The Associated Press reported today that the death toll of U.S. soldiers in Iraq has now hit 3,000. The NYT has this interactive showing each and every one.

However, there were only 24 other violent deaths reported in the country on Sunday, so the Eid holiday could mean a slowdown, if only temporary, in the carnage.

Chuck Klosterman compares and contrasts Syd Barrett and Brian Wilson in this brief article for the NYT magazine.

From the NYT:

While ongoing negotiations to buy the beleaguered radio network Air America have kept its future in a state of limbo, the company had one bit of good news last week.

WXXM-FM, a station in Madison, Wis., owned by Clear Channel Communications, rescinded a decision to drop the liberal network in favor of Fox Sports Radio. The station, known as “the Mic” 92.1, was preparing to switch to a local sports format on Jan. 1. But last Friday, in a surprise statement, the station manager, Jeff Tyler, announced that the station had decided to continue with the progressive talk format of Air America into 2007.

A news release made it clear that public outcry was very directly responsible for the reversal: "We are overwhelmed by the recent outpouring of support for our Progressive Talk format from the public, some of our community leaders and some dedicated local advertisers.”

Soon after the initial announcement to drop Air America was made on Nov. 7, a 28-year-old-student, Valerie Walasek, began an an online petition campaign that gathered more than 5,000 signatures and also organized a large rally. She said she was shocked at the outcome.

It's worth noting that Madison is one of the most liberal college towns in the United States (The Onion was planted there). If Air America couldn't make it there, could it make it anywhere? 

The NYT has a story on Google's new offices in Manhattan, where they're almost partying like it's 1999 -- er, without the live sex shows that some of the more licentious dot-coms hosted in those halcyon days.