Trending This Mornin'
Do you have access to shorts this weekend? If not, dig 'em out. Clouds, 50% chance of scattered showers today. Hi 52. Saturday and Sunday bring Sunshine. Hi around 70. 50% chance of showers Monday. Hi 62. Tuesday, 60% chance of showers. Hi 52. Mostly cloudy Wednesday and Thursday. Hi 48 - 52. Lo's return to the 30s.
If you enter a Roanoke Co. School, you're going to have to be "buzzed in". It's their latest safety measure.
There's now a Flu Vaccine shortage. Not what you wanted to hear right?
Home and Garden Show at the Roanoke Civic Center this weekend.
NFL Playoffs
AFC Divisional Playoff: Texans at New England. Ravens head to Denver.
NFC Divisional Playoff: Packers will play the 49ers. Seahawks will visit the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons (13-3) this Sunday.
Lookin' Back
January 11th is the 11th day of the year. There are 354 days left in 2013.
Today is Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day
--1569, the first lottery took place
--1922, doctors first used insulin to treat diabetes
--1935, aviator Amelia Earhart began a trip from Honolulu to Oakland, Calif. .. she became the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean
--1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issued the first government report saying smoking may be hazardous to human health
Cuttin' Cake Today
Amanda Peet (41) Mary J. Blige (42) Golfer Ben Crenshaw (61) Country singer Naomi Judd (67)
Joke of the Day
What did Cinderella say when her photos did not show up? A: Someday my prints will come!
Weird News This Mornin'
Swedish high-end stereo store (Pause) is selling a coffin with a state-of-the-art sound system built-in, dubbed the "CataCoffin." The strange invention is intended to promote the company's customized music solutions. **Nothing like those heavenly tunes.
Police in Kershaw County, SC, had an easy time tracking down a 19-year-old suspected convenience-store robber . . . because he allegedly left a trail of spilled Cheetos leading from the store to his home.
Austin Presler also allegedly stole beer, cigarettes and Slim Jims. I guess you could call it a pretty jerky theft.
Smarter Than Question
The average person spends 336 hours of their life doing this. What is it? Carol Lou got it. The average person spends 336 hours of their life kissing. Truly, life is good.
Entertainment Buzz
There's talk Beyonce' will be joined by Destiny's Child at the Super Bowl next month. Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland will be back as part of her performance. Now that's some jelly.
Around 40,000 revelers are expected to turn out for the two official balls that celebrate President Barack Obama's second inauguration. **Which one will Beyonce be attending? That's my pick.
The 85th Academy Awards were announced yesterday. Among the nominees for Best Picture were "Lincoln" - I'm thnking Daniel Day Lewis will "nail" "Best Actor, sorry Hugh Jackman fans - also "Life of Pi" and a movie that opens today "Zero Dark Thirty." More on Thursday blog under the Entertainment Buzz.
Just hours after a surprise snub in Academy Award nominations, Ben Affleck won best director and his film "Argo" was named best picture at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards.
First, the Today Show, now Meredith Vieira is leaving "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" after 11 years as host of the syndicated game show.
Britney Spears is out of "The X Factor" after a season in which the pop star failed to deliver a ratings boost for the singing contest. That according to a person familiar with the show's plans.
Justin Timberlake announced via Twitter Thursday he plans to release an album this year -- his first since 2006.
Former American Idol and current star of the NBC hit "Smash" - Katherine McPhee - is gracing the cover of the February 2013 issue of Lucky magazine. It's on newsstands now.
Good look to Rosemary Willis...our Miss Virginia, competing this Saturday night in the Miss America Pageant from Las Vegas. Catch it on ABC 13.
The Golden Globe Awards air Sunday night on NBC. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will host the 70th annual even.
IN THEATERS - Zero Dark Thirty (R); Gangster Squad (R); A Haunted House (R)
Tonight on TV
ABC: Last Man Standing, Malibu Country, and Shark Tank are all new
CBS: Undercover Boss, CSI: NY, and Blue Bloods are new
NBC: 1600 Penn is a repeat followed by a new Dateline
Fox: Fringe is new at 9
CW: All repeats
Saturday night is the 2013 Miss America Competition, 9pm, on ABC.
News from Nashville
(Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
The newly single Taylor Swift looked liked a million bucks People's Choice Awards on Wednesday night. However, some say her dress was too 'grown up". For others, she's coming into her own or was she saying to One Direction member Harry Styles, "take that."
Eli Young Band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight.
The Band Perry's next album, with ‘Better Dig Two’, will be released April 2. The album is yet to be named.
In case you missed the hilarious Honey Boo Boo ballad by Brad Paisley on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday night. Take a look. On the show, Brad announced the album - out April 9 - will be entitled "Wheelhouse". Take a look at him performing "Southern Comfort Zone."
Could yet another award be on the horizon? Maybe. Taylor Swift has snagged the Brit Awards Nomination for Best International Female. She's in the category against Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Cat Power and Lana Del Rey. The Brit Awards will take place February 20 at London's O2 Arena.
Look who's on the cover of Country Weekly? Gary Allan talks about his upcoming album, Set Me Free.
Kenny Chesney will bring some orange to ESPN this weekend. He shows off his passion for football and his beloved University of Tennessee in The Color Orange: The Condrege Holloway Story. Catch it Sunday.
Oh, the irony! Taylor Swift auditioned for the movie musical Les Misérables, but didn't get the part. Now the soundtrack has knocked her album "Red" out of the #1 spot on the album charts.
Trace Adkins confesses to disliking his Celebrity Apprentice co-stars. This round includes Stephen Baldwin, Gary Busey, Omarosa and others. But he plans to keep it real by trying to raise money for the American Red Cross. They were there for him when his house burned a few year's back, now he wants to raise some money for them.
Lee Brice will marry to his longtime girlfriend Sara Reeveley in April. He wants his honeymoon to be a surprise for his bride-to-be. Nothing Hard to Love there, right ladies?
He was "this close". Blake Shelton says he almost walked off the set of The Voice a few months ago over frustration with producers of the show for doing multiple back-to-back seasons. Between filming his third season of ‘The Voice’ in just over a year, attending several awards shows and filming his first Christmas special, Blake felt he was about to lose his mind. Today, he's working on better balance.
Did you know...Randy Houser's biggest hit prior to "How Country Feels" was "Boots On."
Lar's This & That
Tim Tebow Headphones
New York Jets player Tim Tebow launched a line of headphones on Thursday with audio accessories company Soul Electronics, featuring high-endurance models for athletes, as well as a business-inspired pair called the "Jet." Wow! True confession here. For the Dowdy, headphones (for me) is like shoes to women. Just sayin'.
Women Say They'd Rather Get Dumped Than Do This..What is it?
A new survey had women rank their biggest fears for this time of year, and the top two make sense: Going to the dentist and getting on the scale are both scary propositions after all that eating and drinking over the holidays. But coming in third was . . . having a coworker see you naked. Does that happen a lot? Anyway, checking your bank balance was fourth, and getting dumped was fifth.
Women say they'd rather get dumped, than weigh themselves. Really?
The iPad, The iPhone and the iFork
If battling your expanding waistline is your #1 priority this year, you may want to add this fork to your drawer.
The HAPIfork monitors how much you eat and vibrates when you eat too much. Yep, your fork punishes you for using it too much. After you eat, the fork then passes along all the information to a special app in your phone. The $99 fork claims to reduce digestive problems and acid reflux.
It Takes YOU To Beat The Spread of the Flu
The following are tips for avoiding the flu this season:
•Wash your hands – use hand sanitizer only when you do not have access to soap and water.
•Cover your cough – this will reduce the spread of germs to those around you.
•Use a handkerchief – when you feel a sneeze coming, reach for your hanky! Handkerchiefs can also be used to cover your hand when opening a door; but please, do not use the same handkerchief for both uses.
•Schedule your Flu shot – make a note to get yourself vaccinated this winter. Many pharmacies have walk-in Flu vaccine options. Why not go today on your lunch break?!
•If you're sick, stay home – the only thing worse than one sick person is an entire office of sick people!
Careful What You Say
It turns out that unborn babies can hear a lot more than we think they do. The fun starts about 30-weeks in, and the last two months is when baby can recognize mama's voice. Read about the research here. **That little bundle of Kardashian is pick up on a lot between Kim and Kayne...not to mention the rest of the family.
Bad Habits Men and Women Hate Most in Their Partner
According to a fairly unsurprising new survey, the three things women hate most about their husband or boyfriend are that he's immature . . . he dresses like a bum . . . and he's thoughtless.
For men, women take too long to get ready . . . shop too much . . . and spend too much money on haircuts. (Female First)
Welcome to Friday!!!! Laugh Out Loud...It's Good For You
A new TV can recognize faces to see who is watching so it can offer personalized viewing menus. How lazy have we gotten that even the remote is now too much work? (JokesByJim)
A new social network has been started just for cats. If you thought birds were angry now, just wait until they find out cats are tweeting. (JokesByJim)
Chevrolet has a new tag line, "Find new roads." Apparently that means their vehicles no longer come with standard GPS. (JokesByJim)
Taylor Swift has reportedly broken up with her latest boyfriend, singer Harry Styles. Harry Styles? Was that the name of her boyfriend or her salon? (JokesByJim)
Kid's Today
A new study pretty much proves the younger generation needs to be put in 'time out'. Today's 18 to 34 year olds are rude. They're less likely to say hello to neighbors or open the door for the elderly than those over 55. They are 23% less likely to carry out common courtesies than the over-55's.
So what's going on? A psychiatrist says they're way too plugged into their iPads and iPhones. "People are now more concerned for themselves and less concerned for other people," he added.
Agree?
Things Aluminum Foil Can Be Used For
Aluminum foil has bee topping casseroles and wrapping brownies for a long time. Here are a few other useful foil ideas.
1. Get rid of rust - Crumple a piece of foil, and use it to rub rust spots off car bumpers and shower-curtain rods.
2. Make a funnel - Curl a section of foil into a cone shape, secure it with tape, and start pouring. For more time saving kitchen tricks.
3. Fix a loose battery connection - Fold a 1-square-inch piece of foil several times and insert it between a battery and a loose spring to hold it in place and complete the circuit.
4. Glue down loose vinyl tile - Place a sheet of foil over a loose self-stick vinyl tile, and press a hot iron over the foil until the adhesive backing melts and sticks to the subfloor. Visit TOH online for more tile tips, including fashionable tile decorating for your home.
5. Sharpen scissors - Fold a sheet of foil several times and cut through it with a pair of dull scissors to sharpen the blades.
Eight Most Fatal Mistakes You Can Make in a Job Interview
This is a big time for job hunting and interviewing. The latest survey from CareerBuilder.com finds there are some FATAL MISTAKES in interviews that can keep you from landing that job.
The top five are: Not making eye contact, seeming disinterested or unenthusiastic, texting or answering a call, dressing inappropriately, and talking bad about your current employer. (PR Newswire)
How Do Your Co-workers Drive You Nuts
If you’ve ever wondered how to really get to your co-workers, you may want to try some of the things listed below. If you’re already doing some or any of the things below and you hate your working environment- just a suggestion, you may want to stop.
1. "People hovering at my desk"
2. "People who are always 'putting out fires'.
3. "Gossip/drama!"
4. "Micro-managing."
5. "People who enter your office, see you speaking on the phone with a customer and plop down and wait listening to the whole conversation while doing distracting things like picking up items, photos, etc., from your desk."
6. "The microwave and fridge is near my desk, [but] why do people have to place their items on my desk?"
7. "People who do not do their job well, but complain about their situation. You control your own future."
8. "When people chew gum loudly and pop it!"
9. "Late for meetings."
10. "People who use and wear scented products in enclosed work spaces, which can literally kill a person who is chemically sensitive."
11. "Emails with blank subject lines, or even worse, one that is so long it belongs in an actual email, not the subject line."
12. "People who complain about something that someone else did wrong but don't do anything to fix it."
13. "Favoritism!"
Good News Story 
The Heritage High School boys varsity and junior varsity basketball teams scored one against hunger in the Hill City on Thursday night.
During halftime of their game against E.C. Glass, the teams presented more than 100 pounds of canned food to the Daily Bread of Lynchburg.
It was all part of the "Scoring for Lynchburg" event, where players and coaches went door to door in the Timberlake Road area - just before Christmas - to collect cans goods and non-perishable items for the Daily Bread. Very nice.
Lar's Thought of the Day 
"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
