National Peculiar People Day

Today is also National Sturdy Flat-Heeled Shoes Appreciation Day.

And Today is National Cut Your Energy Costs Day.

Cut Your Energy Bills Without Cutting Comfort

There’s nothing better than snuggling up in front of a roaring fire in the middle of a raging snowstorm. (Can you tell I grew up in Chicago?) And while I like to sleep in a freezing cold bedroom at night, not having heat isn’t really an option.

If you don’t like being cold in the winter, you might reach for either a sweater or the thermostat. But there’s no reason to suffer higher energy bills.

Here are some easy ways to cut your energy bills without cutting comfort:

1. Learn how to caulk. A tube of caulk costs just a few bucks at your local home-improvement store. Learning how to use it properly takes just a few minutes. But sealing in the warm air while keeping the cold from seeping in can save you as much as 5 to 10 percent on your energy bill.
2. Insulate your attic. In many homes, warm air rises right through the roof. By spending $400 to $600 on insulation (depending on the size of your attic or crawlspace), you’ll keep the warm air inside. And here’s a bonus: Adding insulation will also prevent the cool air from seeping out in the summer, keeping your home cooler and making it more energy efficient overall.
3. Blow insulation into your walls. What’s good for the roof is great for your walls. If you have walls that aren’t insulated, you can have someone blow insulation into them, greatly increasing your home’s energy efficiency.
4. Insulate your hot-water heater. If you keep the tank from cooling off, it will cost less to keep your water hot.
5. Clean your furnace. Have a professional clean your furnace once a year or once every other year to keep it running at peak efficiency.
6. Close the flue. If you leave the fireplace flue open, warm air will literally run right up and out the chimney. You might as well be burning dollars instead of wood.
7. Install storm windows and doors. If you have single-pane windows or a front or back door that doesn’t keep the cold weather out, consider adding storm windows or a storm door to block out the cold air and keep your home warmer.
8. Install weather-stripping. In places where caulk won’t work, you might try weather-stripping. Weather-stripping will seal door and window jambs so the cold air can’t get in.
9. Turn your thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer. Turning down the thermostat by two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the summer could lower your energy bill by as much as 10 percent.

The most famous Texas oil well, "Old Spindletop," began gushing 100,000 barrels of oil a day on this date in 1902 -- that event touched off the Texas oil boom.

1997: A famous Godfather unveiled his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – He was the Godfather of Soul: Mr. James Brown.

The 101 song of the day was written by a woman who intended to be a journalist and she thought that none other than Mick Jagger would be a great first interview. That’s not what happened but what did - became one of rock and roll’s greatest mysteries.

She met with Jagger and the two soon became good friends and once that happened she abandoned her idea of an interview because she felt she’d lost her objectivity. Before long she returned to the job she had in college – singing and when she recorded the song you’re about to hear Mick came by the studio to hang out and wound up doing back up vocals. By January 10^th, 1973 the record was number one in America and to this day, people speculate who it is about – You’re So Vain by Carly Simon.

Listen for the replay and win 2 tickets to the Pointer Sisters concert at the Inn of the Mountain Gods.