Here is your flat-world global economy: Siemens, the German engineering conglomerate, just paid $1.6 billion in fees for all the bribery they've been up to since the end of World War II, back when they were Nazis.

In four weeks, every single email and document the Bush administration created is required by law to be sent to the National Archives. They are scrambling to make sure that doesn't happen, obv.

Other publishers are cutting back on holiday parties and bonuses, but not Arianna Huffington! It's designer sweaters for her long-suffering employees again this year. So long as they do an advertorial "thank you."

[Heidi Klum, who won this year's most bizarre Halloween costume award, experiences a bout of inspiration with her children at Color Me Mine in Los Angeles yesterday; image via X17]

An MTV "citizen journalist," Erica Anderson, has gone public to describe "grueling" work conditions on a charity-sponsored project, and to confirm what anonymous coworkers told us Friday: The network isn't paying project staff.

What happened to Terry Drayton, the tech CEO whose company allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from kids' sports clubs? Why, he's Seattle Business's new cover boy.

[Jennifer Aniston (who, yes, is both of those things), continued her New York City adventure last night. She was in the Village eating food and having some photos taken; image via INF]

Guys, the Robin Givhan piece on Rod Blagojevich is here! She writes about his hilarious hair!

[That's the mayor of Illinois (or something) Rod Blagojevich after talking to the press yesterdee; image via Splash]

It is "the holy day season," we're told. Here at Gawker HQ, that means one thing: Christmas music!*

Let's take a look at the week in theatre!

China has apparently blocked access to nytimes.com, now that the Olympics are over and the government doesn't even have to pretend to be mildly less restrictive anymore.

Palm Pilots were the epitome of cutting-edge cool — in 1998. By 2004, when the movie came out, the PDA market had entered terminal decline, as people switched to keeping their contacts on increasingly advanced cell phones. And the best part?

Good news: the mother of Sarah Palin's daughter's boyfriend was not arrested for meth. No, Sherry Johnston was arrested for oxycontin. What wonderful communities our small towns are.

Former General Services Administration chief of staff David Safavian was just convicted of obstruction of justice for lying to federal investigators about a 2002 golf trip financed by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff (pictured, above)!

Here is one of those "evergreen" stories that you can run anytime, when things are good or when things are miserable (or on the weekend!): those jokers in congress just gave themselves a raise.

Today, our Hopey President-elect used his laptop chat to pledge that he'd listen "to what our scientists have to say." And in a pretty clear nod to one of our greatest scientific minds, Al Gore, he added, "even when it’s inconvenient—especially when it’s inconvenient."

Things are bad when even an admitted gangster is furiously distancing himself from you. Bob Abbinanti may have admitted to running mob gambling rackets, but don't you accuse him of knowing Rod Blagojevich!

Defamer's Week in Review: Nicole's didgeridoo, Delgo's implosion, Scarlett's snot, and Scott's balls. They can all be yours once more — after the jump.

· We'd like to introduce you to The Bundesliga Fashion Dance Troupe, who'll be offering their interpretations of every Best Picture nominee at the Oscars. Enjoy this preview, entitled, "WALL·E." [via BoingBoing]