1. Jonathan LeVine Gallery (529 West 20th Street, Ninth Floor) opens two new solo shows on January 12, 7 to 9 p.m. "Virtual Reality" features works by the Japanese artist Haroshi -- he makes wooden sculptures out of skateboard decks -- and "Portal" has new works (pictured above) by New York artist Aakash Nihalani.
2. New Skrillex video for "Summit" -- that's the pre-breakup track he did with Ellie Goulding.
3. In his fitness book, 50 Cent confesses that many of his fellow artists don't actually own all of the bling they're rapping about: "They're lying. They have these bracelets and their rings, but them diamonds ain't real in there." (Hip-Hop 'n' More)
4. Here's a continuous, one-hour party mix of 32 song mash-ups from 2012. (Mash Up Your Bootz)
5. Lots of new laws went into effect on January 1, including a ban on small plastic water bottles in Concord, Massachusetts. (BBC, image via WikiCommons)
6. NYC's Steven Kasher Gallery (521 West 23rd Street) opens their fifth show of works from the National Geographic Archives on January 10. "The Past and Future Present" features over 100 works, including vintage illustrations juxtaposed with vintage photos. It's up until February 16. (Pictured above: William Crowder, Aurora Australis near Antarctica. Gouache on paper, 1930s, 19 x 13 in.)