It's the final home game of the year for the Seahawks. It's 12th Man Appreciation Day and they’re handing out 50,000 No. 12 rally towels at Century Link as the Hawks host the San Francisco 49ers tomorrow afternoon at 1:15.

Bowl Season is in full swing. The Huskies do their part coming up next week down in San Antonio. Washington meets Baylor in the Alamo Bowl. Kick-off Thursday night at 6.

Today is Long-Haired Lover Day, marking this date in 1972 when 9-year-old Jimmy Osmond became the youngest recording artist ever to reach No. 1 on Britain’s music charts with Long Haired Lover from Liverpool. Today is National Pfeffernuesse Day, a day to make those spicy cookies that are a Christmas tradition in Europe. Don’t forget to add the Puderzucker. They're just not Pfeffernuesses without the Puderzucker. Today is Popcorn Popping Day.

Calendar notes: It was on this date in 1776 that Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." In 1823, the Clement Moore poem A Visit from St. Nicholas was published in New York. It began "Twas the night before Christmas...." In 1982, actor Jack Webb, Dragnet’s Sergeant Joe Friday died of a heart attack at age 62. Flags flew at half-mast at police stations throughout Los Angeles. In 2003, New York Governor George Pataki posthumously pardoned comedian Lenny Bruce for his 1964 obscenity conviction.

2011 was a huge year for Coldplay, as they released their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto. 2012 will find the band touring across the world with the new. Coldplay's North American tour kicks off on April 17th in Edmonton, Alberta. They're in Seattle on April 25th.

U2 officially has the highest grossing tour of 2011. NME reports that the band grossed $293 million with their 360° tour, where they played 44 sold out gigs and over 2.8 million fans attended the shows in the last year. The tour began in Barcelona in June 2009 and concluded in Canada back in July. Bon Jovi came in second, taking in $193 million in 2011.

Steven Tyler is going to open up on the premiere episode of Oprah Winfrey’s new show Oprah’s Next Chapter. The Aerosmith singer, and American Idol judge, will talk about his drug addiction, his complicated relationships, infidelity and of course, judging America’s favorite talent show. The show is on Sunday, January 1st OWN.

Holiday bits and pieces:

• It’s a Wonderful Life appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.
• Jingle Bells was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
• Holly berries are poisonous.
• More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.
• The world’s largest Christmas wreath, as designated by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1988, was 116-feet in diameter and weighed 9060-pounds. It was constructed at the Clemonsville Christmas Tree Farm in Maryland and was made from fresh evergreens on an oak framework.
• The first animal crackers were not made for eating... they were made as Christmas tree decorations!
• Today, poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant and are the number one flowering potted plant in the United States.
• During the Christmas/Hanukkah season, more than 1.76-billion candy canes are made.
• Due to the time zones, Santa has 31 hours to deliver gifts. This means that he would have to visit 832 homes each second!
• The biggest selling Christmas single of all time is Bing Crosby's White Christmas.
• According to a British survey, 7 out of 10 dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.
• During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the U-S.

Happy and Merry! Thanks for the year that it's been. I do appreciate it. See you next year.

Trivia Answer: Harry Julius Shearer who is 68 today. Shearer describes his experience on Saturday Night Live as a "living hell" and says it was "not a real pleasant place to work." Shearer played Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap. For the movie, there was no script, although there was a written breakdown of most of the scenes, and many of the lines were ad-libbed. It was filmed in 25 days. Shearer may be best known for his prolific work as a voice actor on The Simpsons. Matt Groening, the creator of the show, was a fan of Shearer's work, while Shearer was a fan of a column Groening used to write. Shearer was asked if he wanted to be in the series, but he was initially reluctant because he thought the recording sessions would be too much trouble. He felt voice acting was "not a lot of fun" because traditionally, voice actors record their parts separately. He was told that the actors would record their lines together and after three calls, executive producer James L. Brooks managed to convince Shearer to join the cast. Shearer provides voices for Principal Skinner, Kent Brockman, Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Dr. Hibbert, Lenny Leonard, Otto Mann, Rainier Wolfcastle, Dr. Marvin Monroe and many others.

They're handing out 50,000 No. 12 rally towels Saturday for 12th Man Appreciation Day at Century Link Field. Hawks and 49ers kick it off at 1:15 Saturday afternoon.

Today is Santa Claus Clearance Day, the day the Federal Aviation Administration usually clears Santa Claus for his annual flight. The FAA says Santa’s sleigh is equipped with an in-flight de-icing system for polar routes, a Terrain Avoidance Warning System required for low-altitude flights, and a special seat belt extension for a rotund pilot. Winter began last night at 9:30 here in the northern hemisphere, summer in the southern hemisphere. Today is Chipmunks Day, marking the day in 1958 when Alvin, Simon, and Theodore hit No. 1 with The Chipmunk Song. Today is National Date-Nut Bread Day.

Calendar notes: It was on this date in 1882, the first Christmas tree with electric lights was turned on at the home of Ed Johnson in New York City. He was an associate of light bulb inventor Thomas Edison. In 1963, an official 30-day mourning period following the assassination of President Kennedy came to an end. In 2000, Madonna and film director Guy Ritchie were married in Scotland. In 2006, a report from the Austin Energy power company in Texas revealed about 20 percent of all its power outages were the result of squirrels. The squirrels had a habit of coming into contact with sensitive electrical equipment on utility poles and were likely responsible for nearly 700 area outages a year.

Is host Steve Jones' journey with The X-Factor already over? With less than stellar reviews from critics, a source is now telling UK's The Mirror that Steve could be getting the boot from the show, claiming Fox executives have made that decision a "done deal." The Mirror is also suggesting that judge and mentor Nicole Scherzinger, who replaced Cheryl Cole at the judge's table, could take over for Jones, as she was initially slated to be the show's host. But not so fast -- a spokesperson for X-Factor wouldn't confirm any of the rumors, but instead declared, "No discussions have been had and no decisions will be made about any new contracts until the New Year."

The trouble with trouble is that it usually sounds like fun.

The following was contained in an email sent to me by Roxy night guy extraordinaire Ron Harris:

Yes the rumor is true ... I will take the Polar Bear Plunge at Long Lake if we hit 1000 "Likes."

Ron :)

So while you're here on line, take a moment and hit our FaceBook page and give us a "Like" and let's see Ron do a cannonball into Long Lake on New Year's Day.

Trivia Answer: Gregory Jack Biffle -- Greg Biffle -- who turns 42 today. Greg and his wife Nicole now live in Mooresville, North Carolina. The couple welcomed a daughter, Emma Elizabeth, this past July.

At midseason, the Seattle Seahawks were a joke with most of the talk being about which top 10 draft position they might land. Now they might be the team no one in the NFC wants to see slip into the playoffs. The Hawks returned to practice yesterday after winning for the fifth time in six games by routing Chicago 38-14 on Sunday, keeping alive their slim hopes of the playoffs. It's a remarkable turnaround from the first half of the year and perhaps more of an accomplishment than a year ago, when Seattle made the playoffs with a 7-9 record. They've already matched last season's win total with two games remaining. And Seattle needs both of those victories to even have a shot at sliding into a most unlikely playoff berth, beginning on Saturday when they host San Francisco. The 49ers hammered Seattle 33-17 in the season opener. Seahawks-49ers at Century Link Saturday afternoon at 1:15.

There's a report from CBSSports.com that the Mariners have made an offer to free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder. Fielder is the biggest prize remaining on the free-agent market after Albert Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels. The Mariners have been named as potential suitors for weeks, but the team doesn’t appear to have the payroll room to add a player who will command up to $20 million a season. However, the left-handed hitter is a good fit for Safeco Fielder and he has a relationship with Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik, who drafted him when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Today is Humbug Day. Today, everyone is allowed 12 "bah humbugs." 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 1913, the first crossword puzzle was published. It was in the New York World. In 1941, the last NFL point by drop-kick was scored when Chicago's Ray McLean drop-kicked an extra point during the NFL Championship game against the Giants at Wrigley Field. The Bears won 37-9. The drop-kick is still legal. 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 wasn't made an agent, but his photo with Nixon is the most requested reproduction from the National Archives, more than the US Constitution. In 2000, President-elect George W. Bush resigned as governor of Texas. Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry was sworn in to replace him.

Metallica just celebrated 30 years as a band and some of their contemporaries have recorded some video tributes to say congratulations. U2 poked fun at Metallica’s 2004 documentary Some Kind of Monster, by recording a fake therapy session about how they’ve always felt inferior to the metal band. Aerosmith, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beavis and Butt-head and more have also recorded clips congratulating Metallica on their three decades as a band. Check the videos out now at Metallica.com.

Debra Messing and her husband, Daniel Zelman, are getting a divorce. The pair was married for 10 years and has a seven year-old son together. According to People.com, the couple separated earlier this year. Debra and Daniel met when they were students at New York University and dated for eight years before tiring the knot.

Betty White is turning 90 on January 17th and the day before her big day, NBC is throwing her a party. Hugh Jackman, Mary Tyler Moore, Jay Leno, and more are all gathering for Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl. William Shatner and Carol Burnett are also appearing on the birthday salute. January 16th on NBC.

Gavin DeGraw is taking part in CBS’ Home for the Holidays tonight.

Rebecca Black's infamous Friday video has topped all other YouTube videos of 2011 with 180 million views. The video-sharing site announced its most-viewed clips of the year yesterday. The 14-year-old Black was turned into a viral video celebrity after her parents paid a production company to make the music video for her. Friday became an unlikely, off-key global hit. Because of a legal dispute with Ark Music Factory, the video has had two YouTube incarnations, both of which were tabulated in the year-end count. The second most popular video was Ultimate Dog Tease, in which an owner taunts a dog with food and voices its reactions. Third was the Saturday Night Live digital short featuring Michael Bolton as a rabid Pirates of the Caribbean fan.

Kelly Clarkson is starting the year off right. Kelly's performing on Saturday Night Live January 7th. Former basketball player, Charles Barkley, is hosting.

Adele is reportedly leaving London to help preserve her voice. NME reports that the singer, who is recovering from vocal cord surgery, wants to leave her home city so she can save her throat from pollution. A source close to the singer reportedly said that she is going to live in the country for a bit to help preserve her famous singing voice.

Trivia Answer: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was based on a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first to be produced by Walt Disney and Walt Disney Productions, and the first in the Walt Disney Animated Classics canon. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of only two animated films to rank in the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American films of all time in 1997 (the other being Disney's Fantasia), ranking number 49. It achieved a higher ranking (#34) in the list's 2007 update, this time being the only traditionally animated film on the list. The following year AFI named the film as the greatest American animated film of all time. In 1989, the film was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Were John Madden a stock analyst, today we would have gotten one of trademark BOOMs. Stocks surged as concerns about the European debt crisis eased and investors welcomed signs of strength in the housing market. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 331 points, or 2.8%, according to early tallies. The S&P 500 jumped 36 points, or 3%. The Nasdaq gained 80 points, or 3.2%. Investors focused on positive headlines out of Europe, including an upbeat reading on German consumer confidence and a surprisingly strong auction of Spanish debt. Traders were also looking ahead to the results of a key lending program by the European Central Bank tomorrow. The ECB announced a series of "non-standard" measures earlier this month designed to boost liquidity for European banks struggling to secure funding in the wholesale market.

On Monday Night Football last night, they had a tough time keeping the lights on at Candlestick Park and in the end, it was lights out for the Pittsburgh Steelers. About 25 minutes before scheduled kickoff time, the stadium went dark due to what a 49ers spokesman said was an apparent transformer failure outside of the stadium. The power went out again at the 12:13 mark of the second quarter. The 49ers went on to dispatch the Steelers, 20 to 3. Saturday, the Seahawks host those same San Francisco 49ers at Century Link.

Lady Gaga has been named the Entertainer of the Year by The Associated Press. Gaga narrowly edged out the late Apple founder Steve Jobs by three votes. Many others received numerous votes, including Taylor Swift, Charlie Sheen, Adele and the cast of Harry Potter. Previous winners of the AP Entertainer of the Year include Betty White, Taylor Swift, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. Gaga had a stellar year, selling over 1.1 million copies of her Born This Way album in just one week, she also won three Grammys in February and two MTV Video Music Awards. She visited the White House and appeared as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Gaga also collaborated with a number of music legends, including Elton John on the SAG and Golden Globe-nominated song Hello, Hello from Gnomeo & Juliet, Tony Bennett on The Lady Is a Tramp and Cher The Greatest Thing, which has not been released yet.

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 1946, the film 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 guitarist Bernie Leadon. 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 the judge sometimes forms duets, trios and quartets. Most offenders sing either Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

With no prenuptial agreement to protect his NBA fortune, LA Laker star Kobe Bryant could lose as much as 40-million dollars in his high-profile divorce from Vanessa Bryant. According to Hollywood Life. com, the couple's marriage lasted just over ten years, which means Vanessa could attempt to receive alimony for longer than usual, potentially resulting in her getting half of his NBA profit. Vanessa filed for divorce last week, and is asking for custody of their two daughters and spousal support, which Kobe has agreed to pay.

The most annoying word of the year is… you know, like, whatever. Americans voted, and they're most annoyed by people who drop "whatevers" every couple of sentences. Almost as bad? The folks who add "likes" as verbal fillers every few words, not to mention "you knows." Rounding out the top five phrases you shouldn't use are "seriously" and "just sayin'." The Marist Poll surveyed 1,026 adults in November and asked which of those phrases irked them most. Researchers report 38 percent hate "whatever" most, and 20 percent said "like" is the worst. That's the same first and second choices as last year, but 2010′s third-most-annoying phrase was "you know what I mean." Researchers broke their findings down by region, revealing that here in the west, our opinions are in line with the national average.

The AAA auto club reports the average price of gasoline in Washington is $3.46. It's one of those good news/bad news deals. It's good that it's down seven cents in a week in the state, but not so good that it's 24 cents higher than the national average. Some metro prices from yesterday's AAA survey: Bellingham $3.54, Bremerton $3.43, Seattle-Bellevue-Everett $3.51, Tacoma $3.40, Olympia $3.44, Vancouver $3.42, Yakima $3.44, Tri-Cities $3.39, and Spokane $3.41.

A man in Atlanta has hauled in a million-dollar lottery payday for the second time in just three years. Fifty year old Delma Kinney recently won a $1 million dollar prize playing the instant game Super Millions. In 2008, Kinney also won $1 million playing another instant game.

Trivia Answer: Queen Victoria, who was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 20th of 1837 until her death on January 22nd of 1901. Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward. She inherited the throne at the age of 18 after her father's three elder brothers died without surviving legitimate issue. Publicly, she became a national icon, and was identified with strict standards of personal morality. Elizabeth II was born April 26th 1926 -- she'll be 86 in April. Her coronation was in 1953 following after her father's death.

Red Bryant's path was clear to the end zone. There were just 20 yards for the 323-pound defensive end to travel with the ball after an interception that highlighted a stellar defensive day for the Seattle Seahawks. Bryant's go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter -- Seattle's second score in a span of 50 seconds -- sent the Seahawks to a 38-14 rout of the Chicago Bears yesterday. The Seahawks made it a miserable day for Chicago backup quarterback Caleb Hanie. He threw three of his team's four interceptions, was sacked four times and was under strong pressure much of the day. Marshawn Lynch broke 1,000 yards rushing for the season and scored for the 10th straight game with two TD runs. The Hawks are down to the final two regular season games of the year. First up, they host the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, then on New Year's Day, they're at Arizona to face the Cardinals. We get a preview of the Hawks' next opponent tonight at the 49ers are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.

The Colts got their first win and the Packers suffered their first loss – and both on the same weekend. The Kansas City Chiefs rallied for a shocking 19-14 victory yesterday that ended the Packers' 19-game winning streak. It was the Pack's first loss since December 19th of last year at New England. Mean while, the Indianapolis Colts avoided their first 0-and-16 season thanks to a a 27-13 win over playoff hopeful Tennessee yesterday. It was the Colt's first win this year without Peyton Manning, and all it took was 14 tries and three quarterbacks.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is dead, according to North Korean state TV. The state TV said the 69-year-old Kim died Saturday. The son of Kim Il Song, the founder of the communist nation, Kim Jong Il had been in power since 1994 when his father died of a heart attack at age 82. The enigmatic leader was a frequent thorn in the side of neighboring South Korea, as well as the United States. There have been reports in recent years about his health, as well as that power will be transitioned to his son, Kim Jong Un.

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 1843, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published in England. In 1975, advertising executive and storyteller C.W. McCall earned a gold record for his novelty hit Convoy, a single about truck drivers and their run-ins with the law. It reached #1 on both the country and pop charts. In 1997, Titanic, the highest-grossing movie in history, opened in North American theaters. In 1998, President Bill Clinton became only the second US president to be impeached when the House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment, charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice. In the subsequent trial, however, he was acquitted.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows led at the box office over another underwhelming weekend that saw ticket sales fall from last year. Robert Downey Jr.'s follow-up to the 2009 hit Sherlock Holmes pulled in an estimated $54.7 million around the world -- that included $40 million from the United States and Canada, where the movie topped the domestic charts. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, the third film in the family franchise, rung up a global total of $38 million in sales, including a second-place domestic finish of $23.5 million. Overall, the domestic box office repeated a sluggish trend of recent weeks and dashed hopes for a major kickstart before a crush of big-budget Christmas films hits theaters.

Evanescence singer Amy Lee says Adele is her favorite artist of 2011. Lee tells MTV News, "I think this was, big time, her year and I'm just so happy to see her succeed the way she has. I know she got a bunch of GRAMMY nominations…and it's awesome. It's been cool to watch her succeed, because it's just someone who's truly talented, no gimmicks involved." Lee also chose Adele's smash single "Rolling in the Deep" as her song of the year.

After her record-breaking run of number one singles, MTV has named Katy Perry their MTV First Artist of the Year. A panel of seven experts, who work at MTV, voted Perry the top artist. She beat out Adele, who they gave Top Song of 2011 for Rolling in the Deep. This year, Perry tied Michael Jackson's Bad as the only albums to yield five number one singles

US shoppers spent 15 percent more in online holiday buying compared to last year, after what may have been the busiest week of the season, research firm comScore said yesterday. Shoppers spent $30.9 billion online from Nov. 1 through Dec. 16, up from $26.9 billion at the same point last year. Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is still the largest online shopping day ever, according to comScore. Sales for that day rose 22 percent from last year to $1.25 billion. Cyber Monday sales topped $1 billion for the first time last year.

Tonight VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul airs on VH1. Kelly Clarkson, Mary J Blige, and more perform on the special, which includes a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse.

In a short video and an extensive data site, Google Zeitgeist takes us back ... and shames us with what we searched for in 2011. This year we searched Google for answers about Rebecca Black, Steve Jobs, Google+, and the nonexistent iPhone 5. Last week, Google released its annual list of "the searches that compose the year's Zeitgeist -- the spirit of the time." Google compiles its Zeitgeist reports by scouring billions of Google searches around the world and identifying the fastest-rising queries. You can delve deep into the data at its Zeitgeist 2011 website, and/or just watch its year-in-review video of top search topics. Topping the search list of world-captivating things: Rebecca Black, famous for a much-mocked music video. Next on the Top 10 list are Google+, deceased Jackass star Ryan Dunn, acquitted murder suspect Casey Anthony, Battlefield 3, the nonexistent iPhone 5, Adele, Fukushima I Plant, Steve Jobs, and the iPad2.  Check it out:

The growing scrutiny of the rich dominated this year's best quotes, according to a Yale University librarian who anointed the Occupy Wall Street protesters' slogan -- "We are the 99 percent" -- as the year's best. Fred Shapiro is an associate librarian at Yale Law School. He has released his sixth annual list of the most notable quotations of the year. The list:

1. "We are the 99 percent." -- slogan of Occupy movement.

2. "There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there -- good for you! But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for." -- US Sen. candidate Elizabeth Warren, speaking in Andover, Mass., in August.

3. "My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress." -- Billionaire Warren Buffett, in a New York Times op-ed on August 15th.

4. "I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy." -- Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman in an August 18th tweet.

5. "Oops." -- Presidential candidate Rick Perry after unsuccessfully attempting to remember the third federal agency he would eliminate during a November 9th debate.

6. "When they ask me, 'Who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan?' I'm going to say, 'You know, I don't know. Do you know?'" -- Then-presidential candidate Herman Cain in an interview by Christian Broadcasting Network on October 7th.

7. "I am on a drug. It's called 'Charlie Sheen.' It's not available because if you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body." -- Actor Charlie Sheen in a February interview with ABC News.

8. "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow." -- Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' last words on Oct. 5, as reported by his sister Mona Simpson in her eulogy.

9. "I can't say with certitude." -- Then-US Rep. Anthony Weiner on June 1 when he was asked whether a lewd photograph was in fact him.

10. "Instead of receiving the help that she had hoped for, Mr. Cain instead decided to provide her with his idea of a stimulus package." -- Lawyer Gloria Allred on November 7th discussing Herman Cain's alleged sexual harassment of her client.

Trivia Answer: Jennifer Beals who turns 48 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." 

The Seahawks are in the midst of playing four consecutive games on four different weekdays. The week before last they had the Thursday night game. Their last game was on Monday. They next play this Sunday. Next weekend they play on Saturday. This Sunday, they're in Chicago to face the Bears. Kick-off at 10 Sunday morning.

Tim Tebow is one of the most-talked about figures in sports today. The quarterback of the Denver Broncos has engineered some amazing late game heroics over the past seven weeks, which has left most experts scratching their heads. The New York Post caught up with the former Florida Gator and being the hard-nosed journalists that they are, they got to the bottom of it all. It turns out Tebow's favorite actor is Will Smith, and his favorite actress is Jennifer Aniston. He added that musically, he likes Rascal Flatts and U2.

Tomorrow night, Jimmy Fallon is hosting Saturday Night Love. Michael Buble is the musical guest.

The Man Will Never Fly Society holds its annual "seminar" tonight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It always meets the day before the anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight. Today is Barbie and Barney Backlash Day, the one day each year when Mom & Dad can tell the kids that Barbie and Barney don't exist. Today is Underdog Day, saluting the underdogs, the unsung heroes, the #2 folks who contribute so much to the #1 people we hear about. Today is Stupid Toy Day. Today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.

Calendar notes: It was on this date in 1973 that O.J. Simpson became the first NFL back to rush 2,000 yards in a season. In 1980, Colonel Harland Sanders died at 90. He founded Kentucky Fried Chicken at age 66, and sold it four years later for $2 million. In 2004, Britain's highest court ruled the government could not detain foreign suspects indefinitely without trial. In 2006, a nervous grandmother mistakenly put her 1-month-old grandson through an X-ray machine at Los Angeles International Airport. A startled security worker noticed the shape of a child on the monitor and immediately pulled him out. Doctors at a local hospital said he did not receive a dangerous dose of radiation.

If Christmas were left up to men, how would it be different? A third of the men surveyed say women make too much of a fuss about Christmas and if left up to them, would do a much better job. For one thing, 40% of men said they would cancel visits to the in-laws

According to a UK study, loud music makes people drink more alcohol. The research indicates that alcohol tastes sweeter when loud music is playing and the noise makes it harder for people to work out how much they are drinking.

The first piece of debris from the March 11th tsunami in Japan -- a large black float -- has been found on the Washington coast, and it could just be the leading edge in a torrent of flotsam from the catastrophe. The debris, which is slowly making its way across the Pacific in huge masses, includes fishing boats, houses and possibly parts of human bodies, according to Seattle oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer. He says much of the debris will likely begin washing up on the Washington coast in about a year. The first piece of tsunami debris to reach Washington was found on a Neah Bay beach two weeks ago according to Ebbesmeyer and his colleague Jim Ingraham. Since then, the two researchers, known as DriftBusters Inc. -- who have used flotsam to track wind and water currents in the Pacific since 1970 -- have learned that the black, 55-gallon drum-sized floats also have been found on Vancouver Island. Tons of debris washed out to sea when a tsunami struck northern Japan after a massive magnitude 9.0 earthquake March 11th. Many ocean models have shown that the massive congregation of flotsam that washed away from devastated Japanese coastal cities is in the middle of the Pacific and won't make landfall in the US for another year or two.

Madonna has signed a three album deal with Interscope Records and is releasing her first album in five years in March. The first single from the effort, Gimme All Your Luvin, is being released the last week in January before she takes the stage at the Superbowl Halftime show on February 5th. Madonna's upcoming film W.E., which is nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, is scheduled for a wide release on February 3rd.

MTV News reports that Tom Cruise has signed on for the sequel to Top Gun. Cruise says he is working on the follow-up to the 1986 hit movie and is looking forward to working with director Tony Scott again. Cruise spoke further saying, "We all want to make a film that is in the same kind of tone as the other one and shoot it in the same way as we shot Top Gun."

Trivia Answer: Steven Bochco who is 68 today. In the mid-60s, Bochco went to work for Universal Pictures as a writer and then story editor on Ironside, Columbo, McMillan & Wife and others. He left Universal in 1978 to go to MTM Enterprises where he had greater scope for producing. His first effort there was the short-lived CBS police drama Paris, notable as the first show on which James Earl Jones played a lead role. He achieved major success for NBC with the police drama Hill Street Blues. It ran from 1981 to 1987 and Bochco was credited as co-creator and also wrote and produced. The series was nominated for a total of 98 Emmy Awards throughout its run. Bochco was fired from MTM in 1985 following the failure of Bay City Blues Bochco then moved to 20th Century Fox where he co-created and produced L.A. Law which aired from 1986 to 1994 on NBC. This series was also widely acclaimed and a regular award winner. In 1987, Bochco co-created the half-hour dramedy Hooperman which starred John Ritter. Hooperman was part of a lucrative deal with ABC in 1987 to create and produce ten new TV series, which prompted Bochco to form Steven Bochco Productions. From this deal came Doogie Howser, M.D.and the 1990 musical flop Cop Rock, which combined straight police drama with live-action Broadway singing and dancing. It was one of his most high-profile failures. After a lull, Bochco co-created the long-running NYPD Blue with David Milch. It ran from 1993 to 2005. Initially controversial, the show was created with the express intention of changing the nature of network one-hour drama to compete with the more adult fare broadcast on cable networks.

The Seahawks are on the road this weekend meeting the Bears in Chicago Sunday morning at 10:00.

CBS, Fox, and NBC have officially extended their NFL rights for the next ten years. According to Variety, the three networks have inked a deal with the National Football League that runs through the 2022 season.

Today is Trivial Pursuit Day, honoring Canadians Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, who created the game on this date in 1979. Today is National Lemon Cupcake Day. Today is Bill of Rights Day. The first 10 amendments to the US constitution became effective when Virginia ratified on this date in 1791. Today is Cat Herders Day, for people who say their job, or their life, is like trying to herd cats. Today is Coonskin Cap Day, marking the debut of Davy Crockett on TV's Disneyland on this date in 1954. Within weeks, millions of kids were wearing coonskin caps (though the real Davy, himself, never wore one).

Calendar notes: On this date in 1941, singer Lena Horne recorded her classic Stormy Weather for Victor Records. In 1944, a small plane carrying band leader Glenn Miller disappeared on a flight from England to Paris. Forty years later a British bomber crew admitted they had accidentally dropped bombs onto Miller's plane over the English Channel. In 1950, a 221-foot Douglas fir, the tallest cut Christmas tree on record, was hoisted at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle.

"The Protester" has been named Time's Person of the Year for 2011. The magazine cited dissent across the Middle East that has spread to Europe and the United States, and says these protesters are reshaping 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. Last year, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg got the honor. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke received the honor in 2009. The 2008 winner was then-President-elect Barack Obama. Other previous winners have included Bono, President George W. Bush, and Amazon.com CEO and founder Jeff Bezos.

The Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning. We'll find out who the winners are on January 15th. Ricky Gervais is hosting the show. Winners this past January included The Social Network, The Kids Are All Right, Boardwalk Empire, and Glee.

Here comes the last full weekend for Christmas shopping.

Lady Gaga towered over other female musicians in 2011, heading a list of top earning women with an estimated $90 million in income, according to a Forbes.com survey released yesterday. Gaga made more than double her nearest rival -- Taylor Swift who earned about $45 million. Katy Perry is next on the list with $44 million. Beyonce's 2011 income dipped to an estimated $35 million, mostly because of her relatively small amount of touring this year, but was good for 4th place. Rihanna rounded out the top 5, earning an estimated $29 million.

Though she separated from husband Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore has yet to change her Twitter handle and remains @mrskutcher for now. With more than four million followers on the site, it's no surprise the actress is receiving some backlash over the decision, which prompted her to tweet, "changing my twitter name isn't a top priority right now. sorry it bothers so many of u." Demi and Ashton separated back in September.

A new study published by the American Psychological Association found mothers with jobs tend to be healthier and happier than stay-at-home moms. Employed mothers enjoy better overall health, fewer symptoms of depression, and are also just as involved in their child's school.

Two women from Orange County, California, have been charged with forging a $285,000 check from the law firm where one of them worked. They forged the check to hire a private jet and fly to New York City for a shopping spree. The money was used for the jet, five rooms at a Times Square hotel, and some shopping at New York jewelry stores.

Don't expect a new album from Adele anytime soon. She tells Billboard it'll be a few years before she records again. Adele says, "I imagine I'll be 25 or 26 by the time my next record comes out, as I haven't even thought about my third record yet." Adele will continue to tour behind 21 next year, but says she'll likely take some time off after saying, "I'll disappear and come back with a record when it's good enough. There will be no new music until it's good enough and until I am ready."

Wanna know what's on the minds of Americans? Look at what they're searching for on Google. This holiday, Google says it's seeing a big jump in searches for "fake snow" or "faux snow" -- up 25 percent in a year. Not surprising since, so far, it's been a mild winter.

Trivia Answer: Don Johnson -- who was born Donnie Wayne Johnson -- who turns 62 today. He was Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice which led him to huge success and fame. The 90s cop series was Nash Bridges. Johnson played the title role of Nash Bridges, a detective for the San Francisco Police Department and worked alongside Cheech Marin. In the late 1960s, Johnson was in a psychedelic rock band called Horses. Also in the band were future members of the band Kingfish, which featured Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir. The band put out one self-titled record on the White Whale label in 1969. In addition to that, Don released two albums of pop music in the 1980s, one in 1986 and the other in 1989. His single Heartbeat, the title track from his first album, reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

When Pete Carroll looks back at his second season in charge in Seattle, he can be impressed by a midseason turnaround after the Seahawks discovered a long-absent running game and a youthful defense that improved throughout the season. With three weeks left, Seattle is one of the hottest teams in the league thanks to a young, stingy defense and the continued success of running back Marshawn Lynch, who topped 100 yards for the fifth time in the last six games on Monday night with 115 yards on 23 carries and had his ninth straight game with a touchdown. The Hawks are on the road this weekend meeting the Bears in Chicago on Sunday.

Jim Mora figures he can only fill his knowledge gaps about college football through hard work and repetition. That's why UCLA's new coach planned to start recruiting last night, right after the Bruins introduced him as the latest savior for their beleaguered program. Mora made no outlandish promises. The former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks head coach only vowed to make UCLA fans proud of a football team that hasn't reached the Rose Bowl in 13 seasons.

Today is Ditch the Dishes Day. Organizers are encouraging you to go out to eat and dirty up someone else's dishes instead. I'm betting the 'organizers' are in the restaurant biz. 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. Today is South Pole Discovery Day. Roald Amundsen with four companions and 52 sled dogs visited the Pole on this date in 1911. It may have been there before that, but nobody really knows. All 5 men and 12 dogs returned to their base camp safely. Just over a month later, 4 other men led by Capt. Robert Scott visited the Pole on January 17th, but none survived the return trip. So the South Pole has yet to become a tourist attraction.

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 1959, research released at Ohio State University revealed that the overwhelming favorite music of teens 14 to 18 years old was rock 'n' roll. It was also the least favorite of those aged 19 to 70. In 1977, the movie Saturday Night Fever opened in New York, and the sale of polyester leisure suits skyrocketed. The soundtrack album sold 25-million copies worldwide. In 1988, after losing its first 17 games, the Miami Heat defeated the LA Clippers 89-88.

Donald Trump says he is pulling out of a Republican presidential debate he had agreed to moderate in Iowa. The Donald announced yesterday that he was stepping back in order to preserve the option of running for president in case he's not satisfied that the eventual Republican nominee can defeat President Barack Obama. The conservative website Newsmax was to host the debate December 27th but the debate has been in jeopardy ever since Mitt Romney signaled he would not participate. Other candidates bowed out. Only Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum agreed to take part.

For the 19th year, Barbara Walters interviews some of the year's top newsmakers tonight. Interviewees include the Kardashian family, Simon Cowell, Modern Family stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, Derek Jeter, Donald Trump, Katy Perry and Pippa Middleton. The most fascinating person of the year is revealed during the special.

Trivia Answer: Nostradamus who was born on this date -- December 14th -- or on December 21st of 1503. Most academic sources maintain that the associations made between world events and Nostradamus's prophecies are largely the result of misinterpretations or mistranslations (sometimes deliberate) or else are so tenuous as to render them useless as evidence of any genuine predictive power.

Doug Baldwin picked a national stage to remind the rest of the NFL what they passed up in last April's draft. Baldwin, an undrafted rookie out of Stanford, blocked a first-quarter punt that was returned by Michael Robinson 17 yards for a touchdown, then caught a 29-yard TD pass from Tarvaris Jackson in the third quarter as the Seattle Seahawks pulled away for a 30-13 win over the staggering St. Louis Rams last night. Seattle is now 6-and-7 and won for the fourth time in five games. The Hawks kept alive their slim hopes of reaching the postseason. The Seahawks would likely need to win out to potentially make the playoffs a reality, but they're at least back in the conversation after a 2-6 start. Marshawn Lynch topped 100 yards rushing for the fifth time in the last six games, finishing with 115 on 23 carries. He scored a touchdown in his ninth straight game on a 16-yard run with 2:57 left to put away Seattle's 13th win in its last 14 games against the Rams. Seahawks fans threw Skittles into the end zone as Lynch celebrated his ninth rushing touchdown this season, and he tied a franchise record with nine consecutive games with a TD. The Hawks meet the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Four Army aviators were killed last night in an accident involving two helicopters at a Joint Base Lewis-McChord training area. The accident happened sometime after 8 here in Thurston County. Investigators are working now to determine what caused the crash. Names of the dead have not been released pending notification of next of kin plus 24 hours, in accordance with Defense Department policy. Our thoughts and prayers go to the family, friends and loved ones of the soldiers, and to the entire JBLM community.

A Stage One Burn Ban is now in effect for Thurston and Mason Counties and continuing at least through the end of the week. Under a Stage 1 Ban, no burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves, and all outdoor burning is prohibited, even in areas where outdoor burning is not permanently banned. Additionally, no visible smoke is allowed from any wood stove or fireplace, certified or not, beyond a 20-minute start-up period. Olympic Region Clean Air Agency staff are continuing to monitor the situation to determine when the burn ban can be lifted.

Today is Violin Day. Today is Count the La's in Deck the Halls Day, so you can tell everybody you know how many la's there are. Careful not to count the fa's. Today is New Calendar Day, time to pick up the 2012 model.

Calendar notes. On this date in 1835, Phillips Brooks was born in Boston. He became an American Episcopal clergyman and produced ten books of sermons. But most of us remember the song he wrote in 1868 for the children of his Sunday School. That song was O Little Town of Bethlehem. In 1978, the US issued the Susan B. Anthony dollar, the first US coin to honor a woman. It still circulates, but not much. In 1985, Phil Collins made his acting debut on TV. He played a drug dealer on Miami Vice. In 2000, George W. Bush claimed the presidency a day after the US Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida. Al Gore conceded and called for national unity.

It's been a tough week for celebs and technology. First there was that Alec Baldwin deal with his smartphone and American Airlines. Now comes word that Charlie Sheen's been forced to ditch his old cell phone number after accidentally posting it on his Twitter account as he tried to send a private message to Justin Bieber. Charlie was attempting to reach out to Bieber via the social networking site last week and sent him a note with his contact number -- but Sheen made a mistake and actually tweeted the post to his 5.5 million followers. The message, which read, "310-954-7277 Call me bro. C", was quickly posted online by fans -- and they immediately started dialing the actor's number to see if it was really him. Sheen was eating dinner at a restaurant in Las Vegas at the time of his Twitter mishap -- and was forced to switch his phone off after it failed to stop ringing.

According to a British survey, one in three Brits will go into debt this Christmas. Why? According to the chief executive of a charity organization, it's marketing. He believes TV advertisements give the impression that you're not a good parent if you don't buy your children everything they want.

Reality television star Richard Hatch has been released from a Rhode Island prison after serving a nine-month sentence for failing to pay back taxes. Hatch served six weeks at a state minimum-security facility as a transition after spending most of his sentence in federal prison.

A story of comedians Tom and Dick Smothers is being made into a feature film. George Clooney is one of the producers.

Trivia Answer: Ben Bernanke who turns 58 today. Bernanke was a tenured professor at Princeton University and was chair of the Department of Economics there from 1996 to September 2002, when he went on public service leave. From 2002 until 2005, he served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Here he outlined the Bernanke Doctrine and first spoke of the Great Moderation, where he postulated that we are in a new era, where modern macroeconomic policy has decreased the volatility of the business cycle. He then served as Chairman of President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers before President Bush appointed him to be Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve on February 1st of 2006. Bernanke was confirmed for a second term as Chairman on January 28th of 2010, after being nominated by President Barack Obama.

Tim Tebow did it again. He led the Broncos to yet another comeback victory, with Matt Prater's 51-yard field goal with 8:34 left in overtime giving Denver a 13-10 win over the Chicago Bears yesterday. It was Denver's sixth straight win, and half of them have come in OT since Tebow was promoted to starter.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers did it again and in the process embarrassed the Oakland Raiders. The Pack routed the Raiders 46-16 yesterday. The Packers brushed aside a playoff contender by halftime to win their 19th straight, moved a game away from clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs -- and at 13-and-0 kept the possibility of a perfect season squarely in sight.

The Seahawks had the weekend off. They're back in action tonight hosting the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football.

Coaches' heads have begun falling around the NFL. First this morning, the Kansas City Chiefs fired coach Todd Haley. Not long after that news came word that the Miami Dolphins fired their head coach Tony Sparano.

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.

Calendar notes: It was on this date in 1899 that 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 1938, Adrian College set a Division-2 NCAA basketball scoring record for field goals in a game with none. They missed all 28 shots. They did make four free throws and lost to Albion 76-4. In 1957, deejay Al Priddy of KEX in Portland, Oregon, was fired for violating the radio station's ban against playing Elvis Presley's White Christmas. Conservative religious groups didn't think Elvis was righteous enough to sing Christmas songs. 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 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.

The romantic comedy New Year's Eve topped the domestic movie box office over the weekend but Hollywood had little to celebrate as North American ticket sales slumped to their lowest level in three years. New Year's Eve took the top spot with a disappointing $13.7 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters. New adult comedy The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill as a reluctant babysitter, finished second with an estimated $10 million. The latest Twilight movie, winner of the past three weekends, slipped to third place. The Muppets landed in fourth place. Arthur Christmas, a 3D animated family film that explains how Santa delivers presents around the world in one night, landed if fifth place. Overall ticket sales in the US and Canada came in down nearly 16 percent from the same weekend a year ago. Studios are hoping to turn that around in the coming weeks by cramming several big-budget action movies into theaters around Christmas. They include Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

I'm thinking Santa visited Adele a little early this year. First on Friday, Billboard announced that she was the first female singer to be named the magazine's top artist, have the top album (with 21), and score the top single (Rolling in the Deep), all in the same year. Adele was followed in the top artist group by No. 2 Rihanna, No. 3 Katy Perry and No. 4 Lady Gaga. Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Bruno Mars rounded out the top ten. On top of all that, it was just announced that Adele is officially the first artist to secure three milestones on the iTunes music chart. She has 2011's top-selling single, top-selling album and has been named iTunes Artist of the Year. But wait -- there's more. Adele is also up for six Grammy awards for her 21 album. We'll see how many she takes home when the big show airs on Sunday, February 12th on CBS

Lindsay Lohan's purse went missing Saturday night at a party in Hawaii. For awhile the purse, her passport, important probation documents and a lot of cash were missing. Yesterday she got it all back -- all but $10,000 in cash.

A once-unwanted cat with 26 toes has come to the rescue of an animal shelter in need of a new home. The orange-and-white tabby named Daniel is helping the non-profit Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center raise money to relocate to a new building. Normal cats have 18 toes, but Daniel has two extra on each foot due to a genetic mutation called polydactylism. Officials at the center found out their rent at a Milwaukee-area mall was being doubled on January 1 so the shelter is buying a new building and is seeking small donations of $26 -- or $1 per toe.

A town in south Wales has beaten its own record for the number of elves gathered in one place -- with over 900 of Santa's helpers coming together. Bridgend, a population of around 40,000, even beat out New York City, which tried to set the record but came up short. To qualify as an elf, people had to turn up wearing their own red or green costumes.

Trivia Answer: Keiko who starred in the first of three Free Willy movies. The plan to return him to the wild was a topic of much controversy. Some felt his years of domestication made such a return impossible. Nevertheless, the next step in the plan happened in September of 1998, when he was flown to Klettsvik Bay in Iceland. His day-to-day care became the responsibility of the Ocean Futures Society. He underwent training designed to prepare him for his eventual release, including supervised swims in the open ocean. During one of these "walks" his trainers lost track of Keiko in the open ocean off Iceland on July 11, 2002. Keiko was finally spotted 870 miles away off the coast of Norway. In September, he followed a fishing boat to Halsa in Norway where he allowed fans to play with him and crawl over his back. Marine biologists found him hungry and having lost weight during his ordeal in the North Atlantic. Several days later his handlers arrived and soon thereafter enticed him to a nearby bay, hoping to discourage his interaction with humans. They hoped a passing pod of orcas would "adopt" Keiko and lead him back to the open ocean. The pod of orcas never appeared, forcing his trainers to continue to feed and care for Keiko. Keiko died from pneumonia while in the wild December on this date in 2003. He had beached himself in the morning and died. He was 27 years of age. Following requests from fans of the orca and Free Willy, the Oregon Coast Aquarium held a memorial service for him on February 20, 2004. 700 people attended the service.

Degenerate gamblers will bet on anything -- with the possible exception of a Monday Night Football game between the Seahawks and St. Louis Rams. The 5-and-7 Seahawks host the 2-and-10 Rams in a borderline-meaningless game Monday. Richard Gardner is the sportsbook manager at Bodog.com. He says several factors are contributing to the lack of action on the game. He says, "With (Rams quarterbacks Sam) Bradford and (Jay) Feeley both being questionable, and the fact that the game is on the West Coast, this game is pacing to be the lowest bet Monday Night Football game since I have been at Bodog (which is over 10 years)." Most sportsbooks don't even have the game on their boards because of uncertainty about who will play quarterback for St. Louis, but the Seahawks are likely favored by about 4.5 points. It's easy for an NFL team to become irrelevant in the standings, but becoming irrelevant at the sportbooks is almost impossible -- but we may have achieved that status.

Oregon State defensive tackle Fred Thompson died Wednesday night after he collapsed while playing basketball at a campus recreation center. Thompson, just four days shy of his 20th birthday, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis, where he was pronounced dead. Thompson, 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds, was a true freshman from Richmond, Calif., who played at Oakland Tech High School. He was part of the 2010 recruiting class but delayed his enrollment until this January. He spent this season recovering from shoulder surgery and was considered a grayshirt.

Not a great day for Mariners fans yesterday as we sat and watched our division foes, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, beef up. Three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols agreed to a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Angels. LA also agreed to a five-year, $77.5 million contract with C.J. Wilson, who was considered the top starting pitcher on the free-agent market. So we'll get to see a lot of Albert and C.J. over the next few years.

David Letterman's Top Ten List this morning dealt with how to tell if your local news anchors have been drinking. The list was prompted by the contents of this video:

Today is Christmas Gift Memory Day, a time to remember the all-time favorite Christmas gift you received and what happened to it. What about the gift you are most glad you gave, and can you top it this year? Today is Search High and Low For Your Gingerbread Recipe Day. Today is National Pastry Day. Today is Christmas Card Day. Today is National Salesperson's Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1907, the first Christmas Seals went on sale at the Post Office in Wilmington, Delaware. Funds from the sale went to fight tuberculosis. In 1956, at Sun Records in Memphis, a quartet of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded Big Boss Man, Blueberry Hill, Peace in the Valley, That Old Rugged Cross, Isle of Golden Dreams, and I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone. In 2002, when Madison police tallied up their donated teddy bears to console children at crime and accident scenes, they realized 2,000 of the 3,000 bears were paid for with donations from the Fox Lake Correctional Institution. Inmates had donated $626, enough to purchase 2,000 surplus bears with the help of a Wisconsin marketing company.

Good news for Coldplay fans. The band has announced a North American tour for this Spring. They kick off their trek in Canada April 17th and then head to the US on the 24th. They're hitting Washington, California, Texas, New Jersey and more. They play Key Arena April 25th. Tickets for that show go on sale one week from tomorrow.

ESPN's Erin Andrews has refiled her 10-million dollar lawsuit, stemming from that 2008 incident in which she was filmed in a hotel, without her knowledge. Andrews was nude when she was filmed and is demanding 6-million dollars from the West End Marriott and 4-million bucks from Michael Barrett, the man who did the filming. Andrews refiled the lawsuit in order to avoid the statute of limitations running out on the suit. She originally filed last year.

Not surprisingly, the death of Osama bin Laden was the top topic discussed on Facebook around the world this year. But the number two topic may be a bit of an upset -- it was the Green Bay Packers. Of all the status updates posted by some 800 million people, the Pack's Super Bowl victory in February was discussed more than the death of Steve Jobs and the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to a study by Facebook's team of data scientists.

According to TMZ, Nadya Suleman has reportedly landed a six-figure deal to star in her own Internet show. The Octomom is expected to host live shows via Ustream every Sunday and address various topics including parenting, fitness, nutrition, shopping on a budget and crazy rumors. Details are sparse, but the show is scheduled to launch later this month.

Tomorrow night, Katy Perry is hosting Saturday Night Live with musical guest Robyn

Train is performing on the Biggest Loser next week. The Grammy Award-winning band is playing the theme song they wrote for the NBC show Tuesday night. Tuesday also happens to be the season finale of The Biggest Loser.

Mitt Romney has picked Kid Rock's Born Free as the theme song for his presidential campaign, according to the Detroit News. Romney is a Detroit native, like Kid Rock, and is the son of former Michigan governor George Romney. The Kid has been a supporter of the Republican Party in the past. His camp had no comment about the campaign's decision to use Born Free, which is the title track to Kid Rock's Platinum-selling 2010 album.

According to UK newspaper The Sun, Lady Gaga is afraid that she is going to die the same way as Lady Diana. The article reports that Gaga sees herself as a "pop version" of the royal icon, who died in a car crash while being chased by photographers in Paris, France in 1997. The source quoted in the article says that Gaga has had dreams about dying the same way as her and has genuine fears that her fame could literally kill her. Meanwhile, Gaga is reportedly planning a massive 450 date world tour. So apparently, it's not a paralyzing fear.

Actress Jennifer Aniston and her ex-husband Brad Pitt would be the preferred guests at a holiday meal for many Americans, along with the Duchess of Cambridge. Aniston, the former Friends star, topped the list with 30 percent in a survey that asked Americans which celebrity they would like to sit next to at a holiday meal. Pitt polled third with 16 percent, while the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, came in second with 21 percent. Actors Charlie Sheen and Ashton Kutcher and reality television star Kim Kardashian rounded out the top choices. But when it came to party guests, food doyenne Rachel Ray was the person chosen by 31 percent of people, followed by late night talk show host Jay Leno, who was a distant second at 17 percent. Celebrity chef Paula Deen was named as the cook most people wanted to prepare their holiday meal. Cantankerous chef Gordon Ramsey came in second, while Martha Stewart was third. The poll, conducted by retailer HomeGoods, questioned 1,008 Americans in an online survey in October.

With only 18 days left in December, the editors at TIME and Rolling Stone have just released their picks for the best albums of 2011. From a hip hop stance, Jay-Z and Kanye West's historic joint LP Watch the Throne appears on both lists and surprisingly, Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, Ultra was also made the cut. Here's who else had great projects this year:

TIME's Top 10 Albums of 2011
1. Adele, 21
2. Florence and the Machine, Ceremonials
3. Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne
4. PJ Harvey, Let England Shake
5. Frank Ocean, Nostalgia, Ultra
6. tUnE-yArDs, W h o k i l l
7. Caitlin Rose, Own Side Now
8. The Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part II
9. Civil Wars, Barton Hollow
10. Black Keys, El Camino

Rolling Stone's Best Albums of 2011
1. Adele, 21
2. Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne
3. Paul Simon, So Beautiful or So What
4. Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues
5. Radiohead, The King of Limbs
6. Lady Gaga, Born This Way
7. The Decemberists, The King Is Dead
8. Wilco, The Whole Love
9. Wild Flag, Wild Flag
10. Robbie Robertson, How to Become Clairvoyant

Trivia Answer: Richard Marvin Butkus – Dick Butkus – who turns 69 today. He was forced to retire after multiple knee injuries in 1973.He became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. He played nine seasons in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. Billed at 6 ft 3 in, 245 lbs., he was one of the most feared and intimidating linebackers of his time. Since his career as a player, Butkus has become a well known celebrity endorser, broadcaster, and actor. He has appeared in films such as The Longest Yard, Necessary Roughness, Any Given Sunday, and Johnny Dangerously. He's also made countless appearances in television programs.

The Seattle Seahawks are off again this weekend. The second weekend in a row as they had that Thursday night game last week and now have a Monday night game coming up. The Hawks host the St. Louis Rams Monday.

Not a great day for Mariners fans as we sat and watched our division foes, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, beef up. Three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols agreed today to a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Angels. LA also agreed to a five-year, $77.5 million contract with C.J. Wilson, who was considered the top starting pitcher on the free-agent market. So we'll get to see a lot of Albert and C.J. over the next few years.

M*A*S*H* and Dragnet star Harry Morgan has died. The actor passed away at his home in Los Angeles yesterday, after suffering from pneumonia. He won an Emmy for his role on M*A*S*H*. Harry Morgan was 96

Dobie Gray died in his sleep at his Nashville home Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. He recorded the timeless hit Drift Away in 1973. Drift Away was recorded by Uncle Kracker – with an assist from Dobie Gray -- in 2003 and became a hit again. Dobie Gray was 69.

Barbara Orbison, the widow of rock n' roll legend Roy Orbison, passed away Tuesday from pancreatic cancer. Mrs. Orbison died on the 23rd anniversary of her husband's death, surrounded by her sons at a Los Angeles, California hospital. Roy and Barbara were married in 1969, and they remained together until his death in 1988. She is being buried next to her husband at Westwood Village Memorial Park in L.A. Barbara Orbison was 60.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has been named Entertainment Weekly's Entertainer of the Year. That announcement coming yesterday, capping a successful 2011 for the 22-year-old Radcliffe. He took his final turn as the boy wizard in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2, the last installment of the film franchise, earlier this year. The film crossed the $1 billion threshold at the global box office as our favorite wizard battled evil for the last time. Radcliffe also broke out of his magical role to take on Broadway in the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, stepping into the shoes of stage veterans Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick and receiving positive critical reviews for his performance. Radcliffe was joined on Entertainment Weekly's list of entertainers of the year by British singer Adele and X-Men actor Hugh Jackman. The full list is available on newsstands tomorrow.

Today is John Lennon Remembrance Day, marking this date in 1980 when Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon in New York City. Today is Winter Flowers Day. Tonight is Be Someone's Pillow While You Watch TV Night. Today is National Brownie Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1980, during Monday Night Football, reporter Howard Cosell announced that singer John Lennon had been shot to death on the steps of his home in New York City (listen to the clip above). In 1993. President Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect at the start of 1994. In 1998, the US Supreme Court ruled that police cannot search people and their cars after merely ticketing them for routine traffic violations. In 2002, a mother took her toddler son to court in Glasgow, Scotland, after officials refused to accept they had made a mistake by charging him for speeding. Lawyers, court officials and police fell over laughing when 16-month-old Jay Mack appeared in court and tried to climb into the witness chair. His $326 speeding fine was immediately cancelled. Police said a man caught for speeding obviously gave them the false name, which happened to be the toddler's.

Adele's train of success keeps on rolling. Yesterday, Rolling Stone magazine named her album 21 and single Rolling In The Deep the best of 2011. Adele got six Grammy nominations last week. She was chosen by Rolling Stone editors for her multi-platinum selling sophomore album --- officially the UK's best selling album of the 21st century and 2011's best-selling album in the United States. Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne, came second on the album list, followed by Paul Simon's So Beautiful or So What at No. 3, Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues at No. 4 and Radiohead's eighth studio album The King of Limbs rounding out the top five. The full list is available on newsstands and online on Friday.

Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Donovan, Laura Nyro and The Faces are all being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year. The annual ceremony is in Cleveland on April 14th. Fans of Guns N' Roses are anxious to see if the ceremony reunites the original line-up of the band. Axl Rose recently said that decision was still "up in the air." The event will also mark the first public appearance from the Beastie Boys since member Adam "MCA" Yauch announced that he had cancer in July of 2009. The show is being filmed by HBO and is expected to air sometime in May.

Trivia Answer:  Kimila Ann Basinger -- Kim Basinger -- who turns 58 today. Her name is pronounced bay-sing-er, though it's often mispronounced bass-in-jur. She was also in the movies 9½ Weeks in 1986 and 8 Mile in 2002. She met her second husband, Alec Baldwin, in 1990 when they played lovers in The Marrying Man. They married on August 19th of 1993, and appeared in the remake of The Getaway in 1994. They played themselves in a 1998 episode of The Simpsons, in which Basinger corrects Homer Simpson on the pronunciation of her last name and polishes her Oscar statuette. Basinger and Baldwin have a daughter, Ireland Eliesse Baldwin. They filed for divorce in January 2001, and it was finalized in February 2002. Since then the couple have been in a contentious custody battle over their daughter.

New Washington State coach Mike Leach said yesterday that some people have been asking him why he wanted to take over a downtrodden program in a remote town in the Pacific Northwest. His response? Leach said, "I think that's a stupid question." Leach was at a rally where he was introduced as the new head Coug yesterday. He said, "You can win here and win big, I believe." Leach was hired last week to replace Paul Wulff, who was fired after going 9-40 in four seasons at the helm at Washington State. Leach has been out of coaching the past two seasons. But he was 84-43 at Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to 10 bowl appearances in 10 seasons, before being fired in 2009 amid allegations he mistreated a player with a concussion. Yesterday, he thanked Washington State athletic director Bill Moos for hiring him and he thanked the coaches who came before him for laying the foundation for success. He said he is contacting his former assistant coaches at Texas Tech as he seeks to fill out his staff. Leach said it's too soon to say whether he will keep any of Wulff's assistants. Leach will make $2.25 million per year in salary and other guaranteed income. His contract also includes bonus payments for things such as winning the Pac-12 championship or going to a BCS bowl that could push his pay to over $3 million. That includes $25,000 for winning the Apple Cup against archrival Washington. Washington State could not have afforded Leach without revenue from a new Pac-12 television contract that, Moos said, will eventually pay each school up to $20 million per year.

Seattle Seahawks rookie guard John Moffitt was suspended for four games without pay yesterday for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. The league announced the suspension begins immediately even though Moffitt is on injured reserve and out for the season with a right knee injury. He will not be paid for the final four weeks of the season. Moffitt's agent said that Moffitt's suspension was due to his use of a prescription drug used to treat hyperactivity. The agent said Adderall -- the drug that Moffitt used -- is banned under the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, unless a player has pre-approval from the league. Moffitt lacked that league approval, resulting in the suspension. The agent said there are no plans to appeal the suspension because of the strict nature of the league's policy. He said any appeal could potentially carry the suspension over into next season and that it was best to serve the suspension now since Moffitt was already done for the year because of the knee injury. Moffitt underwent surgery to repair the ligaments just before Thanksgiving. The agent emphasized the suspension was not for a substance like steroids. The Seahawks are back in action on Monday when they host St. Louis.

Good news from Joint Base Lewis-McChord yesterday. JBLM says the final large group of its soldiers returning from Iraq landed at McChord Field yesterday afternoon. The 170 soldiers are members of medical and artillery units who have been deployed since June and July. The Army says about 100 JBLM soldiers remaining in Iraq are returning individually or in small groups on commercial flights.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It's 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. Today is Harry Chapin Day, marking the singer's birth December 7th of 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 concert. Today is National Cotton Candy Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1941, the fictional radio station WKRP In Cincinnati supposedly first signed on the air just as Pearl Harbor was being bombed. In 1963, during the Army-Navy game, videotaped instant replay was used for the first time in a live sports telecast as CBS re-showed a one-yard touchdown run by Army quarterback Rollie Stichweh. Navy won 21-15. 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 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.

After all his claims of innocence and facing years in prison, Rod Blagojevich let his lawyers make an admission that he has so far avoided -- that he is, in fact, guilty of public corruption. The former Illinois governor gets a chance to do the same today, when he's scheduled to address the judge who is deciding his sentence. Judge James Zagel signaled yesterday he may be prepared to impose a stiff prison sentence, saying he thinks Blagojevich lied when he told jurors he never tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat for campaign cash or a top job. Throughout the first day of his two-day sentencing hearing, the impeached executive-turned-reality TV star known for his jocular personality was somber and ill-at-ease, staring down at the floor. The conciliatory tone came as something of a surprise -- just days after defense filings that, as many times before, stridently declared Blagojevich's innocence and said he had been duped by aides but never intended to cross any lines into illegality. If Blagojevich gets the 15 to 20 years in prison, he would become the most severely punished public official in state history. Blagojevich's sentencing comes just days before his 55th birthday and three years to the week of his December 9th, 2008, arrest. The jury deadlocked in his first trial, agreeing on just one of 24 counts -- that Blagojevich lied to the FBI. Jurors at his retrial convicted him on 17 of 20 counts, including bribery.

UPDATE: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison today on corruption convictions. Blagojevich was accused of trying to profit as he considered whom to appoint to succeed Barack Obama when the president vacated his Senate seat to move to the White House. Blagojevich was convicted of corruption in June after a jury returned 17 guilty verdicts against him. During his sentencing hearing, Blagojevich apologized to his state, his family and the judge, saying he is "unbelievably sorry."

Another note from after we were off the air this morning, Emmy-winning actor Harry Morgan, who played Col. Potter on television's M*A*S*H has died. He was 96.

Guns N' Roses, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Beastie Boys are among this year's inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The hall made the announcement this morning. Joining those acts are posthumous inductees, 1960s singer-songwriter Laura Nyro and producer Don Kirshner, who died earlier this year. Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan is also being inducted. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony returns to its home in Cleveland this year for its 27th annual event. The event has often been held in New York City, including the 2011 ceremony. Other inductees named for 2012 include the British group The Small Faces/The Faces, Freddie King, Cosimo Matassa, Tom Dowd, and Glyn Johns. The ceremony is being held April 14th.

A cannonball fired as part of an episode of MythBusters missed its mark and hit a house and car in Dublin, California, yesterday. The six-inch steel projectile was launched from an Alameda County bomb range but misfired, careening off a hill before going through a home and then coming to rest in a parked minivan, according to sheriff's Sgt. J.D. Nelson. No one was hurt. The cannonball was supposed to have passed through several barrels of water and a cinderblock wall, Nelson said. But the cannon lifted up from its intended trajectory, and the cannonball missed the water, instead hitting the wall and a nearby hill before crashing through the home and vehicle, he said. Jasbir Gill, whose 2000 Toyota Sienna was damaged, expressed relief that his family wasn't injured. But he said he was angry about what had happened. Gill said he was home with his three children, ages 8 to 13, when a neighbor came over, reporting what she believed to be vandalism by someone throwing rocks at his minivan. Gill peered inside and found the cannonball, which shattered the right front passenger window and hit the dashboard before coming to rest on the vehicle's floor. MythBusters has used the site in about 50 previous episodes.

Alec Baldwin was involved in a dispute with an American Airlines flight attendant yesterday and asked to disembark an airplane because he was playing a smart-phone word game before departure. In a statement, Baldwin's spokesman said, "Alec was asked to leave the flight for playing 'Words with Friends' while parked at the gate. He loves WWF so much that he was willing to leave a plane for it, but he has already boarded another AA flight.." Baldwin took to Twitter with several posts addressing the incident, as well as supporting rival United Airlines. Alec tweeted, "Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving." He also tweeted "Last flight w American. Where retired Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950's find jobs as flight attendants." Baldwin's tweets and his spokesman's statement came after a passenger on the flight from Los Angeles International Airport to New York City, posted on Twitter, "On an AA flight at LAX. Alec Baldwin removed from the plane We had to go back to the gate. Terrible that everyone had to wait." An official with American Airlines declined to comment citing customer privacy. A TMZ report says the captain made the call to have Baldwin removed after he slammed a lavatory door.

Though it didn't come out until late October, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson has already reached the top of Amazon's best-seller list, and is now the best-selling book of 2011.

Robert Downey Jr. has spilled the beans: He and wife Susan are having a baby boy.

Having already tested the model in a handful of its shops in the Pacific Northwest, five to seven Starbucks coffee shops in the Chicago area are expanding their menus to sell wine and beer by the end of 2012.

Trivia Answer:  The company was 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 Best Buy for $121 million. Abbout a week ago, on December 1st, pursuant to a deal with Best Buy, Napster merged with Rhapsody. Best Buy receives a minority stake in Rhapsody.

Seven-and -9 probably isn't going to cut it this year, but the Seattle Seahawks are, technically, still alive in NFC the playoff race. San Francisco clinched the NFC West title this week, but the Seahawks, at 5-and-7, are still mathematically in the hunt and have a chance -- however slim -- to sneak into a wild card spot. Of course, much would have to happen in their favor. First of all, Seattle has to win its remaining four games -- home against the Rams, at Chicago, home against the 49ers and at the Cardinals -- in order to finish 9-7 and give itself a realistic chance. And it also needs a whole bunch of losses for the four non-division-leading teams ahead of it in the NFC -- the Bears (on a two-game losing streak), the Falcons, the Lions (on a two-game losing streak) and the Giants (on a four-game losing streak). The Hawks are back in action Monday night when they host the St. Louis Rams.

Ron Santo was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame yesterday, chosen by the Veterans Committee almost a year after the Chicago Cubs third baseman died hoping for the honor. Santo -- a Seattle native and Franklin High graduate -- drew 15 votes from the 16-member panel. It took 75 percent -- 12 votes -- to get chosen. Santo was a nine-time All-Star, hit 342 home runs and won five Gold Gloves. He was a Cubs broadcaster for two decades. Santo is being inducted into Cooperstown on July 22nd, along with any players elected by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America on January 9th.

Adweek released the top five most shoplifted items during the holiday season and some of the things on the list may surprise you. The number one target for thieves is filet mignon, while the second most-stolen item is Jameson Irish Whiskey. Electric items ranging from power tools to toothbrushes come in at number three, while Gillette Mach 4 razors are number four. The new iPhone 4s is the fifth most-stolen item of the season.

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. The first church in what would become New York City, built by the Dutch in 1624, was named for Sinterklaas. Today is Miner's Day in West Virginia. Today is International Bad Hair Day.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1790, the US Congress moved from New York to Philadelphia. In 1923, a presidential address was broadcast on radio for the first time as President Coolidge spoke to a joint session of Congress. In 1973, Gerald Ford was sworn in as vice president, succeeding Spiro Agnew. In 2002, actress Winona Ryder was sentenced to community service for stealing more than $5,500 in merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. In 2003, Army became the first team to finish 0-13 in major college history after losing to Navy 34-6.

Would you rent toys for your kids? Toygaroo wants to do for parents what Netflix has done for movie lovers. Four toys every other month for $25 a month.

Two time Oscar-winner, Meryl Streep, and four others were saluted at the Kennedy Center Honors over the weekend in Washington D.C. Writer and director Nora Ephron spoke on behalf of Streep and said that her talent, versatility and resemblance to Hillary Clinton made it "inevitable" that she would one day play the secretary of state and former first lady. Streep stood up to get a good look at Clinton, who was in the audience. The Kennedy Center Honors also paid homage to Neil Diamond, Barbara Cook, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins. The program airs on CBS on December 27th.

Katy Perry, Amanda Knox, the Kardashian family, Simon Cowell and more have made Barbara Walter's The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011 list. Paula Abdul. New York Yankee Derek Jeter, Donald Trump and Kate Middleton's sister/royal wedding breakout star Pippa Middleton are also will being featured on the special. The number one most-fascinating person is being announced on the primetime special December 14th on ABC.

Rumors of a film version of 24 have been flying around since the show ended in 2010. But a source says a script is in the works and the film plans to shoot in April.

Grammy winner Michael Bublé premieres his very first holiday special, A Michael Bublé Christmas, tonight on NBC. The singer is joined by special guests Justin Bieber, Kellie Pickler, Oscar the Grouch, and The Office's Ed Helms for a little comic relief.

President Barack Obama has announced his Christmas vacation to Hawaii -- for a 17-day trip. Obama heads to Honolulu on Saturday December 17th until Monday January 2nd.

Adele is reportedly using a voice-generating app on her smartphone to communicate after recently undergoing surgery on her vocal cords. Word is she's using the device, which reads out messages that she types into her phone. Adele is supposedly using the app to order coffee and order taxis.

Lady Gaga is planning an enormous world tour for 2012. Gags is reportedly getting ready to make a huge announcement about her upcoming trek, which will once again take her across the world. A source claims that Gaga wants to try and play 450 dates in support of her Born This Way album, which means she'll be out on the road for well over a year.

Katy Perry is nominated for two Grammy Awards for her song Firework. The former number one hit is up for Best Pop Solo Performance and the coveted Record of the Year. Perry won the Video of the Year VMA for the clip for the song. The 54th Annual Grammy Awards air live on February 12th on CBS.

Women exercising indoors cause up to $2 billion in accidental damage each year, as they increasingly give up gym memberships and use game consoles. The popularity of basic home gyms, exercise videos and game consoles have caused the cost of damage to the home caused while exercising to increase.

Police in Splendora, Texas, on the outskirts of Houston, are looking for a couple of thieves who got away with a laptop, a TV, a Wii game system and a digital camera. They have pretty good photos of the thieves because they snapped pictures of each other with the digital camera before taking it to a pawn shop.

Trivia Answer: Steven Wright who is 56 today. Numerous lists of jokes attributed to Wright circulate on the Internet, sometimes of dubious origin. Wright has stated, "Someone showed me a site, and half of it that said I wrote it, I didn't write. Recently, I saw one, and I didn't write any of it. What's disturbing is that with a few of these jokes, I wish I had thought of them. A giant amount of them, I'm embarrassed that people think I thought of them, because some are really bad."

No. 15 Baylor and Washington are set to meet in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on December 29th. The Bears finished the season with five straight wins for their longest streak since 1991. Washington is in a bowl for the second straight year under third-year coach Steve Sarkisian. Baylor and Washington are playing for the fifth time but first since 1965. The Bears have won three of the four previous meetings. The Alamo had the first choice of Pac-12 teams that didn't receive BCS bids. The Alamo chose Washington over California. The Golden Bears were also 7-5 but finished a game behind the Huskies and Utah in the Pac-12 North. Last year, the Huskies beat Nebraska 19-7 in the Holiday Bowl.

Oregon is celebrating its third straight conference championship. The eighth-ranked Ducks' scored a 49-31 victory over UCLA in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game Friday night. With the win, the Ducks earn a trip to the Rose Bowl. UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel paused before Bruins fans at Autzen Stadium and tipped his hat. The former UCLA quarterback was fired last week after four seasons at his alma mater. Neuheisel was fired following last weekend's 50-0 loss to No. 9 Southern California, It was one in a wave of coaching moves in the conference. Around the time he was fired, Arizona State let go of Dennis Erickson. Washington State parted ways with Paul Wulff, then quickly hired former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach a day later. Oregon will play the Wisconsin Badgers, winners of the first Big Ten championship game, in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2.

Monday Night Football tonight features the San Diego Chargers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As if things weren't going bad enough for suspended Detroit Lion defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, now he's crashed his car -- and it wasn't even a model from his sponsor, Chrysler. Suh was suspended on Thanksgiving for stomping a Green Bay Packer. He was involved in a single-car accident early Saturday in his native Portland, Ore., according to the Detroit Free Press. Instead of a Chrysler, Suh was driving a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS in the city's nightclub district. The accident happened around 1:15 in the morning according to police. A police spokesman said Suh had two passengers with him who were not identified and neither was injured. A police sergeant said, "He wasn't drunk and wasn't driving crazy or anything. He wasn't a jerk. I think he stomped on the gas when he was going around a taxi and lost the back end, spun around and hit a tree and a light pole and a (drinking) fountain. No injuries to anybody and he didn't hit any other cars." Suh is riding out a two-game suspension for stomping Packer lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith after a play, an incident that proved embarassing for Chrysler, which was featuring Suh in a TV spot for its Chrysler 300 sedan. Suh previously was the star of another TV spot for Chrysler, a heartwarmer in which he is seen driving to a Detroit home.

Meanwhile, yesterday during the Detroit-New Orleans game, the NFL and NBC announced that the Material Girl is taking the stage on football's biggest night. Madonna, who has sold more than 300 million records, is performing at halftime of the Super Bowl in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5th. The show is the most-watched musical event of the year. Madonna, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, joins such acts as Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, The Who and the Rolling Stones to perform during recent Super Bowls. She's collaborating with a team from Cirque du Soleil.

Bruno Mars is nominated for six Grammy Awards including Album of the Year for his debut effort Doo-Wops & Hooligans, as well as Record and Song of the Year for his huge hit Grenade. The 54th Annual Grammy Awards air live on February 12th on CBS.

Did you catch the announcement last week? Bally is closing its fitness centers nationwide. Fitness International LLC, an affiliate of LA Fitness, has agreed to acquire the assets of 171 of a total of 271Bally fitness clubs. In the Puget Sound area, clubs in Olympia, Tacoma, Federal Way and Kent are closing. Clubs in Bellevue, Lynwood and Puyallup have been acquired by LA Fitness.

James Van Doren, who designed the Vans line of shoes, has died of complications related to cancer. The rubber-soled canvas shoes became a mainstay among the California skateboarding community in the 1970s. But it wasn't until 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High that they became popular with people outside of the skateboarding culture.

The fourth movie in the Twilight vampire romance series topped domestic box-office charts for the third straight weekend. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 earned an estimated $16.9 million in US and Canadian ticket sales Friday through Sunday. In second place, Disney's revival of The Muppets. Family film Hugo finished the weekend in third place.

Today is National Comfort Food Day. Today is Walt Disney Day, marking his birth on this date in 1901. The cartoonist, film maker, and amusement park developer died on December 15, 1966. Today is National Communicate with Your Baby Day. Today is Boycott Day, the 52nd 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 quits the Hollies. Three days later, he announces 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 choose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades. In 2002, actor Richard Gere won 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."

Adele notched a new record today, when the Official Charts Company (OCC) confirmed that her second album 21 has become the biggest seller in Britain this century. The album, which looks set to be the world's most successful album of 2011, has passed sales of 3.4 million copies, eclipsing the late Amy Winehouse's 2006 LP Back To Black which has sold 3.3 million. According to the OCC, 21 has never left the British top 10 since its release in January, and yesterday clocked its 45th week in the upper end of the rankings, rising to No. 5 from ninth. This week's rise was attributed to the publicity surrounding Adele's six Grammy nominations, including album of the year for 21 as well as record of the year and song of the year for Rolling in the Deep.

It was foggy Saturday morning but then the sun broke through just in time for Santa and thousands of his helpers to rumble through Olympia. Organizers estimate that 17,000 to 20,000 motorcycle enthusiasts braved chilly weather to deliver toys and cash donations for the Salvation Army during the 34th annual Olympia Toy Run. The event last year brought in $230,000 worth of toys and cash donations for the Salvation Army. Organizers were hoping this year's ride would meet, or possibly beat, that number.

Herman Cain Saturday announced he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Cain said the decision was a result of the "cloud of doubt" that had been cast over his family in light of what he called false allegations. Cain's once-surging bid for the nomination began to falter in recent weeks after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced. Most recently, Ginger White of Atlanta claimed that she and Cain, who is married, had carried on a 13-year affair. Cain this week told a newspaper he had repeatedly given White money to help her with "month-to-month bills and expenses." But he denied the relationship was sexual, as White contends. He said the two were friends. "Suspending" a campaign allows a candidate to continue raising and spending campaign funds.

After going more than two years and 26 tournaments without a win, and after so much turmoil in his personal life and with his golf game, Tiger Woods stood over a 6-foot birdie putt yesterday to win the Chevron World Challenge. Woods poured in the putt to cap off a birdie-birdie finish at Sherwood, close with a 3-under 69 and beat former Masters champion Zach Johnson by one shot. The win ended a drought that lasted 749 days, and might have signaled a change that Woods is on his way back.

Ladbrokes, a UK-based oddsmaker company, have already put together their odds for the big four GRAMMY categories: Record, Song and Album of the Year and Best New Artist. The company has UK sensation Adele in the lead for the first three and Nicki Minaj has the best odds to win Best New Artist. The odds:

Record of the Year
Adele, Rolling in the Deep, 2/1
Mumford & Sons, The Cave, 9/4
Bruno Mars, Grenade, 4/1
Katy Perry, Firework, 5/1
Bon Iver, Holocene, 5/1

Song of the Year
Adele, Rolling in the Deep, 2/1
Mumford & Sons, The Cave, 9/4
Bruno Mars, Grenade, 4/1
Katy Perry, Firework, 5/1
Bon Iver, Holocene, 5/1

Album of the Year
Adele, 21, 11/8
Bruno Mars, Doo Wops & Hooligans, 3/1
Foo Fighters, Wasting Light, 3/1
Lady Gaga, Born This Way, 6/1
Rihanna, Loud, 10/1

Best New Artist
Nicki Minaj, 6/4
The Band Perry, 9/4
Bon Iver, 4/1
J. Cole, 5/1
Skrillex, 20/1

Trivia Answer: Margaret Cho who turns 43 today. As of 2009, Cho lives in Peachtree City, Georgia, as Drop Dead Diva is filmed in the Atlanta area.

Beastmode and Skittles. It was a good night in Seattle. Marshawn Lynch ran for 148 yards and a pair of first-half touchdowns and David Hawthorne returned Vince Young's third interception of the night 77 yards for a clinching score with 4:24 remaining as the Seattle Seahawks beat the Philadelphia Eagles 31-14 last night on national television. Lynch bulled through Philadelphia for the second-best running day of his career. He carried 22 times and had touchdown runs of 15 and 40 yards. The Hawks now get a bit of a break. They're not back in action until Monday the 12th when they host St. Louis.

Today is Enron Day. The once high-flying Houston energy company filed for bankruptcy on this date in 2001. Today is Safety Razor Day. King Gillette patented the first razor with disposable blades on this date in 1901.

Calendar notes: It was on this date in 1949 that Gene Autry first hit the charts with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The song had evolved from a 1939 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalog featuring a red-nosed reindeer. In 1969, on NBC's I Dream of Jeannie, the genie Jeannie married her master, Captain Tony Nelson. Barbara Eden played Jeannie; Larry Hagman was Capt. Nelson. The show ran six years. In 2003, the US Supreme Court ruled that after knocking, police don't have to wait longer than 20 seconds before breaking into the home of a drug suspect. In 2005, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) decided to allow passengers to carry scissors and some tools on planes.

Good news on the economic front today as the US Labor Department reported that the national unemployment rate fell sharply in November, to 8.6% -- its lowest level since March 2009. All told, according to the report, employers added 120,000 jobs in the month, compared with 100,000 in October.

Wordy and long-winded Facebook users can rejoice. The social networking site has increased its limit in status updates to more than 60,000 characters -- 63,206 characters to be exact. Over the summer Facebook pumped up the limit to 5,000 from 500 characters. Back in the olden days of Facebook the limit was 160 characters. But Facebook doesn't let you go on as long as Google+, where the limit appears to be 100,000 characters.

You work hard to earn vacation days, but when the time comes to enjoy them, a new study says American workers aren't using up all the time off they've earned for the year. A study by travel site Expedia says the average worker is expecting to earn fewer days off in 2011, down to 14 from 15, but will only take 12 days vacation.

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the end is near for the white Coca-Cola can. The can was supposed to stick around through February but it's turned out to be a brand nightmare for the soda giant. Some consumers complain the white Coke can looks confusingly similar to Diet Coke's silver cans. Others feel that regular Coke tastes different in the white cans.

In Florida a woman went to her apartment apartment early Wednesday and found a man sleeping on her living room floor. When he wouldn't wake up, she called authorities. Before falling asleep, the man had helped himself to alcoholic beverages, went through the woman's drawers for cash and medications and tried to pry a flat-screen television from its mount. Turns out the man thought was inside the apartment of his ex-girlfriend. Somehow he ended up in the apartment next door.

Ron Paul is just one of the many GOP presidential candidates that has a new book out. His is just slightly different from the others. Featuring 28 pages of recipes, The Ron Paul Family Cookbook is now on sale and is said to "warm your kitchen and your heart." The book also includes Carol Paul's The American Dream which recounts the history of Ron Paul and his family. The book is available through the candidate's website for just $8.

When a squirrel ran up the pants leg of a man in Monroe, Oregon he tried to shoot it with a .22 caliber rifle. He -- the man, not the squirrel -- is in the hospital recovering from a gunshot to the foot.

Katy Perry is vehemently denying rumors that she and hubby Russell Brand are on the rocks. Rumors were circulating earlier this week that Perry and Brand were headed to splitsville, but the singer says that's just not true. It's been a rumor-filled week for Katy, as she also had to deny pregnancy rumors.

Nickelback and Mary J. Blige are taking part in the WWE Tribute To The Troops. They're both heading to Fort Bragg in North Carolina to perform at the event which pays tribute to the United States Armed Forces. NBC is airing the tribute on Saturday, December 17th.

Tom Cruise has signed on for a new thriller. The movie is called All You Need Is Kill, and Variety reports the flick's concept is a mix between Groundhog Day and an alien war story. That should be interesting. But first, Cruise is in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol which hits theaters December 21st.

Nickelback was recently named the number one musical turn-off by Tastebuds.fm, and there was some smack talked about them playing at the Detroit Lions game on Thanksgiving but the band isn't letting the criticism get them down. Chad Kroeger tells Billboard, "We get that all the time. We've never really been a critics' darling or anything like that." He goes on to say, "The people speak. We sell a lot of records and fill a lot of arenas, and we don't hear many complaints."  Nickelback's new album, Here And Now, debuts at number two on the Billboard Top 200 Chart this week.

Trivia Answer: John Michael Thomas, better known as Mickey Thomas, who turns 64 tomorrow. He was the lead vocalist on Elvin Bishop's Fooled Around And Fell In Love. After Paul Kantner left Jefferson Starship in 1984, Thomas was sole leader of the band. From 1985 to 1989 the newly dubbed "Starship" scored some of its biggest hits. When Grace Slick left again in 1988, Thomas sang all lead vocals -- in a band that was formed when he was just 15 years old. But, their fortunes as pop music artists soon ran out. A tour was cancelled after Thomas was attacked in a bar and required facial reconstruction surgery. His assailant was Donny Baldwin, who was forced to resign after the incident. The original incarnation of Starship disbanded in 1991. In 1992, Paul Kantner reformed Jefferson Starship without Thomas, and Thomas formed a new touring band called "Starship featuring Mickey Thomas." Touring has continued to this day with this title.

Mike Leach has reached an agreement to be the new football coach at Washington State, according to an official within the athletic department. Leach reached a verbal agreement to replace Paul Wulff, but has not signed a contract, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter. Leach posted an 84-and-43 record at Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to 10 bowl appearances in 10 seasons. He was fired in 2009 amid allegations he mistreated a player with a concussion. Wulff was fired Tuesday after four losing seasons. Leach was at the top of athletic director Bill Moos' list of candidates, in part because Moos wants a high-powered offense at WSU. While at Texas Tech, Leach's Air Raid offense routinely led the nation in passing and set numerous records. Leach was offensive coordinator at Kentucky and Oklahoma before becoming the Red Raiders head coach in 2000.

Seahawks receiver Sidney Rice has a more severe concussion than originally thought, and the team has opted to end his season by placing him on injured reserve. Rice, who has battled several injuries since the beginning of the season, caught 32 passes for 484 yards and two touchdowns in nine games. He suffered two concussions this season, the second of which came last week against Washington when Rice slammed his head into the ground as he attempted to complete a catch. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the concussion is not believed to be career-threatening. Ben Obomanu is startinh in Rice's place tonight against the Eagles. Kick-off at the Clink tonight at 5:20.

National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month begins today, sponsored by Parenting Without Pressure. Is there such a thing as stress-free family holidays? Or parenting without pressure? Sounds mythical to me. Cookie Cutter Week begins today. Today is Rosa Parks Day, the anniversary of her arrest in Montgomery, Alabama, when she refused to give up her seat and move to the rear of a city bus. Ms. Parks died in 2009 and became the first woman to lie in honor at the US Capitol. Today is My Husband's Strung the Christmas Lights and Now I Can't Open the Garage Door Day. Today is National Eat a Red Apple Day. Today is World AIDS Day. The annual Chia Pet Hunting Season begins today.

Calendar notes: On this date in 1891, Canadian YMCA trainer James Naismith nailed two peach baskets on opposite ends of the Spring College gym in Massachusetts and instructed his students to toss soccer balls into them. It's the birth of basketball. In 1953, starlet and model Marilyn Monroe was featured as the nude centerfold in the first issue of Playboy magazine. In 1992, in New York, Amy Fisher was sentenced to 5-to-15 years in prison for shooting and wounding Mary Ann Buttafuoco. Within a year there were three TV movies about the case. In 2004, Tom Brokaw signed off for the last time as anchor of the NBC Nightly News. He was succeeded by Brian Williams.

Kanye West led the field of Grammy contenders announced yesterday with seven nominations, including for his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and his joint venture with Jay-Z Watch The Throne. But Adele -- whose album 21 is the biggest-selling of 2011 -- and Bruno Mars were close behind with six apiece, including nods for the three big awards of album, song and record of the year. Other leading contenders for the major music industry awards show include Foo Fighters, also with six nominations, while Lil Wayne and Skrillex had five nominations apiece. Winners in all 78 categories will be announced at the Grammy Awards ceremony and show on February 12th.  By the way, Kanye West and Jay-Z are together in the Tacoma Dome coming up on Friday the 16th.

Grammy Nominations

Record Of The Year
Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Bon Iver - Holocene
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Katy Perry - Firework

Song Of The Year
Kanye West ft Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie - All Of The Lights
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Bon Iver - Holocene

Best New Artist
The Band Perry
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Bon Iver
Skrillex

Album Of the Year
21 - Adele
Doo-Wops & Hooligans - Bruno Mars
Born This Way - Lady Gaga
Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
Loud - Rihanna

Best Pop Solo Performance
Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Bruno Mars - Grenade
Katy Perry - Firework
P!nk - F***in Perfect
Lady Gaga - You and I

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse - Body And Soul
The Black Keys - Dearest
Coldplay - Paradise
Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger
Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks

Best Pop Vocal Album
The Lady Killer - Cee Lo Green
Loud - Rihanna
21 - Adele
Doo-Wops & Hooligans - Bruno Mars
Born This Way - Lady Gaga

Best Dance Recording
Barbra Streisand - Duck Sauce
Raise Your Weapon - Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
Sunshine - David Guetta & Avicii
Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn
Save The World - Swedish House Mafia
Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites - Skrillex

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Tony Bennett & Various Artists - Duets II
Susan Boyle - The Gift
Barbra Streisand - What Matters Most - Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman
Harry Connick Jr. - In Concert On Broadway
Seth MacFarlane - Music Is Better Than Words

Best Rock Performance
Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall - Coldplay
Down By The Water - The Decemberists
Walk - Foo Fighters
The Cave - Mumford & Sons
Lotus Flower - Radiohead

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
On The Backs Of Angels - Dream Theater
White Limo - Foo Fighters
Curl Of The Burl - Mastodon
Public Enemy No. 1 - Megadeth
Blood In My Eyes - Sum 41

Best Rock Album
Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul - Jeff Beck
Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
Come Around Sundown - Kings Of Leon
I'm With You - Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Whole Love - Wilco

Best Alternative Music Album
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Codes And Keys - Death Cab For Cutie
Torches - Foster The People
Circuital - My Morning Jacket
The King Of Limbs - Radiohead

Best Traditional R&B Performance
Sometimes I Cry - Eric Ben
Fool For You - Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
Radio Message - R. Kelly
Good Man - Raphael Saadiq
Surrender - Betty Wright & The Roots

Best R&B Album
F.A.M.E. - Chris Brown
Second Chance - El DeBarge
Love Letter - R. Kelly
Pieces Of Me - Ledisi
Kelly - Kelly Price

Get more at grammy.com.

New Year's Eve just got a little more musical. Coldplay has announced they're teaming with Austin City Limits and PBS to broadcast one of their performances on the eve of 2012. Starting at 11 Eastern time on December 31st, PBS.org is airing a 90-minute special on the British band. Head to Coldplay.com for more.

Lady Gaga's A Very Gaga Thanksgiving special, which featured performances and an interview with Katie Couric, was not was enough to overtake a Turkey Day tradition, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. The classic Peanuts cartoon bested Gaga in the Thanksgiving ratings battle, though the race was close. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving -- first broadcast in 1973 -- was watched by some 5.8 million viewers last Thursday night, while A Very Gaga Thanksgiving was seen by 5.4 million, according to the Nielsen ratings. Both shows aired on ABC and roughly drew the same audience share in the 18-49 age demo, though neither could compete with the big Thanksgiving-night winner: a re-run of The Big Bang Theory on CBS which was watched by more than 11 million viewers.

According to the New York Post, Ricky Martin is set to guest star on Glee as a music-loving Spanish teacher. Martin to be featured in two musical numbers in the episode, which airs in late January.

Kate Gosselin is denying plastic surgery. She insisted to Access Hollywood Live that she hasn't gone under the knife to achieve her hot new look, as she's "too busy raising her kids and working." The mom says she wants to get back in the television ring, but when asked if she'd once again share the spotlight with ex-husband Jon Gosselin, she says "You could offer me every last dollar on the planet ... I'll never film another frame of TV with Jon again."

Governor Gregoire and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee have filed a petition with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration asking the agency to reclassify marijuana so that doctors can prescribe it and pharmacists can fill the prescription. The governors said yesterday they want the federal government to list marijuana as a Schedule 2 drug, allowing it to be used for medical treatment. Marijuana is currently classified a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it's not accepted medical use for treatment in the United States and can't be prescribed, administered or dispensed for medical use, according to the DEA. Washington voters approved a medical marijuana law in 1998. That law gives doctors the right to recommend -- but not prescribe -- marijuana for people suffering from cancer and other conditons that cause "intractable pain."

Trivia Answer: Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor who was born on this date in 1940. Pryor suffered a mild heart attack in November 1977. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986. By the early 1990s, he was confined to using a wheelchair as well as a motor powered scooter for the remainder of his life to get around when his multiple sclerosis began to take its toll on his body. In 1990, Pryor suffered a second and more severe heart attack and underwent triple heart bypass surgery. On December 10 of 2005, nine days after his birthday, Pryor suffered a heart attack in Encino, California. He was taken to a local hospital after his wife's attempts to resuscitate him failed. He was pronounced dead at 7:58 in the morning. He was 65 years old. His widow Jennifer was quoted as saying, "At the end, there was a smile on his face."