What's on TV Christmas Day: A Guide That'll Keep Everyone Happy

When it comes to the holiday spirit, it’s all well and good until it’s not, meaning: sometimes you need a break from your family! Or in the very least, something you can all gather ‘round and stare at in silence thanks to the heady food coma that commences post-present times. And while Netflix's version of the Yule Log is all well and good for part of the festivities, it is but one option in a sea of many. For instance, you could also binge-watching some premium television, or make some holiday memories with your family in the snow. Either or, really!

Because television is the great uniter: or, in the very least, the greatest distraction that ever was or ever will be (before the Internet came to town), and there’s plenty that will be on the small screen should your holiday hootenanny prove too much to handle. So we’ve compiled a solid and varied list of some of the many things playing on television this Wednesday, in case repeat viewings of A Christmas Story aren’t really your bag.

For Mom, The RomCom Movie Buff
As far as films go, there are plenty of potential winners popping up across a whole myriad of networks — basic and cable alike. Sure, there’s the obvious A Christmas Story marathon, if you’re into being unoriginal. Or there’s also Burlesque playing on Bravo starting at 9:30am, followed by Forgetting Sarah Marshall, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Something’s Gotta Give, and Steel Magnolias to round out all the Christmas cheer.

Or there’s always all those Lifetime movies, that are — of course — all holiday themed and airing all day long. And Oxygen, which is playing Nora Ephron’s classic When Harry Met Sally at 2pm, before the Sarah Jessica Parker-fronted The Family Stone.

For Your Sister, The Pop Culture Junkie
Feel like you’ve missed out on the tragic doings of the Klan Kardash? We’ll keep this one short and sweet: E! has a Keeping Up with The Kardashians marathon from 9am to 3:30pm. Should keep her quiet (until she decides to try out her newly acquired vocal fry inflection).

For Your Geeky Step-Siblings
Whovians the world over know what their Christmas Day will consist of: the regeneration of Matt Smith into Peter Capaldi on the annual Doctor Who Christmas Special. This year’s tale is a bit different, though, as “The Time of The Doctor” comes fresh off the heels of the game-changing 50th Anniversary special, “The Day of The Doctor,” and sees the end of one of the Timelord’s most beloved faces. While the special airs at 9pm on BBC America, the network will be airing the seventh season and the 50th anniversary in a lead-up, so Allons-y and Geronimo, everyone!

For Your 13 Year-Old Cousins That are OB-SESSED with Tumblr
MTV is the answer here, with two of its most popular and GIFable series — Awkward and Girl Code — pulling marathon duty throughout the day, leading up to the 2:46pm airing of everyone’s favorite Tim Burton flick about Halloween and Christmas combined, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Don’t worry, you’ll be considered the “cool” cousin for cluing them into Jack Skellington before their friends that work at Hot Topic do.

For Your Sugared-Up Little Brother
Cartoon Network is playing several Christmas-themed cartoons starting on Christmas Eve and straight on through the 25th. A Johnny Bravo Christmas starting at 6am should keep the youngins occupied until the parents are done brewing coffee. After that there’s always Abominable Christmas, the classic Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays, and even a Smurfs Christmas episode all before 11am when Adventure Time’s “Holly Jolly Secrets” episode from 2011 arrives on screen. Relive your childhood while you open the sweater Aunt Diane knitted for you with the baseball on it. I mean, she still thinks you’re twelve, so might as well play the part, right?

For Your Boyfriend Who’s Sick of Your Family
There’s a Mel Brooks marathon over on Sundance starting with The Producers at 6am, followed by History of the World Part 1, Young Frankenstein, and my personal favorite, Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Or, if he’s into cooler humor, perhaps The Blues Brothers on VH1 starting at noon.

For Your Grandparents Who Just Want Something to Fall Asleep in Front Of
TLC is marathoning Undercover Boss for nearly twelve hours, starting at noon and going until 11pm. No other time will you have the chance to say you spent your Christmas with the COO of Orkin.

And if none of those work, well, then you'll just have to take a stab at the many bingeworthy offerings on Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Source:http://www.cinemablend.com

Ralphie vs. the Bible -- don't forget the real story of Christmas

Ralphie vs. the Bible -- don't forget the real story of Christmas

In just a few days, 94 percent of Americans will be celebrating Christmas. For many, that celebration will involve time-honored traditions. Whether it is watching a classic movie, opening gifts, or opening up the pages of Scripture, traditions will play an integral part of so many holiday celebrations.

My own family is no different. Each year, I look forward to revisiting the remarkable life of George Bailey in "It’s a Wonderful Life," watching the frozen heart of Ebenezer Scrooge melt in "A Christmas Carol" and cheering for Kris Kringle to help a jaded child believe in "Miracle on 34th Street." And I cringe as "A Christmas Story’s" Ralphie makes his way down the stairs in his bunny pajamas, remembering my own embarrassing Christmas outfits of days past. I love reading "‘Twas the Night Before Christmas" to my children and reveling in their excitement for Santa’s arrival. 

These wonderful fictional stories enrich my celebration of Christmas, but they aren’t central to it. That place is reserved for the factual story of Christmas, the one found in the Bible.

But that isn’t the case for a lot of Americans. The new survey commissioned by American Bible Society and conducted online by Harris Interactive found that while 30 percent make a tradition of watching the 1983 film "A Christmas Story" and 28 percent look forward to watching a film or TV version of the Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol," just 15 percent say reading the Bible's account of the birth of Christ is part of their holiday traditions.
And it seems that a lot of Americans could benefit from brushing up on the real story of Christmas. The same survey also found that knowledge of the biblical account of Christmas was lacking here in the U.S. Fewer than half of Americans (42 percent) were able to correctly identify what the Bible says brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for Jesus' birth—reporting for a census. Worse still, just 28 percent of those ages 18-34 knew the right answer.

Everything we know about Christmas comes from the pages of the Bible. I hope these survey findings will encourage all who hold Christmas sacred to take a step back and consider making the biblical account of Christmas part of their celebrations.

A colleague of mine wrote a poem that sums this up nicely. Perhaps reading this reminder of the real meaning of Christmas will become a new tradition. It couldn’t hurt.

Christmas Stories
'Twas the week before Christmas when all through the land,

families gathered together with remotes close at hand.

Spending time with George Bailey and Clarence, a must.

And then turning the channel, it's Hooville or bust.

It's surely not Christmas without Scrooge and Tiny Tim,

And the bunny-suited Ralphie, we can't forget him.

So many traditions, so full of good cheer,

But one big omission so glaringly clear.

The story forgotten by many I fear,

Is the one in the Bible of a God who drew near.

To the humblest of stables the dear Christ child came,

And the world He created would never be the same.

So this Christmas amid all your favorite traditions,

Make room for the story of a Child on a mission.

Crack open your Bibles and read the real story,

And celebrate Christmas in all of its glory.

Geoffrey Morin is the executive vice president and chief communications officer at American Bible Society, where he oversees all communications channels including marketing, advertising, brand deployment and media relations. Prior to his work at American Bible Society, Morin worked in advertising, marketing and church redevelopment. Morin holds a B.A. from Duke University and a M.Div. from Yale University.
Source:http://www.foxnews.com

Google wishes happy holidays to users with doodle

Google wishes happy holidays to users with doodle.

New Delhi: Today is Christmas Eve and Google is celebrating the holiday season with a doodle on its homepage.

The doodle depicts a fun-filled white winter scene with two kids riding a one horse open sleigh on a snow covered field with three leafless trees in the background.
Christmas Eve is an integral part of Christmas festivities; people start celebrating Christmas from this day with families and communities gathering for dinner in the evening and churches holding special services including Midnight Mass.

Google has also included a link on its homepage to track Santa's journey around the world as he goes about delivering gifts to children.

“On Christmas Eve we’ll be proudly showcasing a preview of Santa’s dashboard - the technology that powers his sleigh during his around-the-world journey,” said Google. “Santa’s dashboard - featuring the latest and greatest in Google Maps technology and sleigh engineering - will allow you to follow his progress around the world, and also learn a little about some of his stops along the way.” 
Source:http://zeenews.india.com/

Dhoom Three movie review

Dhoom Three movie review

Cast:Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Uday Chopra
Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya

 When the writer of the first two films of a successful franchise takes the director’s chair for a third shot at more of the same that is exactly what one gets: more of the same.

This time around, the bikes, babes and brawls formula is dished out even more liberally than before.

So, for the most part, Dhoom: 3 is a high-voltage action flick that relies squarely on known methods of the genre.

Actually, familiarity of this kind isn’t such a bad thing. Since the audience knows what is coming and does not have too many unsettling surprises sprung at them, acceptability is that much easier.

Despite being overlong (the runtime is 172 minutes) and a tad laden-footed at times, Dhoom: 3 stays true enough to its avowed intent to be passably engaging.

Writer-director Vijay Krishna Acharya, who scripted Dhoom and Dhoom 2, mounts this one on a scale that is no less unapologetically lavish.

He pulls off the implausible stunt sequences with a striking degree of flair – and a lot of obvious help from the CGI department.

Had the director invested as much energy on developing the characters beyond superficial levels and investing the dramatic situations with more depth than what one encounters in standard revenge dramas and cops-and-robbers capers, the third installment might have towered above the first two.

A lot of time in the first 50 minutes or so of Dhoom: 3 is wasted on the protracted ‘entry’ scenes that are apportioned to the principal members of the cast. The bigger the star, the longer is the prelude.

Aamir Khan, needless to say, takes precedence over everyone (and everything) else in the film, including occasionally the script.

From the word go, he gets to ‘perform’ an array gravity-defying acts and motorcycle stunts that are difficult to describe.

What’s more, Dhoom: 3 has the services of a full-fledged tap choreographer so that the star of the show can go beyond the bikes and biceps act and also do a Fred Astaire sans a Ginger Rogers. But since it is Aamir, it is all tip-top.

Because he moves from a scowl on the face to an occasional sparkle in the eyes and back to a stoic, deadpan countenance with effortless ease, these longish sequences do not run completely out of steam even when they overstay their welcome.

Katrina Kaif, too, gets more than her share of an eye-popping opening burst.
It comes in the form of a hyper-dance sequence in which she starts off in a modest dungaree, discards pieces of clothing one by one as the act heats up and eventually strips down to a sensuously skimpy outfit while Aamir’s suitably impressed circus owner watches utterly transfixed.

But the film could definitely have done without the gratuitous opening scenes involving Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra. We all know what tough cop Jai Dixit and his skirt-chasing sidekick Ali Akbar are all about. Who would have needed another peep into their run and chase routine?

First up, the duo takes on a bunch of Mumbai goons led by a man who is modelled on a Tamil potboiler baddie, first on an auto-rickshaw and then, you’ve guessed it, on a souped-up motorbike.

They are then deployed in faraway Chicago to stop a super-thief, Sahir (Aamir Khan), who has one particular bank on his radar.

This bloke is no ordinary anti-hero. He raids the bank’s key branches and triggers a shower of greenbacks before making good his escape.

He is a magician and circus performer who pulls the wool over the eyes of the most hard-nosed bankers and the toughest Chicago cops. So the Yankees need an Indian policemen and his bumbling aide to nab him.

He has learnt the ropes from his deceased dad, Iqbal (Jackie Shroff in a cameo), whose loan defaults put paid to his dream of keeping The Great Indian Circus in business.

The head honcho of the Western Bank of Chicago intones: “I am a banker. Everyone hates bankers.” He does not dare add: no one more so than the wily Sahir Khan.

Dhoom: 3 is fun while it lasts, but it might not leave the viewer with the sense of having watched a film that is truly unique.
But watch it all the same for Aamir Khan and the hi-jinks.

Sourch:http://movies.ndtv.com/

'I Have The Best Job In The World': What It Takes To Be A Taster At The Jack Daniel Distillery

Master Whiskey Taster Lynne Tolley testing a sample of Jack Daniel's at the distillery in Lynchburg, TN.

When Lynne Tolley, the great-grand niece of Jack Daniel, applied to be a whiskey taster at the Jack Daniel Distillery, she had to go through the same rigorous selection process as everyone else.
"I tried that card and they turned me down because they put me through tests for a whole year," Tolley said. "Then they finally said, 'Yeah, you can taste.' I must have great taste buds because I was selected to taste our premium Single Barrel Whiskey."
Thus for the last 20 years, Tolley has held the title of Master Whiskey Taster, one of five people tasked with tasting the distillery's premium whiskey. She is one of around 50 tasters in total.
"I have the best job in the world. I get paid to taste Jack Daniel's every week," Tolley said.
Tolley also runs Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House down the street from the Jack Daniel Distillery. For more than 100 years, Miss Mary Bobo was paid to house and feed guests visiting the distillery. When she died in 1983, the distillery bought the property to preserve it.
"People forget that we are in a dry county here in Lynchburg and that you can't buy alcohol. The first thing they do when they come to Miss Mary Bobo's is order a cocktail. Every day we have one or two [foods] on the menu that has Jack Daniel's whiskey," Tolley said.
We ask Tolley a few questions about getting paid to taste Jack Daniel's:
How does the testing process work?
"Every Friday we go into a room and there will be three glasses on a table. Each glass has a little cover over so you slide that off and smell the aroma of the whiskey. You have to pick out the whiskey that is unlike the other two. See, one whiskey sample is taken from a different barrel. We are tasting to make sure that our product is consistent year-to-year. So we taste for consistency and quality control."
"Now, if you are tasting Single Barrel like I do it's a little different. You'll go in a room and there may be 50 glasses on the table. It always starts with the aroma of the whiskey. If you smell something that you think is a little different then you are allowed to taste it. Now after it sits on your pallet you are supposed to spit it out and then you have to drink water and move to the next sample. We don't mess around with eating Saltine crackers or anything like that."
Do the samples smell the same after a while?
"You know how when you go to perfume counters at department stores and they'll give you coffee beans to sniff after you've tried different perfumes? The same thing happens with whiskey. My trick is I smell the back of my hand. If you smell your skin, like the skin on the back of your hand, it clears out your nose. So that's my little trick."
As a relative of Jack did you have to go through the same testing process as other candidates? 
"It was about 20 years ago when I said to the guys at the distillery, 'Guys, I wanna become a taster.' I thought I could maybe get an easier time becoming one because I am a descendant of Jack. It's in my blood. They said to me, 'No, no, no we gotta check you to see if you can be a taster.' So, I tried that card and they turned me down because they put me through tests for a whole year. Then they finally said, 'Yeah, you can taste.' I must have great taste buds because I was selected to taste our premium Single Barrel Whiskey."
What do you taste?
"I think all the tasters look for something different. I always look for caramel, vanilla and sort of a toasted oak. There is this nuttiness. It's like the smell if you were cooking with roasted pecans. I always look for vanilla. Did you know you can substitute vanilla for Jack Daniel's when you're cooking? I do that at Miss Mary Bobo's." 
Is there anything special you do before you go in to taste the whiskey?
"I like to go and taste when im hungry because I feel like I can taste the whiskey better. I also don't wear any perfume that day. I think women are the best tasters because we have the best noses. That's just my personal opinion though. At the distillery it's about 50/50 men and women," Tolley said.
What was it like growing up as a descendant of Jack Daniel?
"You know, I have one brother and we grew up here and we never thought anything about it. The distillery wasn't as well known as it was now. It's a big deal now. I went to college in Georgia and I never mentioned my famous uncle. I just thought, 'well who wants to hear about any of that?"
Do you get any perks for being a Jack Daniel's taste-tester?
"We do. The first Friday of every month every employee gets a bottle of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7. We also get a commemorative bottle during the holiday season and on 4th of July. Since I am a taster, I usually get a gift that says 'Master Whiskey Taster Jack Daniel's Distillery' on it. Those gifts are quite the conversation starter when we go to conventions."
Source:http://www.businessinsider.com

Spotted! Jack Daniel’s builds a barrel tree

Jack Daniel’s AOR in Canada, The Hive, is taking a different route to decorating for the holidays this year, placing a Holiday Barrel Tree in front of its downtown Toronto offices on King St. West.

 The tree stands 23-feet tall and is made up of 40 (empty) Jack Daniel’s whisky barrels, each 36 inches tall and 22 inches wide at its center.
Rick Shaver, VP of client services, The Hive, tells MiC the tree was first built in Lynchburg, Tennessee, where Jack Daniel’s is made and came to Toronto this year after the agency’s office manager suggested swapping out its regular tree for the barrel creation. A Brown Forman (JD’s distributor) representative at the lighting of the barrel tree said this is the first time it has been displayed outside the US.

 Shaver says the team at The Hive learned a lot when building the barrel tree, one key takeaway was the land the agency stands on isn’t as flat as they thought it was, so a platform was built to support the heavy structure. He adds the plan is to store the barrel tree indoors over the less-festive months and bring it out again to celebrate the holidays next year.


Jack Daniel’s is also promoting a new product, its Winter Jack, with TV spots throughout December, says Shaver. The commercial, which features the barrel tree in Tennessee is running with a national TV buy on conventional channels.
Source:http://mediaincanada.com

Demi Lovato talks past drug abuse: I brought cocaine on airplanes

Demi Lovato is opening up about her past drug use in revealing new interview with Access Hollywood.

 

Lovato, who has been vocal in the past about her experience in rehab, where she was treated for a number of personal struggles including an eating disorder, bipolar disorder, drugs and alcohol and cutting, talked to "Access Hollywood" recently about the shocking lows of her drug use.
"Something I've never talked about before, but with my drug use I could hide it to where I would sneak drugs," she said. "I couldn't go without 30 minutes to an hour without cocaine and I would bring it on airplanes."
"I would smuggle it basically and just wait until everyone in first class would go to sleep and I would do it right there," she continued. "I'd sneak to the bathroom and I'd do it. That's how difficult it got and that was even with somebody [with me], I had a sober companion, somebody who was watching me 24/7 and living with me [and] I was able to hide it from them as well."
In 2010, Lovato sought medical treatment for "emotional and physical issues" and later mentioned in interviews that she has battled addictions drugs and alcohol and also struggled with bulimia and bipolar disorder.
Lovato, 21, also opened up about her alcohol abuse. She told "Access Hollywood" that at 19 years old, despite living in a sober living house in Los Angeles, she would still find ways to sneak alcohol into her system.
"I was going to the airport and I had a Sprite bottle just filled with vodka and it was just nine in the morning," Lovato said. "I was throwing up in the car and this was just to get on a plane to go back to LA to the sober living house that I was staying at."
"I had all the help in the world, but I didn't want it," she continued. "When I hit that moment I was like, it's no longer fun when you're doing it alone. I've really never talked about this stuff before. I don't know if I should be sharing this."
"I think at 19 years old, I had a moment where I was like, oh my God, that is alcoholic behavior, no longer, I'm young and rebellious and out having fun, it was, wow, I'm one of those people. I gotta get my [expletive] together,'" Lovato continued.
Lovato's revelations come on the heels of the release of her new book, "Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year." The singer is currently serving as a judge on FOX's "The X Factor" and will embark on a nationwide tour, titled "The Neon Lights Tour," beginning in February 2014.
Source:http://www.ontheredcarpet.com

Mega Millions lottery players hope to cash in on $400 million jackpot

 Illinois Lottery Supt. Michael Jones shows off the winning Mega Millions Quick Pick ticket that netted Merle Butler nearly $158 million during a press conference in Red Bud, Illinois on April 18, 2012. Butler, a retired computer analyst from Red Bud, bought the ticket at a Moto Mart convenience store will split the worlds largest jackpot ($656 million) with unidentified people from Kansas and Maryland. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Mega Millions lottery players will be hoping their dollars got them at least a share of the American dream Friday, estimated to be a $400 million jackpot.

The grand prize up for grabs in Friday's drawing would be the second highest award ever for Mega Millions, the lottery said on its website.
After taxes, the cash option was estimated at $216 million.
"The strong sales of Mega Millions tickets mean more than just an exciting jackpot," said Paula Otto, executive director of the Virginia Lottery and lead director for the Mega Millions group. "They mean greater profits to benefit each state in which Mega Millions is played."
On March, 30, 2012, three winning tickets shared a jackpot of $656 million. The tickets were bought in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.
After beginning on Aug. 31, 1996, as the Big Game with six states participating, Mega Millions now is played in 45 jurisdictions -- 43 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Source:http://www.upi.com

Thousands more to view Nelson Mandela's body in Pretoria

Mourners in South Africa are waiting to view the body of former President Nelson Mandela for a second day.

Long lines of people waited to view the body of Mr Mandela at the building where he was sworn in as president

Thousands of people queued on Wednesday to file past Mr Mandela's body, which was lying in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
His widow Graca Machel and President Jacob Zuma were among those to pay their respects along with relatives and officials.
Mr Mandela died last Thursday at the age of 95 and will be buried on Sunday.
His funeral will take place in his home village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province.
Mr Mandela's body was again taken from the mortuary to the Union Buildings on Thursday, arriving at around 07:45 local time (05:45 GMT).
People lined the streets to watch the coffin being taken to the government buildings where Mr Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black president in 1994.

'Fitting tribute'
Huge crowds queued to visit the open casket on Wednesday, tolerating long waits and stringent security checks.
Thousands were successful, but many were turned away before public viewing ended at 17:30 (15:30 GMT). The disappointed will be able to try again on Thursday and Friday

People formed a "guard of honour" as the coffin was taken to the Union Buildings on Wednesday morning

 

In a statement, the Mandela family said the proceedings were a "fitting tribute".
"As he lies in peace at the Union Buildings, Madiba would be happy to know he is surrounded by thousands of South Africans, whom he loved and served - or served with - in the prosecution of the just struggle for democracy, and in laying the foundations in 1994 for a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic South Africa," they said.
"We are humbled that millions of South Africans who loved him, stood by him through his trials and tribulations, supported him... can now join us in bidding him farewell."
Correspondents said Mr Mandela's body could be seen through a glass screen, dressed in one of his trademark patterned shirts.
At each end of the casket stood two navy officers clad in white uniforms, with their swords pointing down.
Some mourners stopped briefly to pray, while a number of people reportedly fainted.
Among the dignitaries to file past were former President FW de Klerk, Mr Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and musician and activist Bono.
The U2 singer accompanied Mr Mandela's long-time aide Zelda Le Grange.
Meanwhile tens of thousands of South Africans attended a free concert in Cape Town on Wednesday to celebrate Mr Mandela's life.
 Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk

Chicago Bears officially retire Mike Ditka's No. 89

Chicago Bears officially retire Mike Ditka's No. 89

Mike Ditka was honored on a cold night in Chicago

No Chicago Bears player will ever wear No. 89 again. The team officially retired Mike Ditka's number at halftime of Monday's game against Dallas. Retiring it against the Cowboys was a fitting choice, since Ditka played his final four seasons for Dallas and was a part of the Cowboys team that won Super Bowl VI.

Ditka spent six seasons with the Bears, starting in 1961, when Chicago made him the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft. During those six years, Ditka won the Rookie of the Year award, was voted to five Pro Bowls and played a key role on the Chicago's 1963 championship team.

Da coach still remains fourth overall on the team's career receiving list with 4,503 yards. Ditka also ranks fifth in all-time team receptions (316) and touchdown catches (34). In 1988, Ditka became the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

A flag honoring Mike Ditka waves in the frigid winds of Chicago. (USATSI) 

Ditka joins 13 other Bears players who have their numbers retired, a list that includes Walter Payton, Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus. "When you think of all the great Bears players who have had their jerseys retired, I can't say that there's any greater honor," Ditka said.

That number's not going to get any bigger either, the team announced earlier this year that Ditka's number would be the final one retired, "If there is going to be a last one, there is no more appropriate one than 89," Bears chairman George McCaskey said in May.

Ditka, who coached the Bears from 1982-92, is the only individual in the modern era of the NFL to win championships with the same team as both a player and a coach.

Souece: http://www.cbssports.com/