The comeback brands of 2013

4 hrs.

Jenna Goudreau , Forbes

Powerful brands easily stagnate, playing it too safe with a strong product and failing to innovate or keep up with the times. These former icons either fade into relative obscurity or dust themselves off. We?ve seen several flashy comebacks in the last few years: a heritage deodorant line?s revitalized ?Old Spice Guy,? the revival of GM?s Chevrolet, and the renewed celebrity of former President Bill Clinton, star of the 2012 campaign trail.

Which elapsed products, struggling companies or forgotten personalities will revive their brands in 2013? Marketing and branding experts cast their votes for the next big comeback stories.

Myspace
The original social network may be poised for a rebound, after being purchased from News Corp. by performer Justin Timberlake and a group of investors last year. A two-minute teaser video released in September prominently features Timberlake and reveals the new design as photo and entertainment focused. Users are asked to request an invitation to the reimagined site. With Google+?s struggle to get off the ground and Facebook?s flubbed IPO this year, TalkPoint Marketing VP Dan Roche believes Myspace has a real shot at comeback success in 2013. ?They have the advantage of an established name brand, infrastructure and experience,? he says. ?With the influx of new blood, they can make inroads into the Facebook dominance.?

Tiger Woods
?Woods? brand hit the fan in 2009, when we saw his personal life blow up in front of us,? says Kelly O?Keefe, chief creative officer at media agency CRT/tanaka and a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University?s Brandcenter. ?Then, even worse, his [golf] game blew up in 2010 and 2011.? However, this year he started performing better on the green and saw his earnings bounce back to $4.4 million in winnings and $55 million in endorsements, making him the world?s third highest-paid athlete. With the return of his game and his confidence, O?Keefe believes consumers are ready to forgive his personal failings and support his career redemption. Plus, ?in light of drunk-driving manslaughters, murder/suicides, doping and lying by other athletes, Tiger?s marital infidelities are starting to look tame by comparison,? he says.

Furby Toys
?It?s unlikely that the same toy will be popular year after year without a redesign,? says Charles R. Taylor, a marketing professor at Villanova University?s School of Business in Pennsylvania. He points to best-selling Barbie, who?s had 130 careers and a revolving closet, as the model of smart brand reinvention. Now Hasbro, the maker of GI Joe and Mr. Potato Head, is staging a revival of its 14-year-old Furby toy. A new redesigned line was launched in September, equipped with several high-tech add-ons: LED-lit eyes, touch sensors that trigger movement, adaptable personality traits and a companion iPhone app. Taylor says they?ve sold extremely well during the 2012 holiday season, and with an online campaign centered on social media and Furby.com, he expects the toys will be everywhere next year.

The GOP
The GOP?s recent presidential loss will likely catalyze a reinvention, says Karen Post, author of "Brand Turnaround: How Brands Gone Bad Return to Glory"and a self-identified moderate Republican. She believes the party has suffered from a lack of diversity, narrow messaging and too little Web and social media interaction. ?A political party is like any big brand,? she says, using Nike as an analogy. ?While Nike has its one thing people associate it with, they spend millions segmenting consumers. The GOP is not grasping that.? Republicans will spend 2013 trying to reach both younger and minority voters, she says, by ramping up social media efforts and recruiting new, diverse spokespeople.

Ford Motor Company?s Lincoln
While the Lincoln Town Car was once a staple of luxury and comfort, it?s become associated with stodginess. ?Younger buyers don?t want to buy it,? says marketing expert Taylor. Ford hopes to reposition the brand with its new Lincoln MKZ model targeting Gen X consumers. Every successful comeback campaign starts with product innovation, says Taylor, and so far critics are responding positively. Car and Driver gave it a 4.5 rating on a 5-point scale. Ford is also launching an edgy ad campaign, with one commercial showing an old Town Car in flames and the new model rising like a phoenix from the ashes. Also, comedian Jimmy Fallon is creating a 60-second Super Bowl ad for the model, which he?s crowd-sourcing ideas for on Twitter. ?They?re taking big risks,? says Taylor, who predicts they?ll pay off in 2013.

Twinkies
The news of Twinkie-maker Hostess Brands? bankruptcy caused a tidal wave of publicity and nostalgia that may help the sweet treat relaunch in 2013. With companies like Wal-Mart and Kroger reportedly making bids on the business, it?s likely that the Twinkie will have a new owner and a renewed consumer base next year. ?There?s so much tradition and equity in the brand that someone will buy it,? says Taylor. However, for a successful comeback, he believes its new parent will have to break the negative association with junk food by either brand extensions or a smart marketing campaign.

Yahoo
The former darling of the tech world faltered in the last several years, suffering from constant volatility at the top?with five CEOs in just five years. However, Rob Scalea, CEO of brand strategy consultancy The Brand Union, believes it could return to its former glory in the year ahead. ?Yahoo made a big coup by recruiting ex-Googler Marissa Mayer,? he says of its new CEO. ?She has brought a new-found focus and a clear strategy: Yahoo! will be a product company with a huge emphasis on mobile.? He cites the reinvention of Yahoo Mail, rumored discussions with Facebook about creating a common social search engine, and a new Flickr app, which positions it to compete with photo-sharing service Instagram, as strong signs of a company comeback.

More from Forbes

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/comeback-brands-2013-1C7753026

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Cognitive difficulties associated with menopause described

Jan. 3, 2013 ? The memory problems that many women experience in their 40s and 50s as they approach and go through menopause are both real and appear to be most acute during the early period of post menopause. That is the conclusion of a study which appears January 3 in the journal Menopause.

"Women going through menopausal transition have long complained of cognitive difficulties such as keeping track of information and struggling with mental tasks that would have otherwise been routine," said Miriam Weber, Ph.D. a neuropsychologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and lead author of the study. "This study suggests that these problems not only exist but become most evident in women in the first year following their final menstrual period."

The study followed 117 women, who were grouped into categories based on criteria established in 2011 by the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop +10, which consisted of an international consortium of researchers.

Study participants took a variety of tests assessing their cognitive skills, reported on menopause-related symptoms such as hot-flashes, sleep disturbance, depression and anxiety, and gave a sample of blood to determine current levels of estradiol (an indicator of estrogen levels) and follicle stimulating hormone. Results were analyzed to determine if there were group differences in cognitive performance, and if these differences were due to menopausal symptoms.

The study grouped participants into four stages: late reproductive, early and late menopausal transition, and early post menopause. The late reproductive period is defined as when women first begin to notice subtle changes in their menstrual periods, such as changes in flow amount or duration, but still have regular menstrual cycles.

Women in the transitional stage experience greater fluctuation in menstrual cycles -- from a difference of 7 days or more in the early phase of transition to 60 days or longer in the later phase. Hormone levels also begin to fluctuate significantly during this time. This transition period can last for several years.

The researchers also evaluated women in early post menopause, defined as the first year after which a woman experienced her last menstrual period.

The study participants were assessed with a comprehensive battery of tests to evaluate a variety of cognitive skills. These included tests of attention, verbal learning and memory, fine motor skills and dexterity, and "working memory" -- or the ability to not only take in and store new information, but also manipulate it.

These tests are similar to daily tasks such as staying focused on something for a period of time, learning a new telephone number, and making a mental list of groceries and then recalling specific items as required as one wanders the aisles of a grocery store.

The researchers found that women in the early stage of post menopause performed worse on measures of verbal learning, verbal memory and fine motor skill than women in the late reproductive and late transition stages.

The researchers also found that self-reported symptoms such as sleep difficulties, depression, and anxiety did not predict memory problems. Nor could these problems be associated with specific changes in hormone levels found in the blood.

"These findings suggest that cognitive declines through the transition period are independent processes rather than a consequence of sleep disruption or depression," said Weber. "While absolute hormone levels could not be linked with cognitive function, it is possible that the fluctuations that occur during this time could play a role in the memory problems that many women experience."

The process of learning new information, holding on to it, and employing it are functions associated with regions of the brain known as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These parts of the brain are rich with estrogen receptors.

"By identifying how these memory problems progress and when women are most vulnerable, we now understand the window of opportunity during which interventions -- be those therapeutic or lifestyle changes -- may be beneficial," said Weber. "But the most important thing that women need to be reassured of is that these problems, while frustrating, are normal and, in all likelihood, temporary."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/xoTY_jogxoc/130103092028.htm

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U.S. ends long Google probe with only mild reprimand

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a major victory for Google Inc, U.S. regulators on Thursday ended their investigation into the giant Internet company and concluded that it had not manipulated its Web search results to hurt rivals.

The Federal Trade Commission did, however, win promises from Google that it would end the practice of "scraping" reviews and other data from rivals' websites for its own products, and to allow advertisers to export data to independently evaluate advertising campaigns.

Google also agreed to no longer request sales bans when suing companies which infringe on patents that are essential to ensuring interoperability, also known as standard essential patents, the FTC said on Thursday.

Microsoft Corp and other Google competitors have pressed the FTC to bring a broad antitrust case against Google similar to the sweeping Justice Department litigation against Microsoft in the 1990s.

Meanwhile smaller Internet companies such as Nextag have complained about Google tweaking its Web search results to give prominence to its own products, pushing down competitors' rankings and making them more difficult for customers to find.

At a press conference, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz anticipated criticism of the agency's decision to not further pursue Google on the so-called subject of search bias.

"Even though people would like us to bring a big search bias case, the facts aren't there," he said.

"The changes Google have agreed to make ensure that consumers continue to reap the benefits of competition in the online marketplace and in the market for innovative wireless devices they enjoy," said Leibowitz.

The commission voted 4 to 1 to settle the patent investigation into Google's injunction requests. It voted 5 to 0 to end the probe of Google's search practices.

The news had little impact on Google shares, which closed up 42 cents at $723.67, as most investors had expected the FTC probe to conclude without inflicting major damage.

"I never saw any real likelihood that the feds were going to insert themselves between one of the most popular brands in the world and the constituency that adores it," said Whit Andrews, an analyst for Gartner Inc.

RIVALS DISAPPOINTED

Yelp, which operates the social networking/user review website yelp.com, had complained about scraped reviews, and said it was disappointed with the result of the FTC probe.

"The closure of the commission's investigation into search bias by Google without action ... represents a missed opportunity to protect innovation in the Internet economy," wrote Yelp spokesman Vince Sollitto in an email. "We look for the regulatory bodies continuing their investigation to have greater success."

Microsoft had no immediate comment, but Dave Heiner, its deputy general counsel, complained in a blog post on Wednesday about "Google's misconduct," specifically blocking a fully featured YouTube, which Google owns, from the Windows Phone.

Gary Reback, who represents a group of Google's critics including Nextag, said he thought the investigation was inadequate since the FTC failed to respond to his clients' assertions that they had been hurt by Google and asked few questions in its civil subpoenas.

"They talked about how thorough and exhaustive the investigation was but that's really rubbish," said Reback, who is with the law firm Carr & Ferrell LLP and is best known for his work against Microsoft in the 1990s. "I've never seen anything as shallow and incomplete as this was."

Microsoft was embroiled in antitrust probes and litigation from 1990 when the FTC began an investigation until 2011, when the final consent decree finally expired.

Leibowitz defended the commission's investigation into Google, saying the agency had scoured through some 9 million pages of documents and taken sworn testimony from key Google executives. "This was an incredibly thorough and careful investigation by the commission, and the outcome is a strong and enforceable set of agreements," he said.

Google's David Drummond, the company's chief legal officer, said the FTC announcement on Thursday meant that "Google's services are good for users and good for competition."

Thomas Rosch, who is leaving the commission this month, suggested the investigation fell short.

"After promising an elephant more than a year ago, the commission instead has brought forth a couple of mice," said Rosch, a Republican.

The FTC broke with its usual practice of requiring a consent decree to settle an investigation. Instead it allowed Google to write a letter pledging to implement the agreed-upon changes in the search portion of the probe.

That prompted some sharp questions about whether Google would live up to its pact.

"I have no reason to think that Google won't honor their commitment; I think they will," said Leibowitz, noting financial penalties if Google failed to do so.

One Google competitor seemed to think the FTC agreement with Google would be a small boon to competitors.

"The concessions that the FTC extracted on review scraping, patents, and data are real, but not game changers by any means," said Oren Etzioni, co-founder of Decide.com, a product website that advises shoppers when prices may change or new versions of gadgets may come out.

Some of Google's critics, anticipating a weak conclusion to the FTC's investigation, said in December that they may be ready to take their grievances to the Justice Department.

The European Union, based in Brussels, is conducting a parallel probe of Google. It announced on December 18 that it was giving the company a month to come up with proposals to resolve its probe.

The European Commission has been examining informal settlement proposals from Google since July but has not sought feedback from the complainants, suggesting it is not convinced by what Google has put on the table so far.

Google is also being looked at by a group of state attorneys general, led by Texas.

In August, Google was forced to pay $22.5 million to settle charges it bypassed the privacy settings of customers using Apple Inc's Safari browser. The practice was in violation of a 2011 consent decree with the FTC over a botched rollout of the now defunct social network Buzz.

(Additional reporting by Edwin Chan and Alistair Barr; editing by Ros Krasny, John Wallace, Nick Zieminski and Bernard Orr)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-ends-long-google-probe-only-mild-reprimand-000924062--finance.html

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Craftaholics Anonymous? | 21 Small Craft Storage Ideas for Kids

Happy Friday! Do you have crafty kids? Do they have just as many crafting supplies as you? Well, here are some ideas on how to organize and store all those small craft supplies.

This post is taken from?this Facebook thread?where Annie asked:

?My daughter has lots of beads, crayons and other craft stuff?but I don?t really know how to store it all in a nice but still easy for her to access way! Help!??- Annie

1. ?Plastic drawer storage bin. One drawer for each ?thing? or if you want it to be separated out by color, then use plastic zip bags for the different colors and put the bags in the drawers. Cheap, easy, and easy to maintain as well!? ? Wendy L.
2. ?We love tackle boxes and tool boxes for craft storage.? ? Jayme C.

{source: West Seattle Fabric Co studio}
3. ?They make compartmented storage options, but another fun way is small jars like baby food or the little jam jars. They make it easy to see what?s inside and to only pick out the ones you want at any given time.? ? Kelie M.
4. ?A clear, over the door shoe organizer for the bigger sized craft stuff (crayons, etc) and definitely tackle boxes for the beads.? ? Christian M.
5. ?There are Rubbermaid containers in the home improvement aisle at Wal-mart. They have lots of dividers and they are removable for what size you need. They are better than the ones you find in the craft department.? ? Colette T.
6. ?You can also use the clear containers you find in the fishing department for storage. They are WAY cheaper than that you find in the crafting area and are able to make to whatever size you need. I have also used tackle boxes to store crayons and such and they are very portable.? ? Laurie A.
7. ?Why not find a horizontal coat rack and add wire handles to glass or mason jars and hang on the hooks. You can hang it over her art station or at a level that she can reach.? ? Kendra H.
8. ?Individual plastic picture boxes meant for scrapbooking. I have seen them in different sizes and they have snap closures.? ? Erin B.

{source Homemade Simple}
9. ?Tackle boxes are a good idea. Or we use the small Crystal Light containers ? peel the covers off them, recover with scrapbook paper, put a magnet on the back and store on a cookie sheet on the wall. You could also reuse the larger Kool-aid containers or creamer or coffee containers as they are all plastic with good lids.? ? Ellen W.

10. ?We have smaller containers that fit in a 3 drawer plastic container. It?s large enough to fit it all and the drawers are big enough to fit smaller containers.? ? Roxanne S.

11. ?Maybe some Rubbermaid type drawers. They come in different sizes and she could just pull out the drawer she needs at the time. And they?re stackable! I use little fishing tackle boxes to organize my beads too. They?re cheaper than the ones in the craft department!? ? Andrea M.
12. ?I use glass mason jars. You can get a wine rack and set it up, and put the jars in the rack. Then she can see the contents and she can have easy access.? ? Ashley M.
13. ?We all use empty plastic gallon ice cream buckets. You get to eat the ice cream then reuse them. They are the perfect size and height for multiple kids to use and the lids stay on really well. They also hold a lot of crayons and other crafting supplies. When we go out to eat I always bring home the crayons the kids get at the restaurant and just add them to the bucket. Plus they can be stacked and most have handles that make them easy to carry.? ? Sue C.?

{source Fancy Frugal Life craft room}
14. ?Lots of options! Over-the-door shoe organizer (clear ones are great for little ones); small glavanized buckets on a table, shelf, or bookcase; Sterilite rolling storage with drawers and you could add utensil trays or any type of container(s) inside to separate items; or a utensil caddy. We have two and I turned them into ?official? homework stations complete with crayons, pencils, erasers, scissors, rulers, markers, glue sticks, and such. Or, you can repurpose containers for storage like cereal boxes, baby wipes containers, plastic tubs/jars/bins, etc.? ? Heather T.
15. ?I went to Lowe?s and got a rectangular storage box for screws etc. It has many small long drawers and 6 larger drawers. They are $20. You can buy small containers like for condiments at the dollar store and separate in the bigger drawers. Label with a label maker and voila! Tons of storage for beads, findings, crayons, you name it.? ? Jenny B.
16. ?My best way is jars: either mason jars or baby food jars, they work great! The wipe boxes are awesome for crayons.? ? Meg M.
17. ?Fishing box or tool boxes are great for storage of craft material, if you just get one big tool box you can put beads into ziplock bags.? ? Sandra C.
18. ?You can use a condiment rack and use every jar for different kinds of beads. For pencils, crayons, markers, etc., you can use a wine racket with plastic cups!? ? Maria R.
19. ?Divided utensil carrier for markers, crayons, chalk, etc.? ? Kelly H.
20. ?I would not use any glass jars if the child is very young instead one could use plastic mayonaise jars or other plastic jars.? ? Sharlene T.
21. ?We use old pill bottles for beads because the safety caps prevent little ones from getting into them. Crayons, paints, pencil, and crayons go into old baby wipe containers. Though I do not have babies anymore I still buy them to clean my stamps. Also boot boxes from our kids snow boots or shoe boxes recovered in scrapbook paper or old wallpaper scraps to make them more sturdy. They are great for paper and holding extra craft supplies.? ? Michelle B.

Join us over at the Craftaholics Anonymous? Facebook page for exclusive crafting support!

happy crafting,

Linda

MORE craft supply storage ideas?

Source: http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/21-small-craft-storage-ideas-for-kids

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OSC Automotive Cooling: Eastern Regional Sales Manager | The ...

A growing leader in the automotive aftermarket seeks a motivated and driven Regional Sales Manager. Previous management responsibilities and industry experience is a must. Ideal candidate must possess 10+ years of previous experience with ?hard parts? in the automotive aftermarket, preferably in both sales as well as managing sales via independent sales agencies. Responsibilities will include maintaining existing accounts, building new accounts, calling on buying groups and development of new sales programs. We offer a competitive salary, benefit package and an excellent working environment.

Contact person: Todd Erwin
Email resume to: todd@oscooling.com
Phone: 951-212-8842

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Source: http://www.thegreensheetonline.com/one-stop-brake-source-national-sales-manager-9513.htm

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Clinton talking to staff as she recovers from clot

FILE - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, listens to a reporter ask a question during a news conference with African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, not seen, after their meeting at the Department of State in Washington, in this Nov. 28, 2012 file photo. Doctors treating Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for a blood clot in her head said Monday Dec. 31, 2013 that blood thinners are being used to dissolve the clot and they are confident she will make a full recovery. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

FILE - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, listens to a reporter ask a question during a news conference with African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, not seen, after their meeting at the Department of State in Washington, in this Nov. 28, 2012 file photo. Doctors treating Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for a blood clot in her head said Monday Dec. 31, 2013 that blood thinners are being used to dissolve the clot and they are confident she will make a full recovery. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, center, is transported on the New York Presbyterian Hospital complex Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, in New York. Officials say Clinton who was admitted to the New York hospital Sunday continues to be treated with blood thinners to dissolve a clot in the vein behind the right ear. Doctors found the clot during a follow-up exam stemming from a concussion she suffered in early December. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, center, is transported on the New York Presbyterian Hospital complex Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, in New York. Officials say Clinton who was admitted to the New York hospital Sunday continues to be treated with blood thinners to dissolve a clot in the vein behind the right ear. Doctors found the clot during a follow-up exam stemming from a concussion she suffered in early December. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been speaking with staff and reviewing paperwork from the New York hospital where she is recovering from a blood clot in her head, the State Department said Wednesday.

Doctors continue to monitor Clinton's progress and her response to blood thinners intended to dissolve the clot. Aides said there was no update Wednesday on her condition, but emphasized that the secretary remained engaged with staff in Washington who are handling U.S. foreign policy in her absence.

"She's been quite active on the phone with all of us," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

Clinton was admitted Sunday to New York-Presbyterian Hospital for treatment of a clot stemming from a concussion she suffered earlier in December. While at home battling a stomach virus, Clinton had fainted, fallen and struck her head, a spokesman said. Clinton, 65, hasn't been seen publicly since Dec. 7.

Clinton was photographed Wednesday getting into a black van with her husband, Bill, daughter, Chelsea, and a security contingent to be taken elsewhere on the sprawling hospital campus.

Doctors found the clot, located in a vein that runs through the space between the brain and the skull behind the right ear, during a follow-up exam and began administering blood thinners. Her physicians said Monday that there was no neurological damage and that they expect she will make a full recovery.

Sidelined by her illness for most of December, Clinton was forced to cancel scheduled testimony before Congress about a scathing report into the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, and was absent on Dec. 21 when President Barack Obama nominated Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to succeed Clinton when she steps down at the start of Obama's second term, as had long been planned.

But Clinton had expected to return to work this week and had already started to resume regular phone contact with her foreign counterparts. On Saturday, the day before the clot was discovered, Clinton had a half-hour conversation with Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. envoy to Syria, in which the two discussed the state of affairs in that civil-war-torn country, Nuland said.

Also on Saturday, Clinton spoke by telephone with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, discussing recent developments in Syria, Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories.

Clinton's doctors said they planned to release Clinton from the hospital after the proper dose for the blood thinners had been established, and doctors not involved with her care say it's likely she will have no long-term consequences from the clot. But it remains to be seen whether she will be able to return to work before she resigns as secretary of state.

The illness has also raised questions about Clinton's political future and how her health might influence her decision about whether to run for president in 2016, as prominent Democrats have been urging her to consider. Clinton also suffered from a blood clot in 1998, midway through her husband's second term as president, although that clot was located in her knee.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-02-Clinton/id-e1a04015372d42a2b7c1afdafd550f0b

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What to watch Wednesday: Quiet after ?fiscal cliff? and New Year?s

It?s quiet in Washington after a rip-roaring New Year?s holiday.

In case you had your own celebration going and missed it, here?s how Capitol Hill welcomed 2013: Just after midnight Tuesday, the Senate voted 89-8 to pass a ?fiscal cliff? deal struck by Vice President Joe Biden and GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell. Late Tuesday night, the House, after a tumultuous day, voted 257-167 to pass the measure and send it to President Barack Obama for his signature.

The fiscal cliff deal hikes tax rates on income above $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for households. And, yes, Obama says he will sign it.

[House passes fiscal cliff deal, tamps down GOP revolt]

There?s not much on the Washington calendar Wednesday, so politicians and pundits will have a lot of time to reflect on questions raised by the deal:

• Why was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seemingly pushed aside by Biden in last-minute negotiations?
• How will conservative members of the House Republican caucus react to House Speaker John Boehner?s ?yes? vote on the bill?
• Was the deal a victory for Obama? And who were other winners and losers?
• What now?

There also are likely to be questions on an unrelated matter: Why did the House Republican leadership decide to allow the current term of Congress to end without holding a vote on aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy?

Also worth noting on Wednesday, Republican Rep. Tim Scott is expected to submit his letter of resignation from the House of Representatives. He was chosen by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to replace Sen. Jim DeMint.

And then there is this: Right after the fiscal cliff vote in the House, President Obama boarded Air Force One to resume his Hawaiian holiday vacation.

Sources: Yahoo! News? The Ticket, Yahoo! News reporter Olivier Knox, National Journal, ABC News, Associated Press, Reuters.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/wednesday-politics-quiet-fiscal-cliff-holiday-more-115139334--election.html

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