Josh's Blog

What is YOUR Dream Job?

If you could lift your nose from the grindstone and land your dream job, what would it be? According to a recent Marist Poll, 32 percent of Americans said they would like to be an actor. That was followed closely by 29 percent of respondents who said they would love to be a professional athlete.

Acting was the most popular choice of a dream job for people in the Northeast and South, as well as among people 18 to 29, 45 to 59, women, and those who earn less than 50 thousand dollars a year.

Being a professional athlete was the top choice of Americans in the West and Midwest, and among those 30 to 44, 60 and older, men, and folks who earn more than 50 thousand dollars annually.

Here’s a breakdown of the “Dream Job” Marist Poll overall responses:

•Acting – 32 percent
•Professional athlete – 29 percent
•President of the United States – 13 percent
•Rock star – 13 percent
•Unsure – 13 percent
The Marist Poll surveyed 1,004 U.S. adults.

Sunday Bonus Code: Job

Taylor Swift's Mine

Taylor Swift More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Would you rather be richer, thinner, smarter or younger?

Would You Rather Be Richer, Thinner, Smarter or Younger? Fri 08/27/1002:47
Richer, thinner, smarter or younger -- if you could be one of them, which would you choose? A new Adweek Media/Harris survey asked more than 21 hundred Americans ages 18 and older that question. Here's a look at the results: (NOTE: Some of the numbers don't add up to 100% due to rounding.)

Overall
* 43% -- richer
* 21% -- thinner
* 14% -- smarter
* 12% -- younger
* 9% -- wouldn't choose any

Among men
46% -- richer
16% -- younger
14% -- thinner
14% -- smarter
9% -- wouldn't choose any

Among women
41% -- richer
29% -- thinner
14% -- smarter
8% -- younger
9% -- wouldn't choose any

By age group
18-34
50% -- richer
23% -- thinner
16% -- smarter
4% -- younger
6% -- wouldn't choose any

35-44
53% -- richer
15% -- thinner
12% -- smarter
12% -- younger
8% -- wouldn't choose any

45-54
41% -- richer
24% -- thinner
14% -- smarter
14% -- younger
8% -- wouldn't choose any

55 and older
34% -- richer
22% -- thinner
19% -- younger
13% -- smarter
12% -- wouldn't choose any

Sunday Only Bonus Code: Rich

Carrie Underwood Needs Her Space

Carrie Underwood has revealed that she used to suffer from panic attacks in places such as shopping malls and elevators.

The "Before He Cheats" singer, who prefers to go grocery shopping in empty supermarkets at midnight, says she used to have personal space issues growing up in Checotah, Oklahoma.

"I'm a big personal space person," she told WebMD. "You know, if you go to the restroom, you use the stall that's not near anybody. Or if you're in the gym, you go to the treadmill where there's space in between you. And it seemed like in crowded situations like that, people would just completely violate your personal space."

Underwood continued with an account of being trapped in a crowded elevator just a day before the interview.

"Every floor we stopped on, we'd cram more people in, and by the time we were done, there was just a ton of people," she said. So I start thinking about all the bad things that can happen, and I'm like, 'I've got to get off the elevator, I need to get off the elevator.' I was just like, 'No more stops, please, no more stops!'"

Sugarland - Stuck Like Glue

Video of the Week: Boys of Fall - Kenny Chesney

Kenny Chesney has broken his own record for most downloads of a song, with his recent single "The Boys of Fall." The new track, which has accrued more than 82,000 downloads, is off of his new album, Hemingway's Whiskey, which will hit stores on September 28. Having the biggest opening-week by a country artist, the single beat out his former record-holding song, 2009's "Out Last Night," which sold 71,000 downloads.

Sunday Bonus Code: Fall

Madison Wisconsin safest city to raise Children

The kids are alright...in Madison, Wisconsin, which has been named the safest city for children in America by Men's Health. The magazine studied 100 cities and created its list by looking at several statistics, including accidental death rates for kids ages 5-14, the number of car-seat inspection locations per child, sex offenders per capita, percentage of abused children protected from further abuse, and the strength of child-restraint and bike helmet laws. Here's a look at the 10 safest and 10 most unsafe cities for kids, according to the survey:

Best
1. Madison, Wisconsin
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. San Francisco, California
4. Virginia Beach, Virginia
5. Spokane, Washington
6. Providence, Rhode Island
7. Jersey City, New Jersey
8. Colorado Springs, Colorado
9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
10. Burlington, Vermont

Worst
1. Jacksonville, Florida
2. New Orleans, Louisiana
3. Baltimore, Maryland
4. Bakersfield, California
5. Tulsa, Oklahoma
6. Modesto, California
7. Grand Rapids, Michigan
8. Fresno, California
9. Oklahoma City
10. Corpus Christi, Texas

The Class of 2014

Oh, these kids today! Beloit College has come out with its annual College Mindset List, which "provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall." The list, which has come out every year since 1998, was, according the the college, "originally created as a reminder to faculty to be aware of dated references" and lets professors know what incoming students consider normal.

Here's a look at this year's list of touchstones for the class of 2014, with all 75 entries:

1. Few in the class know how to write in cursive.
2. E-mail is just too slow and they seldom if ever use snail mail.
3. "Go West, Young College Grad" has always implied "and don't stop until you get to Asia...and learn Chinese along the way."
4. Al Gore has always been animated.
5. Los Angelenos have always been trying to get along.
6. Buffy has always been meeting her obligations to hunt down Lothos and the other blood-suckers at Hemery High.
7. "Caramel macchiato" and "venti half-caf vanilla latte" have always been street corner lingo.
8. With increasing numbers of ramps, Braille signs and handicapped parking spaces, the world has always been trying harder to accommodate people with disabilities.
9. Had it remained operational, the villainous computer HAL could be their college classmate this fall, but they have a better chance of running into Miley Cyrus' folks on Parents' Weekend.
10. A quarter of the class has at least one immigrant parent and the immigration debate is not a big priority...unless it involves "real" aliens from another planet.
11. John McEnroe has never played professional tennis.
12. Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.
13. Parents and teachers feared that Beavis and Butt-Head might be the voice of a lost generation.
14. Doctor Kevorkian has never been licensed to practice medicine.
15. Colorful lapel ribbons have always been worn to indicate support for a cause.
16. Korean cars have always been a staple on American highways.
17. Trading Chocolate the Moose for Patti the Platypus helped build their Beanie Baby collection.
18. Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess.
19. They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone.
20. DNA fingerprinting and maps of the human genome have always existed.
21. Woody Allen, whose heart has wanted what it wanted, has always been with Soon-Yi Previn.
22. Cross-burning has always been deemed protected speech.
23. Leasing has always allowed the folks to upgrade their tastes in cars.
24. "Cop Killer" by rapper Ice-T has never been available on a recording.
25. Leno and Letterman have always been trading insults on opposing networks.
26. Unless they found one in their grandparents’ closet, they have never seen a carousel of Kodachrome slides.
27. Computers have never lacked a CD-ROM disk drive.
28. They've never recognized that pointing to their wrists was a request for the time of day.
29. Reggie Jackson has always been enshrined in Cooperstown.
30. "Viewer Discretion" has always been an available warning on TV shows.
31. The first computer they probably touched was an Apple II; it is now in a museum.
32. Czechoslovakia has never existed.
33. Second-hand smoke has always been an official carcinogen.
34. "Assisted living" has always been replacing nursing homes, while hospice has always been an alternative to hospitals.
35. Once they got through security, going to the airport has always resembled going to the mall.
36. Adhesive strips have always been available in varying skin tones.
37. Whatever their parents may have thought about the year they were born, Queen Elizabeth declared it an "Annus Horribilis."
38. Bud Selig has always been the commissioner of Major League Baseball.
39. Pizza jockeys from Domino's have never killed themselves to get your pizza there in under 30 minutes.
40. There have always been HIV-positive athletes in the Olympics.
41. American companies have always done business in Vietnam.
42. Potato has always ended in an "e" in New Jersey per vice presidential edict.
43. Russians and Americans have always been living together in space.
44. The dominance of television news by the three networks passed while they were still in their cribs.
45. They have always had a chance to do community service with local and federal programs to earn money for college.
46. Nirvana is on the classic oldies station.
47. Children have always been trying to divorce their parents.
48. Someone has always gotten married in space.
49. While they were babbling in strollers, there was already a female poet laureate of the United States.
50. Toothpaste tubes have always stood up on their caps.
51. Food has always been irradiated.
52. There have always been women priests in the Anglican Church.
53. J.R. Ewing has always been dead and gone. Hasn't he?
54. The historic bridge at Mostar in Bosnia has always been a copy.
55. Rock bands have always played at presidential inaugural parties.
56. They may have assumed that parents' complaints about Black Monday had to do with punk rockers from L.A., not Wall Street.
57. A purple dinosaur has always supplanted Barney Google and Barney Fife.
58. Beethoven has always been a dog.
59. By the time their folks might have noticed Coca Cola's new Tab Clear, it was gone.
60. Walmart has never sold handguns over the counter in the lower 48.
61. Presidential appointees have always been required to be more precise about paying their nannies' withholding tax, or else.
62. Having hundreds of cable channels but nothing to watch has always been routine.
63. Their parents' favorite TV sitcoms have always been showing up as movies.
64. The U.S, Canada and Mexico have always agreed to trade freely.
65. They first met Michelangelo when he was just a computer virus.
66. Galileo is forgiven and welcome back into the Roman Catholic Church.
67. Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always sat on the Supreme Court.
68. They have never worried about a Russian missile strike on the U.S.
69. The post office has always been going broke.
70. The artist formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg has always been rapping.
71. The nation has never approved of the job Congress is doing.
72. One way or another, "It's the economy, stupid" and always has been.
73. Silicone-gel breast implants have always been regulated.
74. They've always been able to blast off with the SyFy Channel.
75. Honda has always been a major competitor on Memorial Day at Indianapolis.

What is your favorite snack?

Ritz is a nosh above the rest. Marketing company YouGov BrandIndex recently polled Americans to find out their favorite snack. Ritz crackers took the top spot, beating out Wheat Thins. Surprisingly, not a single brand of potato chip could crack the list. Here's a look at the top 10:

1. Ritz
2. Wheat Thins
3. Orville Redenbacher popcorn
4. Snyder's pretzels
5. Rold Gold pretzels
6. Triscuit
7. Doritos
8. Fritos
9. SunChips
10. Cheetos

Zac Brown Band getting ready to release new album

Zac Brown Band's new album You Get What You Give is now available to the general public for pre-sale. The album is set for release on September 21 and pre-sales have been open to fan club members since August 7.

Fans who visit the pre-order website will be treated to a preview of the band's new single "As She's Walking Away," featuring Alan Jackson.

Various pre-order packages are available with a wide range of bonus materials such as an exclusive lithograph, a ZBB t-shirt and trucker hat, the Southern Ground Cookbook, ZBB's Southern Ground Grub - Georgia Clay Rub, and an opportunity to win a cabin on ZBB's Sailing Southern Ground cruise that sets sail from Tampa, Florida, on September 2.

This will be Zac Brown Band's first collaborative album. It was produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown, featuring special guests Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett.

The You Get What You Give tracklisting appears below.

1. "Let It Go"

2. "Knee Deep" (feat. Jimmy Buffett)

3. "No Hurry"

4. "I Play The Road"

5. "Cold Hearted"

6. "Whiskey's Gone"

7. "Quiet Your Mind"

8. "Colder Weather"

9. "Settle Me Down"

10. "As She's Walking Away" (feat. Alan Jackson)

11. "Keep Me In Mind"

12. "Who Knows"

13. "Martin"

14. "Make This Day"

Sunday Only Bonus Code: Band

Josh Thompson - Way Out Here

Rodney Atkins - Farmers Daughter

Tim McGraw: Most Played Artist Of The Decade

Nielsen BDS recently presented Tim McGraw with a plaque to commemorate his 7,965,000 radio plays. According to the chart-keepers, this makes McGraw the most played artist of the last decade.

Since hitting the country scene in 1990, McGraw has moved over 40 million albums, nearly a dozen of which consecutively debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Albums chart. The "Something Like That" singer also has 30 number one singles.

"We congratulate Tim McGraw on being the most played artist of the decade on radio," Nielsen Entertainment President Eric Weinberg said in a statement earlier this week. "His career and songs have resonated not only with his fans, but has become part of the fabric of America, evidenced by his unprecedented airplay."

Nielsen's statistics take into account all of McGraw's on-air spins from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2009.

Best Family Films

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, STEVEN SPIELBERG’s 1982 film about a boy and a stranded alien has been voted the best family film in a new survey of more than 2,500 people by RadioTimes.com, the British TV, radio and film listings magazine.

Here are the top ten family films, as voted by RadioTimes.com users:

1. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
3. Mary Poppins (1964)
4. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Shrek (2001)
7. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
8. Back to the Future (1985)
9. The Jungle Book (1967)
10. The Sound of Music (1965)

Sunday Only Bonus Code: Movie

Lady A's "Biscuits and Gravy"

LADY ANTEBELLUM remade EASTON CORBIN's "A Little More Country Than That" as "A Little More Preppy Than That" a few months ago. Now they're back with a new take on LEE BRICE's hit "Love Like Crazy," titled "Biscuits and Gravy."Lady A's reworked version of the tune chronicles a late night out at the honky tonks in Nashville followed by a run to Waffle House.

Now that they're doing more of these song spoofs, Lady A is looking for a name to give the project. One of the guys in the video suggested "Lady Haze." Lee was thrilled with Lady A's version of the tune saying, "Hey guys, how about a writing session in the next few weeks?"

Country Music Video of the Week: Trailerhood

Toby Keith More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Good News: Wisconsin is not a lazy state!

According to BusinessWeek.com, Louisiana has been named the laziest state in the country. The site created its rankings by analyzing how much time people spend on activities that don't require physical effort, compared to ones that are more taxing on the body. Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for time spent sleeping, watching television, socializing, relaxing and working were all taken into consideration. It's also worth noting the information was taken before the BP oil spill and after Hurricane Katrina, which caused an increase in unemployment.

Here's a look at the 10 laziest states:

1. Louisiana
2. Mississippi
3. Arkansas
4. North Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Kentucky
7. West Virginia
8. South Carolina
9. Alabama
10. Delaware

North Dakota was ranked as the least lazy state.

Special Sunday Bonus Code: Lazy

Music Video of the Week: From Tracy Byrd

Taylor Swift ready to release a new album.

Taylor Swift announced on Tuesday that her new album, Speak Now, will hit store shelves October 25. The singer revealed the news to her fans in a live chat on the Internet.

Co-produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, Speak Now will contain 14 tracks, all of which were written solely by Swift. The album will be released on Big Machine Records.

In addition, the first single from the album, "Mine," has been set for an August 16 release.

"These songs are made up of words I didn't say when the moment was right in front of me," Swift said in the live chat. "These songs are open letters. Each is written with a specific person in mind, telling them what I meant to tell them in person."

Swift also announced that Speak Now will be made available for pre-order through SpeakNow13.com on August 20.

How good are women drivers?

If you’re a guy who finds himself phantom braking while sitting in the passenger seat as your wife or girlfriend drives, you’re not alone. A new survey by the online market research firm OnePoll.com reveals most men feel they're better drivers than women. One in three men surveyed admitted they were actually “frightened” by their partner’s driving.

A spokesman for the research company said most men believe they are better drivers than the women in their lives, in that they “believe they concentrate a lot better, read road situations more quickly and clearly and have better reactions.”

Additional results from the survey:

•One in five men said they can never relax while their other half is driving.
•One in five couples have argued about their partner’s driving.
•One in ten men said they had been forced to grab the steering wheel when their better half took her eyes off the road.
•One in ten guys said they have felt it necessary to ask their wife to pull over so they can take over the wheel.
•Men’s biggest complaints about female drivers were they are too easily distracted by children, scenery and other motorists.
•The men surveyed also complained that women brake too late, brake too hard, drive too fast, tailgate, play with the radio too often and fail to signal properly.
The OnePoll.com survey involved three thousand men.

Sunday Only Blog Bonus Code: Driving

Carrie Underwood Honeymoons In Tahiti

Following a weekend ceremony in Georgia, it looks like newlyweds Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher are spending their honeymoon in Tahiti.

A photographer for Radar Online managed to snap shots of the happy couple as they waded through water and walked side-by-side in Tahiti on Monday.

The couple - songstress Underwood and hockey player Fisher - began dating in 2008 after meeting at one of the singer's concerts and have been engaged since last December. They were married on Saturday at a $500,000 ceremony at the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia.

Radar Online's photographer managed to zoom in closely on a bikini-clad Underwood enjoying the Tahitian waters, and even captured a few shots of the songbird sporting some sort of elaborate floral headband.

As previously reported, the honeymoon destination came as a surprise to Underwood herself, who left the planning up to Fisher.

Music Video of the Week: Hip to My Heart, The Band Perry

Lowest Paying Jobs

Any job you can get in this economy is a good one -- right? Well, maybe not. The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has rounded up data to find the lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. Here's a look, along with how much each jobs pays on average. Keep in mind that the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

1. Food preparation and serving workers, including fast food -- $8.71 an hour
2. Dishwashers -- $8.81 an hour
3. Cashiers -- $9.15 an hour
4. Hosts and hostesses -- $9.23 an hour
5. Amusement park attendants -- $9.35 an hour
6. Movie theater ushers, ticket takers -- $9.43 an hour
7. Farm workers -- $9.51 an hour
8. Personal and home care aides -- $9.75 an hour

Sunday Only Bonus Code: Job

Meeting Bucky Covington at Hodag

Good Morning Beautiful - Steve Holy

Video of the week...

Toby Keith Giving away a Ford Truck

One lucky Toby Keith fan will get a chance to win his or her own "American Ride" compliments of Ford. Keith has teamed with the automaker to give away a brand new 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck next year as part of Toby's ongoing American Ride tour.

The grand prize winner will not only win the new truck, but also a weekend on the road with Toby, including VIP backstage passes and exclusive use of a fully loaded tour bus. Fans can enter to the contest anytime between now and March 31, 2011, at www.FordAmericanRide.com.

In the meantime, Toby is keeping busy with a string of U.S. tour dates. He has concerts scheduled for this week and will continue on the road straight through September 25, when he'll wrap up the trek at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

Country Video of the Week, Brad Paisely's "I'm Gonna Miss Her"

Top "Manliest" Cities

It has a woman's name, but Charlotte, North Carolina is about as manly a town as you'll find. Mars Chocolate has named it the manliest city in America. The company created its rankings of 50 metropolitan regions by analyzing such factors as number of the number of hardware stores, steak houses, pickup trucks and motorcycles per capita. The number of masculine jobs, like firefighters and police officers, was also taken into account, as were TV viewing habits, the number of professional sports teams and the purchase rate for salty snacks.

Here's a look at the 50 manliest cities, according to Mars Chocolate:

1. Charlotte, North Carolina
2. Columbus, Ohio
3. Kansas City, Missouri
4. Nashville
5. Baltimore
6. Milwaukee
7. Chicago
8. Indianapolis
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Philadelphia
11. Denver
12. St. Louis
13. Columbia, South Carolina
14. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
15. Cleveland
16. Orlando
17. Salt Lake City, Utah
18. Birmingham, Alabama
19. Detroit
20. Cincinnati
21. Richmond, Virginia
22. New Orleans
23. Phoenix
24. Houston
25. Oklahoma City
26. Toledo, Ohio
27. Minneapolis
28. Memphis
29. Louisville, Kentucky
30. Seattle
31. Boston
32. Atlanta
33. Providence, Rhode Island
34. Dayton, Ohio
35. New York City
36. Jacksonville, Florida
37. Pittsburgh
38. Grand Rapids, Michigan
39. Dallas
40. Rochester, New York
41. Las Vegas
42. San Diego
43. San Francisco
44. Tampa
45. Sacramento
46. Buffalo
47. Oakland
48. Los Angeles
49. Miami
50. Portland, Oregon

5,000 SUNDAY ONLY Bonus Blog Points: City

Picky Eating

There just might be something to the stereotype that British food tastes bad. The United Kingdom has finished first in a poll asking people to name the worst food by country. More than 2,000 people from over 80 nations participated in the survey on the travel website TitanicAwards.com. By the way, don't get cocky, America -- food in the U.S. was ranked second-worst, right behind the Brits.

Here's a look at the nine worst countries by food, along with the percentage of the vote each nation received:

1. United Kingdom - 24.6%
2. United States - 10%
3. China - 3.8%
4. Russia - 3%
5. Germany - 2.7%
6. Australia - 2.2%
7. Ireland - 1.9%
8. Philippines - 1.8%
9. The Netherlands - 1.7%

Dierks Bentley Plays Through Power Outage On Kimmel

If anyone had doubts that Dierks Bentley and his band could play down-home bluegrass, they were laid to rest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Tuesday night. When the Kimmel set experienced a power outage, Bentley and company pulled out their instruments and played acoustic.

"We're experiencing technical difficulties here in the studio but fortunately, luckily, this is one of the rare occasions we have a band that's actually talented enough to play without electric instruments," Jimmy Kimmel said while bringing Bentley onto the dark set.

The group, featuring upright bass, snare drum, dobro, fiddle, mandolin and Bentley on acoustic guitar and vocals, had the crowd stomping and clapping along as they ripped through a rendition of their new track, "Up on the Ridge." The song is the title track off of Bentley's new bluegrass album, which hit stores on June 8.

Sunday only bonus code: Outage

Music Video of the Week: Brad Paisley's Water

Country Video of the Week: Craig Morgan, International Harvester

BP Spills Coffee

Don't get me wrong the oil spill is serious... and quite a mess. But, hey, how bout making a little fun of it.

Cool video.

Why were you late for work?

A new survey shows that workers nowadays need to make sure they get to work on time. A CareerBuilder.co.uk survey finds 39 percent of employers saying they're paying more attention to what time workers arrive than they did in healthier economic times.

Fifteen percent of employers said they would fire a worker who was late two or three times, while 12 percent would terminate the employee for being late four or five times. While most bosses want their workers to be on time, the survey did find 46 percent of employers saying they didn’t care if their employees are running late as long as their work is completed on time and with good quality.

The CareerBuilder.co.uk survey also asked employers to share the most unusual excuses workers have used to explain their tardiness. Here’s a sample:

Employee said there was a bank robbery in front of his house.
Employee was delayed by volcanic ash.
Employee was concerned about an impending comet impact.
Employee reported that a horse jumped over a hedge straight on top of her car.
Employee's cat was stuck in the pet flap in her door.
Employee's house was on fire.
Employee's car was blocked in by a stolen car and the police were taking fingerprints.
Employee had difficulty adjusting to the climate change from winter to summer.
Employee said someone moved his dentures.
Employee said, “I always leave at the same time. Sometimes I'm late, sometimes I'm not. I can't figure it out.

Blog Bonus Code: Time

George Strait Named Top Country Artist Of Past 25 Years

George Strait has taken over the number one spot on Billboard's list of the top 25 country music artists of the past 25 years.

Billboard went about compiling the list by going through the Hot Country Songs and Top Country Albums charts of the past 25 years to find who was the most popular artist. The list was made in conjunction with the magazine's Country Music Summit, which takes place this week in Nashville along with the CMT Music Awards.

Other artists who landed in the top five include Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw. Randy Travis, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Alabama and Brooks & Dunn rounded out the top 10.

Strait, often referred to as The King of Country Music, has sold more than 68.5 million albums and has had 82 songs in the top 10, 44 of which reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. He also set the Billboard record for having a top 10 hit every year for 30 consecutive years.

Vide of the Week from Miranda Lambert

Missing Office Supplies

Holding onto your office supplies can be a real pen in the butt. Here are the results of an OfficeMax survey of nearly 600 Americans ages 18 and older with jobs:

* 42% confess they've borrowed office supplies from a colleague and never given them back

Among those who've kept supplies they've taken from co-workers:
84% say they just forgot to return them.
26% say they didn't think the person would miss it.
23% held on to the items because their co-worker hadn't returned some of their supplies.

What items do people say have gone missing on the job:
81% -- pens, pencils, or highlighters.
35% -- paper products.
28% -- paper clip or binder clips.
22% -- staplers.

* 56% say they take office supplies from their job to use at home.
* 30% who bring materials home from the office consider it borrowing, adding they intend to bring everything back.
* 25% who take office supplies home don't think their boss will miss them.

Why do people take office supplies from work?
27% say it's easier than paying it for them.
24% say they didn't have time to get the goods when not on the clock.

* 68% say they have taken steps to make sure no one takes their office supplies

What do people do to prevent colleagues from taking their supplies?
59% keep them in a special drawer.
45% keep them in a hidden location.
51% of workers know items will be stolen, so they order more than necessary.
31% label their supplies.

* 70% say they can't work without their favorite brand, type or model of pens, pencils or highlighters.
* 34% bring in their own supplies if the office doesn't have them.

What do employees say makes a product so essential?
69% -- functionality or performance.
66% -- quality.
47% -- value.
41% -- innovation.

Blog Bonus Points (Sunday Only): Pen

CMA Free Songs Download

The Country Music Association and iTunes have partnered to bring their fans a free digital music sampler.

The sampler, which fans can download from the CMA website, features songs by Chris Young, Matt Kennon, Steve Azar, Radney Foster and Randy Montana.

The CMA Festival is also set to take place between June 10 and 13 in Nashville and festival organizers will donate 50 percent of proceeds to the Nashville flood relief efforts.

Download the Tunes HERE!

Download Code: JF7PPXFL3LHH

Code Expiration: 6/30/2010

Chris Young - Voices
Randy Houser - Whistlin Dixie
Matt Kennon - The Call
Sammy Kershaw - The Snow White Rows Of Arlington
Steve Azar - Sinkin’ or Swimin’ (with you)
Frankie Ballard - Tell Me You Get Lonely
Radney Foster - Angel Flight
David Ball - Houston Again
Randy Montana - Ain't Much Left Of Lovin' You
John Cowan - Carry On

Video of the Week: Brooks and Dunn - My Maria

Social Networking - Some Facts

A new survey finds 64 percent of online Americans use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to share information about themselves and their views, and 38 percent of those users say the goal in sharing their perspective is to influence others. Social media also includes comments left on online articles.

A poll of 2,131 U.S. adults by Harris Interactive finds that 34 percent of social media users have used the outlets to rant or rave about a company, brand or product. Forty-six percent of those polled say they feel they can be brutally honest on the Internet.

What people online say about a company, brand or product matters. Forty-five percent of social media users say what friends or people online say about a company or product influences them a great deal, or at least a fair amount. That’s equal to the same percentage of Americans who say reviews in newspaper or magazine articles influence them.

The survey asked people who use social media to name the things they share about themselves. The top dozen responses:

•43 percent -- Updates about their life.
•43 percent -- Photos of what they’ve been doing.
•36 percent -- Comments about what they're currently doing.
•31 percent -- Places they're going.
•30 percent -- Recommendations about fun things to do.
•29 percent -- TV and movie recommendations.
•26 percent -- Their dissatisfaction with a company, brand or product.
•25 percent -- Their political views.
•23 percent -- The companies, brands or products they like.
•19 percent -- Making product reviews or recommendations.
•6 percent -- Info about themselves that they wouldn’t normally tell people face-to-face.
•4 percent -- Embarrassing questions they would never ask someone in person.

Carrie Underwood on Season Finale of Idol

Carrie Underwood returned to her American Idol roots Wednesday night. She appeared on the show's season finale, which saw Lee DeWyze named the latest winner and marked the last episode with Simon Cowell.

Carrie performed her latest single, "Undo It," which was co-written by Idol judge Kara DioGuardi.

The singer also took the stage with her fellow American Idol winners to serenade Simon on his last night on the show. Seven of the eight former winners (no David Cook) participated in the tribute.

"Undo It" is the third single from Carrie's Play On.

Meanwhile, Carrie has thrown her support behind the Academy of Country Music's Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund, which will help support those displaced by the recent Tennessee flood. The singer will help the organization through grants she won as ACM's current entertainer of the year.

Bonus Code - Memorial

Craig Morgan's Redneck Yacht Club

Need a Vacation!

The official start of the summer vacation season is just days away, and a new survey shows 56 percent of U.S. workers say they're more in need of a vacation in 2010 than they've every been.

Additional findings a survey of 4,803 U.S. workers conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by CareerBuilder.com:

64 percent of workers say they have planned or will plan to take a vacation this year.
36 percent feel more comfortable taking a vacation in 2010 than in 2009 due to the improving economy.
23 percent plan to take a week off this year, up from 19 percent a year ago.
12 percent plan to be away for two weeks or longer.
49 percent of employers expect their employees to check in with the office while they’re on vacation, with 37 percent indicating it’s necessary if the worker is involved in a current project.
25 percent of workers say they plan to contact the office at least once while on vacation, regardless of what they were involved in before they left.
Nearly one-third of workers say they won’t be taking a vacation this year, with 21 percent stating they can’t afford it.

Brad Paisley, Keith Urban Help Raise $1.7 Million for Nashville Flood Relief

Brad Paisley and Keith Urban helped raise more than $1.7 million for Nashville flood relief during a fundraising concert and telethon at the Ryman Auditorium on Sunday (May 16). Paisley was the night's first performer and donated $100,000 for the cause. Rodney Atkins, Dierks Bentley, Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride and Kellie Pickler, among others, also participated in the event. Damage from the recent widespread flooding in Middle Tennessee has resulted in a total damage estimate of $1.5 billion. All money from the concert will go to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Sunday Only Blog Bonus Code - Flood

Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley And Zac Brown Band To Play CMT Awards

CMT has announced that Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Zac Brown Band will perform at the 2010 CMT Music Awards, airing live from Nashville on June 9 at 8 pm.

The show, hosted by Kid Rock, will also feature performances from such top country stars as Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and Kid Rock himself.

The event will also mark the kick off of CMT's flood relief campaign, which engages partners - including Hands on Nashville and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee - to raise money and awareness for victims of the Tennessee flood. CMT will also co-host the CMA Music Festival in downtown Nashville from June 10-13. The festival will feature live music and artist and celebrity appearances.

Luke Bryan - Rain is a Good Thing - Music Video

Music City Keep on Playin' -- A Benefit for Flood Relief

KEITH URBAN and MARTINA McBRIDE have joined the lineup for this Sunday's Music City Keep on Playin' -- A Benefit for Flood Relief, airing live on GAC at 7:00 p.m. A third hour has been added to the show, and BRAD PAISLEY, LADY ANTEBELLUM, DIERKS BENTLEY, KELLIE PICKLER, RODNEY ATKINS and newcomer RANDY MONTANA are among the artists already scheduled to play. KEB 'MO has also been added to the show, while actor and Nashville native JAMES DENTON of Desperate Housewives will serve as emcee, along with KIMBERLY WILLIAMS PAISLEY. All money raised will go to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Who's Your Daddy - The Video

Miranda Lambert White Liar

YouTube's Birthday

YouTube just turned 5 years old, being born on April 23, 2005... now the site is HUGE!!!!

Here are some of the first video's uploaded:

Lady A's Big Success

Lady A's Need You Now Still #1 Country Album

Lady Antebellum's hit album, Need You Now, has held onto the top spot of the Billboard Country Albums chart for the fourteenth straight week.

The album, which debuted at number one on the chart in February, continues to reign at number one despite tough competition from Zac Brown Band's The Foundation, which holds tight at number two.

Need You Now is also enjoying a hot streak on the Billboard 200, where it currently resides at number two. The album debuted at number one on the chart, selling a whopping 481,000 copies in its first week, and has only dipped as low as number five.

The Grammy-winning trio recently accepted five of the seven awards it was nominated for at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. Lady A continue their ongoing tour this week with stops in Jacksonville (5/6), Tampa (5/7) and West Palm Beach (5/8), Florida.

Sunday Bonus Code: SNOW

Brad Paisley - American Saturday Night

Taylor Swift is Keeping Busy

Taylor Swift is appearing in commercials for Sony's X7 Cyber-shot Camera. The commercials began airing on Monday, and focus on the camera's iSweep Panorama feature. In the commercial, Swift shows how she uses the feature on stage at her shows in order to capture a full panoramic picture of her audiences. In a behind-the-scenes interview sponsored by Sony and available online, the singer also talks about her next album, which she says she is now beginning to wrap up.

In a behind-the-scenes interview sponsored by Sony and available online, the 20-year-old phenom describes how she loves taking those panoramic pictures of the massive crowds at her concerts and how she is "pretty amazed" by the technology Sony has developed.

The Valentine's Day star also talks about her next album, which she says she is now beginning to wrap up. Her last album, Fearless, was a worldwide smash, and she has been working on her follow-up for a while.

Rascal Flatts on American Idol and more

Rascal Flatts will perform Wednesday (April 28) on American Idol before a May 1 engagement to sing the national anthem at the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. On American Idol, the band will perform "Unstoppable" and join Shakira in singing her song, "Gypsy." The trio previously performed on American Idol with Carrie Underwood in 2005 on the night she won the fourth season of the competition. Rascal Flatts also appeared on the show's "Idol Gives Back" episode in 2007. They will perform the national anthem prior to the running of the 136th Kentucky Derby. The event will be broadcast by NBC Sports. On April 30 at Churchill Downs, Little Big Town will perform the national anthem prior to the running of the Kentucky Oaks, the Derby's sister race for 3-year-old fillies. Rascal Flatts will also appear Friday (April 23) on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC. They taped the episode earlier this year in Huntington, W.Va.

Sunday Only, Bonus Code, 10,000 points: Idol, http://superstars.y1065.com/asp3/CodeDetail.aspx?type=3&CodeID=100169

Little Bitty Music Video

Zac Brown Band does good!

Zac Brown Band have made history with their fourth consecutive number one single, "Highway 20 Ride." The chart topper makes Brown and company the first band in the history of country music to have four consecutive number one singles on a debut album.

"Highway 20 Ride" debuted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart last November and followed the single "Toes," which was released last July.

"It's really very surreal," Wyatt Durrette, who co-wrote all four number one hits, recently told The Boot. "It puts a smile on your face. I am blown away to think of all the music that I've grown up on and our heroes, then to be at the top of that list in that particular category is just hard to believe.

He added, "In the past couple of years with the Grammys and the success with the singles has just been unreal. It's been a long time to get to this point, but it's just kind of exploded - in a good way - all of a sudden. I'm feeling really blessed to be a part of all of this and having the success."

Zac Brown Band will continue their ongoing U.S. tour with a stop at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida on April 24. The band will stay out on the road through September 2 when they will embark on the Sailing Southern Ground Cruise, set to push off from Tampa, Florida.

Superstar Listener Bonus Code: TRIVIA (9,500 points!!!)

ALL SUMMER LONG!

Great tune!!!

Blakes Ol' Red Video

Darius Rucker a HUGE American Idol Fan

Darius Rucker Admits He's A Huge Idol Fan

Darius Rucker has revealed that he is a big fan of American Idol. In fact, the popular talent show is a guilty pleasure for his entire family.

"We watch American Idol religiously," the singer told OK! magazine. "I love the people who are good, and I love the people who aren't good!" Rucker also quipped that he would make a great judge on the show.

"I don't think my friends think I'd be great because I've been told I'd be too nice," he admitted. "But I think I'd be great because I like a lot of different things. You can play a [Frank] Sinatra tune, and I'll sing it. You can play a Hank Williams tune, and I'll sing it. Play an R.E.M. tune, and I'll sing it. I've had a little bit of success in this business. I think I'd be an alright judge."

Rucker, who is nominated for his first Academy of Country Music award at this year's ceremony in Las Vegas on April 18, is currently at work on his second country album.

April Fool's Price is Right!!!

Did you check out the April Fool's day edition of the Price is Right?!?!? Funny stuff... extra trivia- Did you know Mimi is from Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Honky Tonk Badonkadonk

Tim McGraw to star in new Movie

Tim McGraw To Star In New Movie

Tim McGraw will be starring in a new film called Dirty Girl. The movie, an indie comedy about an Oklahoma girl with a promiscuous reputation who leaves home to find her father, will also star William H. Macy, Milla Jovovich, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Juno Temple and Jeremy Dozier.

Shooting for the film has already started in Los Angeles.

McGraw also recently appeared in the Oscar-nominated film The Blind Side alongside actress Sandra Bullock, who earned a Golden Globe, Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy. McGraw's hit song, "Southern Voice," played during the film's closing credits.

During his career, McGraw has won three Grammys, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music Association (CMA) awards, 10 American Music Awards and three People's Choice Awards. His Soul2Soul II Tour with his wife, Faith Hill is the highest-grossing tour in country music history.

Some "Blog" Bonus Points!

Enter the word "Summertime" at the Superstar Listener Club for 9,000 points!

Easton Corbin's Debut Single Hits #1

Easton Corbin has made his way to the top of the Billboard Country charts with his hit single, "A Little More Country Than That," making him the first solo male artist to achieve the feat with a debut single since Dierks Bentley back in 2003. The singer has edged out Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins, who previously held the number one spot with their song "Hillbilly Bone."

The singer has edged out Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins, who previously held the number one spot with their song "Hillbilly Bone."

"A Little More Country Than That" appears on Corbin's self-titled debut album, which hit stores earlier this month. The single also recently hit number one on the Canadian Radio & Records Country Singles chart.

"This song identifies who I am," Easton recently told CMT. "It shows character and that's important where I'm from. You learn to say 'yes, ma'am' and 'no, sir' and to open the door for the ladies."

Easton Corbin will hit the road next month for a string of U.S. tour dates. He will also make his national television debut on April 1, performing the number one single on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Cool Vid... Highway 20 Ride

Gretchen Wilson's New Tune

The Dixie Chicks are coming to Chicago

The Dixie Chicks will return to the stage this summer for the first time since their 2006 Taking the Long Way Home tour. The trio will support classic rock giants the Eagles for a stretch of their ongoing trek, beginning on June 8 at the Rogers Center in Toronto, and wrapping up at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on June 24.

The announcement comes on the eve of founding members Martie Maguire's and Emily Robison's debut performance as Court Yard Hounds. The Texas twins hit the stage at Antone's in Austin, Texas, yesterday as part of the South By Southwest Music Festival.

"It's turned into such a great springboard for music and so many influential people come and listen to music," Robinson told interviewers. "You're looking them in the eyeballs, and you're in the trenches, which we feel like we've returned to the trenches somewhat to launch this new band."

Dixie Chicks/Eagles tour dates appear below.

June 8 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Center

June 10 - East Rutherford, NJ - New Meadowlands Stadium

June 12 - Boston, MA - Gillette Stadium

June 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Citizens Bank Ball Park

June 15 - Washington, DC - Nationals Park

June 19 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field

June 22 - Winnipeg, MB - Canad Inns Stadium

June 24 - St. Louis, MO - Busch Stadium

For you Taylor Swift Fans

Taylor Swift fans can get a new iPhone app for free.

The app, available for download at the iTunes website, will give fans the latest music, videos, photos and tour information, as well as connections to her Facebook and Twitter pages. It also allows fans to leave messages for her and for other fans.

However, the singer left a message on her website saying because of computer issues, updates may be limited.

"I can't upload any photos right now, so I'm going to add new pictures when I have my FTP program back," she said. "Sorry for the lack of updates. Hope the problem will be sorted out soon."

Swift is reportedly working on her third album, which is expected to be released later this year.

Justin Moore's Guitar Stolen From Show

Justin Moore had a guitar stolen from during a show in Royal Oak, Mississippi, this weekend. The country star has taken to his Twitter account demanding the guitar be returned.

"Great show in Mi tonight. But somebody stole my guitar off stage. Please own up. It means more to me than you know. Don't be a d**k. Do right," Moore wrote.

"It's worth fightin over," he continued. "I'll give you my address. Mi-thanks for a great show! If anybody knows ne thing bout it-plz let me know!"

The "Small Town USA" singer emphasized that he was not going to let the theft slide. "That guitar is part of me. I WILL find it. So, do the right thing. And, own up to it you bastard!"

The Olympic Mix of Rascal Flatts Unstopable

Chris Young's Latest Tune

Paisley Confirms H2O Tour

Brad Paisley has confirmed that he will hit the road later this spring on his H2O Tour. He will be joined by Justin Moore, who has supported Paisley on his American Saturday Night tour, as well as Darius Rucker. The tour, whose dates will be announced soon, is expected to feature a set of water-themed events and attractions, including a dunk tank. There will also be a water-themed video contest for radio stations.

The tour, whose dates will be announced soon, is expected to feature a set of water-themed events and attractions, including a dunk tank. There will also be a water-themed video contest for radio stations, with the winning entries to be used in the video for Paisley's single, "Water."

Paisley has also been announced as one of the headliners for the summer's CMA Music Festival. The four-day event, scheduled for June 10-13 in Nashville, will also include Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire.

Paisley's last album, American Saturday Night, was released last summer. It has sold nearly half a million copies in the U.S. and reached number two on the Billboard 200.

Brad Paisley Pranks Justin Moore, Miranda Lambert

Fans at Brad Paisley's current shows with Justin Moore and Miranda Lambert can never be sure what they will get from the well-known prankster. At the kick-off show of Paisley's American Saturday Night tour last week in Fresno, California, one of Paisley's crew members walked onstage in nothing but an oversized diaper to celebrate the birth of Moore's baby girl two weeks ago. Moore carried on with the gag by wearing the diaper back onstage as he joined Paisley for a duet.

Fans at Brad Paisley's current shows with Justin Moore and Miranda Lambert can never be sure what they will get from the well-known prankster.

At the kick-off show of Paisley's American Saturday Night tour last week in Fresno, California, one of Paisley's crew members walked onstage in nothing but an oversized diaper to celebrate the birth of Moore's baby girl two weeks ago. Moore carried on with the gag by wearing the diaper back onstage as he joined Paisley for a duet during his encore.

Lambert, of course, found herself in the crosshairs as well when Paisley had crew members show pictures of her boyfriend, fellow country star Blake Shelton, during a performance of her hit song "White Liar."

Only $80 to make this music video... good tune too!