The Most Popular Baby Names of 2014 Are Sophia and Jackson

BabyCenter.com just released their lists of the most popular baby names for 2014. And maybe we've just been pounded into submission by the modern trendy names, but they don't induce the eye rolling they used to.
The top ten names for boys this year are: Jackson . . . Aiden . . . Liam . . . Lucas . . . Noah . . . Mason . . . Ethan . . . Caden . . . Jacob . . . and Logan. Jackson was also number one last year.

The top ten names for girls this year are Sophia . . . Emma . . . Olivia . . . Ava . . . Isabella . . . Mia . . . Zoe . . . Lily . . . Emily . . . and Madelyn. And Sophia has now been the top name for five years in a row.

What's interesting is that BabyCenter's list combines different spellings of the names . . . so people who spelled Jaxon with an "x" in the middle contribute to its popularity. Even though people who spell Jaxon with an "x" are also contributing to the downfall of society.

The boys names that didn't quite make the top 10 but still had huge jumps in popularity in 2014 are: Nolan . . . Dominic . . . and Muhammad. (???) The girls names that made the biggest jumps are Skyler . . . Caroline . . . and Callie.
The boys names that had the biggest drops in popularity are: Brayden . . . Chase . . . and Charlie. The girls names that had the biggest drops are: Lila . . . Sophie . . . and Julia.

But How About "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer"!?!

We're already deep in Christmas music season, and if this list is any indication, you've already heard about two dozen different versions of "Silent Night". But we do love our Christmas tunes, don;t we? "Time" magazine searched copyright records to find which Christmas songs have been recorded the most. Here's the top 10 . . .
1. "Silent Night", with 733 different copyrighted recordings.
2. "Joy to the World", 391 recordings.
3. "O Holy Night", 374 recordings.
4. "What Child Is This?", 329 recordings.
5. "Away in a Manger", 300 recordings.
6. "O Come All Ye Faithful", 296 recordings.
7. "White Christmas", 283 recordings.
8. "Ave Maria", 270 recordings.
9. "Jingle Bells", 254 recordings.
10. "The Christmas Song", 254 recordings. That's the one that starts with "chestnuts roasting on an open fire."

What's your all-time favorite Christmas song? Drop me a line: john@kicks1063.com

New Study Shows Women Hit Fewer Things In Parking Lots

OK, right off I'm going to dispute this: A new survey by CarInsurance.com reveals that 11% of women, compared to 19% of men, have hit a pole in a parking lot. Other findings:5% of women, compared to 12% of men, have hit a shopping cart in a parking lot.1% of women, compared to 8% of men, have hit a person in a parking lot. I'll admit that I'm calling this into question just because I'm a guy!

Love This Bird!

Ok, I admit I'm not one for pet birds. I'd much rather have a dog you can cuddle with on a cold night, ya know? But I found this video of Pebble The Cockatoo and it just got me giggling! Not only is it's laugh absolutely contagious, but you gotta love the way it throws it's head around! Check it out!

Snow Dogs!

Is there anything more fun than watching dogs playing in the snow? I shot this video on Sunday, here's Ella playing with her tennis ball, while Boomer just likes to lay in the snow and watch. What a life! We'd love to see your "pet-in-the-snow" pictures as well, so post 'em on the KICKS Facebook page!

Goodbye Black Friday, Hello Black Thursday!

It's kind of a sad thing, don't you think? With so many retailers starting their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving, Thursday November 27th is being dubbed 'Black Thursday'. The “Boycott Black Thursday” Facebook page is encouraging consumers not to shop on Thanksgiving. The page has 80,000 likes. According to Price Waterhouse Coopers, 49% of people plan to shop, either online or in person, on Thanksgiving morning. Read more about it here. So what do you think? Should businesses start their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving? Will you go shopping on Thanksgiving Day?

And The CMA Goes To........

Another great country awards show last night! What I like about the CMA's (and the ACM's in the spring as well) is that it really focuses on the music. Did you have a favorite part of last night's show? A moment that you just hated? Did your favorite singers win? Here's the full rundown:

2014 CMA AWARDS WINNERS LIST

Entertainer of the Year: Luke Bryan

Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist of the Year: Blake Shelton

New Artist of the Year: Brett Eldredge

Vocal Duo of the Year: Florida Georgia Line

Vocal Group of the Year: Little Big TownSong of the Year (award to songwriters): "Follow Your Arrow" Kacey Musgraves, written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves

Single of the Year (award to artist and producer): "Automatic" Miranda Lambert, produced by Frank Liddell and Glenn Worf

Album of the Year (award to artist and producer): Platinum, Miranda Lambert, produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay and Glenn Worf

Music Video (award to artist and director): "Drunk on a Plane" Dierks Bentley, directed by Wes Edwards

Musical Event of the Year: "We Were Us" Keith Urban with MIranda Lambert

And The Nominees Are.....

Well it's here, Country's biggest night, the CMA Awards! The top nominee going into the show tonight is Miranda Lambert with 9 nods, no surprise there! So here's the list of nominees, and my picks are in red!

Entertainer of the Year
Luke Bryan
Blake Shelton
Miranda Lambert
George Strait
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban

New Artist of the Year
Brandy Clark
Brett Eldredge
Kip Moore
Thomas Rhett
Cole Swindell

Vocal Duo of the Year
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
The Swon Brothers
Thompson Square

Vocal Group of the Year
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

Here Comes That Sugar High!

With Halloween tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone's buying for candy this year, and boy are we buying a ton of candy! A new study by the National Confectioners Association reveals that people will spend $2.5 billion on Halloween candy this year! So here it is: The top selling candy plus their market share.1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, $510 million ... 20%2. M&M’s, $501 million ... 19%3 Snickers, $457 million .. 18%4. Hershey’s chocolate bars, $325 million ... 12%5. Kit Kat, $307 million ... 11%6. Twix (4 To Go size), $116 million ... 4.5%7. 3 Musketeers, $101 million ... 4%8. Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme, $101 million ... 4%9. Milky Way, $93 million .... 3%10. Almond Joy, $82 million ... 3%
I've gotta admit I'm happy to see Peanut Butter Cups at the top of the list, they're my favorite!

Boomer! Ella! Watch Carefully!

I've gotta teach our dogs, Boomer and Ella to do this! Meet Bandit, and Australian cattle dog who's owner, Josh Ace has taught him to fetch his beer! When ordered, Bandit runs to the fridge, opens the door, and grabs a beer before returning to Josh. The dog only fetches a beer when Josh says: "I'm parched."

The Joys Of Being Doped Up By The Dentist!

I just love this video! This woman just came out of anesthesia after getting her wisdom teeth pulled, and she's crying because she doesn't look like Nicki Minaj! I'm not sure why she thought she was going to look like her to begin with, but whatever. Even funnier, she's upset because she wants to be friends with Ellen Degeneres! I love the line, "Ellen Degeneres...she's so generous."

Never Mess With Bees!

OK, at first I didn't want to laugh at this video because I have a fear of bees. It's true! For some people it's spiders, or snakes or Smurfs, but I have an irrational fear of bees. But I couldn't help but laugh at this guy, especially since his wife, who was shooting the video, was laughing at him just as much! He was trying knock down a wasp's nest with a long stuck, not a very bright idea to begin with. And the wasp reacted like wasps usually do, he got totally ticked at the guy and flew up the back of his shirt! Take a look at the video:

The best part was the guy trying to swat him with the stick like some ball player! I never like to see anyone get hurt, of course. But it's hilarious how a little bee can turn a grown man into a screaming little girl!

What!?! I Can't Meet George Washington!?!

Here's little Ava. Like many of us, she has a favorite President, and it's George Washington. The problem is she just found out she can't meet him, and she is not happy!

Miranda Lambert's Famous Randarita!

With the weekend upon us, you may be looking for that special cocktail to serve up to friends, or just mix up for yourself. How about Miranda Lambert's famous Randarita! Here's a video of the lady herself showing you just how to whip one up! Enjoy!

Dress 'Em Up For Halloween...And We don't Mean The Kids!

Americans spend $350 million every year on dressing their pets up for Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation. Whether it’s a cocker spaniel dressed as Batman or a cat in a tuxedo, everybody can't help but have a few laughs -- at the poor pet's expense. Some of the big sellers this year, says Costumesupercenter.com, is the Minion Pet Costume from Despicable Me 2 along with such tried-and-true favorites like Captain America, Darth Vader and Wonder Woman. Of course, there's nothing like forcing Fido to wear a hot dog or taco outfit either. Here's the NRF's top ten pet costumes for 2014:

1. Pumpkin. 2. Hot Dog. 3. Devil. 4. Bumble Bee. 5. Cat. 6. Batman Character. 7. Superman. 8. Witch. 9. (T) Ghost. 9. (T) Pirate. 10. Star Wars Character.

So do you dress your pet up for Halloween? If you do we'd love to see a pic of your pooch or cat!

Ever Heard Of A Fainting Goat? Well, Here Ya Go!

OK I've heard of these: Fainting Goats. It's true! I ran across this video this morning and had to share it with you. Watch the little guy just keel right over!

OK here's the scoop: A myotonic goat, otherwise known as the fainting goat, is a domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat feels panic. Though painless, this generally results in the animal's collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita. When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle. Of course, if you teach your dog to "play dead", I suppose it's the same thing!

I'll Never Get Married!

Meet Dean. Dean is 6 years old and worried that he'll never get married. He thinks he'll have to wait "A thousand million years", or until he's 80. Poor kid! The best part is where his dad (who's taping this) says, "It's not that much fun"! Great video!

This Story Will Bring A Tear To Your Eye Guaranteed!

27-year-old Gina Giaffoglione of McClelland, Iowa was in a car crash six years ago, and ended up paralyzed from the waist down. But after her boyfriend proposed to her in 2012, she decided she wanted to WALK down the aisle with her dad, Gary. Of course, that doesn't mean she expected to RECOVER from her injury. But after a year-and-a-half of physical therapy to build up her core muscles, she was able to do it with braces on her legs, a crutch in one hand, and her dad holding onto her other arm . . . all while she was in a wedding dress with a full train. Only her close friends and family knew she was planning it, so most of her wedding guests had no idea until it HAPPENED.


According to Gina, she did it for her dad, because she's his only daughter. And she wanted him to be able to WALK her down the aisle, not push her in a wheelchair. And by the way, after she made it down the aisle, she also STOOD the entire time she and her husband John exchanged vows. What an awesome story, huh? Make sure you share it with someone who may need a little inspiratioin their life!

Amazing Train Wreck Video!

A couple was traveling through Louisiana when they came upon a tractor trailer stalled on a set of train tracks. I'll leave it at that because you have to watch the video to see what happened next!

A Little Too Real?

Ok, I had to check and see if this was for real when I heard about it. The Playmobile Company has put out a new toy set for kids called "Security Checkpoint". It's a kids version of a TSA screening checkpoint at an airport, complete with baggage x-ray machine walk-through metal detector and an agent with a body wand!

Is it just me or is this just a bit of an add scenario for kids to play with? What do you think? Can't you just hear your precious little one's hollering, "Hit the ground, dirtbag!" Or maybe, "Hey man, don't touch my junk!"

Check Out "The Poop Song"....I Kid You Not!

Every little girl loves Disney's "Frozen", right? And they know every single word to the big hit from the movie, "Let It Go". Well, so does the girl in this video that has gone viral, but she has come up with a parody of the tune she calls...are your ready for this? The Poop Song! Now wouldn't you be proud of your child if she came up wit this? LOL!

Help! Help!

When I first saw this video today I thought for sure it was a hoax: A pug's owner terrorized him with a squeaky toy and iPad. The dog, sounding like a human, screamed for help! The word "Help!" is so clear I was sure it was dubbed, but maybe not! Give it a listen and tell me what you think! Do you have a pet that makes human sounding noises?

I Don't See It But Maybe You Do!

A lumber yard owner in Memphis, Tennessee, says he sees the image of Jesus in a piece of wood. According to WMC-TV, Daniel Turbeville explains he saw the image in the grain of a tree trunk that was recently cut by his employees -- and he's not alone, either: "Talking to a couple of people that work with me, we kind of decided that looked like the depiction of Christ as we know it," he maintains. "About 70 percent of the people I ask agree that it looks like the image of Christ." Turbeville said he hopes the wood with the godly grain ends up someplace fitting. "If somebody wanted it I would sell it, but I do think it would be best served if it were in a church or it'd be nice in a pastor's office." Take a look at the news story here: 

I just don't see it! How about you!

Oh No! Two More Just Like Caden!

Awesome video! A mom and dad show their three kids ultrasound pictures of the twins in mommy's stomach. The two youngest kids think it's hilarious while the oldest starts crying because he doesn't want two more like his brother Caden! How did your older kids react whenthey were told they were getting siblings?

You Poked My Heart!

You're gonna love this video! A 3-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl at a daycare center in Harrison, Arkansas were caught on tape arguing about the weather. The boy said it was "sprinkling" outside, while the girl asserted it was "raining." Another girl tried to keep the peace. But it's the end that's so hilarious!

One Smart Pooch!

While we're talking about how we spoil our pets today, I found this video of one very smart pooch who figured out how to unlock a window and escape his house! Makes me want to go home and check all of our windows, cause we've got two very smart dogs!

TEEN'S ARMPIT HAIR PRANK CAUSES ROLL OVER CRASH

Five Idaho teens are lucky to be alive after the passenger attempted to burn the driver's armpit hair with a lighter, leading to a rollover crash in which two females were ejected. The Idaho Statesman reports 18-year-old Tristian Myers was behind the wheel of an earlier model Ford Bronco around 5:30 a.m. Sunday when an unidentified 16-year-old male in the passenger seat whipped out his lighter and flicked it under the driver's arm. In response, Myers jerked the wheel, rolling the truck, which flung out two female passengers. Miraculously, they only suffered non-life-threatening injuries, as did the other three people in the truck, who also weren't belted in. The 16-year-old was cited for distracting Myers -- who was cited with inattentive driving for allegedly speeding before the dramatic wreck. When cops arrived at the crash, Myers told them he'd swerved to miss an animal, but the story quickly fell apart. Did you do stupid stuff like this when you were a kid? Anything get you in hot water like this?

If Only I Had Known!

Ahh the Stock Market! Most common folk like you and I understand very little of it, and probably don't have any extra pennies at the end of the month to drop into a "portfolio". That being said, we've all lamented (or been told!), "If I had only invested in this company or that company when they first came out I'd have made a fortune!" Now, while most people say that about companies like Microsoft and Apple, did you know you could have made a killing investing in some of your favorite restaurants? For instance, if you'd have invested $1000.00 in Starbucks when it first went "public", that $1000.00 would now be worth over $3900.00! That's a lota lattes! How about everybody's favorite, McDonalds: If you had invested that same $1000.00 in 2004, it would be worth, get this--$4659.00! How many Chicken Nuggets would that buy you!?! Anyway, we're all jealous of the savvy few who know a good thing when they see it and have the cash to do something about it. So here's the article about your favorite restaurants so you can cry over spilled investment opportunities!

Will You Please Stop Saying That!

It's so annoying: Someone at work just keeps saying the same "buzzwords" over and over! Don't you wish they would just stop? There's a list of certain buzzwords that a new survey says you should stop using immediately. Accountemps interviewed 600 Human Resource managers to find what office catchphrases and clichés drive people up the wall, and have listed the Top 20. For instance, if you’ve ever used “pick your brain,” your boss may be ready to pick you up and drop you out a window. The recommendation of HR people is to use simple language during conversations, not the worn-out office jargon that does little to impress anyone.

Here are the 20 most annoying and over used phrases and buzzwords in alphabetical order:

"At the end of the day", "Circle back", "Crunch time", "Deep dive", "Dynamic", "Employee engagement", "Forward-thinking", "I am overwhelmed.", It's above my pay grade.", "It's not my job."
"Let me get back to you.", "Leverage", "LOL", Out of pocket", "Pick your brain", "Synergy", "Think outside the box.", "Value-added", "When am I going to get a raise?", Win-win"

Have you ever used any of these buzzwords? How often do you use these words? Does it annoy you when people use these words at the office? What are some other buzzwords that should be added to the list? Drop me an email: john@kicks1063.com, and join the discussion on our Facebook page.

Boy, They Really Need To Work On This Road!

First off, we can probably agree that even though all the road construction in our area this year can be a real pain, it's a necessary evil. And I do think those in charge really do try to minimize it's impact on our driving habits by detouring only when necessary and keeping traffic flowing as smooth as possible. That all being said, I thought it would be fun to share the roads and streets in our area that still really need to be fixed!

We all probably have a stretch of road that we drive every day and say, "When the heck are they gonna fix this road!" And I'll be happy to start! The one that really gets me going is the area around the intersection of 3rd, 4th, LaCrosse Street and The Causeway downtown. Talk about rough! I'll admit that I probably need new shocks on my pickup anyway, but WOW that intersection is a rough one! OK, your turn: What road or street really drives you crazy. Drop me an email, john@kicks1063.com, or head over to the discussion on our Facebook page.

The Perfect Beer For Every NFL Team!

Packer fans, it's New Glarus Brewing's "Serendipity". Vikings fans, it's "Grain Belt Premium" from the August Schell Brewing Company. And Bears fans? It's Revolution Brewing Co.'s "Straight Jacket". These are supposedly the "perfect" beers for these teams, according to a fun article I found. Of course a favorite beer is pretty subjective, and it's always open for discussion. But it's kind of fun to see what they think the perfect beers are for all the NFL teams. Click here to read the full list and why they think each beer is the winner.

So what do you think? What's the "perfect beer" for your favorite team? Drop me a line at john@kicks1063.com

Poll Says More Americans Support Changing The Pledge Of Allegiance

Does this picture look like something you remember from your childhood?

The Pledge of Allegiance is a 31-word recitation that most Americans know by heart, but there's a two-word phrase included in the Pledge that remains as controversial now as when Congress added it 60 years ago. Because of “under God,” some people refuse to say it, particularly atheists. The American Humanist Association decided to poll 1,000 adults to get their feelings about “under God,” and just over a third said they’d support removing it from the Pledge, including 90 percent of those who consider themselves atheist. The findings differ from a 2013 poll by the evangelical LifeWay Research, which revealed that only eight percent would remove “under God” from the Pledge. Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research, contends that most people are comfortable with the Pledge the way it is while AHA executive director Roy Speckhardt believes that the more Americans who know the Pledge was changed to include “under God,” the more they’d support restoring it back to the original 29 words. So what do you think? Should it be changed back to the original, without "under God"? Did you even know that the original did not have "under God" in it? How do you feel about the "under God" phrase? Drop me an email to johns@lacrosseradiogroup.net.

Hey, Race Fans! Look Who's Gonna Dance With The Stars!

Dancing with the Stars Co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews revealed he celebrity contestants on the new season of the hit show on ABC's Good Morning America yesterday. Two-time Dancing with the Stars champ and former pro Julianne Hough is trading in her dancing shoes to join the show's judges' panel this season, along with returning judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli. But NASCAR fans should take particular note: Michael Waltrip will be gracing the dance floor this year as a contestant! He's being paired with pro partner Emma Slater.

Season 19 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars returns on September 15.

Here's he rest of the cast for the show's 19th season:

Sadie Robertson, Duck Dynasty cast member -- partner Mark Ballas

Antonio Sabato Jr., actor, General Hospital -- partner Cheryl Burke

Alfonso Ribeiro, actor, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air -- partner Witney Carson

Lea Thompson, actress, Switched at Birth -- partner Artem Chigvintsev

Janel Parrish, singer, actress, Pretty Little Liars -- partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Betsey Johnson, fashion designer -- partner Tony Dovolani

Jonathan Bennett, actor, Mean Girls -- partner Allison Holker

Bethany Mota, video blogger -- partner Derek Hough

Lolo Jones, Olympic athlete -- partner Keoikantse Motsepe

Tommy Chong, actor and comedian -- partner Peta Murgatroyd

Michael Waltrip, NASCAR driver -- partner Emma Slater

Randy Couture, actor, mixed martial artist -- partner Karina Smirnoff

Tavis Smiley, talk show host -- partner Sharna Burgess

The Top 10 Tailgating Foods!

Big game tonight! Green Bay at Seattle and it's gonna be a good one! If you're having a Packer Party tonight, you'll want to check out this list of the Top 10 Tailgating Foods.

So what is the one thing you've just got to have at your Packer (Or Viking, or Bears or whoever) party? Drop me an email at johns@lacrosseradiogroup.net

Oh, Baby! Carrie Underwood Is Expecting!

It's the news her fans have been waiting to hear: Carrie Underwood announced yesterday (Labor Day) that she and husband Mike Fisher are expecting their first child. Underwood shared her happy news posting a photo of herself with her two dogs, Ace and Penny, who had on "big brother" and "big sister" shirts.

Carrie tweeted, "In honor of "Labor" Day... Ace & Penny would like to make an announcement. Their parents couldn't be happier!" Fisher retweeted Underwood's announcement, then followed with another post about baby names, writing, "We haven't picked names yet but it's looking like Fly is gonna fly. #boyorgirl #flyfisher." Several country stars took to twitter to congratulate the happy couple including Brad Paisley and Scotty McCreery. What do you think of the name, "Fly"? Is that short for something?

Why Aren't You Playing More Female Singers?

Why indeed! I got a phone call from a listener yesterday asking this very question. The answer: Because Nashville isn't putting out as many female artist's tunes as men. And they will tell you that it's because research shows the majority of country music listeners prefer male singers. As for me, I'd love to play more tunes by the Women Of Country, but the music biz has got to get their tunes on the charts!

Here's an interesting article from earlier this month. Give it a read!

So what do you think? Do you want to hear more female singers? Who would you like to hear? Drop me a line at johns@lacrosseradiogroup.net.