Today's Front Page
Due to the Red Flag Warning yesterday, The Virginia Department of Forestry was on high alert Monday. Chances are they'll be there again today with conditions the same...add to it the high winds. The Forestry Department says 90 percent of forest and brush fires in Virginia are caused by careless burning. More than 700 acres, is burning on Potts Mountain, right where Allegheny, Botetourt and Craig Counties meet.
Facebook snapped up photo-sharing service Instagram for $1 billion in cash and stock — its largest acquisition yet. The iPhone app that recently became available on Android phones, lets people apply filters to photos they shoot so that some appear as if they've been taken in the 1970s or on Polaroid cameras.
There's Fork in the Alley, Fork in the City, and now Fork in the Market...it opened over the weekend in the Roanoke City Market building. BubbleTea is scheduled to open at the city market in the next week or so. It will sell a variety of specialty drinks.
Hillcats host Salem 6:05 - City Stadium tonight. Don't forget your jacket.
How cool is this??? More than 200 children are expected to register for the YMCA Kids Marathon, which encourages children to get up and move. The children's event is part of the National College Blue Ridge Marathon in Roanoke on April 21.
Lookin' Back
April 10th is the 101st day of the year. There are 265 days left in 2012. There are 25 days left until Cinco De Mayo 2012
Today is International Be Kind to Lawyers Day, National Golfers Day, National Library Workers Day and National Siblings Day
1912, the Titanic set sail on its last voyage. With it being the 100th anniversary, The MS Balmoral (above) cruise ship left Sunday taking the same course from Southampton to NY. The ship is carrying 1,309 passengers, the same number as the Titanic. Onboard are travelers from 28 countries who paid between $4,445 and $9,520 each for the opportunity. The reason is had to leave on Sunday, the Balmoral is a smaller ship the the Titanic. more
1953, The world's first 3-D movie, The House of Wax, starring Vincent Price, opened in theatres
1970, Paul McCartney announced the official split of the Beatles
1992, Sam Kinison was killed in a car crash at age 38
1998, Viagra went on sale and became one of the best-selling new medications of all time
2003, The U.S. House passed the "Amber Alert" bill
Cuttin Cake Today
Mandy Moore (28) NASCAR star Kasey Kahne (32) Katrina of Katrina and the Waves (52) Babyface (54) Steven Seagal (60 according to Wikipedia. Other sources list him at 61)
Joke of the Day
Where do horses live? Ans - in neigh-borhoods
Smarter Than
We think of these for kids, but 2/3rds of adults have them. What is it? Rhonda got it. The answer is PIGGY BANK. I'll post another question tomorrow for my Facebook Friends at 6:10. Good luck.
Entertainment Buzz
Rock music and ballroom dancing do mix. "Rock week," is the Dancing With the Stars theme this week, kicked off by KISS. Costumes were mostly black, studded and leathery. Spotted in the crowd were David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Love Hewitt (not together), John Stamos, Rita Wilson and Nia Vardalos.
Here's how the leaderboard stacked up:
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd: 27
Maria Menounos & Derek Hough: 26
Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower: 26
Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas: 24
Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff: 23
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson: 22
Melissa Gilbert & Maks Chmerkovskiy: 22
William Levy & Cheryl Burke: 22
Sherri Shepherd & Val Chmerkovskiy: 21
Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus: 20
DANCING SICKBAY: Melissa Gilbert (who did not have an obvious fall during her performance) had injured herself and was heading to the hospital "as a precaution." She later tweeted to fans she "suffered a mild concussion and whiplash". Hopefully, we'll learn more about her injury tonight. Also, Maria Menounos not only has a fractured rib, but her feet have been bothering her. Turns out one bone in her right foot has a stress fracture and there are "multiple bones" in her left foot with bruises. She says quitting is not an option.
The Voice - Team Adam and Team Cee Lo in the showdown. We'll see who goes home tonight. For Team Adam, I thought Katrina was a standout and Cheesa for Team Cee Lo. We'll see who goes home tonight.
Bobbi Kristina wants to play her mother, Whitney Houston, in a new movie about her life.
Stevie Wonder gave vacationers in St. Thomas a treat last week after joining a local band onstage at a local hotel bar. Wonder and his family stopped by Iggies Beach Bar at a local Beach Resort for a few drinks. The group played a cover version of Wonder’s 1973 hits “Living for the City,” so Stevie couldn't resist getting onstage. He played with the band The Animals classic “House of the Rising Sun.” Stevie then jammed on harmonica with another vacationing celeb, Dave Mason, joined on guitar.
Robin Gibb is reportedly battling pneumonia less than a month after achieving going into remission from colon and liver cancer. Gibb, 62
Glee returns to FOX tonight. BTW: FOX has renewed GLEE for another season. In weeks to come on Glee:
In "Saturday Night Glee-ver," airing April 17, the Glee club will page homage to the movie Saturday Night Fever.
In the April 24 episode, titled "Dance With Somebody," New Directions will pay tribute to the late great Whitney Houston by covering her chart-toppers.
Primetime Tonight!
ABC: Last Man Standing (NEW), Cougar Town (NEW), Dancing With the Stars (LIVE), Body of Proof (FINALE)
CBS: NCIS (NEW), NCIS: Los Angeles (ENW), Unforgettable (NEW)
NBC: The Biggest Loser (NEW), The Voice (LIVE), Fashion Star (NEW)
FOX: Glee (NEW), New Girl (NEW), Raising Hope (NEW)
CW: 90210, Ringer (NEW)
News from Nashville
Luke Bryan may feel a little weird about ending up in People Magazine's Hottest Men in Country issue. He called his photo shoot, "My People like country deal, supposed to be sexy photo shoot." ..
Craig Morgan stepped away from music a little bit to do a hunting show...but he's back and sounding GREAT!!!!
Lee Brice scored his first number one song as a performer with A Woman Like You. He announced the news via Twitter. "Cheers y'all...
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw's new duet, "Feel Like a Rock Star," has debuted at Number 13. Lionel Richie's Tuskegee is the top selling album.
The Band Perry and Brad Paisley's wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley are taking part in a new campaign to help fight hunger in America this spring. General Mills, ConAgra Foods, Kraft Foods and Kellogg Company are also on board for the project to generate meals for food banks this spring. TBP performed a FREE concert at a Nashville Walmart yesterday morning. More than 42 million meals will be generated through this program through Feeding America food banks and Action for Healthy Kids.
Keith Urban says he "loves his new voice". In fact, he says the surgery gave him the voice of a 20 year old. But wait, he didn't say anything about the "bunny ears?"
Scotty McCreery is off to NC State in the fall, but he doesn't plan to major in music. He's thinking more about majoring in communications or marketing. **Good idea, Scotty. Ryan Seacrest will retire one day from Idol. Maybe.
Blake Shelton says he was shocked to find out that People Magazine wanted to name him "Country's Hottest Guy." He said all this proves is just how ugly all the guys are in country music
Lar's This & That
ONLY 4% OF US FEEL GOOD IN THE MORNING...REALLY?
According to a new survey, only 4% of people say they wake up feeling good in the morning. The other 96% say they wake up tired. 35% of people say they have trouble getting a good night’s sleep because of their partner’s snoring, bathroom trips, or using the phone during the night.
21% blame the pets or dogs barking outside. 18.5% blame noisy neighbors . . . and 12.7% of people blame traffic.
About 30% of people say they’ve called in sick to work at some point due to lack of sleep. And 38% have fallen asleep at work or during a meeting.
THIS BLOWS ME AWAY!
One of the most famous airports in the world, Princess Juliana International Airport, sits just feet away from a Maho Beach, where people swim, tan, and hold on for dear life from jet wash. Jet wash is the force from a jet engine blowing across the beach. Some stand way back and watch, others stand up close and grip the fence. Here's why you should probably stand back and watch. Ouch! Told you so.
THE POWER OF FUR
You’re not alone. According to a recent survey of U.S. dog owners conducted on behalf of Beneful Baked Delights dog snacks, 68% of those surveyed hug their four-legged friends more often than certain people in their lives. Further, 30% say they hug their dogs more than their relatives and 26% say that the hug their dogs more than their best friends!
Additional findings:
•56% of dog owners say that hugging their dogs makes them smile and 55% say it makes them feel happier.
•Almost 40% say hugging their dog makes them forget about the stress in their life.
Might as well face, you're addicted to...
Facebook addiction -- is it real? University of Gothenburg researchers say that 70% of people who use Facebook, log in as soon as they turn on their PC's -- which can develop into an 'addiction'. They also discovered that the poor and less educated spend more time on Facebook, and women are generally more active than men.
The good news is all the good news that is shared. Users mostly share content about positive events, with only 38% sharing negative emotions.
How we use Facebook:
The average user spends 75 minutes per day on Facebook
The average user logs on to Facebook 6.1 times per day
70% log in every time they start their computer or web reader
26% feel ill at ease if they do not get to log in regularly
Women spend on average 81 minutes per day on Facebook
Men spend on average 64 minutes per day on Facebook
WANNA BE A DREAMWEAVER
A recent study finds that if you want to remember your DREAMS, you should eat more Vitamin B-6 before bed. People who do are most likely to remember four to six vivid dreams every night.
Vitamin B-6 is in meats, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and bananas.
IT'S PAJAMA POWER
A recent study by researchers at Stanford University found that telecommuters working from home OUTPERFORMED their office-bound colleagues doing the same tasks.
The research compared two groups of call-center workers who volunteered to be part of the study. The telecommuters took more calls, worked more hours, used fewer sick days, and were less likely to quit. The results of the study prompted the company to expand its telecommuting program. But half of the employees, decline the opportunity, preferring to work the old-fashioned way.
**If I did the show from home, we probably wouldn't start the morning until 8a or whenever the cats got up. OK, maybe 11:30.
(Source: Readers Digest)
WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR
According to a new survey, 25% of people admit they don't know their neighbors' names.
About the same percentage . . . 23% . . . have gotten into a FIGHT with a neighbor in the past five years, or felt threatened by them.
Noise was the biggest reason for fights, at 37%. The other main reasons were arguments about parking, pets, and children.
6% of people say they've never even SEEN the people who live next door to them. (The Scotsman)
DEALING WITH EMOTIONAL EATING
Emotional eating can be a problem for almost any of us, and almost anything can trigger it. From the loss of a job, to divorce, to getting married, emotional eating can sabotage your waist-line permanently if you're not careful.
If you've recently eaten half a bag of chocolate chips for no reason, listen up, because here's the #1 way to avoid emotional eating: REDUCE YOUR STRESS! Try a little exercise like yoga or breathing techniques to lower your stress level. Deal with it head on and solve it before that moldy pizza in the back of the fridge starts to look good.
There are 9 more tips from this YourTango.com article.
MMMMMM...CHOCOLATE
Eight of the 10 best-selling chocolate candies over the past year have been around for more than 50 years. That's according to a study by a market-research company called the Symphony IRI Group.
Here's the top 10:
#1.) Snickers: 407 million were sold in the last year, or $424 million worth.
#2.) M&M's: 384 million sold for $417 million.
#3.) Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: 347 million sold for $420 million.
#4.) Hershey's bar: 249 million sold for $261 million.
#5.) Kit Kat: 192 million sold for $210 million.
#6.) Twix: 161 million sold for $194 million. Twix was introduced in 1967, making it the second-youngest candy bar on the list.
#7.) 3 Musketeers: 94 million sold for $101 million.
#8.) Milky Way: 80 million sold for $477 million.
#9.) Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme: 73 million sold for $82 million. It was introduced in 1994 and is the only one that's WHITE chocolate.
#10.) Almond Joy: 61 million sold for $65 million.
Weird, But True News
Most people didn't think "Clash of the Titans" was very good. Because it wasn't. So it's a surprise that ANYONE was this fired up for the sequel "Wrath of the Titans". But 33-year-old Mark Preece of Blaenau Gwent, Wales, DEFINITELY was. Last summer, Mark learned they were filming the movie about 20 miles from his home. And he HAD to be involved.
Mark works as a male nurse for Wales' National Health Service, and called in for several FAKE SICK DAYS . . . so he could be an extra in the background of "Wrath of the Titans". All of his time off was paid sick leave. He would have gotten by with it had a coworker not ratted him out.
Mark pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, fraud by failing to disclose information, theft, and obtaining services dishonestly. He was sentenced to 180 hours of volunteer work and an $800 fine. And he was fired.
Staying Healthy Today 
HERE'S MUSIC TO THE EARS
Research shows playing music may offset hearing difficulties. But just listening to an iPod, won't do the trick. Dr. Nina Kraus says you need to engage actively with the music to reap the benefits. So if you gave up guitar, you might want to get the band back together for a reunion.
(Source: Prevention)
Good News Story 
I found this amazing story in the Roanoke Times. A poodle is being credited with saving a Montgomery County couple from a Sunday morning fire that destroyed their home. According to Elliston Volunteer Fire Dept. Chief Joe Rakes, "If the dog hadn't alerted them, they might not have made it out of the house."
Sadly, the home in Elliston is a total loss, with most of the two-story house reduced to cinders. BTW: That poodle - who's considered a hero - has a name. It's Trouble. Seriously. No one was injured in the blaze, which was discovered by Trouble. The husband and wife were asleep when
Trouble awakened them by whining and barking. The house's interior was already in flames and the couple could not go down an interior stairway. But Trouble led them through the smoke with barks. The three escaped through a second floor outside door and exterior stair. I'm thinking that dog might new a new name.
Lar's Thought of the Day
"If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves". - Maria Edgeworth, Irish author
