The Huskies came up short Saturday in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl. The Huskies took the lead for the first time on a 38-yard field goal by Travis Coons with 4:09 left. Then No. 20 Boise State got a big kickoff return to the Washington 42. Joe Southwick guided the team to the 12 before Boise State kicked the winning field goal. Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said, "To their credit they found a way to win the game in the end, Our inability to finish is pretty glaring." Final score: Boise State 28, Washington 26.

Raul is coming back. Raul Ibanez and the Seattle Mariners have agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract, according to The Associated Press. Ibanez returns to the team he began his big league career with from 1996-2000, then rejoined from 2004-08. Now 40, Ibanez spent the past season with the New York Yankees and became popular with fans for his late-game home runs. He had hoped to remain with New York, but the Yankees have moved slowly during the offseason. He joins a Seattle team that added power-hitting Kendrys Morales earlier in the week in a trade that sent left-hander Jason Vargas to the Los Angeles Angels.

Today is National Egg Nog Day. It's Last Minute Shoppers' Day. Tonight is Silent Night, Holy Night in Austria, commemorating composition of the Christmas carol in 1818. Tonight is Remember To Read The Instructions First Night, a night for assembling toys.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1931, New York City construction workers, at the future site of Rockefeller Center, dragged in a 12-foot Christmas tree and decorated it with tin cans and paper. The first official Rockefeller Center tree, with 700 blue and white lights, appeared two years later. In 1961, the first African song reached #1 in the US: The Lion Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens. In 1999, a 5-year-old girl in North Wales turned orange after drinking too much Sunny Delight, a popular fruit drink containing beta carotene. Doctors said the drink was harmless and there was no risk of toxicity, but they suggested to the girl's parents she should try a variety of drinks. In 2000, the Miami Dolphins edged New England Patriots 27-24, but the teams left the field with three seconds left on the clock. Thirty-six minutes later, they were called back to the playing field to play the final 3 seconds. The final score didn't change.

The Hobbit ruled movie box office charts for a second straight weekend, fending off Hollywood heavyweight Tom Cruise. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hauled in nearly $37 million from theaters in the United States and Canada over the weekend. In second place, Cruise's Jack Reacher brought in just short of $17 million. This is 40 brought in $12 million, finishing in third place.

Ashton Kutcher filed for divorce from Demi Moore on Friday in Los Angeles, following more than a year of separation. Kutcher cited irreconcilable differences in divorce papers, adding that he's not seeking spousal support or denying support to Moore. Moore and Kutcher separated in November of 2011 after six years of marriage, after a San Diego woman said she had had a brief affair with Kutcher. Moore began dating Kutcher a few years after her split from Bruce Willis, when Kutcher was a young star on the TV sitcom That '70s Show. Their relationship became tabloid fodder due to their 16-year age gap, and the couple married in September 2005 in Los Angeles. Kutcher is currently dating his former That '70s Show cast-mate Mila Kunis.

South Korean rapper Psy's infectious viral song, Gangnam Style, made history on Friday as the first ever video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views. The song, first posted on YouTube on July 15th, clocked the 1 billion milestone at 10:50 Eastern time Friday morning and YouTube marked the occasion with a dancing Psy doodle next to their logo. The song also became YouTube's most watched video last month, overtaking Justin Bieber's Baby video, which previously held the title. It’s been a whirlwind year for 34-year-old rapper Psy, who is the first Korean pop (or K-pop) artist to achieve mainstream success in the US after Gangnam Style, which is named after the affluent Gangnam District in Seoul, captured viewers' attention. Psy recently performed for President Obama, met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and won the best video award at the MTV Europe Music Awards in November.

Christina Aguilera is being awarded the People’s Voice Award at the People's Choice Awards on January 9th. It's also been revealed she's performing during the show. If that’s not enough, Aguilera is also nominated for Favorite Celebrity Judge for her work in the singing competition The Voice. The People’s Choice Awards airs live on CBS on January 9th.

Bond 50 is the bestselling Blu-ray box set of 2012. The 23-disc collection of all 22 James Bond films with over 122 hours of bonus features has grossed over 50-million dollars in sales. The set coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first 007 film, Dr. No, which was released in 1962. Skyfall is the 23rd Bond film and has raked in over 263-million dollars in North America since its release on November 9th. The film has grossed over 920-million dollars around the globe.

Madonna has topped Billboard’s list of the year’s highest grossing tours. Her trek earned 228.4-million dollars from November 9th, 2011 through November 13th, 2012. She played 72 sold-out shows for her MDNA tour, performing for over 1.6-million fans.

Merry and happy to you and yours. Hard to believe another year has gone by. Thank you for being here and making it possible for us to support our families with this thing we do. You are greatly appreciated. Have a great holiday and I'll see you back on the radio on January 2nd.

Well, we're still here. The world didn't end. Go figger.

The Seattle Seahawks are 6-and-0 at CenturyLink Field this year, joining Atlanta as the NFL's only teams with perfect home records. After winning three straight and five of their last six – including putting up 50 points the past two weeks -- Seattle can secure at least a wild-card berth with a win over San Francisco Sunday night. The Hawks and Niners kick it off at 5:20 on NBC.

The MAACO Bowl Las Vegas is coming up tomorrow. The Washington Huskies meet the Boise State Broncos at 12:30.

Today is Humbug Day. Today everyone is allowed 12 "bah humbugs." Today is Look at the Bright Side Day, always on Humbug Day. Today is National French Fried Shrimp Day. Today is Forefathers Day, marking the Pilgrim landing at Plymouth Rock on this day in 1620.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1966, The Beach Boys received a gold record for the single, Good Vibrations. In 1970, Elvis Presley met President Richard Nixon at the White House after the singer offered to become a 'Federal Agent-at-Large' to help fight drug abuse. Elvis was not made an agent, but his photo with Nixon is the most requested reproduction from the National Archives -- even more than the US Constitution. In 1979, Willie Nelson made his acting debut in the Robert Redford film, The Electric Horseman. In 1993, TV Guide reported that early Gilligan's Island press releases gave Gilligan's first name as "Willy." The name never was used on the TV show.

The first day of winter in finally here. This year we have the earliest winter since 1896. Winter started at 3:12 this morning. Today is the shortest day of the year. It’s now Summer in the the land down under.

Adele has been named the Associated Press’ Entertainer of the Year. After a vote taken by editors and broadcasters, Billboard reports that Adele easily outpaced the other nominated acts this year to be named the person who had the most influence on entertainment and culture in 2012. Adele beat out Taylor Swift, Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James and viral sensation Psy to win the accolade.

But wait, there's more. Adele also tops Forbes’ list of Brightest Music Stars Under 30. The 24-year-old singer has sold over 23-million copies of her latest album, 21. Rihanna, One Direction, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and Ke$ha all also made the list. Head to Forbes.com for more details.

Talk about kicking a guy while he's down. In the same week that the New York Jets benched their starting quarterback Mark Sanchez and opted to go with their rhird string guy instead of their number two guy Tim Tebow, we get word that Mr. Tebow and Camilla Belle have split up. According to Us Weekly, "It just didn't work out" for the football player and the actress. Camilla previously dated Joe Jonas.

Happier couple news from the Royals. Kate Middleton and Prince Williams have announced they will break with family tradition and hire a part-time nanny instead of a full-time one. People magazine reports that the couple hopes to be very “hands-on” in their child-rearing. After Kate gives birth, she says she’ll return to work part-time as a volunteer for several charity organizations.

You just feel closer to everybody at Christmas time -- especially in the malls.

Trivia Answer: Kiefer William Fredrick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland who turns 46 today. Today, he's best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox series 24 for which he won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Satellite Awards. Since this past January, he has starred in the Fox drama Touch. His parents are Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, both successful Canadian actors. By the way, he gets his first name Kiefer from the director who gave his father Donald his first movie role, Warren Kiefer.

Pete Carroll isn't talking about the postseason yet. All the Seattle Seahawks coach is focusing on is the importance of beating San Francisco on Sunday night. The byproduct of getting a victory over the 49ers would be the Seahawks getting to 10 wins for the first time since 2007, earning at least a wild-card berth in the NFC playoffs, and keeping alive the slim hopes of winning the NFC West. It would be the Seahawks' second playoff appearance under Carroll, but this one would be far more deserved. In 2010, the Seahawks reached the playoffs as the first division champion with a losing record at 7-and-9. Now, Seattle has a chance at finishing the season with double-digit victories and is playing as well as it has since Carroll came to the Northwest. Hawks-Niners Sunday night at 5:20 on NBC.

First, however, we have a bowl game to deal with. It's the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas on Saturday at 12:30, the Washington Huskies meet the Boise State Broncos.

The Seattle Mariners, in search of more offense after several lackluster years, yesterday traded left-handed pitcher Jason Vargas to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for switch-hitting first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales. Morales is 29. He has a cumulative .281 batting average over his six-year career in the major leagues. Coming off an ankle injury that put him out for the entire 2011 season, in 2012 he batted .273 with 22 home runs, 26 doubles and 73 RBI for the Angels.

Today is Try To Remember Where You Hid The Christmas Gifts Day. Today is Dating Game Day, marking the TV debut of The Dating Game on this date in 1965. Hosted by Jim Lange, the show was developed by Chuck Barris. Today is BPT Remembrance Day, a day to see if you can remember what breakfast was like before Pop Tarts. Today is National Go Caroling Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1879, Thomas Edison demonstrated his incandescent light at Menlo Park, New Jersey. In 1920, English-born Leslie Townes Hope became a US citizen at age 17. He had lived in the US from the time he was five. Though he dreamed of becoming a boxer, instead he became comedian Bob Hope. In 1946, It's a Wonderful Life premiered in New York City. It starred Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Bailey, Henry Travers as Clarence Oddbody (trying to earn his wings) and Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter. In 1975, Joe Walsh joined The Eagles, replacing Bernie Leadon. In 1998: a 15-pound concrete garden frog was returned to its home in Swansea, Massachusetts, after a seven-month vacation. The owners had received a letter, saying the frog just needed to get away from the grind of garden life, but would be home for the holidays. They also received photos and postcards from the frog in New York, Venezuela, Venice, and Indonesia. In 2003, Judge Tom DuBois in Columbia City, Indiana, continued his Christmas amnesty tradition of letting minor traffic offenders off without a fine -- if they stand up in court and sing a Christmas carol. Some singers need a little help, so he sometimes forms duets, trios and quartets. Most offenders sing either Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

President Barack Obama is Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2012. Time Editor Rick Stengel said, "We are in the midst of historic cultural and demographic changes, and Obama is both the symbol and in some ways the architect of this new America." Obama also received the honor in 2008, when he was President-elect. In an interview with Time, Obama said his re-election "may have been more satisfying a win than 2008." He said, "We've gone through a very difficult time. The American people have rightly been frustrated at the pace of change, and the economy is still struggling, and this president we elected is imperfect, and yet, despite all that, this is who we want to be. That's a good thing." Last year, Time honored "The Protester," citing dissent across the Middle East that spread to Europe and the United States, saying the protesters reshaped global politics. Time's Person of the Year is the person or thing that has most influenced the culture and the news during the past year for good or for ill. In 2010, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg received the honor. Other previous winners have included Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Bono and President George W. Bush.

Kelly Clarkson has gotten engaged to her boyfriend. Kelly made the announcement in a Twitter message on Saturday. Clarkson had previously revealed she had been dating talent manager Brandon Blackstock since early this year. Blackstock is the stepson of country singer Reba McEntire. Saturday Kelly tweeted, "I'M ENGAGED! I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night!"

Ya gotta wonder if this guy is ever on the ground. His name is Tom Stuker. He's an automotive sales consultant who resides in both Chicago and New Jersey reached a record-breaking number earlier this month on a flight between London and Chicago -- racking up one-million miles this year alone with United Airlines. In July 2011, he became the first person to fly 10-million miles on United and United Express, after first joining United’s loyalty program back in 1983. Since then, he’s been to Asia and Australia, all 50 states, and boarded six-thousand United flights -- 400 flights this year alone.

Even with the snow and ice we've experienced here recently, you gotta remember it's not even winter yet. Winter begins tomorrow ... or does it?

The Mayan Extended Weather Forecast

Trivia Answer: Uri Geller who turns 66 today. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to simulate the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy. Geller first started to perform in theatres, public halls, auditoriums, military bases and universities in his native Israel. By the 1970s, Geller had become known in the United States and Europe. He also received attention from the scientific community, whose members were interested in examining his reported psychic abilities. At the peak of his career in the 1970s, he worked full-time, performing for television audiences worldwide. Geller gained notice for demonstrating on television what he claimed to be psychokinesis, and telepathy. His performance included bending spoons, describing hidden drawings, and making watches stop or run faster. Geller said he performs these feats through will power and the strength of his mind. Magicians have said that his performances can be duplicated using stage magic tricks. One of Geller's most prominent critics is the skeptic James Randi, who has accused Geller repeatedly of trying to pass off magic tricks as paranormal displays. Randi often duplicated Geller's performances using stage magic techniques.

The San Francisco 49ers are 5-and-0 this season in prime time. The Seattle Seahawks are 6-and-0 this season -- undefeated -- at home, and the Hawks have put up 50 points in back-to-back games. Something's gotta give. Sunday night on NBC, Seahawks-49ers.

It's Bowl Season and the Huskies are in the thick of it. It's the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas on Saturday at 12:30, the Washington Huskies meet the Boise State Broncos.

Today is National Oatmeal Muffin Day. Today is I've Got My Big Fat Guy Pants On Day, a day to wear anything you want as long as it's comfortable and roomy. Today is Greetings from Space Day. On this date in 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower broadcast history's first Christmas greeting from outer space, a message transmitted from the US satellite Atlas, expressing America's wish for "peace and goodwill toward men everywhere.". Today is Chocolate Pizza Day. Today is E-Mail Santa Claus Just in Case He Didn't Get Your Letter Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1922, 24-year-old Theresa Vaughn was tried for bigamy in England. In five years she had accumulated 62 husbands. In 1973, Johnny Carson created a minor crisis when he mentioned during a Tonight Show monologue a news item that said toilet paper was disappearing from store shelves. Within a few days toilet paper actually became scarce in some areas. In 1985, ABC Sports announced that it was severing ties with Howard Cosell and released him from all TV commitments. 'The Mouth' continued on ABC Radio for another five years. In 1995, two bandits tried to rob Z's Sports Tap bar in Chicago where a police retirement party was underway. The 100 off-duty police officers arrested the suspects at the scene without a fight. In 1997, Titanic, the highest-grossing movie in history, opened in North American theaters. In 2001, research by the Reno Gazette-Journal in Nevada determined the most effective way to get rid of a fruitcake is to drive over it with an SUV or kick it like a football. Dropping a fruitcake from the roof of a two-story building or shooting it with a submachine gun was not effective at all.

It's a town without stoplights or a working food bank, but what Possum Trot, Texas lacks in glamour, it makes up for in heart. The Today Show recently told the story of how a pastor and his wife decided to bring about the change their town needed by taking on the role of parents to four children in foster care. Then, they turned to their congregation to continue their work. So far, the town has adopted 76 children from the system, the majority coming from abusive backgrounds. The Today crew was so moved by the story that they bought the community groceries and Christmas gifts. WalMart pitched in, giving the pastor and his wife who started it all a 15-thousand dollar gift card.

Isn't it funny? You fight the traffic and the crowds, stand in line, and pay an outrageous price just to give a present to someone who says, "You didn't have to do that."

Lifehouse joins Phillip Phillips and Carmen Electra at Fox’s New Year’s Eve Live!, which airs on December 31st. The show takes place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A new survey found middle school students are cheating with their smartphones. More than a third of youngsters are using their phone to help them find answers to their homework. 88% of kids admit that they're not allowed to bring their phones into the classroom, and 66% said they couldn't bring their tablet to school.

Trivia Answer: Jennifer Beals who turns 49 today. Beals had a minor role in the 1980 film My Bodyguard, then came to fame with her starring part in Flashdance. The third-highest grossing US film of 1983, Flashdance is the story of 18-year-old Alex, a welder by day and exotic dancer by night, whose dream is to be accepted someday at an illustrious school of dance. Beals was cast for this key role while still a student at Yale. She was nominated for a Golden Globe and the film received an Academy Award for Best Song. Many of Beals' elaborate dance moves were actually performed by stunt double Marine Jahan. Beals turned down an offer to appear on Dancing with the Stars, saying: "I am not a dancer. They asked me and I said 'no.' You could back up a truck to my door filled with cash and I wouldn't do it." After she filmed Flashdance, she resumed her studies, making only one film during that time: playing the titular character The Bride with singer-actor Sting, a gothic horror film loosely based on the 1935 classic Bride of Frankenstein shot during her summer break, and also appearing in the Cinderella episode of Faerie Tale Theatre. She was asked by Joel Schumacher to do St. Elmo's Fire but turned it down preferring to stay at Yale.

Close but not quite. We missed a white Christmas by one week. Many schools were running late on snow routes this morning. Tumwater just cancelled classes for the day. It was set to be a half-day already and the last day before Christmas break so what the heck?

Facing fourth-and-4, behind midfield in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks executed a well-run fake-punt play Sunday to get the risky first down. Fullback Michael Robinson ran 29 yards up the middle all the way to Buffalo’s 14-yard line. The problem was, by that point the Seahawks were already leading 47-17. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said after his team walloped the Bills 50-17 in Toronto, "That was part of our game plan. It was something I could have called off and I didn’t. It was an automatic for us and I didn’t do it. It just happened -- we’re trying to make first downs and (I) let it go. It's unfortunate that it comes across like we're doing something wrong there. That’s my fault, totally, for not stopping it from happening." Seahawks-49ers Sunday night on NBC.

Monday Night Football last night saw the New York Jets get mathematically eliminated from any playoff contention. The Jets lost to the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, 14-10. Then word comes today that New York quarterback Mark Sanchez has been benched ... not for Tim Tebow but rather for Greg McElroy. Wow, head coach Rex Ryan is doing a bang-up job, eh?

Today is Let's See What We Find In the Fridge Day, a day to be brave and eat something from way back in the refrigerator. Today is National Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day. Today is National Bake Cookies Day. Today is National Roast Suckling Pig Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1975, Rod Stewart announced in London that he was leaving the Faces to launch a solo career. In 1976, Wonder Woman debuted on ABC-TV. Lynda Carter was Wonder Woman; Lyle Waggoner was Major Steve Trevor. Wonder Woman had appeared in comic books since 1941. She possessed the beauty of Aphrodite, the wisdom of Athena, the strength of Hercules, the speed of Mercury. In 1984, Madonna scored her first number one pop hit with Like a Virgin. In 1985, box office receipts made Beverly Hills Cop the top film of the year. Back to the Future was #2; Rambo: First Blood, Part 2 was #3. In 1997, Chris Farley was found dead in his Chicago apartment. He was 33-years-old.

Rihanna and Bruno Mars are set to perform on the season finale of The Voice tonight. The finale of season two is tonight on NBC. By the way, happy birthday today to Christina Aguilera. She's 32

Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, the influential Democrat who broke racial barriers on Capitol Hill and played key roles in congressional investigations of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals, died yesterday. Inouye, a senator since January of 1963, was the longest serving senator, president pro tem of the Senate, and was third in the line of presidential succession. His office said that he died of respiratory complications at a Washington DC-area hospital. Inouye 88.

Adele has scored the best-selling album on iTunes for the second straight year as 21 tops the list. The effort, which was released in January 2011, has sold over ten-million copies. 21 scored the British singer six Grammy Awards including the coveted Album of the Year back in February. Carly Rae Jepsen has the most-downloaded song of the year with Call Me Maybe, followed by Goyte's Somebody That I Used to Know, fun.'s We Are Young, and Maroon 5's Payphone.

Adele and Taylor Swift are both nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Original Song category this year -- Adele for her track Skyfall in the Bond film of the same name and Taylor for her tune Safe and Sound for The Hunger Games. Of her nomination, Adele tweeted "Boom shakalakaa!!"

Hasbro says it will soon reveal a gender-neutral Easy-Bake Oven after meeting with a New Jersey girl who started a campaign calling on the toy maker to make one that appeals to all kids. Thirteen-year-old McKenna Pope of Garfield, N.J., got more than 40,000 signatures on her online petition at Change.org and the support of celebrity chefs, who backed her call for Hasbro to make a gender-neutral oven and to include boys in the ads. She was prompted to start the petition after shopping for an Easy-Bake as a Christmas present for her 4-year-old brother, Gavyn, and finding them only in purple and pink. Hasbro invited McKenna and her family to its Pawtucket, R.I., headquarters to meet with its Easy-Bake team, and yesterday, they drove to Rhode Island from New Jersey. During the meeting, Hasbro executives showed off a prototype of their newest Easy-Bake: one that's black, silver and blue. McKenna said the company is doing everything she asked, including putting boys in the ads. She says, "I think that they really met most or even all of what I wanted them to do, and they really amazed me." She added that her brother, Gavyn, thought the new design was "awesome."

Trivia Answer: William Bradley Pitt -- Brad Pitt -- who turns 49 today. His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with A River Runs Through It in 1992, Interview with the Vampire in 1994, and Legends of the Fall in 1994. In 1995, he gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller Seven and the science fiction film 12 Monkeys, the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination. Four years later, Pitt starred in the cult hit Fight Club. He then starred in the major international hit Ocean's Eleven in 2001 and its sequels, Ocean's Twelve in 2004 and Ocean's Thirteen in 2007. His greatest commercial successes have been Troy in 2004 and Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005. Pitt received his second and third Academy Award nominations for his leading performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008 and Moneyball in 2011. In addition, Pitt owns a production company, Plan B Entertainment, whose productions include The Departed (2006), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Moneyball, which garnered a Best Picture nomination. Following a high-profile relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow, Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston for five years. Pitt now lives with actress Angelina Jolie. He and Jolie have six children -- three biologically, Shiloh and the twins Knox and Vivienne -- and three adopted -- Maddox, Pax, Zahara. After seven years together, Pitt and Jolie announced their engagement in April of this year.

A wild and wooly night. Lots of tree shrapnel on the roads on my way to the station this morning. PSE also reported some 8,000 without power thanks to the winds. In fact, The Evergreen State College's Olympia campus was closed this morning because of the lack of power. We did get a note along about lunch time that power has been restored and evening activities activities and functions will proceed as scheduled at Evergreen.  Now, they're talking the possibility of some snow here in the lowlands overnight. There made reference to two or three inches early this morning. That information was also updated about lunch time. They're now talking up to half an inch. If it just would wait a week, we could do that White Christmas thing. The National Weather Service just last week released their information on the odds of us having a White Christmas here in Olympia. Historically speaking, the NWS says we have a 3% chance of having an inch or more of snow on the ground on Christmas day. We have no chance of having five inches or more on the ground on Christmas.

Russell Wilson ran for three touchdowns and threw for another in leading the Seahawks to their second straight rout, a 50-17 win over the Bills on Sunday in Buffalo's annual home game in Toronto. Wilson scored on runs of 14, 25 and 4 yards and then hit Zach Miller for a 4-yard touchdown in helping the Seahawks score 31 points on their first five possessions. The defense then took over by forcing three consecutive turnovers to start the second half. A week after a 58-0 win at home against Arizona, the Seahawks became only the third NFL team to score 50 points on consecutive weekends. The Bills were mathematically knocked out of playoff contention for a 13th consecutive season -- the NFL's longest active drought.

Then on Sunday Night Football, the San Francisco 49ers earned a playoff berth by withstanding a stunning comeback by New England from a 28-point deficit to beat the Patriots 41-34. New England trailed 31-3 at one point and lost for the first time at home in December in 21 games. They also had won 21 in a row in the second half of the schedule before San Francisco somehow regrouped late in a game it seemingly had clinched long before.

Next Sunday night’s game also features the 49ers. They’re in Seattle to face the Seahawks in what will be the biggest showdown of the year for the Hawks, who are undefeated at home. After Seattle’s drubbing of the Cardinals, the game was moved to primetime and is being televised on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

On Saturday, it's the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas featuring the Washington Huskies and the Boise State Broncos.

Today is the original Clean Air Day, marking the 1967 passage of the US Clean Air Act, a sweeping set of laws to protect the nation from air pollution. It was the first law to place pollution controls on the auto industry. Today is Simpsons Day. The animated cartoon family debuted as a weekly sitcom on December 17th of 1989.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1969, an estimated 50 million viewers watched singer Tiny Tim (Herbert Buchingham Khaury) marry Miss Vicky (Victoria Budinger) on NBC's Tonight Show. They tiptoed through stuff together until 1977. Tim collapsed during a benefit in Minneapolis in November 1996 and never regained consciousness. In 1975, Lynette 'Squeakiie' Fromme was sentenced in a Sacramento, California, federal court to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Ford. In 1979, Stan Barrett broke the sound barrier, reaching 739.6 miles an hour on land at Edward Air Force Base, California. His rocket vehicle was powered by a 48-thousand horsepower engine and a sidewinder missile. In 1993, Fox Television outbid CBS for the rights to televise games of the National Football Conference. In 2003, a bank robber in Tularosa, New Mexico, lost a bid to overturn his conviction by arguing the stupidity of the crime proved he was too drunk to be responsible. The defendant argued his attempt to rob the same bank teller who moments before had refused to cash his check was stupid enough to show he was inebriated. A compelling argument, but the court didn't buy it.

The Hobbit brought home a big box office treasure over the weekend, setting a December movie record with $84.77 million in US and Canadian ticket sales. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey also rung up sales of $138.2 million in international markets. Global receipts for the prequel to the smash Lord of the Rings trilogy stood at $222.97 million through yesterday. The current projection for the total box office take in 2012 is $10.8 billion, according to an estimate from Hollywood.com. That would beat the $10.6 billion record in 2009. Meanwhile, the rest of the top weekend movies:  The Rise of the Guardians at No. 2, Lincoln at No. 3, Skyfall at No. 4, Life of Pi at No. 5, and Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 at No. 6.

Adele has been named Billboard's Artist of the Year for the second year running. She’s the first act in Billboard history to be named the Artist of the Year and have the number one album of the year on the Billboard 200 album chart for the second year in a row.

Katy Perry has been named Billboard’s Woman of the Year for 2012. She singer released her last album, Teenage Dream, back in 2010, which spawned five number one hits. She re-released the album with new tracks early this year, scoring hits with Part of Me and Wide Awake. Perry also released her 3D concert film, Part of Me, back in July.

Trivia Answer: The brothers were Orville and Wilbur Wright. The aircraft was The Wright Flyer, often referred to as Flyer I and occasionally as Kitty Hawk. The flight occurred at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wrights built the aircraft in 1903 using 'giant spruce' wood as their construction material. At Kitty Hawk in 1903, the Wrights completed assembly of the Flyer. On December 14th, they felt ready for their first attempt at powered flight. They tossed a coin to decide who would get the first chance at piloting, and Wilbur won the toss. However, he pulled up too sharply, stalled, and brought the Flyer back down with minor damage. The repairs for the abortive first flight took three days, so that the Flyer was ready again on December 17th. Since Wilbur had already had the first chance, Orville took his turn at the controls. His first flight lasted 12 seconds for a total distance of 120 feet -- shorter than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. A piece of fabric and wood from the Wright Flyer was taken to the surface of the Moon by the crew of Apollo 11, the first lunar landing mission, in July 1969. In 1978, 23-year-old Ken Kellett built a replica Flyer in Colorado and flew it at Kitty Hawk on the 75th and 80th anniversaries of the first flight there. Construction took a year and cost $3,000. The North Carolina 50 State Quarter features the famous first flight photo of the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk.

I don't know about you but I will be hugging the young people in my life maybe just a little tighter tonight ... and being a bit more patient ... and being a bit more appreciative of who they are ... and just being grateful for them being here.

It was this morning that a man opened fire inside two classrooms at the Connecticut elementary school where his mother was a teacher. He killed 26 people, including 20 children, as youngsters cowered in corners and closets and trembled helplessly to gunshots reverberating through the building. The 20-year-old killer, carrying two handguns, committed suicide at the school, and another person was found dead at a second scene, bringing the toll to 28, according to authorities. Police shed no light on the motive for the attack. The gunman was believed to suffer from a personality disorder and lived with his mother in Connecticut. The rampage, coming less than two weeks before Christmas and just three days after the Clackamas Town Center shooting, was the nation's second-deadliest school shooting, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech massacre that left 33 people dead in 2007. Panicked parents looking for their children raced to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, a prosperous community of about 27,000 people 60 miles northeast of New York City. Youngsters at the kindergarten-through-fourth-grade school were told to close their eyes by police as they were led from the building. Schoolchildren -- some crying, others looking frightened -- were escorted through a parking lot in a line, hands on each other's shoulders. A tearful President Barack Obama, struggling to maintain composure, spoke for all of us at the White House today when he said, "Our hearts are broken today."

The Seattle Seahawks are breaking out their all-gray uniforms for the first time this season when they travel to Toronto to play the Buffalo Bills. While technically at a neutral location, Toronto is just a 90-minute drive from Buffalo, N.Y., so it's a pseudo home game for the Bills. They’ll be the home team for scoring purposes. It will be the Seahawks' final regular-season game on the road. It’s just the second time in franchise history that Seattle has worn an alternate-color jersey top. The first time, back in September of 2009, the Hawks wore those neon green tops that we haven’t seen again since. The Hawks lost to the Chicago Bears in Seattle in that game. The Hawks and Bills kick it off Sunday afternoon at 1:05.

Today is Play An Old Song That You Didn't Like To See If You Still Don't Like It Day. Today is Deck the Halls Day and Buy a Tree Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1882, in a speech against allowing women to vote, Senator George G. Vest of Missouri declared, "A woman's place is in the home." In 1968, Tommy James and the Shondells released Crimson & Clover. In 1977, the movie Saturday Night Fever opened in New York and the sale of polyester leisure suits skyrocketed. The soundtrack album went on to sell 25-million copies worldwide. In 1988, after losing its first 17 games, the Miami Heat defeated the L.A. Clippers 89-88. In 1989, New York City police announced they had lost the trail of Sylvia Matos, who had registered her car at 19 addresses with 36 different license plates. She had 2,800 unpaid parking tickets, totaling $171,000 in fines.

Martin Short is hosting Saturday Night Live tomorrow night. Apparently because he was already in town for the 12-12-12 show, Paul McCartney is the musical guest.

Britney Spears tops Forbes list of the Highest Earning Female Artists, raking in over 58-million dollars in 2012. According to Forbes, the singer’s latest platinum album, Femme Fatale, and touring earned her the majority of her haul, while endorsements and judging The X Factor helped pushed the singer to the top. Taylor Swift is just behind Spears at number two with 57-million dollars, Rihanna is third with 53-million, Lady Gaga is fourth with 52-million and Katy Perry rounds out the top five with 45-million dollars.

Some food for thought on a Friday. Our number for the day today is 236. That's the number of extra calories we consume on Saturdays -- I'm thinking it's probably a little higher at this time of year.

Trivia Answer: Don Johnson -- Donnie Wayne Johnson -- who turns 63 tomorrow. In the late 1960s, Johnson was in a psychedelic rock band called Horses. After years of struggling to establish himself as a TV actor, in September 1984, his fortunes changed when he landed a starring role as Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice. Miami Vice was noted for its revolutionary use of music, cinematography, and imagery, as well as a more glitzy take on the police drama genre. Johnson later starred in the 1996-2001 drama Nash Bridges with Cheech Marin. Johnson played the title role of Nash Bridges, a detective for the San Francisco Police Department. More recently, Johnson played Kenny Powers' father on the HBO series, Eastbound & Down.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice has a bruised foot, is in a walking boot and could be in question for Sunday's game against Buffalo. Coach Pete Carroll said yesterday that the foot problem came out of nowhere. Rice doesn't remember aggravating the foot in last Sunday's blowout win over Arizona, but he woke up Monday morning in pain. Seattle is also likely to be without reserve cornerback Marcus Trufant, who is still bothered by a hamstring problem. Rice, Trufant, safety Kam Chancellor and defensive end Red Bryant (foot) did not participate in practice yesterday. The Seahawks face the Buffalo Bills in Toronto Sunday afternoon at 1:00.

Josh Hamilton is going from the Texas Rangers to the rival Los Angeles Angels. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed today that Hamilton agreed to a contract with the Angels. Multiple sources have confirmed that the deal is worth $125 million over five years. Hamilton's camp also had reportedly met with the Seattle Mariners last week at baseball's winter meetings.

Today is Count the Las in Deck the Halls Day, so you can tell everybody you know how many las there are. Be careful not to count the fas. Today is New Calendar Day, time to pick up the 2013 model. Today is Ice Cream & Violins Day

Calendar notes: On this date in 1843, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, was first published. In 1974, George Harrison became the first rock artist invited to the White House. He had lunch with President Gerald Ford. In 1985, Phil Collins made his acting debut on US TV as a drug dealer on Miami Vice. In 1988, Bruce Springsteen's divorce from Julianne Phillips became final. In 1998, voters in Puerto Rico rejected U.S. statehood. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency a day after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida. Democrat Al Gore conceded and called for national unity.

Music and comedy royalty struck a defiant tone in a benefit concert for Superstorm Sandy victims last night, asking for help to rebuild a New York metropolitan area most of them know well. The sold-out Madison Square Garden show was televised, streamed online, and even presented in theaters. The concert raised $36 million before a note was played; whether it reached its potential two billion viewers is TBD. New Jersey native Jon Stewart set the tone when he said, “When are you going to learn? You can throw anything at us -- terrorists, hurricanes. You can take away our giant sodas. It doesn't matter. We're coming back stronger every time." Musicians closely associated with New Jersey and New York dominated the 12-12-12 concert, selecting songs that created a narrative of perseverance, rebirth, and hope. It began with Bruce Springsteen, continued with Bon Jovi and Billy Joel, and concluded with Alicia Keys. In between were, as Mick Jagger quipped, "the world's biggest collection of aged British rock stars ever assembled at Madison Square Garden" -- including Roger Waters, The Who, Eric Clapton, and Paul McCartney (who played with surviving members of Nirvana).

The producers of A&E’s reality show, Storage Wars, were hit with a huge lawsuit recently by one of the series’ former stars. According to Radar Online, the program, which revolves around bargain hunters bidding on abandoned storage lockers, is being hit with allegations by former cast member, Dave Hester, that the show is completely fake. In his lawsuit, Hester alleges that all of the on screen auctions are staged for the camera, that producers plant valuable items in the supposedly abandoned lockers, and that the show’s producers paid for a female cast member to get plastic surgery to add more, “sex appeal.” Dave has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the network for breach of contract after they fired him for pointing out potential legal issues about the how the show is deceiving the public. A&E has always maintained that the program is one-hundred percent real and has thus far refused to comment on the lawsuit.

Everyone’s favorite birds with anger management issues are set to hit the silver screen in a big-budget animated flick. Rovio Entertainment, the makers of the popular Angry Birds video games, has just announced that they will be producing and financing a big budget movie starring those adorable but irate fliers and their egg-napping nemeses, Pigs. Rovio has brought in the big guns for the film and have hired ex-Marvel Studio exec David Maisel as well as Despicable Me producer John Cohen to spearhead the project. The film is being shot in 3D and is set to hit theaters sometime in the summer of 2016. A couple of other notes: an Angry Birds TV show is already in the works, and Angry Birds has been downloaded over one-billion times.

Bruno Mars rises one spot to top next week's Billboard Hot 100 chart with Locked Out of Heaven. It marks his fourth chart-topper.

Jennifer Lawrence has been named AskMen's 2013 Most Desirable Woman. The Silver Linings Playbook and Hunger Games actress landed at number 47 last year. Coming in at number two was Mila Kunis, followed by Kate Upton, Rihanna and Emma Stone.

It looks like Crystal Harris has won over Hugh Hefner’s heart once again. The 26-year-old, who called off her engagement to the 86-year-old Playboy founder back in June of 2011, is once again set to marry the mogul. Harris posted a picture of her huge diamond engagement ring on Twitter. Us Magazine reports the pair picked up their marriage license earlier in December and intends to wed on New Year’s Eve.

Kevin Bacon Bits (he claims that's his real name) is the driver of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. He has written to let us know he and the Hotdogger team are in the South Sound this weekend. He says they have some fun events planned, and will have the famous Oscar Mayer Wiener Whistles. You can see the Big Dog at the Lacey QFC on Whitman Lane tomorrow from noon to 5. See it Saturday at JBLM at the Commissary from 11 til 2. On Sunday, catch it at the Tumwater Fred Meyer from 11 til 3.

Trivia Answer: Rex Ryan is the head coach of the New York Jets. His brother Rob Ryan is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. They turn 50 today.

Sunday, the Buffalo Bills are playing a "home game" against the Seattle Seahawks in downtown Toronto, for the fifth time since 2008. I got to wondering why. It turns out it’s the result of an agreement the team inked five years ago. Buffalo essentially sold eight games — five regular-season tilts, three pre-season games — to the Canadian communications giant Rogers for $78 million. In return, Rogers got to market and sell tickets for the only NFL games north of the border. Both sides praise the deal, which expires this year, despite ticket sales that previously fell short of expectations. An extension of the agreement is perceived to be imminent. Despite high expectations for the NFL in Toronto, none of the four previous regular-season games at the Rogers Centre have sold out. This year, the mean cost of tickets was slashed by roughly 35 per cent, to an average of $99 each. It may be working. According to Rogers, 85 per cent of the 45,000-seat football capacity in Toronto has been sold for Sunday’s Bills-Hawks game.

Indian sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar -- idol of George Harrison, estranged father of Norah Jones -- has died. He was 92.

Today is Poinsettia Day, marking the 1799 birth of Dr. Joel Poinsett, who brought the poinsettia plant north from Mexico. He was a US congressman and Secretary of War. Today is Gingerbread House Day. Today is National Ambrosia Day. Today is National Ding-A-Ling Day, always on Frank Sinatra's birthday.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1899, the US Patent Office issued patent #638,920 to George F. Grant of Boston for his invention of the golf tee. Before that, golfers placed the ball on a small mound of dirt, called a "tee." In 1968, The Rolling Stones filmed their Rock & Roll Circus in London with guests John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, the Who, Jethro Tull, Mitch Mitchell, Marianne Faithful, and Mia Farrow. The show was finally released 28 years later in 1996. In 2000, a divided US Supreme Court reversed a state court decision for recounts in Florida's contested election, transforming George W. Bush into the president-elect. In 2003, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger was knighted by Great Britain. In 2003, Keiko, the killer whale made famous by the Free Willy movies, died in the Norwegian fjord that he'd made his home. In 2000, a team of developmental pediatricians in Canada released a report declaring Winnie the Pooh and his friends belonged in a child development clinic. The doctors said Pooh was obsessive-compulsive, Eeyore was chronically depressed, Piglet needed medication, Roo was a juvenile delinquent in-the-making, and Christopher Robin had gender issues. They even speculated Christopher Robin might be to blame for Pooh being a Bear of Very Little Brain, saying he may suffer from "Shaken Bear Syndrome" because of years of Christopher dragging Pooh down the stairs on the back of his head.

Madison Square Garden is set to host 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief tonight. It's being streamed free on the Internet, and is being carried live by 34 US television networks. It's set to start at 7:30 Eastern time tonight.

A big thank you to everybody that signed up for the Roxy Rockin' Toy Boxes this year and thanks to the sponsors. We spent the morning giving away 15 of the boxes. Congrats to the winners: Jim Curtis from Shelton, Tammy Johnson from Olympia, Mark Stickler from Olympia, Alisha Thompson from University Place, Kayla Laux from Lacey, Terry Manrer from Lacey, Jack Hanemann from Olympia, Tanet Higgins from Olympia, Aleta Rasmussen from Olympia, Laura Cole from Shelton, Carrie Tradewell from Olympia, Pete Metcalf from Shelton, Rick Conner from Tumwater, Sandy Campbell from Olympia, and Jay Jones from Lacey. They each won a toy box stuffed full of toys. Additionally, Sandy Campbell scored the $945.

An absolute nightmare yesterday afternoon when a gunman entered Clackamas Town Center near Portland and started shooting. The gunman killed two people and then himself in a shooting rampage. He's now been identified as 22-year-old Jacob Tyler Roberts. Authorities said today that he used a stolen rifle from someone he knew. He had armed himself with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and had several fully loaded magazines when he arrived at the Portland area mall yesterday afternoon. The sheriff says the rifle jammed during the attack, but the shooter managed to get it working again. He later shot himself. Authorities don't yet have a motive but don't believe he was targeting specific people. Two people -- a 54-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man -- were killed, and another, 15-year-old Kristina Shevchenko, was wounded and is in serious condition today.

Songs written or performed by Adele, Arcade Fire, Jon Bon Jovi and Florence Welch are among the 75 songs that the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has deemed eligible for 2013 Oscar consideration. In a change from last year -- when just two songs were nominated -- the five works receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominees for final voting for the award.

Randy Newman's glad he didn't have to do anything drastic to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The members of Rush are choosing to let bygones be bygones. And Quincy Jones, well, he's still mad. All were among inductees announced yesterday by Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers at a news conference in Los Angeles. For most of this year's inductees, inclusion was a long time coming. The 69-year-old Randy Newman said, "I'm very happy. I thought I'd have to die first, but I'm glad I'm around to see it." Newman is joined in the 2013 class by the eclectic group of rockers Rush and Heart, rap group Public Enemy, Queen of Disco Donna Summer and bluesman Albert King. Quincy Jones and his friend Lou Adler enter the hall as Ahmet Ertegun Award winners for their contributions to rock beyond performance. They are being inducted into the hall of fame April 18th in Los Angeles. While Public Enemy was inducted on its first ballot, the ceremony marks the end of a long wait for fans of five of the six acts, who've been eligible for entry for some time. Quincy Jones said in an interview from his home in Los Angeles. " Well, it's about time, man, but I promise you I'm not sitting around worrying about it." Summer, who passed away at age 63 in May, gains entry after six years as a nominee. King, a deep influence on Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn who died in 1992, now takes his place alongside all the other legendary blues guitarists in the hall. Rush, one of the most-played staples of classic rock radio, gained entry following its first appearance on the ballot. But the Canadian trio became eligible in 1998 and was repeatedly left off the list, to the great consternation of its legion of fans who cried bias against prog rock. Heart also waited a decade to make it on the ballot, gaining entry during its second appearance. After years of disappointment, then disinterest, Rush's Alex Lifeson said the band now feels "wonderful" about its entry into the hall and is especially happy for its followers. Jones was less forgiving of the long wait he had. The 79-year-old entertainment icon's fingerprints are all over the hall of fame. He pops up often at key moments in rock 'n' roll history and was even Ray Charles' presenter during the soul singer's induction at the inaugural 1986 ceremony. He never expected to wait so long for his own entry. "I was pissed off about it at first because I saw how it was going down and who was going in and who wasn't," Jones said with a deep laugh. "But I'm used to it, man. I've been around a long time, and I know how it works, you know. It's still an honor, man."

A Santa was fired by a mall in Portland, Maine, after parents complained on the mall's Facebook page. A number of parents complained about various things they didn't like. One mom said Santa refused to have his picture taken with her daughter unless mom bought the $20 photo package -- which the mall had clearly labeled as optional. Another mom said Santa "put his hands on his lap" so that her 6-year-old daughter couldn't get on.

Trivia Answer: Cathleen Roxanne Rigby -- best known as Cathy Rigby -- who turns 60 today. In the mid-1970s, she shattered an old taboo by appearing in a series of TV commercials for StayFree Maxi-pads, thereby earning the distinction of being the first celebrity to endorse a feminine hygiene product. Rigby worked for 18 years as a commentator for ABC Sports and appeared in made-for-television movies.

The Seattle Seahawks' game against the San Francisco 49ers on December 23rd could end up being a battle for the NFC West title. Now the game has been moved to primetime. The matchup was originally scheduled for 1:25 in the afternoon on Fox TV. Now, the NFL announced yesterday, the game has been moved to 5:20 and is being televised on NBC's Sunday Night Football. After destroying Arizona Sunday, the Hawks are 8-and-5 and are the fifth seed in the NFC playoff race. If the playoffs were to begin right now, Seattle would face the No. 4 Giants in New York in a Wild Card game. San Francisco leads the NFC West with a 9-3-and-1 record, giving the Niners a 1.5-game lead over second-place Seattle. But if the 49ers lose to the New England Patriots next week in Foxborough, Mass., and the Seahawks beat the Buffalo Bills in Toronto, San Fran's lead shrinks to just a half-game. If the 49ers enter CenturyLink Field on the 23rd with just a half-game lead over the Seahawks, the teams would be playing for the NFC West title. Depending on Green Bay's and New York's records, the Hawks and Niners could also be playing for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, giving the winner a bye during the Wild Card games. If nothing else, a divisional title would give the Seahawks home-field advantage in a Wild Card playoff game. And Seattle is undefeated this season at the CLink, winning all six home games so far this year.

Today is Big Mama Day, marking the birth on this date in 1926 of Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton in Montgomery, Alabama. A popular blues singer in the 1940s and '50s, she recorded Hound Dog four years before Elvis. Janis Joplin recorded her Ball and Chain. Big Mama died in 1984 at age 57. Today is National Noodle Ring Day. Today is International Mountain Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1946, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established. In 1951, Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from baseball. Playing 13 years only for the New York Yankees, Joltin' Joe's lifetime batting average was .325. His 56-game hitting streak still stands as a record. In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra. In 1958, The Coasters recorded Charlie Brown. In 1964, Sam Cooke was shot to death at the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles. In 1977, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally won an NFL game by defeating New Orleans 33-14. The Bucs had lost their first 26 regular season games, 11 by shutout.

Fleetwood Mac -- Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie but not.Christine McVie (she no longer tours with the band, though she still contributes on occasion to studio efforts) is in the Tacoma Dome on May 20th. Tickets go on sale Monday morning at 10.

Madison Square Garden is set to host 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief tomorrow night. Artists for the evening include Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Eddie Vedder and the Who. It's all to benefit the Robin Hood Foundation which in turn is helping people recover from Sandy. Event producers confirmed that big name celebrities including Twilight's Kristen Stewart, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, and funny-men Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, Chris Rock and Adam Sandler are are among those set to take pledge callson the bill. Joining them are Chelsea Clinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Chastain, Leo DiCaprio, Sean Combs, Billy Crystal, Karlie Kloss, Bobby Moynihan, Susan Sarandon, and Quentin Tarantino. The show is expected to have an audience in the neighborhood of two billion people. It's being streamed free on the Internet, and is being carried live by 37 television networks.

Argo, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty are among the films on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 best films of 2012. Christopher Nolan's final Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, also made the list.

Pet lovers website Pawnation went through the names given to over a million puppies born this year and found the most popular dog names. The most popular female dog name: Bella. The most popular male dog name: Max.

Carrie Underwood has big plans for 2013. She's starring in NBC's live broadcast of The Sound of Music -- based on the original Broadway musical. She's playing the Julie Andrews' coveted role of Maria von Trapp. The three-hour event airs near the holidays in 2013. NBC is partnering with the producers of Smash for the special. They're also producing the upcoming 85th Annual Academy Awards.

This year, Aerosmith released Music from Another Dimension, their first new all-original studio album in 11 years, and now guitarist Joe Perry is saying it might be their last. The rocker told Noisecreep, "We knew we had another record in us, despite what many said, and I make no bones about it, I don't know if we're gonna make another record." Nonetheless, Perry hopes to see the band rocking onstage for years to come. Apparently guitarist Brad Whitford and singer Steven Tyler don't feel the same way as Joe. In fact, they recently said they've essentially already got a head-start on their next album

Jewel is releasing her first ever Greatest Hits album. The 16-track collection spans the singer-songwriter's career so far. It also includes a new song and new versions of two of her songs, with guest vocals recorded by Kelly Clarkson. Check out Jewel's Greatest Hits February 5th.

The White House has joined Pinterest, just in time for the holidays. The image-based social network allows users to post photos and graphics on boards. This month, the White House will use it to display its holiday decorations.

Uncle Sam wants Pamela Anderson. It turns out the Baywatch star owes over 370-thousand dollars in back taxes so she now is facing two liens. The IRS filed one for almost 260-thousand bucks and the State of California filed one to recoup the 112-thousand Pam owes them. Both are for unpaid taxes for 2011. It's not her first time dealing with a tax issue. In 2009, she had a 1.7-million dollar lien against her and even made California's list of Top 500 Delinquent Tax Payers.

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's comments about 47 percent of the population dependent on the government and "binders full of women" topped this year's best quotes, according to a Yale University librarian. Fred Shapiro, associate librarian at Yale Law School, released his seventh annual list of the most notable quotations of the year.

Trivia Answer: Brenda Lee -- Little Miss Dynamite -- who turns 68 today. The biggest selling song of her career? Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. In 1958, when she was 13, Owen Bradley asked her to record a new song written by Johnny Marks, who had had success writing Christmas tunes, most notably Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for Gene Autry) and A Holly, Jolly Christmas for Burl Ives. Lee recorded Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree in July. Decca released it as a single that November, but it sold only 5,000 copies, and did not do much better when it was released again in 1959. In 1960, she recorded her signature song, I'm Sorry, which hit number one on the Billboard pop chart and was her first gold single. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree got noticed in its third release a few months later, and sales snowballed; the song remains a perennial favorite each December and is probably the record with which she is most identified by contemporary audiences.

BOOM! The Seattle Seahawks absolutely destroyed the Arizona Cardinals 58-0 -- yes, that's 58 to zip, zero, zilch -- yesterday at Century Link. Where to start? It was the most points by the Seahawks in franchise history. It was the largest margin of victory in franchise history. Arizona committed eight turnovers. Four of those were interceptions given up by starting quarterback John Skelton, who got yanked shortly after halftime and replaced by rookie Ryan Lindley. Around the same time, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll let starter Russell Wilson take a breather and brought in backup quarterback Matt Flynn to finish out the game. Wilson and Flynn combined for 209 passing yards. Wilson became the first rookie quarterback to start and win his first six games at home since the 1970 merger, Running backs Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, Leon Washington and Michael Robinson combined for 284 rushing yards. Lynch ran for 128 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns. The Seahawks put up 493 total yards against the Cardinals, whose losing streak extended to nine games -- the longest slide for the franchise since 1944. In his postgame comments, Carroll said his team is taking this "as a reward for all their hard work." Seattle improved to 8-and-5 on the season, coming off a big road win against the Bears last weekend in Chicago. An interesting outing for the Seahawks on Sunday as they meet the Buffalo Bills in Toronto. Then coming up on the 23rd, the Seahawks' game against the San Francisco 49ers -- which could end up being a battle for the NFC West title -- has been moved to primetime. The matchup was originally scheduled for 1:25 that afternoon at CenturyLink Field, and was slated to be broadcast on Fox TV. Now, the NFL announced today that the game has been moved to 5:20 and is being televised on NBC's Sunday Night Football.

Monday Night Football tonight has the Houston Texans at New England to face the Patriots.

Today is Do Something Wild and Crazy with Velveeta Day. Today is Chief Red Cloud Day, marking the Sioux leader's death at Pine Ridge, South Dakota, on this date in 1909. A courageous defender of Indian rights, he was the son of Lone Man and Walks As She Thinks.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1953, the first Playboy magazine went on sale featuring the famous calendar shot of Marilyn Monroe. There was no date on the issue. In 1958, the first passenger jet flight took place in the US as a National Airlines Boeing 707 flew 111 passengers from New York to Miami in about two and a-half hours. In 1963, six-year-old Donny Osmond made his singing debut on The Andy Williams Show. In 1981, the New England Journal of Medicine reported a new rare and fatal disease that had killed 95 people, mostly homosexual men. The disease later would be called AIDS. In 1992, Senator Bob Packwood of Oregon apologized for making sexual advances to female employees. He said it was "plain wrong," but he refused to resign.

James Bond showed remarkable staying power as the latest installment of the spy series, Skyfall, captured the box office title and collected $11 million in its fifth week in US and Canadian movie theaters over the weekend. Skyfall won at the box office when it first opened back on November 2nd and is already the best-selling movie in the 49-year old series. The animated Rise of the Guardians finished second over the weekend. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, the box office leader for the past three weeks, finished third. Stephen Spielberg's Lincoln, which chronicles the 16th president's successful fight to pass a constitutional amendment outlawing slavery, took the fourth spot. Life of Pi, director Ang Lee's movie about a boy who escapes a shipwreck but then shares his lifeboat with a tiger, rounded out the top five. Hollywood studios shied away from scheduling major movies this weekend, steering clear of the expected blockbuster The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which is being released on Friday.

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bϋndchen and her New England Patriots quarterback husband Tom Brady welcomed their daughter Vivian Lake Brady on Wednesday. According to TooFab.com, Bϋndchen announced the birth on her Facebook page, saying, "She is healthy and full of life," with a photo of the mother and daughter holding hands. Vivian joins three-year-old big brother Benjamin Brady, and five-year-old big brother John Brady, Tom's son from a previous relationship.

Tabloids have been raging with talk about Prince William and Kate's pregnancy announcement, but Kate has since been admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes in London for a severe case of morning sickness. The rare illness, hyperemesis gravidarum, is statistically related to women pregnant with twins. Kate was discharged from the private hospital on Thursday, but will have to keep a close eye on her condition as it can cause complications in pregnancy. If Kate gives birth to twin girls or twin boys, the firstborn will become the next successor of the throne after her father, but if the twins are a boy and girl, the son would become the successor, regardless of birth order.

Colbie Caillat is a part of the annual Christmas in (the other) Washington special, set to air on TNT December 21st. The show taped this past week and Colbie posted several pictures from the event, including her performance with The Fray, and she revealed she is part of the finale performance where she joins James Taylor, Babyface, Phillip Phillips, and more in singing the last holiday tune.

Phillip Phillips is performing on the holiday TV special Home for the Holidays on CBS on December 19th.

Trivia Answer: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It's told in the first person by Huckleberry Finn, a friend of Tom Sawyer and narrator of two other Twain novels (Tom Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer, Detective). It's a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Perennially popular with readers, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has also been the continued object of study by serious literary critics since its publication. It was criticized upon release because of its coarse language and became even more controversial in the 20th century because of its perceived use of racial stereotypes and because of its frequent use of racial slurs, despite strong arguments that the protagonist, and the tenor of the book, is anti-racist.

The national sports media has been all over Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson this week, after he earned NFC Player of the Week honors for his impressive display last Sunday in Chicago. The latest piece of good news for Seattle fans is the result of an ESPN poll on Twitter. the network asked its followers which rookie quarterback has had the most impressive season this year. Out of the three big names -- Wilson, Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck -- the Seahawks QB was far and away the winner garnering 42% of the vote. Let's hope he keeps it going this Sunday as the Hawks host the Arizona Cardinals Sunday afternoon.

Today is Harry Chapin Day, marking the singer's birth December 7, 1942. His hits included Taxi, WOLD, and Cat's In The Cradle. He received a special Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts to eliminate world hunger. He was killed in a traffic accident in 1981 on his way to a benefit show. Today is National Cotton Candy Day. Today is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, marking the attack by 200 Japanese aircraft against Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing nearly 3,000 on this date in 1941.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1968, history's most overdue library book, Dr. J. Currie's Febrile Diseases, was returned to the University of Cincinnati Medical Library. It had been checked out 145 years earlier by Mr. M. Dodd and was returned by his great-grandson, Richard Dodd. The fine, estimated at $2,264, was waived. In 1980, the Chicago Bears scored nine touchdowns to embarrass the Green Bay Packers 61-7. In 1998, officials of Madame Toussaud's traveling wax museum in Sydney, Australia, finally sewed the zipper up on President Bill Clinton's pants because visitors kept unzipping it. In 2004, singer Jerry Scoggins died at age 93. He sang The Ballad of Jed Clampett, the theme song on The Beverly Hillbillies.

Here's another survey from the Department of the Painfully Obvious. When it comes to shopping for gifts, men are the worst. Men push the deadline, bargain less, and spend too much. Ten percent of guys plan to wrap up their Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.

Gift giving can be stressful around the holidays, as everyone wants to pick that perfect gift. While many people avoid re-gifting, it seems it's becoming more acceptable these days. A new study from the Psychological Science journal says the original gift giver is less likely to be offended than you might expect. The study also revealed that thoughtful gifts didn't necessarily equal a greater appreciation. Some more of the Journal's Science Behind Gifting findings:

• 79% of people surveyed recently by American Express said re-gifting is acceptable.
• A study from Farleigh Dickinson University shows people under 30 are more likely to re-gift than older people.
• According to a poll by Creditdonkey.com, women re-gift 50% more than men.

Love isn't dead. Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman are working on salvaging their marriage after separating in early October. When TMZ asked DeVito how he was adjusting to single life, the actor replied: "It's not something you adjust to. Rhea and I are really close and actually still together. Just separate, but together." Does that mean there's any hope for an official reconciliation? "We're working on it," DeVito added with a smile. DeVito and Perlman have been married 30 years. The couple has three children together, 29-year-old Lucy, 27-year-old Grace,and 24-year-old Jacob.

Actor Stephen Baldwin has been arrested in New York on felony charges of tax evasion. He was taken into custody yesterday after allegedly failing to pay up more than $350,000 in back taxes between 2008 and 2010. If convicted, Baldwin faces up to four years behind bars. He's due back in court in February. This is the latest in a string of legal problems for the star, who filed for bankruptcy in 2009 -- he was arrested in August for allegedly driving on a suspended license and making an illegal turn.

Kramer -- that is actor Michael Richards -- has been cast in a new role. Richards who made a name for himself on Seinfeld but found infamy in calling a heckler the N-word at a 2006 comedy show, is starring in a TV Land series called Giant Baby. The show is about a Broadway star, played by Kirstie Alley, her limo driver, played by Michael, and her assistant, played by Rhea Perlman. The pilot is being shot next week.

TLC is wasting no time in making money off the pregnancy of Kate Middleton. The network has announced a special titled William and Kate: A Royal Baby Story, to air December 16th.

Can you put a price on happiness? A new study says, yes. Skandia International surveyed people from 13 countries to find out what income would make them "truly happy" and the average result was 161-thousand dollars per year. According to MSN Money, that's 15 times the actual global average salary of $10,700. The survey didn't include the US, so a figure for Americans alone isn't available, however the area with the highest price needed for true happiness was Dubai in the United Arab Emirates with an average of $276,150.

A family of secret Santas in North Carolina handed out $100 bills to strangers with the help of local police officers. The family from Charlotte, a couple and their daughter, donned red capes and passed out more than $10,000 worth of $100 bills to strangers Tuesday while being escorted by Charlotte police officers.

A start-up company is offering rides to the moon. Book your seat now -- for $750 million. The company will use existing space hardware for commercial lunar missions. A two-person lunar mission, complete with moonwalking, would cost $1.5 billion.

Tomorrow marks the 32nd anniversary of the day John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in New York City. John Lennon would be 72 years old if he were alive today. Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years to life. He still remains in prison and has been denied parole seven times, the latest denial happening earlier this year.

The band fun. definitely won't be getting any sleep the night before the 55th annual Grammy Awards. They are up for six Grammys. 2012 was a breakout year for the group. fun. Grammy Nominations:

• Album of the Year – Some Nights
• Record of the Year – We Are Young
• Best New Artist
• Best Pop Vocal Album – Some Nights
• Song of the Year – We Are Young
• Best Pop/Duo Performance – We Are Young

Justin Bieber's manager has accused members of the Grammy Awards board of making a terrible mistake by failing to nominate the Biebster ahead of the 2013 awards show. The potential winners were announced at the Grammy Nominations Concert Live event in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday night, with fun., Frank Ocean and The Black Keys leading the pack. Bieber's protegee Carly Rae Jepsen picked up two nominations for, but Justin didn't receive a single nod. After the nominees were announced, Bieber's manager Scooter Braun took to Twitter. In a series of posts, he writes, "First… congrats to Carly Rae Jepsen. Thought u deserved a Best New Artist nom, but proud Call Me Maybe got u 2 noms. So proud of u. Second… this time there won't be any wise words, no excuses, I just plain DISAGREE. The kid (Bieber) deserved it. Grammy board u blew it on this one. The hardest thing to do is transition, keep the train moving. The kid delivered. Huge successful album, sold out tour, and won people over… this time he deserved to be recognized and I don't really have any kind nice positive things to say about a decision I don't agree with. So to all those nominated… you do deserve it. You worked hard and u earned it. (I) just feel like so did JB." The Grammy Awards are being handed out in Los Angeles on February 10th.

Katy Perry is developing a line of signature scents with beauty company Coty Inc. According to The Associated Press, Coty will distribute her new perfumes on a larger scale than the Purr and Meow! scents that Katy previously released. And now comes word that you can soon smell like One Direction! The boys announced on Twitter that they're getting a fragrance. The guys posted that they've been discussing the idea for a while and are very excited for fans to get a hold of the fragrance. And then there's this. The rumors, it turns out, are true. Pizza Hut perfume is a real product, but it's only available in Canada... for now. According to Marketing magazine, the whole thing started out as a joke online. Apparently, people were so enthused at the idea, Pizza Hut and their advertising firm in Canada decided to do a limited release of the fragrance, which is described as "fresh dough with a bit of spice." To commemorate acquiring 100-thousand fans on their Facebook page, Pizza Hut Canada sent a bottle of the perfume to the first 100 fans that messaged them on the social networking page. Your best bet for getting a bottle here in the US might be eBay, but none have popped up for sale just yet.

Trivia Answer: Napster. Napster was co-founded by Shawn Fanning, John Fanning, and Sean Parker. Initially, it was envisioned as an independent peer-to-peer file sharing service. The service, named after Fanning's hairstyle-based nickname, operated between June 1999 and July 2001. Its technology allowed people to easily share their MP3 files with other participants. Its ease of use led to massive copyright violations of music and film media, as well as other intellectual property. At its peak there were 25 million users and 80 million songs, but the system never once crashed. Although the original service was shut down by court order, the Napster brand survived after the company's assets were liquidated and purchased by other companies through bankruptcy proceedings. The original company ceased operations and was eventually acquired by Roxio. In its second incarnation Napster became an online music store. In September 2008, Napster was purchased by US electronics retailer Best Buy for $121 million. On December 1st of last year, pursuant to a deal with Best Buy, Napster merged with Rhapsody. Best Buy received a minority stake in Rhapsody.

The Seattle Seahawks are about to find out how much losing at least one of their top cornerbacks means to their defense. Brandon Browner has dropped the appeal of his suspension for using performance-enhancing substances and will miss the final four games of the regular season. That announcement came from the NFL yesterday. Browner's loss leaves the Seahawks without a Pro Bowl cornerback whose size and physical play has flustered wide receivers for much of the past two seasons. Walter Thurmond, who was a starter for a short time during the 2011 season before suffering a leg injury, is taking Browner's spot. Browner will be eligible to rejoin the team on December 31st and will be able to play in the postseason should the Seahawks make the playoffs. The Seahawks are home Sunday afternoon hosting the Arizona Cardinals.

The Mariners yesterday reportedly reached a one-year deal with 34-year-old outfielder Jason Bay, a three-time All-Star who has batted .269 over his 10-year career and already makes his home in Kirkland. While it seems like a perfect fit for Bay -- he grew up in southeastern British Columbia, played college ball at Gonzaga, and is in the twilight of his career -- time will tell whether the deal works out for the Mariners. Bay is coming off of three disappointing seasons with the New York Mets.

Today is St. Nicholas Day. In many European countries, St. Nicholas brings fruit, cakes, and gifts to all good little children. The name ‘Santa Claus' evolved from St. Nicholas via a Dutch dialect form of the name, Sinte Klaas or Sinterklaas. Today is Miner's Day in West Virginiia. Today is International Bad Hair Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1883, the debut issue of the Ladies' Home Journal was published. In 1923, a presidential address was broadcast on radio for the first time as President Coolidge spoke to a joint session of Congress. In 1960, Thomas Monaghan founded Domino's Pizza. In 1995, vegetarian Linda McCartney, the wife of Paul McCartney, paid $4,600 at a London charity auction to save a prize turkey from the dinner table. Traditionally, the champion bird was purchased and served by a restaurant. In 2003, Army became the first team to finish 0-13 in major college history after losing to Navy 34-6.

Marijuana possession became legal in Washington just after midnight last night. But much of what happens next remains a mystery. The initial steps of Initiative 502 that decriminalized marijuana possession went into effect. Voters approved marijuana decriminalization by a 12-point margin on November 6th. A new driving under the influence rule is ripe for an in-court test. For at least a year, Washingtonians won't be able to legally grow or sell the pot they can now legally buy. And, hanging over it all, federal authorities won't say what their plans are as state leaders attempt to put in place a revolutionary piece of I-502 -- a state system which licenses growers and dealers.

Ken Schram, a familiar face and voice on Northwest television and radio for more than three decades, is leaving KOMO. Schram wrote on his Facebook page yesterday morning, "My position here at KOMO 4 News has been eliminated. Next Monday will be my last commentary. I'd be less than candid if I didn't acknowledge how disappointed I am to have my 35+ year career at KOMO end this way. Still it's been a great run. I don't know what the future holds, but I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all the years that you've allowed me to share."

Familiar faces from classic Seattle sketch-comedy show Almost Live! debut their new show, The (206), on KING and KONG television this January. The half-hour show is being taped live with pre-recorded sketches and premiers January 6th following Saturday Night Live on KING. It replays on KONG. Recording of the first two episodes takes place at Bellevue's Mighty Media Studios on December 29th, according to KING. Those tapings, however, are already sold out. The (206) features Pat Cashman and John Keister, who were part of Almost Live! The show, which had new episodes from 1984 to 1999, became a beloved part of Northwest culture, and has been in reruns after Saturday Night Live since production ended.

A new study released this week says we're spending more time on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites … while on the commode. The research, done by Nielsen and marketing firm NM, reveals details about when and where we're posting and tweeting. Social networking on cell phones and tablets are up, but personal computers are still used the most when it comes to updating your friends. Facebook, Blogger and Twitter remain among the top social networking sites, but Pinterest isn't far behind!. Some more facts from the Nielsen survey: 32% of people 18 to 24 admit to using social networks in the bathroom. Total time spent on social media in the US increased 37% over the past year. Of those 25 to 34, 51% use social networking in the office -- that's more than any other age group

Of course, one must use common sense when using social media unlike a New Jersey man. He was arrested after police said they spotted a picture of him holding an illegal weapon, a sawed-off shotgun, on his Twitter account.

Some things never change. Students at UC Santa Cruz were asked who should propose marriage -- the man, the woman, or does it matter? Two-thirds of men and women said "definitely" the guy should propose. Only 2.8% of the women said they'd "kind of" want to propose.

Some holiday cheer courtesy of Jimmy Fallon, Mariah Carey, and The Roots ....

Trivia Answer: Judd Apatow who turns 45 today. By the way, a sequel to Anchorman is slated to begin production in March. Apatow made his feature directorial debut in 2005 with the hit The 40-Year-Old Virgin which he also co-wrote with the film's star, Steve Carell. His film Knocked Up was released in June 2007 to wide critical acclaim. Apatow wrote the initial draft of the film on the set of Talladega Nights. Apatow is heading back to theaters with This is 40 -- a look at the lives of Pete and Debbie a few years after the events of Knocked Up. The movie is directed and co-produced by Apatow and is set for a December 21st release. 

With their 7-and-5 record and sitting in second place in the NFC West -- hoping for an NFC Wild Card playoff berth -- the Seahawks are back home Sunday hosting the Arizona Cardinals.

Malcolm on Malcolm in the Middle, actor Frankie Muniz is 27 today (Frankie says his last name is pronounced me-YOO-nez). Frankie said yesterday he had suffered a mini-stroke. He posted on Twitter, "I was in the hospital last Friday. I suffered a 'Mini Stroke', which was not fun at all. Have to start taking care of my body. Getting old." Frankie put his acting career on hold six years ago to race cars for a living, and earlier this year he joined a rock band. According to TMZ.com, Frankie took ill in Arizona last Friday when friends noticed he was having trouble speaking and understanding. Mini-strokes usually affect those over the age of 55. They are temporary interruptions of blood flow to part of the brain but do not kill brain tissue, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Word late this morning that jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck has died. Brubeck's pioneering style in pieces such as Take Five caught listeners' ears with exotic, challenging rhythms. Dave Brubeck was 91.

Today is National Communicate with Your Baby Day. Today is Boycott Day, the 53rd anniversary of the city bus boycott in Birmingham by residents protesting the arrest on December 1st of seamstress Rosa Parks. Today is Bathtub Party Day, a day to invite friends over and take turns taking long, hot baths. Today is National Swap A Christmas Cookie Recipe Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1933, US prohibition came to an end as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages. In 1968, Graham Nash quit the Hollies. Three days later, he announced the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash. In 1992, the Denver Post quoted a Department of Energy memo showing that a vital safety system at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant required 43 workers to change a light bulb. In 1994, republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades. In 2002, actor Richard Gere won the Plain English Campaign's Foot in Mouth award in Britain for the year's most baffling celebrity quote. Gere won the award after telling a Sunday newspaper: "I know who I am. No one else knows who I am. If I was a giraffe and somebody said I was a snake, I'd think 'No, actually I am a giraffe."

Eddie Murphy has been named and shamed as Hollywood's most overpaid actor, according to Forbes magazine.The annual list is calculated by weighing a star's paycheck against the money generated by his or her ticket sales at the box office. Considering box office bombs like Imagine That, A Thousand Words, and Meet Dave, Forbes calculated that for every dollar Murphy was paid, they returned an average of just $2.30 at the box office. The poll marks a step in the wrong direction for Murphy, who was second on last year's list behind Drew Barrymore. She fell out of the top 10 this year due to the fact she took time away from making movies to become a mom. Faring slightly better is Katherine Heigl in second place – her most recent films, One for the Money, New Year's Eve, and Life as We Know It, returned $3.40 for every dollar she was paid. Oscar winners Reese Witherspoon and Sandra Bullock are surprising entries at three and four, while funnyman Jack Black rounds out the top five.

Want an edge the next time the Powerball or Mega Millions lottery jackpots get to big numbers? Software developer Mark McCracken says his program, The Lottery Picker, can increase your chances. The software also helps streamline the labor of buying, filling out, and checking multiple tickets. But it'll set you back $140.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has named Francesca Eastwood Miss Golden Globe 2013. The nineteen-year-old Francesca, the daughter of Clint Eastwood and actress Frances Fisher, will escort winners off the stage during the awards show. The 70th Golden Globe Awards are being broadcast on NBC on Sunday, January 13th.

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris obtained a marriage license Tuesday at a courthouse in Beverly Hills.

Reality TV personality Honey Boo Boo has earned a spot on Barbara Walters' annual list of top 10 most-fascinating people.

Neon Trees has announced they are joining this year's festivities in Times Square on New Year's Eve as part of Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve. The group is being joined onstage by Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen, along with host Ryan Seacrest on the East Coast, while Fergie of The Black Eye Peas is hosting the West Coast party with performances by Brandy, Pit Bull, and One Republic.

Dave Grohl's documentary on the legendary Sound City Studios is headed to the Sundance Film Festival for its premiere next month. The film, which marks Grohl's directing debut, features interviews with Trent Reznor, Tom Petty, Krist Novoselic, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Knicks, Corey Taylor, Weezer and members of Rage Against the Machine, just to name a few. The documentary also reunites Nevermind producer Butch Vig with Grohl and Novoselic for the film's score. To get a peek of some of the legends who have recorded at Sound City over the years, head over to SoundCityMusic.com and watch the official trailer.

Cameras haven't even started rolling on the new Marvin Gaye biopic, Sexual Healing, starring Lenny Kravitz as the legendary soul singer, and people are already trying to get the project scrapped. Gaye's son, Marvin Gaye III, who also happens to be a childhood friend of Kravitz, reportedly wants the rocker to walk away from the picture. Why would Marvin's son not want to see a movie based on his father's life? Apparently the film is going to focus on the last few years of Gaye's life when he was living in England and battling financial ruin and alcoholism. Marvin III told TMZ, "The producers and directors of this film are very wrong and shameful … [They're] trying to do a film about a low period in his life. They don't even know the whole story."

Trivia Answer: Walter Elias Disney who was born on this date in 1901. He died of lung cancer on December 15th of 1966.

To keep their playoff hopes alive, the Seahawks desperately needed a win in Chicago on Sunday. And they got one, beating the Bears 23-17 in overtime at Soldier Field. Now with a 7-5 record and in second place in the NFC West, trailing the San Francisco 49ers and hoping for an NFC Wild Card playoff berth, the Seahawks return home Sunday to face the the Arizona Cardinals. And, unbeaten at CenturyLink Field this season, the Seahawks get to play three of their remaining four games in Seattle -- with the other one at a relatively neutral location when they take on the Buffalo Bills in Toronto on December 16th. It should be a fun month or so.

Robert Griffin III has the Washington Redskins within a game of first place, leading a fourth-quarter rally in a 17-16 Monday night victory over the New York Giants.

And a baseball note. We like to check in on Alex Rodriguez periodically. He's expected to miss most of the first half of the 2013 season because of a second hip surgery that is expected to take place in January. The New York Yankees announced in a statement yesterday that A-Rod is having arthroscopic surgery on his left hip to "repair a torn labrum, bone impingement and the correction of a cyst." The team says the recovery time for the surgery is four to six months

Today is Wear Brown Shoes Day. Today is Santa's List Day. Reportedly, Santa and a few of his top elves strive to make the first draft of Santa's Naughty and Nice lists by this day. Then, they review and adjust it, all the way to Christmas eve. Today is Rake Leaves into the World's Largest Pile Day. Then jump into it. Today is Saint Barbara's Day. Traditionally, a young girl places a twig from a cherry tree in a glass of water today. If it blooms by Christmas Eve, she is certain to marry next year.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1987, Madonna filed for divorce from Sean Penn. She changed her mind later in the month, then filed again the following January. In 1991, Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson, the longest held of the Western hostages in Lebanon, was released after nearly seven years in captivity. In 1992, in an effort to prevent hearing loss among its fans, Megadeth distributed 13,000 pairs of earplugs at its concert in San Francisco. In 1997, the National Basketball Association suspended Latrell Sprewell of the Golden State Warriors for one year for choking and threatening to kill his coach, P.J. Carlesimo. In 2006, cats, dogs, even a pig showed up when the Late Show with David Letterman held auditions for stupid pet tricks at Minnesota's Mall of America. Among some 40 pets were a potbellied pig who could bowl, a hand-shaking cat, and a border collie that fetched itself by grabbing its tail in its mouth and taking itself to its owner.

Don't call it a comeback and don't even think of it as a farewell tour. After more than four decades making music, Fleetwood Mac hits the road again next year. But Stevie Nicks says it won't be its last tour, dismissing any notion that the band could be packing away their instruments in the near future. She said, "It's never going to be a final tour until we drop dead," The 34-city tour with dates in the United States and Canada begins April 4th in Columbus, Ohio, and finishes up on June 12th in Detroit. There were no Northwest dates on the original schedule released, however, a press release from Live Nation this morning says Fleetwood Mac is playing the Tacoma Dome on Monday, May 20th. Tickets go on sale Monday, December 17th, at 10 in the morning. The tour coincides with the 35th anniversary of the blockbuster 1977 album, Rumours, which landed the group four hit singles and sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. The album is being reissued with unreleased studio and live recordings, according to Fleetwood Mac. After frequent changes to the lineup since the band formed in London in 1967, the 2013 tour features Stevie Nicks, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, and founding members Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass. Christine McVie no longer tours with the band, though she still contributes on occasion to studio efforts.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are expecting their first child. Buckingham Palace made the announcement yesterday morning. There's no word on how far along the Duchess of Cambridge is, but we do know she is in the "very early stages" of pregnancy. Kate's reps say she actually had to be admitted into the hospital with severe morning sickness. Since William is second in line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, his child will be third in line and will likely one day become monarch.

Staffing firm Accountemps has released their newest list of the Most Annoying and Overused Office Clichés. The firm tells CBS Moneywatch the list comes from its annual survey of executives.

Are you using any of these around the office?

• Leverage
• Reach out
• It is what it is
• Viral
• Game changer
• Disconnect
• Value-added
• Circle back
• Socialize
• Cutting Edge

Yahoo is out with the top searches of 2012. They are (in order): Elections; iPhone 5; Kim Kardashian; Kate Upton; Kate Middleton.

Gotye's Somebody I Used to Know has been named Spotify's Top Song Of The Year. The tune, which sold over 6.7-million copies, was the most streamed song around the world this year. Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe was second and Fun.'s We Are Young was third.

P!nk's latest album, The Truth About Love, leaps 15 spots to number seven on this week's Billboard album chart. The effort has sold over 701-thousand copies since its release. P!nk's single, Blow Me (One Last Kiss), has sold over 1.7-million copies to date.

Things are going from bad to worse for Lindsay Lohan. Fresh off her recent arrest for allegedly assaulting a fellow clubgoer in New York, the IRS has just seized all of her bank accounts in order to repay her huge outstanding tax debt. According to TMZ, not only does Lindsay owe taxes for 2009 and 2010, it turns out that she didn't pay for 2011 either. Even though Charlie Sheen gave her 100-thousand dollars to help with her tax problem, Uncle Sam is tired of waiting for her to give them the rest of the money so the government took it themselves. Source close to Lindsay tell TMZ she is panicking about her finances and is desperately trying to get cash.

This can't be good. Health officials say we're already seeing a spike in flu cases, several months early. The good news, though, is that as of now health officials report this year's flu vaccine seems to be a good match for the strains making people sick.

A New Jersey teen started a petition asking toy company Hasbro to make its Easy-Bake Oven more boy-friendly after her brother asked for one for Christmas. Thirteen-year-old McKenna Pope started a Change.org petition over her 4-year-old brother's love of cooking. McKenna says, "My little brother has always loved cooking. Being in the kitchen is his favorite out-of-school activity, and he yearns for the opportunity to cook on his own." But the toy oven has long been marketed to girls and made in gender specific colors like pink and purple. Pope's petition calls on Hasbro to drop its all-girl advertising so boys like her brother feel comfortable asking for the toy.

Trivia Answer: Marisa Tomei who turns 48 today. Appearing in many films over the past fifteen years, her most commercially successful films to date are What Women Want in 2000, Anger Management in 2003, and Wild Hogs in 2007. She received critical acclaim for her performances in Unhook the Stars in 1996, Slums of Beverly Hills in 1998, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead in 2007. She received Academy Award nominations for her performances in In the Bedroom in 2001 and The Wrestler in 2008. In an interview, Lady Gaga said if they make a movie about her -- Gaga -- she would want Tomei to portray her. Marisa responded saying, "I was thrilled when I heard. I love her. I love her music. And she's a smart businesswoman. So I was so touched, really. I think it's incredible that she likes my work and that she'd think of me."

Russell Wilson connected with Sidney Rice on a 13-yard touchdown with 7:33 left in overtime to lift the Seattle Seahawks to a wild 23-17 victory over the Chicago Bears yesterday. Unbeaten in five home games, the Seahawks finally figured a way to win on the road after dropping five of their first six, and they knocked off the NFC North leaders in the process. This one was dramatic. Seattle took a short-lived lead late in regulation on Wilson's 14-yard pass to Golden Tate, only to watch the Bears boot a 46-yard field goal as time expired to send it into OT. Seattle won the OT coin toss and went on to win. Coming up Sunday, the Seahawks are back in the friendly confines of Century Link field to host the Cardinals.

Monday Night Football tonight has the New York Giants at the other Washington to face the Redskins

The Las Vegas Bowl has a Northwest flavor as Washington and No. 20 Boise State square off for just the second time in the history of the two schools. The 10-and 2 Broncos and 7-and-5 Huskies yesterday accepted invitations to the December 22nd bowl. Washington is heading to its third straight bowl game but is playing in Las Vegas for the first time in the program's 123-year history.

The Stanford Cardinal beat UCLA 27-24 in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night. The win puts Stanford in the Rose Bowl for the first time in more than a decade. The Cardinal is facing Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Wisconsin scored seven touchdowns on their first nine possessions, blowing out Nebraska 70-31 to win their third straight Big Ten title Saturday night. Wisconsin becomes the first five-loss team to play in the Rose Bowl and is the first school to represent the league in three consecutive Rose Bowls since Michigan in the late 1970s.

Alabama defeated Georgia 32-28 in the SEC title game Saturday night, setting up a showdown with top-ranked Notre Dame for the BCS championship in Miami on January 7th. With the win, Alabama goes to 12-1. Georgia drops to 11-2. Notre Dame is 12-0. The latest BCS standings put Notre Dame at No. 1, Alabama at No. 2, setting the title game matchup

The Lynden Lions defense put on quite a show Saturday in the Class 2A state title game at the Tacoma Dome. Lynden knocked off the Tumwater T-Birds 41-7. It's Lynden's second consecutive state championship and their fifth title in seven years.

Montesano beat Royal 43-28 Saturday for its third Class 1A state championship.

Today is Mommy Dearest Day, marking this date in 1978 when the novel Mommy Dearest made the best-seller list. Today is Alka-Seltzer Day, marking its introduction by the Dr. Miles Medical Company of Elkhart, Indiana, on December 3rd of 1931. Its origin was traced to the newsroom of The Elkhart Truth, where reporters mixed aspirin with bicarbonate of soda to ward off winter colds. A Miles chemist added citric acid for taste. Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1929, Ford Motor Company raised the pay of its employees 40 percent despite the collapse of the US stock market. Ford wages went from $5 to $7 a day. In 1947, the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire opened on Broadway starring Jessica Tandy as Blanche and Marlon Brando as Stanley. In 1966, in his first varsity game at UCLA, center Lew Alcindor scored 56 points. As Kareem Abdul-Jabbar he became one of basketball's greatest players. In 1991, 26 Soviet sailors got passes to tour Gulfport, Mississippi. The first place they asked to see was Wal-Mart. In 2003, a man who stole a red Salvation Army kettle was knocked down by a car as he tried to get away. Police said as the man pretended to make a donation in Tucson, he grabbed the kettle, containing about $70. Seconds later he was hit by a car and arrested at the scene. The police investigator called it poetic justice.

The Twilight vampires sucked more money out of theaters over the weekend, leading James Bond, Brad Pitt and the rest of box office pack with $17.4 million in US and Canadian ticket sales and scoring its third weekly win. Bond movie Skyfall starring Daniel Craig grabbed $17 million and held on to second place. Steven Spielberg's historical drama Lincoln, featuring a critically acclaimed performance by Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th president, kept the No. 3 slot with $13.5 million. The top rankings were similar to last week's Thanksgiving holiday weekend. In the No. 4 slot, family movie Rise of the Guardians. Rounding out the top five, survival story Life of Pi took fifth place. Brad Pitt's new movie, Killing Them Softly, bombed with filmgoers who panned it with a rare F grade on average in polling by audience survey firm CinemaScore. The movie landed in seventh place. Upcoming releases such as fantasy prequel The Hobbit and musical Les Miserables, are likely to power 2012 ticket sales to an all-time high, according to industry forecasts.

David Letterman's stupid human tricks and Top 10 lists have been vaulted into the ranks of cultural acclaim as the late-night host received this year's Kennedy Center Honors. Letterman received the honors along with Led Zeppelin and three other artists. Stars from New York, Hollywood and the music world gathered yesterday in Washington DC to salute the comedian and the band, along with Dustin Hoffman, Buddy Guy and ballerina Natalia Makarova. The honors are the nation's highest award for those who influenced American culture through the arts. President Barack Obama hosted the honorees at the White House before they were saluted by fellow performers in a show to be broadcast December 26th on CBS. The surviving members of Zeppelin -- Robert Plant, Jimmy Page,and John Paul Jones -- are scheduled to appear on Late Show with David Letterman tonight.

Thousands of motorcyclists – estimates were right around 16,000 -- were undeterred by unusually poor conditions Saturday, gathering at South Sound Center in Lacey and riding to Marathon Park in Olympia to complete the 35th annual Olympia Toy Run. As usual, co-founder Joe Sullivan was dressed as Santa Claus and led the way across town. Bikers followed the same route as last year, which was changed to improve access to Providence St. Peter Hospital and the new fire station off Lilly Road. Olympia police said there were no incidents at Saturday's Toy Run.

Nickelback frontman and business mogul Chad Kroeger loves being rich, loves the rock star lifestyle, and also loves being famous. That's why he just can't understand why Kurt Cobain was so uneasy and uncomfortable with Nirvana's popularity. Chad revealed his thoughts on Cobain and fame in a recent interview with Bloomberg BusinessWeek, where he equated becoming famous to a simple mathematical equation. He also seemed to be somewhat annoyed at musicians who shy away from the limelight and said, "I always thought it was strange when these artists like Kurt Cobain or whoever would get really famous and say, 'I don't understand why this is happening to me,' there is a mathematical formula to why you got famous." He added that getting famous "isn't some magical thing that just started happening."

This Thursday is Legalization Day here in Washington as the measure allowing adults to possess up to an ounce of pot goes into effect. There's even a tote-your-own-ounce celebration scheduled beneath Seattle's Space Needle. Colorado's law is set to take effect by January 5th.

The palace announced this morning that Britain's Prince William and Catherine Middleton are expecting their first child.

Hugh Hefner and runaway bride Crystal Harris are engaged once again. The 86-year-old Hefner and 26-year-old Harris are reportedly planning to tie the knot on New Year's Eve.

Trivia Answer: Daryl Christine Hannah who turns 52 today. Of her most recent roles, the most memorable is that of the one-eyed assassin in Kill Bill. H/annah has never married. She had a long-term relationship with Jackson Browne from 1982 through 1992. After Browne, she had a relationship with John F. Kennedy, Jr. and was romantically linked with actor Val Kilmer. On June 13th of 2006, Hannah was arrested for her involvement with over 350 farmers, their families and supporters, confronting authorities trying to bulldoze the nation's largest urban farm in South Central Los Angeles. She was among 31 people arrested on June 23rd of 2009 in a protest against mountaintop removal in southern West Virginia, part of a wider campaign to stop the practice in the region. She was arrested on August 30th of 2011 in front of The White House as part of a sit-in to protest the proposed Keystone oil pipeline from Canada to the US Gulf Coast. On October 4th of this year, she was arrested and jailed in Wood County, Texas, for criminal trespassing. She and a local landowner, 78-year-old Eleanor Fairchild, were arrested while again protesting the Keystone pipeline by attempting to block heavy construction equipment. Although they were charged with trespassing, they were in fact protesting on Fairchild's land.