Candid Camera ...

In another day or two, we'll wrap up the last of those old chestnuts that fill newspapers and television broadcasts this time of year ... stories about safe Christmas lighting, keeping to a budget while shopping, keeping to a healthy lifestyle in the midst of holiday indulgences, and THE must-have toy that turns the calmest of us into crazed shopping animals.

Next week, we'll be in the midst of those old chestnuts that fill newspapers and television broadcasts through that time of year ... year-end retrospective pieces, looking back upon the best - and the worst - the year had to offer.

I'd like to recommend one on msnbc.com. It's called, simply, "2005: Year in Pictures." What makes this one especially interesting, to me, is that it presents two slide shows ... one of the Editors' Choices for the years best photos, the other of Your Choices for the year's best photos (which include the one shown here, by Diana Mulvhill of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. While there is some overlap (some photos appear in both slideshows), they represent, for the most part, two different interests, values, preferences, definitions of 'Best,' etc.

Be Warned: The "Editors' Choice" slideshow contains some graphic images.

CLICK HERE for the slideshows' intro page. I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the two different visions presented.