Unemployed and struggling to make ends? Maybe you should consider blackmailing someone! Thanks to the recession, blackmail is back in a big way. And you don't need to target a celebrity to do it! [WSJ]

When Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme was exposed last December, most people were horrified by the massive fraud. Other people, however, took a little bit of inspiration from Madoff's exploits.

One of the Chicago men charged in October with plotting to murder the guy who drew the controversial Danish Muhammad cartoon is now also charged with planning the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Murderous cartoon-hatred is a surefire craziness indicator.[NYT]

Former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno was convicted on two of the eight felony corruption charges he was facing. So this is precedent to press charges against everyone in Albany.

Lawful online spying is so common, Yahoo has a detailed price list to reimburse for staff time helping authorities: $10 for basic account information, $35 for the whole email inbox, etc. China's authoritarians presumably get a discount.

After a month of testimony and seven days of deliberations, former Senate majority leader Joe Bruno was found guilty of two counts of felony corruption this afternoon. He faces up to 20 years in prison. [NYT]

Tragic news for those of you looking to get your hands on former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham's latest collection of dresses: A delivery of more than $500,000 worth of Beckham's duds, which was en route to NYC, was hijacked at knifepoint in London over the weekend. [DM]

An Italian court convicted Amanda Knox for murdering her study abroad roommate; four American teens have been arrested for a roadside prank that turned near-fatal in Japan. America, it's time to stop screwing up on foreign soil. Here's how.

NYDN: 'Brooklyn wife plots to abort baby of husband's lover.' Good Morning, NYC.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that computer equipment containing audio files of wiretapped conversations has been stolen from the office Rod Blagojevich's defense attorney.

Face-slashing asshole-of-the-year candidate and New York State Senator Hiram Monserrate will not go to jail for the face-slashing (or for the asshole-of-the-year thing).

Ho hum, Minnesota man convicted in $3.6 billion Ponzi scheme. No one notices any more.

Harold "Hal" Turner, pitiful racist guy with an internet radio show, is living out a fantasy by being put on trial by the Feds for advocating the murder of judges. Which is less hardcore when you consider he's a snitch.

There is something awkward about a single-source story wherein the source's accusation that the subject stole her panties and discarded a used vibrator in her bed never comes up. Sometimes it's worth it, though.

About 3,500 New York sex offenders have been kicked off Facebook and MySpace after identifying their accounts under a new state law. And, go figure, like 80 percent of them were on Facebook. Even sex fiends are ditching MySpace.

The alleged cop killer pardoned by Mike Huckabee was killed by Seattle cops this morning.

The Way We Live Now: Hitchhiking out of Dubai. Our only possessions: Bargains from Black Friday. That's it. No splurges, no handouts, no bonuses. But no crime! Which is nice.

Time was, vicious YouTube beatings didn't start until high school. But police just arrested two San Francisco-area middle-school girls, 12 and 14, after finding video of them beating a classmate they lured to an open field. They face felony charges.

While you were busy watching football, eating dry turkey, and flashing tense, frozen smiles at your annoying relatives, Tiger Woods was getting beaten senseless by his wife. Here's a round-up of what we know in case you were otherwise engaged.