- People on the East Coast spend more on New Year's than other Americans...duh, because we get the New Year first!
- Michael Vale, the Brooklyn actor who immortalized the phrase "Time to make the doughnuts" and spoke for the beleaguered worker and hungry doughnut afficianado, died today
- William Goldstein, who oversaw the rebuilding of the World Trade Center after the 1993 bombing, was selected to head construction of the WTC memorial
- The city's murder rate is almost the lowest ever, with just three days to go for 2005
- From New Jersey: The Nets win streak is at 7 and the Rutgers came just short out west in the quest for their first bowl victory.
- Finally, The NY Times came out with their Year in Pictures for 2005 today. Photos from New York include Christo's gates and the 2005 Transit Strike.





Is it me or was 2005 a horrible year? Looking back on all the year-end retrospectives makes me realize the enormous amount of suffering this year. Virtually no continent escaped some sort of cataclysmic destruction. Hundreds of thousands of people died in natural disasters, and the world is more consumed with political unrest than ever. I can only hope next year will be better for everyone.
aficionado.