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People who recline their airplane seat a little are okay, but full recliners? Worse than Hitler.—BK

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A lengthy profile of deposed "Community" creator Dan Harmon. Because if this website weren't called PoopReading.com, it would be called LengthyProfilesOfDeposedCommunityCreatorDanHarmon.com.—JM

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This was giddy fun anyway, but I knew I was destined to post it here when I read this part: "Life consists of little things; the important matter is to see them largely."—JS

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While the title irks me, the Manners Cop described in this article is exactly me. The anxieties and challenges of that role have never been so expertly catalogued.—JS

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There is nothing about this that I don't love.—JM

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God bless the Internet. Without it, I'd have had no reason to ever hear this piece existed. Instead it has been found, read, and greatly appreciated.—JS

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Times food critic tries Food Network star Guy Fieri's new Times Square restaurant. The results are predictable, but the review is sublime.—JS

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Well, this is just awesome.—BK

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Well. This was enlightening, engaging, intelligent, and incredibly well written. I'm not entirely sure it belongs on the Internet.—JS

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My God, this person must be tiresome to be around. (Albert Brooks manages, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.) My one and only parenting commandment: Moderation in all things. We'll see how I do once my child is old enough to be measured in years.—JS

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Everybody, without exception, should read Easterbrook's work every Tuesday. Even if you skip the football parts, you've still got an entertaining and insightful 2,000-word column about pop culture, politics, society and world affairs. The football parts add about 3,500 more words on top of that, and this week many of those words are about the Vikings!—JM

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Despite the title, this piece is a pretty effective takedown of the electoral college. Turns out both Democrats and Republicans have self-serving reasons to dislike it!—JM

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Essential.—JM

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America is the world's preeminent economic force. Pro football is America's preeminent sports pastime. And I maintain that it's because of Steve Sabol. RIP.—JM

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This time next week, I'm sure we'll have plenty of lies from Obama's convention to add to the list, but the point isn't who lies most – it's how, why, and what, if anything, should be done about it. Fascinating read.—JS

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I've posted this twice before, but it's just so good. I think about the "Swiss Model" all the time. I think there'd be a lot less call to shrink/eradicate our government if it worked this efficiently and intelligently.—JS

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A delightful must-read. No matter which side you're on.—JM

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I'd never heard of these dipshits before this link popped up on Twitter, but now I am completely in love with them (or at least their grey ladybug boots). #fjm—JS

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"The happiest, most successful children have parents who do not do for them what they are capable of doing, or almost capable of doing; and their parents do not do things for them that satisfy their own needs rather than the needs of the child."—BK

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I thought becoming a parent would humble my persistent criticism of other parents just doing their best to get by, but no: it's still fun to jeer at parents who are doing their best and doing it wrong.—JS

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Yay!—JS

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Children who don't grow up living with both of their married parents "are more likely than similar children with married parents to experience childhood poverty, act up in class, become teenage parents and drop out of school." As Norm Macdonald used to say, you can read all about this study in the medical journal "Duh."—JM

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Fascninating stuff, though it really has more to do with psychology than math.—BK

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If you have children or love sports, or both (or, hell, neither), you really really need to read this. Really.—JM

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If there's a heaven, I'm sure it consists of little else other than me getting to decide who gets to put what on their vanity license plates. And what names people are allowed to give their kids.—JM

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It seems like we're incapable of talking about "Girls" without making everything into a big to-do, but this thoughtful piece makes about as little a to-do as I've seen so far. Refreshing.—JM

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I always suspected that the secrets of existence lay deep within the game of Tetris. Now we know for sure.—JM

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Credit for pointing out this link goes to my fancy-pants brother, who attended Harvard with the author.—JM

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Pretty interesting, except where it's shrilly over-the-top. Suggesting that the ironic use of "thug life" is racist implies you think all thugs are racial minorities – which sounds pretty racist to me.—JS

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This essentially boils down to the same two reasons, written in different ways. But the underlying message is a good one: naked time, yay!—JS

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Compelling stuff. A unique perspective on what people care about at a time when their priorities are brought into sharp focus.—JS

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Dog-whistle punctuation discussion for elites only? Check. Guy who sounds like a Star Wars character? Check. Smug punny Copland reference? Check. I want to go to there!—JS

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Not as political as it sounds, this is easily one of the most compelling (and hopeful) things I've read about climate change.—TG

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As someone who got in trouble for "reading too much," I find this vindicating.—TG

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This is my way of passing this link along to co-contributor Joe Mulder, who shares Maher's disdain for the Pussy Apology. I'm offended on behalf of Mitt Romney, who may seem like a bland, milquetoast panderer, but took a strong stand on the issue that really matters: tree height.—JS

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Interesting conversation about design and the innovative spirit, with Apple's chief design guru.—JS

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UCLA anthropologists spent a decade studying some middle class American families, and what they found was not pretty.—BK

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There are very few headlines that I'll post before even reading the article. This is near the top of the list.—JS

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Diminished kidnapper/molester hysteria and no cutesy nicknames for genitals? I love this woman! (Hat tip, my wife, whom I love even more.)—JS

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I love a good metaphor when it comes to tech industry topics. Honestly, I really do.—JS

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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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A truncated synopsis of this Pulitzer Prize-winning piece has been making its way around Facebook the last few days. I'm not sure why. But, now you can read the real thing.—JM

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The more I'd try to explain this, the less funny it would sound. But it's funny. Definitely read it. Eddie Izzard is great.—JM

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This is creepy and crazy and fascinating.—TG

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You should read Drew Magary's "Funbag" column in Deadspin every week. I probably won't link to it every week, but you should read it every week.—JM

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As someone who enjoys seeing movies in the theatre so much more than at home, I know this man's lament. It is nearly impossible to watch an entire movie without at least one jackass trying to ruin it, and the anxiety that someone might is enough to curtail my viewing by about 90%, much to my dismay.—JS

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It's difficult to endorse something French, but it's even more difficult to argue with this article.—TG

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A pretty fascinating look at the rapid fallout.—TG

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The details behind the infamous Rutgers University webcam incident, reported with remarkable depth and nuance.—BK

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We could all probably use just a tiny bit more Ken Jennings in our lives.—JM

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John Tyler, our 10th president, was born in 1790. Two of his biological grandsons live among us today. And amazingly, this story contains no references to zombification.—JM

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Helpful perspective on how impossible it is to "enjoy every minute" of parenting.—TG

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An interesting take on the controversy of the week, in Maddox's typical opinionated but well-reasoned style.—JS

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"[A]nother of the things about Bobs: they choose to transform their given name of Robert into 'Bob,' and in so doing enter Bobhood of their own accord." That might be the best thing anybody's ever written.—JM

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"We were told there was a list out there that detailed typical behaviors for children based upon their age. Two-year-olds will throw things. Five-year-olds will break things." My kids are five and two, and... yep.—JM

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Yeah... there's nothing wrong with the way health care is administered in this country.—JS

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Would it be worth it to be Michael Jordan? To end up as a bitter old dick due to the same competitive fire that made you great? (That's a rhetorical question: of course it would be!)—JM

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Some interesting new angles on the connection between emotions, lifestyle, and weight gain, along with some ideas for changing your personal habits.—BK

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Rosen is an enlightening journalism critic, always worth reading. The "View from Nowhere" in reporting suffers the same problems as "teaching the controversy" in science class: it upholds the mistaken notion that every idea has an equally valid counter-argument.�—JS

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The most exhaustive and fascinating account I've ever read of anything I just became dimly aware of two days before.—JS

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Exhaustive photographic documentation of how fast food purchases stack up against the pictures they're advertised with.—JS

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It's sad when the answers are so obvious and nobody does anything about it. But it's becoming remarkably familiar (see also: Congress, NBC, BCS).—JS

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When we're tempted to gripe about corporate greed, the answer usually comes back: "They can't help it; the sole purpose of a corporation is to create shareholder value." Turns out, that's just a theory (like "evolution", or "the sun").—JS

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Soon, Zack will not be the only Lego Maniac in the family. Interesting lessons about toy marketing and the study of how children play.—JS

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Christopher Hitchens died yesterday. He didn't make it to 2012, but his writing will (this piece is included in the January issue of Vanity Fair).—JM

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Widely regarded as the worst film ever made – even the MST3K episode around it isn't that great. Now in pristine HD!—JS

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One woman's obsessive quest to understand and control her obsessive mothering. The frequency of these essays implies that parents are serious about acknowledging the issue, but not making much progress correcting it (or we'd start to see fewer articles).—JS

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A fairly reasonable critique of the TSA's waste and misdirected focus. Which makes it all the more frustrating that it will fall on deaf ears.—JS

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An interesting study. If it starts to sound preachy in the middle, hang on. The Sagan quote at the end pays it all off nicely.—JS

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Derek Boogaaard was born – and bred – to be a hockey enforcer. A fighter. A "goon."—JM

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He died earlier this year, at age 28, after the kind of short life you'll be astounded to learn some are encouraged to live.—JM

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If you're interested in sports at all, any sports, you should probably take the time to read this.—JM

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So says a new study, making the point that it's less about saving money and more about saving time. And as a parent, I concur: there are nights when it is simply the faster, easier option. But as with all things not-so-good-for-you, the key is moderation.—BK

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Moderation, people!—BK

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As a corollary, if the small man is so wise, then why is he so small?—JS

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The scandal has been talked to death, or nearly so, but I found this particular perspective to be interesting and resonant.—JS

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Every time I read an op-ed from the Whole Foods CEO I'm like, "Yes! Can this guy be president?" And every time I buy a steak at one of his stores I'm like, "Mmmmm! This is delicious!"—JM

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I could sit and read profiles of the "South Park" guys all day.—JM

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I've yet to read this, but the title alone tells me it's going to be amazing.—JS

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If you live to be 100 you'll basically witness, like, almost 2% of recorded human civilization. So, why wouldn't you want to?—JM

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Seriously, dudes. We have to stop making so many people.—TG

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Google? Portland? Cryptography? USC? This is the most boring thing to contain so many things I'm interested in! (And it's actually pretty cool.)—JS

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Seven billion people? That's a lot. That's like one person for every mirthless McRib joke on Twitter. (My kid is only half baked, but I already feel guilty about him.)—JS

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For the alternative, "Fuck you, world!", perspective. (The only reason to have more than three children is if your husband dies and you move in with a semi-closeted widower architect who has three of his own.)—JS

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If Sweeney's daughter is confused about how babies are made now, just wait until she sees her first "It's Pat" sketch.—JS

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I am not a religious person, and neither is Sugar, and yet, it's human nature to search for meaning in life. And she finds a little of it in our collective empathy in the face of pain and suffering.—BK

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A new book by Debbie Nathan exposes the lies and misdeeds that trumped up an "outbreak" of multiple-personality disorder and ruined countless lives. Nathan consulted on Capturing the Friedmans, which rates among the most chilling documentaries I've ever seen.—JS

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"Stepping into a Trader Joe's after visiting a supermarket is akin to crossing the state line from New York into Vermont." Yep; pretty much.—JM

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Here's my plan. Step 1: About five years from now, open up a tattoo removal clinic that also helps you file the necessarily legal documents to change the stupid name you idiotically gave your baby. Step 2: Instantly become the richest man in the world.—JM

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The Cubs haven't won the World Series in 103 years. Much more remarkably, they haven't played in one since 1945 (only one other team that existed at the time has played in as few as two since then). This is their story.—JM

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The best Jobs recap I've read so far: an even-handed look at his achievements and legacy, inspiring without becoming gooey.—JS

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Only a tiny, tiny percentage of people in human history who had the talent and will to innovate like Steve Jobs also had the freedom and the opportunity to do so.—JM

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Both could be prickly and domineering. Both were visionaries in their field. Both did most of their best work in the Bay Area. Both wore black all the time. And both Al Davis and Steve Jobs died last week.—JM

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I used to tape record episodes of "Loveline" off of the radio onto a cassette and listen to that on my commute, so it was safe to assume I'd become a regular listener of Adam Carolla's podcast.—JM

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As the Post Office heads toward bankruptcy, I'm reminded of this clever rant – and, most importantly the "Swiss model", which might save the day if special interests had not ossified our political process against any kind of sweeping change.—JS

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I've been waiting and waiting for the definitive post about Steve Jobs's departure from Apple. This one starts off a little technical, but the conclusion is the correct one.—JS

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Most people have photo IDs. Maybe states that want to require photo ID for voting could provide, free of charge, special voter IDs to the tiny percentage of citizens who want, but who don't already have, a driver's license, passport, or some other form of photo ID. See? Problem solved, controversy over.—JM

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I barely had a concept of H8R being a show before I read this ingenious takedown of it, but afterwards I was enticed to sample ten minutes of it. It's worse than he makes it sound.—JS

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Empathetic, common sense advice for all parents – moms AND dads – in the face of the anger and frustration we all sometimes feel toward our children.—BK

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Most of Adams's posts are entertaining, thought-provoking, or both. This one's pure genius.—JS

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A new study suggests people enjoy a story more if they already know the ending. So the problem with modern movie trailers isn't that they give away the movie's ending – it's that they wait till the end of the trailer to do so.—JS

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An interesting story, with familiar frustrations we've all encountered. (A great discussion, with some counterexamples, can be found here.)—JS

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Whether or not you feel that equal treatment of gay servicemen is a good thing, these insights give fascinating insights into the far-reaching effects of the policy.—JS

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I'm sorry, but if there's one thing that @RealJoeMulder won't do, it's shamelessly plug for Twitter followers.—JM

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This is a totally typical Cracked article, but I'm a sucker for violent animal stuff.—TG

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Tenessa hasn't posted a link yet this morning, but if she had, it almost certainly would have been this one.—JS

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I don't know if Bill Simmons specifically crafts his stuff to be the world's most ideal poop reading, or if it just seems that way.—JM

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In fairness, would you even think about contaminating the gene pool by reproducing with somebody who didn't like "30 Rock"?—JM

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Remember those billionaire libertarians who wanted to build their own tiny nations on floating platforms out in international waters? PayPal founder Peter Thiel is one of them, and he makes the idea sounds more "intriguing" than "wacky."—JM

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SPOILER ALERT: "Paris Hilton was the pestilence-ridden straw that broke our society's back. I cannot put too fine a point on this."—TG

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I haven't seen or read The Help yet, and this is full of spoilers, and I'm not sure I agree with all of the opinions expressed, but it's such a thoughtful piece of writing that I still think it's worth recommending.—TG

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Historian Tsuyoshi Hasegawa makes a very persuasive case that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren't the be all and the end all.—JM

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I've had the burgers at Five Guys, In-n-Out, and Shake Shack, and all three are great, though Shake Shack is my personal favorite.—BK

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If everyone acted precisely like this, we'd have a better universe.—TG

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I realize I link to these Dear Sugar Columns all the time, but they keep being awesome, so it's my responsibility as a curator of awesomeness.—TG

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The only camp I ever attended turned out to be a remedial science class for the dregs of North Florida's public school system. But I've always thought fondly of camp based on this profoundly entertaining episode of This American Life.—JS

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I feel like I knew that the Mona Lisa had been stolen, but I didn't realize that a century ago it was missing – and essentially given up for dead – for two whole years.—JM

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After a recent project about diabetes, I am more and more convinced that our society is hell-bent on making Wall-E a true story.—TG

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As it turns out, no. The true story reads more like Schindler's List meets Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.—JS

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You'd expect a limousine liberal from commie California to say all this stuff, but that doesn't make it any less true.—JS

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By 2000 BC, Egyptian scribe Khakheperresenb was lamenting that pretty much everything that needed to be written already had been. So... what's a writer to do?—JM

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Funny how our plans don't always work out the way we expected. Interesting times make for interesting bedfellows.—JS

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Kind of strange timing, given today's political climate, but the point is that games can be a lot more fun and satisfying when everyone plays by the actual rules.—JS

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Why is academia so liberal? There are a host of theories, none of which – refreshingly enough – are particularly insidious.—JM

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Maybe we can all just get along...—JM

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HOLY CRAP. This is me, except I'm two years older than the author, and I played the game as much with my friend Chris in my 20s & 30s as I did by myself in my teens. I've since moved on to a computer-based game, but finding Statis Pro Baseball was one of the best things that ever happened to me.—BK

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My family swears by them.—BK

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Yeah, it's still better to have dinner with friends.—TG

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I talked to a guy this weekend who argued – and seemed honestly to believe – that the wealthy are the most underprivileged and vulnerable people in America. And I love this guy a lot, but... Jeebus.—JS

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Wow, this was veering heavily into "I would like to subscribe to your newsletter" territory, right up to the suggestion that we provide for "amateur taxi driver" as a job title.—JS

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Overpopulation is definitely the issue I worry about most. It's one reason I'm enjoying Albert Brooks's 2030 so much. (Although the main reason is that it's damn excellent.)—JS

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I believe, and will continue to believe, that Friday Night Lights is the first television show in the history of the medium that qualifies as "significant world literature." Though the show is over you can expect to keep hearing about it here (so you may as well go watch all the DVDs!).—JM

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Fear not, intrepid wordsmiths... he doesn't really mean it.—JM

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Ostensibly about the decision to have children (or not), this is a brilliant look at the unlived life that haunts each of us.—TG

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These guys think humans' reasoning ability evolved mainly to win arguments, not to home in on hard facts. So, if they convince people of this, does it make their theory true or false?—JS

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Chuck Klosterman argues that out of the consensus "four best television shows of the past 10 years" – The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men and Breaking Bad – Breaking Bad is actually the best of the bunch. Chuck Klosterman also makes a lifelong enemy of anybody who's ever seen Friday Night Lights by not including it in the group... but that's sort of beside the point.—JM

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This is an interesting story about our overreliance on technology, but it only left me wishing for an iPhone app to match me with interesting, talkative cabbies.—JS

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Beer led to agriculture, which led to civilization, which led to pretty much everything. All hail beer!—JM

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I found this rumination on political philosophy by Googling, on an absolute whim, a particularly silly line from a years-old episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" that I'd just watched in reruns. God bless the internet.—JM

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I don't agree with everything written here, but it's an honest and interesting discussion with good points on both sides, and you can't go wrong with that.—BK

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On whether or not the exclamation point is "appropriately sprightly" punctuation when used in e-mail.—TG

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If anyone needs me, I'll be writing about the miserable sunburn I got this weekend.—TG

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Rare is the poll or focus group that feels like it represents me, but when I heard that Facebook's user satisfaction was on par with the IRS, I had to smile. I hope Google+ catches on; it'll be great to have another option.—JS

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Sporcle.com is the best thing ever. All other things, ever, are tied for last place.—JM

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Long story short: the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction.—JM

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I have experienced the complications of an introvert/extravert marriage, though our differences aren't as stark as the ones described here.—BK

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I just spent a week in North Dakota. This feature captures much of what I love about it.—TG

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Our enduring recession is the best thing big business could hope for: hiring freezes and staffing cuts are justified by "tough times", and the tax cuts demanded on the pretext of "creating jobs" push net profits through the roof. Recovery? Why ruin a good thing?—JS

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I went to college with Chad Kultgen, I hung out a little with Chad Kultgen, and now he's actually doing stuff. It's so weird! People I know don't do stuff!—JM

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A sobering look at one of the ugliest trends in modern writing.—TG

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A lot of this is excerpted from the Slate article posted yesterday, but it includes further discussion and a great quote from Wanda Sykes. It reinforces my beliefs that comedians absolutely have the right to say anything, and that we absolutely have the right to declare hateful sentiments unacceptable.—TG

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Anybody who grew up with a dad will like this piece. Anybody who grew up with a cheap dad will love it. As such, it might be my favorite piece of all time. Happy Father's Day!—JM

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The NBA and NFL might both disappear for a while due to labor unrest, so sports fans are going to have to turn somewhere.—JM

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We know how many bathrooms Derek Jeter's new mansion has. But, do we really want to?—JM

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It's hard to overestimate the effect books can have in the life of a teenager.—TG

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This will probably be the best piece about a 1988 North Dakota junior college basketball game that you will read all week.—JM

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This sort of thing should be happening constantly, at movies, plays, symphonies, art museums. People are only assholes because we sit by and let them be.—JS

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Why, you'd have to eat FOUR BOWLS of articles to get the amount of breakfast cereal data in this one!—TG

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Entertaining and thought-provoking musings on the relationships we have with our consumer devices.—JS

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Norm Macdonald on Twitter has definitely exposed some fascinating layers of an already entertaining personality. (And I'm really enjoying this months book so far!)—JS

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"'I printed out those 6,000-word columns and took them to the bathroom just like everybody else,' says A. J. Daulerio, the 37-year-old editor in chief of Deadspin, Gawker�s sports blog. '[Simmons] changed the way I looked at everyone else�s writing.'"—JM

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Mines more humor out of the concept than you might expect. Or maybe you're not a dope like me and know better than to doubt The Onion.—BK

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A new study links long commutes to a number of horrible health ailments and personal problems, information guaranteed to make your commute even more awful. Enjoy!—BK

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It's always helpful to read tips on writing, and I'm guessing our Poop Reading audience sends more death threats than the average person.—TG

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A short but brilliant trip from conception to birth.—TG

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Or, why climate change deniers and vaccination avoiders aren't that different from Rapture believers. (At least not if you believe these studies on the subject.)—JS

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When "Think of the children!" hysteria runs up against "Think of the children!" hysteria.—JM

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This will probably be one of the few links I put up that deals with a lingerie fashion line, but the line's creators – the Myers sisters – are friends of the family, so why not?—JM

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A lively debate about changes in grammar rules? Yes, please!—TG

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I strongly disagree with most of the conclusions he draws, but I remain fascinated by the economic strength of North Dakota.—TG

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Holy shit, brain science is fascinating. I honestly don't know why you'd study anything else.—JS

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Reading about all this Schwarzenegger stuff is like eating junk food; I know it's really bad for me, but it's so tasty...—JM

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Blake Eskin discusses old-timey squeamishness about f-bombs. I met him last week; he's the kind of guy who would never tell you to go fuck yourself, but he'd defend your choice to say it so long as you were being smart and funny.—TG

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Rainn Wilson described this on Twitter as an "interesting, pointless article." Sign me up!—TG

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A last-minute substitution for today's original #1 link, which will have to cool its heels until sometime next week, dig?—JS

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They don't really say that. But read this if you want some behind-the-scenes scuttlebutt on the pair's transcendent Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon."—JM

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PoopReading.com's Tenessa Gemelke is unable to post links today, so I gladly offer this Citizen Kane-themed link at her behest.—JM

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In-depth look at the father of sabermetrics, his fascination with serial killers, and his new book about it.—JS

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Sure, cursive serves little purpose - even less if all you do is text - but I remember the excitement of being old enough to learn cursive in school. (Then again, if my name were Zezima, I'd probably hate it, too.)—JS

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"Rot in a state of nonexistence, Bin Laden" isn't quite as catchy, but you certainly don't have to believe in hell to believe that Bin Laden got what was coming to him.—JM

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Sex can relieve stress, improve sleep, burn calories, reduce pain, ease depression, strengthen blood vessels, boost the immune system, and lower the risk of prostate and breast cancer. Finally, some motivation for slogging through the awful drudgery of having sex!—BK

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Obviously this is insane. But it's also a really fascinating discussion-starter about the post-labor economy. What will work be like when we have robots for everything (including the manufacture and maintenance of robots, and defense against robot uprisings)?—JS

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Anti-fun laws sure are awesome, aren't they? I'm sure this is the most important thing the Justice Department could be focusing�on.—JS

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A little more pondering on the subject of victimless crimes.—JS

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Poignant, heartwarming stuff. I'm taking up skydiving and Russian Roulette in my 70s – in hopes of going quickly – but if that doesn't pan out, I hope it's something like this.—JS

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Kids and sports and parenting. As always, Joe does an excellent job of making it personal and universal at the same time.—BK

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Listen to your wife when she says you stink.—TG

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Constant contrarian Adams has been on fire ever since he ran afoul of the Internet Police earlier this week. This post in particular seemed apropos.—JS

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It's difficult to imagine on what grounds one could possibly oppose letting legal adults drink alcohol if they so chose, and yet 21 it remains.—JM

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Are you sitting down? Christopher Hitchens is no great fan of the royal family. Although to be honest his main beef seems to be with the concept itself; he goes surprisingly easy (well, for him) on the Queen and her progeny.—JM

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There's growing research linking sugar not just to things like diabetes and obesity, but also to heart disease and cancer. I hope this one gets debunked, because I suspect I'd have better luck giving up breathing than giving up sugar.—BK

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I intend to recite parts of this to myself for the rest of my life.—TG

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As someone who grew up in the Midwest, then spent time on both coasts, then returned to the Midwest, everything in this article rings pretty true to me. Well, except for the stuff about clogs at the end.—BK

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If you're going to write an article about Britney Spears, it may as well be an interesting one. But, why write an article about Britney Spears?—JS

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Publication of this link is intended only for readers of PoopReading.com. If it has been viewed by unintended parties, please destroy your copy of the link immediately. This label may not be removed except by the consumer, under penalty of federal law.—JS

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I wish I could link to the first half of an article. The literary criticism is great, but the opening meditation on paperwork and the office drone is intriguing and delightful.—JS

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As Kobe Bryant showed us this week, sports is basically the Western world's last bastion of anti-gay bigotry. I imagine it's even more difficult in professional wrestling circles...—JM

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It seems like Finland has it more or less figured out... but it also seems like their approach might not work in places that are terribly different from Finland.—JM

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You have to overlook a very silly and obnoxious writing style, but it's worth it for this amazing profile of Fred Rogers.—JS

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There's a case to be made for keeping 7-year-olds out of push-up bras and microminis, but launching your argument from "every woman I know regrets having sex before marriage" is so laughably out of touch it can only fall on deaf ears.—JS

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After all, teens are apparently making more and more responsible choices about sex. Maybe these girls have a look-but-don't-touch policy? (That is if you trust this slut's analysis. That last name might as well say Harlot-Feminist!)—JS

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Interesting stuff, although I'd submit that most of what's discussed could have – should have – been arrived at through common sense ages ago, as opposed to through advanced neurobiology now.—JM

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The saying goes: 50% of us are below average. But these days, it's starting to feel like a lot more than that.—JS

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Teenagers often get a bad rap, but they are smarter than we think.—TG

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I would never, ever suggest that the best course of action would be for somebody to just hire a drifter to kill this guy and then disappear quietly into the night. I would never suggest that.—JM

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A rant about how unpleasant it is to talk on the phone, complete with snarky Miss Manners quip? Count me in!—JS

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You hear a lot about athletes "inspiring" people, but generally that's just lip service. Joe Posnanski writes about one instance in which the inspiration was real and deeply affecting.—JM

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I hope all my experience judging parents will be applicable to actual parenting, because I'm going to have it made when my first kid comes around!—JS

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This is the type of thing I imagined myself linking to constantly when we started this site. It's a shame I only run across it every so often.—JS

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One day, David Eckstein will rule us all.—JS

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If you allow for a very, very elastic definition of both "famous" and "alums," this is a fun list.—JM

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Late night TV's Jimmy Kimmel was in Bora Bora when the earthquake hit. There was a tsunami warning, but no actual tsunami.—JM

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Expert after expert says parents need to stop worrying so much, and they're right. But in defense of parents, sometimes it's easier said than done.—BK

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The earthquake just makes me want to give everybody a hug. And so does this.—TG

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This is the most accurate piece I've ever read about the way it feels to lose a parent.—TG

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Fascinating read. This guy pays Dan Savage the backhandedest of compliments: "He sure does have solid ethics for a guy who considers icky buttsex okay." Spend 3/4 of your article trying to make me hate Dan Savage if you want; I'll only love him more.—JS

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Plenty of richly snarky metaphors for bad food in this review of the world's worst restaurant. (Kind of makes me wish we had a food metaphors label.)—JS

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I don't want to spoil it for you, but it's The Beatles, Nirvana, Michaelangelo, the Sex Pistols and Francis Ford Coppola.—JM

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I've scheduled a garage sale on May 21, but apparently I might get sucked up to Heaven that day. Either way, I win!—TG

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Evocative writing survives all constraints. In fact, it often thrives because of them.—JS

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I never got around to reading that "Sex is Cheap" article, but this lady did, and she feels ways about it!—JS

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This is more about socioeconomics than it is about sex. So if it's titillation you're after, I'm afraid you'll just have to look elsewhere. The rest of the internet, for example.—JM

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I found out about this show last Friday, and it seems like a very different kind of documentary show on a different kind of network. Tonight's episode promises to be compelling.—JS

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Despite all of the terrible news coming out of Christchurch, I think this makes me the saddest.—TG

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If you don't already know and love John Moe, this should do the trick.—TG

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Having once been a resident and street-parking car owner in Chicago for several years, I can attest to the fact that this is a very real and emotionally charged social issue.—BK

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For me the multi-media stuff doesn't matter much... but then again, I'm now older than the median age for a "Conan" viewer. And finding that out might have been the second-oldest I've ever felt. [The oldest I've ever felt was when I discovered that I was older than the age gap between Carl Weathers and Andy Rooney. That'll scare you into eating right, I tell you what]—JM

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Sometimes you can tell right away it's gonna be a Poop Reading link. Then there are times like this when you're not sure at first, but halfway through, you get that little tingle in your spine that lets you know.—JS

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Yeah, but the computer also answered "Toronto" when the category was "U.S. Cities." So let's not get too carried away.—JM

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I'm not so sure... but she makes a compelling case.—JM

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I count myself a food lover, but I've always cringed at the idea of being labeled a "foodie." This illustrates why.—TG

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I've never doubted any of the scathing takedowns of Scientology – not even South Park's – but when it's The New Yorker you kind of have to take notice.—JS

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I don't agree with everything in here (I'll brook no criticism of Jon Hamm, for instance), but it's nice to see that somebody else out there isn't quite so bowled over by "Mad Men" either.—JM

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A new study says that trying to split parenting duties evenly leads to more fighting among couples. So what does trying to ignore parenting duties evenly lead to?—BK

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I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the Marshall-Lyon County Public Library saved my life.—TG

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Adams calls these the "bad versions" of the ideas, to get the ball rolling, but I (a dirty, lefty hippie) am on board with all of them. Especially the idea of extra votes – we've already implemented that one!—JS

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"If he told me that he was going on tour with Korn or something like that, and they were gonna be traveling around Amsterdam, that, to me, would have been like, 'oh, OK. That's probably where he�ll die.' But that's the reality of addiction. It happens on a Tuesday."—JM

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Now this is what I call poop reading.—TG

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Did somebody say DANCE MUSIC!?!?—JS

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The last five Best Picture winners haven't been particularly "Oscary"... could new front-runner The King's Speech change all that?—JM

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I'm not going to lie to you. I didn't read all of this. I'm linking strictly because it includes this sentiment: "Looks like William Shatner if William Shatner ate a racist butter sculpture of William Shatner."—TG

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More and more men are quarantining themselves from children, out of fear that observers may regard them as molesters. Some society we've created.—JS

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For a Cracked article, this is a downright serious examination of how digital distribution models are being hobbled to keep the old paystreams viable.—JS

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If you're keeping score at home, that's PoopReading.com contributor Brandon Kruse 1, all of these people 0. Happy 40th Birthday, Brandon!—JM

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An argument that our era of "Twitter-sized attention spans" might actually be better than the way it used to be before? Sure... I'll bite.—JM

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This is an easy enough find-and-replace task, but I've probably spent a significant portion of my editorial life correcting this error.—TG

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This guy creates forgeries of old paintings, donates them to galleries just for the thrill of it, and then disappears. I hate to spoil the ending, but there's no helicopter chase.—JS

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I happen to think Tim Pawlenty is the only Republican who could beat Obama. Which isn't to say that he would... just that he's the only one who maybe could.—JM

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Hey, look! I found the one person who isn't screaming like crazy about the Gabrielle Giffords shooting in Arizona, but having a calm and rational response instead.—JS

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It's more about arcana and minutiae than boredom, but with that headline it's hard not to picture a gang of hipsters all feigning disinterest about who's going to be first in line to the Wes Anderson festival.—JS

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Heh. Interesting. I don't know why the Brothers Heath would even bother, when the magnum opus of product naming has already been written.—JS

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Some movie chains are offering upscale cuisine in the theater for a "premium" moviegoing experience, but you know people will find a way to ruin it. People are the worst.—BK

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Or, How the Wealthiest Americans Get Their Tax Cuts Whether the Income Tax Rate Falls or Not.—JS

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Religious Jedis, the Hoff, the drink once known as "fruit smack," the relationship between roulette and the devil, and a double dose of Sesame Street trivia.—BK

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Simple as that. (Follow-up Q&A included.) Merry Christmas to all!—JS

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Recommended reading for everyone. You might be one, without realizing it. You definitely know one, but don't know it. You could almost certainly understand yours better.—JS

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This is a little unconventional, but how could I forgive myself if I didn't link to the best thing I read all week?—JS

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Silver's calm, pragmatic approach to things is always a welcome respite.—JS

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I'm a little out of my depth on this one, but the lady who's interviewed for this piece – Deirdre McCloskey – really sounds like she has it all figured out.—JM

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Having attended a book club in which the topic of circumcision almost incited fisticuffs, I appreciate this article very much.—TG

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I always found this story very moving. It's a traditional tale, apparently, but Adams does have his own way of saying things.—JS

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An interesting quickie overview of the guys behind some of the most effective and popular piracy technology of the last decade.—JS

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"[O]ne tech chief executive calls it 'the new golf.'"—JM

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An absolute must-read if you have kids. Or if you had parents. In short: an absolute must-read.—JM

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Data from Firefox reveals some of the browsing habits of internet users, including that the average user has 3.2 tabs open. At the time I read this article, I had three tabs open: my email, the PoopReading portal for posting links, and Slate. You win this round, anonymous internet data analyst!—BK

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Some interesting data, with the exception of the stuff about how parents in 1965 spent more time on personal grooming. Of course they did! Have you not seen Mad Men?? Those people dressed every day like they were going to the wedding of a billionaire king who was also a movie star!—BK

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You have to wade through a fair amount of the author's myth of himself, as with most first-person writing (mine included). But it takes some interesting turns: I went from eye-rolling to nodding vigorously quite a few times.—JS

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Okay, last one I promise. But we couldn't wrap up Friday TSA Rant Corner without hearing from Schneier, the papa of "security theater," could we?—JS

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Like how one of my kids' names reveals that while my wife was pregnant we drove by a restaurant called "Daphne's."—JM

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Believe it or not, a New York Times puff piece about a Republican politician.—JM

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"[T]he mongoose isn't fighting snakes for food, or for territory, or for survival – it's fighting snakes because fuck snakes."—JM

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You should read any and all Gregg Easterbrook pieces that you can get your hands on, whether it's something like this or one of his weekly "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" football columns on ESPN.com.—JM

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Uh-oh. The TSA went and made Ebert mad.—JS

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No blurb could do this article justice.—JM

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I read, and will probably continue to read, this 1981 profile of Andre the Giant once a year or so.—JM

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NORM!—JM

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"What you eat for dinner has become the definitive marker of social status." It's also becoming yet another growing rift in American society.—BK

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Turns out feeling grateful can do more than just round out your Thanksgiving experience – it can also improve the quality of your life.—BK

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I'll think up a blurb for this link about procrastination in a little bit – there are some interesting YouTube videos I want to watch right now.—JS

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As if my crush on Annie from Community weren't straining my relationship enough as it is, now I'll never get these images out of my head.—JS

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The Dirty Jobs host is a tireless supporter of the blue-collar, working-class guy. Which is kind of a shame, because Mike Rowe would make a great name for a manager.—JS

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Guy: "That nudie scanner is ridiculous and the frisking is borderline sexual assault. Screw this noise - I'm staying home."
Internet: "Hooray! Rights! Freedom!"
TSA: "Do not fuck with the police state. We will ruin you."—JS

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The author of Salon's excellent Ask the Pilot feature adds some level-headed historical perspective.—JS

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Yeah... I forgot to look for links, and it was my day to do links. I was up really late. But here: TMQ is like half football and half random miscellaneous fascinating stuff, so even if you're not a sports fan there's plenty here to like.—JM

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"Parenting is a series of intensely high highs, followed by long periods of frustration and stress." And in Vedantam's interesting analogy, it's addiction to those high highs that keeps us coming back.—BK

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Sure, girls aren't funny. But we have the vaginas, so we still win.—TG

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I suppose you could say that by posting this link, I'm betting that you'll enjoy it.—BK

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Finally, a "we're all doomed" piece that seems legitimate. We are doomed, apparently.—JM

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Soylent Green is starting to sound like a healthy option at this point.—TG

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Or probably not (he's 5 at this point), but what a great story. When I was little, I wanted to be Wonder Woman every day – not just Halloween – and I turned out fine.—JS

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It's Friday TSA rant corner! I recommend the Jeffrey Goldberg series (linked at the top), but this response was too good to pass up. A passenger revolt can't be too far behind.—JS

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One of the best concepts ever. The blog post is really short but the comments section will keep you busy for hours. I guarantee it. (not a guarantee)—JM

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This isn't from The Onion or anything like that. This is completely real.—JM

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Debunking poisoned candy and kiddie-fiddlers in the age of hysterical media. Let's have a sane weekend, shall we?—JS

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Airlines speaking publicly against redundant, knee-jerk TSA policies? Maybe, just maybe a step toward restoring sanity.—JS

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I feel like Mark Steyn could sit down and talk about this with Adam Carolla for like twelve straight hours until both of their heads exploded. Any Californian knows all about this topic, undoubtedly.—JM

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Equal parts frank and silly–just the way I likes 'em.—TG

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I'll admit I'm a sucker for the "It Gets Better" campaign, but this is a genuinely unique angle from someone I love.—TG

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(I.e., exercises his right to refuse the backscatter scan.) I've heard theories that if we all followed this hero's example, the resulting snarl would force a rollback of the more arcane security procedures – but if obscene delays were likely to make that point, wouldn't it be made already?—JS

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Once you go Michael Ian, you never go back.—JM

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I suspect that Adams himself didn't actually pick the headline for this piece; it's actually about how to write humor in general.—JM

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I am truly sorry this link is being posted late today. (According to the article, I was more likely to apologize to you because you are strangers, but less likely because I am a man. And consider yourself lucky we aren't married or related...)—BK

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I still remember when the concept of fractals broke my brain. Here's a look at the man responsible.—TG

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This is the most helpful archive of food reviews in the history of helpful archives of food reviews.—TG

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More parents should try this as an income stream. Perhaps instead of saying "da-da," most babies are saying "Dada."—JS

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Simmons "broke" the story of the Randy Moss trade by accidentally tweeting when he was trying to send a direct message to somebody. I'm not sure how, but maybe Brett Favre could use something like that as an excuse...—JM

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But let's not stop trying!—JM

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Sausalito, CA, has a population of approximately 7,500. Some otters can grow to a length of six feet. (If that title didn't already grab you, I'm forced to assume you only like to read boring things.)—JS

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You mean you've been getting paid more than a shiny nickel each Tuesday? Screw you!—TG

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A nice tribute, although merely remembering him as an "insult comic" overlooks his remarkably smart and funny standup material. The world got significantly less funny this week. Too damn bad.—JM

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I propose that all PoopReading.com contributors immediately begin growing mustaches, even Tenessa. Especially Tenessa.—JM

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Good stuff.—JM

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A cautionary tale for dumb thieves in the age of the internet, and a reminder that the kindness of strangers does still exist.—BK

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An interesting look at media messages about teachers' unions.—TG

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We may never have broken through racial segregation with a twit-in.—TG

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Interesting look at how a down economy and changing culture are challenging long-held ideas about masculinity. (If nothing else, it's at least time for our country to embrace the idea of paternity leave.)—BK

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"Helicopter parents" and the climate of constant fear. In today's lesson, they clog roads, burn gas, stifle childhoods, and abandon all reason.—JS

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In defense of... network television executives? Actually, our dear Linda Holmes makes a very good point: if we'd actually watch the good stuff, they'd put more good stuff on.—JM

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Thanks to a perfect storm of political and societal factors, many countries are apparently only a generation or two removed from Children of Men territory.—JM

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As long as I can keep my three seasons of Punky Brewster on DVD, this sounds like a fine idea.—TG

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Silly cultural satire from the former head writer of The Colbert Report.—JS

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As long as @SteveMartinToGo doesn't discover the downside, we should all be fine.—JM

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There's nothing in here about sneezers or drive-bys, so I still think they're holding back on us.—JM

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For the duration of the awful BP oil spill, the fake official BP Twitter feed was a pretty hilarious diversion. Its anonymous author steps forward.—JS

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You don't really need The New Yorker to tell you this, but customer service is broken.—JS

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"Internal NFLPA studies have shown that only 33 to 40 percent of hardcore NFL fans have the impending labor drama on their radar screens." I would submit that if the impending labor drama is not on your radar screen, then you are clearly not a hardcore NFL fan.—JM

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"I sympathize afresh with the mighty Voltaire, who, when badgered on his deathbed and urged to renounce the devil, murmured that this was no time to be making enemies."—JM

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Before I read this story, I had no idea ChristWire.org was a thing. And now that I know that it's a thing, I feel like more people should know that it's a thing.—BK

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A succinct and well-reasoned plea for more effective allocation of time, energy, and money when it comes to air travel.—JS

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Steve Rushin reflects on the last season of outdoor Twins baseball (1981)... and the first (2010).—JM

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This is undoubtedly mankind's greatest achievement. Curing polio and going to the moon can lick my balls.—JM

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The story of how this little ditty became one of the most recognizable songs in the world.—JM

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Well, mainly they seem to be delaying major life milestones (marriage, kids, career) longer than previous generations. Which has led some psychologists to push for the creation of a new life stage known as "emerging adulthood" to better serve the unique needs of people in their 20s.—BK

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Here's a modest proposal for our times: do away with free parking in any public place. It sounds a little crazy at first, but there might be something to this.—JS

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It's a lot less mysterious than the title would lead you to believe. Just know this: once you try the Trader Joe's roasted garlic hummus, all other hummus will be ruined forever.—JM

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Long before the music industry sued teens and grannies for downloading a few songs, it's required a license fee to play music at your place of business. (This is why royalty-free Muzak exists.) Most business owners aren't thrilled to be educated about this.—JS

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Why are people blogging and tweeting less these days? They're probably foraging for food. But I can tell you why they quit contributing to Wikipedia: the asshole "elite" editors chased everyone off.—JS

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I like a good romantic comedy as much as the next man. Probably way, way more than the next man, in fact.—JM

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I'm telling you: beekeeper outfits. My daughters will never be allowed out of the house wearing anything more revealing than beekeeper outfits.—JM

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A look at how some people are finding that less stuff = more happiness.—BK

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Kind of a downer, but the important premise is that for all our medical innovation, American healthcare gets everything wrong with end-of-life care. (Most critically, admitting when the end is.)—JS

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This isn't exactly of-the-moment, but I finally saw Kick-Ass last night and couldn't have enjoyed it more. But it's most certainly not for everyone, so I offer two differing takes on the movie.—JM

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And here's Roger Ebert's take. I disagree, but, he's built up enough movie-critic trust with me over the years that I feel his opinion must be given due weight. No fat joke intended, I swear.—JM

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Fun stuff – especially a neat little tidbit about Stanley Tucci's gift for name-changing advice.—BK

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An exhaustive series if examples relating how not having a car became Hollywood shorthand for loser.—JS

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Gladwell pounds the paragraphs. (From the archives but interesting.)—JS

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A witty and reasonable take on the "can gay actors play straight" kerfuffle. (Hat tip, Sam B. Yes, Sam – we finally got around to checking our e-mail.)—JS

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Dude. I mean, I like baseball a lot too, but... dude.—JM

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This is one of the best Sports Illustrated stories I've ever read. And, do I really need to sell it any more than that? Read it even if you're not a sports fan.—JM

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Another thorough examination of how the internet is blurring the line between what's public and private, and how that's hindering the ability to escape and outgrow one's past.—BK

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Apparently, America is what she is today because the Pilgrims ran out of beer. I'd be prouder of that story if America wasn't one of the worst beer-making nations on the planet, but, there you go.—JM

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Whether or not you care at all about Michael Jackson – and I don't, particularly – this is an interesting look at the making of a pop culture classic.—JM

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We've run a lot of links about parenting here in recent months, but I think this one might be the best. (Hat tip, Tenessa G.)—BK

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"Evolution favored meat-eating primates, enlarging their brains and enabling them to live in more and more complex and survivalist societies that today extend our life spans, provide genteel habitats, and produce philosophers who have the wherewithal to object to the very components of their own existence."—JM

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Edward Hopper's Nighthawks is my favorite painting, and so I found this story of a search for the New York City building that reportedly inspired the work of art to be fascinating.—BK

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Same reason people pretended to watch a lot of Masterpiece Theatre back when the Nielsens were all based on diaries: we want to seem better than we are. But the shifting ways they lie tell us about the kind of dads they wish they were today vs. yesteryear.—JS

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This guy makes the stupid Facebook game sound practically like Scientology. That's good for a link in my book.—JS

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I'm on vacation. I don't write blurbs on vacation. Just read for yourself and find out what this piece is about, all right?—JM

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Having recently lost weight largely by improving my sleep habits, I have to say this article hits the nail on the head.—BK

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Thinking of giving your child a ridiculous, made-up name, or saddling your boy with a girl's name (or vice-versa)? This may have consequences beyond making you look like an asshole.—JS

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Sounds like a plan.—JS

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Far more tongue-in-cheek than the title might lead you to believe, it's a fun look at the trials and tribulations (and trials) of fathering young boys.—BK

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Now that Smirnoff has tragically cut the sport down in its prime, some of O'Brien's alternatives should get some consideration.—JS

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I say it's all temporary and soccer once again fails to catch on here (kind of like, how much televised swimming have you watched since Michael Phelps at the 2008 Olympics?), but for now it's all terribly exciting. And if this piece is any indication, Roger Bennett is the perfect man to help us enjoy it until our World Cup fever dies down (which could happen as early as Saturday afternoon).—JM

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This piece about parenting makes me feel a little bit better about my occasional lapses into a more laissez faire (i.e., "Just play your computer game while Daddy finishes 'Last Comic Standing'") style of child-rearing.—JM

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I can't say I agree with everything here, but it's an interesting read nonetheless.—BK

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Worried your new iPhone may lead you down a path toward gadget-obsessed distraction? A set of tools can help you resist temptation and restore focus.—JS

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Oh, soccer... is there anything you can't ruin?—JM

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"They know you know they know you know."—JM

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Lengthy, lengthy profile of Julian Assange, founder of whistleblower site WikiLeaks.org – and a behind-the-scenes account of the recent release of its "Collateral Murder" video.—JS

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Now that it appears I am weeks away from purchasing my first iPhone, this sort of thing is a big fear lingering in the back of my mind.—BK

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Point.—BK

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Counterpoint.—BK

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Geez, P.J. O'Rourke is really mean. Still, pre-obituaries are a pretty good idea.—JM

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A reminder that while we all make mistakes, some are far more regrettable than others.—BK

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"Who has a deeper sense of fairness, a mortgage banker or a chimpanzee?" Try not to act surprised.—JS

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I would have called the piece "Humans: Why We Triumphed," because the likelihood of a non-human ever reading it seems pretty low. Other than that, though: pretty interesting stuff.—JM

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