What is ANWR?

It is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and it’s located in Alaska. We hear it referred to all the time (sounds like “anwar”) because it has a lot of wildlife and, beneath it, oil. And today, it was a level four question in Swap or Stop. The question was: In what U. S. state is the oil rich ANWR (pronounced ANWAR) Province located? If anyone asks you that question, you’ll be prepared. Here’s a look at it:

The 101 number one song of the day was recorded by a group lead by a singer known as one of the leading clowns of rock and roll and get this – he once played for the Red Sox. Not the baseball team, it was the name of the skiffle group he played with in the 50’s while growing up in Manchester, England. Today’s song was a hit in Great Britain two years before it arrived here in the States and by that time, the group was already signed to a different record label. But with the British invasion in full swing, anything from there (or for that matter, sounded like it was from there) was hot here. So when the group arrived on our shores for a tour scheduled by the new label, Capitol, the old label, Tower released whatever they still had the rights to. Today’s 101 number one song became their biggest hit – anywhere - when it arrived on top of Billboard’s Top 100 during this week in 1965 for the band headed by a guy who was as much known for his leaping, clownish stage antics as he was for his music: Freddie and the Dreamers (I’m Telling You Now)

Brett Favre is a grandfather. His 21-year old daughter gave birth to a son last week. The NFL says as far as they know…Favre is the only grandfather on an active NFL roster. Favre hasn’t decided if he’ll come back for another season with the Vikings. If he does come back – now that he’s a granddaddy – he’ll need a special uniform with the waist of his pants up around his chest.

Nobody seems to be splurging with their tax refund this year.

A new poll found 84% of us will use our refund to pay down debt, save or purchase everyday essentials. Only 7% say they’ll use the money to go on vacation…or a shopping spree. Of course, the way the economy is going…heading to WalMart for TV dinners is a shopping spree!

Spirit Airlines just announced a first…they’re starting a fee of $45 – for carry-on bags. Purses and laptops will still be free – but carry-on bags are now 45-bucks!

And that’s not all! Ryanair in Europe is again bringing up the possibility of charging to use the airplane toilet. They’re looking at a charge of one Euro for every use of the lavatory. A pee fee…as it were.

As long as we’re talking about airlines, here’s the level two question for this afternoon’s Swap or Stop with Donna Dollar at 5:15 – “Orville and Wilbur Wright accomplished the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. Name the town in North Carolina where it took place.