BON IVER brought three drummers to play "Skinny Love" for Dave last week.

NEW RELEASES: The French Exit and Various Artists have albums streaming during this very thin week via Spinner.

THE 100 BEST TRACKS of 2008, with plenty of streaming audio, according to Pitchfork.

AIMEE MANN brought her off-the-wall Christmas variety show to the Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA over the weekend.  You can stream the whole gig, with cameos from Nellie McKay , Grant-Lee Phillips and Amos Lee, via NPR.

GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS do the five free songs thing for Daytrotter, all previously unreleased.

GLAM XMAS:  Wizzard's awesome "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" and Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" (1973's UK Xmas No. 1) are your Twofer Tuesday.

CLARE & THE REASONS do the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, including a cover of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."

ZOOEY DESCHANEL talks movies, music and prom with the NYDN.

FRIGHTENED RABBIT: Scott and Grant Hutchison talk to Drowned In Sound about touring with Death Cab for Cutie, putting mustard in the mac & cheese, and more...

ELVIS COSTELLO is profiled in The New Yorker regarding his new TV show.

THE SEX PISTOLS might record a new album in 2009? Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

MADONNA & GUY RITCHIE: Contrary to prior reports, Madge's rep confirms that Ritchie will be receiving a divorce settlement between 76 and 92 million dollars in cash and property, including the couple's country retreat Ashcombe House in Wiltshire.

TOM-KAT UPDATE: Cruise reappears on The Today Show to make nice with Matt Lauer, now that he has a new movie to promote. Video at the link.

BRITNEY SPEARS reportedly is in talks with Madonna to make a series of appearances on her forthcoming tour, according to Spears' choreographer Wade Robson.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON is threatening legal action against UK Cosmopolitan for running an allegedly phony interview about her life as a newlywed.

NAOMI WATTS & LIEV SCHREIBER name their baby boy Samuel, which is a totally wacky choice in Hollywood.

JACKO's latest look can be summed up in a word: Zorro. 

MAD MEN: Christina Hendricks, a/k/a Mad Men's Joan Holloway, got engaged to actor Geoffrey Arend, whose next role is as an ad man on a basic cable show. John Hamm is interviewed by Zach Galifianakis (profanity warning): "Jon Hamm... Am I pronouncing that right?"

2008's TOP TEN IN MOVIES & TV, according to the American Film Institute.

AWARDS SEASON: The NYT's Carpetbagger handicaps possible Best Picture Oscar nominations.

AFGHANISTAN: Ten Green Berets received the Silver Star for a single battle in which they subdued an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents. Sarah Chayes argues that the international community needs to pressure the Afghan government to clean up, to provide a clearer alternative to the Taliban. TIME magazine suggests the US will consider scaling back its nation-building goals in favor of a provincial structure that relies more on local militias to provide security. Indie blogger Michael Yon has a two-part dispatch dealing with winning hearts and minds there.

IRAQ: Blogger Michael J. Totten goes on a raid in Baghdad, looking for one of the most dangerous terrorist leaders in all of Iraq.

A FRENCH CAT has trained its owner to provide elevator service.

A BOMB-SNIFFING DOG is adopted by former Air Force K9 handler Jamie Mangan when the pair returned from Iraq after their Humvee was hit in an IED attack. Awww...

A NEARLY FROZEN SEA TURTLE found on a Cape Cod beach headed to the New England Aquarium in Boston for a slow but steady warmup.

MERLIN the CAT is to be returned to his original owners after a 16-month catnapping dispute.

THE SECRET WORLD OF ANTS: Their eco-consciousness, their sexism, and their suicide bombers.