All Blog Posts from Couric & Co.

Readers and colleagues,

After more than a year working on Couric & Co., I'm packing up and heading west. The newsroom has been ringing all day with the sounds of "I left my Heart in San Francisco," and, indeed, that's where I'm destined. Of course this blog was only one of my myriad duties here, but it was really the only one in which I got regular feedback from you.

So, before I pack up my coffee mug, AP stylebook, Tums and the herd of high-heels that have taken over my filing drawer, I'd like to say a big thank you to anyone who's checked out this blog, anyone who's left a comment or given us some feedback through e-mail.

And, to all the correspondents who put up with my e-nagging and contributed some great posts and stories that otherwise might not have been heard.

Click through for a couple semi-embarassing pictures. Consider it your farewell present.

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There was a time in life when the only advice about alcohol you heeded was "beer before liquor, never sicker." But as you get older, you start paying attention to all those medical studies, and they are enough to make your head spin.

There's a new one, from Oxford University, that seems to contradict the notion that a glass of wine of day keeps the doctor away.

Researchers studied more than a million women and concluded that even moderate drinking can increase your risk of cancer.

These results come just weeks after another study determined resveratrol, a chemical found in red wine, can actually reduce cholesterol and is good for your heart.

So, which is it? Good for you, or bad?

It's important to stay informed, but in the end, you could do everything right and still not live to be a 100. Our destinies are sometimes determined by a genetic game of Russian roulette.

But the bottom line: Moderation. And make sensible choices.

I'll drink to that.

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Last night after President Obama's first primetime address to Congress, we wrapped up our broadcast - and started a whole new one, online. Katie had some remarkable guests, including Sen. John McCain, Robert Gibbs and Bob Schieffer.

Missed it? For your viewing pleasure:

Tonight, immediately following our primetime coverage of President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress, Katie Couric will speak with Sen. John McCain in a live Web-exclusive interview on CBSNews.com and CNET.com at approximately 10:30 p.m. The Webcast features other guests, too - and all the analysis you expect from what Katie likes to call "the best political team in the galaxy."

And as usual, you get to join the conversation. The Webcast includes live response to viewer questions, which can be submitted now at www.cbsnews.com/webcast or by e-mailing questions@cbs.com.

Check out a preview here:

A ceasefire sounds like a good thing, and for civilians living in Pakistan's Swat Valley, it may be.

But both U.S. and NATO officials have expressed grave concern over Pakistan's decision to stop fighting Taliban forces in a region close to Afghanistan's border.

The truce agreement allows the militant stronghold to be run under Islamic Law.

This week, President Hamid Karzai and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke had a successful meeting. The Pentagon announced it would send an additional 17,000 troops. The common goal is clear: keep Afghanistan out of the hands of the Taliban.

Pakistan's move is considered a big step back, at a time when boots on the ground are trying to move forward.

Most experts agree, Pakistan would be more stable if it kept fighting and the Taliban would be weaker without this time to regroup. This is one case where peace may just be the calm before the storm.

We are all tightening our belts these days, but some of the places being squeezed the most are our children's schools.

Districts from coast to coast are making very tough decisions. Boston would have to cram more kids into every class under a plan to lay off six percent of its teachers. St. Louis may close a third of its schools.

Student athletes across New York State will play fewer games beginning next fall, while a suburban Cleveland district may eliminate sports all together. Other schools are closing science labs or dropping art and music programs.

The schools say they have no choice because the money just isn't there and they can't cut reading and math. But art, music and sports are also important parts of a child's development. By not teaching them now, students may never have the chance to blossom.

Instead, right now they're getting a hard lesson in real-world economics.

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Earlier today, in an exclusive interview with House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who played a key role in pushing the nearly $800 billion stimulus package through Congress, Katie asked her whether Republicans were treated fairly over the stimulus.

You can see more of the interview tonight on the Evening News – and check back here for additional transcripts and footage.

Katie Couric: Madam Speaker, you know, looking back on how this unfolded, do you think you've reached across party lines enough? Because not one Republican voted for the House version.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi: Well, that's – yes, I do think we reached across party lines. We gave them what they wanted. They wanted certain provisions in the bill. They wanted committee hearings and markups, what we call markups to the bill. We gave them 26 hours of amendment process then on the floor more amendments and a legislative opportunity. So I think ... they were treated fairly in terms of process.

Couric: But did you include them enough in the conversation and the discussion?

Pelosi: Well, they are always – the conversation is a public one here. But you have to remember that we had an election and it was about a direction for our country. We have strong philosophical differences in the Congress. This isn't inter-party bickering. This is major differences of opinion on philosophy on how our country should go forward.

We reject the failed Bush administration economic policies which got us where we are today. The proposals that the Republicans put forth were more of the same. We will not go back. In fact, even some of the Republicans in the House voted against the Republican proposal.

When you swipe your credit card, your account displays your debt ... but who's really picking up the tab? In case you missed the Evening News last night, check out the Fast Draw piece below. In brief: Mitch Butler and Josh Landis examine the crisis facing credit card companies, who have faced recent difficulty trying to sell off consumer debt to investors.

And remember to check back on their blog for the latest Fast Draws.

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Eager to see Katie's interview with Capt. "Sully" on 60 Minutes Sunday? Check out these video previews:

Captain Chesley Sullenberger says he doesn't feel comfortable embracing the word hero.

Sully, as the world knows him, stood with me on the tarmac of the Douglas Airport in Charlotte, where Flight 1549 was supposed to land safely.

Instead, the flight filled with 150 passenger and a crew of 5 splashed down in the Hudson River. Bird strike, double engine failure, and three and half minutes where so many lives hung in the balance.

It's been called the "Miracle on the Hudson," and few articles about Sully begin with words other than "hero pilot."

But Sully says he was just doing his job. "I've been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education and training," he told me. "On January 15, the balance was sufficient so that I could make a sudden, large withdrawal."

Heroes are born when ordinary people do extraordinary things.

This Sunday on 60 Minutes, I am honored to bring you the story of Sully and his crew. They may not want to be called heroes, but they all deserve our respect, admiration and gratitude.