OPINIONS: Expose the Public Pension Mess

• Why I Am Donating $50,000 to WikiLeaks’ Defense Fund

  Huffington Post – 1 hr 17 mins ago

  Read Larry Flynt’s other articles on HuffingtonPost.com Full Story »

• Our Guide to Holiday Gift Guides

  The Atlantic Wire – 1 hr 41 mins ago

  WASHINGTON, DC – The snow softly blanketing the headquarters of your humble aggregators at the Atlantic Wire only serves as a gentle-yet-slightly-ominous reminder that all holiday shopping must be completed soon. We’ve been waiting since Halloween candy went on sale for inspiration to strike, for the perfect holiday gift idea light bulb to blink on over our hardworking little heads. But alas, our muse has not sprung forth. Full Story »

Afghanistan War

Will Afghanistan ‘break’ Obama?

December 17, 2010, at 11:16 AMThe president is cautiously optimistic about progress in the war, but the public increasingly wants out

Books

Pat Conroy’s 6 favorite books

December 17, 2010, at 11:02 AMThe beloved Prince of Tides author likes to kick back with a mix of romantic classics, Russian epics, and… “The Lord of the Rings”

Parenting Controversies

Kids are reading more (but ‘Twilight’ doesn’t count)

December 17, 2010, at 10:44 AMHooray! Kids are devouring books, says Nicole Russell in The American Spectator. Too bad the books they favor are worthless, violent, and execrably written

The U.S. Recovery

Shopping for bargains… and buying with cash

December 17, 2010, at 10:26 AM’Tis the season for sales, but can the economy count on the newly cautious American consumer?

Christmas 2010

The $11 million Arab Christmas tree: By the numbers

December 17, 2010, at 10:05 AMThe world’s most expensive Christmas tree is up… in the United Arab Emirates. And there are (at least) 181 reasons why it cost so much

2010 Review

Life finds a way

December 17, 2010, at 10:03 AMIn this edition of The Week’s Editor’s Letter, William Falk finds hope in examining the past 12 months of conflict, stupidity, and disaster

Gays in the Military

‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal: The 4 key questions

December 17, 2010, at 9:41 AMThe bid to end the controversial policy on gays in the military is back on track again — but these four factors could derail it

Puzzles+Contests

The Week contest: Theme Park – January 7, 2011

December 17, 2010, at 5:06 AMKentucky is planning to open a creationist theme park anchored by a giant Noah’s Ark. Come up with a theme park befitting another state

Music

Does Neil Diamond belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

December 16, 2010, at 4:11 PMThis year’s inductees include the “Sweet Caroline” singer — oft maligned as cheesy — but not the arguably edgier Bon Jovi

6 Comments

Google’s World

Why does YouTube want to make its own videos?

December 16, 2010, at 3:30 PMWill the online-video giant transform itself into a content creator?

Lifestyle

Sega’s ‘pee for points’ videogames

December 16, 2010, at 2:37 PMLeave it to Japan to come up with a way to make public urination into a game. But is Sega’s Toirettsu technology a good idea?

Facebook

What the ‘beautiful’ Facebook map tells us: 5 takeaways

December 16, 2010, at 2:30 PMA striking graphic uses stores of data to show where Facebook users reside. What does this tell us about the social networking site’s vast global reach?

Mysteries of Space

Voyager 1 reaches the solar system’s edge: What’s next?

December 16, 2010, at 2:12 PMAfter 33 years of space travel, the NASA probe is set to leave the outer limits of our solar system. What else will it find?

6 Comments

U.S. Opinion

Is it ‘sacrilegious’ for Congress to work at Christmas?

December 16, 2010, at 1:03 PMTwo Republicans say Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is offending Christians by cramming major legislation into Christmas week. Who’s playing politics here?

• 5 Best Friday Columns

  The Atlantic Wire – 2 hrs 5 mins ago

  Full Story »

• Shopping for bargains… and buying with cash

  The Week – Fri Dec 17, 5:26 am ET

  New York – ’Tis the season for sales, but can the economy count on the newly cautious American consumer? Full Story »

• The $11 million Arab Christmas tree: By the numbers

  The Week – Fri Dec 17, 5:05 am ET

  New York – The world’s most expensive Christmas tree is up… in the United Arab Emirates. And there are (at least) 181 reasons why it cost so much Full Story »

• ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal: The 4 key questions

  The Week – Fri Dec 17, 4:41 am ET

  New York – The bid to end the controversial policy on gays in the military is back on track again — but these four factors could derail it Full Story »

• America, the Crab Bucket

  Michelle Malkin – Fri Dec 17, 3:00 am ET

  Creators Syndicate – No matter how soothing the White House overtures to business leaders sounded this week, an inconvenient fact remains: Washington is gripped by crab-in-the-bucket syndrome. And there’s no cure in sight. Full Story »

• Exploiting the Teen Temptress

  Brent Bozell III – Fri Dec 17, 3:00 am ET

  Creators Syndicate – You may have never heard of the 17-year-old actress Taylor Momsen, but she represents everything that’s wrong with pop culture today. At 7, she starred as the adorable Cindy Lou Who in Jim Carrey’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” but there’s nothing adorable in what she’s done lately. Full Story »

• Birthdays

  Susan Estrich – Fri Dec 17, 3:00 am ET

  Creators Syndicate – I’m not talking about mortality, although that is certainly a piece of it. I am five years older than my father was when he died. And I’m not talking about wrinkles and sore joints, although there are mornings when I wake up and ask myself what hurts before even thinking about what I have to do that day. Full Story »

• Don’t Play Politics on Afghanistan

  Linda Chavez – Fri Dec 17, 3:00 am ET

  Creators Syndicate – There are few areas in which I believe President Obama has earned high marks, but his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan last year is one I supported. Full Story »