This story starts off sounding like a classic barnyard joke ("first she played for the cows") but it ends up being rather sweet. As someone who believes that the joys of rural life are best experienced at a vast remove, if not theoretically, I can absolutely get behind this video. But she should really get her son away from the fence before that donkey bites his head right off.

Because independent journalists are not allowed to move about freely in Syria, news outlets are depending on reports from people such as [Omar] Shakir and on information collected by international human rights groups to offer a picture of what's happening inside Syria—where, according to the United Nations, government forces have killed more than 5,000 people in the nearly 12 months since protests against the regime began.

—As the U.S. closes its embassy and Russia blocks a U.N. resolution condemning the Syrian president, Syrian blogger Shakir spoke to Morning Edition's Renee Montagne today about the assault on Homs: "'I just want [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov] to come here inside Baba Amr,' Shakir said, 'and sleep one night if he can.... We cannot sleep.... We cannot find food.... I just want him to come here inside Baba Amr and suffer as we suffer and see what we see.'"

Just watch this, we can discuss it later. You will indeed find yourself transfixed by its mysterious power. [Via]

What is this doll saying that is so offensive? The audio seems unclear. I have narrowed it down to either, "You fucking cocksucker piece of shit, I will shove my fist so far up your dirty asshole that when it comes out of your whore throat you'll feel like you've been using a metal cuntrag enema as a douche," or "crazy bitch," but it's still kind of hard to tell. Anyway, the only good part of the holidays is the annual "Children's Toy Does Bad Thing" panic, and now that we've burned it off for 2011, all we're left with is relentless gloom until New Year's. Enjoy.

A plausible suspect in the serial assaults in greater Park Slope has been held for questioning; he was caught in the act, or at least "an act." But police are saying that they believe there's more than one of 'em. In fact, they have "four sketches of suspects on display" at the station. (AND HOW DEPRESSING IS THAT?) Some news: here are some free self-defense classes in Brooklyn; Safe Slope is still offering walks home for ladies and other folks who may feel vulnerable.