oil rig is just the late northwest a string of blunders and accidents involving the company s ships and support equipment. the 60-day assessment could halt or scale back plans to open alaska s arctic waters to oil exploration. some sobering news from the national oceanic and atmospheric administration in its annual climate report. noaa said that 2012 was the hottest year on record in the lower 48 states with an average temperature of 55.3 degrees. that shattered the previous record set in 1998 by a full degree. the report says data provides further evidence that human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels is contributing to changes in the u.s. climate. and speaking of the climate, here s your first look at this morning s dish of scramble ed politics a conservative group is promoting january 19th as june appreciation day, calling on gun activists to rally around the support to bear arms.