BOEHNER AGREES TO SUPERSTORM SANDY AID VOTE FRIDAY: Under fierce pressure from angry
yesterday that Boehner had explained that after the contentious "fiscal cliff" vote on Tuesday, he hadn't though it was the right time to schedule the vote before the current Congress folded.
MORE BATTLES TO COME AFTER 'FISCAL CLIFF' DEAL: The "fiscal cliff" crisis is now over, after the deal approved by the House Tuesday was signed by President Obama on Wednesday (January 2nd). But don't breathe too big a sigh of relief, because even bigger budget fights are ahead in the next two months on spending cuts and an increase in the nation's debt limit. As they did in the 2011 debt limit crisis that brought the U.S. to the brink of default
and caused the nation's credit rating to be downgraded, Republicans believe they'll have greater leverage over Obama when they have to deal with raising the borrowing limit again in February. But Obama has vowed that he won't get into another debt ceiling debate with Republicans, and Democrats believe Obama's win in the fiscal cliff battle strengthens his hand.
HILLARY CLINTON LEAVES HOSPITAL: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was released from a New York hospital yesterday (January 2nd) where she was being treated for a blood clot in her head, which doctors had discovered three days earlier.
Earlier yesterday, the State Department said
and reviewing paperwork while in the hospital.
SANDY
returning to class today (January 3rd). They won't be returning to the same building, however. Classes will resume instead at what had been an empty school in the neighboring town of Monroe, the former Chalk Hill Middle School, which will be renamed Sandy Hook Elementary School. Donna Page, who retired as
AL-JAZEERA BUYS CURRENT TV FROM
STUDY: FRUCTOSE AFFECTS BRAIN IN WAY THAT CAN LEAD TO OVEREATING: In a new study, scientists showed for the first time that the sugar fructose, which, along with the related high-fructose corn syrup, is in a lot of foods that Americans eat, can cause
brain changes that may lead to overeating. The researchers used
corn syrup are often added to processed foods and beverages, and consumption of
it has skyrocketed since the 1970s, along with obesity rates. However, while this study adds evidence that these sugars may play a role in the obesity epidemic, it doesn't amount to proof.
NEWBORNS CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE
suggested the infants in both countries could differentiate between their language and others, sucking on a pacifier longer when exposed to a foreign language. Researcher Patricia Kuhl of the
POLL: MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: We Americans are apparently a romantic bunch, with a new 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll finding that 56
percent of us believe in love at first sight, with the percentage even higher among married people and those in relationships. Other results from the survey:
- Just 17 percent have ever read their romantic partner's email
- Only six percent don't think a healthy sex life is essential for a lasting union.
- 28 percent said "for better or worse" is the hardest marriage vow to keep, followed closely by "being faithful" at 26 percent Nearly 50 percent said open relationships are a mistake and 25 percent called them a sin, with just seven percent approving of them.
- 45 percent of Americans think asking a father for his daughter's hand in marriage is a necessary courtesy, while less than five percent found it sexist and offensive.
Gators QB Jeff Driskel went 16 of 29 for 175 yards and turned the ball over three times, twice on interceptions and once on a fumble.
- The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is being played tonight between
it a, quote, "affront" to
NCAA imposed the sanctions in July, after an investigation found that late football coach Joe Paterno and other top university officials covered up the allegations against
RAVENS'
NFL WILD
Saturday, January 5th
Sunday, January 6th
a concert in
City: Real To Reel.
The film, which marks Grohl's debut as a feature director, will premiere at the
Sundance festival before becoming available in theaters, on
classic albums.
- In addition to conducting numerous interviews with musicians and producers for the film, Grohl brought together a selection of older and more contemporary artists to create new music together for the movie and its soundtrack.
- The first of these collaborations, a song called "Cut Me Some Slack," features Grohl and several other former members of Nirvana backing up Paul McCartney.
- Grohl was inspired to make the film last year after purchasing
- The film and soundtrack will include contributions from Stevie Nicks, Trent Reznor, Rick Springfield, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine, Joshua Homme of
Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, and more.
RISE AGAINST GOING ON EXTENDED BREAK AFTER TWO-YEAR TOUR: Rise Against
is joining the list of bands going on hiatus after wrapping up nearly two years of touring last month. Frontman Tim McIlrath told Rolling Stone that the
invest time into our music and our songs, as well as invest time into ourselves, our lives, so I think for the next few months that's what we'll be doing -- getting away from it so we get a better perspective on what we want to do and what we want to accomplish when we sit down to write the next record."
- McIlrath added that he is satisfied with what the band accomplished during the Endgame touring cycle, saying, "I feel really good about it. The record did really well, the shows did well, we had some great tours, we toured with some great friends of ours and we all feel very proud of what we did these couple of years."
- Endgame, Rise Against's sixth studio album, debuted at Number Two on the Billboard
album chart in March 2011, selling 85,000 copies in its first week of release. Both that number and the chart position were career highs for the band.
COREY TAYLOR CONFIRMS APRIL RELEASE: Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor has confirmed through his Twitter page that House Of Gold And Bones Part 2, the second part of the band's double-record concept album, will be issued in April. Although an exact release date has still not been confirmed, the disc will now arrive that month along with the first of a
four-issue comic book series based on the album's storyline.
House Of Gold And Bones Part 1 ended in a cliffhanger with the story's main character, called the Human, in the clutches of the villains.
basically reveals that the Human is still kind of being held. It's escape or die, basically, at that point. So yeah, there's gonna be a lot of payoff on Part 2, let's put it that way."
- The first single from Gold And Bones 2, called "Do Me A Favor," is expected to arrive this month
the early stages of their career, said, "How does the
talent we have got and did have in this city." (Classic Rock)
WOULD JASON NEWSTED RETURN TO METALLICA? Would former Metallica bassist Jason
Newsted ever consider reuniting with the band that he left in 2001? Newsted, who is launching his own new band at the moment, said, "If they came as my brothers and they were professional, and they're sitting there and looking me in the eye and the managers aren't around; if it was like that again and the money was crazy, then I would consider it." We're guessing current Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo might
have something to say about it too.
LOSTPROPHETS FRONTMAN STILL IN POLICE CUSTODY: A British judge has ordered that Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins continue to be held in custody until he goes to trial in March on child sex offense charges. Watkins and two women were arrested last month on the charges, which included possession and distribution of "indecent images of children," "sexual touching" with young children and conspiracy to rape a one-year-old girl. The 35-year-old Welsh singer and the women appeared at the brief hearing on Monday (December 31st), which lasted less than ten minutes. Members of his band issued a statement saying that they were shocked at the allegations.
KRYSTEN RITTER IN TALKS TO
fueled rumors that she is in talks to play Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey by tweeting an article talking about her possible involvement in the adaptation. The article claims the role is between her and Anne Hathaway. Krysten later tweeted that she would be down to be involved in the project.
DID BRAD
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a secret Christmas wedding in Turks and Caicos. The couple spent the holidays at the private Parrot Cay estate of fashion designer Donna Karan.
JULIANNE HOUGH OPENS UP ABOUT CHILDHOOD ABUSE: Julianne Hough covers the February issue of Cosmopolitan where she discusses the abuse she suffered while attending the Italia Conti Academy of Arts. She attended the school with fellow Dancing With the Stars
dancers Mark Ballas and her brother Derek Hough.
A FEW EXTRA POUNDS MIGHT EXTEND YOUR
Disease Control and Prevention says that people with a few extra pounds may
have a lower risk of dying than those with "normal" weight. The report analyzed 97-studies from around the world, and says that obese people face the highest risk of dying. The report categorized participants into categories based on their body mass index. Skeptics of the report note that it fails to account for gender, age, fitness level and where fat is distributed on
the body. The lead author of the study, Katherine Flegal, says the C-D-C is not giving advice, just compiling available information on the topic. (NY Daily News)
2013 MONTHLY BARGAIN GUIDE
(Yahoo):
January- Holiday décor and wrapping paper, linens, toys, treadmills and ellipticals, vacation packages.
February- Furniture, homes and condos, lobsters and steaks (grocery stores stock up for Valentine's Day and discount immediately after.)
March- Chocolate (Yes, it's from Valentine's Day- but really cheap!), luggage, outdoor gear and winter clothing.
April- Cookware home-improvement supplies, tires and auto parts.
May- Air conditioners, camping and outdoor gear, summer clothes (Memorial Day sales!), mattresses, gym memberships.
June- Caribbean cruises, lingerie, laptops, tools and hardware.
July- Sandals and swimsuits, furniture, picnic supplies.
August- Outdoor grills, kid clothing and school supplies.
September- iPhones and iPods (New models usually debut now, so old ones are cheap.), 2013 cars, airfare, bikes, summer apparel.
October- Grills, patio furniture, winter coats.
November- gadgets, electronics, small household appliances, winter clothing.
December- toys, large appliances, bundled gift card deals (For example,
"buy $50, get $10 free
WHAT'S THE FASTEST WAY TO
thoughts on their body image, then throw them away or keep them. They then had to rate their bodies. Petty says people who kept their papers were more likely to rate their bodies in accordance with what they wrote, and those who trashed their paper saw no change in how they rated their bodies. Petty says just as the mind controls the body, your body can control your mind. (Women's Health)
SLEEP: LESS IS MORE? One wellbeing expert says sleeping eight-hours per night is not ideal. Wellbeing expert Daniel Browne says if you reduced your sleep from eight to seven hours a night, you might feel more alert and live longer. Recent studies have shown
that people who sleep six to seven hours a night live the longest compared to people who sleep different lengths of time. Browne has tips for reducing you sleep time, including having a list of things that you want to get out of bed for, and gradually reducing your sleep by five to ten minutes each day until you find an amount of sleep that works for you. (Daily Mail)
29 ALBUMS THAT
