After decades of speculation, guessing and cloak-and-dagger theorizing, the identity of the 20th century's most important journalistic source is finally known. "Deep Throat," the guy that helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein drag down US President Richard Nixon as a result of his involvement in the 1972 Watergate break-ins, has come forward. Many see the case as the birth of investigative journalism in the United States. But for all the sleuthing he inspired, Deep Throat himself -- now outed as W. Mark Felt, 91, the second-in-command at the FBI under Nixon, kept his identity secret despite numerous attempts to dredge it up. Interest in Felt's unmasking has been huge. But for the definitive article,  head to Vanity Fair, the magazine that broke the story.

Happy 60th Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Had he lived, German cinema's enfant terrible, Rainer Werner Fassbinder , would have turned 60 today. Like most icons who die young, it's hard to imagine the rowdy dark-haired genius as anything but youthful -- he was the embodiment of soul-searching and imagination. Indeed, for 12 boisterous, hard-living years (1969-1982) Fassbinder revolutionized German cinema and became arguably Germany's most famous director. Think "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul" (1973), The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978), Lili Marleen (1980) and Veronika Voss (1981).

Of course that is just a smattering of his prodigious work, as the foundation his family set up after his death shows. In 16 years -- 1966 until 1982 -- he directed 45 films. He also acted in dozens of others, wrote plays and essays and simply lived with the speed and vitality most people never accomplish in a whole lifetime. He died as suddenly and dramatically as he lived, succumbing to a poisonous combination of drugs and sleeping pills. He was 37. With his death, the most exciting and experimental period of German cinema since the 1920s came to an abrupt halt. So, happy birthday Rainer. Wish you were still here.