On Today’s Show

➢ A guy in England used his time in lockdown to build the world’s fastest motorized wheelbarrow.  It hasn’t been verified by Guinness yet, but he’s hit 44 miles an hour and thinks it can go even faster.  He built it using spare parts, and says he just wanted to get people’s mind off the pandemic.

➢ A kid in New Zealand stuck a Lego up his nose two years ago when he was five, and doctors couldn’t find it.  But earlier this month, he blew his nose and it popped out.  He did an interview the other day and admitted he shoved it up there on purpose.

➢ Researchers from Kansas State University say there’s one less risk factor to worry about when it comes to the pandemic. According to their latest findings, mosquitoes aren’t capable of spreading COVID-19 to humans. While the World Health Organization has previously stated that mosquitoes cannot transmit the virus, this new study “is the first to provide conclusive data supporting the theory,” according to the researchers.

➢ Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler is locked in the bubble along with all the other NBA players.  While locked down, he’s been working on his coffee game and selling it to other players for $20 a cup.

➢ The zoo featured in “Tiger King” has closed permanently, according to former owner Jeff Lowe. The closure of the G.W. Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma is “effective immediately,” according to his since-deleted Facebook post. Lowe wrote: “The Tiger King phenomenon has definitely changed our lives in many ways. It has brought us more attention than any human deserves, good and bad.” Although he indicated that the facility will guarantee the long-term care of its animals, a USDA report says that his license was suspended on Monday following an inspection that found multiple violations, including several repeat infractions. The park was previously owned by Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as “Joe Exotic,” the eccentric star of the Netflix docuseries.

TODAY IS……………….

• “Senior Citizens Day”, to recognize and show appreciation for the value and contribution of elders to home, family, and society.

1987 [33] “Dirty Dancing,” starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, opens in theaters (First film to sell more than a million copies for home video)

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COUNTRY MUSIC NOTE

2006   Keith Urban made history when his new single “Once in a Lifetime” debuted at #17, setting a new record for the highest-debuting country single in the 62-year history of Billboard’s country charts. The record was formerly held by Garth Brooks’ “Good Ride Cowboy” and Eddie Rabbitt’s “Every Which Way But Loose”, both of which debuted at #18.

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GETTING TECHNICAL:
☞ If you have a difficult time deciding what to watch next, Netflix has a new feature that just may help. They’ve launched the test of a “Shuffle Play” feature that will allow subscribers to stream random titles it thinks you may like based on your viewing history or items saved to playlists. The button, which appears below a user’s profile and on the home screen, is currently being tested worldwide. The company says the shuffle feature could be especially useful for those who are overwhelmed by choice, or simply bored.

☞ If Mike Tyson can come back, why not the BlackBerry? While even hardcore devotees of the physical smartphone keyboard couldn’t be faulted for writing off the possibility of ever seeing a new BlackBerry after TCL announced they had given up on them, it seems there’s still hope. A new joint announcement from BlackBerry, OnwardMobility, and FIH Mobile lays out the plans for a new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone (with a physical keyboard!) to be brought to market in the first half of 2021.
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FOUR RANDOM FACTS

1. In the 18th century, rich people would hire real people to serve, basically, as human garden gnomes. The “ornamental hermits” would live in the rich person’s garden and dress like a druid.

2. Before the company Tecmo was making classic video games like “Tecmo Bowl”and “Ninja Gaiden”, they manufactured cleaning supplies and yachts.

3. Brian Mayfrom Queen has a Ph.D. in astrophysics.

4. The word “egregious” comes from Latin . . . where it meant “exceptionally good.”  But people kept using it sarcastically, to the point where the meaning completely evolved and now, it only means “exceptionally bad.”

GOOD NEWS

Here’s a great story about a frontline worker.

A Doctor named Russell Ledet lives in Baton Rouge and grew up poor, but still managed to get his PhD.

And now he’s finishing up his M.D. at the same hospital where he used to work as a security guard.  He posted a video on his first day and said anything’s in reach if you just put in the work.

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BIRTHDAYS

[64] Kim Cattrall, actress (‘Samantha Jones’ on “Sex and the City” 1998-2004)

[47] Sergey Brin, computer wiz (co-founded Google with Larry Page in 1998)/net worth estimated at $66 billion

[34] Usain Bolt, Jamaica, retired world’s fastest sprinter (8 Olympic gold medals; 11 World Championship golds)/world 100-meter record (9.58) & 200-meter record (19.19)

[32] Kacey Musgraves, country singer

ANIMAL STORIES

You do not want to mess with an angry turkey. Officials in Oakland, California say they’re trying to capture and relocate a wild turkey that was a longtime beloved resident before becoming overly aggressive.

Residents of the Grand Lake neighborhood say Gerald the turkey was a great addition to the area until he became territorial and aggressive toward humans earlier this summer—around the time turkey mating season began. T

The turkey become so aggressive that city officials ordered the closing of the neighborhood’s Morcom Rose Garden. Residents said Gerald’s behavior calmed as turkey mating season ended, but officials said they still want him relocated in case he becomes aggressive again, and they’re working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to catch him.

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The downside of hiring goats and donkeys to help trim down your grass is that they can wander off the job.  Last week, in Atlanta, Georgia, about two dozen goats and a donkey got loose and began wandering the streets after they left their jobsite near Chastain Park.

The homeowner who hired the animals to clear some brush from her yard says the donkey was supposed to help herd the goats, but they got loose and wandered off. Neighbors say the whole experience made them laugh—no word on if the animals could be persuaded to finish their jobs.

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WORTH ITS SALT:
Australian scientists say they’ve come up with a material that makes salty water safe to drink. Researchers found that using a metal-organic framework compounds (or MOFs) together with sunlight can purify water in just half an hour, using a process that’s more efficient than existing techniques.

When the metal-organic framework of compounds is exposed to sunlight, it releases all of the salt ions it has soaked up from the water, and is ready to be used again.

They say that their desalination process provides an “energy-efficient and environmentally-sustainable solution for desalination.”

Globally, about 785 million people lack a clean source of drinking water within half an hour’s walk of where they live, and as the climate crisis continues, the problem is getting worse.

It’s not clear how close the researchers are to getting their system into a working, practical form.

EXPERTS: MOST KNEE CRACKING IS NORMAL UNLESS IT HURTS

Hearing your knees crack when walking or running might make you worry, but an expert says it’s not really a big deal unless it’s accompanied by pain.

University of Alabama physical therapy professor Harshvardhan Singh says that knee cracking noises can be caused by a large kneecap that doesn’t fit well into the groove, or if the thigh muscle is too tight it can pull on the kneecap, causing an audible crack.

Degenerative changes can also cause knee cracking sounds, but the experts say pain will come along with that cracking, and that people should then see a medical professional.

Also, if you’ve had recent knee trauma and it starts to crack you should see a doctor even if there is no pain. Singh adds, “A knee crack by itself does not indicate the presence of any disease.”

FRIDAY AUGUST 21^ST  

1. NBA PLAYOFFS:

Miami Heat 109, Indiana Pacers 100 — Miami leads series 2 games to 0

Houston Rockets 111, Oklahoma City Thunder 98 — Houston leads series 2 games to 0

Milwaukee Bucks 111, Orlando Magic 96 — Series tied 1-1

L.A. Lakers 111, Portland Trail Blazers 88 — Series tied 1-1

NHL PLAYOFFS:

New York Islanders 4, Washington Capitals 0 — New York wins series 4 games to 1

Dallas Stars 7, Calgary Flames 3 — Dallas wins series 4 games to 2

METS GAMES POSTPONED AFTER TWO POSITIVE TESTS: 

The New York Mets have had two games postponed after getting two positive tests in their organization yesterday (August 20th). The last game of the Mets’ four-game series against Miami that was supposed to played last night was postponed, and tonight’s scheduled game between the Mets and the New York Yankees was also postponed to allow for more testing and contact tracing to be done. MLB has postponed 34 games this season so far because of positive tests.

2. The Kansas City Chiefsare banning fans from wearing Native American headdresses and face-paint at their home games this season.  And they are also “reviewing” other traditions, including the tomahawk chop and the pre-game beating of a drum, often by a former player or a local celebrity.

The team said they began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences a few years ago, and these new rules came out of those talks.

They added, quote, “It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”

3. A historic covered bridge in Illinois that was damaged by a bus one day after it wrapped up a two-year restoration was just hit AGAIN . . . during a TV news reportabout the damage.

4. Comedian Jay Larson talks about answering his cell phone when it’s a wrong number, just to mess with them.

iPhones with “Fortnite” on Them Are Going for Thousands

Last week, Epic Games waged war with both Apple and Google, and “Fortnite” was yanked from their app stores.  If you already have the game on your iPhone, Apple can’t remove it . . . so perhaps this was inevitable.

iPhones that are loaded with “Fortnite” are being offered up on eBay . . . with listings as high as $15,000.  Of course, it doesn’t look like very many people are bidding on these.  And they shouldn’t.

“Fortnite” is the biggest game in the world right now, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to work out a deal.  So it’s probably only a matter of time before the game is available again.

Keith Urban Virtually Surprised Each of This Year’s ACM New Artist Winners

The ACMs revealed this year’s Best New Artist winners by having the show’s host,

KEITH URBAN, surprise each of them on Zoom calls yesterday.

TENILLE TOWNES was waiting for an interview to start when Keith popped up on her screen and said “Boom.”  After telling her she’s the ACM New Female Artist of the Year she kind of lost it, and he had to assure her it wasn’t a prank.

RILEY GREEN was in the MIDDLE of a Zoom call with some music people when Keith crashed the meeting.  After a little small talk Keith asked if he’d like to play the ACMs as this year’s New Male Artist of the Year.

The ACMs will take place in Nashville on September 16th and will air on CBS.

The full details of the show will be announced in the coming weeks.

TIM McGRAW DROPS ‘HERE ON EARTH’ TODAY

Tim McGraw‘s 16th studio album, Here On Earth, arrives at retail today (Friday, August 21st). It includes his current hit single, ”I Called Mama,” along with 15 other songs that created what Tim calls a “tapestry of life.” And that was his plan from the beginning, as he tells us: [“I had a concept.  Now, that’s not to say that this is really a concept album, but I had an idea when I went into this project that I really wanted to sort of make a tapestry of life, little vignettes along the way that tells a story about certain things that happen in the progression of life and how that can relate to the listener, and how everyone can sort of find a way to walk through this life on this album, and that’s what good art does I think, so that’s what I was trying to do with this album is sort of paint a picture of life here on Earth.”]

Tim will celebrate today’s album release with a livestream event beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET with special pre-recorded performances by his Here On Earth tourmates Midland and Ingrid Andress.

LUKE COMBS ‘SHOCKED, HUMBLED’ BY CONTINUOUS BILLBOARD FEATS

Luke Combs once again made history last month as the first artist ever to have their first two studio albums spend 25 weeks or more at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, breaking Taylor Swift’s previously held record at 24 weeks. The achievement comes as his 2017 debut, This One’s For You, has spent 50 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, tying the record for the longest reign atop the chart with Shania Twain’s Come On Over in 1997. His latest album, What You See Is What You Get, returned to the top of the Billboard Top Country Albums chart again last week.

Luke tells us that all of these feats have been hard for him to grasp. [“I mean it’s definitely a really cool thing. It’s something that I never would have expected. I’m honestly shocked by it, humbled by it, grateful for it, grateful for the fans that got me to this point. You know, I really just can’t believe everyday to be honest with you.”]

FAST FACTS

Luke is nominated in three categories at the 55th ACM Awards –  Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for What You See Is What You Get. The ACM Awards will air live from Nashville on September 16th on CBS.

PARKER McCOLLUM TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID

Parker McCollum had to miss his scheduled shows last night (Thursday, August 20th) and tonight (Friday, August 21st) after testing positive for COVID-19. Parker pointed out that the shows he was scheduled to play — in Kansas and Oklahoma — were socially-distanced, mask-mandated shows.

He plans to quarantine for the next 14 days at his ranch in Texas. Parker ended the post by asking people to “wear your mask and stay healthy.”

He is in the Top 20 and climbing on the country charts with “Pretty Heart.”

JOSH TURNER RELEASES ALBUM OF COUNTRY CLASSICS TODAY

Josh Turner‘s spin on a collection of country classics, called Country State of Mind, is released today (Friday, August 21st). He pays homage to several country music icons with the 12-song project, including Randy Travis, John Anderson, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Vern Gosdin.

In fact, it was Vern Gosdin’s 1984 chart-topping hit that got Josh thinking about recording this album. He tells us: [“My manager and I started talking about this summer of last year. We had kind of kicked the idea around the label liked it. The first song that came to mind when we started talking about this record was ‘I Can Tell By The Way You Dance’ – the old Vern Gosdin song, and this new version, of mine, I feel like it could be a hit today, just really kind of modernized it.”] SOUNDCUE (:25 OC: . . . of modernized it.)

Josh is joined on Country State of Mind by special guests Randy Travis, Chris Janson, John Anderson, Kris Kristofferson, Runaway June and Maddie & Tae.

FAST FACTS

Josh’s last country album, Deep South, was released in 2017 and produced the hit single “Hometown Girl.”

His last studio album was a gospel project called I Serve A Savior in 2018.

Categorised in: Mornings

This post was written by Dave Palmer