January 18, 2013: Afternoon
- Al Qaeda is alive and fairly well in Africa, but the U.S. must pick its battles in pursuit.
- The Onion is publishing a Biden biography—The President of Vice—whether he wants one or not.
- Stories longer than 2,000 words are down 86% at the LAT since 2003, 50% at WaPo, 35% at WSJ.
- In tribute to 56 up, four of TMN's best stories about growing up, both physically and emotionally.
- Related: TMN seeks a Spring 2013 intern.
- Schopenhauer offers little to no practical advice when your fate's being decided at an immigration desk.
- Color perception research suggests Homer's "wine-dark sea" may have not been a metaphor, but a literal reflection of what he saw.
- Surviving "secret listener" explains how German POWs were lulled into divulging secrets of the Nazi war effort.
- Rave culture explained to Americans who may not know how to enjoy it.
- Amy Poehler offers advice to girls via YouTube.
- January is certifiably the worst movie-release month of the year, and the very worst month for movies was January 1989.
- Literary tribute to Raphael Nadal's tennis racquet as replacement to sticks of old.
- History of the Fisher space pen.
- Even if Tom Brady again looks devastating in a beanie, here's everything you need to know so you can skip this weekend's NFL Conference Championships.
- See also: NFL Championship picks written as villanelles.