Trending This Morning
Fog will limit visibility in Carroll, Floyd, Grayson and Patrick this morning. Monday will be rainy. Hi 56. Partly sunny and breezy tomorrow. Hi 54. Warmer Wednesday. Hi 61. Another shower chance Thursday. Hi 56. A cold blast arrives this weekend. Friday's Hi 39. Saturday 43. Sunday 42. Burrrrr.
As Newtown, CT mourned their loss on Friday and the rest of wondered "how this could happen", preachers scrambled to turn Sunday's sermons into "comfort and understanding" from the pulpit. Even the President visited the families and first responders in the small town. The President told those gathered at the vigil, "these tragedies have to stop."
The Virginia Tech community is showing support for the Newtown community. Students have been signing a banner with personal messages all weekend to send to the New England community of 27,000.
"Operation Avalanche" from the Amherst County Sheriff's Office will arrest 111 people facing 243 charges in what they're calling the largest drug operation the county has ever seen.
Cox Communication email outage will extend into today, but they are making headway. The problem lies inside the software platform that Cox uses to offer email service to residential customers. It and its back-up system failed.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who skipped an overseas trip this past week because of a stomach virus, sustained a concussion after fainting. She's currently resting at home.
What are our chances of a White Christmas?
NFL Sunday: Bengals 34, Philadelphia 13. Atlanta 34, Giants 0. Redskins 38, Browns 21. Denver beat the Ravens 34, 17. Carolina 31, San Diego 7. Dallas 27, Steelers 24 (OT). San Francisco 49ers 41, New England Patriots 34.
Lookin' Back
Today is the 352nd day of 2012 with 14 to follow.
Today is Wright Brothers Day. They made their first flights on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, N.C. Orville flew an experimental plane, the Wright Flyer, 120 feet in 12 seconds; Wilbur flew 852 feet in 59 seconds.
1849: Thomas and William Bowler sold the first "bowler" hat in London. William Coke ordered it for hunting.
1925: Army Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell, outspoken advocate of a separate U.S. Air Force, was found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the good of the armed services. Twenty years after his death, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
1933: In the first world championship football game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21.
1955: Unable to sleep, guitarist Carl Perkins got up and wrote a song on a paper bag. Less than 48 hours later, he recorded it at Sun Records in Memphis. It would become the first song ever to reach #1 on the pop, country & western, and rhythm & blues music charts: "Blue Suede Shoes."
1969: An estimated 50 million viewers watched singer Tiny Tim (Herbert Buchingham Khaury) marry Miss Vicky (Victoria Budinger) on NBC's ''Tonight Show.'' The tiptoed through stuff together until 1977.
1989: "The Simpsons" debuted on the Fox television network.
Cuttin' Cake Today
actor Sean Patrick Thomas 42; singer Bree Sharp 37; Chris Matthews 67
Joke of the Day
What is the difference between the Christmas alphabet and the ordinary alphabet? ans - the Christmas alphabet has no - L (Noel)
Smarter Than Question
There are over 114 million of these in the U.S., with about two million new ones added every year. What is it we have so many of? Congrats to Sally, she got it. The answer is doorways.
Entertainment Buzz
Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" led the box office with a haul of $84.8 million, a record-setting opening better than the three previous "Lord of the Rings" films.
2. "Rise of the Guardians," $7.4 million.
3. "Lincoln," $7.2 million.
4. "Skyfall," $7 million.
5. "Life of Pi," $5.4 million.
"Saturday Night Live" began its first show after Friday's Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre in Connecticut with a children's choir singing "Silent Night."
"SNL" quietly paid its respects to the victims and survivors of the tragedy by having youngsters from the New York City Children's Chorus perform as Saturday night's episode opened, instead of using one of its traditional comedy monologues by the night's guest host. Martin Short was host, and Paul McCartney was musical guest.
Who won the million dollar prize on Survivor: Philippines last night? The final three were Lisa, Michael and Denise. SPOILER: Denise won it all.
The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge made her first public appearance Sunday night since her hospitalization for acute morning sickness. Kate Middleton attended a UK Sports Awards Show, presented the award for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Word on the street is Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson are planning a secret wedding! It has been reported that the couple is heading to Hawaii on December 21st, and they’ve invited a group of close friends and family
Top 10 Christmas Movies To Get You In The Holiday Spirit
1. Love Actually
2. A Christmas Story
3. Elf
4. Scrooged
5. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
6. A Nightmare Before Christmas
7. Home Alone
8. Bad Santa
9. The Muppet Christmas Carol’
10. Gremlins’
TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz will offer a special broadcast today to discuss the healthiest ways to deal with the school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.
NBC says it has set a March 8 debut date for Season 2 of its reality competition series "Fashion Star."
Tonight in Primetime
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) Castle (ABC)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 2 Broke Girls (CBS) Mike & Molly (CBS) Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)
Dragons: gift of the Night Fury (FOX) Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special (FOX) Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (FOX)
The Voice (NBC) 1600 Penn (NBC) Take It All (NBC)
Holiday Specials on TV tonight.
News from Nashville
Kelly Clarkson, an American Idol winner, is now engaged to the greatest man ever. She tweeted the news Saturday (Dec. 15). The greatest man ever is Brandon Blackstock, who is Reba McEntire's stepson and the son of Clarkson's own manager, Narvel Blackstock.
Taylor Swift has the #1 album in the country with "Red". Congrats to Florida Georgia Line, they're single "Cruise" is the #1 single.
Carrie Underwood is latest singer to become ill and have to cancel a show. Carrie’s show in Kansas City, after losing her voice following a show in Chicago. It has now been rescheduled to May 1st.
Congrats to Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw who ruled the country concert circuit with the most revenue for a country show in 2012 earning $96 million!
A major Facebook campaign is underway to help Blake Shelton guest host on Saturday Night Live. Show your support for Blake on Facebook by clicking here
Lady Antebellum's holiday album, On This Winter's Night, has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies.
Shania Twain - now doing a show in Vegas - says she'd record a new album if she had time.
REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin wants to write a song for Keith Urban. The frontman of one of rock’s biggest groups says, "I’ve had a lot of musical goals in my life, but getting Keith Urban to do one of my songs is one of my last ones." Kevin tells Country Weekly, "His talent amazes me. If he did just even one of my songs, I can die a happy man." Kevin Cronin isn’t a stranger to country music. He has traveled to Nashville to write with the likes of Martina McBride and Deana Carter.
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell will release Old Yellow Moon on Feb. 26.
Lar's This & That
What makes you happy at work
We spend a third of our life working. So, it's important we're happy on the job.
A recent study asked people what makes them happy on the job and found there are some little things that can make a huge difference.
• Have a best friend at work. That tops the wish list for happiness at work. We also want to know what's expected of us on the job and have all the materials we need to get our work done.
• Having a good rank and title. It matters more than a bigger paycheck. Researchers say it makes employees feel respected and appreciated.
• Having a more flexible schedule also makes workers happy. As an added bonus, employees are more productive. Because, when we're not worried that we won't be home in time to be with our kids, we can focus more on the task at hand.
• Employees also want to be able to collaborate with others, it makes us feel we're in a friendlier environment.
There are other other things that can make us happy a work. There are four that will get your started today.
Top Holiday Pet Peeves
Crowds are number one . . . stores putting out holiday displays early is second . . . a focus on gifts and not the spirit of the holidays is third . . . people cutting lines is fourth . . . and high travel prices are fifth. (PR Newswire)
Secret To Landing That Job
Researchers at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management have determined that while most job applicants meet the education and skill requirements for a position, the act of hiring really comes down to the simple issue of likability.
A study published in the American Sociological Review says employers seek candidates who are culturally similar to themselves. Hiring employers want to know that a candidate will fit in, especially if the job requires long hours. They call it "cultural matching."
Drawing from 120 interviews with employers as well as participant observation of a hiring committee, researchers determined that employers sought candidates who were not only competent, but also culturally similar to themselves in terms of leisure pursuits, experiences and self-presentation styles.
Happy Holidays!!!
Parties are a highlight of this Christmas season for many people, but traditional caroling isn’t nearly as popular.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of American Adults celebrate Christmas in their family, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Sixty percent (60%) plan to attend a Christmas party this year.
Fifty-four percent (54%) will send out Christmas cards.
But just nine percent (9%) say they will go Christmas caroling.
(Source: RasmussenReports.com)
What you should not get your kids teacher for Christmas
Redbook Magazine talked to a group of teachers and found a list of things that make the them "cringe when opened" at Christmas.
WORST IDEA’S
Coasters
Fannypacks
Lingerie
Perfume items (such as soap)
Mugs
Religious gifts
Baked goods
Anything with a teacher name, like Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul
BETTER IDEA’S
- Gift card for a local restaurant
- Movie theatre’s
- Coffee shop or book store
- A personalized note with a BIG "thank-you" for what they do everyday would go a long way as well.
Most Fattening Holiday Foods
Traditional holiday foods: Macaroni and Cheese
Yes, it just might be the ultimate comfort food but when you step on the scale after overindulging on it, you may not feel comfortable with the number the scale spits back at you. This luscious little side dish packs enough calories and fat when made using whole milk and full fat cheese, but when you throw in a little sausage and other high fat additions, the calorie and fat content climbs quickly. The average serving of macaroni and cheese has just under 400 calories and around 11 grams of fat. Unless you made it yourself with skim milk and low fat cheese, it’s best not to overindulge in this holiday food.
Traditional holiday foods: Egg Nog
What would the holidays be without a cup of warm egg nog? Chances are your waistline and arteries would be just fine without this sweet and creamy holiday treat. At around 350 calories and 12 grams of fat, you’re going to be doing a lot of jogging to work off those excess calories. A healthier substitute might be a cup of hot chocolate flavored with low fat milk and cinnamon.
Traditional holiday foods: Pecan Pie
No one makes pecan pie like your mom, but chances are she didn’t make it all that healthy. With over 500 calories and 25 grams of fat, you may suffer dessert lover’s remorse if you eat a slice of this decadent holiday treat. A better option would be the pumpkin pie which can have as few as 150 calories per slice. Don’t even think about adding that scoop of whipped cream that makes it taste so enticing.
Traditional holiday foods: Carrot Cake
Who knows how this decadent dessert got a reputation for being healthy? Maybe it’s the carrots. Don’t be fooled. This popular little holiday offering can have up to 650 calories and 34 grams of fat. This should take care of your dessert quota for the week. Of course you can always console yourself with the thought that the vitamin A in the carrots is helping your vision.
Traditional holiday foods: The Cheeseball
You’ll surely see this dessert beauty perched atop a buffet table at a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party. Although it may look tempting covered in fresh nuts, keep in mind that a serving can have up to 400 calories and 40 grams of fat. And a serving isn’t even all that large. Steer clear of this one. There’s bound to be better options.
By dodging these five traditional holiday food bullets you may actually be able to get through the holidays and still fit into those size six jeans come the new year.
SOURCE; HUFFINGTON POST
Yes, we're overworked
...but we're tough, dangit! We're Americans! A new survey proves you're not alone - we're all overworked. Close to 9 in 10 of us, from owners and managers to employees and freelancers, feel overworked. Of those, close to 40% are just fine with it and are quite satisfied with their work-life.
In fact, 42% of everyone in the study are happy with their work-life balance. 46% admit they feel overloaded from time to time but very few let it get to them.
What inspires us to be more efficient? Interesting that it's not money, but a sense of responsibility. In fact, the order to drives us goes like this:
A sense of responsibility
A "good mood" makes us more efficient
The potential for more money
Holiday Stress
Women are more likely than men to be stressed about buying holiday gifts. A new survey from the American Psychological Association finds that 46% of women were worried they wouldn't have enough money this Christmas compared to 35% of men.
How's my shopping
Did you know 38% of us have yet to start our Christmas shopping. 21% say they've finished while 75% have a little more to do. A new Rasmussen survey reports 62% of us will spend a little less this year than last. (and it's usually dad that skimp on.
Holiday tips for your dog
Don’t forget about your dog this busy holiday season! Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, offers up the following tips for a balanced dog all winter long:
1. Exercise your dog before taking him to visit, or receiving, holiday guests. Holiday visits may involve more excited energy than usual. Your dog is more likely to behave if you’ve drained its energy with a long walk first.
2. Do your holiday boarding research in advance! Feel confident and comfortable that your pet is safe while you are away. Get recommendations and find two or three facilities that meet your requirements.
3. Plan your trips ahead of time. Your dog will sense the tension and anxiety if you hastily try to pack and go. Be ready days beforehand so that your dog has a normal experience before getting in the car or on a plane.
4. Beware of hazardous holiday items. Ingested poinsettia plants cause dogs to vomit; chocolate is poisonous to dogs; and tinsel has sent many dogs to the emergency room.
5. Protect your presents and decorations. A dog will be able to smell presents with food in them, so be sure to keep these items separate and ask guests to do the same. Keep all of your fragile ornaments near the top of the tree, place old sturdier ornaments near the ground.
6. I don’t recommend giving a puppy as a holiday gift. I strongly believe that the whole family needs to have basic knowledge about the commitment and responsibility of pet ownership before receiving an animal.
7. Protect your dog from the cold. Many breeds are not built for cold weather. There are many products made specifically to help your dog stay warm such as doggy boots and paw waxes. Check out your local pet store for suggestions.
8. Don’t forget rules, boundaries, and limitations! New temptations abound in the form of sights, smells, and sounds during the holidays. Use this opportunity to reinforce the household rules.
Weird, But True News
Twenty-five people dressed as Santa gathered at Fort De Soto near St. Petersburg, Fla., to set a record for the most kiteboarding Santas.
The Santas traveled from all over the United States to Fort De Soto for the event Friday, the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported.
Although there were 25 Santas, only 12 of them got in the water.
Organizers said they believe they broke the record; however the previous record was only one kiteboarding Santa.
Staying Healthy Today 
Four ways a better night's sleep will improve everything in your life
1. Your brain will be sharper. That’s because skimping on sleep can literally age your brain by 7 years! In a recent study, middle-aged adults who got less than 6 hours of sleep a night scored equal to senior citizens on tests of memory, reasoning, and vocabulary. I'm in the middle of reading Dr. Daniel Amen's book, Change your Brain, Change your Body. He has performed thousands of brain scans on sleep deprived people, and the scans show a consistent connection between sleep deprivation and early onset Alzheimer's disease.
2. You’ll have a better relationship. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine studied the sleeping habits of adults and found that poor sleepers were more likely to nitpick and fight with their spouses compared to adults who slept soundly.
3. A good night's sleep will make you a nicer person. A recent study in the Academy of Management Journal found that exhaustion increases unethical behavior like lying and cheating. And a lack of sleep also makes people ruder.
4. Sleep will make you thinner, and better looking! According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, adults who sleep less than 5 hours a night are 32% more likely to be overweight or obese. That's because a lack of sleep increases production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which makes you hungrier and more likely to overeat. And pictures of well-rested people were rated as more attractive by strangers, compared to pictures of the same people when they were sleep-deprived.
Good News Story 
The Rockbridge Area Christmas Basket Program packed and delivered more than 1,000 gift baskets on Saturday. Hundreds of volunteers packed baskets at the Virginia Horse Center.
Now in its 64th year, the program provides food and toys to needy families at Christmas.
Last year the program gave baskets to more than 1,080 families comprising 2,812 people, including 979 children.
Lar's Thought of the Day
"Life is like an ice-cream cone - you have to lick it one day at a time." - Charles Schulz
