Are you a holiday fiend who looks for any excuse to celebrate? If Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or New Year's Eve just isn't enough festivity for you, check out a few unusual December holidays you never knew existed: • Log out of your email and pick up a pen on December 7(today!) for Letter Writing Day. Just don't get the paper sticky if you're… Read More >>

"There was blood and the fear of death—and death itself—in the emergency room as doctors calmly continued to treat the victims of this new war... I had never known that blood could be so bright red." Those words were written 71 years ago by a young woman reporter for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin as the fires were still burning after the bombing of… Read More >>

Jared Stevens, a teenager from Brentwood, Tennessee with severe cerebral palsy, realized his wrestling dreamwhen his big-hearted opponent, 12-year-old Justin Kievit, guided Stevens towards pinning him on the mat. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Jared is admired around Brentwood for his tireless dedication to sports; he has participated in three football games… Read More >>

My family’s favorite Christmas tradition is the annual Driving of the Father Crazy by Watching the Same Movies Over and Over and Over. The main instrument of torture my wife and daughter employ is It’s a Wonderful Life, a film I enjoyed the first 47 times I watched it, but not as much the last 83 viewings. Nevertheless, being the effervescent, Capra-esque character… Read More >>

Since super storm Sandy hit my hometown, I've donated to the Red Cross and dropped off food for those in shelters. But when I found out that a stellar group of award-winning musicians was coming together at Madison Square Garden for 12-12-12, a benefit concert for Sandy Relief, I immediately hopped on Ticketmaster to order my tickets. Not surprisingly, they were sold out in a New York… Read More >>

Director Kathryn Bigelow's follow-up to her Oscar-winning film The Hurt Lockeris generating buzz nearly two weeks before its December 19 release—and for good reason. I caught an advance screening and can report that it's a monumental film, even if its grim-but-true story about the hunt for Osama bin Laden isn't exactly light fare for the Yuletide. Herein, five reasons… Read More >>

Want to get away from it all for a few minutes? I mean, really away from it all, like 512 miles out in space? Then head over to Wired.com and check out this incredible slideshowof nighttime images of the earth taken by NASA's Suomi NPP satellite. The play of light and darkness renders familiar landmarks--the Mediterranean Sea, the coast of California--strange and enchanting… Read More >>

It sounds so simple: stick a straw in the can and drink, right? But as this fun video shows, it's never quite that easy (okay, maybe it's a little easier than this guy makes it look). But—thank goodness—there is a genius little trick that will have you sipping like a pro. Check it out:  Photo Credit: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock   Read More >>

The news media is abuzz with talk of the impending fiscal cliff—a series of tax hikes and spending cuts the U.S. government is furiously trying to avoid —and although there is an abundance of coverage on the coming crisis, following along can be a daunting task for those of us unfamiliar with the minutiae of fiscal policy. Thankfully, Quartz, Atlantic Media's digital… Read More >>

The time has come to stress about what to get your new boyfriend, over-think that last stocking stuffer and buy, return, then re-purchase that gift for a big boss. Well, we just made your life a whole lot easier. Look no further: Truly cool tech presents that won't even come close to breaking the bank (or your sanity): • The modern mix tape, $15Designed to look like a retro… Read More >>