RANDOM ROUND-UP, VOLUME 8

TBRs weekly feature of stories you may have missed and a few favorite photos. The photos are from a USA Today photo feature, Paw Print Post: Happy Holidays from our pets to yours. The photo subjects are, in order of appearance:

1. Monkey
2. Homer, Henry, Hermione, Hazel
3. Clay, Heinz, Nigel
4. Loki, Esteban

For more of the photos, check out TPaw Print Post: Happy Holidays from our pets to yours [USA Today]

1. Detroit’s Monsters thrive on a diet of cheap gas. [The New York Times]
2. Should you friend your parents on Facebook? [Gizmodo]
3. In this journey, every Sunday is moving day. [The New York Times]
4. NASA: Voyager 1 nearing edge of solar system. [The Washington Post from AP]
5. Fir crazy: Selling Christmas trees is a 24-hour job in New York. [Los Angeles Times]

6. 'I'm not a witch' quote of the year. [New York Post]
7. The Carbon Bathtub. [National Geographic]
8. Now that we have the Web, do we need Associated Press? [GigaOM]
9. Massive storm unearths ancient marble statue in Israel. [BBC News]
10. Why the US Education System is so fascinating. [Mother Jones]

11. When GOP takes over House, budget battle begins. [CNBC from The New York Times]
12. Bill Maher drops N-word to Larry King; nobody notices. [Ministry of Gossip on the Los Angeles Times]
13. McCartney plays Apollo, his 'Holy Grail'. [The New York Times]
14. California infant reunited with family after horrific murder-kidnapping plot. [ABC News]
15. Critic's Notebook: Rock Hall's dark horses. [Los Angeles Times]

16. Israeli artist makes Christmas Tree from 5,480 recycled plastic bottles. [TreeHugger]
17. Why tax cuts for the Rich Killed The Economy in 1929 and are Killing Us Again. [PoliticusUSA]
18. Edward Norton, self-proclaimed King of "Facebook of Philanthropy". [Ecorazzi]
19. Biden: 'I can no longer say big deal'. [The Oval on USA Today]
20. Temperatures not the only cool thing in Washington. [EcoPolitology]