Okay, we get it: You're ready for the new year to start in earnest. But we just want to make sure you're ready for all the water cooler talks or Tweets (for instance, if you read Gothamist, you'd know that Cathie Black and Rebecca Black are NOT related) or future 2011-themed quiz nights ("Who is Anthony Bologna?"), so here is a round-up of our 2011 post round-up. more ›

This week, we compiled a list of our top ten favorite subway viral videos of 2011, which included people licking their shoes, senseless beatdowns on the L train, spaghetti scuffles, and rats climbing all over unsuspecting targets. But there were a lot of videos to choose from—so per your suggestions, we've compiled a list of ten honorable mentions, including at least one which rightly deserved to be among the top ten: "Bloody Loco." Check them all out below. more ›

Looking back over 2011 this week—from the natural disasters to girl walk all day to the tasty food trends, from the cycling wars to the viral subway videos to all the adorable animal stories—we came across a ton of very popular, only-in-NYC type stories that have provoked discussion many an internet argument. 2011 was the year the Rapture didn't happen (twice), the year we attended a 9/11 Truther conference, and the year we opened the floodgates to the Ron Paul Nation. Click through to check out some of our most memorable, bizarre stories. more ›

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What did people do before cell phone cameras? For better or worse, 2011 saw the proliferation of subway viral videos. More often than not, disassociated bystanders seized at any opportunity for the brief high of viral fame. Yes, there were adorable little kids dancing and Keanu Reeves sightings, but there was also people licking their shoe or getting beaten senseless on the L train. Click through to see the top ten subway video incidents the MTA would probably rather you forgot about. more ›

Click though on the photos for five of the cycling stories that the whole world was watching. more ›

Unlike 2010, there were no sexy bankers, tourist lanes, or gubernatorial races dominating our headlines this year. But there were natural disasters (Hurricane Irene) and global protest movements (Occupy Wall Street), strange political scandals (Weinergate, Deputy Mayor Goldsmith), strange sex scandals (parlez-vous DSK?), police corruption (the ticket-fixing saga), a long-awaited step forward (gay marriage), and the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Revisit the year with this look back. more ›

2011 is almost over and that means it is again time for Google to release its annual Zeitgeist report on what people searched for this year. The top ten list of "fastest-rising global queries" are mostly understandable (Rebecca Black, Casey Anthony, Steve Jobs, Fukushima) with a few that are a little more surprising (the late Jackass Ryan Dunn, Google +, Battlefield 3). But it is when drill down into the searches that things get interesting. more ›

Though there was plenty to protest at yesterday's New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim, it looks like many participants chose to focus on the 108-year-old tradition of plunging into the freezing water for "stamina, virility and immunity" instead of the possible destruction of many boardwalk favorites. Or perhaps they were just happy they could hang out in 50 degree air, instead of the 0 degree water at the Polar Bear Swim in Lake Erie. Check out the video below of the revelers, and be glad you're watching it from the comfort of somewhere with heating: more ›

It's 1/1/11, people! Last night, an estimated crowd of one million people welcomed the new year from Times Square. Brooklyn resident who was enjoying the 42-degree temperature told the Post, "The weather is perfect tonight. They cleaned up Times Square really nice so there's not too much snow getting in everyone's way. This is the place to be, baby!" And a 25-year-old NJ resident explained to the Daily News why she and a friend were waiting since 9 a.m. yesterday to see the ball drop, "We wanted to cross it off our bucket list." more ›

While we didn't spot this year's numerals hitching a ride to Times Square on a pedicab, or via the 6 train, there will be a 2011 this New Year's Eve. And it will be accompanied by the famous ball (no, not the Snooki ball). This year's ball will be lit by 32,256 Philips LEDs, each using just 22 watts of power, and will be able to create 16 million color effects, all using just the energy of two household stoves! The ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds, and it's adorned with 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles—a new pattern created by some of them will read: "Let There Be Love." (Find out more fun facts by clicking through.) more ›