A combination of the cold weather, economic gloom and end to Christmas festivities will leave workers battling the January blues. It will leave people more likely to become irritated by the slightest things. According to researchers the most common complaints are the sounds of colleagues eating noisily, which annoys nearly a quarter of people. This is followed by sniffing, an irritant to 26 per cent and talking too loudly on the phone, which was cited by 21 per cent.

Ok, so it's not the most scientific poll, but if you were on vacation for the last week or so (like me), and are back in the cubicle for the first time today it rings true. One bit of career advice, though: the article mentions "releasing tensions through shouting and screaming." You might want to wait till you get home.

A delicious deal.

Source: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

A pub chain in Britain has announced "indefinite" reductions on beer, wine and spirits -- to 99p. I highly recommend you read the article in its entirety, as it includes a competitor using expressions like "bloody nose" to describe the imminent price war. Of course, with 99p beers, there may be an actual bloody nose somewhere along the way. It made me think what recession pricing would really get me stoked? 99 cent coffee? Hot dogs? Movies?

President-elect Barack Obama meets with congressional leaders later today to discuss a $775 billion economic recovery plan that aims to create 3 million jobs while providing tax relief. In our first hour, we'll talk with two economists, to hear what they think the stimulus plan should include. Then, on our opinion page Clarence Page, syndicated columnist for The Chicago Tribune, will explain why he feels Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is playing to white guilt in choosing Roland Burris to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Obama.

In 2006, Norah Vincent spent the year disguised as a man. The deception triggered a brutal bout of depression and she checked herself into a mental institution. In our second hour, Vincent will talk about committing herself into three separate mental institutions, each with different ways of treating patients. She documented her experiences in her latest book, entitled Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin. Following that, Scott Shane, a reporter for The New York Times, will talk about his profile of Bruce Ivins, a suspect in the 2001 anthrax mailings. In his article, Shane describes Ivins as an "amateur juggler with mental illness, alcoholism and secret obsessions with hints of violence."

Today's first hour is our annual obit show. We use it as a chance to have guests on to talk about the lesser-known but no-less-important people who passed away this year. If there's someone you'd like to remember -- someone you knew, or someone you admired -- please call in for a chance to do so on air, or leave your remembrance on the TOTN page once the segment shows up. I'll try to remember to update this entry once there's a link. In our second hour, the year in culture. What was the best music you heard, video game you played? Plus, we'll have Brian Raftery on his book Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life.

Tomorrow's still largely up in the air, but as of now we plan to bring you a roundup on the blog world. Things have changed a lot since blogs got big, and there are some new standard-bearers and some "deep cuts" you might find entertaining. Finally, in the second hour tomorrow, Henry Alford joins us to talk about his 2008 book, How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth). Does he find it? You'll have to tune in to find out! Happy New Year!

What do you think of the news? What is your reaction to his pick?

NB: The estimable Ron Elving, NPR's senior Washington editor, will join us in our second hour, after the press conference, to give us an on-air update.

In our first hour, we'll look at how history will view the Bush administration. We'll talk with two guests: Bob Woodward, associate editor of The Washington Post and author of, most recently, The War Within; and Barton Gellman, investigative reporter for The Washington Post and author of Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency. And we want to hear from you. Tell us one thing you think the Bush Administration will be remembered for.

Following that, Mark Bowden, a national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine, explains why he feels President Bush should ask the Iraqi government to pardon journalist Muntadhir Al-Zaidi, for throwing his shoes at him.

Then: your letters (including your nominations for most influential people of 2008).

In our second hour, author William Davies King will talk about his new book Collections of Nothing and his collections, which include almost 18,000 food labels, 7,000 dictionary illustrations, and 500 bottle caps. We'll ask him why he has a passion for collecting so many of the things most of us throw away.

Then, we'll talk to Chicago Tribune columnist Dawn Turner Trice about the controversial song, "Barack the Magic Negro," and the debate surrounding the term "magic negro." Is the term used to describe an African-American who is able to blur the cultural barriers between blacks and whites? Or does it describe an "exception" in black culture?

In his article, Stetler quotes Michael Yon, an Iraq-based blogger (whom we've interviewed on TOTN several times). In Yon's estimation, the change in coverage reflects an anticipated change in American foreign policy: "Afghanistan was the forgotten war; that's what they were calling it, actually," he said. "Now it's swapping places with Iraq." For many months, the networks didn't keep bureaus or correspondents in Afghanistan. Now they're ramping up there.

What do you think of the changes? Do you rely on network television news? Do you care if they have a reporter on the ground in Baghdad? Or Kabul?

I've got nothing against capitalism, but I was sort of surprised to see the many ways people have come up with to avoid it. From GOOD magazine's website, nine ways people have gotten around it, including creating their own discounted local currency. (I love that one. Don't like the economy as is? Create your own!)

The Talk of the Nation staff recently stumbled on a story about a couple who is suing United Airlines for serving the husband too many drinks during a trans-Pacific flight. The man was later arrested for beating his wife as they walked through U.S. customs. The couple want United Airlines to pick up the $100,000 tab for his bail, among other fees, claiming that United Airlines is responsible for the husband's violent outburst. The lawsuit raises an interesting question: Who IS responsible if someone has had too much to drink? We'll tackle that question from different angles in our second hour. Then, a New Republic correspondent on exposing what was a soon-to-be-published Holocaust memoir as a hoax.

Flagstaff, Arizona drops a giant pine cone.

Source: cogdogblog

Just came across this on an old colleague's Facebook update -- watching the ball drop on New Year's Eve in Times Square is so 2008, apparently. Good ol' Wikipedia's got a list of the things dropped round the world to signify out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new. Here's a sampling:

Brasstown, North Carolina -- a live opossum in a cage

Port Clinton, Ohio -- a walleye fish, named "Captain Wylie Walleye"

Lebanon, Pennsylvania -- a large Lebanon bologna stick

Mobile, Alabama -- a giant electric Moon Pie

McDonough, Georgia -- Nugget Drop at Truett's Grill

So what do you watch drop at the end of the year? Or, do you have a nomination for your town to consider? I'll get the ball (haha) rolling and suggest an enormous lighted blue crab on the city dock for Annapolis!

The greatest Christmas present I have ever received came two days early and with a rough beard. It was my father, weary and unshaven, after five days as a hostage.

Incredible. So at the end of the first hour, we'll be asking for stories from you about your best holiday reunion ever.

In our second hour, more holiday fun: Christmas songs. From traditional, to classic, to quirky, we'll have them all. Mr. "Feliz Navidad" himself, Jose Feliciano, will join us to chat about his beloved tune, and Bill Adler has a sleighful of unusual tunes you might want to add to your annual rotation. Finally, we have a surprise for our fabulous guest host Ari Shapiro. He gave us a list of dream interviews, and we booked one of his top choices. Mitch Hurwitz, creator of Arrested Development, will join us. Happy Hanukkah, Ari!!!

We'll take a look back at the week in politics including Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's no-holds-barred news conference, and the long and no doubt frustrating ballot recount for the Minnesota senate seat in Minnesota. Then we'll REALLY take a look back at the year in politics. Political Junkie Ken Rudin will talk about your most memorable moments in politics for 2008. Okay, we know there are so many options to choose from, so we'll make it easier. President-elect Barack Obama can't be on your list. He had a lot of moments, for sure. But this time we want to hear about some others. Following that, Ken will grace us with his twist on Twas the Night Before Christmas. Do you have a version of your own? Set the current time to a rhyme. (Try to make it a little better than the one I just did, please.)

In our second hour, author Michael Pollan will heroically defend our food. In his new book In the Defense of Food, Pollan argues that over the past twenty years, food has slowly vanished off our supermarket shelves only to be replaced by food imitations. But he offers a way back to basic nutrition. So tell us: What fake food do you indulge in? I'm guilty of the occasional protein bar. I just ate one, and I thought I was doing well, until my boss just informed me mid-crunch that I'm not eating real food. I'm sure Michael Pollan would agree. Then, we'll talk with baseball broadcaster Jon Miller about a newly discovered recording of Red Barber's ninth inning play-by-play of an electrifying moment that occured in a game that was actually played forty one years earlier. We'll explain at the end of the second hour.

1) I have all of the holiday spirit, and none of the angst.
2) Hanukkah lasts for eight days, so you have eight chances for your gift to be on time.
3) Gentiles feel sorry for you, so you tend to end up with a lot of non-denominational candy on your desk.
4) But, if non-Jews wonder where their gift is, you can just tell 'em, "I'm Jewish."
5) Other people's Christmas lights. I just love them! 'Specially a good creche.
6) Any excuse to bake. (I'm accepting any and all advice on making meringues.)
8) Any excuse not to go to the gym. "I can't! It's closed." (Except mine, sigh.)
9) No post-Christmas letdown!
10) And of course, the wide world of Christmas Carol adaptations. You get to watch them all, 'cause what else are you doing!? (My favorite is George C. Scott. But watch Patrick Stewart for a nice Shakespearean warble on the grave scene.)

Anyhoo -- here are Kyle's feelings on the matter. (Favorite line: "I can't sing Christmas songs or decorate a Christmas tree... or leave water out for Rudolph 'cause there's something wrong with me -- my people don't believe in Jesus Christ's divinity. I'm a Jew... a lonely Jew. On Christmas.") Chag Sameach, everyone!

Marriage counsellors often see couples who believe that sex should always be perfect, and if someone is meant to be with you then they will know what you want without you needing to communicate it ... We now have some emerging evidence that suggests popular media play a role in perpetuating these ideas in people's minds.

So, maybe this Christmas, say yes to another movie -- I hear Slumdog Millionaire is great, and even has a love story that'll keep your Smittens firmly linked.