THE SHOW: 01/12/2009 - MEL GIVES ADVICE / MENDENHALL / JAYSON HOLDS UP THE WHITE FLAG / BLINDED BY THE SEXY

Local Buzz:
"Mendenhall Opening Statements Live On NewsChannel5.com"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Opening statements will be heard in the murder solicitation trial of accused serial killer Bruce Mendenhall on Tuesday, and the first day of trial will be live Tuesday at 9 a.m. on www.newschannel5.com.
Police said Mendenhall tried to hire someone to kill five people he thought were responsible for putting him behind bars for the murders of at least seven women.
A jury was seated Monday after Judge Steve Dozier, prosecutors and defense attorneys questioned potential candidates. Police said they uncovered Mendenhall's plot to kill detectives Pat Postiglione and Lee Freeman and three witnesses from his Metro jail cell. Postiglione and Freeman were investigating the murder of Sara Hulbert.
Mendenhall has been scheduled to stand trial for the murder of Sara Hulbert later in 2009.
He also faces murder charges in Lebanon, Indianapolis and Birmingham, Ala.

"Police Identify Driver Killed In I-40 Wreck"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - New information was available Tuesday about a deadly wreck that happened Monday on Interstate 40.
Police said Monday a pickup truck crashed on I-40 near the Nashville International Airport. The driver, who police identified as 28-year-old Sterling Newton Harris the IV, was ejected and killed.
The crash happened shortly after midnight, and it shut down the eastbound lanes for nearly six hours.
Police said they believe Harris lost control of his Dodge Dakota truck, hit the median and then went across the interstate and struck a guardrail.
Harris was not wearing a seatbelt, but police said there was no evidence that alcohol or drugs were involved in the wreck.

"Police Arrest Murder Suspect In Dec. 12 Shooting"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A suspected murderer, accused of killing a man in East Nashville, was behind bars Tuesday morning.
Police arrested 22-year-old David Avinger Monday night on one count of criminal homicide.
Police said Avinger shot and killed Vincent Perkins near Howard and Oxford Streets in East Nashville on Dec. 12.
Investigators believe the shooting was drug-related.

Top Stories:
"Ward Connerly: Harry Reid's Race Problem "

*As if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid didn't have enough on his plate”trying to find sufficient cash to buy the 60 votes necessary for his health-care reform package—he's now found himself at the center of a race controversy.
In their new book, "Game Change," journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann expose remarks Mr. Reid made in an interview about Barack Obama during the presidential campaign. Mr. Reid is quoted as saying that he believed the nation was ready to elect a "light-skinned" black man "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
Confronted with this quote, Mr. Reid apologized on Saturday: "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African-Americans, for my improper comments."
What followed this public apology was all too predictable. Mr. Reid personally called President Obama and a handful of presumed leaders of the so-called African-American community”Julian Bond, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson among them”to beg forgiveness for his racial sin.
To no one's surprise, all of those to whom apologies were extended responded by accepting Mr. Reid's apology and saying that the nation had more important issues to deal with, such as health care and national security.
As I have observed coverage of this incident by the media and captains of the African-American community, I cannot help but be reminded of former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who made remarks praising Strom Thurmond in 2002. Mr. Lott said of the segregationist: "When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we [Mississippians] voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either."
When Mr. Lott's controversy erupted, he apologized repeatedly and sincerely to one and all”even groveling on Black Entertainment Network”all to no avail. Black leaders were unforgiving and persisted in demanding that he either resign from his position or be removed. In the end, they got what they wanted.

"Iranian media: Iran suspects Israel, US behind scientist's killing "

*Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry said the nuclear scientist killed in a bombing Tuesday was assassinated and the act "revealed signs of the involvement of the Zionist regime, the U.S. and their allies in Iran," state media reported.
Strongly condemning the killing of Massoud Mohammadi, ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said the participation of Israeli and American agents "runs counter to international regulations," Press TV reported.
Mehman-Parast said such actions would not affect Iran's nuclear program, emphasizing such "terrorist moves and apparent omission of Iranian nuclear scientists will definitely cause no obstacle in the way of the country's scientific and technological development. Rather they will speed up it."

Celeb News:
"TOBEY MAGUIRE SAYING GOOD-BYE TO SPIDER-MAN"

*Tobey Maguire's web-slinging days are over.
Columbia Pictures announced yesterday that Spider-Man 4 isn't happening -- and its stars, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, and director, Sam Raimi, are gone from the franchise. The studio plans to reboot the Spider-Man movies with "Peter Parker" as a teenager in the summer of 2012.

"JAYSON WILLIAMS PLEDS GUILTY IN SHOOTING"

*Jayson Williams yesterday pled guilty to assault in the accidental shooting of his limousine driver eight years ago.
The former N-B-A star will serve 18 months in prison. Williams was awaiting a re-trial on a reckless manslaughter charge, but copped to the lesser charge.
Last week Williams was charged with D-U-I after crashing his S-U-V into a tree in New York.

"JON GOSSELIN STILL GUNNING FOR HAILEY"

*Jon Gosselin isn't the forgive and forget type.
His lawyer tells E! News that Jon still wants his ex-girlfriend Hailey Glassman to pay for allegedly trashing his apartment last month and that he's going ahead with a criminal complaint against her. This comes after reports that Jon and Hailey settled the issue without the intervention of the courts.

"MEL TO TIGER: BE A MAN"

*Mel Gibson has some advice for Tiger Woods -- be a man and don't whine.
Mel tells Britain's Mail on Sunday's Live magazine, "You have to try to make amends if you can. You have to shut up and move on and not whine about it. And you have to deal with it like a man... You've just got to accept your own culpability."
Mel, who's had his share of scandals over the last few years, thinks the Tiger coverage has been blown out of proportion. "I feel sorry for Tiger Woods. Why are we talking about this when we're sending 30-thousand more troops to Afghanistan?... He's being used as a diversion, and it just drives me crazy."

TODAY'S BLACK HISTORY MOMENT:
"The Congressional Black Caucus Is Organized"

*On January 12th, 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus was organized to represent black members of the United States Congress. Its goals are to "positively influence[e] the course of events pertinent to African-Americans and others of similar experience and situation," and to achieve "greater equity for persons of African descent in the design and content of domestic and international programs and services."

Good News:
"Country Music Star John Rich Welcomes Son"

*NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Country star John Rich became a new dad Sunday.
A local newspaper reported Rich and his wife, Joan, welcomed their first son early Sunday morning.
They named the baby Cash.
Cash's arrival came as a late gift for Rich who celebrated his birthday on Jan. 7.

Relationship:
"SEXY WOMEN CAUSE MEN TO TAKE RISKS"

*According to a new study from the University of Queensland in Australia, guys take more risks and have higher testosterone levels when hot women are around.
The researchers watched guys at a skateboard park and noticed the change in their behavior when sexy women were looking on. Sexy women caused the skateboarders to try more dangerous stunts.
The researchers suggest that risk-taking evolved as a way for males to attract females for mating.
Questions:
Are there any activities or sports that you catch yourself being a showoff? Do you bring a different intensity to this activity when hot women are around?
Have you ever hurt yourself trying to impress a woman? What injury did you suffer? Was she worth it?

A health note:
"DIET & EXERCISE: 7 Secrets To Slimming Down On The Job"

*As anyone in the workplace can tell you, the office can wreak havoc on your diet. All those fast-food lunches with co-workers, trips to the vending machine, office birthday parties (with cake!), and Friday happy hours can do a number on your waistline.
A recent CareerBuilder.com survey showed that 47% of workers admitted they have gained weight since starting their job.
Some employers offer ways for their workers to stay healthier on the job (like gym memberships, Weight Watchers meetings, or nutritional counseling). But even if yours doesn't, CareerBuilder.com editor Kate Lorenz shares some simple things you can do to slim down at work:
1. Take the stairs. According to an article at AskMen.com, skipping the elevator and climbing 6 flights a day for a year could help you shed up to 18 pounds. Plus, climbing stairs is a weight-bearing exercise that strengthens your bones.
2. Get off a stop early. If you take a bus or train to work, make your commute a little more active by getting off a stop earlier than usual and walking a few extra blocks. Or, if you're close enough, try skipping the bus altogether and just walking to work.
3. Do more than just eat on your lunch break. Try eating at your desk and using your lunch hour to sneak in a quick workout --or just spend your break walking. According to WebMD.com, a 154-pound man can burn around 280 calories per hour just doing some brisk walking.
4. Join the softball league. Friendly company-sponsored sporting events are a fun way to burn calories and build bonds with your co-workers. Plus, it can help you blow off some steam!
5. Drink more water. A lot of people eat when they're bored. By keeping a bottle of water handy, you can resist the urge to hit the vending machines, and drinking water makes you feel fuller, so you're less likely to overeat.
6. Bring your own lunch. By bringing your own lunch instead of eating out every day, you can control your calories and save money.
7. Fidget. Every little bit of motion counts! According to a Mayo Clinic study, just tapping your toes can help you burn 72 calories per 8-hour work day.

*We're no longer convinced that people aren't rollin' up in Wal-Mart like this on purpose.

Thought for the day:

"It's not what you did, but what you could have done if you allowed the Lord to work His will in your life."-A. W. Tozer