Trending This Mornin'
Warm temps for the weekend, but we could be dodging some showers on Sunday. Mostly cloudy. Hi 59. Saturday - mix of sun and clouds. Hi 69. Sunday, 20% chance of showers. Hi 65. Monday, 60% chance of showers. Hi 64. Tuesday, breezy and colder. Hi just 48.
A strong 7.3 earthquake struck Friday off the coast of northeastern Japan in the same region that was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Authorities issued a warning of a possible tsunami. It struck off the coast of Miyagi. The epicenter was 6.2 miles beneath the seabed.
Governor McDonnell said yesterday, even if Congress reaches a deficit-reduction agreement to avert the end-of-year "fiscal cliff," his amended budget will include some of the $130 million in cuts that were recommended because less Federal money is coming in to Virginia.
After 34 years of representing artists and the arts in the Roanoke Valley, The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge is closing its doors on Dec 15. The Arts Calendar, the artists' directory and website, will now be handled by the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Facebook's scary new photo feature. You take what we'll call a "sensitive" picture and you don't realize it's been automatically uploaded to your profile.
Thursday Night Football: Peyton Manning is on fire. Broncos picked up their 8th straight win. Denver 26, Oakland 13.
Roanoke Area Ministries, or RAM House is celebrating it's Twenty-Fifth anniversary of giving meals to those who need them. They served their first meal to 23 people in December 1987. Last year they fed 40,000 mouths. Today, to celebrate their 25th anniversary meal on Friday they'll serve hot dogs and beans. That's the exact meal they served the first day they were open. **Roanoke Area Ministries will be featured this Sunday at 7A on Around Town. You can learn more about their new cook book too.
Football Fever: Both Brookville and Heritage High Schools are in State Championship games this weekend. Brookville and Heritage will each face their opponents at Liberty stadium on Saturday.
Lookin' Back
18 days until Christmas. Hanukkah begins Saturday at sundown. Today is Letter Writing, Cotton Candy Day, and Pearl HarborDay.
1787 Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1909 Chemist Leo H. Baekeland receives a U.S. patent for Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic.
1941 Japanese warplanes attack Pearl Harbor, which in turn starts World War II.
1969 "Frosty The Snowman" first airs on CBS.
1972 America's last moon mission to date is launched as Apollo 17 blasts off from Cape Canaveral.
2010 Elizabeth Edwards, 61, the estranged wife of former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, dies after fighting breast cancer.
Cuttin' Cake Today
Johnny Bench (Baseball Hall-of-Famer)-65
Priscilla Barnes (Threes Company: Terri Alden)-57
Larry Bird (Basketball Hall-of-Famer)-56
Edd Hall (Former “Tonight Show” announcer)-54
Terrell Owens (NFL Player)-39
Jack Huston (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)-30
Aaron Carter-25
Joke of the Day
What is green, white, and red all over? - A sunburnt elf.
Smarter Than Question
American children spend about 6.3 billion hours per year doing this. What is it? Congrats to Shawn and Carol Lou, they got it. The answer is "coloring".
Kids ages 2 to 8 spend an average of 28 minutes each day coloring. All youngsters in the U.S. spend a combined total of 6.3 billion hours on coloring every year. (Source: Parent's Magazine)
Entertainment Buzz
(Photo: AP)
The Obama's were on hand for the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington D.C. last night. Neil Patrick Harris hosted the ceremony, which also featured Modern Family tyke Rico Rodriguez, the Fray, Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, James Taylor and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds singing holiday tunes, Some 17,000 braved the chill to enjoy the festivities.
X-Factor revealed their Top 4 last night, following a double elimination. Carly Rose Sonenclar, Tate Stevens, Emblem3, and Fifth Harmony, with CeCe and Diamond going home.
Stephen Baldwin was arrested Thursday in New York for alleged failure to file personal income tax returns from 2008-10. Meanwhile, the New York Post reported yesterday that Lindsay Lohan says she didn't know she owed more than $200,000 to the Internal Revenue Service until it was too late.
Sick Bay; Dancing with the Stars co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet said via Twitter she underwent a successful thyroidectomy Thursday. The 41 year old mother of four, recently announced she had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She said she's clean and can talk. Losing her voice was her biggest fear.
TLC is wasting no time in making money off the pregnancy of Kate Middleton. The network has announced a special titled William and Kate: A Royal Baby Story, to air December 16.
Angelina Jolie, a mother of six young children, says she plans to "give up the acting" when her kids become teenagers.
NBC's "Today" show gradually expanded from two hours to four. Now competitor "Good Morning America" is stretching - if only online. Josh Elliott, Lara Spencer, Sam Champion and Amy Robach will be the hosts, talking about the day's hot topics in a more conversational manner. The 15 minute after-show will stream on the "Good Morning America" and ABC News websites.
Cheating in the Kardashians? Rob says his ex-girlfriend - reportedly Rita Ora - cheated on him with 20 different guys.
At the movies
Hyde Park on Hudson - Bill Murray, Laura Linney
Playing For Keeps - Gerard Butler
Deadfall - Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde
Lay the Favorite - Rebcca Hall, Bruce Willis and Catherine Zeta Jones
Tonight on TV
ABC: Last Man Standing and Malibu Country are both new, followed by a Shark Tank rerun, and then a new 20/20
CBS: Undercover Boss, CSI: NY and Blue Bloods are all new
NBC: SNL Christmas, and Dateline (NEW)
FOX: Kitchen Nightmares and Fringe are both new
CW: Nikita is new followed by a Arrow rerun
Christmas Specials this weekend.
Here for Friday. Here for Saturday. Here for Sunday.
News from Nashville
Darius Rucker will also be apart of the American Giving Awards Saturday night on NBC.
Luke Bryan will headline college footballs biggest game in Miami on January 7th, prior to the 2013 BCS College Football National Championship between Notre Dame and Alabama.
Kenny Chesney has added a second New England date to his summer No Shoes Nation tour. Chesney will appear at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on Aug. 23, one day prior to his previously-scheduled concert there. The tour kicks off March 16 in Tampa.
Jason Aldean admits he turned down Luke Bryan's smash "Drunk On You" because it didn't fit the sonic direction of his latest album, 'Night Train.'
Upon learning "Over" had been nominated for a Grammy on Wednesday night, Blake Shelton tweeted to his fans: “I’m completely shocked and honored to be nominated for a Grammy for ‘Over,’” Shelton gushed. “It’s one of the most challenging vocals of my career! Thank you so much.” Always the humble guy. He was pretty excited about wife Miranda's nomination as well.
Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" spends a ninth week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart this week giving her the longest run at the top by a female in the chart's history.
Brad Paisley is hosting a live chat Monday to celebrate the release of his new video, "Southern Comfort Zone." The clip premieres at 3 p.m. ET at BradPaisley.com and UStream.tv/BradPaisley. The album is due out April 19.
Lar's This & That
Hot For The Holidays
The HOT holiday trend this year is....(drum roll please) Wacky Sweaters.
Lots of holiday parties coming up...
The worst thing you can do is combine drinking with cigarettes! The two apparently give you a nasty hangover, according to science.
Two groups were studied by researchers. The group who smoked while drinking. suffered worse hangovers, with bigger headaches, fatigue, nausea, and lack of concentration.
Is It OK For Women To Propose
Students at UC Santa Cruz were asked who should propose marriage, the man, the woman, or does it matter? Two-thirds of men and women said "definitely" the guy should propose. Only 2.8% of the women said they'd "kind of" want to propose.
The results from this liberal leaning campus are even more surprising when you see that 60% of women say they are "very willing" or "somewhat willing" to take their husband's last name. What about the guys? Would they change their name? Nope. 64% say they are "very unwilling" to change their name.
Most Popular Pet Names This Year
Pet lovers website Pawnation went through the names given to over a million puppies born this year and found the most popular dog names. The most popular female dog name: Bella. The most popular male dog name: Max.
Bowl Game Swag
The Hokies and Rutgers will be shopping. Swag for those participating in the Russell Athletic Sports
Bowl - Fri., Dec. 28, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN), Orlando will get a $420 shopping trip to a local Best Buy*, Timely watch.
-Beats by Dre headphones (New Orleans Bowl)
-Apple iPad mini (Military Bowl, Alamo Bowl)
-32-inch flat-screen TV (Meineke Car Care Bowl)
Check out the stash.
Fella's, Time To Kick The Bad Habit
YourTango.com is annoyed, and they want guys to stop what annoys them... here they are:
Planning spontaneous trips
Falling asleep after..you know...
Not listening
Leaving the toilet seat up
Leaving toenail clippings and beard shavings around
Having friends you don't like
Displaying a poor sense of style
Treating the server poorly
Using his cell phone on a date
Trying something pretty uncomfortable in bed
Bon Appetite'
Here are the 10 dining trends Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) thinks will move from the cutting edge into the mainstream in the year ahead.
1. Sour gets its day. The American dining scene will explore additional parts of the flavor spectrum beyond sweet, salty and fatty, says SRG. “Next year we’ll have a plethora of tart, acidic and bitter flavors to choose from as menus feature flavors like fermented cherry juice, varietal vinegars, even sour beer.”
2. Chefs watch your weight. Healthful dining is a perennial entrant on most trend lists, but will we actually see healthful dining manifest itself on menus this year? “Butter, bacon, and cream have been chefs’ best friends since the beginning of time,” notes SRG. “But in 2013, chefs will be working quietly behind the scenes to make your dishes better for you with ingredients like brown rice, high-fiber grains and vitamin-rich veggie broths.”
3. Asian infiltrates American comfort food. The spicy and fresh flavors of Thailand, Vietnam and Korea take comfort food in a new direction, and this could be the year more restaurant operators position these cuisines as such. “Expect to walk into a classic American diner and see options like Vietnamese chicken sandwiches, Sriracha mayo and Korean-glazed pork ribs.”
4. Veggies take over the plate. No longer prepared as just a side or salad, vegetables will get their chance to star as the main dish this year. SRG points to entrees like the Kohlrabi Bourguignon at AQ in San Francisco and the Cauliflower T-bone at Superba Snack Bar in L.A. We know restaurant owners will love the food cost on items like these.
5. Kids’ menus grow up. One of these years, a forecast like SRG’s—that mac and cheese and chicken nuggets will take a backseat to kid-friendly versions of adult dining options—is bound to come true. Is 2013 that year?
6. American artisans save you a trip to Europe. “For years, budding food artisans have sprung up in the U.S., crafting everything from booze to charcuterie,” SRG declares. “And as their craze becomes a lifestyle, you can count on every major city to proudly sport local, artisan foodie destinations in 2013.”
7. Small plates for me only. Have customers had enough of pass-it-around dining? SRG tells us small plates meant for sharing will be replaced with smaller, singular servings of meat, veggies or starches for a truly customized dining experience.
8. Savory fruit. Look for fruit used with savory flavors, incorporated as a touch in appetizers, soups and meat dishes. “Chefs are fermenting, pickling, drying, dehydrating, salting, grilling, frying and generally manipulating fruit more to get new flavors out of what we are used to eating raw,” says SRG culinary team member and Top Chef Season 5 winner Hosea Rosenberg
9. No diner left behind. From gluten-free to vegan, more and more restaurants will offer all-inclusive menus and services to accommodate all eaters. “Gone are the days when chefs can ignore dietary requests. They are just too pervasive,” says SRG associate culinary director Kazia Jankowski. “Chefs who are cutting edge realize this and are planning ahead in the kitchen to have the flexibility to meet the varied requests.”
10. Popcorn is the snack of 2013. Sweet or savory, the all-time favorite (and healthy) snack will pop up everywhere—in ice cream, as croutons, as a bar snack and more. SRG points to examples from restaurants such as Linger in Denver, which serves complimentary popcorn with seasonings like Oaxacan Mole and Madras Curry and Dill instead of a bread basket; and Halcyon in Charlotte, NC, which offers salted caramel popcorn croutons atop a North Carolina winter greens salad served with boiled peanut vinaigrette. From a food cost perspective, what restaurant wouldn’t want to jump all over this one?
Thanks for sharing Tom.
Baby You Can Drive My Car
According to Automotive.com, three out of five people have given their car a NAME. Most of us think our car is a female . . . because popular names included Lucy . . . Cindy . . . Betty Jean . . . Matilda . . . and Smurfette.
One in six people are okay with passengers smoking in their car . . . including 6% of non-smokers. But one in three smokers don't let passengers light up. (Blogs.automotive.com)
The Word Game
Merriam-Webster has released their annual list of the most-looked-up words of the year, and number one was a very appropriate tie . . . between "capitalism" and "socialism." "Globalization," "marriage," and "bigot" rounded out the top five . . . and number six was VP Joe Biden's favorite word inthe debate "malarkey".
What Does 2013 Have In Store For You?
Do you have any financial resolutions for 2013/ Check these out. 16% plan on moving . . . 13% will buy a new car . . . 8% plan to start a business . . . 8% plan to buy a home . . . 50% plan to save more money . . . and 5% plan on buying a boat or an RV. (Harris Interactive)
One More Thing...
I may not be in the Daytime Blue Ridge Kitchen right now, but you have to see this video from Mike and Natalie. It's fantastic! Enjoy.
Weird, But True News
Last Friday night, in Florida, a 41-year-old man went out drinking and left his 10-month-old baby home with a babysitter. The babysitter was . . . HIS PIT BULL. Amazingly, nothing tragic happened to the baby.
The man was arrested for child neglect. Amazing. **Here's an example of pet smart, owner dumber.
Staying Healthy Today 
It's the holidays...de-stress
Here are 9 ways to take the edge off the holiday craziness:
Work up a sweat (translation: exercise!)
Wake up with the sun (keep your curtains open and let the sunlight wake you up)
Switch off the electronics (turn off the iPad and turn on some holiday tunes)
Take time for some tea (herbal tea to beat the winter blues)
Light the candles (low lights and aeromatherapy)
Make time for friends and family (slow down and actually enjoy their company)
Raid your dark chocolate stash (small pieces of dark chocolate have fat-burning properties and antioxidents)
Make a gratitude list (give thanks and share it with your loved ones)
Eat vitamin C rich foods (the big C has been proven to reduce both physical and mental symptoms of stress.)
Good News Story 
A family of secret Santas in North Carolina handed out $100 bills to strangers with the help of local police officers. The Charlotte family, a couple and their daughter, donned red capes and passed out more than $10,000 worth of $100 bills to strangers Tuesday while being escorted by Charlotte police officers.
Lar's Thought of The Day 
"You can't change somebody's life, but you can give them hope. " Make a difference in someone's life today.
