Prepare to be the most informed relative/coworker/friend in your circle this holiday season. New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich has provided his witty take on The Economist's "World in 2013," this year's version of the magazine's annual look ahead to the New Year. Read Leibovich's blog here. Before you dismiss it as too much like work to squeeze into your hectic holiday… Read More >>

As the details emerge and the country struggles with the immense horror of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a horror almost beyond comprehension, I've been drawn to the stories of the principal, Dawn Hochsprung, and the school psychologist, Mary Sherlach, who died along with 20 of their students and four other staff members. You can't read this…… Read More >>

Art is where you find it, they say. Filmmaker Anthony Sherin found it right outside his window on a winter morning in New York City. It was an old piano, abandoned on the sidewalk. No one who walked by, it seemed, could resist the mysterious pull of the beat-up instrument. "I was mesmerized by the pattern that emerged," Sherin writes in the New York… Read More >>

Since some things need very little introduction, I shall not stand on ceremony. Here, videos that just made your weekend that much better: • This dog loves baths more than you've ever loved anything. While I wish I could take credit for this snarky title, it's Gawker you have to thank. This fuzzy, blue-eyed puppy gets lathered up to game-show-like music, which sounds random but is actually insanely satisfying. • Read More >>

A recent report from the Associated Press contends that elephants were saved from the harsh Siberian cold by drinking gallons of vodka—but don't go lining your winter coats with an emergency flask just yet. Here's the story: Two elephants, 45 and 48 years old, were evacuated from a trailer outside of Novosibirskafter the vehicle caught fire. During the winter, Novosibirsk's… Read More >>

The North Shore Animal League America, the world's largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization, is selling adorable e-cards with Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and seasons greetings messages—with proceeds going  to save dogs and cats. The League has already rescued more than a million animals and is now in the thick of helping dogs and cats displaced by Hurricane Sandy. If you're… Read More >>

I can't help but get that fuzzy feeling reading about these incredible holiday acts of kindness. What are the nicest gestures you've seen this year? 1.Grocer Joe Lueken, 70, donates his Minnesota supermarkets to his employees. The owner of three grocery stores will spread holiday kindness by transferring ownership of his stores to his 400 or so employees despite buyout offers from numerous national chains. “My employees… Read More >>

When explaining complex issues, it's important to not get mired in the details. And what better way to illustrate a point than with everyone's favorite childhood toys: LEGO bricks, superhero figures, and a stuffed Clifford (with a hand grenade around his neck)? That's exactly what Felix Salmon, Reuters' excitable financial blogger, proved with his latest video, a thorough yet… Read More >>

Six out of seven days of the week, my cooking modus operandi is simple, simple, simple. (On the seventh day, I attempt feats like homemade gnocchi, and remember why I like simple). So when I discovered Kim McCosker's 4 Ingredients cookbooks, I couldn't help but smile in agreement. I use her ideas as inspiration, and usually I'll add some spices or garnishes that I have on hand. (I have a… Read More >>

Apocalypse believers who fervently expect the world to end on December 21 are in for a surprise, because NASA is pretty confident it's not going to happen. The space agency released a video called "Why The World Didn't End Yesterday," 10 days early. Check it out below. It explains why the world won't end in a blast of solar energy from the sun or a… Read More >>