The Short List: Apple Watch to be huge; Dr. Seuss' new book; pot munchies
The Apple Watch puts fear in the hearts of watchmakers
They must be worried in Switzerland. A new research report today said Apple could sell as many as 20 million smartwatches in the first year. That would make the Apple Watch, out in April, "the most successful smartwatch ever." OK, that isn't saying much, since watches that have hit the market so far haven't really caught on with consumers. But to put that 20 million number in perspective: Pebble, the first smartwatch to launch, says it's sold 1 million copies in its two years on the market, while watches from Samsung Electronics and LG under the "Android Wear" banner sold just 720,000 units in 2014. (Watchmaker Fossil reported disappointing fourth quarter earnings yesterday, and analysts were sure to bring up the $700 billion elephant on the company's earnings call.) The Apple Watch will be the company's first new i-device since 2010's introduction of the iPad. It'll start at $349. If you want to get fancy, feast your eye on the gold-plated model. Reports peg it around a cool $4,000. Fun fact: The guy who's been instrumental in designing the watch made some suggestions to J.J. Abrams about how to redesign the lightsaber for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Abrams listened. Now, that's validation.
What else is in #theshortlist:
• It's so snowy Bostonians are jumping out of windows
• We like Green Eggs and Ham so we're sure to love Dr. Seuss' new book
• Obama taps a new Secret Service chief
• Why toking up makes you chow down
Winter weather is driving the East Coast crazy
Looks like Boston's cabin fever is getting a little out of hand. Some of the city's stir-crazy, thrill-seeking residents are taking to social media with videos of them jumping out of windows into massive snowdrifts. Mayor Marty Walsh is not pleased. "I'm asking people to stop their nonsense right now. These are adults jumping out windows. It's a foolish thing to do, and you could kill yourself," Walsh said. Boston has been pummeled by 8 feet of snow this winter, and February is already the city's snowiest month on record. Elsewhere, it's still really miserably cold. A ferocious blast of frigid air straight from Siberia was roaring through the eastern and southern USA today, dropping temperatures to historically low readings as far south as Florida. We're ready to jump out of winter straight into summer.
Look! A book! 'What Pet Should I Get' coming to Dr. Seuss' set
When Dr. Seuss' widow Audrey Geisel was remodeling her home after his death, she found a box filled with pages of text and sketches and set it aside with her husband's other materials. It was rediscovered 22 years later, in the fall of 2013. Random House announced today that it's going to publish a new book from the beloved children's author, who died in 1991. What Pet Should I Get, which will be released in July, features the same brother and sister we met in the 1960 classic, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor "Ted" Seuss Geisel, likely wrote What Pet Should I Get between 1958 and 1962. The publisher plans at least two more books, based on materials found in 2013 in the author's home in La Jolla, Calif.
Short on time? Listen to today's top stories in the audio player below:
This is why smoking pot gives you the munchies
Cheeseburgers, a tub of Ben & Jerry's, a mountain of Flamin' Hot Cheetos — anything's fair game if you're high and have the munchies. Why? Scientists might have an answer to that burning question. Researchers have identified a surprising new brain circuit behind those pot-fueled snack attacks. The munchies are triggered in part by brain cells that normally turn down appetite, according to a study in this week's Nature. Under the influence of pot, these circuits switch from signaling "Don't eat" to "Eat!" — even if the body doesn't need any food. That's some food for thought for tokers.
Interim Secret Service chief tapped to become permanent Secret Service chief
An independent panel that reviewed the Secret Service after a series of embarrassments recommended hiring an agency outsider as the next director. President Obama today opted to stick with Secret Service Acting Director Joe Clancy to fill the position permanently. Clancy, a veteran of the Secret Service's presidential protection division, took over as temporary director last October after the former director, Julia Pierson, resigned. Clancy will have his hands full: The agency has been rocked by a series of security breaches and damaging revelations, including a fence-jumping visitor armed with a knife who made it deep into the executive mansion before being tackled by agents.
Extra Bites
Day in Pictures: Our favorite photo from today's gallery.
We're not sure how we feel about this Little Caesars pizza crust that's entirely wrapped in bacon.
Researchers to cure jet lag ... with frickin' laser beams?
We'd like to solve the puzzle: Wheel of Fortune contestant gets it with just one letter.
Oscar stylists share their tips for getting red carpet ready.
Golf is cool. Really. Check out these sweet shots.
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This is a compilation of stories from across Paste BN.
Contributing: Maria Puente, Gregory Korte, Kevin Johnson, John Bacon, Doyle Rice, Brett Molina, Jefferson Graham, Matt Krantz, Jessica Guynn, Paste BN; Traci Watson, Special for Paste BN; Lindsay Deutsch, Paste BN Network; Associated Press