The novelty fades

The novelty fades

I, Barack Hussein Obama, do swear, solemnly: President Barack Obama's second inauguration Jan. 21 is expected to be a shadow of the historic 2009 event, when nearly 2 million people watched him take the oath of office. Officials predict that only about 600,000 to 800,000 people will witness this year's swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol.

In fact, the run-up to inauguration is so casual this time around that Chief Justice John Roberts hasn't bothered memorizing the oath of office.



Don't know much about history: On this day in 1894, Thomas Edison filmed a man taking a pinch of snuff and sneezing, one of the first motion pictures ever made.

The movie, "Fred Ott's Sneeze," was rated PG-13 for "frequent and pervasive tobacco use."



Drop the gloves already: The NHL and the players' union reached agreement Sunday on a tentative pact to end a 113-day lockout and save what's left of the pro hockey season.

NHL players are so rusty after four months of inaction that some are even forgetting to keep their guard hand up when their opponent comes after them with a left hook.

-- Mark Carlson, Herald staff