12 December 2007: Morning

Federal panel votes to retroactively reduce tough '80s crack sentences; thousands of inmates will be eligible for early release.

In short, all the evidence from every narcotics arrest in Brooklyn that day was gone. Drug evidence goes missing from police departments.

Sqeaky prisoner gets his palm greased.

Republicans in Congress have been knee-jerking across the aisle for so long that when Democrats agree with them, they continue to kick.

Five years after the fall of Baghdad, the treasures of the National Museum remain wrapped in plastic.

In Algeria, the significance of Dec. 11.

Audio: It's hard to be a foreign film in the Oscar race.

"It doesn't matter who invented it, it was the bakers of Dresden who refined the recipe and turned it into a world-famous cake." Cities fight over Stollen.

One hundred million pennies on display in Rockefeller Center, (video here)

Student lender to no longer pay schools for use of their logos, team names, students' trust.

Every Pixar in-joke and cross-film reference you need to know, with screen captures.

To do: This Friday in Minneapolis, Laurie Lindeen will be reading and singing with a (book) cover band at the 7th Street Entry.

In this week's Mp3 Digest, Llewellyn Hinkes embraces the music that critics won't touch.

Tired of rewriting music reviews, a guide to prewriting them.

On Public Image Ltd., and taking in Metal Box for show and tell.