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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Apr 1, 2013
April 1, 2013
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Health and Medical Briefs:
A new study shows that women suffering hot flashes or night sweats may benefit from Chinese herbal tea.
Findings published in the latest edition of the journal Menopause explain the herbal formula Er-xian decoction (EXD) significantly lowered the frequency of daily hot flashes by 62-percent, compared to 52-percent seen among those taking a placebo. EXD is a blend of the roots, stems or leaves of six different Chinese herbs.
Researchers gave the herbal mix as a tea to menopausal women in their 40s and 50s. Each participant drank the formula twice a day for twelve weeks. Half drank 15 grams of the herbal tea while the other half were given a drink made of tea, caramel and gardenin.
One of the researchers involved in the study described the effect as "modest," and went on to say that before recommending the herbal mixture, she'd like to see more long-term studies to prove the herbs were safe to use. She also said the study does make EXD a promising possible alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). (Page)Baseball:
Major League Baseball cranks out a full slate of games today after last night's traditional opening day contest.
In case you don't follow much baseball, ALEX RODRIGUEZ is no longer playing for the NY Yankees; he was traded to the Houston Astros. Here's the fun part: A-Rod will make more this year than all the Houston Astros combined, and he won't even play the first half of the season, if at all.
Rodriguez's $29 million salary tops the major leagues for the 13th straight season. Meanwhile, his former team, the Yankees have the highest payroll on opening day for the 15th straight year, climbing above the Los Angeles Dodgers to a projected $228 million with last week's acquisition of VERNON WELLS, and the Yankees' payroll will be nearly 10 times the spending of the Astros, who have shrunk their payroll to about $25 million.
Rodriguez, recovering from hip surgery, is followed on the money list by Philadelphia pitcher CLIFF LEE at $25 million. Incidentally, three of the top six money-makers will start the season on the DL, with A-Rod joined by New York Mets pitcher JOHAN SANTANA (third at $24.6 million) and Yankees first baseman MARK TEIXEIRA (pronounced, "tuh-SHARE-uh," sixth at $23.1 million). Wells is fourth at $24.6 million and CC SABATHIA fifth at $24.3 million, giving the Yankees four of the top six salaried players in the game today.
And for what it's worth, according to Forbes magazine, the NY Yankees are the most valuable baseball team at $2.3 billion.
Editor's note: And that's just for the stadium hot dog and beer concessions. (Maiman)Aliens and anal probes:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a new virtual reading room where anyone can search case files. Guess what the number one most searched case is.
An FBI memo sent to J. EDGAR HOOVER in 1950 regarding flying saucers in New Mexico is the most in-demand file in the bureau's electronic reading room. The document details reports of three UFOs allegedly found along with three humanoid bodies. The case file has been read nearly one-million times. (Still)TV Briefs:
"Doctor Who" began its new season Saturday night on BBC America.
And to mark the show's upcoming 50th anniversary this year, the BBC has announced that former "Dr Who" star DAVID TENNANT will be back to reprise his role as the tenth Doctor for the first time since 2010. BILLIE PIPER, who played the Doctor's companion, and famed actor JOHN HURT will also be appearing on the show along with the current Doctor, MATT SMITH, and JENNA-LOUISE COLEMAN, his latest companion.
Filming for the show begins this week.Chic Sh*t:
"Game of Thrones" also returned last night. While the very stylish EMILIA CLARKE was angling to take back the Iron Throne last night as Daenerys Targaryen on the HBO series, did you know she also made her Broadway debut just last week? She's playing Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," wearing glamorous1940s-style dresses created by famed Hollywood costume designer COLLEEN ATWOOD. Emilia says the two characters are just as different as their costumes. She told InStyle that "Holly [in Breakfast at Tiffany's] uses her costumes as a mask, but Dany uses them in a much more practical way." (Bartha)
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