December 19, 2011: Afternoon
- Of drone pilots, 30% suffer high levels of stress—though not dangerous levels, the Air Force says.
- The differences between your debt and American Airlines's.
- Analysis of how much money top chess players can make.
- Reasonably easy math on how tidal power—virtually inexhaustible and less intermittent than solar/wind—can be harnessed.
- "Brick bending"—how to build round things out of rectangular Lego blocks.
- A reverse bucket list, or, "Things I never want to do before I die."
- Should your day be going shitty: a button to make everything OK.
- Former Michigan factory town tries to revive itself with a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
- The shortest short story is a photograph, like Leibovitz's bicycle picture "Sarajevo."
- Estimates of the U.S. autism rate have climbed twentyfold—but instead of an epidemic, we simply may have better reporting.
- Scientists figure out what people really mean when they claim to like "anything but country."
- David Fincher breaks down a four-minute sequence from Dragon Tattoo.
- Life of a Saks Santa.
- David Bowie visits Bing Crosby during the holidays to sing a duet of two Christmas classics.
- Will Ferrell visits John C. Reilly during the holidays to sing a duet of two Christmas classics.
- Related tip for lovely Christmas parties: Don't ask other guests, "Do you know who you look like?"