GRIZZLY BEAR has a brand new claymation for "Ready, Able."

PHOENIX hit the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set streaming now via NPR.

MEYER HAWTHORNE, a new old-school R&B sensation, also hit the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set streaming now via NPR.

WHITE DENIM stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR.

HAR MAR SUPERSTAR also stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR. (I thought this wouldn't be my bag, but it's pretty alright.)

GUADALCANAL DIARY: From the "Where Are They Now?" file (and MTV's 120 Minutes), we have a semi-live take on "Watusi Rodeo."

AEROSMITH: Joe Perry claims that Steven Tyler quit the band following a recent concert in Abu Dhabi.

THE BEST 50 ALBUMS OF THE DECADE, according to Paste.

NEKO CASE talks drums, guitars and pianos with Seacoast Online. (Thx, LHB.)

LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION: Dev Hynes talks to The Quietus about X-Factor, country rock and being an Englishman in New York.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: The 3-D CGI mo-cap version of A Christmas Carol takes the top slot with 31 million.  That was considerably lower than the 40-45 million the industry "tracking" numbers predicted. With a 200 million budget, Disney has to hope for legs through the holiday season.  Michael Jackson: This is it placed a surprising second with 14 million, and has almost recopued Sony's 60 million in the US, with another 69 million worldwide.  The Men Who Stae at Goats debuted at No.3 with 13.3 million, which seems pretty good for a movie about men staring at goats.  The budget is a modest 25 million, and Overture paid a mere 5 million for the distribution rights.  The Fourth Kind was the fourth movie, with another better-than-expected showing of 12.5 million.  Paranormal Activity rounds out the Top Five with another 8.6 million for the insanely successful video shoot.  Below the fold, The Box opened in sixth place, but still did better than expected with 7.9 million against its 25 million budget.  Overall, the Top 12 did a little better year-over-year, though the 110.6 million total is the lowest since 2006.

CHRIS BROWN wishes Rhianna had kept quiet about him beating her. Never not classy.

TOM CRUISE Scientology employees are forced to watch videos of the star as part of their training.

BRITNEY SPEARS was holed up in a Perth hotel yesterday as a row over her lip-synching concerts threatened to derail her Australian tour.

NEW MOON: Collider has clips and new behind-the-scenes video from the Twilight sequel.

THE 100 BEST MOVIES OF THE DECADE, according to the Times of London.

HIGHER FIDELITY? Stephen Frears and D.V. DeVincentis, who teamed up on the John Cusack breakout "High Fidelity," are attached to "Lay the Favorite," a dramedy set in the world of geeky gamblers.

MR. ROGERS statue unveiled in the neighborhood of Pittsburgh's North Shore.

IRAN caught arming terrorists... again.

IRAQ's parliament passed a long-delayed election law, resolving a key sticking point - who will be allowed to vote in the disputed, oil-rich city of Kirkuk - and helping the US keep to a withdrawal.

KANGAROOS and EMUS overwhelm the tiny Aussie town of Thargomindah.

A BIRD with a "bit of baguette" derailed the world's biggest scientific experiment.

A WYOMING HUNTER bags a deer... then a mountain lion.

THE SQUIRREL THREAT: White squirrels invade Maryland.  Meanwhile, an unnamed rodent stocks up on supplies.

A CHINESE PANDA EXPERT has headed to Taiwan to advise on how to encourage mating by the pair given by Beijing last December to mark the two sides' growing friendship.

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with THE CLASH! Although Saturday Night Live polices clips turning up o­n the Internet, we have its long defunct imitator, Fridays, to thank for these April 1980 high-octane performances of "London Calling" and "Train In Vain," followed by equally powerful takes o­n "The Guns of Brixton" and "The Clampdown."

LIZ PHAIR's pre-Guyville "Girly Sound" demos are free to download.

LANGHORNE SLIM stopped by Oregon Public Broadcasting for a chat and mini-set on audio and video.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON did three free songs at Daytrotter.

ELIZABETH and the CATAPULT  did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, one previously unreleased.

THE ETTES: "Take It With You," a tasty slice of garagey pop, makes NPR's Song of the Day.

HUGH CORNWELL, former frontman of The Stranglers has a chat and mini-set at the World Cafe, with a link to a free download of his new solo LP.

ANDY WILLIAMS shared "Memoirs Of Moon River" on NPR's Weekend Edition.

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME FOOTAGE:  Stereogum can hook you up with collaborations including U2 with Black Eyed Peas and Mick Jagger, Sting with Stevie Wonder, and Metallica with Lou Reed.

HALL and OATES talk to The A.V. Club on the occasion of a new career-spanning four-CD box set, Do What You Want, Be What You Are.  The duo were also recently interviewed on All Things Considered.

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG talks to The A.V. Club about her recording and acting careers.

DEVENDRA BANHART talks to Prefix about his new album, What Will We Be, his new label, and stalking the White Stripes.

ALEC OUNSWORTH does a Q&A with MAGNET, whose blog he guest-edited this week.

NO DOUBT is suing Activision because their Rock Band avatars can sing songs by other artists.

CUTOUT BIN: From the Replacements to the Five Satins, from the Sex Pistols to the Spinners, from the Decemberists to Dread Zeppelin, plus Sly and the Family Stone, the White Stripes, Chumbawumba, Otis Redding, King Khan, the Waterboys and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds can be jukeboxed or streamed separately via the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases include the 3-D CGI version of A Christmas Carol, which is currently scoring 52 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; the thriller The Box, currently scoring 53 percent (on a small sample of reviews); another thriller called The Fourth Kind, scoring 22 percent; and The Men Who Stare at Goats, which is scoring 63 percent.

LINDSAY LOHAN: The latest leaked phone call features her stage mom in anguish over a failed attempt to get Li-Lo into rehab.

RHIANNA tells Diane Sawyer that she went back to Chris Brown "eight or nine" times following domestic violence incidents, and that she was blinded by love and made the wrong choices.

KRISTEN STEWART on dating Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson: "Okay, we are. We aren't. I'm a lesbian."

BRITNEY SPEARS: The High Price of Sanity.

KATE HUDSON explains men.

OPRAH WINFREY is giving up her syndicated talk show and moving to her own cable network in 2011.

V had the best TV debut this fall, out-rating NCIS (though more people still watched NCIS).

IRAN: The UN's nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian has learned.

PAKISTAN: The Pakistani military said it has retaken control of the Ladha Fort in South Waziristan, which has been under Taliban control since August 2008, after heavy fighting in the region.

AFGHANISTAN: Technocrats and some existing ministers will be appointed to Afghan Pres. Karzai's new government, but his main rival branded his re-election illegal and ruled out taking any part.

IRAQ: As Iraqi lawmakers repeatedly miss deadlines for writing the new law urgently needed for elections to go ahead in January -- and for US troops to go home -- America's diminishing role in the political process is very much in evidence.

A DOG dances the merengue.

BEARS are going bald at a German zoo. Pics at the link.

A STARLING that can talk, mimic mobile phones and fly beside a vehicle at 40mph is to appear in a film.

A CAT has been banned from visiting a Buddhist inmate convinced it is the reincarnation of his mother.

BISHOP ALLEN holds an incongruous Shindig in the clip for "True or False."

WHITE RABBITS did the four free songs thing at Daytrotter, one previously unreleased.

BRILLIANT COLORS are streaming their debut album via MBV: "This trio knows how to make a lovely pop racket that brings in echoes of seminal acts like The Raincoats and The Shop Assistants." And to think I have the latter on vinyl.

DAVID BAZAN stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming now via MPR.

NORAH JONES is advance streaming her new LP via NPR, if you're into that sort of thing.

JOOKABOX: You could add "You Cried Me" to the list of clips I should have linked before Halloween, except that it wasn't out then.

THE RAVEONETTES: Sune Rose Wagner talks to Straight about recording In and Out of Control.

DANIEL JOHNSON talks to the Scotsman about being healthier mentally and more prolific.

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE: Erlend Øye shares a few of his favorite things with Pitchfork.

TEGAN and SARA: The latter talks to AfterEllen, which also embeds the "behind the scenes" video for "Hell."

THE FEELIES reissues of Crazy Rhythms and The Good Earth are reviewed by Drowned In Sound.

LINDSAY LOHAN's desperate call for help, leaked by her ex-con dad, likely in response to her threat to get a restraining order against him. Audio at the link.

NICOLE KIDMAN tells GQ that her experiences of love ranged from "mundane" marriage to "strange sexual fetish stuff," but won't say a thing about ex-hubby Tom Cruise.

FERGIE and JOSH DUHAMEL are denying another round of allegations from an Atlanta stripper that she had a one-night stand with the actor.  The stripper's lawyer claims Duhamel bragged about it.

MICHAEL JACKSON: How to market a dead celebrity tastefully.

ASHLEE SIMPSON was booted from the reboot of Melrose Place for her diva behavior and bad acting. Double-shocka!

SEAN PENN's son was busted for drug possession.  Dude, that's his skull.

THE 20 BEST TV SHOWS OF THE DECADE, according to Paste.

TERROR in the USA: The two men accused of plotting attacks on a Danish newspaper also planned to carry out attacks in India.

OUR FRIENDS, THE SAUDIS plan to behead and crucify a 22-year-old man convicted of raping five children and leaving one of them to die in the desert. Roman Polanski can strike the Kingdom off his list of possible escape routes.

IRAN: Protesters clashed with government forces on the anniversary of the US embassy takeover in Tehran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei rejected US offers for further negotiations and said any attempt to negotiate is "naive and perverted."

CAT and DOG, sleeping together...mass hysteria!

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: 82 Healthy Sea Turtles Hatch At SeaWorld.

BABY ECHINADAS debut at the Perth Zoo.

HIPPOS: Israel dominates the market. Who knew?

GREAT WHITE SHARKS spend months near the northern and central California coast between August and February foraging among elephant seals, sea lions and other prey, according to a new study. What say you, Police Chief Brody?

SEA WOLF: "Wicked Blood" is another clip I should have found before Halloween.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming now via MPR.

RAIN MACHINE: Kyp Malone (also of TVotR) talks to the Wall Street Journal about his solo LP, from which he streams a few tracks during his Guest DJ stint on All Songs Considered.

THEM CROOKED VULTURES: Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Josh Homme drop another song, "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" (a Theolonious Monk allusion, methinks)

RYAN ADAMS drops a new song, "Jimmy Whistlenut," which features the title character's sax blowing wife, trouser licking dog, penchant for tripping on Robitussin and crack, time machine, break dancing, and jumping jacks.

THE HAMMOND B3 ORGAN (and the Leslie speaker cabinet) get a tribute from The Guardian -- which inexplicably omits The Rascals, which means we need a dose of "Good Lovin'."

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS: Peter Hughes gets an interview, with the Loyola Phoenix, while John Darnielle talks to PopMatters.

THE PONYS RIDE AGAIN: Why did one of Chicago's best-loved garage bands disappear at their peak? And after two years, what's bringing them back?

BRIAN ENO talks to Pitchfork about about Coldplay, Abba, his influence on Phil Collins, working with U2, and more...

CHUCK PROPHET: The former Green on Red guitarist reviews recording sessions with the San Francisco Chronicle.

AVATAR: The next big James Cameron pic has a new trailer online.

RHIANNA sits down with Diane Sawyer, revealing publicly for the first time what happened last February with singer and ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

KATE WINSLET was "delighted" to win a payout of about 40K from the Daily Mail, which said she lied about her exercise regime.

KATE BOSWORTH and CHRIS MARTIN (Coldplay) may sue the ever-reliable Star magazine for suggesting they were... wait for it... caught canoodling behind Gwyneth Paltrow's back.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND racked up a seven-hundred dollar bar tab between 7am and 1pm. But he had a little help drinking.

THE OSCARS will be hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, after Ben Stiller and Robert Downey, Jr. turned down the gig.

WINONA RYDER surveys her career at Black Book.

THE TERMINATOR franchise is going up for auction.  There's already a bid from Joss Whedon, in the whopping amount of 10K.

THE TOP 15 TIME TRAVEL MOVIES, according to the Pulp List.

JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT was a Playboy bunny for Halloween. Call it Gratuitous Wednesday.

NORTH KOREA claims it has successfully weaponized more plutonium for atomic bombs.

GUANTANAMO: Some detainees would rather prolong their stay than be sent to maximum security prisons on the US mainland, according to camp officials.

PAKISTAN: An onslaught of militant violence has transformed Islamabad from a sleepy oasis to something of a city under siege, with its tree-lined streets barricaded, schools shuttered and jittery residents wondering when the next attack will come.

IRAN: Leaders of Iran's opposition movement are to make an unprecedented apology to the US on the 30th anniversary of the storming of the American embassy in Tehran.

DOG MASSAGE: Let's go to the video.

PUPPY nad LION CUB, playing together...

GIANT JELLYFISH sinks a 10-ton trawler off the eastern coast of Japan.

HORSE SLAUGHTERS are on the rise in Southwest Miami-Dade.

A BEAR mauled two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists to death as they hid in its cave in Shopian, South Kashmir.

PEARL JAM went as Devo for Halloween, playing "Whip It."

NEW RELEASES: Julian Casablancas, Cold Cave, Foo Fighters, Rickie Lee Jones, CCR and more are streaming this week via Spinner.

BECK and CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG duet on "Heaven Can Wait," from her album due next January.

SONDRE LERCHE plays a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR.

THE SWELL SEASON turns up on All Things Considered with web extras.

MONSTERS OF FOLK went as KISS, playing "Detroit Rock City."

WILCO: Loftlife tours the band's Irving Park studio.

JULIAN CASABLANCAS of The Strokes talks to the New York Post about his 80s-tinged solo LP.

GARY NUMAN talks to Drowned in Sound about collaborating with NIN, music so frightening it can give you a heart attack and why The Pleasure Principle is like Wall-E.

THE AVETT BROTHERS: Seth talks to the Louisville Courier-Journal about the band's steady journey.

MEL GIBSON is a dad again, this time by fiancé Oksana Grigorieva. Is eight enough?

JESSICA SIMPSON calls Melrose Place "crap" after her sister Ashlee was unceremonially booted from the reboot

LINDSAY LOHAN caught canoodling with... Gerard Butler?

BRADGELINA went trick-or-treating with their brood.

ELTON JOHN has a serious case of E.coli bacterial infection and influenza.

KATE HUDSON casts off her girl-next-door image in a raunchy new photoshoot , just in time for Gratuitous Tuesday.

KATY PERRY has RUSSELL BRAND thinking of monogamy and family? Oh, sure.

WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT screenwriters Jeffrey Price and Peter Seaman are working on the script for the sequel.

JAY LENO talks to Broadcasting and Cable about bad press, David Letterman's situation and his feelings about leaving-and even returning-to 11:35 ET.

IRAN is planning to appoint a cleric in every school.

AfPAK: The expansion of Islamic extremist groups across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region is "the worst I've seen it," with Afghan insurgents receiving help from Iranian operatives and "very possibly" freelancing Pakistani intelligence agents, as well as a small but growing number of "deadly" foreign fighters, said Maj. Gen. Mike Flynn, director of intelligence for Gen. Stanley McChrystal's headquarters.

IRAQ: Security forces detained 15 wanted men in Ninewa and 14 more in Basrah, 13 members of a car bomb network in northern Iraq, two al Qaeda operatives in Makhmour, and a key leader in al Qaeda's network in the North.

WEARABLE HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER: Let's go to the video.

ORPHAN MONKEY and DOG, living together...

BABY ALPACA with a cast on one leg sought by police.

ABANDONED COWS have been found wandering unamazed on Auckland's North Shore.