• Removing expiration dates. It's just dishonest and disrespectful.
• Making multiple transactions. This usually doesn't follow their coupon policy.
• Taking multiple coupons. You know those stick-on coupons you can pull off a product before you buy to use when you buy it? You're not supposed to steal them off every product on the shelves. The same goes for those of you who hit the back button to force a limited Coupon.com coupon to print twice. When you take more than your fair share of a limited coupon, you're denying the next shopper their fair share.

Monday Birthdays (1-23-12)

Anna-Gail Jones, 13 in Chattanooga

Reuben Lavarieea, 12 in Athens

Ghena Frazier, 46 in Reliance

William H. Jones, 59 in Chattanooga

Debra Pilkey in Athens

Monday Topics:

Monday Morning Chuckle

Priceline Throws Shatner's Negotiator Off A Cliff: In a new 30-second TV spot, the Negotiator rescues panicked vacationers from a bus teetering on a bridge's railing. "Save yourselves - some money," he says, as he hands his cell phone to a passenger as he and the bus tumble into a dry creek bed. While saddened by the character's death, Shatner is looking ahead to the debut of "Shatner's World: We Just Live In It," his one-man show on Broadway.

The Players On 'Survivor: One World': There is a lot of brawn on the 24th edition of "Survivor." It's men versus women but they'll live together on the same beach. Also, there is no Redemption Island this time around. "Survivor: One World" starts February 15th on CBS.

www.disneybaby.com: Walt Disney Co. has launched DisneyBaby.com, a new website for expectant and new parents, filled with inspirational ideas, tips from real moms and a collection of Disney Baby brand products.

Sinking Ship: Jump Or Wait?: Age matters when it comes to making a decision to try and swim to safety or to wait for help if you found yourself on a sinking cruise ship. The choice of 42% of respondents to a survey would be to jump into the frigid water to try and swim to safety, while 29% would wait for help. Young people were more likely to swim for it while older Americans said that they would wait. Men and women were close with their opinions of what they would do in the situation.

Sunday Birthdays (1-22-12)

Rocoee Brewer, 24 in Eton

Roman Creed, 13 in Chattanooga

Mary Estus, 60 in LaFayette

Jordan Epperson, 18 in Rossville

Saturday Birthdays (1-21-12)

Kenneth Hudson, 46 in East Ridge

Cindy Hagan in Dalton

Brandon Arnold, 1 in Chickamauga

Josh Henry, 31 in Hixson

Doris Wade, 66 in Dalton

MegAnn Harbison, 7 in Delano

John Adkins, 21 in Cleveland

Friday Birthdays (1-20-12)

Amanda Coffey Poe, 23 in Tunnel Hill

Brock Poe, 6 in Dalton

Lucy Losh, 4 in Chickamauga

Lydia Werner, 8 in Ringgold

Nikki Hooper, 33 in Chatsworth

Leah Adkins, 25 in Cleveland

Cheyanne Giddy, 8 in Rock Spring

Friday Topics:

Billions Appear In Teacher's Account: A teacher in India said he was shocked to check his bank account, which he expected to contain $200, and saw a balance of $9.8 billion. The man, who makes about $700 a month teaching, said that he double-checked the account using an ATM and called the State Bank of India when the balance was confirmed. Bank officials are not sure how it happened, but said that the money would not be available for withdrawl.

Cold Surfer Arrested: Chicago police arrested and ticketed a man for surfing in the frigid waters of Lake Michigan. The man was ticketed for surfing more than 50 yards from shore, unlawful presence on a closed beach and jeopardizing the safety of others on the beach. The temperature in Chicago at the time was in the upper 20s. The Chicago Park District website says "lifeguards are no longer on duty and swimming is discouraged at all beaches."

Super Bowl Snacking: With the Super Bowl approaching fast, the majority of football fans say they feel no guilt about snacking down heartily as they watch their favorite teams try to make it to the Super Bowl. Many admit that few, if any, snacks they eat during games would be considered healthy or good for them. Some favorite snacks include:

• Dips - 32%
• Pizza - 14%
• Chicken wings - 23%
• Salty snacks - 14%

Other findings:

• Nearly three-quarters of the fans say they plan to prepare and serve food and snacks at Super Bowl parties.
• When asked what current or former NFL player they would most like to have at their Super Bowl party, former San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana topped the list.
• Half of hosting fans will spend up to $100 or more on game-day fare.
• 29% describe themselves as "the person shouting and screaming at every play in the game."

M&M's Adds New Character: M&M's announced that its spokescandies, including Red, Yellow, Orange, Green and Blue, will be joined by Ms. Brown, who will debut in an ad premiering during Super Bowl XLVI. M&M's also is giving people a taste of Ms. Brown on January 30th by unveiling the first images of the new character during special events in Los Angeles and New York, as well as on Facebook.

Original Yellow Wiggle Returns: The Yellow Wiggle is back. The original lead singer of the world-famous preschool entertainment band The Wiggles has made a surprise return, five years after he left the group because of an illness. Greg Page announced that he is immediately rejoining the founding members to produce new CDs and DVDs before starting their tour in March.

Relocating: As 2012 ushers in an improving, but still highly competitive job market, more workers may be looking beyond their own backyard for employment options. Forty-four percent of workers said they would be willing to relocate for a career opportunity. Of workers who were laid off in the last year and found new jobs, 20% relocated to a new city or state.

Drunk Driver Hogtied: A suspected drunk driver who narrowly avoided several head-on collisions in New Mexico wound up tackled and hogtied by a citizen before help arrived. When several witnesses followed the drunk driver into a parking lot to confront him, the man became angry and tried to run away. That is when a 26-year-old man took the drunk driver down until police arrived.

First Victim Of Concordia: A Hungarian violinist who helped save young children aboard the Costa Concordia was the first victim of the crash to be identified. Sandor Feher, 38, was identified by his mother. Feher helped small children on the boat's deck put on life jackets before returning to his cabin to pack his violin. His body was found inside the wreckage even though he was last seen wearing a life jacket. As of now, 11 of the passengers of the ship have been found dead and 21 are still missing.

Most Hated Companies In America: Customers, employees, shareholders and taxpayers hate large corporations for many reasons. The top ten most hated companies in the United States:

1. Facebook
2. American Airlines
3. AT&T
4. Nokia
5. Goldman Sachs
6. Best Buy
7. Bank of America
8. Johnson & Johnson
9. Sears
10. Netflix

Thursday Birthdays (1-19-12)

Rebecca Smith, 12 in Chattanooga

Dawson Nunnery, 9 in Cleveland

Emma Kate Morris, 7 in Chattanooga

Zach Hood, 17 in Signal Mountain

Rocoe, 24 in Chatsworth

Lauren Poplin Woodie, 27 in Madisonville

Ashlyn Poplin, 18 in Madisonville

Ric, 41 in Ringgold

Debbie, 48 in LaFayette

Ivan Hale, 18 in Chickamauga

Sean Ray in Ringgold

Skylar Earls, 13 in Cleveland

Michael Snider, 29 in Niota

Braelyn Coffey, 3 in Tunnel Hill

Chandler Mills, 7 in Cleveland

Thursday Topics:

Turkey Memorial: Residents of Woodstock, Georgia, have set up a memorial along a highway where Bob the Turkey, the town's unofficial mascot, lived and died. Bob was hit by a car and killed Sunday near the intersection where he lived. Residents have visited the turkey's burial site to bring flowers, and there has even been talk of placing a permanent plaque in the shape of a turkey there as well.

Free Tax Preparation: More than 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide are now offering free preparation of simple tax forms. The nation's largest retailer has contracted with H&R Block and Jackson-Hewitt to set up kiosks inside its stores where customers can have their tax returns completed by trained preparers. The due date for filing this year is April 17.

Soda Tax Could Save Billions: A penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could generate $13 billion a year in tax revenues but save more in healthcare costs. In a 10-year period, the tax could reduce new cases of diabetes by 2.6%, eliminate as many as 95,000 coronary heart events, 8,000 strokes and 26,000 premature deaths - totaling about $17 billion in medical costs avoided.

www.memorynow.com: MemoryNow.com allows people on the web to create a virtual time capsule and predetermine the date it will be shared. It's a place to record and share thoughts in a year, 10 years, or after death. Leaving their thoughts, pictures and videos as well as important personal treasures, the site then contacts and shares the log-in information when the user has passed away.

Should Governors Pardon Killers?: A majority of Americans (52%) think a state governor should not have the authority to pardon a convicted killer. Twenty-eight percent said that governors should have the right to pardon or commute the sentence of a convicted killer. This data was discovered after the public became outraged after ongoing Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour gave pardons or early releases to more than 200 state prisoners, including four convicted killers.

Potatoes Added To School's Allergy List: Along with nuts and eggs, a Canadian school has asked parents to keep all potato products out of lunches and snacks because one student is allergic to them. A letter was sent to all parents of students at one elementary school after learning of one student's allergy to potatoes. The letter stated that it was not a ban, but rather a request for parents to cooperate in avoiding a potentially fatal medical emergency.

Wednesday Birthdays (1-18-12)

Hailey Patterson, 6 in Soddy Daisy

Hannah Deal, 10 in Cleveland

Marilyn Eaton, 54 in Athens

Riley Smith, 10 in Sweetwater

August Mounts, 43 in Athens

Stacy Mullins, 36 in Cleveland

Jean Wattenberger, 77 in Chattanooga

Heath Shamblin, 18 in Cleveland

Josh Tanner, 29 in East Brainerd

Wednesday Topics:

Movie About Tuskagee Airmen Screened At White House: George Lucas is urging people to send Hollywood a message by seeing his upcoming movie about the Tuskagee Airmen. Lucas says he had all kinds of trouble getting "Red Tails" made because it didn't have any major white stars in it. Lucas held a screening of the movie at the White House over the weekend for President Obama.

Fast Food Guilt: A new survey found that 54% of adults admit feeling guilty after eating fast food, and still more than 56% eat at fast food restaurants at least several times a month. However, 75% say that they pay more attention to eating healthy now than they did five years ago. Half of the respondents say that the reason that they eat fast food so often is because it's quick and easy.

Man Gets Lost Class Ring Back 45 Years Later: A Utah man who lost his class ring six months after buying it is getting the keepsake back 45 years later, thanks to Facebook. When the man received a message on Facebook from a couple asking to speak with him, he blew it off until they contacted him again. This time, the couple told the man that they had found his missing class ring. When the man got his ring back, he said that it no longer fit his ring finger, but that he is happy to have it on his pinky.

Deaths Of Headphone-Wearing Pedestrians Increase: Serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones have more than tripled in six years. In many cases, the cars or trains are sounding horns that the pedestrians cannot hear, leading to fatalities in nearly three-quarters of crashes. The increased incidence of accidents over the years closely corresponds to documented rising popularity of gadgets with headphones.

Outrageous Excuses For Being Late: Sixteen percent of workers said that they have arrived late to work once a week or more, up from 15% last year. While employers are more flexible about work schedules and start times today, excessive tardiness can have serious consequences. Over one-third of employers said they have terminated an employee for being late. Top excuses:

• Traffic - 31% of workers
• Lack of sleep - 18% of workers
• Bad weather - 11% of workers
• Getting kids to school or daycare - 8% of workers

When asked for examples of the most outrageous excuses employees provided for being late, hiring managers said:

• Employee's cat had the hiccups.
• Employee thought she had won the lottery (she didn't).
• Employee got distracted watching "The Today Show."
• Employee's angry roommate cut the cord to his phone charger, so it didn't charge and his alarm didn't go off.
• Employee claimed a fox stole her car keys.
• Employee's leg was trapped between the subway car and the platform (turned out to be true).
• Employee said he wasn't late because he had no intention of getting to work before 9:00 a.m. (when his start time was 8:00 a.m.).
• Employee was late because of a job interview with another firm.
• Employee had to take a personal call from the state governor (turned out to be true).

Best Doughnuts: When asked: "Which doughnut store's doughnuts do you like best" here's how Americans responded:

• Krispy Kreme - 38%
• Dunkin' Donuts - 20%
• Some other place - 27%

Tuesday Birthdays (1-17-12)

Taylor Lovelace, 16 in Hixson

Pastor Mike Campbell, 47 in Chattanooga

Anissa Duckett, 17 in Meigs County

Angela Ford, 33 in Rossville

Seth Goudzward, 19 in Cleveland

Elijah Odell, 7 in Cleveland

Bonnie Scarbrough, 40+ in Chattanooga

Kenneth Branson, 16 in Villanow

Tuesday Topics:

Amish Buggy Fight: A group of conservative Amish men in Kentucky are protesting against a state law requiring orange safety triangles on their horse-drawn buggies. The men believe that the orange triangles is garish and violates their faith's orders to live simple, plain lives. They prefer to use gray reflective tape and lanterns to make their buggies visible to motorists.

Get Your Whopper Delivered: Burger King, which offers delivery service in several international markets, plans to test the service at a handful of Washington, D.C. restaurants in an effort to boost sales. Deliveries will cost $2, require a minimum order of $8 and won't include beverages or breakfast items. Burger King already has successful delivery programs around the world, including in Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, Columbia and Peru.

The Hotel Experience: Hotels.com recently conducted a survey, in which it asked travelers to dish on their favorite in-room and hotel perks. Guests said that Wi-Fi is a must when choosing a hotel room, and 38% reported that free Wi-Fi played a part in their decision as a "must" to stay at a specific hotel. Second to technology, guests are most pleased when their favorite food and beverages are provided during their hotel stay. Other findings:

• 31% want to see more complimentary water in their hotel rooms.
• Despite some guests stealing linens/towels (14%) or magazine/books (12%) from hotel rooms, over 66% of hotel guests have never stolen an item from their hotel room.
• The bathroom phone is the least used hotel amenity, with 37% of total respondents saying they never touch it.
• When asked about amenities at luxury hotels, women prefer designer toiletries (23%) and men prefer the fitness center and spa (27%).
• When asked if they could stay celebrity-style, the top option was to have their kitchen pre-stocked with their favorite food and beverages.

Most New Moms Know '5-Second Rule' Bogus: Most U.S. moms and moms-to-be have basic germ knowledge down pat and most know there is no such thing as a "5-second rule." A whopping 95% of new moms correctly answered that it is best to wash hands after every diaper change. However, only 49% correctly answered that germ hot spots in the nursery should be disinfected at least once a day, and 32% knew that the changing table is the nursery's top germ hotspot.

Monday Birthdays (1-16-12)

Lisa Tankersley, 22 in Dalton

Emmalee Wright, 4 in Cleveland

Breyden Sears, 6 in Cleveland

Jackie Moor, 62 in Hixson

Monday Topics:

Monday Morning Chuckle:

Americans' Stress Levels Take A Dip: Stress among Americans appears to be down for the first time in five years and at its lowest point since 2007. The percentage of people reporting extreme stress dropped from 32% in 2007 to 22% in 2011. About 75% said money is the main concern, two-thirds said they have work issues, and more than half have relationship or health problems. Experts say the decline is likely due to the fact that stress has become a normal part of life for Americans and we have adapted to it.

'Pawn' Wars: Las Vegas-based cast members of "Pawn Stars" are upset at the History channel for airing the Louisiana-set spinoff "Cajun Pawn Stars." The Harrisons of the original "Pawn Stars" were quoted as being "blindsided" when the network announced the "Cajun" spinoff a few weeks ago because they were assured no show so similar to theirs would be made.

Time For A Bald Barbie: A Facebook campaign is encouraging creation of a bald-headed Barbie doll to offer support to girls in chemotherapy. The movement, begun by women with daughters undergoing cancer treatment or dealing with other hair-loss conditions, already has over 18,000 "likes" on Facebook. Barbie manufacturer Mattel has not commented on the campaign, but has acknowledged the Facebook group.

www.shoeholicsclub.com: Shoeholics Club is a free membership website that caters to the passionate love affair that so many people conduct with their footwear. The website caters to female and male shoe enthusiasts, with editorials and articles pertaining to all things shoes.

Gym Pact Program: With the new Gym Pact program, if you skip a workout, you'll end up paying. How the Gym Pact program works:

1. You set a pact to get to the gym of your choice a certain number of times (minimum one day per week)
2. You pick a fee to charge yourself for breaking your pact (minimum $5 per day missed)
3. You download the Gym Pact app to your smart phone and check in when you get to the gym (uses GPS to confirm that you are actually there)
4. If you fall short, they charge your credit card the pre-determined penalty.
5. Gym Pact users who meet their fitness goals receive a small payout at the end of the week (the money paid in by pact-breakers is divided up among pact-keepers)

Airline Passengers Left $400,000 Worth Of Change Behind In 2010: The Transportation Security Administration reports that airline passengers left behind around $400,000 in coins in 2010. The TSA says the coin leakage adds up to $409,085.56, which includes $32,605.17 in foreign currency. The money that is left behind is used to finance agency operations.

Your Smartphone May Be Stressing You Out: Compulsively checking your smartphone may not actually be that smart. That is because there seems to be an association between the usage of smartphones and the rise in stress levels. The reason is that smartphones produce "a relentless need to immediately review and respond to each and every incoming message, alert or bing." The stress gets so bad for some users that they actually begin to feel phantom vibrations, thinking that their phone is buzzing when it isn't.

Kelly Clarkson To Sing National Anthem At Super Bowl: A person familiar with the entertainment plans tells The Associated Press that Clarkson will do the honors in Indianapolis on February 5th. Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton will sing "America The Beautiful" before the game.

Sunday Birthdays (1-15-12)

Amanda Warren, 37 in Dalton

Emily Turk, 11 in Ooltewah

Saturday Birthdays (1-14-12)

Adam Warren, 36 in Dalton

Jacob Tate, 3 in Ringgold

Kayla Collins, 17 in Soddy Daisy

Andrew Christensen, 8 months in Ooltewah

Moriah Erwin, 10 in Athens, TN

Friday Birthdays (1-13-12)

Bailey Christol, 9 in Ringgold

Halle Wolfe, 9 in McDonald

Michelle Werner, 37 in Ringgold

Bill Woodall, 69 in Flintstone

Sue Lovelace, 58 in Hixson

Kennedy Groves, 8 in Hixson

Nicolle Conroy, 36 in East Ridge

Dee Lee, 60+ in Cleveland

Chase Evett, 12 in Cleveland

Friday Topics:

Hostess Seeks Bankruptcy Protection: Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Sno Balls and Wonder Bread, is hoping to cut its high costs as it heads back into bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than a decade. While entering bankruptcy protection, the company said that it will continue to maintain operations. Hostess also hopes to modernize its systems, fleets, and plants to keep pace with customer needs.

Shortcuts To Getting Richer: Here are a few ways to get richer and their problems as well:

1. Saving More - Problem: You want and should be able to save more, but it seems to never happen.
2. Paying Bills on Time - Problem: Forgetfulness leads to late bills, which leads to fees and potential damage to your credit score.
3. Creating a Budget - Problem: It is sometimes difficult to track and record where your money is going.
4. Allocating Assets - Problem: You'd like to invest part of your retirement or other long-term savings into stocks or other risk-based investments, but have no idea how much to put where.
5. Spending Less - Problem: You pay more than you have to because you didn't check online before leaving home and don't want to waste time and gas comparing prices all over town.
6. Saving More, Part 2 - Problem: You don't make enough to automate your savings and never seem to have anything at all saved.
7. Using Coupons - Problem: You'd love to use more coupons and discount codes, but don't have time to scour the Web.
8. Avoiding Parking Tickets - Problem: You're accumulating parking tickets because while your intention is to run inside a store for just a minute, that always seems to be the minute parking enforcement is dropping by.

Thursday Birthdays (1-12-12)

Allison Durham, 32 in LaFayette

Danny Knowles, 59 in Rock Spring

Will "Jack" Scannapiego, 6 in Cleveland

Cheryl Sims, 50 in Signal Mountain

Patrick Godfrey, 30 in Fort Oglethorpe

Kaleb Torres, 12 in Dalton

Happy 14th Anniversary to Tammy and Gustavo Terrazas in Dalton!

Conor Harvey, 7 in Hixson

Thursday Topics:

Close The Lid Before You Flush: After you are finished with your business and flush the toilet, always close the lid first because if you don't, you are unleashing countless particles of waste into the air. It is said that toilet flushes can unleash a cloud of nastiness that can hover in the air and settle on surfaces, possibly spreading sickness. Closing the seat will still release particles into the air, but greatly reduce the revolting cloud left hovering over the toilet.