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• The fiscal cliff vote forced those in Congress who are eyeing presidential runs to stake out early positions which signal how they may be aligning themselves -- and which could come back to haunt them should they move forward.
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NJ Gov. Christie blasts Boehner, Republicans, for failing to vote on storm relief package
• TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Gov. Chris Christie's blunt talk has long been one of his hallmarks.
• But Christie, who has verbally tangled with many, showed Wednesday he's willing to aim his barbs at the highest echelons of his own political party.
• In a State House news conference, Christie blasted Republican U.S. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio for delaying a vote on a $60 billion aid package for Superstorm Sandy recovery.
• "Do your job and come through for the people of this country," Christie pointedly said about Boehner.
• Harsh criticism of Boehner by elected officials in New York and New Jersey turned into a bipartisan affair Wednesday. But it was Christie's remarks that drew the most attention, both for what he said and his willingness, as a Republican with higher aspirations, to so forcefully take on Boehner and Congressional Republicans.
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Under the weather? Disease modelers factor in rain, temperature in forecasting outbreaks
• NEW YORK (AP) -- Only a 10 percent chance of showers today, but a 70 percent chance of flu next month.
• That's the kind of forecasting health scientists are trying to move toward, as they increasingly include weather data in their attempts to predict disease outbreaks.
• In one recent study, two scientists reported they could predict -- more than seven weeks in advance -- when flu season was going to peak in New York City. Theirs was just the latest in a growing wave of computer models that factor in rainfall, temperature or other weather conditions to forecast disease.
• Health officials are excited by this kind of work and the idea that it could be used to fine-tune vaccination campaigns or other disease prevention efforts.
• At the same time, experts note that outbreaks are influenced as much, or more, by human behavior and other factors as by the weather. Some argue weather-based outbreak predictions still have a long way to go. And when government health (Continued on page 28)
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