Deep inside Tom Scocca's 'Off the Record' report on multitalented books/TV/art critic Lee Siegel in The Observer is this quote from Siegel's New Republic colleague, Literary Editor Leon Wieseltier:

First, Post books editor and columnist Sara Nelson departed to Publishers Weekly. She tells The Times that she's already making some plans for the 131 year-old publication:

In this week's edition of our analysis of New York mag's Look Book, intern Alexis assembles a panel to drop some science on fashion designer Oleg Cassini (so much for pulling a random dude off the street, eh?). Oleg is positively kicking ass his 91 years, and panelists Matthew Peabody, Anna Jane Grossman, and Alex Pasternack think the man is one iPod short of total elderly domination. Their take on Oleg's style after the jump.

Dear Ms. Tree,
People are asking about you ever since you were quoted in two articles in The New York Times. Some people even wonder if you're real or not.

Fairchild Publications has assaulted the mailboxes of unsuspecting consumers with a frightening letter offering a free issue of their new, not-yet-launched publication, Cookie magazine. Whatever is Cookie, you ask? Why, it's a parenting magazine from hell, of course:

... Fee?
... Hassles?
... Laziness?
... Disgruntled Costumers?
... Out of Stock Copies of Spider-Man 2?
... Psychotic Monkeys?

Here at Gawker HQ, we watch a lot of classy films. Truffaut, Antonioni, that sort of thing.

You heard it here first, folks: Food rage is the next big thing.

Breaking! It's 2002 all over again! We're hearing that the 57th street offices of The Economist have been evacuated due to an oh-so-retro anthrax scare! The hazardous materials posse has taken over the eighth floor! Conservative Brits are scared! Details are sketchy! We can't stop using exclamation points!
UPDATE: Due to the influx of emails fretting over the lack of information regarding this, let us reiterate: no, we don't make this sort of shit up.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The book written by Scott Peterson's former girlfriend went on sale Tuesday, shedding little new light on the double-murder case but offering a deeper look at a single mother desperate for love.

Drudge versus Planned Parenthood, tonight at Caesar's Palace.
Drudge Report
More Women Opting Against Birth Control, Study Finds [WaPo]

Is it hot in here? Or is it just us?

Today's Post offers a number of useful hints and tricks to "get to the top" this year (e.g., "marry a millionaire," "make a pile of money for doing very little," "become a boldface name," "become a better, more generous, kindhearted and sincere person"—guess which one we made up).

Boy, did we open a can of worms when we asked you to interpret David Brooks' tsunami column.

AP is reporting that MAD Magazine artist Frank Kelly Freas has died at 82. In addition to his work at MAD, Freas created numerous covers for science fiction books and magazines.

It's only fitting that the NYTBR would use its first edition of the new year to point the spotlight on Sam Tanenhaus with his weekly column explaining that week's book review. While we could go on and on about how it's not necessarily a good sign if you feel compelled to elucidate forthcoming material before one reads the material itself, Intern Alexis is just happy for some much needed clarification. After the jump she gives thanks to Tanenhaus and puts Jersey in its place, all in her weekly guide to sounding like you'd know a book if you saw one.

Yet more Rolodex journalism from our favorite numerical journalist, Jennifer 8. Lee:

'SPIN' associate lad-itor Dave Itzkoff pulls off the impressive feat of having back-to-back articles in The Times 'Arts & Leisure' this week.

What an exciting year 2005 turned out to be. From tragedy—we mourned the devastating 2004 tsunami in Asia—to triumph—America fell in love with Aishwarya Rai, "the world's most beautiful woman"—this was truly a year to remember.

North Koreans: They're sexy because they're dangerous.
[Drudge Report]