Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Anniversaries:

With the Olympics begging in two weeks, it probably bears mentioning that the First Winter Olympics games opened in Chamonix, France (in the French Alps), on this date in 1924.

Tomorrow:

NADIA SULEMAN's octuplets turn 1.

I'm a Poll Man:

A new CNN/Opinion Dynamcis survey says most Americans now oppose the $787-billion-dollar economic stimulus program enacted by Congress early last year. Fifty-six-percent of those polled now oppose the stimulus, with 42-percent still in favor.
   The new numbers are a major shift from last March, when --just weeks after the stimulus bill was signed into law by President OBAMA-- 54-percent of the public supported the program, with 44-percent opposed. (Pacelli)

Sundance Film Festival:

RBR correspondent VALERIE KNIGHT checks in from Park City, Utah: "Hot talk so far is about 'Welcome to the Rileys,' starring JAMES GANDOLFINI and MELISSA LEO. 'The Runaways,' the drama about JOAN JETT and the BLACKHEARTS is also getting good buzz.
   "Yesterday afternoon I saw a film called "The Dry Land" about a soldier coming back from the Iraqi war. It's executive-produced by AMERICA FERRARA, and she starred, and was there along with the whole cast. A new, young, actor named RYAN O'NAN played the lead, plus WILMER VALDERAMA (he sure grew up from That 70's Show), JASON RITTER, MELISSA LEO. I was wondering when America (always a fixture at Sundance) would use her "Ugly Betty" money to produce a movie... well, here it is. I think it will get picked up..."

Grace notes:

Fans hoping for a full GENESIS reunion when the band gets inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year are in for a major disappointment. PETER GABRIEL told Rolling Stone magazine that he will not perform with the group that night, and he may not even show up for the ceremony in New York City. Peter says he learned from their last live reunion in 1982 at the UK's Milton Keynes Bowl that you just can't get up there, you have to rehearse. The Hall's Class of 2010 will be inducted on March 15th at New York City's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Fuse will carry the event live. (Marino)

Wasted away again in Margaritaville:

A so-called 'method actor' in Russia was rushed to the hospital after getting blitzed on vodka during a performance.
   Ananova.com says 36-year-old MARC SCHULZE was supposed to use water to represent liquor in the play  'Moscow - Petushki.' But, apparently, he wanted to 'keep it real'. One audience member said, "He was turning in a very realistic performance and it looked really impressive. I was amazed at how good his drunken staggering was and how he was slurring his words."
   When Schulze started forgetting his lines and stumbling all over the place, however, people knew something was wrong. Then, he just collapsed.
   Producers are now forbidding Schulze from touching the hard stuff in future shows. (Still)

Filling a need:

Remember that gadget that translated your dog's bark so you knew what he was saying? Someone came up with the bright idea to do the same thing with your baby's cry. Only it's not a gadget; it's an application for your iPhone.
   Woman's Day magazine says the Cry Translator is supposed to help you decode your baby's cries. You use your phone to record the baby's cry and the app tells you if your child is hungry, annoyed, tired, stressed or bored. A magazine columnist says you don't really need the app to tell what your baby needs, but the app creators claim to be accurate 96-percent of the time. (Page)