Political blogger Ben Smith's career is a series of progressively wackier job moves. He was at the NY Daily News, covering state politics, and was more respected than the average tabloid writer. He moved to THE POLITICO, where he's been blogging about politics and media for the past five years, managing to stay more respected (by us!) than his micro-horse-race-obsessed paper as a whole. Now, he's off to an even weirder destination!

College newspapers: how are they shocking and outraging campus officials with mild sexual content today? Well, you know, just in the normal way, by writing something about sex. But this time, more Jewish!

Corrupt falafelateer Bill O'Reilly loves nothing more than a good old-fashioned ambush interview. Except when he's the ambushee, in which case he will attack you with his umbrella and try to have you arrested. That's what he did last night when an activist armed with a video camera caught him apparently leaving a Newt Gingrich fundraiser.

Silver spoon-sucking Trump in-law Jared Kushner already owns the New York Observer, poorly. Now, the plucky young would-be mogul has his eye on a new crowd of readers: rich annoying idiots!

Last month, the hapless investment firm that had purchased the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2009, thinking its value would appreciate (ha), found a sucker buyer: San Diego businessman Doug Manchester, who reportedly paid more than $110 million.

An enterprising fella named Bill Lucey took it upon himself to ask a bunch of prominent news organizations what their most highly-trafficked news story of the year was, on their websites. The results may surprise you! But we doubt it. Highlights:

Last week Grub Street noticed that Graydon Carter, the Vanity Fair editor with a knack for reviving classic New York restaurants, was on the liquor license application for the new restaurant going into the former Beatrice Inn space. His wife Anna Carter confirmed his involvement to Eater this week, and yesterday the Beatrice's principal owner Emil Varda got on the line to share the details.

There is nothing more amusing on a Wednesday morning than to read some of the New York Observer's voluminous, fawning Occupy Wall Street coverage, and then immediately afterwards read the paper's invariably horrific in-house editorial of the week, which is dictated from on high by the paper's owner, millionaire real estate scion and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose silver spoon gives him divine guidance on the issues of the day.

Videogum's Gabe Delahaye asks some very reasonable questions about the choices made by the editors of T: The New York Times Style Magazine with regards to their most recent cover, featuring "grungy antihero" Viggo Mortensen:

This past summer, longtime alt (to the Village Voice)-weekly The New York Press died, a victim of neglect and mismanagement, fated to disappear into its ill-fitting parent company. Sad! But! Now! Joe Pompeo reports that the Press is being relaunched, online-only, by "Tom Allon, the owner of [parent company] Manhattan Media and a 2013 mayoral candidate." What's the plan, Tom?

The story started in whispers at a party. "You worked for Arianna Huffington?" I asked a new acquaintance. "Got any gossip?"

FHM India's December issue features a cover pic of Pakistani actress and reality TV star Veena Malik in her birthday suit, leg and arms strategically placed to cover up her most special places. Malik claims she was digitally undressed—but is she trying to cover up the truth (cue suspenseful sound effect)?

Scandal in the rarefied and ultimately self-satisfied and pointless world of high-end wine reviewing! Jay Miller has stepped down from his job as a wine reviewer for Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, a wine publication which is considered very well-well-well by the la-dee-da set. Miller says his departure has been long-planned. Which is good timing, considering that bribery scandal he's embroiled in now.

WE HEAR that TJ Holmes, CNN's weekend morning anchor, is leaving the network for a new gig, which should be announced in the near future. Know more? Email me. [Photo via Getty]

The holidays are almost upon us, which means it's time for you to take a careful look at your neighbor and report any and all suspicious activity to your immediate supervisor. At least it is at the New York Times, which just sent a memo to all staffers urging them snitch on any co-worker who may have engaged in any "potential ethical or legal violations." IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING. David Pogue, your ears are burning! Memo after the jump.

Doing its part to ensure that America's population of talented, unemployed writers and editors continues to grow, Yahoo shut down four of its entertainment websites yesterday: The Projector (movies), The Set (TV), The Amplifier (music), and The Famous (celebrity gossip). RIP, blogs and jobs.

Former Penn State defensive coordinator and accused pedophile Jerry Sandusky needs to ask his hired private investigator (or a psychologist) to investigate why he continues talking to the media when he really should just shut the fuck up. Unless he wants us all to think he's guilty?

Imagine waking up in D.C. this morning and having to muddle your way to the Metro (it's what they call the subway) and go to your government job. Yeah, that totally sucks. Then when you get to the subway you grab a free copy of The Examiner, the Capitol's free commuter newspaper, and it has this headline. Your day just got a little awesomer!

Rafat Ali just wanted to talk. True, the Muslim founder of PaidContent was speaking to Glenn Beck in a "warped auto-pilot" fueled by "years of frustration" at Beck's politics, but when Ali asked the caliphate-fearing conspiracy bear to "come with me to Egypt," he wasn't trying to kidnap him. Honest, Glenn!

Oh, look: The New York Times has profiled several well-pedigreed, intelligent and pretentious 20-somethings in today's Style section under the title "New York's Literary Cubs." What an excellent reminder to never talk to a Style section reporter!