After Time editor-at-large and MSNBC talking head Mark Halperin called President Obama a "dick" during Morning Joe, the veteran newsman apologized via Twitter, statement and on MSNBC. Jon Stewart looked at Halperin's apology and wondered why MSNBC couldn't just focus in on Halperin, instead making it seem like Halperin's apology was chaperoned by Willie Geist: more ›

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, the "most powerful nerd on the planet," was named as Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2009. For a magazine that has often savored picking controversial, argument-starters (Bono in 2005?, you in 2006?), Bernanke, "with his perpetually guilty, Eeyore-like expression," definitely seems like a particularly relevant pick. Time calls him, "the most important and least understood force shaping the American — and global — economy." You can find the full list of runner-ups and "people who mattered" here. more ›

Today's NY Times has a cute feature on the Facebook meme where "friends" ask each other to share 25 random details of their lives and then pass it along to 25 more people, like a chain letter. The Times says the list "seems to be a creative way to indulge in social networking without coming off as needy or shamelessly self-absorbed." They then reveal items posted by people they spoke to for the article (in a way that makes them more engaging than the lists themselves) that are among the nearly five million notes on people’s profiles have been created in the last week. Meanwhile at Time Magazine today, columnist Claire Suddath rips the lists a new one, saying she's "finally found something more stupid than Twitter." She says the lists of mundane details about people's lives have taught her that, "Most people aren't funny, they aren't insightful, and they share way too much." We're guessing that at some point she's noted this sentiment in her Facebook status. more ›

Guys, it’s Rachael Ray’s world, we just eat in it – this was verified by Time Magazine when the Food Network host was declared one of the 100 people who “shape our world” last year. And now that world will continue turning for at least two more years; it was announced yesterday that Ray’s contract has been extended beyond the Bush administration. more ›

...for being totally rude! It's actually not the kind of #1 ranking Bollinger would prefer, as it's for Time's Top 10 Awkward Moments of 2007 list. As Bwog points out, Bollinger deftly bypasses "David Hasselhoff, David Vitter, Rosie, Paris, Miss Teen South Carolina, Caroline Giuliani, and (wait for it) BRITNEY SPEARS" for his introduction of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last September, calling him a "petty and cruel dictator." Ahmadinejad earns the #2 spot on Time's... more ›

Happy Father's Day! For those of you who have dads, are dads, or know dads, this one's for you, from all of us at the Gothamist network." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg made the most recent cover of Time Magazine with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of an article titled "Who Needs Washington?" It describes how both men have taken the lead on certain issues like the environment and education that the federal government is unwilling or unable to tackle. Time describes both Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg as self-made men who rose from middle class backgrounds to extreme wealth and socially liberal Republicanism. more ›

READING: Here's something awesome to spice up your week - from Housing Works Used Book Cafe's website: "Jest Fest 06, a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of David Foster Wallace's INFINITE JEST. Join John Krasinski (The Office), Todd Hanson (The Onion), Lev Grossman (Time Magazine), and Laura Miller (Salon) in reading from and talking about the book. Audience participation strongly encouraged!" Nerdy goodness abounds! - Krissa Corbett Cavouras more ›

"Radio Sweetheart, Boy Detective, It's The Sound of Young America . Maximum Fun! Maximum Fun!" The Sound of Young America (TSOYA) was recently named "Pick of the Podcasts" by Time Magazine and Salon.com's Audiofile said, " "If you've never heard of TSOYA, then TSOYA is the greatest radio show you've never heard of." Of course, I've heard of it; I'm a subscriber. That's why when I found out its host Jesse Thorn was coming to New York with his sketch group Prank the Dean, I knew I had to interview him. And interview him I did! more ›

Rachael Ray has been named as one of this year's Time Magazine's Time 100: People Who Shape Our World. Her profile in Time is written by none other than Mario Batali. Apparently he and his kids had dinner at her house ("My boys went wild for the veal, meatball and pasta stoup, as she calls it...") We're a little confused here. Or maybe Mario wants some love from Oprah, as Harpo is working with Ray in a big way. more ›

In a sad turn for Dwight Gooden, the former pitcher for the Mets and Yankees, admitted in a Florida court yesterday to using cocaine. Gooden was on parole for a DUI incident last August and told his parole officer last week that he was using cocaine. After taking a drug test and testing positive, Gooden was arrested. It is expected that Gooden will face some prison time after his sentencing on April 5th. He faces a maximum of 5 years for violating his parole. more ›

So first Radar had a fifteen minutes of fame box on their website and now, not to be out done, Time Magazine is doing their own version just, y'know, in Times Square instead of online. more ›

Recently Time Magazine picked the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present. Now as these lists seem to come out about once a month and mean about as much as the prize in a box of cracker jacks we've learned to generally completely ignore them. In fact, we probably wouldn't have even registered this latest list if it weren't for this genius post on The Morning News. more ›

We were biking across the Williamsburg Bridge yesterday morning when we spotted this amazing wolf pasteup hidden behind one of the fences near the south tower. Hella cool! [Related news from an odd source: Time Magazine has a great 20 image photogallery of NYC Streetart in this week's issue. And for all your NYC streetart needs, check out Streetsy]! more ›

One of Gothamist's (many) guilty pleasures is reading advice columns, and the best advice columnist for non-movie matters, i.e., love, family, and shoe matters, is Carolyn Hax, Washington Post writer who is syndicated across the country. She answers questions about three times a week, plus has a live chat session at the Washington Post site on Friday afternoons. She is simply down-to-earth when answering the umpteenth question about whether or not it's a good idea to tell one to break up with the boyfriend or girlfriend she/he no longer loves. Gothamist goes from "Who are these people?" to "Jesus, that's us!" when reading her work. And she's been frank about her own personal life, from her mother's recent death to her seemingly marriage after becoming pregnant, after a fairly public divorce (her ex-husband still illustrates her column). more ›