Al Qaida in Iraq keeps excellent books, which some Rand Corporation analysts got a hold of and used to conduct a forensic audit to figure out how Al Qaida functions. Very efficiently, it turns out. But the pay's no good.

Leonardo DiCaprio made the film industry $1.1 billion dollars this year with his movies, Inception and Shutter Island. According to a list compiled by Forbes, he made Hollywood more money than anyone, but you'll be surprised who came in second.

This revenue officer at the IRS (allegedly) helped herself to a nice Christmas bonus.

Moody's, the global credit rating scam agency, dropped Ireland's government bond rating five notches today from "Aa2" to "Baa1," which isn't good (at all)! Greece and Spain could soon feel the Moody's hammer, too. Sucks to be them!

Just in time for Christmas, Boca Raton's Town Center Mall today will unveil a new gold ATM machine! It's a great idea because "gold has a place in everyone's portfolio," according to a Florida gold trader. Gold To Go!

As repayment for unemployment benefits he collected in 1964, retiree Dennis Ferguson is helping California close its "massive" deficit with a check made out to the state for $10,000. Just 2.5 million more old guys and they're all set!

"Greed, greed, and more fucking greed." We've all heard the schpiel about how we got into this economic mess plenty of times (maybe not enough), but have you heard it from a true Irishman, accent and all? Now you have.

Tonight, Jon Stewart opened The Daily Show with a segment about the recent deal in Congress, aided by President Obama, that extended the Bush-era tax cuts. Specifically, Stewart mocked Democrats and Obama for their hyperbolic vilification of Republicans. Watch inside.

Yesterday, Democrat and Republican lawmakers—guided by President Obama—reached a deal that extended tax cuts for all Americans (including the rich). Congress also agreed to continue its spending. Tonight, Jon Stewart pointed out the inherent incongruence of this.

More bad news for Wikileaks: Not only was founder Julian Assange's Swiss bank account frozen over residency issues, but MasterCard will no longer process payments to Wikileaks. Time to get started on your cutting satirical "Priceless" commercial parody YouTube video!

The small Nevada towns near the 'Burning Man' festival site are effectively jobless and broke after USG Corp., which owns a gypsum mine and produces wallboard, announced the closure of its local operations. What will happen to the drug festival?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that life expectancy/income across the world was less in 1810 than in 2010, but how—and where—did the statistics tick up over time? In this stunningly visual presentation, Hans Rosling explains.

In case you were worried about the ongoing recession, here, in a video about a woman who is already camping outside a Best Buy to be first for post-Thanksgiving sales opportunities, is proof that our economy is back on track.

Today we looked at how the tuition is too damn high! Some girl spent $200k on Northeastern (oooops) and now wants help paying her loans. This made everyone angry, saying she was dumb. But one commenter came to her defense.

Today's minimum wage, $7.25 per hour, adjusted for inflation is lower than it was in 1968.

From 2008 to 2009, the median household net worth for a member of Congress went up 19 percent. During the same time, the national median plummeted by 15 percent. This is known as a plutocracy.

This 24.78-carat "fancy intense pink" diamond just sold for $46 million at a Swiss auction, making it the most expensive jewel ever sold. It's okay, though! The birthstone necklace you bought at a truck stop is very pretty, too.

Detroit area resident Mike Greer yesterday claimed a $128.6 million prize after a group of friends, called "Team Victory Club," went in together on a lottery ticket purchased at the Uptown Book Store, which specializes in porn and sex toys.

Did you get a raise last year? Seventy-four percent of White House staffers did, according a Gawker analysis of the White House's annual salary reports to Congress. Probably for the great job they're doing with the economy.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this summer declared a "fiscal emergency" over the state's $19 billion budget deficit, and they finally passed a new budget last month. But now that budget is another $6 billion in the red. Poor Jerry Brown.