If all the recent wrangling over the fiscal cliff has revealed anything, it's how tense and strained President Obama's relationship is with Republicans in Congress.

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It was a common refrain during the House and Senate late-night votes to avert the fiscal cliff. Senator after senator, congressman after congressman lamented the fact that the legislation didn't "do more," "go bigger" or that it was "far from perfect." Political watchers believed the fiscal cliff negotiations were the perfect time for President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner to hatch a "grand bargain" -- a deal that would have included both large increases in tax revenue and major cuts in government spending. At the time, both men looked better positioned to deliver a bipartisan plan. Boehner seemed to have a firmer hand on his caucus leading up to the talks, and the president was coming off a hard-fought re-election win. Those hopes, however, proved empty.

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The year 2013 promises to be an interesting one politically -- with two governors races that will be closely watched, the very real possibility of another special Senate election in Massachusetts, a possible debate in Washington over immigration reform as the political clout of Latinos continues to grow, and a planned push by Democrats for gun control measures. By the numbers, here's a look ahead at politics in 2013.

POL-Political-5-Things-2013

OK. The budget deficit, the debt ceiling, and tax reform are givens. We know that those battles will continue to be in the political spotlight throughout 2013. But what else will be front and center in the New Year Here are five other things to keep your eyes on.

FINANCIAL

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Employers may be hiring, but there's another big problem with the job market that isn't being tracked as closely: the hopelessly unemployed.

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Brinksmanship over the debt ceiling could make the fiscal cliff standoff look like child's play.

MONEY-Fiscal-Cliff-Payroll-Taxes

Everyone's paycheck is about to take a hit, and it's not the boss' fault. But some business owners say it's a tough talk to have.

MONEY-young-adults-budget-cuts-loans

Young adults in America have reason to like the fiscal cliff deal, but they aren't celebrating yet.

MONEY-bully-work-prestige-dominance

If you want to reach the top at work, it's better to be feared than liked, according to a new study.

MEDICAL

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Scientists can't really know what a child is thinking, but they are interested in the brain processes that happen in educational settings. To that end, a new study in PLOS Biology compares the brains of children and adults, using "Sesame Street" as a way to test what happens on a neurological level during a popular TV program aimed at learning.

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Deepak Chopra: Secrets to a better brain.

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The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14 has compelled the editors of the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine to call on other physicians to become active participants in the discussion about gun violence and gun policy in this country.

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Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was hospitalized Sunday for a blood clot that formed after her she fell and suffered a concussion a few weeks ago. Here are the four things you need to know about blood clots.

MED-Pill-Color (with art)

It's not the color, but what's inside that counts when it comes to medication. However, doctors suspect that's not exactly how patients see it.

TECH

TECH-Tech-Resolutions-2013

Between your new regimen of daily workouts, volunteering, painting or whatever else you've resolved to do more of in the New Year, make time for a few tech-centric resolutions. They're low impact and will keep your memories and online identity safer, your mind sharper and your friendships healthier. Here are six you can do right now. You'll thank yourself later.

TECH-ces-preview-trends

Smartphones inch closer to becoming remote controls for your life at next week's 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The annual event is the largest gadget conference in the world, where major technology companies and scrappy startups can show off their latest innovations.

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You may not have heard of Snapchat. But if there are teenagers or 20-somethings in your life, it's a safe bet that they have. Snapchat is a mobile app which lets users share images or videos that disappear after a few seconds. That's right -- they vanish forever in the time it takes you to read a tweet.

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The new Razer Blade gaming-centric laptop is sleek and powerful, but it's not for every gamer looking to take their action on the go.

TECH-apparently-this-matters-ruzzle

On Sunday morning, a strange word suddenly started trending for me on Twitter. The word was Ruzzle. I had no idea what it meant, so I did the smart thing and asked my dog. "Mikey, what's a Ruzzle?"