Melanie Jones

Mayor Quan's chief legal adviser Dan Siegel has resigned in opposition to a second Occupy Oakland raid at 5 a.m. on Nov. 14. Siegel expressed solidarity with the 99 percent and called his longtime friend a city insider overrun by political wrangling and the Oakland Police Department. The morning raid resulted in 33 arrests, but protestors are planning a rally at the Plaza for 4 p.m. PST.

The International Quidditch Association hosted the fifth annual Quidditch World Cup at Randall's Island in NYC from Nov. 11-13, 2011. Middlebury College won the Harry Potter-inspired tournament Cup after 22 hours of play, featuring almost 100 teams, over 2,000 players, and five different countries. Watch highlights from the finals, learn about the tournament and hear from players.

Alleged victims of former PSU defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky are working on civil suits against the university over the administration's failure to take action, and may feature individual suits against head coach Joe Paterno and officials Tim Curley and Gary Schultz. As more victims come forward, criticism of Paterno and Penn State following the grand jury report findings are growing.

Lars Von Trier's Melancholia is a haunting sci-fi film metaphor for the end of the world that leaves you with an impression of its titular emotion that creeps under your skin long after the movie is over. Read the full review and watch the movie trailer here, then check out ten more cinematic apocalypses from around the world.

Black Friday 2011 is Nov. 25, and with retailers predicting record numbers of shoppers swarming stores the day after Thanksgiving, it's good to have some tips for nabbing the best sales. Follow these top ten tips, from where to look online for early deals to warranty checks and getting bigger sales, we predict 2011 will be your best shopping year to date.

Two new polls reveal Cain's slip in support since POLITICO and Bialek is driven by women voters, once the majority of those who supported him. A new video showing the GOP presidential hopeful making fun of Anita Hill (video enclosed) is sure to widen that gender gap, as prominent conservatives condemn Cain's reaction to the sexual harassment charges.

When Occupy Oakland outed undercover cop Fred Shavies last month, the protestors probably didn't expect the policeman was a legitimate Occupy Wall Street supporter. In a video response with Copwatch however (watch here), Shavies takes a stand, condemning police brutality and calling violence against OWS protests a legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.

France's way of doing business is closely connected to French culture, and international businessmen and women (especially those from America) can sometimes make mistakes that sour a deal before it's even begun. Follow these eight tips on French cultural cues and taboos to avoid misunderstandings and to earn the respect of your international peers.

The international pavement art event has gone on for years, dazzling local residents, but Sarasota, Fla. officials decided to clean the streets immediately after the festival was finished. See fallen angels rendered in chalk, 3D terracotta LEGO soldiers, street-wide mosaics and more in these videos and photos, as artists from around the world create beauty on pavement.

Billy Crystal has announced that he will host the 84th Academy Awards. While this news may dash the hopes of Twitter and Facebook users intent on a Muppets Oscars in 2012, this is Crystal's ninth time as host, and he has more than proved the ability to pull off hilarious skits. Watch Billy Crystal's best Oscars monologues, and let us know: Is he a good pick for Oscars 2012?

Veterans Day on Nov. 11, 2011 is around the corner. As the federal holiday draws near, watch videos, read quotes and see photos chronicling the history and ongoing legacy of the U.S. Armed Services, from military desegregation and the aftermath of Vietnam to WWII nurses at the Battle of the Bulge and Iraq war veterans at Occupy Wall Street.

As cartoonists across America join fans in remembering Bil Keane, read some of the Family Circus creator's best quotes, other cartoonists' reflections on their mentor, and the words of other great comic strip artists who've died in the past few years. Keane is known for his promotion of family values and his strip's iconic format, but few knew how funny he was, or how honest.

The Country Music Association Awards are Nov. 9, and country music fans are abuzz with speculation about who will win the coveted CMA trophies, especially in the category of Entertainer of the Year. See our picks for who will win at the 2011 CMAs, as well as those who should take home the awards. Will Taylor Swift win big? Will power couple Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert sweep the show? Read on!

A UC San Diego study shows autistic children have an average of 67 percent more brain cells, with significantly heavier brains than their normally developing peers. The excess of brain cells in the prefrontal cortex suggest autism begins in the womb, not (as previously imagined) in infancy or toddlerhood. Extra brain cells cause autistic kids to have too much of a good thing.

On the day Sharon Bialek told her story with attorney Gloria Allred, Donella told The Washington Examiner that Cain tried to get dinner alone with an audience member at 2002 speech, then tried to set up a date with Donella herself. As Cain prepares for a press conference to counter Bialek's story, bloggers and news sites debated whether Cain's behavior is damning or inconsequential.

One year before the presidential election, a new poll shows President Obama beating all his GOP contenders, despite low ratings. Obama falls below expectations in most areas, but is still supported above Republicans. Also, Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party are supported by 50 percent of those polled.

Two months before the Iowa caucus and one year before the presidential elections, a new poll shows President Obama beating all his GOP contenders, despite low ratings and a pervading air of negativity and dissatisfaction in America at large. Obama falls below expectations in most areas, but is still supported above Republicans. Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party are supported by 50 percent of those polled.

Occupy Wall Street is spreading to colleges, starting with unlikely champion Harvard University. 70 students walked out of an intro economics class and sent a letter to Prof. Mankiw to express anger over a conservatively biased curriculum and solidarity with the Occupy protests. Watch video of the walk-out, read the letter, and examine Harvard's own role in the current financial crisis.

As news of Murray's involuntary manslaughter conviction spread, celebrities, the Jackson family, and everyday fans took to Twitter, Facebook, and TV to discuss the verdict in King of Pop's death. See reactions from Rev. Al Sharpton and LaToya Jackson, feedback from Dr. Steven Stafer, and photos and tweets including #DoctorsBetterThanConradMurray.

Actress Jessica Chastain will play Princess Diana in Caught in Flight, based on her affair with Dr. Hasnat Khan. According to sources who've read the script however, the film casts the beloved Princess of Wales in a very unflattering light as a love-struck stalker, and the choice of an American actress to play a British icon is similarly under fire.

Investigation into ongoing child sex abuse at former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's The Second Mile began in 2009, when a report was filed by Penn State. Now, however, grand jury reports show multiple eyewitness accounts and investigations dating as far back as 1994 at least. See a timeline of the sex abuse scandal, the alleged coverup by Penn State officials, and the charges filed against the legendary defense coordinator.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have confirmed the death of leader Alfonso Cano, but reject the idea that the group must demobilize or perish. A statement of defiance (full text here) accompanied three guerrilla attacks this weekend, and experts warn the group remains a stronghold, despite Pres. Santos's assurances that FARC is at breaking point.

Times cartoonist Christoph Niemann live-drew the 2011 New York City Marathon while running the 26.2 mile race himself. See some of the best of his hilarious, artistic, honest renderings of the IGN marathon, including his run-ins with security and his musings on the athletic importance of beer and bananas.

Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares is the winner of Miss World 2011, despite training five years to be a nun before donning her pageant bikini. As Miss World celebrates its 61st year, facing both accolades and some protests, look at back at past winners and see how Miss Venezuela compares.

Highlights and photos from the Nov. 6 ING New York City Marathon, including Geoffrey Mutai's record-breaking win, which may get him to the 2012 Olympics, and Amanda McGory's course-setting record for the NYC Marathon's women's wheelchair race.

Director Sam Mendes and actor Daniel Craig announced Thursday that the 23rd James Bond film, and the next in the series, will be called Skyfall, to be released in 2012. Learn about Bond Girls Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe, how Bond's loyalties to Dame Judi Dench's M will be tested, and other spoilers slipped by Craig and Mendes.

You've googled barrel roll, but what about finding Steve Irwin on Google Earth, or what happens when you type recursion into Google search? Find out ten more tricks and easter eggs hidden by Google engineers and how to work them, from making your computer fluent in Pig Latin or Klingon to making Google Reader ninja-themed and tricking your Gmail spam filter.

Siri has hit another outage, with the voice assistant feature reported down across America this morning. Apple has yet to comment on the glitch, or even admit such such outages are happening, but TechCrunch and VentureBeat are scrambling to identify causes for iPhone 4S problems like battery life drains and Siri being down, compiling DIY fixes to help users waiting for Apple to step in.

Two demonstrators were intentionally hit by a car during last night's Occupy Oakland General Strike, suffering serious injuries. Police on the scene, however, let the driver go, sparking outrage and prompting an investigation by the Oakland PD. See on-site photos and video footage of the attack, allegedly prompted by the driver's inability to get through a green light.