On this morning’s Brighter Breakfast we discovered that today apart from being Christmas Eve it is also Dinosaur Lovers Day.

The word “dinosaur” was invented by Sir Richard Owen in 1842 to describe “fearfully great reptiles” – and there were only three dinosaurs known at the time. Scientists have now identified more than 700 speicies in many shapes and sizes. They lived from 225 million years ago up until about 65 million years ago. But, actually they live on today as the birds.
 

The Brighter Breakfast Brain Boggler

Today’s Brain Boggler you to name the seven dwarfs in Snow White.

They are: Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful and Grumpy

The Christmas Country Cracker today came from country sensation Taylor Swift with her rendition of the Wham! classic, “Last Christmas”.

The NewsWho Mystery Voice was that of Father Christmas who, as I’m sure you know, has been checking his list – in fact, he’s been checking it twice, just to make sure who’s been naughty or nice.
And tonight he’ll be visiting the homes of all good boys and girls, delivering presents.
This has been our last Brighter Breakfast for 2009. Angie and I hope to be back on Gateway FM in some shape or form in 2010.

We will be hosting the Battle of the Bands final at the Selex Club in Basildon on Friday 22nd January – we hope to see you there.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Brian & Angie

On this morning’s Brighter Breakfast we discovered that today is Popcorn Popping Day.

The mystery of how popcorn pops is unvailed here! There is a tiny amount of water inside each kernel – when heated, it expands. Without a cover, kernels can pop three feet into the air!.
 

The Brighter Breakfast Brain Boggler

Today’s Brain Boggler asked in the pantomine, Cinderella, what is the name of Prince Charming’s friend.

The answer, of course is Dandini

The Christmas Country Cracker today came from duo Sugarland, otherwise know as Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush with their current Christmas release “Little Wood Guitar.”

The picture above is of me (middle) when I got the chance to record an interview with them earlier this year at the BBC!
 

The NewsWho Mystery Voice was that of Prince William who has spent a night sleeping rough in an event organised by a charity for the homeless.

William slept in a sleeping bag near Blackfriars Bridge in central London last week, as part of his role as a patron of the Centrepoint organisation.

On this morning’s Brighter Breakfast we discovered that today is Las Posadas Day – well it is in Mexico.

It’s the annual celebration in Mexico commemorating the search by Mary and Joseph for posada (shelter).

To all Mexican’s reading this – happy Las Posadas Day.
 

The Brighter Breakfast Brain Boggler

Today’s Brain Boggler asked how many pipers are piping in “The 12 Days of Christmas?”The answer is actually 11 pipers piping, right after 10 lords a-leaping and before 12 drummers drumming. 

The answer today was provided by the stallholders from Basildon Market who sang “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

The Christmas Country Cracker came from Gretchen Wilson with her version of “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas”.

Gretchen Wilson is the original Redneck Woman as she made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single “Redneck Woman,” a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party. Wilson followed this album one year later with All Jacked Up, the title track of which became the highest-debuting single for a female country artist upon its 2005 release. A third album, One of the Boys, was released in 2007.

Overall, Gretchen has charted thirteen singles on the Billboard country charts, of which five have reached Top Ten: the Number One “Redneck Woman”, as well as “Here for the Party” (#3, 2004), “When I Think About Cheatin’” (#4, 2004), “Homewrecker” (#2, 2005), and “All Jacked Up” (#8, 2005). The album Here for the Party was certified 5× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for sales of five million copies, while All Jacked Up was certified platinum and One of the Boys certified gold.

The NewsWho Mystery Voice was that of Heather Mills who has been in the news during the past week as it has been revealed that she has joined Dancing on Ice – but bookies make her a rank outsider to win the show. Also lined up are comedian Bobby Davro, EastEnders star Daniella Westbrook, Boyzone’s Mikey Graham and singer and TV presenter Sinitta.

My studio guest today was Cassie from Basildon’s Country Music Venue, The Cullpepper Club.

Cassie spoke about the clubs dance classes and country music events.

Forthcoming events including on New Year’s Eve, ‘SOULS & STONE’. Check out their website www.culpepper-club.com for details.

On this morning’s Brighter Breakfast we discovered that today is Electric Blanket Day.

In 1912, S.I. Russell patented an electric heating pad for tuberculosis patients. The small square of fabric with insolated heating coils was to meant to warm the chest and help them breathe. It sold for $150 – a staggering price at the time.

People immediately wanted to make larger, bed-sized pads, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that the first electric blanket was made. Today, we have standards for electric blankets that regulate both heating and safety.

Here endeth the history lesson.

The Brighter Breakfast Brain Boggler

Today’s Brain Boggler asked the question “What herb is used as a magic word in a Christmas Pantomime?”The answer is Sesame (as in Open Sez-a-me).

The Christmas Country Cracker came from Rascal Flatts and their version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

Rascal Flatts are Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus

If any act embodies the place to which country music has evolved in the new century, it is Rascal Flatts. Since their inception a decade ago in 1999, the trio has helped change the face of popular music. Their trademark sound–Gary LeVox’s powerfully emotive lead vocals coupled with the soaring harmonies of Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney, set amid world-class arrangements and production, have made the band the standard bearers for cutting-edge country. Drawing on Nashville’s best tunesmiths and their own enviable songwriting skills, they have released, in songs like “These Days,” “Bless The Broken Road,” “What Hurts The Most” and “Take Me There,” some of the most important and successful music to come out of Nashville in recent years. Along the way, they have placed 10 #1 singles and 20 Top Tens, seen every one of their studio albums go multi-platinum, with total sales approaching 19 million, been the ACM and CMA top vocal group every year since 2003, and won multiple American Music Awards and People’s Choice Awards.

The NewsWho Mystery Voice was that of Sarah Jessica Parker who has been in the news during the past week when she revealed she’d been kicked by cow during the filming of here latest movie “Did You Hear About The Morgans?”

On Tuesday’s Brighter Breakfast we learnt that it was Bad Hair Day – a special day dedicated to everyone everywhere who has ever looked in the mirror and thought…OMG!

Brighter Breakfast Brain Boggler

Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ‘ dw’ and they are all common words we asked you to name two of them:

The three words are: Dwarf, Dwell and Dwindle.

Todays (Christmas) Country Cracker was All I want For Christmas sung by Whitney Duncan (left).

The NewsWho is where you tell me who the mystery voice is and why they’ve been in the news during the last week.

Todays NewsWho was Suzi Quatro with the news that Suzi has finally visited Elvis Presley’s US home Graceland, 35 years after snubbing his personal invitation.

She had just covered a Presley song and was on tour in a Memphis hotel in 1974 when Elvis phoned to invite her over but as you heard in the clip she felt she wasn’t ready to meet the King