It's very late, and I need to be up very early, but the blog - she's a harsh mistress, so let's dive right in.

1. Guide to Viral Marketing & Linkbait on the Web
   I edited this 40+ page guide just before we left for Pubcon last week and remarked to Jane (the primary author, though we all chipped in) that it was possibly our best written and most thorough guide to date. Not only has she put together a comprehensive plan for how linkbait and viral content can help businesses and sites achieve their goals, she's listed dozens of unique tactics for how to craft compelling content and how to best promote it. There are examples of linkbait of every kind and if I go on any further, I'm going to sound like a self-promotional dolt, when all I'm really trying to do is heap praise where it's well deserved. Bravo, Jane!
2. I Can Get Your Kid into an Ivy
   Reading this article on a woman whose business is to "game the admissions systems" for hard-to-reach universities, I couldn't help but draw parallels with the SEO world. The marketing system she's built, the use of her background and book as promotional tools, and the fascination and debate that her personality and profession engender are fascinating examples of a one woman marketing supershow. There are definite lessons to be taken away here, even though it's not the kind of way I'd like to run my company.
3. Good Experience Games
   I like the entire concept behind the Good Experience site - showcase great user experiences from all walks of life. This list of games, though, is just begging to waste all my time - and now yours. Mu ah ha ha ha!
4. What I've Learned from Sales
   The experienced viewpoint of the author, explaining exactly how the human mind operates during the sales process, is extremely rewarding. It's enough to make you question your entire conversion process - maybe you don't really need to answer the questions your audience claims to have?
5. The Google Subdomains Changes Fully Explained
   Thank goodness Vanessa's around to present all of this in clear, concise, parse-able fashion. This post pretty much cleared up every question I had on the topic (though there's still a couple items I'd like to ping Matt about).
6. Is Google a CryBaby About Paid Links
   Or, as Danny notes in the comments, is Michael stretching the argument a bit. Either way, you can't help but love the controversy. I've always said that SEOs need a regular injection of drama, so until I out some paid links again, this is the place to go for your fix :)
7. Google's Killing 'Em
   Wonder why 85% of your search traffic is from Google? Even Hitwise is reporting that Google's now at 65% market share, and back when they were reporting 50%, the rest of the web was wondering why they got 70% of their traffic from Google.
8. Search Rankings Are More than Traffic - They're Branding
   I think savvy search marketers have known this for a long time, but now you've got data to bring to the boss and share around the cubicles. We might even see the branding-obsessed creative agencies looking at search a little more seriously (ah, who am I kidding, that'll never happen).
9. Top 10 Public Relations Blunders of 2007
   You've gotta love this one from Bill Hartzer. It should really be on all the social media sites. Bill breaks down 10 great examples of public relations and press campaigns gone completely wrong - great fodder when you need to remind your executives of what not to do :)

Just one quick rant, then I'm off to sleep - why is it that this Lifehacker guide to gifts (which is really not that great at all - honestly) gets on Digg, Del.icio.us/Popular and every other list on the web, but the gift guide I made (which had totally rockin' stuff) goes nowhere? Seriously... Someone should build a graveyard site for failed linkbait - it would probably be twice as good as the stuff that actually gets popular.

p.s. Happy Hanukkah! I know it's the last night, but I wish you all a good one.