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I personally would institute the death penalty for movie talkers if I was in charge, but shushing is a good tactic too.—JM

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Okay, second-worst. Let's not forget Tarantino.—JS

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A long – long – retrospective of the legendary actor and director's work.—JM

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"Clever people are more likely to own cats than dogs," says a new study. I prefer this guys' conclusion: "Dog-lovers are good. Cat-lovers are morally indifferent or actively evil."—JS

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"Back when she'd just accused wealthy white Duke students of rape, lawyers were volunteering to work for her pro bono should she want to sue for damages. This time around, with a case that's less financially promising, she's relying, according to WRAL.com, on a public defender." Sad, but not surprising.—JM

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Oh, y'know... peer pressure, bad parenting, but mostly boredom at the workplace.—JS

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Interesting look at and refutation of the idea that marrying young leads to a greater risk of divorce (with a shout out to Carl & Ellie from Up).—BK

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I'd wager that Penn didn't select the title of this piece himself; he strikes me as particularly genial, and this mostly light-hearted offering is no exception.—JM

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We have finally realized the true potential of robotics. And sex.—JS

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Why you should pay more attention to how much detergent you use to wash your clothes.—BK

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Teachers unions might not be able to protect the ineffective and incompetent for very much longer. If that's the case, everybody – apart from the ineffective and the incompetent – wins.—JM

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A piece in defense of Jay Leno. Nothing in here is technically refutable... but she doesn't bring up the bit about how Jay promised the show to Conan but then, in effect, didn't leave when he said he would. Even so, an interesting take.—JM

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Here we have everything that's wrong with the American criminal justice system, encapsulated by one juror's experience.—JM

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Exhaustive trend analysis from one of the more user-friendly online dating sites out there. (Although, if you want the one that works, it isn't pretty but it's plentyoffish.com.)—JS

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If you're not going to read new MIB posts the moment they go live, I'm not going to feel bad pointing you to them. (If you read this one right away, this'll be your second time. You're welcome.)—JS

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Almost half of the words in the title of the piece are inaccurate, and I know I shouldn't care about the "American Idol" audition episodes. But still.—JM

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Interesting allegory, though far from perfect. Some of us are just angry because Leno is an untalented hack who's even less worthy of The Tonight Show job now than he was 18 years ago.—BK

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Let's do! We bailed 'em out, and what have they done for us? Time to hit them in their ledger sheets.—JS

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It really was, wasn't it?—JM

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We can take it as a given that "Celebrity Rehab" is awesome, because Dr. Drew is involved. But overall, does it help or hurt? Or both? Or neither?—JM

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All you ever wanted to know about the evil weather phenomenon that takes already below-zero temps and makes them feel even colder (as has been happening here in MN for the last week).—BK

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John Mackey, the Whole Foods CEO who sparked controversy (boycotts and "buycotts") with his healthcare stance last fall, turns out to be a fascinating if inscrutable fellow.—JS

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Not even apples and oranges, I'd imagine. More like apples vs., um, blue space apples that cost a billion dollars.—JM

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As Generation Xers hit their 30s and 40s, many are trying to embrace the idea that "Midlife is your best and last chance to become the real you."—BK

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Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!—JM

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Good advice to keep in mind: Santa or not, someone is always checking it twice.—JS

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Turns out that Toby Young, that bald English one-trick-pony douchebag from "Top Chef," is actually an excellent writer and an even better cultural critic. Who knew?—JM

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The radio industry only recently has switched to a ratings-gathering methodology more sophisticated than "asking people to write down what they listen to." I'm completely serious.—JM

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Thanks to the Mrs. for this link. Did I pick a good one or what, fellas?—JM

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The main conclusion is that dogs are preferable because they won't try to talk you out of going, but the study neglects to factor in that most human walking partners won't make you stop to clean up their poop along the way.—BK

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Crime, pedestrian safety, increased exhaust emissions... just a few of the reasons some U.S. cities are ending their love affair with the fast food drive-through.—BK

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Sounds good to me. (I'm going to guess Joe's 50/50 on this one.)—JS

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This is not exactly a knee-slapper, but it's an interesting read.—JM

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The most compelling stories, it's been said, take you deep into worlds that you barely knew existed.—JM

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Somewhat dangerous, but not enough that you should stop. (Please, don't stop!)—BK

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Most of this simply confirms my own independent research from a few years ago.—JM

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It's cute how people keep making reasoned, thoughtful arguments about why Palin ought to be dismissed, as though people who genuinely like her would respond to reason or thought.—JS

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Hypoallergenic socks, Baby Kneepads, cutting down trees over nut allergy fears... is it any wonder we're hitting the tipping point on "helicopter parenting"?—BK

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I'm not on this guy's side and he makes no bones about the fact that he's just doing this to be a dick, but even so... I like his style.—JM

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When some dolt jumps on the field at a sporting event, they're smart enough to turn the cameras away to avoid giving him what he wants: publicity. Why is the media failing at the same test with the White House party crashers?—JS

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I haven't caught "The Daily Show" in a little while; I can only assume they're all over this story. Right?—JM

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The shit is going to hit the fan someday. It's inevitable; the way things are going is unsustainable. Folks won't just stand for this sort of thing indefinitely. And lots of innocent people are going to get hurt, which will be a terrible shame, but I don't see where else this course can take us.—JM

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Boyhood: turns out it's not all just sports and farting. (even if it's mostly sports and farting)—JM

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A holiday classic from a year ago that inspired a fantasy draft of our own.—BK

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Yes, that June Melby. The one whom I once asked out on a Valentine's date. (She wisely declined.) She was also a voice in Space Jam. I think this is fate, here.—JS

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This guy is desperate to show you how smart he is, and his "look how many words I know" writing style makes this a bit of a chore to get through. Still, any time somebody wants to analyze reality TV from a sociological standpoint, I am so there.—JM

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A.V. Club also has personal faves Ricky Jay and Richard Dawkins this week, but we've agreed not to overlink the same site too much and Levitt's the one debunking the TSA, rethinking the response to global warming, and talking about penis size. Advantage: Levitt!—JS

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Studying teens, texting, and Facebook. Oddly, from a perspective of "how will these obsessions affect them in the workplace?" Like these kids will ever have jobs.—JS

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Things can get ugly! Though only, it appears, when the opposites are too extreme, or the parties involved are too humorless.—BK

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Spectacular. Just beautiful. One reason I look forward to being a dad: I'll have the foulest-mouthed kids on the block.—JS

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That whole "admit that you're powerless over alcohol" part always did sound weird to me...—JM

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And one of them is nachos. Nachos! Who knew?—BK

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People-watching has its perils.—JS

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This piece is a little long and a little dry, but it's about Wikipedia. And I love Wikipedia. I mean, you want to know about the Maldives (just to pick something)? You go to Wikipedia, and BOOM! Now you know all you'll really ever need to know about the Maldives.—JM

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You may be surprised to learn that humans are fairly suggestible, especially when it comes to delicious, delicious food.—JS

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How and why we lie – not always for bad reasons – and how we detect it in others. With bits from Paul Ekman, whose work inspired Fox's Lie to Me.—JS

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Arby's stores are losing money faster than other fast-food chains. (Of course, the average is brought down by that Telluride franchise that Jack Donaghy is leaving shuttered just to spite his ex.)—JS

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One expert says that but for the extinction of the dinosaurs, the planet would now be ruled by bipedal, humanoid reptiles. That'll teach us all to doubt Super Mario Brothers: The Movie!—JM

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The definitive essay on the disease, the risks, and the concomitant hysteria.—JS

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Having fun with the suggestion feature on the Google search box. Short, but very entertaining.—BK

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I loved Barbara Ehrenreich's appearance on The Daily Show, and I'm intrigued by this thoroughly unexpected train of thought resulting from her book.—JS

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Parker, who may well be one of the sharpest knives in the drawer, herein offers up more clichés than you can shake a stick at.—JM

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This is well-trod territory, but it still interests me. And even though doing a piece on women in comedy without talking to Sarah Silverman would be a bit like doing a piece on black presidents without talking to Barack Obama, this is worth reading nonetheless.—JM

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This isn't exactly news (Fischer died in January of 2008), but the bizarre story of the chess champion's life remains morbidly fascinating.—JM

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Add the "Freakonomics" guys to the growing list of people who aren't exactly losing a ton of sleep over gloom-and-doom climate change predictions.—JM

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One of David Letterman's only female writers (ever) shares her thoughts in a very even-handed, non-whiny manner.—JM

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Geez, I hope not; that's where I keep all of my stuff!—JM

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What can poker teach us? Pretty much everything, if this piece is to be believed.—JM

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Yeah, yeah; two football links. Quit whining, they're both good. In an excerpt from his new book of essays, Klosterman explains why he – and we – love football so damned much.—JM

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"We have lost 40 per cent of the shafts of our long bones, because we have much less of a muscular load placed upon them these days." And as hard as this is to believe based on that quotation, this piece is not about porn.—JM

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An eloquent exploration of the role that depression and mental instability can sometimes play in the creation of great art.—BK

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One hardly expects politesse or customer service when one dials one's cellular provider's customer service line. But a political screed? That's a surprise.—JS

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Fewer Americans are relocating than at any time since 1962. Why that's good news for families, communities, and even the environment.—BK

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Gladwell asks the provocative question: how different (for the competitors) are dogfighting and football?—BK

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Wow; talk about my wheelhouse: a piece about how boring it is to read bad children's books to your kid. I will make one point in defense of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," however: it's short. Lots of tediously bad children's books are not.—JM

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Here's what I link to when left to my own devices, folks!—JM

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ABC's new reality show "Shark Tank" is even better than this review would lead you to believe.—JM

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The cult of personality grows (although who could object to this? Learning is learning).—JM

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Granderson doesn't name names, if you're looking for that sort of thing, but he tackles an issue that I've long seen as a very important one. Fortunately, I don't think we're too far away from pro athletes being openly gay, and having it not be a big deal.—JM

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Ms. Sachs interviews Jesse Sheidlower, who may be the world's leading expert on "f*ck" (asterisk intended. My part of the homepage is a family show...)—JM

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Spoiler: it was unions, pretty much. Unions and environmentalists. Also, Arnold didn't help matters.—JM

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This explains the careers of Michael Cera and Seth Rogan (well, this, plus their considerable comedic talents. But still).—JM

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I'm sure that the arts community would be defending him just as vociferously if he were a Catholic priest rather than an acclaimed director. Aren't you?—JM

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This isn't exactly timely, but it's a good example of why Roger Ebert is so damn good. 2008's Lakeview Terrace got a 47 average score on Metacritic.com (that's not good), but among notable critics only Ebert rightly saw it as a top-notch thriller and more (i.e., only Ebert agreed with me).—JM

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Turns out, sharing everything about yourself online where anyone can access and aggregate it has its drawbacks.—JS

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Turns out every new advance in communication, from the typewriter to the telephone to writing things down, was met with resistance and prophesies of doom, so maybe Twitter won't destroy the world after all.—JM

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Ignoring the brain trauma problem in retired players and hoping the problem goes away would be bad enough, but what the NFL is doing is even worse.—JM

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Dan "Fake Steve Jobs" Lyons calls Twitterers "imbeciles." Nice link bait, Dan. For that, you win a shiny link!—JS

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"FNL" Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix, so you don't even have to wait for the DVDs to come in the mail. There's no excuse anymore. Get off your ass like I did last week, and start watching this show. (more "FNL" info to come very soon in a "Best Show On TV" piece if "Glee" is bad again next week)—JM

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Bed manufacturers are setting their sights on male customers, and the results are equal parts intriguing and insane.—BK

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The "death panel" idea is a farcical lie, but I actually wish it weren't. I stand ready to pull my mom's plug, precisely because of how much I love her.—JS

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As the owner of a mixed breed dog, I'll admit I'm curious about these DNA tests being offered. Not curious enough to spend $60 to $125, but curious nonetheless.—BK

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O but to live so long and so well, and to be so certain of God's grace.—JM

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More than worth linking to for the caption on the picture of the squirrel alone, but the entire piece is pretty good.—JM

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It's not Tuesday morning anymore, but everything should still apply.—JM

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A look at the power and importance of giving your children unconditional love.—BK

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America's sex laws really are shameful – and anyone who thinks they make children safer is delusional.—JS

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Ran across this after reading Meyer's proof that the express lane isn't always fastest; it's heartening to see a teacher so devoted to effective teaching.—JS

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In light of Kanye West's most recent bizarre, off-putting outburst, this piece written back in May is worth revisiting. The author is kind of kidding, but not really, and makes a pretty convincing argument.—JM

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How we overuse the term, sometimes to the point of diluting its significance.—BK

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This is an oldie but a goodie.—JM

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And the reality of too much leisure time, which leads to the sort of weight and academic performance issues you might expect. As with most things, moderation is the key.—BK

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With all of newspapers' bellyaching about their declining relevance, it's sometimes easy to forget that they refuse to work at being relevant.—JS

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Simmons. Vegas. Read it.—JM

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Bill Simmons writing about Vegas; that's like Julia Roberts going on Letterman. You just don't miss it.—JM

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Those stories you hear about New York City teachers being paid their full salary to sit in a room for years on end, doing nothing? Completely true.—JM

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How you can order "off" the menu at fast food restaurants. You'll feel like a really big star. Or, you'll just feel fat because let's face it chubs, you're ordering off the menu at a fast food joint.—MW

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The author and a high-ranking former narcotics officer calculate the yearly cost of America's war on drugs: more than 15,000 deaths and 50 billion dollars spent.—BK

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Drug prices are about to go down (because there's no need to put actual medicine in them), or up (because the expensive ads are what make them effective), or not (because we know very little about how medicine actually works).—JS

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Scientists and religious believers might be able to agree about the evolution of religion. (As with most things, chimps are the key.)—JS

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Some insight into why Craigslist.org still looks like the rest of the internet used to look ten years ago, yet manages to be one of the most successful websites anywhere.—JM

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Turns out money can help buy happiness if you use it right, which is what I've always assumed.—JM

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Turns out exercise helps a little but mostly just makes you healthy, not thin. Apparently, to lose weight you have to eat better, so... rest easy, extra 15 pounds of mine! You won't be going anywhere anytime soon.—JM

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People are inherently resistant to change. But can the status quo be bad enough that they overcome that inertia? (After all, "Change" did win by six points last November.)—JS

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You know, it doesn't sound as bad as watching Private Practice for an hour. (Plus a cameo appearance by Brett Favre! No, not really.)—JS

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The Yale University Press has decided to publish a book about the Danish Mohammed cartoon controversy... without reprinting the actual cartoons. And the prognosis for the 21st century gets ever-so-slightly more bleak.—JM

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Fear, random speculation, and groupthink. It's all the news media has going these days, so why not group it all together – and throw in a dash of "Web 2.0" social networking to boot?—JS

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Doug Glanville writes it, we link it. This time, what happens to former ballplayers, even those ready to retire and start a new life?—MW

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This piece contains a glaring factual inaccuracy, referring to the LSU football team's "national championship run in 2003." There is no actual "national championship" at the top level of college football, of course, and the January 2004 bowl season proved conclusively that if such a thing did exist, USC would have won it fairly easily. But other than that, this is a fun read.—JM

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The founder and CEO of Whole Foods has some good ideas. That's not surprising, since Whole Foods is just the best store ever.—JM

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In a review of Not a Chimp: The Hunt To Find the Genes That Make Us Human, we find out that chimpanzees aren't really as smart as we're being led to believe. (they don't specifically say so, but I think we can assume that Lacelot Link, Secret Chimp is an obvious exception)—JM

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Lies, damn lies, and statistics...—JM

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Proof that dogs will indeed eat anything. You gotta love them... and apparently, keep them away from your hobby-related objects.—BK

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Astonishing investigative report on a team of web-based prank callers who have caused thousands in damage.—JS

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Well, let's hope so!—JM

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When you combine Gladwell and To Kill a Mockingbird, you've got my attention. An interesting look at the history of racial prejudice and Southern liberalism by way of the classic novel.—BK

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This isn't the sort of fare we normally link to, but it's important to remember that this story is still going on...—JM

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Darkness, death, naked people, toilets, Hitler... they're all here for your dining pleasure.—BK

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Apparently, there are actual studies offering "pulling out" as a viable contraceptive option. Apparently, there are actual people taking this seriously.—JS

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Do drunks become writers, or do writers become drunks? [that's not quite an apt blurb for this piece, but it's cute and pithy so I'm keeping it here]—JM

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Not that this should come as a huge surprise, but it seems as though the efforts of each era to define the character of Judas Iscariot say a great deal more about the era than about the character himself.—JM

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It's easy to criticize "Big Brother." And almost all of those criticisms are wrong, because "Big Brother" is awesome. Linda Holmes, however, offers up a criticism that has considerable merit...—JM

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Several books advance various theories on how and why obesity has become so much more common in the United States (and the rest of the developed world).—JM

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Because who doesn't enjoy a good laugh about parking violations?—BK

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Always nice to hear from the guys over at Cracked.com.—JM

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Clicking around on the web is too reading! It's just different from reading a book – not better, not worse.—JS

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I have every reason to believe that I would be capable of becoming a big cricket fan. I mean, I'm sure I won't, but, still.—JM

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For instance: men sexually harass women because they are not sexist. And more.—JM

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ESPN's "30 For 30" has to be one of the best ideas in the history of television, and apparently a lot of the credit goes to PoopReading.com favorite Bill Simmons.—JM

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Keep churning out sane, difficult-to-refute arguments in favor of marijuana legalization, and I'll keep linking to them.—JM

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A post that is sadly as short as it is excellent, but you can kind of think of it as an extension of the Over is Right post.—JS

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Seeing past the initial hype, Tina Fey once joked on SNL that the Segway would revolutionize the way people are hit by cars. Apparently, though, the much-ridiculed conveyance has proved useful in a couple of places.—JM

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Part of a series of first-person accounts of extraordinary events. This one is riveting, terrifying, and blessedly short.—BK

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In interesting look at a book that chronicles a brief era in which California was the home of the American dream.—JM

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Budget cuts and commercial alternatives are putting state-funded interstate rest areas at risk, depriving travelers not only of a place to stretch their legs or walk their dog, but also a bit of local flavor.—BK

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I finally saw Into the Wild, and thought it was excellent. This is the magazine article that begat the book that begat the movie.—JM

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As with most McSweeney's pieces, hilarious and beautifully crafted.—BK

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Sometimes a person just needs a little reminder of what behavior is socially acceptable and what is not.—JS

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"Politicians will, almost by definition, be deeply weird." It seems to me that I remember Jerry Seinfeld doing a routine along these lines once, too. And, if you think about it, if any of your buddies pulled you aside one day and said "I've decided that I'm honestly and seriously going to try to become the President of America," you'd think he'd gone completely nuts. And yet, every four (or eight) years, one guy does it.—JM

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This piece may go a bit easy on Michael, but it's a very thoughtful rumination on his life from someone who really, really tried to help him (and essentially predicted his fate).—JM

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A few election predictions make it a little dated, but overall a nice introduction to a fascinating topic.—JS

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There's good old-fashioned schadenfreude, and then there's piling on just to do it.—JM

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"Anything I give you would only be a placebo." "Where do we get these placebos!?"—JM

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Or, essentially, "One Media Outlet's Extensive History of Whipping People into a Frenzy, Just to Do It."—JS

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It's like they want us all to move to Arizona or Nevada.—JM

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A 5,000-word piece taking bores to task... put that in your irony pipe and smoke it!—JM

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A "comfort wipe" is basically a stick to help old and/or obese people wipe their butts.—JM

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That settles it; I'm going to start punching a lot more people.—BK

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Probably the funniest thing he's ever written – and I say that with full understanding of the force of that statement.—JS

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Other than the odd talk show spot (like last Thursday's gangbusters appearance on Conan), Norm Macdonald fans really have to do some digging if they want to hear from him. But it's always worth it.—JM

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An interview in The New Yorker with Bill Simmons on the NBA Finals and his upcoming book.—JM

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The Palins know as well as you and I do that Dave was trying to make a joke about their adult daughter, not their adolescent one. They're just playing it up for the free publicity and fake indignation (and why not?). This piece is less about the Letterman/Palin "controversy" and more about the tolerance of misogyny by those on the left, who are supposed to "know better."—JM

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A whole lot of Twitter users try it once and decide it's not for them. (Or maybe they think it's a really short survey: "What are you doing?" "Answering this question." There, that's done!)—JS

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I just read this piece because I was curious to see if she'd mention Abdulhakim Muhammad (formerly Carlos Bledsoe), the American Muslim convert who shot and killed a US soldier outside an Army recruiting station in Little Rock last week. And guess what: she doesn't bring him up. Shocking, I know. Too bad, too, because ignoring him sort of undermines her argument, which isn't entirely without merit.—JM

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A book by Richard Wrangham, it is theorized that mankind really made the evolutionary leap once we started cooking our food. I don't know about you, but, I love stuff like this.—JM

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He's a character, and today his business is going gangbusters like you'd expect. (Normally I'd link to the printable, one-page version, but I find that picture of him so perfect. Yoink!)—JS

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Part one in a series detailing the bankruptcy proceedings of a small business. These things never go the way you expect.—JS

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(Blurb not written, as author has run out of his house to go purchase vast quantities of Sylvester Stallone's high-protein pudding.)—BK

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If you're interested in reading on the subject, there are a thousand opinions out there, from insightful to loony. Kottke's collected the key phrases from several, for easy skimming or deeper reading as you desire.—JS

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I listened to Teresa Strasser almost daily for about three years on Adam Carolla's morning radio show, and grew quite fond of her. Alas, she married another. Now she's blogging about her pregnancy, which may be of interest to those of you who are pregnant, or have been pregnant. Or who once had a pregnant spouse, or relative, or friend. Or Mom.—JM

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Big surprise – some of the so-called "experts" that peddle advice on Oprah may not know what they're talking about.—BK

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Halfway through your third decade on the planet? Sars has some advice for you, and it boils down to: grow up.—JS

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Linda Holmes, one of my favorites, wants Pixar to make a movie about a girl. Who isn't a princess. As the father of daughters, I wouldn't mind if they did that myself.—JM

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There might come a time when I feel like I'm putting up too many links from Cracked.com. That time is not today.—JM

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Y2K, global warming, the Mayan calendar coming to an end in 2012... like they once said on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," I find myself needing to know the plural of "apocalypse."—JM

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As Sesame Street turns 40, it faces reduced episode counts, staff layoffs, and sagging ratings. My kids watch it, but I have to admit, it's not their favorite show. Still, I'm grateful to have a cultural touchstone we can share.—BK

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For Memorial Day, your requisite dose of "freedom isn't free." True freedom, of course, involves even the freedom to take for granted the sacrifices of those who came before, and unfortunately that's a freedom of which I occasionally avail myself.—JM

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Just one of many jaw-dropping revelations in this short Q&A about teens and new technology. (Sadly, danah boyd is the "actual" spelling of her name.)—JS

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The piece doesn't quite live up to the title, although to be fair, no piece could ever hope to live up to that title. But, apart from a few tiresome "fork" puns, it's a fun read.—JM

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A popular liberal president who has freely admitted his own youthful drug use could certainly help move this country's attitude toward marijuana legalization further in the right direction. If he had any balls whatsoever, that is.—JM

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With the help of science and technology, the author explores the many ways – psychologically, physically, chemically – that we experience love.—BK

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Twenty and thirtysomething singles are still relocating to Portland, Seattle, and Austin in droves, but the poor economy means there are fewer jobs waiting for them when they get there.—BK

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It should go without saying that you should probably listen to doctors and scientists more. It should.—JM

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It's a fascinating story all around, but to answer the obvious question: yes, there was a girl involved.—JS

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You're wondering if it's a coincidence I've linked to three Jonah Lehrer articles in less than a month, aren't you? Yes, it is. (But the real question is: how does he write them so fast?)—JS

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A deep and abiding love for dogs is a little like a deep and abiding certainty regarding one's religious faith; I don't quite have it, and I'm a little jealous of those who do.—JM

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A few years ago, Bill Simmons and Malcolm Gladwell had an epic email exchange that covered mostly basketball, but also covered anything and everything else. Yesterday, they did it again. This is Part One...—JM

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Here's Part Two...—JM

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...and here's Part Three.—JM

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God, yes – movie audiences are ruining moviegoing. But is fleeing for the home theatre the answer? Even as I flee, I wish for a better solution.—JS

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"Excessive use of exclamation marks in expository prose is a sure sign of an unpractised writer or of one who wants to add a spurious dash of sensation to something unsensational." That's what an English usage guide cited in this piece says, and that's what I'll assert 'til the day I'm deep in the cold, cold ground.—JM

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Basically a rehash of the brilliant South Park episode, but still entertaining in a furious-blogger sort of way.—JS

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I'll not go so far as to suggest that this sort of thing will be coming to America any time soon; nor will I go so far as to suggest that such a thing would be unimaginable.—JM

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Gladwell's back! Gladwell's back! And he's got a nice little (or actually, not so little) piece about how underdogs win by exploiting conventional thinking – for example, by making liberal use of the full-court press in basketball.—BK

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A review of two new parenting memoirs by Ayelet Waldman and PoopReading.com favorite Michael Lewis turns into a look at the changing landscape of modern parenting.—BK

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If you know Penn & Teller, you know Teller never speaks. If you really know them, you know it's always fascinating when he does.—JS

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ESPN's Tuesday Morning Quarterback has nice things to say about the late Jack Kemp, with whom he was (slightly) personally acquainted.—JM

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Implies that the Internet age has made us all into illiterate, solipsistic assholes. (Which, if you've seen the Internet, clearly isn't true.)—JS

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Avert your eyes, Matt and Joe's mom.—JS

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Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is apparently part of a movement that believes Shakespeare's plays were actually written by Edward de Vere, the 17th earl of Oxford. As for me, MTV's "The State" had Shakespeare himself admitting in a throwaway line at the end of a particular sketch that "Christopher Marlowe wrote all my plays," so that's what I choose to believe.—JM

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Think the slumping economy might mean a nice cut in ticket prices for your favorite team's games? Turns out that might not necessarily be the case...—JM

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The ongoing battle between high-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar, one that could potentially have a big impact on soda drinkers (gulp).—BK

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We don't get much Tuesday Morning Quarterback between January and August, so I suggest we all get while the getting is good.—JM

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Oh, it is on, folks. It is fucking on! (sorry for the swear word, Mom and Matt, but I think even you would agree that sometimes, only the "f"-word will suffice. And this is most certainly one of those times)—JM

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Fascinating insights into the development and mentality of infants. You were one, once.—JS

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A sure sign I'm getting old: I find myself agreeing with more and more of these "this is what's wrong with young people today" articles.—BK

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When there's free Sedaris on offer, you take it.—JS

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An in-depth look at the rise in the use of "neuroenhancing" drugs as a way of battling fatigue and the demands of a wired world.—BK

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TMQ returns from hibernation with his annual NFL draft column! Rejoice!—JM

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A thoughtful companion to Joe's recent post on the legalization question.—JS

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It sounds like YouTube may prove financially unsustainable. You mean I'll have to burn videos of my daughters to DVD and mail them to my parents, like some sort of caveman?—JM

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And the crime of the century behind the theft. (A similar story popped up in William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade but I had no idea it was true!)—JS

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Yeah, sometimes we link to fiction here at Poop Reading. Fiction that makes you think.—JS

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For those of you looking for a 10,000-word piece on the collapse of the Icelandic banking system, here's a 10,000-word piece on the collapse of the Icelandic banking system.—JM

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My wife found out about this piece on Oprah; even so, you should still check it out. It's really long, but it's endlessly fascinating.—JM

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First they came for the wrestlers, then they came for the baseball players...—JM

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A little old perhaps, but still fascinating. Bite me, I'm running a high fever today.—JS

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At last someone gets to the bottom of this whole thing. Kids today!—JS

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This piece was written last summer, but it's just as true now. I don't know what made me think of it; maybe I just wanted to be needlessly provocative.—JM

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About 15 years ago, Second City in Chicago ran a show that ended with an angry man ranting about consumerism and asking audience members to throw their Blockbuster cards on stage to be cut up. And it almost never failed to yield multiple cards, often tossed with an enthusiasm that seemed cathartic.—BK

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This is the reason I refuse to watch, read, or link to anything Michael Ian Black does.—JS

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In the first paragraph of this piece, Joe Klein offers up what may in fact be the best idea any human being has ever had. Better than fire, better than cars, better than WrestleMania. He goes on to make the standard case that pot should be legalized, a case that – for my money – can't be made often enough.—JM

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As if we needed evidence to confirm it, evidence seems to confirm that Republicans are on the receiving end of more – and more bitter – jokes from late night comics.—JM

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A look at the status of Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Hm, the International Olympic Committee meets Chicago politics... one can only imagine how exquisite the corruption will be.—JM

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As this piece accurately points out, "there are only four people alive so familiar to Minnesotans that they can be referred to by a single moniker: Jesse, Prince, Dylan — and Sid." (thanks to Cousin Adam for the link)—JM

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Driving school was a bore, but stunt driving school sounds awesome. Could this be a trend? Stunt DMV lines? Stunt dentistry? Stunt stories about your wife's work?—JS

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I first came across this December 1981 Sports Illustrated profile of Andre the Giant ten years ago or so, and I've read it at least once a year since then. It's one of the more interesting things you'll ever read, and it'll keep you in poop reading for about a week. Enjoy!—JM

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Simon Callow (the actor, I can only assume) on a new Charlie Chaplin biography by Simon Louvish.—JM

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Adams is always good with the helpful tips and tricks.—JS

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An interview with philosopher Alva Noë about the nature of human consciousness. I don't know about you, but I dig this sort of thing.—JM

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Jim Caple takes a look at what the failures of newspapers, and the corresponding loss of baseball beat writers, means for the fan.—JM

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An interesting point wrapped in a shrill and well-worn package. (With a thorough misunderstanding of Back to the Future as a bonus!)—JS

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There's a tongue-in-cheek tone to this, but its message is sincere and very worthwhile.—JS

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This ESPN "Outside the Lines" piece, which digs a little deeper into the peculiar story of a 73-year-old college basketball player, ought to keep you busy for quite a while.—JM

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A "kiddie foodie movement?" This can't possibly be a thing, can it?—JM

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A guy who knows from the wrath of Jon Stewart weighs in. Unsurprisingly, Tucker Carlson has some critical things to say about "The Daily Show" host, some of which need to be said. Still, it'll always be fun to watch Jon Stewart yell at people.—JM

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Two ways to look at this: in a gloomy economy, all sorts of innovative ideas take root; or, my God, living in Detroit is about to get even worse.—JS

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Exploring the concept of baseball stadiums as architecture via a look at the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.—BK

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Whatever your political views – and mine are not Jon Stewart's – it's nice to see Jon Stewart just get in there and kick ass once in a while.—JM

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Mark Steyn is definitely an alarmist, but he's an alarmist who entertains the heck out of me. Plus he always keeps things light, just how we like it here.—JM

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Barack Obama gave British PM Gordon Brown 25 movies on DVD (and they apparently weren't formatted for European DVD players). Thank God Bush isn't around anymore; he might have given Brown something stupid.—JM

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By all rights, the McRib should be on this list. Fellow PoopReading contributor Mike Wagner and I have a theory that the limited-release schedule of the McRib is controlled by the government, as a way of thinning out the U.S. population.—BK

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In all the Barbie hullabaloo, Ken continues to be ignored. (Probably for the best, considering he's dickless and his namesake is actually Barbie's brother.)—JS

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Unsurprisingly, Silver found it more difficult to predict the votes of fickle, ill-informed Academy members compared to the fickle, ill-informed electorate as a whole.—JS

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Joel Stein writes about the phenomenon of the Adam Carolla podcast. I keep telling you people. I keep telling you...—JM

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Exporting our memory (phone numbers to our cell phone, addresses to Google, facts to Wikipedia) means dramatically increasing our storage space. More memory equals smarter.—JS

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Friendster has been taken over by robots and Asians. I remember hearing the Brazilians took Orkut. Stories like these prevent me from ever embracing Facebook. (Also, it's utterly pointless.)—JS

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Adam Carolla's podcast is apparently #1 on iTunes after less than two weeks. I told you people about him, did I not?—JM

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New York City is experimenting with closing streets to reduce traffic jams, and if it works, it may be coming to a city near you.—BK

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The original article sounds interesting, but this recap/extension hits the high points succinctly.—JS

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The terms "natural selection" and "survival of the fittest" have been cause for confusion among some people, apparently.—JM

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An informational session on the robotic vacuum cleaner rolls into unexpected territory.—BK

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Brilliant profile. At times it's a maddening and skittish read, which seems to mirror the experience of spending time with Gervais.—JS

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Worth reading if only for the unintentional comedy of "Hershey's should bump up the nuts" and a semi-tangentially-related Google image search bit at the end of the piece that will leave you irreparably scarred.—BK

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If you're like me, you've always been mildly fascinated by the 18th century English writer Samuel Johnson, but not enough to read an entire book either by or about him. Well, now we're in luck: a Slate.com article about two new Samuel Johnson biographies!—JM

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Plenty of people liveblog the Oscars; you can bet TWoP does it best.—JM

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A thoughtful – if not necessarily groundbreaking – rumination on Abraham Lincoln in general, and how different generations have perceived Lincoln in particular.—JM

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If you like "Fun Facts" on Letterman, you'll like these; the styles are very similar.—BK

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A fascinating exploration of the shifting factors influencing one of life's biggest decisions: wait for true love, or settle?—JS

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A writer for The Colbert Report gives advice on finding and keeping a, uh, genie.—BK

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Who says this economy isn't creating new jobs?—BK

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The former Texas Ranger waxes in context about A-Rod's decision to go Jose Canseco on us from 2001-03.—MW

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A fascinating look at a turn I'd like to see more struggling publications make: away from fast news and towards analysis and in-depth news.—JS

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To be clear: this is not, unfortunately, an offer being extended from the author to you.—BK

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I won't say that I agree with every word of this, but at the heart of it, there's an awfully good point.—BK

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Letterman's offhand, carefree incisiveness keeps him relevant even when his show isn't always at its best. Why to watch, even if you do so with your finger on the fast-forward button.—JS

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Exploring the legal issues surrounding Christian Bale's on-set tirade and bringing new meaning to the phrase "them's fightin' words!"—BK

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There are so many generalizations in this piece that, if you ever went to grad school, your brain will actually liquefy and drip out of your nostrils as you read this. You just won't be able to handle it. And the generalizations are pretty much right on, too, which will only make you madder.—JM

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I understand that war is hell. I understand that killing is not to be romanticized. That said, you must – must! – check this out; it's one of the best things I've read on the internet in ages.—JM

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The NFL season isn't really over until Gregg Easterbrook writes his Super Bowl column and hands out the Longest Award in Sports. Enjoy.—JM

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Searching for the interview about Phil Connors staying in Punxsutawney for 10 years in Groundhog Day, I found this. Which is also interesting, and reveals the early incubation of The Year One.—JS

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Why couldn't math have been this awesome when I was growing up?—BK

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The internet-fueled rise of The Bacon Explosion. Lord help me, it looks delicious.—BK

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An interesting read, and remarkable in that it will most certainly be the last piece of writing in human history to address sports legwear length without bringing up President Obama's basketball "dork pants."—JM

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Personal ads in the London Review of Books. We're all just looking for a little companionship. These people do it with dry wit and a charmingly antiquated spelling of "favourite."—JS

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A smart, reasoned take on that whole girls' high school basketball imbroglio down in Texas.—BK

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There's not much football left this season (i.e., one game), which means there's not much Gregg Easterbook left this season. Read him while you still can!—JM

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If you're going to write spam, at least get these simple guidelines right.—JS

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My daughter is really into Enchanted these days, which I bring up because I can no longer watch Timothy Spall in that movie without immediately thinking of Christopher Hitchens (and vice versa). Here, he (Christopher Hitchens, not Timothy Spall) offers an enjoyable, patriotic and – since it's Hitchens – cheeky take on the Obama inauguration.—JM

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I am by no means a pet person, and I don't usually go in for the sentimental "my beloved dog" stuff. But, to paraphrase the great Bill McNeal, you'd have to be a robot not to cry at this.—JM

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Good stuff, though sadly the list does not include the time Scooby Doo and the Gang met the Harlem Globetrotters.—BK

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It's hard to know what to make of this, but it's fanciful and fun to think about.—JS

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Also, on Tuesday, he started talking right after "I, Barack Hussein Obama," stepping on the Chief Justice's "...do solemnly swear." Apparently I'm the only person who remembers this, but, I'm positive George H. W. Bush did the same thing in 1989.—JM

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An intriguing concept that responds to the economic forecast and even offers an opportunity for profit.—JS

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It's less about Obama than it is about the changing ways Hollywood has portrayed black men over the last 50 years; but an interesting read nonetheless.—BK

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Well, alright... if it will help prevent tooth decay...—BK

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You see these giant, multi-story ads on the sides of buildings in Los Angeles, and I always thought, "boy, I would think it would be annoying to work in one of those offices." Turns out it really is.—JM

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An ultra-high-end scavenger hunt goes wrong in the Nevada desert. Beware all activities that require a "liability waiver."—JS

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It's good to have a support system.—BK

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Whenever there's a slow link day, you can count on Michael Ian Black.—JS

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Interesting research regarding the impact of urban stimuli on our mental health.—BK

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Barack Obama, Bill Kristol, David Brooks, George F. Will and Charles Krauthammer sit down to dinner together... no, that's not the setup to a dirty joke whose punchline involves sodomy. It's what happened last night in Chevy Chase, MD.—JM

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This occupies 60 minutes of ABC's airtime when we could be watching Pushing Daisies. It's enough to make a man don an explosive vest.—JS

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An interesting look at the emerging field of photography-as-art-history. Sort of heady, but that's okay once in a while.—JM

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The world's best, longest, and least-about-football football column is almost done for the year; don't miss it while it's still around!—JM

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For all the grammar nerds who've flocked to us following yesterday's posting of the "wherefore" rant and the spell-checker analysis, this will delight you.—JS

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If you've never read anything by Edward Gorey, consider this out-of-print 1965 parody of an etiquette book – written as Hyacinthe Phyppe, fake social expert – your introduction to his demented genius.—BK

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As millions prepare to descend upon D.C. for the Obama inauguration, the place where they will spend a good deal of their time is in disrepair.—BK

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A compare-and-contrast look at the various methodologies used by spell-check programs in word processing versus online search engines. What's that? It sounds boring? Well... you're boring!—JM

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I know next to nothing about the NBA, and even I can find a lot wrong this this piece. Still, it makes for a good read, as do most things dealing with the Lebron-to-New York topic.—JM

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Is there anything better than a good language rant? I submit that there is not!—JS

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Studies indicate that when we fight our temptations we really fight with ourselves. Struggling to lose weight, quit smoking, or finish that novel? The good news is, either way you win!—JS

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Pretty much what you'd expect – "in my day" this, "kids today are pussies" that – which is to say: awesome.—JM

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Safire elucidates – as only he can – the pertinent distinctions among the terms we use to indicate foul language.—JS

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Michael Ian Black strikes again.—BK

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Including helpful conversational tips and a few nice ways to spend fifty bucks. (Hat tip, Michael R.)—JS

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Apparently just reading on the toilet isn't good enough anymore.—BK

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In honor of Leverage, the witty, thrilling new caper series on TNT.—JS

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Dog emotions, math gender gaps and the dangers of excessive flip-flop wearing; it's all here.—BK

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Short answer: no. So not only does Netflix offer a wider selection than the brick-and-mortar stores, it's more environmentally-friendly. Win-win!—BK

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A look at an artistic tradition that too often veers into laziness and comic absurdity.—BK

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As the last major distributor abandons the format, so goes the final nail into the coffin.—BK

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Insight and advice for your holiday consumption.—BK

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Not a great deal of suspense for 2008's Time Magazine "Person of the Year." And maybe I'm nuts, but, when it's actually a man, can't we go ahead and say "Man of the Year?" Just for old time's sake?—JM

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The Sports Guy writes about The Wrestler, the one Oscar-season movie I'm going to be sure to see.—JM

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A touching exploration of the way that jokes, and a specific sense of humor, tend to run through a family.—BK

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Every sullen little emo punk or Mean Girls harpy who spends time whining about "phonies" gets torn a new one by the former Miss Alli.—JM

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Not only is Ranger Joe Popped Wheat Honnies a great cereal name, it could also double as the headline for a criminal case involving midwestern beauty pageant winners and a state park employee.—BK

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Comparing the degree of difficulty in identifying potential greatness in two vastly different fields: NFL quarterbacking and teaching. How awesome is Gladwell?—BK

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An odd, fascinating profile of what is either a mid-life crisis or a period of enlightenment for Murray. I can't tell whether to feel pity or be impressed. Don't the Germans have a word that means both?—BK

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Cracked.com has some great stuff, but it isn't ideally formatted for our purposes. This one, however, absolutely must be read. Must!—JM

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I know what you're thinking – "Hey, it's been three whole weeks since you guys last posted a link about The Big Lebowski. What gives?!" Crisis averted, my friends.—BK

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Answering the question: Is it possible to laugh and go fetal with terror at the same time?—BK

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Apparently the author likes her bagels hollowed out; despite that heresy, this makes for a nice read.—JM

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A beautiful idea executed to comic perfection. I'm jealous. (Ignore the early formatting problems, they go away.)—BK

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Michael Ian Black is nothing short of a national treasure.—JM

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A look at some recent books on the scourge of "overparenting," with fresh insights and many questions worth pondering.—JS