Who: Pete Peterson is the co-founder of the giant private equity firm the Blackstone Group. He's the less ostentatious half of its founding duo (Steve Schwarzman being the other half) as well as a philanthropist, author, and outspoken economic conservative.

Musician Bob Dylan's handwritten sheet of lyrics to "The Times They Are a-Changin'" is expected to fetch $200,000 to $300,000 at auction. Guess it's time for me to admit that the waters around me have grown, because, really?

[Singer Justin Bieber signs copies of his new album at El Corte Ingles in Madrid. Photo via Getty.]

Now that secret-sharing website Wikileaks has thoroughly embarrassed the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department, what's next? According to Die Hard villain-looking founder Julian Assange, a "megaleak" concerning "the ecosystem of corruption" at "a big U.S. bank." Can't wait!

What's Mulholland Drive director David Lynch up to these days? Funny you should ask! These days, David Lynch is writing sleek Superpitcher-style electro-pop singles, two of which were released today on iTunes. Here's "Good Day Today," which, honestly, isn't half-bad.

[This lady looks like she was Photoshopped into a Beatles window display while pausing for a smoke on a London street today. Image via Getty]

An early leaked version of the coroner's report on the mysterious shooting death of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen revealed that she was shot with at least one hollow point bullet. That's only one of today's conspiracy theory-inducing new crumbs.

For about the last five years, numerous pundits have called for an independent presidential bid from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, perhaps with television's Joe Scarborough as a running mate. They would break through gridlock, somehow! Unfortunately, Bloomberg is terribly unpopular.

In 1998, White House senior adviser David Axelrod co-founded a charity aimed at curing epilepsy, which his daughter suffers from. It raised $800,000 last year from corporate and private donors. The White House won't say who they are.

The Hollywood rumor mill says James Franco and Anne Hathaway will host the next Oscars. We can support Hathaway handling hosting duties, but who wants Franco turning the Gay Superbowl into his personal performance art project? Update: It's official.

Irvin Kershner, the director of Empire Strikes Back (and camp classic The Eyes of Laura Mars), has died after a long illness. He was 87 and will be missed far more than the Ewoks or Jar Jar Binks.

[Sean Penn walks through the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti presumably looking for Wyclef Jean-related irregularities during the island nation's presidential election. Image via Getty]

A Daily News report on squirrels being massacred by one woman's dogs has some people heated, and undercover Parks Enforcement officers are issuing tickets for unleashed dogs. Hopefully they'll start busting people for not picking up their dog's crap, too.

Crazy old racist Dr. Laura Schlessinger is making a return to radio in January after leaving her show over an n-word laden rant back in August. Dr. Laura has reportedly signed a multi-year deal with Sirius XM Radio. [THR]

Country singer Willie Nelson was arrested yesterday by Border Patrol agents in Texas after they caught a whiff of marijuana coming from his tour bus. Nelson admitted the six ounces of weed were his and posted a $2,500 bond.

[A boy in Florida catches a nap as his parents—and tens of millions of other Americans—descended on stores today in search of "Black Friday" bargains. Photo via Getty Images]

Black Friday is upon us! It's the biggest shopping day of the year, and to help you out we've put together some holiday-shopping tips and tricks to so you get the best out of your orgiastic celebration of waste:

Pop star Joe Jonas was stopped by airport security in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday because he'd packed knives in his carry-on luggage by mistake. Yeah, that's what they all say. According to girlfriend Ashley Greene, he responded by saying "Whoopsies!"

[This roving pack of rabid cheerleaders marched down Seventh Avenue for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York today. Everyone ran for cover after they took Al Roker hostage. Image via Getty]

Rupert Murdoch is putting $30 million and 100 journalists behind an iPad newspaper called "The Daily." He even has support from Apple CEO Steve Jobs. But no one really believes this thing will last. Here's why.