Saturday, October 25, 2008

Good things too have to come to pass...

Hey guys sorry I haven't blogged but this was set up for Matt and I and the morning show. Please don't be made a Matt! It was the company that we work for that let me go along with a few others. Matt was the best partner I ever had and I will always be thankful for the time we had to spend together and all the friends I made along the way.
If you get a chance give Matt a call and let him know he's doing a great job. I know it's hard to go on being happy on the air when your heart has been taken from you. Maybe things will work out so we can work together again, but until then just keep me in your prayers and know I am thinking about each and everyone of you who called into the radio station or stopped by to see me when I was hanging out at a location broadcasting live.
Live, Laugh and Love,
Dee Stevens
You can keep in touch by going to my website at www.deestevens.com

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Happy Hump Day-10/22/08

Thanks for hanging out with us this morning and please come back tomorrow for more Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee. More fun and winning will be waiting on you tomorrow morning. Until then keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

Oil Falls Below $70 on Economic Concerns

Oil prices fell below $70 a barrel Wednesday as investors shrugged off a looming OPEC production cut after company forecasts suggested the U.S. may be headed for a severe economic slowdown that would crimp demand for crude. Light, sweet crude for December delivery dropped $2.63 to $69.55 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by noon in Europe. The November contract expired Tuesday and fell $3.36 to settle at $70.89. Last Thursday, that contract had declined as low as $68.57 a barrel, the lowest since June 2007. Crude investors have followed equity markets this week, looking for signs on how the U.S. economy will weather the current global financial turmoil. On Tuesday, DuPont, Sun Microsystems and Texas Instruments reported disappointing earnings and bleak forecasts, sending the Dow Jones industrials average down 2.5%. "Oil is now highly correlated with the stock market," said Clarence Chu, a trader with market maker Hudson Capital Energy in Singapore. "People are looking to the Dow for sentiment on the economy." The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which accounts for about 40% of global oil supply, has signaled it plans to announce an output quota reduction at an emergency meeting Friday in Vienna. But investors are skeptical about how much of the cut will be implemented, given the history of OPEC members exceeding their production quotas. "There should be a short-term boost to prices when they announce a cut on Friday," Chu said. "But OPEC production has always been above their quotas, so there's a credibility problem." Crude oil is down 53% from its peak of $147.27 reached in mid-July. A stronger dollar this week has also pushed oil prices lower. Investors often buy commodities like crude oil as an inflation hedge when the dollar weakens and sell those investments when the dollar rises. The euro fell below $1.28 for the first time in nearly two years on Wednesday. The 15-nation euro dipped as low as $1.2736 in morning trading before rising slightly to $1.2873, down from $1.3003 late Tuesday in New York. Investors are also watching for signs of slowing U.S. demand in the weekly oil inventories report to be released Wednesday from the U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. The petroleum supply report was expected to show that oil stocks rose 2.9 million barrels last week, according to the average of analysts' estimates in a survey by energy information provider Platts. The Platts survey also showed that analysts projected gasoline inventories rose 3.0 million barrels and distillates went up 600,000 barrels last week. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures fell 6.15 cents to $2.12 a gallon, while gasoline prices dropped 6.76 cents to $1.62 a gallon. Natural gas for November delivery jumped 1.4 cents to $6.86 per 1,000 cubic feet. In London, December Brent crude was down $2.11 to $67.61 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

A survey released yesterday by Neverfail, an Austin, Texas-based software company that provides protection for businesses, found that 77% of Americans have sent and received text messages on mobile e-mail devices while driving a vehicle. Amazingly, 41% have used a mobile e-mail device such as a BlackBerry while skiing, riding a bike or a horse. The survey also found:

· 11% have used a mobile e-mail device during a romantic moment.

· 79% said they have used one in the bathroom.

· 18% have used one during a wedding.

· 16% during a funeral or memorial service.

· 37% during a graduation.

The CMA is setting up Webisodes leading up to the 42nd Annual CMA Awards, airing November 12th on ABC. Jake Owen and Chuck Wicks, along with former Miss Tennessee Ashley Eicher, will host the Webisodes at www.CMAawards.com  beginning November 5th and running through November 13th.

Sugarland, Tim McGraw, and Taylor Swift have reached new sales plateaus.  CMT.com says Sugarland's latest release, "Love on the Inside," has been certified Platinum for sales of more than one-million copies in the U.S.  It's only taken three months for the duo's disc to achieve the sales accomplishment.  Meanwhile, McGraw's first "Greatest Hits" set, which was released in 2000, earned multi-Platinum status for sales in excess of six-million, while Swift's has a Gold certification for her single "Should've Said No," which has logged more than 500-thousand digital downloads.

Rosanne Cash thinks she should be the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate. In an article for The Nation, Cash jokingly makes an 11-point argument outlining why she would be a better candidate than Alaska Governor and current Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. The article compares the two on a variety of issues, including the environment, experience and church and state. “Starting with the sartorial, I know that it is God’s will that I have the entire Chanel collection for the fall season,” she writes, poking fun at Palin saying that it was God’s will that the Alaska pipeline be built. Cash also defended her foreign policies. “I don’t ask for English Breakfast Tea when I’m in France,” she wrote. “I never call foreign currency funny money (even though it does look funny).”

Hulk Hogan's 18-year-old son is back on the streets, five-and-a-half months after going to jail in Florida for causing a car wreck that left his best friend paralyzed. Nick Bollea, who sometimes goes by Nick Hogan, was released early from his eight-month sentence due to good behavior. His mother Linda took time out from her divorce battle with the Hulkster to issue a statement saying, "Nick went into prison as a juvenile and has experienced something that will mold and affect him for the rest of his adult life. His focus is to make a positive difference in this world, media-free."

Former "Price is Right" host Bob Barker is protesting the construction of a 40-million-dollar exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo.  Barker, a longtime animal rights advocate, joined Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas to ask the zoo to cease construction of the exhibit.  Barker says Cardenas' plan would instead create a separate elephant sanctuary exhibit which would be far more comfortable for the elephants and create a better environment for visitor and animal alike.  He says elephants need a lot of space and companionship to avoid the psychotic behavior and deaths that occur when they are in a zoo.

More than half of Americans (53%) have been interrupted by a work-related phone call or e-mail while in the bathroom, according to a survey by Nokia. The survey revealed that office-related intrusions have invaded other areas of Americans’ lives as well – 24% have allowed a call or e-mail to interrupt them while in the throes of passion. That may be because most working Americans (59%) never turn off their mobile device. Still, 75% of working Americans say technology plays a primary role in helping them balance their work and home life. The survey also showed that work seeps into leisure time more often than not – 62% of working Americans have had their personal lives interrupted by work 10 or fewer times each week. However, a similar number (65%) have had their work lives interrupted by a personal matter.

Eating Fast and Until Full 'Triples Chances of Getting Fat'

WASHINGTON — 

People who gobble down their food and eat until they feel full are three times more likely to become overweight compared with people who eat slowly and modestly, according to a Japanese study.

Researchers suggest shifting patterns of behavior, driven by the advent of fast food and cheap food, are widely to blame for the obesity pandemic.

Osaka University's Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues recruited 1,122 men and 2,165 women aged between 30 and 69 and asked them to closely track their eating habits and body mass index, a benchmark of obesity.

Around half of the men, and just over half of the women, said they ate until they were full.

Just under half of the men, and a little more than a third of the women, said they ate quickly.

Men and women who ate until full were twice as likely to be overweight compared with counterparts who did not eat until full.

Those who ate both quickly and to satiety were three times likelier to be overweight.

"The combination of the two eating behaviours had a supra-additive effect on being overweight," the team say in their paper, published online Tuesday by the British Medical Journal.

The study distinguished between people who ate until full and those who reported binge-eating. Intriguingly, it found those who ate until full had in fact a higher calorie intake than those who gorged.

In a commentary, also carried by the BMJ, Australian nutritionists Elizabeth Denney-Wilson and Karen Campbell suggested that the drive to eat quickly is a genetic survival mechanism — humans are hardwired to overconsume energy when it is available.

This mechanism has run into problems, though, with food that is cheap and instantly available and eaten swiftly, they argued.

"It may be that the changing sociology of food consumption, with fewer families eating together, more people eating while distracted (for example, while watching television), and people eating 'fast food' while on the go all promote eating quickly," said Denney-Wilson and Campbell.

"Furthermore, the increased availability of relatively inexpensive food, which is more energy-dense and served in substantially larger portions, may promote eating beyond satiety."

A Dutch court has convicted two teenagers of theft for stealing virtual items in a computer game. Only a handful of such cases have been heard in the world, and they have reached varying conclusions about the legal status of “virtual goods.” The Leeuwarden District Court says the 14- and 15-year-olds coerced a 13-year-old boy into transferring a “virtual amulet and a virtual mask” from the online adventure game “RuneScape” to their game accounts. “These virtual goods are goods (under Dutch law), so this is theft,” the court said in a summary of its ruling. The 15-year-old was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, while the 14-year-old received 160 hours.

Actor Nicolas Cage has sold one of his many homes for almost 16-million dollars.  The "Newport Daily News" reports that Cage has sold his Gray Craig estate in Middletown, Rhode Island after buying the property a little over a year ago.  His real estate agent told the paper that Cage was barely able to spend time in the home because of his busy schedule.  The 24-thousand-square-foot manor features 12-bedrooms and ten-full bathrooms on 26 acres near a bird sanctuary and beach.  The paper says Cage still owns 13 other homes in five countries.  Cage was recently seen in the crime-action thriller "Bangkok Dangerous," which was released to theaters last month.

Remember that incident last year when a pre-rehab Lindsay Lohan hijacked a car and chased her just-fired personal assistant's mother through L-A? Three guys who were in the car are suing, claiming the ride endangered their lives. The incident led to Lindsay's second D-U-I bust in less than three months and, eventually, to less than a day in jail. The suit seeks unspecified damages. 

Donald Trump’s Miss Universe Organization has been rocked by yet another scandal. Lindsey Evans, the third runner-up at this year’s Miss Teen USA, was arrested with three friends after allegedly leaving a $46.07 bill unpaid at a Louisiana restaurant. The 18-year-old, who is the reigning Miss Teen Louisiana, faces additional charges of pot possession after officers found the drug while searching her purse.

Students at the Ohio State School for the Blind found out yesterday that they will make history at the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade. It will be the first time a blind marching band takes part in the parade in Pasadena, California. It is the only blind marching band in the entire country. The school will need to raise an estimate $1,500 in travel costs for each person making the trip, including the 17 band members.

A Halsey, Oregon, mother said her 13-year-old son will not be returning “The Book of Bunny Suicides” to his high school library, because she intends to burn it. Taffey Anderson said the book will never be returned to Central Linn High School and she intends to do all she can to ensure the school does not replace it. The book, by British author Andy Riley, features drawings of rabbits committing various forms of suicide. Anderson said that if the school replaces the book, “I’ll have somebody else check it out and I’ll keep that one. I’m just disgusted by the whole ordeal.”

George Strait is featured in the current issue of Country Weekly. Strait calls his wife, Norma, the most important person in his life and says, “if you find the partner you can stick with, you’re a lucky man or woman.” The two married in 1971. Among the other people Strait mentions are songwriter Dean Dillon, record producer Tony Brown, Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack.

Dolly Parton has cancelled her October 31st performance at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark due to a personal scheduling conflict. Refunds are available at point of purchase.

The newest version of Guitar Hero -- Guitar Hero World Tour -- features Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again."

A hacker who published provocative photos of Miley Cyrus earlier this year was busted by the F-B-I Monday at his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 19-year-old Josh Holly broke into an E-mail account once used by the tween queen in order to obtain the photos -- which she'd initially sent to former beau Nick Jonas-- and post them online. Authorities seized three computers from Holly's home, but have yet to charge him with any crime

Larry the Cable Guy will appear on CMT with a 90-minute special holiday variety show called “Larry The Cable Guy’s Star Studded Christmas Extravaganza.” Taped in Nashville, the special premieres November 21st, with a DVD release set for November 25th. The show includes guest stars Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Terry Bradshaw, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Lewis Black. Appearing with Larry in sketches are Tony Orlando, Fred Willard and ventriloquist Terry Fator, among others. Montgomery Gentry, Rodney Atkins and Emily West will perform.

Despite the popularity of her Saturday Night Live impersonation, Tina Fey thinks she doesn't hold a candle to Sarah Palin -- in the looks department. The 30 Rock star tells T-V Guide, "That lady is five times better-looking than I am. She's 44? She's got none of that droopy [bleep]. She's keeping it tight!" The 38-year-old Fey says when she first got a gander at the Republican vice-presidential nominee, "I didn't think we looked alike at all. Then during the convention, I started to think, 'Okay, maybe a little.'" There is one physical difference between the two. Fey reveals, "We glue my ears down. That's one of the tricks."

An Arizona man is behind bars for allegedly breaking into a home to charge is cell phone.  Police in Mesa say Scott Boe broke into the home of a detention officer and was caught when the homeowners got back to their place.  Boe told told officials he went into the place to charge his phone because he needed a power outlet to use.  The 24-year-old was caught with tools used in burglaries and was arrested on several different charges.

A Johnson County, Iowa, judge has ordered a woman to stay away from her fiancé – two weeks before their wedding. Judge Stephen Gerard ordered 23-year-old Rucha Patel not to have contact with her soon-to-be-husband after she was charged with domestic abuse causing injury. Police say Patel drove over her fiancé’s foot and then bit his hand when he took away her keys. It was not known why he tried to stop Patel from driving.

Japanese climbers returning from a mountain in western Nepal said yesterday they had found footprints they think belonged to the abominable snowman or Yeti. Kuniaki Yagihara, a member of the Yeti Project Japan, said in Kathmandu, "We saw three footprints which looked like that of human beings." The climbers, equipped with long-lens cameras, video cameras and telescopes, said, however that they did not see or take any photographs of the creature. The Yeti is said to live in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and is largely regarded by the scientific community as a mythical creature. Yagihara and his team, supported by Sherpas, spent six weeks looking for evidence of the beast's existence.

Amber Joy Milbrodt waited 19 hours at Parkland Memorial Hospital’s emergency department for treatment of a broken leg and never did get to see a doctor – but still got a bill for $162. Milbrodt, who broke her leg while playing volleyball, received the bill two weeks after her September 24th visit to the Dallas hospital. Parkland officials say the bill was appropriate because a nurse spent time checking her vital signs to assess her level of need. But Milbrodt says, “It should have been more like them paying me for having to sit in the emergency room for 19 hours.” Amber had been waiting about 3 1/2 hours before a nurse saw her. She ended up having an X-ray taken at a chiropractic school where she is a student, which confirmed she had a fracture. Still, the hospital says, “She’s not paying for waiting. She’s paying for the assessment she received.” A few days before Milbrodt’s visit, a 58- year-old man who went to the ER with stomach pains also waited 19 hours – and then suffered cardiac arrest and died.



Getting ready for a Thursday of Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee. Join us for another day of fun and winning! Keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!
 *Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Foxnews.com, and Metro Networks*

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Tuesday - 10/21/2008

So goes another Tuesday for Carolina Country Cruizin with Matt and Dee. Join us tomorrow for another day for a winning and fun. Keep it rolling with Wheelz 100.5!

Dead Goldfish Offered the Vote in Illinois

The only "agent of change" Princess ever supported was the person who freshened the water in her fishbowl.

So election officials in Chicago's northern suburbs want to know why voter registration material was sent to the dead goldfish.

"I am just stunned at the level of people compromising the integrity of the voting process," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander, a Republican, who said she has spotted problems with nearly 1,000 voter registrations this year.

Beth Nudelman, who owned the fish, said Princess may have landed on a mailing list because the family once filled in the pet's name when they got a second phone line for a computer.

"There was no fraud involved," said Nudelman, a Democrat who supports Barack Obama. "This person is a dead fish."

The paperwork sent to a "Princess Nudelman" likely came from the "Women's Voices, Women Vote" project, which sent nearly 1 million mailings to Illinois households in August using a list that mistakenly included some pets, said Sarah Johnson, a spokeswoman for the not-for-profit group that encourages single women to vote.

The mailing list, purchased from a vendor, included names from warranties, magazine subscriptions and other sources, Johnson said. The group attempted to screen out obvious pet names.

"Fido's not going to be left on there, but if a cat is named is Polly, she may be," Johnson said. Princess could be a person's name, she insisted. "I went to high school with two Princesses."

Nudelman said the only address on the registration card was the Lake County clerk's office. She said she wrote election officials a humorous note explaining why the fish was ineligible to vote.

The Illinois mailing generated 63,500 returned voter applications, Johnson said. Applicants were instructed to fill in a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number so election officials would be able to validate their identity.

"We obviously don't want to add more work for any election official," Johnson said. "At the end of the day, our goal is same as theirs: To give as many people as possible the chance to make voices heard in our democracy."

Steve Sturm, legal counsel for the Illinois State Board of Elections, said the mailing generated numerous complaints from residents throughout the state.

Lake County election officials contacted Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office Monday afternoon, said spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler. The sheriff's office and state's attorney's office were "already working on it," she said.

The McCain-Palin campaign has lately raised questions about the voter registration practices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. ACORN is accused of submitting false registration forms for some of the voters it has registered. The FBI has joined nearly a dozen states in investigating.*Foxnews.com*

Best/Worst County Fair Foods

It’s that time of year again – county fair time. County fairs are known for a lot of things – especially the food. StarPulse has listed the best and worst of county fair foods:

Worst:

1. Red Candy Apples

2. Deep Fried Dill Pickles with Horseradish Dipping Sauce

3. Scotch Eggs (Served at Fairs in Minnesota, Scotch Eggs are hard boiled eggs covered with a meat mix and deep fried.)

Best:

1. Cotton Candy

2. Fried Dough/Funnel Cakes/Doughboys with Powdered Sugar

3. Fried Donuts

4. Grilled Sausage with Peppers and Onions

5. French Fries with Vinegar

6. Corn Dogs

7. Pies

8. Giant Pickles

9. Caramel Apples

10. Kettle Corn

11. Soft Pretzels

12. Grilled Corn on the Cob

13. Italian Ice/Shaved Ice

14. Deep Fried Snickers Bars

When it comes to pulling practical jokes, Brad Paisley is the king. But the king was dethroned when he arrived home after the last performance of the Paisley Party Tour -- he was met at his private plane by cops with a warrant for his arrest. After being hand cuffed and pushed into a squad car, the two arresting officers told him the charges were brought by his tour mate Jewel for excessive guitar noodling. Even though Brad knew it was a joke, the experience of being handcuffed was "sobering, no doubt about it."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley cooked up a unique way to tell Brad she was expecting their second child. She sent their son 20-month old Huck into their bedroom to wake up Brad with a positive pregnancy test in hand. Brad tells us, "I looked at him and he's all happy. I said, 'You don't get it. This is really bad for you and I. This isn't going to be fun for us for the next nine months. We're in for it.'" The new little Paisley is due in April. 

Environmentally friendly activists and Willie Nelson are making water from air. Nelson has a machine installed on his property that actually makes water from air. The air-to-water machine was introduced to him through his friend Ed Russell, who is partnering with Nelson to market and sell the machines. The machine collects water from the air like a dehumidifier, filters it and treats it with ultraviolet light to rid the water of mold and bacteria. The home-sized machine stores the water in a reservoir and can produce up to eight gallons.

New in stores today is Lee Ann Womack's Call Me Crazy -- her first C-D in three years. Lee Ann took a break from music to spend time with her daughtersAubrey, now 17, and Anna who is nine.

Craig Morgan releases his fifth studio album, That's Why, today. Craig will cap off the week with his induction into the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night.

Carrie Underwood's special holiday edition of her album Carnival Ride, which includes an second disc of Christmas favorites, is available starting today exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Tim McGraw's children's book, My Little Girl, is in stores today. Tim wrote the book as a gift to fathers and their daughters.

Keith Urban is releasing a D-V-D from his Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy World Tour. The disc, which comes out on November 11th, will only be available at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and WalMart-dot-com. In addition to performance highlights, the D-V-D will also include outtakes, in-studio footage of Keith's recording session for "You Look Good in My Shirt" and exclusive photos.

Trace Adkins is bewildered by this year's presidential campaigns. He tells Muncie, Indiana's Star Press, "[It's] off-the-chart weird. Here you've got a highly celebrated, decorated, legitimate American hero who has to wake up every morning going, 'How the hell is this happening? How am I losing?'" Trace plans to cast his vote early this year -- he's worried that the polls will be crowded on Election Day.

How To Save $8,919.45 A Year

During these tough times, consumers are looking to stretch every dollar they can. According to Money magazine, here are six ways you can save:

1. Strategic shopping (potential annual savings: $5,200): Stephanie Nelson, founder of www.couponmom.com , a site that tracks deals at your local grocery store, says shoppers can save an average of $50 to $100 a week on their groceries if they spend about 30 minutes once a week planning out their supermarket trip. Nelson also advises consumers to use coupons. “It’s free money, so why not take it,” Nelson says.

2. Skip Starbucks (potential annual savings: $2,425): David Bach, author of “Go Green, Live Rich,” says it’s very easy to save a few thousand dollars a year simply by eliminating that morning coffee and a muffin. He calls it the “latte factor.” You’d be surprised how that $5 breakfast-on-the-go every morning adds up. The same goes for lunch. The average American worker who buys lunch during the workweek spends $6.60 a day. Buying enough ingredients to pack a lunch from home just three days a week can save you about $600 a year.

3. Upgrade your appliances (potential savings: $150): Using compact fluorescent light bulbs saves about $30 in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime. But to really impact your bottom line, consider upgrading an old appliance like a refrigerator or dishwasher. Newer energy efficient appliances can save $50 to $150 a year in energy costs, according to Energy Star.

4. Go generic (potential savings: $161.20): Generic brands can cost 20% to 50% less than the name brand and you’re not likely to tell the difference. For example, just buying the store’s own brand of butter instead of Land O’Lakes can save about 25%. If you switch to your supermarket’s generic brand of milk as well, that will translate into about $3 a week in savings.

5. Pay an extra $1 on your credit cards (potential savings: $203.25): Everyone knows that carrying a credit card balance can be costly. But if paying off that balance isn’t in the cards, even the smallest change can pay huge dividends. Instead of buying a soda from a vending machine, put that buck toward your credit card balance. For example, if you typically pay $100 a month on a $5,000 balance with a 14% APR, try upping that payment by just a buck a day. By paying an extra $30 a month, you’ll pay off your balance in 52 months rather than 76 months, or cut your payments by two years! And you’ll save $874 in interest payments over that time

6. Sitter sharing (potential annual savings: $780): Care.com helps families find local caregivers and suggests teaming up with neighboring parents to share one babysitter. Although most providers pro-rate their fees according to the number of children they are watching, families that pool together can still save between 20% to 50% off the cost of childcare while they enjoy their weekly date night.

Police in Blue Ash, Ohio, say an 89-year-old woman is facing a charge of petty theft after neighborhood children started accusing her of refusing to give back their footballs. Edna Jester was arrested last week after one child’s father complained that she kept his kid’s ball after it landed in her yard.

A Washington state man is lucky he only suffered scraps and bruises after getting stuck in an apartment garbage chute.  Vancouver firefighters say they arrive on the scene Sunday to find the 74-year-old face down on the tenth floor chute with his wife holding his legs to keep him from falling.  They say he would have fallen all the way down if she hadn't held onto to him.  The elderly man apparently slipped into the chute while leaning over and trying to unclog it.  He suffered a few minor injuries. 

A North Carolina man is getting some recognition for his post-mortem plans.  The "Raleigh News & Observer" reports 75-year-old Grady Hunter entered his homemade coffin in the North Carolina State Fair's craft and hobbies competition.  He took home the first-place blue ribbon for his efforts.  Hunter noted that, as a homebuilder, he's never lived in a house he didn't build.  So he naturally didn't want to spend eternity resting in a box made by someone else.  Hunter's coffin features an inclined foam pad and pictures of his family.  He said of his creation, quote, "I'm tickled to death with it."

A new book reveals that infidelity might be hereditary. In “The Truth About Cheating,” family counselor and author M. Gary Neuman interviewed 200 men – 100 cheaters and 100 non-cheaters. According to the poll, 53% of the cheating husbands admitted they have immediate family members who have cheated. By comparison, only 33% of faithful men in the survey reported they have family members who have cheated. Find out more at www.truthaboutcheating.com

Delta Enterprises recalled nearly 1.6 million cribs, made in China, Indonesia and Taiwan, yesterday after it said two babies died. The company did not provide any details on the deaths and declined to answer any questions. The family-owned company that sells the cribs, strollers and other products for babies, said the cribs that are being recalled are no longer in stores. The New York-based company has contacted the Consumer Product Safety Commission and was arranging to provide replacement and repair parts to customers that bought the cribs between 1995 and 2005. More information regarding the cribs and the recall is expected to be released today by the government.

A woman decided to go to jail rather than pay her $7.45 bill at a Fort Pierce, Florida, Waffle House. Police said Maryanne O’Neill, 66, ordered coffee and a sandwich on Saturday, finished both and then left, telling a Waffle House employee she was going across the street to see a friend but would return shortly. The worker notified authorities after O’Neill refused to settle the bill before leaving. When police arrived, an officer told O’Neill to pay or go to jail. She decided to go to jail. Maryanne faces up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted.

A bikini-clad Faith Hill graces the December 2008 cover of Shape Magazine, on newsstands November 10th. It marks Faith’s first time ever posing in a bikini – and she looks HOT! Hill says the shoot was “my 41st birthday present to myself.” She recently returned to her three-times-a-week Pilates routine, saying, “I could bend in ways I haven’t been able to since I was a teenager. My husband [Tim McGraw] loves it!”

As we reported yesterday, Craig Morgan’s fifth studio album, “That’s Why,” arrives in stores today. In support of the release, he’ll appear live on ABC’s “Good Morning America” this Friday to sing “Love Remembers.” He also has interviews set up that day with ABC News Now, CBS News and Fox News. Craig returns to Nashville on Saturday, where he’ll be inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Keith Urban is releasing his new “Love, Pain and the whole crazy World Tour” DVD exclusively at all Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club on November 11th. The DVD includes Keith performing 18 songs from his recent world tour. The live DVD also includes bonus footage; exclusive outtakes, in-studio footage of Keith re-recording his No. 1 hit “You Look Good In My Shirt,” as well as exclusive photographs. Keith is currently recording an album in Nashville that will be released next year. The first single will be released in a couple of weeks.

As the father of three girls, Tim McGraw understands the challenges that face dads who want to please their daughters. So the children’s book he’s co-written with Tom Douglas has some simple advice – As long as you’re spending time with them, it doesn’t really matter what you do. “My Little Girl” will be in stores today. It tells the story of a father who spends a fun day with his little girl doing nothing. Faith Hill wrote the forward for the book. Find out more online at www.timmcgraw.com

Miranda Lambert is learning some new tricks. She writes on her blog that she’s just bought a horse named Playboy. Miranda says she has “wanted to learn how to ride for a long time” but never had the time or the right horse until now. She describes Playboy as “a redhead with a spicy personality.” Lambert hopes to get into barrel racing in the future.

A polar bear at the Milwaukee County Zoo who fell into his 17-foot-deep moat a week ago has resisted delicacies strategically placed to lure him back to his lair. The 18-year-old polar bear named Zero is in good shape, appears to be comfortable, and shows no desire to return to his former living quarters. The bear, who was born at the zoo, is having a good time rambling around the moat and has yet to be tempted by fish, lard and meat placed up the stairs to his lair. Zero, who was chasing one of his toys when he fell into the moat, was uninjured. A similar accident occurred 15 years ago.

Dorothy Peterson, of North Mankato, Minnesota, recently returned from the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah. She won the gold medal in table tennis, at the ripe old age of 85. Dorothy said the only other person in her age division is rather frail and might not compete next year, so she’s on the lookout for some worthy competition. Peterson was one of the oldest female participants of the 9,000-plus competitors.

Joe The Plumber’s Plunger

Item number: 320311328851

Bidding ends: October 23rd

With no bids at press time, starting bid: $0.99

Item location: Port Saint Lucie, FL

Seller says: “Have you seen the recent news about ‘Joe the Plumber’ during the third and last presidential debate? I have been privileged to have been given this artifact through private sources, and it even says ‘Joe’ on the handle. Own this piece of political history which has a dual purpose. Rumor has it that this ‘might’ have been used to plunge a very well-known presidential candidate’s fixture. Don’t worry, we sanitized it!”



That's it for a Tuesday, come back tomorrow for more Carolina Country Cruizin' with Matt and Dee! We will have more winning and fun! Keep it rolling on Wheelz 100.5!
*Information from Premiere, Dail Global Prep, Foxnews.com, and Metro Networks*