There's no denying what we would want as present this holiday season if there was such a thing as a Santa Claus. The Nintendo Wii, with its motion-sensor controller, is the most original and innovative videogame platform to emerge in practically a decade. It also -- and more importantly -- just looks like a helluva lot of fun. And really, really, really want one. (Even in spite of the nototious strap problem.) But how does it work? The Times gives us a detailed breakdown on the technology.

Though we're probably not as a group part of the target demographic, MissBehave magazine has seriously left an impression on us. The new Brooklyn-based "girls" lifestyle mag reads and looks like an editorial DNA-mashup of Mass Appeal, Nylon, and Tokion, but with more of the streetyness and flava' of Mass Appeal. The magazine design is gorgeous, vibrant, fresh and sick. The second issue features the delicious British poptress Lily Allen on the cover and it's a prize. Check it. Rock it. Love it. Be it.

Cuba has an emerging hip-hop music scene. (Who knew? ) Music has always been a big part of Cuban culture and life. It's great to read that new forms are getting mixed into the country's music traditions and that hip-hop conventions are being refracted through yet another cultural prism to create something unique.

The building at 11 Spring Street in downtown New York City has been a landmark and mecca for ephemeral street art, attracting artists from around the world. The mysterious building, also known as the "Candle Building," appeared uninhabited for many years, during which time wheat-paste posters, installation art and graffiti went up, went down, got covered over or faded away in an ever-unfolding ebb and flow of street-level expression. The building was recently purchased by a group of developers who will turn the building into luxury condos. Sensitive to the artistic significance of the building, the new owners have worked with the global street-art massive to to organize one last exhibition of art on the exterior and interior of the building before the rennovation crew come and start re-developing the structure.

In our opinion, it's the most interesting and stimulating annual issue of any magazine in the English-publishing world. It's the New York Times Magazine "The Year in Ideas." Some of the many ideas explored in this issue that got our attention include "Trash-talk Exegesis," "Jujitsu Advertising," "Digital Maoism," and "For-Profit Philanthropy." Kudos, NYTM, for another great issue.

We've been finding lots of laughs from the independently produced Web-based sitcom "The Burg." The show follows the ups and downs of a group of roommates and friends who live in Williamsburg, the Brooklyn neighborhood that has in recent years become the young hipster-creative nerve center of New York City. "The Burg" takes a scathing comedic look at the stereotypical hipster types who inhabit the nabe - indie musicians, aspiring actresses, moronic trust-fund babies, bohemian political activists and out-of-place Wall Street frat-boy yuppie.

Nicole, honey, damn you look hot even in a mug shot. Sorry to hear about being busted for driving under the influence by the CHiPs in Glendale, CA. But, hey, that's what happens when you take Vicodin on an empty stomach while (allegedly) high and/or intoxicated and then get behind the wheel. (Oops! Did we just say "empty stomach." We realize you have some weight "issues." Tsk tsk, our bad. You see, Nicole, that you hadn't eaten anything substantial in the previous 24 hours was just an assumption on our part.) But back to the matter at hand. You know what also happens when you drive while (allegedly) high and/or intoxicated? You drive onto the freeway in the wrong direction and get pulled over by an Erik Estrada wannabe. (Just kidding ... nobody wants to be Erik Estrada.) Anyhoo, maybe you need glasses? Still, we love ya' just the same as before, after all, you're the funny, "clever" one on the Simple Life, and you've a much more sophisticated and iconic style than that slut puppet Paris Hilton. So kick it to the curb, Nicole. You'll beat the DUI rap, even if it means 300 hours of community service (translation: 300 hours picking up litter with the hoi poloiin Griffith Park).

Yes, the GEICO gecko lizard has his very own weblog. The site is tantalizingly titled "Gecko's Fun Stuff - Gecko's Blog." On the site, the iconic reptile (and car-insurance company mascot) writes about all manner of subjects related to saving 15 % on your car insurance, including the low-down on all the music used in the recent GEICO Caveman commercials. So if you've been wondering about things like what the jaunty electronic tune is in the Caveman "Airport" TV ad, here's where you can find out. (By the way, that tune is "Remind Me" by Norwegian group Royksopp.) By now, that an anthropomorphic, computer-animated spokes-lizard with a cockney accent would have a blog should not be surprising -- it really was inevitable, wasn't it? Next thing you know, the toenail on my left pinky toe is going to have its own blog.

Premiere magazine has the breakdown on the 20 films that they believe have had an overdose of praise and critical acclaim (in some case from Premiere mag itself). It seems like the idea for the list stemmed from an editorial staff quarrel over some of the so-called "greats" of cinema.

Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn Split Up! Vaughniston is Over! Vaughnifer Kaput!
Britney Spears Explains Her Panties-Less Party Streak
Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z Say They're NOT Getting Married This Weekend
Heather Mills "Humiliated" at U.K. Airport
Lindsay Lohan and Her Bizarre Crackberry Email Missive
Paris Hilton Denies Rumors of Sexcapade with Britney Spears
Jessica Simpson Blows Kennnedy Center Song Performance

We love great book covers. It's amazing sometimes just how effective a good book cover can be. When the jacket design can grab your attention from across a room and make you pick up a book, especially one that you eventually purchase, that's a testament to the power of design. Over at literary blog Bookslut, there's a list of the best book covers of 2006. There are a few books not included that we would have expected to have seen, but overall it's a pretty good list.

In case you wanted to know who the GEICO caveman is (and, really, who didn't?), well, brace yourself for this amazing piece of knowledge: the GEICO caveman is actor John Lehr. Wow! Uh, um, uh ... who is John Lehr? Yeah, we were wondering that, too. Lehr's list of acting credits appears short, though he recently landed a gig as a cast member of a new TBC television series called "10 Items or Less." So, now you know who the GEICO caveman is (at least one of them, anyway). Don't you feel better? Don't you feel like a whole new person? No? Nothing? Yeah, same here.

From the Global Graphica file this week ... an assortment of fresh wheat-paste street art at 11 Spring St. in downtown New York City. (Photo Global Graphica / Ivan Corsa -- All rights reserved.)

Rumor of Lindsay Lohan Attending AA Confirmed
No Jail for Babyshambles Frontman / Kate Moss Boy-Toy Pete Doherty, But Singer Fined for Drugs ... Again!!!
George Clooney's Pet Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig Dies ... Sniff, Sniff ...
Paris Hilton Bails on Billboard Music Awards Appearance

Tori Spelling to Write Memoir ... Yaaaaawn!

We love this quintessential early 1990's song "Where is My Mind" by the Pixies, which was covered many years later by British band Placebo, who perform a rockin' verison of it live in the above clip from the French music television show Traffic. Awesome.

We're so happy to hear that the sequel to the movie "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is going to be a reality. There had been rumors and speculation of such a follow-up movie for a while. Many had thought the sequel would be called "Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam," but part two in the budding movie series is as yet untitled and is set to start filming on location in Lousiana. In toher words, the plot won't center around the New Jersey suburban duo traveling to Holland. Can't wait to see this when it comes out.

This has to be one of the all-time greats when it comes to amusing Japanese product packaging. The design for this variation of the "Doritos" bag is ball-bustingly funny. The chips here are touted as having a spicy "black pepper and salt flavor," which, we presume, requires the consumer to have a big pair of cajones. Love it.

In the New Yorker magazine this week, media critic Ken Auletta breaks down what's going on with opinionated CNN newsman Lou Dobbs and his recent streak of angry political editorials from the anchor desk. According to Auletta's immensely readable profile piece, Dobbs has gone from being a calm and cool-headed business news personality to a cranky populist, which has won him both critics and admirers.

Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson File for Divorce ...
... And Borat is To Blame for Kid Rock and Pamela's Split
... But Actually Kid Rock Was Fed Up with Pamela's Party-Girl Ways
... and Yet Borat's Cultural Icon Status Even Greater After Kid Rock-Pamela Divorce
Britney Spears on Panties-less Party Spree in L.A. and NYC ...
Paris Hilton and Britney Spears are New Best Party Pals ...
Lindsay Lohan Reportedly in Alcoholic Rehab ...
Jessica Simpson's Chewing Gum on Sale on eBay ...

For anybody who works with "clients" in the media or marketing and especially for anybody who works specifically in an ad agency and interactive advertising (like us), you'll want to check out the web site Clientcopia.com to relish in the anecdotes, gripes, tales and observations of that crazy dynamic that can be the client-creative relationship. We're living the dream, we tell you, and it's like pulling teeth. Fun stuff. (Domo arigato to Evan K. for the tip!)

A while back we posted an item about an electronic music group from Poland called Gameboyzzzz. The band records and performs music composed of the blips and bleeps that emanate from a half-dozen or so Nintendo Gameboy handhelds. The band is one of many to emerge as part of the global "8-bit" music scene. This week sees the kick off of 2006 Blip Festival, or "BlipFest, a four-day event in New York City celebrating and showcasing the work of musicians and artists who, like Japanese duo Portalenz pictured above, use low-bit videogame and computer hardware to make music and video. While Gameboyzzzz themselves will not be performing at BlipFest, dozens of other artists from all over the globe will be. It's going to be electric. It's going to be sublime. (Domo arigato to Chris G. for the tip!)