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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Feb 13, 2013
February 13, 2013
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How much will Valentine's cost in 2013?:
A Houston-based investment firm has calculated this year's "Cost of Loving Index" for popular Valentine's Day gifts, and says, on average, you'll have to shell out about 2.4 percent more this year.
Fortunately for the guys, the majority of the gifts surveyed by Houston Asset Management cost the same, however:
--imported Chanel No. 5 perfume has gone up 14.04 percent
--Godiva chocolates in a heart-shaped box are 5.26 percent more,
--and for women, a designer silk tie will run 3.45 percent more than last year.
The good news: a $250 romantic candlelight dinner for two at a fancy restaurant is back to its 2011 level and dropped nine percent.
Staying the same:
--Greeting cards for that special someone
--two tickets to a movie
--a dozen long-stemmed roses, averaging $129.07 with delivery
--a silk designer nightie (average $68)
PS: According to the survey, the average guy will spend a bit more than $126 on Valentine's Day.The Weather:
The National Hurricane Center says Superstorm Sandy was the deadliest hurricane to hit the northeastern U-S in 40 years and the second-costliest in the nation's history.
The center's report attributes 72 deaths in the U-S directly to Sandy, from Maryland to New Hampshire. That's more than any hurricane to hit the northeastern U-S since Hurricane Agnes killed 122 people in 1972.
The report counts at least 87 more deaths indirectly tied to the storm, from causes such as hypothermia due to power outages and accidents during cleanup efforts.
Estimated cost in damages: $50 billion, greater than any U-S hurricane except Katrina. That 2005 storm caused $108 billion in damage, or $128 billion adjusted to 2012 dollars. (Maiman)Westminster Kennel Club winner:
Congratulations to Banana Joe, the winner of Best in Show at last night's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The affenpinscher --the first one ever to win-- beat out five other dogs: American foxhound, a Bichon Frise, a smooth fox terrier, a German wirehaired pointer and a Portuguese Water Dog (which, by the way, is the same breed as Bo, the dog that PRESIDENT OBAMA owns).
Face time with the judge:
Poor BRENDAN FRASER can't afford his child support payments! The San Francisco Chroncile's "Daily Dish" gossip column reports "The Mummy" star agreed to pay his ex-wife, AFTON SMITH, $900-thousand dollars per-year to support their three sons back in 2009, but swears he simply isn't making that kind of cash these days. The case is being tried in Connecticut, and he'll have to take the stand later this month because baby mama believes he's got millions of bucks stashed away somewhere. (Lee)
Editor's note: He may have some more money soon --he does one of the voices for the animated movie, "Escape From Planet Earth," which opens tomorrow.Grace notes:
ART GARFUNKEL has finally revealed what truly caused SIMON & GARFUNKEL to break up. The Hollywood Reporter says the singer was speaking at the Paley Center for Media in New York City last week and said that both Paul and Artie were cast in director MIKE NICHOLS' 1970 film, "Catch-22," based on the JOSEPH HELLER novel. But, only Artie's role remained in the film while Paul's was cut. So, Paul had to wait around while Artie finished filming in Rome. It was only supposed to be three months, but wound up being close to six. That was too much for Paul, so when Artie finally returned, they decided to make "Bridge Over Troubled Water" their final album together. (Marino)
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