Hump Day Headlines

This is a wickedly slow week -- I've already done a week's worth of work, I think! Whew! Just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, starting with the news:

Talks on extending the payroll tax cut have stalled. We're going to go down to the wire yet again. WaPo says it's Groundhog Day again -- the same battle, over and over. The GOP wants to pay for it by, among other things, raising Medicare premiums and reducing subsidies under the health reform law (which doesn't take affect until 2014, so really, would this be paying for a tax cut now?). The Dems want a millionaire's tax. Worlds apart.

In light of the Catholic criticism President Obama's decision to make contraception a mandatory, free insurance benefit, the President now says he will try to come up with ways to accommodate faith-based objections to contraception. I'm biting my tongue.

You've heard of mindfulness meditation, right? How about mindful eating? I so totally believe in this -- although I just broke all the rules by scarfing down a bagel while writing this!

The Centers for Disease Control has said that it will focus on ending the Black HIV/AIDS epidemic. Good.

Did you know bread is the number one source of salt in our diets, more than potato chips? Good to know.

The Obama Administration has vowed to increase funding of Alzheimer's research.

A Pennsylvania college is dispensing the "morning after pill" in vending machines. Good idea?

There are new guidelines for how to avoid deep vein thrombosis on long plane flights.

Here are foods that boost your immune system. We could all use a little of that.

And for a bit of humor amidst all the serious stuff going on, here's Jimmy Fallon with the First Lady trying out her Let's Move initiative. Here's a longer clip. After all, laughter is the best medicine.

Have a great day! Jennifer