COUNTRY October 16, 2015

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Bits & Breaks • Country Prep • Datebook • Datebook Tomorrow • Entertainment • Fun & Games • Image of the Day • Joke of the Day! • Last Minute Items • News & Nuggets • News Attack • Number for the Day • Television • Video of the Day • Wacky-But-True

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DATEBOOK: OCTOBER 16, 2015

This is day 289 of 2015. There are 76 days remaining.

BIRTHDAYS

• Angela Lansbury is 90

• Barry Corbin is 75

• Suzanne Somers is 69

• Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is 68

• Tim Robbins is 57

• Bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is 53

• Paul Sparks (Boardwalk Empire) is 44

• Kellie Martin (Christy, Life Goes On) is 40

• John Mayer is 38

• Caterina Scorsone (Grey’s Anatomy) is 35

IT HAPPENED TODAY

• 1793: Marie Antoinette was beheaded during the French Revolution.

• 1962: The Cuban missile crisis began as President John F. Kennedy was informed that reconnaissance photographs had revealed the presence of missile bases in Cuba.

• 1987: Rescuers freed Jessica McClure, an 18-month-old girl who had been trapped in an abandoned well for 58 hours in Midland, Texas.

• 1995: Some 400,000 black men gathered in Washington for the “Million Man March” led by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

• 2002: President George W. Bush signed a congressional resolution authorizing war against Iraq.

• 2004: In Italy, a driver fell off his locomotive, which then sped unmanned through three separate regions before it could be stopped. The unmanned vehicle gathered speed until it was running at some 60 miles an hour. Railway officials were unable to stop the vehicle, which kept going for three hours. Stations along the line were evacuated as the engine smashed its way through heavy obstacles piled on the track in an attempt to stop it. The locomotive finally came to a stop when rail workers managed to divert the vehicle onto a dead-end track, but not before it smashed through buffers, brought down an electrical pylon and derailed before finally coming to a halt.

• 2006: In Malaysia, a man has paid $54,300 for a car license plate bearing his surname. The license plate, which read “TAN”, went to a businessman named Tan.

• 2008: A couple in Glencoe, Illinois, received a parking ticket in the mail because they parked longer than allowed in the downtown area. The ticket said Barbara and Lee Mitchell were entitled to a hearing on the matter, or they could simply mail in payment — but not cash. Which would be tough anyway, since the ticket was for $9.5 million. Upon receiving the notice, Lee Mitchell said he was eager to talk with his wife about the incident. Glencoe police voided the ticket.

• 2011: The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was formally dedicated in Washington, D.C.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Alternative Fuel Day

• Boss’s Day

• Dictionary Day

• Mammography Day

• World Food Day

UPCOMING

• October 27: World Series begins

• October 31: Halloween

• November 1: Daylight Saving Time ends

• November 28: Small Business Saturday

• More holidays – Updated with 2016 holidays.

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DATEBOOK WEEKEND

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

• Country singer Earl Thomas Conley is 74. Michael McKean is 68. Margot Kidder is 67. George Wendt is 67. Country singer Alan Jackson is 57. Animator Mike Judge is 53. Norm Macdonald is 52. Ziggy Marley is 47. Wyclef Jean is 46. Eminem is 43. Felicity Jones is 32. Chris Lowell is 31.

• Cassette Store Day. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Pasta Day. Wear Something Gaudy Day. Sweetest Day.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18

• Chuck Berry is 89. Dawn Wells (Gilligan’s Island) is 77. Pam Dawber is 65. Erin Moran is 55. Jean-Claude Van Damme is 55. Wynton Marsalis is 54. Country singer and American Idol contestant Josh Gracin is 35. Zac Efron is 28. Tyler Posey is 24.

• National Chocolate Cupcake Day. Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day. No Beard Day.

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NUMBER FOR THE DAY

60: Median number of texts sent by teens each day.

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NEWS ATTACK!

Some McDonald’s franchisees have said that the all-day breakfast has been a nightmare. [That’s partly my fault. I like breakfast so much that my local McDonald’s has had to call in extra help.]

A passenger jet for the Iranian airline Mahan Air had to make an emergency landing after one of its engines fell off. No one was injured. [How can Donald Trump keep that combover in place, but an airline can’t hold on to an engine?]

A jet at the Los Angeles International Airport had to abort a takeoff after an airport employee mistakenly drove a vehicle into its path. [Don’t you just hate the first day on a new job?]

A prominent New York City restaurateur is eliminating tipping in all his 13 restaurants. [Goodbye 15%. But what’s the fun of going out for the evening if it doesn’t end with doing math on the back of a napkin?]

A 15-year-old Boca Raton girl has won this year’s national Young Scientist Challenge. [She won despite the fact that there was some incredibly tough competition, and the fact the T.I. said publicly that he could never vote for a female scientist.]

Australia is getting some criticism for its plan to eliminate some of the country’s 20 million feral cats. [Each of which has its own YouTube channel.]

World-renown astronomer Geoff Marcy was forced to resign his professorship at the University of California-Berkeley because of groping female students. [His campus nickname was The Mars Rover.]

New figures show that China now has more billionaires than the U.S. [It’s mainly due to one large family owning that country’s number one retailer, The Great Wall-mart of China.]

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NEWS & NUGGETS

CHEF WHO RESTRAINED MAC & CHEESE KID OFFERS GREAT ADVICE _ Bill McKay, the chef who restrained a wildly intoxicated Luke Gatti after Gatti got physical with McKay’s supervisor while demanding bacon jalapeno mac and cheese, says he forgives the University of Connecticut kid. McKay wrote in the campus newspaper: “Everyone has done something stupid in their life. There are no exceptions to the rule. Some mistakes are obviously bigger than others. Some, like this one, seem bigger because of the social media that exists today. … How would you like to have your dumbest mistake you’ve ever made broadcast to the world? How would you like to be turned into a pariah?”

… He still wants Gatti held accountable, however, and thinks the teen should be expelled from UConn — “but not for the reasons you might think.” It’s because McKay doesn’t think he’s ready for college. His advice: “Get some help with your alcohol problem and/or other problems, whether it be AA or whatever you need to get yourself fixed. … When all is said and done with the courts, my advice is the same advice others have given you online, and that is to join the military. For hundreds of years our military has turned boys into men and not just because it had taught them to fight. It teaches responsibility and discipline.”

LUCKY CHARMS IS RELEASING A MARSHMALLOW-ONLY CEREAL _ The time has come when you no longer need to forage through the box of Lucky Charms for the sweet treasure of marshmallow-y goodness. General Mills, the makers of Lucky Charms, is granting wishes and releasing our favorite childhood cereal with only its famous marshmallows. But, there is a catch…

… They are only making 10 boxes. The way to get your hands on an entire box of your sugar-ladden dreams is by entering the Lucky Charms contest. Snap a selfie of you and the imaginary box-o-mallows and you could be selected to win one of the elusive cereal treats.

… General Mills went all out and produced a trippy throwback video with rapper Biz Markie. • VIDEO

FOR VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS, RENT IS $200 LESS _ A landlord is Bethel, Washington, is offering a monthly discount to vegetarian or vegan tenants. Jinesh Varia is renting his three-bedroom luxury townhome, complete with jacuzzi tub, modern kitchen, fireplace and a spacious backyard. If you happen to be a vegetarian or a vegan, you’ll receive a discount of $200 off the monthly rent. Varia said, “I really believe, just like the no smoking policy that all landlords have today, that we can promote this as a way to spread awareness. See if I can create a trend.” Varia is a member of the Vegetarians of Washington and believes a plant-based diet is key to living an ethical and moral life.

103-YEAR-OLD VOLUNTEERS AT SENIOR CENTER _ An elderly lady dressed up as Wonder Woman as she celebrated her 103rd birthday. Mary Cotter, who volunteers at the Montclair Senior Center in California, decided to channel her inner superhero and don the brightly colored costume as she cut into her cake. The costume was a gift from her friends, who describe her as a “real life Wonder Woman.” Mary drives to and from the nursing home five days a week to help out, a job she has been doing for the last 25 years. When asked about her secret to growing hold in good health, Mary says: “Just keeping busy I guess.”

… In the 1930s, Mary was a swimmer and helped lead her high school to victory in the state championships. In her 60s she taught swimming lessons to children. In her 90s she was out rescuing sea turtles.

HYATT DITCHING ON-DEMAND PORN IN HOTEL ROOMS _ Consumers looking to sneak in an adult film or two while on their next business trip might want to make sure their room isn’t reserved at a Hyatt property: the hotel company says it will no longer offer on-demand adult entertainment in its rooms. While the company didn’t specify why it was doing away with the on-demand option for guests, a recent study (from PKF Hospitality Research) points to a trend in fewer hotel visitors renting the films because they can easily get them on laptops and smartphones. According to the report, hotel movie rental revenue per room has dropped from $339/year to $107/year over the last four years.

… Marriott and Hilton have also pulled the plug on on-demand adult entertainment.

GUY’S MOBILE PHONE TURNED OFF OVER ‘SENSITIVE’ TEXT _ In China a man’s mobile service provider locked his account for mass texting the word “bet.” The 69-year-old retiree said he was chatting with friends about China’s 2015 Nobel Prize winner in medicine, when he sent the seemingly innocuous group text, “I bet you Tu Youyou will [go to Sweden to] accept the honor.” A mobile service employee explained it was the word “bet” in a mass text that resulted in the lockout.

WE DON’T NEED SLOWER-MELTING ICE CREAM _ Indulging in an ice cream cone on a hot summer day can be a refreshing but sticky treat. Now scientists (University of Edinburgh and the University of Dundee) are trying to take some of the mess out of this simple pleasure by developing ice cream that melts slower.

FAT WATER IS NOW A THING _ Bottled water mixed with oil is now a thing you can buy. FATwater is a $3.95 bottle of water mixed with fat, a sweetener and some flavors. The new 20-calorie beverage was developed by entrepreneur Dave Asprey not as a weight-loss drink, per se. Rather, the company bills its product as an alternative to sugary coconut waters and energy drinks. Asprey says FATwater is more hydrating than plain water because the nanoparticles of fat “bring the water into the cells more effectively.” He adds: “Drink a glass of water, and some of it will absorb and some of it won’t. But when your body sees that fat, it says, ‘Oh, come on in, this is pure energy.’ It brings the water in with the fat.” Plus, he says, “you get a little bump of energy.”

TWINS GIVE BIRTH TO BABIES 8 HOURS APART _ Being twins, Angel Owen and Kaye Henn have shared a lot in life. But once they hit their teenage years they started to be more independent and to have different experiences — until recently, when they both found out they were having a baby. Angel’s and Kaye’s due dates were two weeks apart but on Sunday, October 11 that all changed. The Wisconsin women had their babies 8 hours apart.

ANTI-DRONE RIFLE SHOOTS THEM DOWN WITH RADIO WAVES _ While the US military continues to develop new and awesome ways of blowing aerial drones to smithereens, not many of these systems can easily be used by civilians. But a company called Battelle has developed the DroneDefender, a shoulder-mounted rifle that knocks drones offline with a barrage of radio waves.

… This type of anti-drone weapon could be used in spaces where firing an explosive weapon at a UAV could harm people on the ground. For example, for knocking a drone out of the sky over the White House lawn it would be safer to knock the drone offline.

BOOST YOUR REPUTATION BY SHOWING UP FIVE MINUTES EARLY _ When you show up late, people assume you’re disorganized, inconsiderate, and kind of flaky. Whatever the reason for your tardiness, these are the knee-jerk judgements that run through a person’s mind when you’re tardy. If you want to make a good impression, there’s one simple thing you can do that makes a huge difference: show up to every commitment five minutes early. Entrepreneur magazine says being on time is more than just a habit: it’s a character trait. As quick to judge as people are about tardiness, they’ll have the same snap judgements when you’re early, only those judgements are positive ones: you’re organized, determined, dependable — and all you had to do is show up a few minutes early.

DOCTOR DELIVERS BABY ON FLIGHT FROM TAIWAN _ A doctor returning from her honeymoon ended up delivering a baby on an overseas flight. Dr. Angelica Zen, a resident physician at UCLA, says she didn’t have much obstetrics training but didn’t hesitate to help during the Air China flight from Taiwan to Los Angeles. Zen says that flight attendants acted as stand-in nurses, and most passengers were asleep until the cabin lights came on for the delivery. The captain headed to the nearest airport, in Anchorage, Alaska. (It’s unclear if the birth occurred within a 12-mile radius of Alaska, which would make the baby a U.S. citizen by law.)

CASSETTES ARE POPULAR AGAIN _ Just in time for Saturday’s third annual Cassette Store Day, where special releases will be available at stores that carry music on cassettes, Urban Outfitters will now stock cassettes and retro cassette players in select stores. Established bands including Motorhead and Green Day are putting out new music on cassettes for Cassette Store Day, which is also being celebrated in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany. On its website, Urban Outfitter is selling new cassette albums and re-releases, ranging from $9.98 to $13.98. Players include a handheld Jensen Cassette Tape Player and Recorder for $38, and a boombox for $60.

… As you know, cassettes took over for vinyl records. But by 1993 CDs were outselling cassette tapes. By 2000 only four percent of music sold was on cassette. But cassette sales are up 20% this year over last.

Invite listeners to share a photo of the cassette they still listen to, in their car or at home.

WOMAN FINDS UNIQUE WAY TO SEARCH FOR A KIDNEY DONOR _ Amy Malancioiu is driving around Duvall, Washington, in an SUV emblazoned with her personal cellphone number and a desperate plea. The message reads: “Urgent! Please help! Husband needs a kidney. 206-930-2517.” Amy’s 57-year-old husband (Sorin) needs a kidney, and it could take as long as six years for him to receive one through the organ transplant waiting list as his type O blood is the most difficult to match.

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WACKY-BUT-TRUE

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: 75-YEAR-OLD HITS 5 LUXURY CARS _ In South Korea a 75-year-old taxi driver hit five expensive cars. He caused $440,000 in damage to a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, a Porsche Panamera Turbo, a Hyundai Grandeur, a Hyundai Equus limousine, and a Mercedes-Benz. The old guy hit the cars as he drove into a hotel compound. The hotel said the damages would be too burdensome for the taxi driver and will pick up the repair tabs.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: CRIMINAL SHOWS UP TO BE A COP _ A new group of applicants for the police academy in El Paso, Texas, arrived at police headquarters for their physical agility tests. One of the police officers at the station recognized one of the applicants, but couldn’t quite place him — and he noticed the man was avoiding him. The applicants hadn’t gone through criminal background checks yet, so the officer pulled the file on the applicant and checked him out. Sure enough, the guy had a 17-year-old warrant out for his arrest.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: MAN’S PLAN TO LAND IN JAIL WORKED PERFECTLY _ Hayden Vandiver admits he stole his ex-boss’s truck and $60,000 trailer — and drove them into a Tennessee creek. Vandiver said, “It made me feel great because I know it will hurt him.” Vandiver said he quit his job over a year ago and didn’t like the way his boss treated his employees; his boss say he fired Vandiver because he used the company credit card for personal purchases. Vandiver said he was on drugs when he stole the truck and planned to get caught so he would be jailed and forced to leave his wife.

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ON TELEVISION

ALCS GAME 1 (7:30p ET, FOX) — The Toronto Blue Jays take on the Royals in Kansas City in Game One of the ALCS. It’s been 30 years since the Royals last won the World Series in 1985. Before making the World Series in 2014, the Royals had not made the playoffs since ’85.

— 22 years ago, the Blue Jays won the second of their back-to-back World Series titles. But this is the first year the Blue Jays have been in the playoffs since 1993.

THE AMAZING RACE (8p ET, CBS) — New

LAST MAN STANDING (8p ET, ABC) — New

UNDATEABLE (8p ET, NBC) — New

REIGN (8p ET, CW) — New

DR. KEN (8:30p ET, ABC) — New

SERIES PREMIERE: TRUTH BE TOLD (8:30p ET, NBC) — This new comedy stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tone Bell, Vanessa Lachey and Bresha Webb as neighbors and best friends that are “navigating life”. The show is based on the life of DJ Nash.

HAWAII FIVE-O (9p ET, CBS) — Football Legend Jerry Rice guest stars as himself in this new episode.

SHARK TANK (9p ET, ABC) — New

DATELINE (9p ET, NBC) — A new, 2-hour edition

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (9p ET, CW) — A repeat of the series premiere

BLUE BLOODS (10p ET, CBS) — Dan Hedaya returns and Dan Lauria guest stars in this new episode.

20/20 (10p ET, ABC) — New

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ENTERTAINMENT

RANDY QUAID AND HIS WIFE RELEASED FROM JAIL _ A Vermont judge has released actor Randy Quaid and his wife Evi from custody and the couple says they’ll now address five-year-old criminal charges in California. The Quaids are wanted in Santa Barbara, California, on felony charges filed after they were found squatting in a guesthouse of a home they previously owned. Court papers say the Quaids damaged or destroyed furniture, a fireplace and a mirror. They fled to Canada and were arrested in Vermont last week while trying to re-enter the U.S. The couple addressed reporters after leaving court. They say they’ll stay in Vermont to care for Evi Quaid’s ailing father and resolve the California charges.

FORCE AWAKENS TRAILER TO DEBUT DURING STAR WARS-THEMED MNF _ Over the last few days there have been countless rumors that have insisted the new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released on Monday October 19. And while that’s basically been confirmed, we’ve still been waiting of further details of exactly how and where the trailer will air. Now been reported that Lucasfilm and Disney have made the decision to air the next, and final, trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens during Monday Night Football on ESPN this coming Monday. In fact, to coincide with the airing of this hugely anticipated trailer, ESPN has decided to provide Monday’s broadcast with a Star Wars: The Force Awakens theme. This will see all of the graphics on Monday Night Football, and even the scoreboard, given a Star Wars: The Force Awakens makeover, while the opening credits and montage dedicated to the Eagles and Giants’ rivalry will even pay homage to the franchise.

DARTH VADER SHOWERHEAD _ Remember, the force is always with you — even when you’re scrubbing your armpits. New Star Wars showerheads are real and let you soak under the stare of Darth Vader or the rotund body of R2D2. The gadgets sell at Bed Bath & Beyond for $24.99 and $29.99.

… Or you could always start with the less-expensive — yet more ominous — Darth Vader shower curtain.

FAST AND FURIOUS 8 CONFIRMED FOR NEW YORK CITY _ It’s confirmed: Fast and Furious 8, which will kick off a supposedly final trilogy of movies, will take place in New York.

TWO MORE DRAGON TATTOO NOVELS ON THE WAY _ Two new books in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series are on the way. Book five will come out in 2017, and book six is tentatively eyed for 2019. David Lagercrantz, who wrote the recently published The Girl in the Spider’s Web, will write the new books.

NEW COSBY LAWSUIT CLAIMS HE SEXUALLY ABUSED STUDENT _ Bill Cosby has been slapped with another lawsuit, this time by a woman who claims that the comedian sexually abused her for years, starting when she was a minor in high school. The suit, obtained by TheWrap, was filed Wednesday in Pennsylvania and claims Renita Hill met Cosby when he was searching for a co-host for an episode of his 1984 educational show Picture Pages. According to Hill, after choosing her as a co-host, Cosby presented himself as a mentor, requesting that she travel to see him at locations where he was performing, such as Atlantic City, New York City and Denver.

… Hill, who at the time was Renita Chaney, claims that when she would arrive at a hotel during these trips, and there would be an alcoholic beverage waiting for her to consume. Later, the suit claims, she would be summoned to Cosby’s room, where the comedian would tell her to drink a glass of wine. Most of the time, Hill claims, she would lose consciousness after taking the drink and later wake up in her room “oftentimes nude, disheveled, confused and disoriented.”

… The suit claims that, on one occasion, Hill’s drink wasn’t drugged enough to totally knock her out, and she “distinctly remembers Cosby kissing her, touching her vaginal area and her breasts. She specifically recalls Cosby becoming angry when she commented on his cigar breath.”

DONALD TRUMP THREATENS TO BOYCOTT CNBC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE _ Donald Trump is threatening to boycott CNBC’s upcoming Republican presidential debate unless the network capitulates to his demands. Trump’s main issue with the October 28 debate is its running length, which according to the real estate mogul is “so much longer than the just-aired and very boring #DemDebate.” Trump went on to accuse the network of setting the longer running time in order to sell more commercials. The New York Times reports that Trump will not agree to a debate that runs longer than 120 minutes.

JOHN LEGEND WILL SING AT HILLARY CLINTON’S BIRTHDAY PARTY _ Hillary Clinton is turning 68 on October 26, and to celebrate she’s throwing herself a blowout birthday bash/fund-raiser in New York City. The sure-to-be star-studded guest list is still unknown but John Legend is set to perform at the party.

ERIN ANDREWS WANTS $75 MILLION IN PEEPING TOM LAWSUIT _ Erin Andrews is still seeking justice for the peeping tom who secretly videotaped her in her hotel room back in 2009. The Dancing with the Stars host and FOX Sports reporter just filed an amendment to her 2011 lawsuit against Marriott for the infamous incident where Michael Barrett put a camera in the peephole of her hotel room door and recorded video of her in the nude as she got dressed. Andrews sued Marriott back in 2009 claiming its employees were negligent because they gave Barrett the room next to hers, at his request. The case is set to go to trial next year, and defense attorneys wanted her to be specific about what she was seeking. Erin says specifically, she wants $75 million in damages.

BRITISH CALL MORGAN FREEMAN’S ACCENT THE SEXIEST _ A new survey conducted by British Airways polled 1,000 Americans and 1,000 Britons on which across-the-pond accent they found the most attractive. Morgan Freeman was found to be in possession of the sexiest American voice. Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Mississippi, Indiana and Illinois. Dolly Parton made the No. 2 spot on the list, with Reese Witherspoon coming in third. Parton also grew up in Tennessee, while Witherspoon was born in New Orleans before spending time in Germany and again, Nashville.

… Asked for specifically sexy English accents, Americans rallied around Sean Connery, putting him in the top spot. Hugh Grant took second, and Keira Knightley came in third.

… Also in the survey, 97% of Britons misidentified the Canadian accent as American, while 90% of Americans incorrectly identified an Australian accent as British.

BINGE-WATCHING LAW & ORDER: SVU IS GOOD FOR YOU _ It’s okay to be addicted to and binge-watch Law & Order: SVU. Science says so. Washington State University did a study about how binge-watching crime shows effects our attitudes and perceptions toward sexual violence. They conducted the study using Law & Order, NCIS and CSI. The study found that viewers were less likely to accept rape culture myths and were more likely to refuse unwanted sexual activity. The reason why Law & Order was more effective than it’s crime show counterparts is because it breaks down rape myths, like “if a woman has been drinking and she is raped, she is somewhat responsible” or that strippers and sex workers are not “victims.”

GRANDFATHERED, THE GRINDER GET 6 MORE SCRIPTS EACH FROM FOX _ Fox has ordered six more scripts apiece for new Tuesday comedies Grandfathered and The Grinder.

GEORGE FOREMAN IS LAUNCHING CROWDFUNDING SITE _ Boxing champion and kitchen grilling expert George Foreman is teaming up with InventHelp, a company that works with inventors to help them find funds and deliver their ideas to market, to launch FundAnIdea. The new crowdfunding site exclusively for inventors is one-part Shark Tank, one part Kickstarter.

FOR COMEDY FANS, NBC DEBUTS SEESO _The number of niche video streaming services continues to grow and on Thursday NBCUniversal unveiled SeeSo, a subscription-based streaming service that will focus exclusively on comedy. The service will cost $3.99 per month. It will feature shows like Saturday Night Live, the U.S. and U.K. versions of The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, NBC’s late night shows with Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, The Kids in the Hall, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, plus stand-up specials and over 20 original series. To keep us interested SeeSo will offer new content like Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, a reality show spoof; Dave & Ethan: Lovemakers, a dating game improv show; and Hidden America, a travel show parody.

JOHN STAMOS FACES CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER JUNE DUI _ John Stamos has been charged with a DUI after being pulled over, hospitalized and cited for driving under the influence in June. If convicted, Stamos may face six months in county jail; he is scheduled to be arraigned today (Friday). In July, Stamos checked himself into rehab to undergo treatment for substance abuse. Last month, he told Details magazine the citation was a turning point in his life that forced him to prioritize.

NEW IN THEATERS TODAY _ Can The Martian make it three weeks at No. 1? Movie industry experts say Tom Hanks Bridge of Spies should easily debut at the top. Here’s what’s opening today:

BRIDGE OF SPIES (PG-13) An American lawyer is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union. Directed by Steven Spielberg.

• Tom Hanks, Alan Alda
• website, trailer, reviews

CRIMSON PEAK (R) In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers.

• Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam
• website, trailer, reviews

GOOSEBUMPS (PG) A teenager teams up with the daughter of young adult horror author R.L. Stine after the writer’s imaginary demons are set free on the town of Greendale, Maryland.

• Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush
• website, trailer, reviews

WOODLAWN (PG) A gifted high school football player must learn to embrace his talent and his faith as he battles racial tensions on and off the field.

• Caleb Castille, Sean Astin, Jon Voight, C. Thomas Howell
• website, trailer, reviews

OPENING NEXT WEEK _ Jem and the Holograms; The Last Witch Hunter; Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension; Rock The Kasbah; Steve Jobs (goes wide); Burnt (limited)

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BITS & BREAKS

ABSURD EXCUSES FOR MISSING WORK

Looking for a more creative reason to give your boss? You might want to avoid these top 10 absurd excuses according to CareerBuilder:

• Employee claimed his grandmother poisoned him with ham.

• Employee was stuck under the bed.

• Employee broke his arm reaching to grab a falling sandwich.

• Employee said the universe was telling him to take a day off.

• Employee’s wife found out he was cheating. He had to spend the day retrieving his belongings from the dumpster.

• Employee poked herself in the eye while combing her hair.

• Employee said his wife put all his underwear in the washer.

• Employee said the meal he cooked for a department potluck didn’t turn out well.

• Employee was going to the beach because the doctor said she needed more vitamin D.

• Employee said her cat was stuck inside the dashboard of her car.

Start it on Facebook, take it to the phones: What’s the REAL excuse you used for missing work that probably seemed made-up?

THE 10 MOST ENDANGERED JOBS

When was the last time you got something important in the mail? Since almost all of us handle the vast bulk of our correspondence and media consumption online, our mail carriers have less and less to deliver. That helps explain why mail carrier lands at the top of a new list of the 10 most endangered jobs in America, put out by jobs website CareerCast. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of mail carriers will shrink by 28% by 2022.

The most endangered jobs:

1. Mail Carrier: Projected growth outlook, 2012-2022: -28%

2. Meter Reader: -19%

3. Farmer: -19%

4. Newspaper Reporter: -13%

5. Jeweler: -10%

6. Logging worker: -9%

7. Flight Attendant: -7%

8. Drill Press Operator: -6%

9. Insurance Underwriter: -6%

10. Seamstress/Tailor: -4%

AMAZON AND TOYS R US GIVE A PEEK AT MUST-HAVE HOLIDAY GIFTS

Black Friday will be here before you know it and some retailers are beginning to detail what they expect to be the most sought after toys this holiday season. Amazon and Toys R Us, two of the biggest toy retailers, have each released a list of 2015’s must-have toys.

Amazon expects a big year from Star Wars, Disney and STEM-based toys. Additionally, the online retailer will have 14 exclusive toys available this November. Top Picks at Amazon:

• View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack | More coverage here…
• Star Wars The Force Awakens Kylo Ren Lightsaber
• K’NEX 100 Model Imagine Building Set | Amazon Exclusive
• Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess Musical Dancing Palace | Amazon Exclusive

Toys R Us has detailed its Fabulous 15 Hot Toy List. Top Picks at Toys R Us:

• LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack
• Star Wars R2-D2 Interactive Robotic Droid
• Fisher-Price Imaginext Ultra T-Rex
• NERF N-Strike Modulus ECS-10 Blaster

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FUN & GAMES

TRIVIA: If you’re an average person you probably only clean this out about once a year. (Your car’s glovebox)

FACT OR FICTION

I’ve got some interesting facts here… or are they fiction? You tell me after each one:

• The Matt Damon movie The Martian was supposed to star Sandra Bullock. (FICTION)

• In its earliest days The Internet was nicknamed The Spider-Web. (FICTION)

• A single NASA space suit costs about $10 million. (FACT)

• When you blush, so does the lining in your stomach. (FACT)

• About 50% of people who are allergic to latex are also allergic to bananas. (FACT)

• The idea for the McDonald’s Happy Meal came from a plumber repairing the CEO’s bathroom. (FICTION)

• The sketch that Jack drew of Rose in Titanic was actually drawn by director James Cameron. (FACT)

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JOKE OF THE DAY

A woman, pregnant with her first child, paid her first visit to her obstetrician. After the exam, she shyly began, “Doctor?, my husband wants me to ask you something…” “I know, I know,” the doctor said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. I get asked that all the time.” “You do?!” the woman asked. “Sure,” he says. “Sex is fine until late in the pregnancy.” “No, that’s not it,” she confessed. “He wants to know if I can still mow the lawn.”

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VIDEO OF THE DAY

Car-powered slip ‘n slide.

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

In case you’ve ever wondered what $60 in nickels looked like.

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LAST MINUTE ITEMS

• Real-time facial expression reenactment. Track the facial expressions from one person and put them on the face of a second person in real-time.

• Write in a more polite, friendly tone.

• A new fact every minute.

• Mark Davis worked at a Kmart in Naperville, Illinois in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Each month, the corporate office mailed a cassette tape to all the stores, which contained easy-listening elevator music and in-house advertisements. Davis saved all 56 cassettes.

• Paste any YouTube link and it speeds it up 2x to the tune of the Benny Hill theme song.

• How fit are you really?

• How to make your Facebook profile picture into a looping video.

• Get stats about any Instagram account, including yours.

• September’s Best News Bloopers.

• Is your computer powered up?

• The treadmill’s dark and twisted past.

• Finally the answer to, What should we watch tonight?

• Write a letter to your future self.

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COUNTRY DATEBOOK: OCTOBER 16, 2015

• 1948: GEORGE MORGAN, father of LORRIE MORGAN, joined the Grand Ole Opry.

• 1972: JIMMY DAVIS was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

• 1982: DOLLY PARTON’s I Will Always Love You reached number one on the country charts for the second time. It was also number one in 1974.

• 1993: CLAY WALKER scored his first number one hit with What’s It To You.

• 2003: ALAN JACKSON’s Greatest Hits Volume 2 re-captured the top spot on the Billboard Country Albums chart.

• 2003: SHANIA TWAIN’s Up! album achieved 10 million in worldwide sales.

• 2003: GARY ALLAN topped the Radio & Records chart with Tough Little Boys.

• 2003: MARTINA MCBRIDE and Pat Benatar teamed up to film an episode of CMT Crossroads in Nashville.

• 2004: ALABAMA wrapped up their American Farewell tour in Bismark, North Dakota. The show ran 45 minutes past the venue’s scheduled closing time.

• 2008: TIM MCGRAW’s Greatest Hits Volume 3 debuted at the top of the Country Albums chart after first week sales of 44,000 copies.

• 2011: ALAN JACKSON and GARTH BROOKS joined the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

• 2012: Blown Away became CARRIE UNDERWOOD’s 14th number one.

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COUNTRY AUDIO: WEEK OF OCTOBER 12

» To download audio to your computer click here.

THOMAS RHETT on his song Crash and Burn.

A THOUSAND HORSES talk about their party names.

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE on their music.

TIM McGRAW on his goal as a father.

TYLER FARR’s key to relationship happiness.

Visit the Country Audio Archive for over 2,000 artist clips.

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COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

COLE SWINDELL will release his second Down Home Sessions EP on November 6, a week before the kick off of his fall headlining tour. The project will include five songs.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD covers the latest issue of People magazine. Inside she talks about marriage, family, working out and divorce. Carrie says the divorce of MIRANDA LAMBERT and BLAKE SHELTON made her take stock of her own marriage and want to work a little harder to ensure happiness for herself and Mike Fisher.

CHRIS YOUNG’s fifth studio album, I’m Comin’ Over, will mark the first time he’s co-produced and co-written for an album. Chris co-wrote five songs, including the title track. The album will be out November 13.

GEORGE STRAIT’s album Cold Beer Conversation tops the Country Albums Chart in its second week of release.

JENNIFER NETTLES will host the CMA Country Christmas for a sixth time this year. The two-hour special will air on ABC on Thursday, December 3. For the first time, the special will tape at the Grand Ole Opry. For the fourth year, audience members are being encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the taping to help make the holidays brighter for Nashville area children.

CHRIS JANSON will join BLAKE SHELTON for the majority of his 2016 tour. The tour kicks off February 8 in Cincinnati.

MADDIE & TAE appear tonight (Friday) on the Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World in an episode titled Girl Meets Texas.

For his tune She Don’t Love You, ERIC PASLAY was honored Monday (October 12) with the Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written Award at the Nashville Songwriters Association International Gala.

To combat cabin fever LITTLE BIG TOWN members Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild like to shop at Target.

CHRIS YOUNG says if he could trade places with anyone for a day it would either be GEORGE STRAIT or KENNY CHESNEY so he could see what their shows are like.

MARK COLLIE (Even The Man In The Moon Is Crying) will have a recurring role on this season of ABC’s Nashville playing a bartender and recovering alcoholic.

THE WEEK’S TOP SINGLES – RADIO AIRPLAY

1. BRETT ELDREDGE – Lose My Mind
2. LUKE BRYAN – Strip It Down
3. KENNY CHESNEY – Save It For A Rainy Day
4. FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE – Anything Goes
5. CHASE RICE – Gonna Wanna Tonight
6. OLD DOMINION – Break Up With Him
7. COLE SWINDELL – Let Me See Ya Girl
8. CARRIE UNDERWOOD – Smoke Break
9. MADDIE & TAE – Fly
10. DAN + SHAY – Nothin’ Like You

THE WEEK’S TOP SINGLES – RADIO AIRPLAY, DOWNLOADS & STREAMING

1. LUKE BRYAN – Strip It Down
2. BRETT ELDREDGE – Lose My Mind
3. OLD DOMINION – Break Up With Him
4. CAM – Burning House
5. KENNY CHESNEY – Save It For A Rainy Day
6. KEITH URBAN – John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
7. CHRIS YOUNG – I’m Comin’ Over
8. FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE – Anything Goes
9. SAM HUNT – House Party
10. CARRIE UNDERWOOD – Smoke Break