I DO, HOWEVER, TIP MY UROLOGIST: Something I'm still not used to even having lived in NYC for 7 years now is the whole concept of "holiday tipping." In some cases, it makes a lot of sense--I do give a gift to my assistant, and leave a tip for my maid service on the last cleaning before the holidays. But I draw the line at things like tipping the newspaper guy and the mailman. What's a particular problem for me is the question of whether the "tip" is a reward for good performance in the year past or a bribe to ensure appropriate future performance. For instance, my paper delivery screws up on average of once a week, where no paper is delivered to my door (though, interestingly, that status has improved over the past few weeks). Does that warrant a tip?

WITH HARVEY FIERSTEIN AS THE HEAT MISER: No, I'm not even kidding -- a new live-action The Year Without A Santa Claus two-hour movie debuts tonight on NBC. John Goodman plays Santa.

4 CONTINENTS, 13 COUNTRIES. . . You remember how in Purple Rain, Morris Day couldn't believe that after all those rock-funk battles, Prince and the Revolution ended up winning the competition based on a ballad of all things?

That's sorta how I feel about having this otherwise well-constructed race ending on the luck of an EZ Pass and the finding of a cab. Seriously, yo, make them travel on foot to the last task in NYC -- don't do this nonsense lengthy cab ride to the 'burbs (where you don't have to do any additional task) because you're afraid of the ending being spoiled. LAME.

There was a moment where I finally felt like airport strategery mattered in the race. Sigh. And no Guido Edit for that third place team?

SHE IS NOT A CHOREOANIMATOR: Mariah Carey has indicated that she, or at least the entity that holds her publicity rights, will attempt to prevent porn star adult film actress Mary Carey from obtaining a trademark registration for the MARY CAREY name.

BIG WILLIE STYLE: It is easy to be cynical, and lord knows, the trailers for the new Will Smith film The Pursuit of Happyness have led me to wonder, do I really want to see a film that seems so completely inspirational and sappy?

Well, now that I've read this 2005 SF Chron piece on Chris Gardner, whose life is the basis of the film, the answer may well be yes. It's a hell of a story, and it really does make you feel good about the opportunities available in America. Here, Carrie Rickey has more with Will Smith.

COUNTLESS SCREAMING ARGONAUTS CHILDREN: It is an open question as to whether They Might Be Giants have always been fundamentally a band playing music for kids or whether they've only embraced it recently with No! and Here Come The ABCs.

(Craig, if you're reading this, yes, I still regret not heading down for that TLA show back in, what, 1989?)

Regardless, I took Lucy (and Adam C. came with his family) to see The Johns at World Cafe Live today, and it was just a total blast -- a mix of the great kids' stuff and classics like "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", "Particle Man" and, hallelujah, "Birdhouse in Your Soul", which is one of the most perfect, ecstatic, wonderful pop songs there is. Lucy and I pogoed to it. We had a blast. I think everyone did.

A TASK EVEN PARTICLE MAN CAN'T ACCOMPLISH: I can't recall the last time iTunes' database failed to immediately produce results when I stuck a CD into my drive, no matter how obscure and old or recently released the CD might be. But of all the things that would not be found in the database, it shocks me that Flood from They Might Be Giants (which I picked up for like $6 at Tower Records' close-out today to replace the old copy I lost) would be absent from the database.