All Blog Posts from Couric & Co.

It's an historic week in an already historic year.

That's the way White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel described the days ahead...as President Obama faces critical moments on some of the most crucial challenges of his administration.

The Senate will begin debate on the health care reform bill, a bold and sweeping initiative that some critics say could be his Waterloo. The Democrats need 60 votes, but battles over a public option and federal money for abortions will may make that number tough to reach.

Tomorrow night, it's all about Afghanistan. In a primetime address from West Point, the president is expected to announce plans for moving forward, including a troop increase.

And then later in the week, the discussion turns to jobs....and an unemployment rate hovering above 10 percent.

The President inherited a world of problems...this week will test his ability to convince impatient Americans his policies will lead to solutions and change they can still believe in.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

Remember how Mom always yelled turned down that music? In the days of the boom box the volume was just plain annoying. But now that the soundtrack of our lives goes straight into our ears...it can be downright dangerous.

Some European officials want to force makers of M-P-3 players...like i-pods...to lower default volume settings for a maximum of 80 decibels. That's a little louder than normal conversation ... about the same as the dial tone from a phone. Right now, many players can pump out ear-splitting levels equivalent to a lawn mower...almost as loud as an airplane.

Researchers say listening at that volume for just an hour a day can cause permanent damage after just a few years. In fact, one study found as many as 13 percent of 16 to 19-year-olds already have some hearing loss.

It could take a year or two before these standards are finalized, but Mom may finally get what she wanted ... and a lot of us will still be able to hear her.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

Millions of American families will gather at the table tomorrow and say Grace...offering thanks for gifts "from thy bounty."

The United States is a bountiful land of plenty...We have grocery stores offering 20 different kinds of cheese and row upon row of every type of apple or lettuce that grows. We throw out more than a quarter of our food supply every year.

There is no excuse for the staggering number of hungry Americans. Last year, 49 million people were in danger of going hungry. More than 4 million children didn't get enough to eat. I'm not talking about Sub-Saharan Africa. I'm talking about states like Mississippi and Texas and Ohio...perhaps right in your neighborhood.

We have all the amber waves of grain we can handle. But as a nation, we must reach out to struggling families and share that bounty.

Hunger is not a political issue, and no child should have so little to eat in a nation that has so much.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

You know, in this recession, about one in 10 Americans sought help from a church or religious group to get by. That comes from a new Pew poll on attitudes about faith-based initiatives.

It isn't surprising that millions of people would need a helping hand in tough times, but within that poll was an interesting finding. Overall, Americans believe religious organizations are better at providing care to the needy than the government.

As Hillary Clinton said, it takes a village, but churches are a vital part of our communities.

Here in New York, The Bowery Mission serves 800 meals every day...and expects to dish up three thousand Thanksgiving dinners this year. That's 600 turkeys and a whole lot of trimmings.

Groups like Bowery Mission need help from you...so reach out to your church or religious group if you have one. Money of course, is always welcome...but time is just as valuable.

Your smile or holiday greeting might be just the gift someone really needs this year.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

Twas just weeks before Christmas, and what do you know? Senate Democrats are once again praying for Snowe.

They won 60 votes to start the debate, but they're back to square one...and they just have to wait.

Wait for blue dogs like Nelson and Lincoln...who say a public option would mean the economy sinkin'.

Wait for Joe Lieberman...who says it won't pass....and hope Mary Landrieu can change her mind fast.

The Republican votes right now total zero...but a trigger could make one woman a hero.

The moderate who hails from the land way up north...could save Harry Reid's Christmas with a deal she brought forth...urging government plans for when private ones fail.

To think...both sides happy? Can both sides prevail?

At this point no compromise looms within sight...that means after Thanksgiving...it's on with the fight.

Enjoy your turkey and know we'll be here...to help make this tough topic...just a little more clear.

And that's a page from my notebook,

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

She dreamed a dream, and now it appears to be coming true.

Britain's Got Talent contestant Susan Boyle...whose trials and tribulations were international tabloid fodder last season...is back for a second act.

She's releasing a brand new album of covers...including the Les Miz tune that put her on the map...and a somber rendition of Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones.

While she may not seem to be the type of performer whose albums would sell like hotcakes...they are, according to Amazon. The website says they've had more pre-order sales for her new CD than any other in its 14 year history.

Despite a rocky end on a reality show, Susan Boyle will likely have the recording career she wanted for so long.

She once said her overnight success was like a demolition ball that hit her hard and unexpectedly.

Hopefully the year was spent not just preparing outside for the photo-ops...but also for the inside, and all the pressure that brings.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

A new Pentagon report concludes that more than a third of Americans between 17 and 24 are unfit for military duty because of physical or medical problems - and the main reason is obesity. The percentage of young adults considered obese is now four times what it was just a generation ago.

Add to that men and women ineligible because of a limited education, criminal records, or illegal drug use - and the report concludes almost three-quarters of potential recruits are unable to enlist. Military leaders call that a threat to national security.

The obstacle facing the Pentagon is a symptom of a much larger disease.

This war may not be in Afghanistan or Iraq but the battle of the bulge in this country is just as dangerous and costly. Fitness to serve is one thing, but in or out of uniform, Americans need to focus on fitness to live long and health lives.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

To screen or not to screen...that is the question. This week a government task force caused a major stir in the medical world by advising against routine mammograms for women under fifty who are not high risk.

The reasons make sense. Roughly ninety percent of abnormal screenings are ultimately benign. These false alarms lead to invasive tests and major anxiety, not to mention billions of dollars of unnecessary care.

Still, those mammograms could save the life of one woman in 1,900 hundred. If she happens to be your daughter, your mother, your wife...or you...that's the only statistic that will matter.

The American Cancer Society and two prominent doctor's groups are playing it safe...continuing to recommend the screenings for every woman over 40.

Technology must be used wisely...but when it comes to your health, making an informed decision in consultation with your doctor is the wisest thing you can do.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

It's a key factor used to determine the quality of health care in industrialized nations: the infant mortality rate. Sadly, the United States has not faired well in that category. In fact, it ranks 30th in the world - behind most of Europe, Japan and Israel.

Premature delivery is a leading cause of death for newborns and the rate of babies arriving too soon has climbed a staggering 36 percent since 1984. Technology and medicine have improved by leaps and bounds since then - so why is the preemie rate rising?

Dr. Alan Fleischman of the March of Dimes says factors like obesity and smoking can lead to early labor, but there's a bigger problem. Twenty percent of women in child bearing years have no health insurance - and there is no guaranteed access to prenatal care if they do get pregnant.

Education and access are the tools needed for the U.S. to strive for first place - and allow more of our tiniest citizens to enjoy a first birthday.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

Our criminal justice system is based on the concept that criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty...that they have the right to a fair trial.

That sounds good on paper, but what if the accused is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?

Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to try the admitted 9/11 mastermind - and four alleged co-conspirators in a civilian courtroom in New York City is controversial at the very least.

Some Republicans, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, say the Obama administration is giving terrorists too many rights and a platform for their radical ideology.

But 9/11 widow Kristen Breitweiser supports the decision, saying New Yorkers and families like hers - want to see these men publicly brought to justice - to finally have closure.

And so just blocks from the scene of the crime, justice will be served - a right nearly three-thousand Americans lost on 9/11.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.