New York’s currently: an isle of shoppers

 Gunmen attack U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia, take unknown number of local staff hostage.

 Increased attacks by insurgents in Iraq have left 80 dead in the last three days.

 Renewed Russian interest in nuclear arms sparks Wargames-like fears.

 IAEA now certain that North Korea has converted enough nuclear material for four to six bombs.

 Witness: I knew that when Mr. Ovitz was an agent he had courted Goofy, and if I’m not mistaken the two shared a house together in Aspen. Woody Allen puts Mickey Mouse on the witness stand.

 All you need to know about how to mail a human brain and 100 things you need to do before you die, scientifically speaking.

 Treehugger blogs on environmentally conscious style.

 Audio: Hear backwards masking (real and otherwise) in “Stairway to Heaven,” Britney Spears, and Pink Floyd.

 A man opts to drink nothing but Pepsi Spice, to disastrous effect.

 Play with interactive timelines at WhoWhatWhen. [via things]

 It’s the friendly corner bar, it’s the new malt shop: It’s Starbucks.

 Delve into the other side of Texas at The Backword. Go on, delve.

 Person We Like Gene Mirabelli has a new novel: The Passion of Terri Heart.

 Video: When children’s television takes a wrong (and funny) turn with innuendo and rainbows.

 Still, significantly more good than bad. Reassessing Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles output.

 We hoist buckets of holiday cheer to last week’s donators! Hoist hoist!