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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Nov 22, 2013
November 22, 2013
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Top talkables of the day:
Everyone's making a big deal out of this being the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JOHN F KENNEDY. In fact, the actual day it happened was a Friday, so there.
The Kennedy assassination is one of America's "where-were-you-when" moments. But to put this in proper perspective, keep this in mind: Census data suggests that only about a third of America's current population was alive on that day in 1963, and considerably less than that have a concrete memory of it.
The point: There are fewer and fewer Americans around anymore who can say where they were that day.
Still, JFK, his presidency and assassination, have had enough saturation in both serious media and pop culture for lots of adults to have an opinion on what happened that day, and as it turns out, a Gallup poll this month found that 61 percent of Americans believe LEE HARVEY OSWALD did not act alone. Of that 61 percent in the Gallup poll, 13 percent think the federal government was behind it, and seven percent suspect the CIA.
But again, for perspective, an ABC News poll from 10 years ago --2003-- found that 70 percent believed there was a conspiracy, so as time passes, it appears it's less and less on the minds of Americans. (Maiman)Guilty Pleasures:
No winner in Tuesday night's drawing for the Mega Millions Lottery. That means tonight's drawing is valued at $181 million ($98 million cash value). Mega Millions is played in 42 states and Washington DC. Chances of winning the big prize are 1 in 175.7 million.
Shopping Around:
Of the one-thousand U.S. adult respondents in Ebates.com's 2013 Holiday Survey, 84 percent said that shopping for gifts online is better than visiting a physical store.
The most popular reason (60 percent) is that online shopping means they don't have to deal with the throngs. Over half (51 percent) just don't want to leave the house.
Online shopping is also seen as more convenient (49 percent) and negates the need to drive (46 percent). Just over four in 10 prefer online shopping for its free shipping and 23 percent like the immediacy of Internet purchases. (Kaye)Designer Update:
VICTORIA and DAVID BECKHAM have donated a boat-load --wait, we're sorry-- a yacht's-load of clothing and footwear to a London charity ship that is adding typhoon relief efforts in the Phillippines.
Victoria said in a statement. "Everyone has something in their closet they were holding onto, a dress, suit, or pair of shoes they thought they might wear again, dig them out, bag them up, drop them off and give someone else the chance to buy them, raising much needed funds for the Red Cross aid effort."
Of course, this being the Beckhams, don't expect any old cowboy boots and lightly stained Aéropostale sweatshirts. InStyle UK says reports that the couple's donation contains hundreds of shoes from Victoria's personal collection (including some gently worn Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks), as well as pieces by Robert Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana and a bunch of David's beloved baseball caps.
The Beckhams' donations go on sale at the Kensington and Chelsea Red Cross shop in London on Friday, Nov. 22nd with proceeds benefitting the Phillippines relief effort. (Bartha)Taking everything much too seriously:
SARAH PALIN's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, is auctioning off her old car.
The 1999 Ford Expedition Palin drove back when she was mayor has been listed on eBay with a starting bid of $10-thousand dollars. The auction listing shows a tan 4X4 with a cardboard cutout of Palin in the driver's seat. Palin drove the Expedition during her second term as mayor, until October 2002. (Still)What would JOHN LENNON, JIMI HENDRIX and KURT COBAIN look like today? Well, with today's computer wizardry, you can answer that question. Sachs Media Group and PhoJoe "aged" photos of lengendary singers and musicians who are no longer with us, and the results are either spot on, or just creepy. Also part of the experiment are ELVIS PRESLEY, JANIS JOPLIN, BOBBY DARIN, KAREN CARPENTER, MAMA CASS, DENNIS WILSON, JIM MORRISON, BOB MARLEY and KEITH MOON. (Marino)
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