Here in the labs, we're not above passing along a bit of Corporate Advertising as if it were genuine tech news. So we'll tell you that Apple is running a Billion Songs Countdown promotion for its iTunes Music Store. Every 100,000th song downloaded gets a free iPod nano and a gift certificate, and the recipient of the billionth download gets an iMac, a $10,000 gift certificate to the iTMS, and ten (10) 60GB iPods.......

Last week's two-peat winner, the Guardian: Angry, angry about the Village Voice's buyout of the New Times. Gavin Newsom -- in the pocket of the business community elites? Say it ain't so! Arlene Ackerman, bristling at public review? Say it ain't so! Annalee Newitz went to a Nick Denton party. Cover article: We're talkin' LO, LO, LO, L-O-V-E, LO, LO, LO. (Will Ashlee Simpson ever go away? That song's kinda catchy, though.) That teensy little restaurant on the corner of 18th and Mission, which is now Burmese food. Hey guys, when you roll over "cheap eats" on the homepage, it still says "Dan" Leone.) And hey, the sex columnist moved to the back! (the back of the weekly, that is.) The Metro: Radio radio. Something about a Neolithic goddess. Cover article: The science of pick-up artists. Jerk chicken. The Police tribute band Stung in Redwood City. Hyphy, the West Coast answer to crunk. The Asian Excellence Awards in Secret Asian Man. Hey, we totally had a good time watching those! C'mon, they were sponsored by XO! ...

Popscene has some disappointing news to share with San Francisco: Bloc Party vocalist Kele lost his voice today recording an iTunes studio session and subsequently, Bloc Party have to cancel the next few dates of their US tour. Unfortunately, this includes tonight's scheduled set at Popscene's 9-year anniversary gala. Shoulda booked Ashlee Simpson for your party, she would have found a way to perform, voice or no voice! We hope the mellifluously-named Kele Okereke recovers......

...to avoid the State of the Union address! The The Weekly. Editor John Mecklin says maybe the reason why the Guardian sued their parent corporation is because Brugmann makes bad business decisions (long litany of bad business decisions is then detailed). Gawkeresque levels of media-on-media violence! Cover article: Nate Cavalieri on Shawn Richard, a man who integrates gang members back into everyday society. SF Indiefest this week! Music reviewer misses Luna like a BFF. And Savage Love: sexual fantasies, not having sex with someone when you don't actually like them, and whether or not to have sex with someone asleep. The Guardian. Political pages: Nader needs cash, local news media sucks. Getting better deals on cable. The guy on the cover of the Guardian two weeks ago got his job back. Food: kohlrabi! Cover article: Neck Face (plus a Neck Face interview)! Sundance blew. SF Indiefest this week! Go to the Can't Stop Won't Stop release party next Tuesday! And Ashlee Simpson's awesome (writer claims that she sings at about same level as Conor Oberst). ...

If Giants fans are looking a little more nervous these days than they already were, it’s because it was reported today that on Monday, Barry Bonds went in for his second knee surgery of the off-season. The first one, on his left knee, was right at the end of last season; this one was on his right knee. Both were for "minor arthritis cleanup" and to repair a small cartilage tear. Ouch! ...

We may have just found our new "so best" pic, thanks to the folks at Late Night with Conan O'Brien who put together a little slideshow for Bill Gates' keynote address and Media Center PC demonstration at CES in Las Vegas. Bill fumbled with the remote after the system hung up, prompting uber-geek Conan to quip, "Who’s in charge of Microsoft?! —oh." Phillip Torrone of Engadget, who took the above picture, was there to......

roundup of the Bay Area weeklies (SF only this week, sorry)....