Custom Query Shortcode: Run a Loop inside any Post/Page

gistfile1.aw

<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: Custom Query Shortcode
 * Plugin URI:  
 * Description: Run a Loop inside any Post/Page via Shortcode <code>[loop]</code>
 * Version:     0.0.1
 * License:     GPLv3
 * Author:      Frank B&uuml;ltge
 * Author URI:  http://bueltge.de/
 */

 // This file is not called from WordPress. We don't like that.
! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) and exit;

/**
 * EXAMPLE USAGES:
 * [loop]
 * [loop  query="posts_per_page=3"]
 * [loop the_query="showposts=15&post_type=post&post_parent=453"]
 * 
 * @param  $before string Markup,content Before content of loop output
 * @param  $after string Markup,content After content of loop output
 * @param  http://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Query
 * @see    http://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Query
 */
function fb_custom_query_shortcode( $atts ) {
   
   // Defaults
   extract( shortcode_atts( array(
      'the_query' => '',
      'before' => '<ul>',
      'after' => '</ul>'
   ), $atts ) );

   // de-funkify query
   $the_query = preg_replace( '~&#x0*([0-9a-f]+);~ei', 'chr( hexdec("\\1") )', $the_query );
   $the_query = preg_replace( '~&#0*([0-9]+);~e', 'chr(\\1)', $the_query );

   // query is made               
   query_posts( $the_query );
   
   // Reset and setup variables
   $output = '';
   $temp_title = '';
   $temp_link = '';
   
   // the loop
   if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();
   
      $temp_title = get_the_title( $post->ID );
      $temp_link = get_permalink( $post->ID );
      
      // output all findings - CUSTOMIZE TO YOUR LIKING
      $output .= '<li><a href="' . $temp_link . '">' . $temp_title . '</a></li>';
          
   endwhile; else:
   
      $output .= __( 'nothing found.' );
      
   endif;
   
   wp_reset_query();
   return $before . $output . $after;
   
}
add_shortcode( 'loop', 'fb_custom_query_shortcode' );