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Ah, splendid. As New York does away with its infamous "rubber rooms" (though, oddly, retains the process that populated them), here's word that LA is having just as much trouble dismissing awful teachers for cause.—JS

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Fascinating in-depth story about the death of marine trainer Dawn Brancheau at Sea World in February, incorporating the history of orca capture and captivity, sea parks, and the particular animal that took her down.—JS

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Open defecation, the challenge of talking about poop, and one man's search for "the Angelina Jolie of toilets." (Hat tip, Mom.)—JS

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Including a probability puzzle which will drive you as mad as the Monty Hall problem – honestly, what is wrong with these people?—JS

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An excerpt from Bryson's forthcoming book, At Home. When Bryson puts out a book in which he digs deeper into things, you should go ahead and buy that book.—JS

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All right, admittedly I haven't had time to read this entire piece yet, but with a title like that, how can it not be intriguing?—JS

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If he is real, he may be planning to go again.—JS

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Certainly obstacles to firing them are entrenched, but considering the alternative, can we afford to keep ignoring the problem?—JS

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Behind the scenes with Gerald Blanchard, the world's most ingenious thief.—JS

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The article which inspired Boal to write The Hurt Locker, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination (and most people expect him to pick up the Oscar on Sunday).—JS

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Surprisingly interesting, detailed, and witty. (Also, "Testicond" would make a great name for a band – or a tablet computer.)—JS

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Finally, a name for clever/perplexing headlines like Gator Attacks Puzzle Experts. (Let newspaper editors have their fun; they're a dying breed.)—JS

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We can keep chasing terrorist tactics with more and more invasive security screening, but it won't make us any safer. (Colbert said it better in Tuesday's Wørd segment, but this isn't PoopVideo.com – at least not until 2015!)—JS

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Our response to terrorism defines its effectiveness. I know I say that a lot, but it's only because we keep responding the wrong way.—JS

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Chuck, Lost, Don DeLillo, and Tim Burton. The A.V. Club and I are definitely not looking forward to the same things this year.—JS

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The numbers make it look staggeringly unlikely that you'll be aboard a flight on which an attack is attempted (not to mention successful) - yet fear reigns anyway. See how easy terrorism is?—JS

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Why stop at just recapping one lousy decade, when there's all of time to encapsulate into pithy list form? (Don't miss The Ones We Lost.)—JS

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Ha ha! Fun stuff.—JS

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I'm not sure which of my beloved I feel more guilty for betraying with this link: my TiVo, my iPhone, or my girlfriend MaryBeth.—JS

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There's danger all around us. Danger that explodes with awesome destructive force.—JS

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They actually give out awards for pharmaceutical ads, rather than holding the accountable parties at gunpoint until they promise to shut up and leave us all alone. What a world!—JS

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They'll probably get under your skin a little, too.—JS

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Dear Internet: I have now linked to every funny or fascinating item I can find or think of. Please come up with some new stuff. Thanks!—JS

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As someone less determined and less disciplined than he used to be, I found a lot to appreciate in this essay.—JS

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1) Cracked.com has a "Greatest Hits" section right on the home page, including this longtime favorite of mine; 2) I'm just back from a four-day vacation with virtually no time to scare up decent home page links; 3) Perfect storm.—JS

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There's a pithy and interesting one-sentence explanation for the financial crisis – and, in a way, the perilous future of capitalism. And Calvin Trillin sucks all the fun out of it, as only he can.—JS

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One of the best Cracked entries we've linked to (which is saying something). Manages to be funny while staying mostly "straight" (except for the photo captions). It just proves what I've always said: women aren't not funny.—JS

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With one shameful exclusion: "The Mattel and Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour".—JS

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True stories behind the battle to put "naughty" words in dictionaries. (The language may get rough, but if you're offended by that sort of thing, I doubt you're on this page to begin with.)—JS

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If you're headed to McDonald's and you're in the continental U.S., 145 miles is the farthest you'll have to drive.—JS

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Basically, the state turns a profit off the stuff TSA won't let you take on planes. This article implies that dumb fliers are at fault for not knowing the rules, but I think those are outliers – the main issue is really dumb rules.—JS

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A new book collects some of Gladwell's writing for the New Yorker. Since it's all free online, Kottke has organized a table of contents of links. Rather than pick one to link to, I'll let you pick.—JS

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An older profile of prestidigitator, carny historian, and David Mamet repertory player Ricky Jay. But you'd be hard pressed to find a more fascinating subject, no matter what the year.—JS

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The Chevy Volt sounds impressive, but we've been hearing about it for years – and other numbskull moves by the automaker we all partly own.—JS

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Poe on plagiarism, punctuation, and God. (With some surprising sarcasm in the balance.) Get 'em, Eddie!—JS

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Can a person just disappear? With the help of a former PI who knows the tricks, it's possible. (Just remember, the name Rory B. Bellows is already taken.)—JS

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So, who does God kill when a kitten masturbates?—JS

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This seven-parter is long (of course), but it winds through a fascinating spectrum of topics. Is a forgery less beautiful than the original? Is an artist's name more significant than his talent? Why do we sometimes want to be fooled by hucksters?—JS

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There's always been a right way to hang the toilet paper roll; now there's scientific theory backing it up.—JS

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Snapper, the lawn mower people, decided their brand would be better off not being associated with Wal-Mart, even though it meant turning away their millions of customers.—JS

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Okay, admittedly this isn't nearly as funny on the page, but as you read it, just replay your memory of the sketch in your head. (Or, if you've never seen it, imagine something very funny.)—JS

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Most of what we know is how much we don't know, but it's still fascinating when we get a little new perspective (on both).—JS

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With solutions as easy as this, it's your own damn fault if you still have problems.—JS

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After 24 years, they figure the "New Coke" debacle is erased from the cultural memory and we're ready to go back to basics.—JS

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Good advice for Baron von Funny contributors. (Not really, but it's tops in unintentional hilarity.)—JS

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Sure, it sounds a little farfetched. But he admits right up front that it isn't foolproof.—JS

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Is there such a thing as genius? Gladwell contends success is really a matter of hours and hours of hard work. The analysis is fascinating.—JS

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Most UniWatch columns rely almost completely on clicking on links. This one, mostly an interview with the designer of the MLB logo, does not, making it ideal for our purposes.—JM

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Yet another exposé of security theater at the airport pre-boarding screening.—JS