THAT BUTTON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE PAIN AND SUFFERING, EXCEPT FOR THE RED BUTTON THAT LAUNCHES THE NUKES:  For 2013, you can learn to stop hitting reply-all, and even disable it in Outlook.

WE'RE SHOOTING A FILM OVER HERE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR ONE OF OUR ACTORS: As part of the Judd Apatow-edited Vanity Fair comedy issue, Ned Zeman chronicles the making of The Blues Brothers. Yes, there's some cocaine involved.  

IT'S BALTIMORE. NO ONE LIVES FOREVER: Maybe we just should've called it a rest at the end of 2012, because "Not for Attribution" pretty unambiguously feels like the worst episode of The Wire which we've seen to date. As much as Sepinwall tries to defend it as black comedy, McNulty's nutty serial killer scheme is just so out of whack with the sober realism (with occasional darkly comic touches) of the rest of the Wire universe that I cannot enjoy it, and so much of the rest, including a Baltimore Sun universe which is new to us on this show, nevertheless feels been there, done that with nothing particularly compelling about it.

Butchie's death was sad, and yes, it was good to see Omar again (and Clay's driver, Day Day Price), and to have Michael, Dukie, and Bug acting like kids for once. But please, tell us, veterans: does this get better, or should we just blaze through and get this over with?

PALEOFITNESS IS STILL OUT, NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRY:  Last year, the Washington Post's In/Out for [Insert Year Here] Gurus correctly predicted the rise of Jessica Chastain, Kate Middleton's uterus, the tv series Happy Endings and Girls, Pinterest, Taylor Swift's bangs, and "hunting the God particle," even if their predicted Tang renaissance did not bear fruit.

What's in store for 2013?  More Longoria, less Clooney. Taxidermy. The 'Fro. Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon & Cecily Strong. A movement to draft Taft into the Nationals' Presidents race. And Donuts: why would they ever be out?

added: Also in for 2013, apparently? Oompa-Loompa attacks.

I WATCH AT THE PLEASURE OF THE PRESIDENT:  All seven seasons of The West Wing are now available on Netflix Streaming, and Vulture has some suggestions for five essential episodes, which somewhat surprisingly excludes Two Cathedrals, though I can't quibble with four of their choices--the fifth, on the other hand?  Well, that's for discussion in the comments.

I GOTTA GET A BELLY FULL OF WINE:  Among the recipients of Her Majesty's New Years Honours for 2012 are actors Ewan McGregor and Adrian Lester, singer Kate Bush, and a metric shitload of folks involved in the London Olympics. Full list here, topped by Professor Peter Higgs (of boson fame) and the Rt Hon The Lord Sebastian Coe both being named to the Order of Companions of Honour.

TIME IS OURS:  Andy Reid's tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles is now over. Like Mike Tanier, I will mostly remember the good times, and regret the fact that unlike with so many of their players the Eagles organization didn't recognize soon enough when Reid's performance had hit its decline phase. Five NFC championship games and a long streak of fond memories are his legacy -- 4th and 26, the two Giants road games decided by miraculous punt returns, the week 17 Dallas game in 2008 -- and now it's time for the next coach to repeat the two sage decisions that Reid did at the start of his tenure: who will be the team's QB of the future, and who will coach its defense? Let us hope for the best, including for Reid himself.

Trivia: Reid's firing means there are only four coaches remaining in America's three major sports who were in their current jobs when this blog debuted. Name 'em.