January 13, 2012: Afternoon
- Spate of self-immolations reported in Tunisia; at least 107 people set themselves ablaze in the first half of 2011.
- Putin is too busy to debate; he is not too busy to pet leopards, curl, or sing jazz for Kevin Costner.
- Pop business article says flux is the future; consumers becoming more forgiving of companies' mistakes is inevitable.
- Things rumored to be overheard in a Goldman Sachs elevator.
- See also: History of torture devices.
- Trailer for a movie we're dying to see: Shut Up and Play the Hits, about the end of LCD Soundsystem.
- Trailer for some art direction we'll find reflected elsewhere in six months: Moonrise Kingdom, by Wes Anderson.
- Defense of the comma splice.
- Round-up of magical and occasionally ridiculous gadgets from this year's Las Vegas tech show.
- History of breast implants—initially designed to simulate bags of blood.
- Inside the world of stolen-bike sellers.
- Why weather is predicted differently.
- Design analysis of new Marlboro Blacks.
- Books to read when studying where law meets literature.