I FEEL IT IN MY FINGERS; I FEEL IT IN MY TOES: So, yeah, the X-Factor winner is your Christmas #1 (again) with this crapfest, with "Surfin' Bird" placing third and Cage Against The Machine's cover of "4'33"" well back of the pack.

This blog only cares about the Christmas #1 title because of Love Actually, of course, so it's to that film we'll turn to remedy the yucky feeling. Via Linda Holmes, the Belfast Giants professional hockey team:

PUBLIC SERVICE OR SHAMELESS MISUSE OF BLOGGING RESOURCES? With fewer than five days left until Christmas and a handful of people likely left on your (my) Christmas list (if you are my brother, STOP READING RIGHT NOW), let me ask this question: what is the best commercially available gift you have ever (or recently) received, with a value no greater than, say, $100 or $150?

BEAUTY FADES; DUMB IS FOREVER: I have very little to say about the Survivor finale
-- it was a satisfying end to an unsatisfying season, with perhaps the lamest cast since Survivor Thailand (Pornboy Brian's triumph). So, instead, two questions: (1) What would you have had them do in the case of a 4-4-1 tie at Final Tribal, which nearly was the case?  The rulebook (p8) leaves it to the producers to decide.  So: fire-lighting contest on an LA soundstage?  Split the money?  Re-vote now that everyone has watched the season?  (2) Are you interested in the Redemption Island twist for Season 22, and would you like it more if (as rumored) Rob Mariano and Russell Hantz will play some role in the season?

I AM SHOCKED THAT HE NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT VINCENT SPANO IS A NATIVE NEW YORKER:  Even before yesterday's football game, Joe Queenan saw fit to use the WSJ op-ed page to explain why Philadelphia is better than New York City.

FROM BERLIN DOWN TO BELIZE: The San Francisco Chronicle's always awesome Annual Geography Quiz.

"UNDER ANY REASONABLE DEFINITION, IT'S A HORROR FILM":  That's the quote from Devin McCullen here which I had in mind upon attending Black Swan last night, and it's an accurate one.  This is a film which starts off as an anvillicious, overwhelmingly formulaic black-and-white (literally) drama (seriously, I starting calling out lines before they happened) about The Virginal, Always In Control Girl Who Needs To Loosen Up which gradually, and then completely embraces its freaky side.  Oh, yes, it does, and this is decidedly not a sequel to the beloved-in-these-parts Center Stage.  This is one intense, occasionally ludicrous film that eventually wins you over through its commitment to its universe and the intensity of Natalie Portman's and Barbara Hershey's performances.  (Full spoilers in comments, because I know many here have seen it already.)

added:  The House Next Door's Jason Bellamy and Ed Howard talk at length about this "outrageous, unrestrained, heavy-handed, horny opera."

WIGGEDY WAKE: SNL was uneven last night -- especially disappointing to see the much-beloved Jeff Bridges not really find his bearings -- but this was awesome: