In just a few days, it's a new year. And a new beginning might be exactly what the Republican Party needs to get its groove back. David Frum, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and editor of a forthcoming blog the New Majority joins The Takeaway to talk about what 2009 may hold for the GOP.

Brett Favre made big news last spring when he bid a tearful farewell to his 17-season football career. By summer he'd made news once more when he signed with the New York Jets. To make room for Favre, the Jets jettisoned quarterback Chad Pennington, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins. This is a move that could haunt the Jets for years to come and one that could break Favre's legacy — while making Chad Pennington's. This Sunday, the Jets play the Dolphins. Our own Jay Cowit previews the showdown.

Scientists have long suspected that poverty affects children’s brains. In recent years they’ve begun to use sophisticated imaging tools and other methods to understand exactly how the process works. Professor Martha Farah, director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, has just written an article for a scientific journal reviewing recent research on poverty and brain development.

Volleys of rockets and an economic blockade have made the Gaza strip a tense area. Israel reopened three border crossings and is delivering humanitarian aid despite continued mortar fire from Hamas. Yet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has hinted there may be a military offensive. Katya Adler, BBC correspondent, has the latest.

Ater the presents are opened and the Christmas parties are over, take a moment to think about restoring homes back to order. But before stuffing the wrapping paper into a trash bag, or tossing your Christmas tree to the curb, listen to Meaghan O’Neill, the founder and editor of Treehugger.com, for suggestion to green up our Christmas cleanup.

Read Meaghan's 10 tips for recovering from holiday clutter.

Does a pragmatic Barack Obama mean that he won't challenge the status quo and make real change? For a look the next year, we turn to Christopher Hayes, the Washington editor for The Nation and fellow at The New America Foundation.

During the holidays, weather problems have stranded passengers throughout the nation. But what does future travel have in store for passengers? To tell us about what 2009 may bring is Barbara Peterson, the senior aviation correspondent for Conde Nast Traveller.

No matter how you've been celebrating the holiday season, you're likely to find yourself with some free time over the next week. What should you do with all that time off? The Takeaway talks to Allison Williams from Time Out New York. She'll tell you what to look forward to and what to avoid.

Allison's picks:
• Slumdog Millionaire: Original Soundtrack
• Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis
• Burn After Reading on DVD

The legendary singer and dancer, Eartha Kitt, passed away yesterday. Famous for her on-stage growls and purrs, Orson Wells called her "the most exciting woman alive." She left an indelible mark on generations with her portrayals Helen of Troy in Faust, Catwoman on Batman, and her iconic Christmas song, Santa Baby.


There's more of Eartha Kitt in our Amazon.com store

It's a case of the poor lending to the wealth. Chinese demand for American debt has driven interest rates artifically low and spurred economic growth and American consumption. The two countries are so connected that Niall Ferguson says the two countries should be called Chimerica. New York Times correspondent Mark Landler looks at the connections between China and the U.S.