That Times Square ball won't be the only thing dropping at midnight. Still no deal in the so-called "fiscal cliff" negotiations, as Congress appears headed toward missing the crucial deadline. But then, this is what voters asked for in 2010 when the gave Republicans' legislative majorities so that they could gerrymander the GOP into retaining control of the House, thus assuring partisan gridlock forever. Democracy, yay!

No shit, Sherlock. "They say that their biggest priority is making sure that we deal with the deficit in a serious way, but the way they're behaving is that their only priority is making sure that tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans are protected," President Obama said about Republicans yesterday on NBC's Meet the Press. "That seems to be their only overriding, unifying theme."

It might not be fair, but I know one thing pundits will talk about during the 2016 presidential race. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was re-hospitalized Sunday after doctors discovered a blood clot during a follow-up exam. Clinton was hospitalized earlier this month after dehydration related to a stomach virus caused her to faint and hit her head, causing a concussion. Were Clinton to win the presidency in 2016, she'd be 77 at the end of her second term.

US uterine productivity declines. The US is on pace for the slowest decade of population growth since the 1930s, as both the birth rate and the immigration rate have declined in the wake of the Great Recession.

Should'a stayed in Vegas. Nine people are dead after a charter bus plunged off an icy road in Eastern Oregon. The fatal crash occurred near a stretch of road known as Deadman Pass, as the bus was bringing passengers home from a trip to Las Vegas.

Monday morning quarterbacking. Lots of coaches are getting fired today as the NFL regular season comes to a close.

Yet nobody ever does anything about it! According to the weather experts, it rained a lot in Seattle this year, except during the summer, when it didn't. Surprise!

Bad dogs! A Kent man was attacked by coyotes in his backyard.

Perhaps I'll sponsor an initiative to allow guns on the floor of the state legislature. Washington state Representative Liz Pike (R-Camas) says she will file a bill allowing school teachers to carry concealed weapons in the classroom. Because she's a fucking idiot.