Trending This Mornin'
Waking up to chilly temps this morning. Sunshine today, near 50. Sunshine tomorrow, upper 50s. Dress warmly for Dickens and the Roanoke Christmas Parade Friday. Lo in the 30s. Partly sunny Saturday. Hi 58. Showers creep in Sunday. Hi 59. Monday - a 50% chance of rain. Hi 50. Tuesday - 40% chance of a cold rain. Hi only 48. Sunshine returns Wednesday. Hi 49.
The pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church says someone dropped off new nativity figures on Tuesday night. They didn't leave a name or message. The new figures are now on display. In the meantime, Police have arrested 5 teens with the manger scene theft. Authorities received two calls on their CrimeStoppers tip line.
Hotel Roanoke's Regency Room will turn 75 years old next year. Hotel Roanoke will mark the occasion with major renovations. The room will get new drapes, upholstery and carpeting when construction begins on Wednesday, January 2nd. Dining operations will be relocated to the Shenandoah Ballroom and the Pine Room pub during construction. The work is scheduled to be completed by mid-February.
Joe L. Allbritton, the founder of Allbritton Communications, the parent company of our media-partner, WSET, died Wednesday, just 17 days shy of his 88th birthday.
The new is looking brighter for the Grandin Theater and others in the area.. They now have 95-thousand more dollars today than it did a few days ago. It's a grant from the Roanoke Women's Foundation. The money will go towards upgrades to projection equipment in their four theaters. The Grandin just celebrated its 80th birthday this year. Three other organizations received checks. They were the Roanoke Community Garden Association, Bethany Hall, and Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley.
Google Maps returns to the iPhone. Google's new iPhone mapping app also will offer its street-level photography of local neighborhoods for the first time on Apple's mobile operating system, as well as three-dimensional views, public transit directions and listings for more than 80 million businesses.
Tonight thru pre-dawn Friday, will see a real celestial show as the Geminid meteor shower, one of the two biggest of the year, sprinkles the night sky with falling stars. As many as 100 shooting stars an hour are possible.
Lookin' Back
There are 11 Shopping Days Left Until Christmas. 8 days until Winter begins.
-- 1816, the first savings bank opened
-- 1843, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, was first published
-- 1928, the clip-on tie was invented
-- 1974, George Harrison became the first rock artist to be invited to the White House. He had lunch with President Gerald Ford
-- 1985, Phil Collins made his acting debut as a drug dealer on Miami Vice
-- 1988, Bruce Springsteen's divorce from Julianne Phillips became final
-- 2003, American forces captured Saddam Hussein .. he was hiding in a hole near his hometown of Tikrit
Cuttin' Cake
country star Taylor Swift 23, Herman Cain 67, Jamie Foxx 45, Country singer John Anderson 58, Wendie Malick 62, Country singer-guitarist Randy Owen of Alabama 63, Ted Nugent 64, John Davidson 71, Christopher Plummer 83, Dick Van Dyke 87.
Joke of the Day
What do you get when you cross an Irish Setter with a Pointer? ans - A Poinsettier
Smarter Than Question
Young people crave this more than fast food...what is it? Stumped you all with this toughy. The answer is "compliments". I guess we all crave those. No learning curve there.
Entertainment Buzz
How about last nights 12.12.12 concert for Sandy Relief from Madison Square Garden?
Springsteen kicked off the night. Paul McCartney, The Who, The Stones, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel and others performed during the 4 hour show. There's still a chance to get a piece of musical history. Columbia Records has made 24 live tracks from the concert available for pre-order on iTunes. A physical album will be made available as soon as possible. Net proceeds from the soundtrack will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund, which is providing money, material and know-how to local organizations that are serving families and individuals in the regions hardest hit by the hurricane.
Who was Barbara Walters Most Fascinating Person of 2012? It wasn't Honey Boo Boo, however, it was disgraced Gen. David Petraeus, the decorated U.S. military hero and director of the CIA who saw the bottom drop out of his career due to—not Libya, not Afghanistan, not Iraq—rather an affair! Is that like 50 Shades of fascinating? Other fascinating folks this year included: Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ben Affleck, One Direction, Olympian Gabby Douglas, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Seth MacFarlane, Honey Boo Boo and Prince Harry.
Survivor Spoiler: Tribal Votes
Abi: Denise
Denise: Abi
Lisa: Abi
Malcolm: Abi
The Top 4 performed on X-Factor last night. Can anyone beat Emblem3? In fact, L.A. Reid said at one point last night, they had their first $5 million moment. Tate, Carly and Fifth Harmony all had at least "one" weak performance of the two. We'll see who goes home tonight and who makes it to next weeks finals.
X-Factor judge - Britney Spears - topped Forbes’ list of the year’s top-earning female musicians, taking in $58 million in 2012. Country star Taylor Swift and Rihanna round out the Top 3. Swift, 23, earned an estimated $57 million paycheck. Rihanna, $55 million.
Adele could win an Oscar for her song "Skyfall." It's one of 75 songs competing for an Oscar nomination. Another possible nominee is "One Wing," the song R. Kelly wrote for Jordin Sparks to sing in "Sparkle." Katy Perry's song "Wide Awake" from her movie "Part of Me" is eligible
(Photo: Twitter)
Taylor Swift was caught 'Dirty Dancing' with One Direction member Harry Styles. The couple showed off moves inspired by the finale in the 1987 film while partying at Z100's Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden on Friday. I'd say the two "had the time of their life."
RadarOnline is reporting Kris and Bruce Jenner are heading for divorce.
Denise Richards is looking after ex-husband Charlie Sheen’s twins for "an indefinite period of time" while their mom Brooke continues to battle addiction issues in rehab. Brooke allegedly asked Denise to help care for her 3-year-old boys, Max and Bob.
Lindsay Lohan faces 8 months in jail in connection with a 2011 jewelry theft case.
Apparently Jewel has wanted to collaborate with Kelly Clarkson for quite some time now and figured while working on her "Greatest Hits" album that it was the perfect time!
Barbra Streisand is hinting at a possible reunion with "The Way We Were" co-star Robert Redford. She broke the news at the premiere of her new flick, "The Guilt Trip."
Ex-first daughter - Jenna Bush Hager - announced on The Today Show yesterday that she is expecting.
Askmen.com just came out with a list of the "99 most Desirable Women In the World." Here are the top 5
1) Jennifer Lawrence
2) Mila Kunis
3) Kate Upton
4) Rihanna
5) Emma Stone
Tonight on TV
ABC: Last Resort, Grey's Anatomy, and Scandal are all new
CBS: The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Person of Interest, and Elementary are all new
NBC: Up All Night, Take it All, and Rock Ctr with Brian Williams - all new
FOX: The X-Factor is LIVE followed by a new Glee
CW: The Vampire Diaries and Beauty and the Beast is new
Holiday Specials on TV. Click here.
News from Nashville
Taylor Swift will celebrate her 23rd birthday today with the premiere of her 23rd music video, “I Knew You Were Trouble.,” exclusively on “MTV First: Taylor Swift.” Her latest clip will debut at 4:40 p.m. [ET] on MTV.
Jason Aldean will join Taylor Swift, Psy, and Justin Bieber on New Year's Eve on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Jason will be at the West Coast Party hosted by Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Ryan and Jenny McCarthy will be in NYC.
Congrats to Keith Urban. His song "For You" has earned a "Critics Choice" Movie Awards nomination.
Brantley Gilbert planned a post romantic birthday surprise for girlfriend Jana Kramer. She became sick during her opening set for Alan Jackson on Dec 1. Gilbert was at the show and took her to the hospital on her 29th birthday, December 2nd. Her knight in ball cap and blue jeans wasn’t going to let that totally ruin her birthday. She says, “the day after my birthday was awesome." She tells SheKnows. “My boyfriend rented out an ice rink and took me figure skating.”
If you saw the video on my blog yesterday from Brad Paisley for "Southern Comfort Zone", the jokester is at it again, saying "it's easier to work with a giraffe than Carrie Underwood." The giraffe never talked back. **Brad, she WILL get even.
Lar's This & That
The Best Decade To Date
According to a new survey from Match.com, the single best decade for dating is when you're in your 60s.
The survey found that older daters are also the happiest daters. Older daters feel the greatest level of happiness combined with the least amount of stress over their relationship status.
They feel comfortable telling the truth about who they are – and don't feel like they have to play games to make themselves more attractive to potential dates.
They also are able to make decisions quickly and cut their losses, because they have learned life is too short for dating games. All this adds up to a relatively drama-free dating experience that's very different from the games and garbage that younger daters have to endure. (Yahoo Match)
Google's turn
Google says their "top trending" search for the year was Whitney Houston. Superstorm Sandy was 2nd. Election 2012 was 3rd. Hunger Games was 4th, followed by NBA basketball player Jeremy Lin and Olympics 2012.
Top 3 worst Christmas songs of all time (Edison research)
#3) "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" Spike Jones
#2) "The Man With All the Toys" Beach Boys
#1) "Jingle Bells" Singing Dogs...
What's missing?
Nothing Like The Old College Try
College just got a little more interesting. Nothing like this was offered when I was in school!
"California, Here We Come": The O.C. and the Self Aware Culture of 21st Century America: This class, offered at Duke, not only discusses the O.C., but Real Housewives of Orange County and The Hills. Imagine the homework: Tonight you need to watch season one...
Learning From YouTube: Need to know how to French braid your own hair? How about change the oil in your car? Check out YouTube, right? Thank you Pfitzer College for exploring the learning potential of YouTube. Maybe the professor posts lecture videos?!
Lady GaGa and the Sociology of Fame: Yep, at the University of South Carolina you can take an in-depth look at the pop star's music and rise to fame.
Kinky Crafts: This class is Christian Grey approved, people. You actually learn how to make things like leather cuffs and other naughty bedroom gear.
Reed College must have a very open-minded student body!
Harry Potter Lit: Ohio State has many other colleges following their lead when it comes to studying Rowling's infamous series at an adult level.
Didn't I Meet You At Last Year's Party?
Remembering people's names- anyone else have a problem with this? I have never been good at it, despite trying many of the "tricks" people have recommended, names don't stick.
On the other hand, if I have a conversation with someone- I almost always remember what we talked about. The vacation they took, the show or movie we talked about or the specifics of their shopping trip. Those details- got 'em- they're locked in. Names- in one ear and out the other.
I'm not sure how many of you have a similar issue but I found these tips on yahoo and thought I'd share.
Here's to boosting our memories!
MEMORY BOOSTERS
Here are some tips on how to make your memory into a steel trap:
Sleep on it – Experts say that this is this the best way to improve memory, because you're allowing your brain to "solidify the connections between neurons."
Walk it out – Exercising 3 times a week raises your heart rate and gets blood flowing to your brain. This helps promote memory in a big way.
Get fishy – Toss your supplements like ginko biloba for a more tried and true product like fish oil, which is associated with lowering the risk of dementia.
Here are some dumb mistakes to avoid at the office at Christmastime
Decoration Overload – Showing off your festive side, but at some point the non-stop electronic Santa's "ho-ho-hoing" gets a little unnerving. Be respectful of your office mates, and remember ... it's all about moderation.
Goodies Galore – There is always that one person who leaves all their chocolates and treats in the break room for everyone to share. Is this really an act of kindness – or a way to dump their junk food and unwanted calories on the rest of the department?
Dropping the Deadline Ball – There is nothing worse than making people work over the holidays. Plan projects and deadlines that are sure to wrap up before Christmas morning rolls around.
Turning Secret Santa into Freaky Santa – Giving Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer underwear as a secret Santa gift is just a little too personal for an office party. Talk about awkward.
Being the Office Grinch – Mean co-workers are annoying all year round, but a bad attitude during the holidays is particularly annoying. So, even if the holidays annoy you, get over it, even if it's just for a week.
(Fox News)
10 Commandments of Being a Kid (via CafeMom)
Thou Shalt Always Interrupt Mom on the Phone - If mommy is on the phone, drop whatever you are doing, race over to her, and loudly interrupt her with the least important thing you can possibly think of.
Thou Shalt Not Pee - Even if your bladder feels like it's about to burst, hold it in. Keep telling mommy that you don't have to go. Once you're in the car and on the highway, then and only then can you admit you have to go.
Thou Shalt Fight Off Germs ... Until Thy Parents Go Out - If you're going to get sick, be sure to time it perfectly. Wait until your parents are about to go out for the evening and then start coughing or running a fever.
Honor Thy Box, Not Thy Toy - There's plenty of time to play with toys. You're a kid. But to really have fun, start playing with the box that the toy came in.
Thou Shalt Not Keep Secrets - When you hear your parents say, "Do not tell so-and-so but...", that's your cue to take notes and be sure to tell everyone what your parents were saying about them. And for bonus points, do it at a big family gathering.
Thou Shalt Eat off the Floor - Food is good. Food is extra good after it's been thrown on the floor, picked up, and then eaten.
Thou Shalt Embrace Change - A free mind is a wonderful thing. So change it often. Loved mom's lasagna last week? Be sure to hate it this week. Have a blast playing miniature golf? Next time you visit Putt Putt Palace, be sure to have a complete meltdown.
Thou Shalt Dig for Gold Like There Is No Tomorrow - You have a nose for a reason. So anytime you have a free moment, shove that finger up there and see what you can find. The best time for spelunking is during school pictures.
Thou Shalt Fill Thine Belly With Sweets - When you're eating dinner, be sure to leave a lot of room for dessert. The best way is to eat less than half of what's on your plate, then grab your stomach and say you're full. Follow that up immediately by asking, "Can I have dessert now?"
Thou Shalt Not Waste Thy Weekend - With no school on Saturday and Sunday, weekends were totally made for kids. So don't miss a precious second. Get up as super early as you can and enjoy the day. Be as loud as you can too to let everyone know how much you love weekends! As for sleep, don't worry, you'll catch up during the week.
(Photo: Flickr)
Just For You Mom
Great letter to all moms on the stir from a new mom. She is openly apologizing for judging other moms before she had a kid of her own. Here's what she's apologizing for:
Not always letting you and your strollers past me when I was in a rush
I didn't realize that once I got home, I could take a nap, where you definitely weren't going to take a nap
I didn't realize the remainder of your day was much busier than mine
I'm also sorry for wondering why you always, well, looked a little disheveled.
I'm sorry for wondering why your house was such a mess
I'm sorry for looking puzzled when you stood on the subway staring at pictures of your kids on your phone ('didn't you just see your kids?' I thought).
Finally, I'm sorry for wondering why you were so sensitive when people commented or questioned your parenting. "Who cares?" I thought. "They're your kids. Whatever."
She hopes you accept her apology...she had no idea. Read the entire letter here
Want to stay "FIT"? Then try bending your routine
During this holiday season, it's extra tough to keep in shape and avoid gaining weight. HERE'S some new tips to consider!
Weird, But True News
Police found an unexpected rider in the back seat of a car -- a 250-pound potbellied pig named Penelope. Officers in Youngstown, Ohio, were responding to a report of an abandoned car. It apparently was stolen and looked like it had been in a crash. The Pennsylvania woman who owns the pig was visiting a friend in town. Police had the car towed with the Penelope the pig still inside. The local paper reports police are still looking for suspects. In the meantime, Penelope the potbellied pig and her owner have been reunited.
Staying Healthy Today 
Ways To Keep Your BP In Check
1. Take relaxing mini-vacations. Treating yourself to regular weekend getaways will trim six poits off your blood pressure.
2. Sing a soothing song everyday. How does this help? Simple. Singing forces you to take deep, calming, belly breaths which helps lower your BP up to seven points.
3. Sip beet juice. It's loaded with nitrate, a natural plant compound that's converted into artery-relaxing nitric oxide in the digestive tract.
4. Calm your nerves with hugs. Just a minute or two every day hugging a loved one or a pet can reduce stress and anxiety levels to send your BP plummeting as much as 30%.
5. Head off hypertension with sesame oil. 1 oz of sesame oil a day will reduce your BP 32 points in two months. Sesame oil contains compounds that relax blood-vessel walls.
THE NUMBERS
Normal: Less than 120/80
Prehypertension: 120/80 to 139/89
Hypertension: 140/90 or higher
(Source: Woman's World)
Good News Story 
Charlie Sheen had a recent run-in with police in Los Angeles, but this time it had nothing to do with booze and drugs and everything to do with bringing some good to the world.
TMZ reports that in a conversation with a Hermosa Beach police officer, Sheen learned that another officer at the station has been struggling to take care of his daughter, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Sheen told the officer, "No parent should have to watch their kid go through that." He wrote a check for $75,000 to help the 10 year old.
Jasmine Faulk was diagnosed with Alveoler Rhabdomyosarcoma in September and will have to undergo aggressive medical treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy...but she remains positive. In fact, she has BIG DREAMS of becoming a nurse one day. Sheen's donation will likely go a very long way toward helping Jasmine.
Lar's Thought of the Day
"Every holiday matters because there'll never be enough of them" - Sandra Lee
