WELCOME TO THE READING ROOM.

WHAT IS THE EPA DOING ABOUT LOWER MANHATTAN? Kristen Lombardi continues to cover the EPA's apparent neglect of Lower Manhattan post-9/11. What are Bloomberg and Pataki doing about this? City Hall is in the 'hood, after all.

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION PURSUES KATRINA SURVIVORS.The National Fair Housing Alliance reports "a significant incidence of housing discrimination against African-American persons displaced by Hurricane Katrina." And again: How safe is the enviroment in post-Katrina New Orleans, anyway?

ANTI-"WAR ON CHRISTMAS" RANT. Someone out there is really pissed off over Fox's "War on Christmas" allegations. What's that? Oh, right. I mean someone other than me. Warning: It could be offensive. Thanks to Savage Love for the lead.

ON THE MORE REFINED SIDE. For those with more refined sensibilities, Hendrik Hertzberg takes on the "War on Christmas" in The New Yorker. Sorry, no cartoons.

WHERE CAN I SIGN UP? Perhaps it's Hendrik's column that answers Gawker's query, "Maybe we missed something, but how, why and when the hell did the New Yorker make Bill O’Reilly’s blacklist?"

'TWASTHENIGHTBEFORECHRISTMAS. It's pretty much the fastest reading of the poem that you'll ever hear.

Photo: David Marc Fischer