Interesting information about coffee and caffeine

Infographic: income levels of America’s major religious groups

This was surely an expensive Inception wedding reception.

The new FDA anti-smoking warnings are graphic.

Lego my car.

This woman is reading the entire Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act–ALOUD.

This is Betty White holding a giant snake with Slash.

How McDonalds cuts 9 million pounds of fries a day

First film footage of the “new” Amazon tribe.

For the 100th International Women’s Day this week, The Guardian chose their Top 100 inspirational women living today from a range of backgrounds and subjects. This is possibly the only time you’ll see Lady Gaga and Margaret Thatcher in the same list. [The Guardian]

A football (soccer) player was sent off the pitch this week after tackling a pitch intruder wearing a mankini. There’s video.  [BBC News]

Bootlegged toys: yes, you too can own ‘Spaderman’. [Cracked.com]

One man’s experience of being a giver on World Book Night. [The Bookseller]

Two-thirds of lawyers said Facebook was the ‘primary source’ of evidence in divorce proceedings. [Shiny Shiny]

British book blogger extraordinaire Dovegreyreader celebrated the fifth birthday of her blog. [Dovegreyreader Scribbles]

If you can’t get to SXSW, perhaps you might be interested in NSEW. [Londonist]

Leona Lewis is London’s most influential woman? Really? [The First Post]

A guide to T A office hours. [PHD Comics]

‘If membership is restricted to men, the lose will be ours.’ [Letters of Note]

And finally… Daniel Craig in a dress for International Women’s Day:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kirsty in the UK here, holding the fort while Lauren is off celebrating Thanksgiving. Here are my favourite links of the week. Enjoy, and a Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers.

For those of us less familiar with Thanksgiving, here are two quizzes (an easy one and a difficult one) about the celebration. [BBC News]

“What does it say about modern culture when so many of our pop icons are famous primarily for being someone’s son or daughter?” asks Laurie Penny. [New Statesman]

Charlie Brooker on distracting ourselves from the economy. [The Guardian]

I heart Garfield Minus Garfield. [Garfield Minus Garfield]

A BBC journalist finds out how easy it is to hack a smartphone. [dot.Rory]

A selection of photos found in second-hand books. [The Age of Uncertainty]

Cat vs. Alligator. [Yahoo News]

Cliff Richard: hunk? [Daily Telegraph]

Student demos in the age of Twitter. [The Guardian]

Things I wish my phone did. [gapingvoid]

London mapped on gloves. [Londonist]

This week I had the pleasure of visiting the OUP UK office and spending face time with my wonderful counterpart, Kirsty. [*Waves*] In honor of this, we have done a team Linked Up. (Go team!) Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Margaret Atwood! [For Books' Sake]

What better way to commemorate the forthcoming royal nuptials than with some china? [The Guardian]

This genuinely made me LOL. [Hyperbole and a Half]

With only 37 shopping days left until Christmas (I know, I know) here are some gift ideas for the bookworms in your life. [Reading Matters]

The Costa Book Awards shortlists are out. [Costa]

Um…baby dolphin + curious penguin? What’s not to love? [Daily Mail]

Cookie gif! [Simple Life in Tokyo]

Participating in No Shave November? Well keep that beard! Here’s a festive idea. [Dainty Squid]

Windshield rainbow: all the way. [Helmut Smits]

Anyone need cupcakes for their Harry Potter party? [The Love We Deserve]

[Insert witticism here.]

Book Dominoes FTW! [Urlesque]

This week in unnecessarily large versions of unhealthy foods… [Good]

Esquire thinks we can balance the federal budget in 3 days. Good luck with that one, guys. [Esquire]

Type in your own handwriting! [Pilot via GalleyCat]

If you didn’t already know, being vegan is hard. [Gizmodo]

A new blog of short essays. [BOTA]

Former OUPblogger “Johnny” in his Halloween costume… [Bravo TV]

Are you ready to be Super Duper/Epic on Foursquare??? [Mashable]

IKEA gets into the cookbook biz. [Trendland]

“51% of Americans would live with a ghost as long as rent were free, while 27% would share space with a spectre for a 50% reduction in rent.” [USA Today via The Awl]

I have set a new record! Latest-in-the-day Linked Up ever!

(I think I need some new personal goals…so if anyone has recommendations…)

5-year-old Aidan is amazing. But he has leukemia and is selling his art to help pay for treatment. Buy his art on Etsy. [tip from SirMitchell]

Are any of you fans of “The Room?” If so, you’re welcome. [The Daily What]

I wish there was a way to make drinking coffee even easier OH WAIT THERE IS! [Yanko]

This cartoon is just…amazing. [New Yorker]

I love stop-motion film. I love Lite-Brites. So. This. [Flavorwire]

Will Smith’s daughter has a recommendation for you. Careful, this will be stuck in your head for days. [Willow]

Snakes on a plane? How ’bout a crocodile? [News AU]

Shameless self-promotional plug of the week…

Dear friends from middle-school, I will probably be buying these shoes and you can’t stop me. [hypebeast]

I just discovered that there is a University dedicated to providing “the highest quality training for the cannabis industry.” So, more on that Monday… [Oaksterdam]

Today’s poem is brought to you by Random.

Haikus are easy

But sometimes they don’t make sense

Refrigerator

Here are some other things that amused me.

Last week at Comic Con, Michelle and I met the guy who made this winning Steampunk Iron Man costume! [Agent M]

Hey Philadelphia! Hollerado’s single-take music video for “Americanarama.” [YouTube]

Have books? Then you need bookshelves. 35 of them. 35 awesome, incredible bookshelves. [Francesco Mugnai]

Your Ad Here. (Hopefully not.) [eConsultancy]

Gritty, gorgeous photos of broken neon signs. [Slate]

Crochet animal sculptures. Heck yes I said it! [My Modern Met]

If you’re an unknown band trying to gain popularity, this is not the way to do it. [AV Club]

You know what’s cool?

How far will your dollar go? These photos will show you. [Jonathan Blaustein]

Phonebook art! [Inventor Spot]

By the time you read this, I will be at Comic Con. Don’t be sad. I’ll take photos. Lots and lots of photos. Lots.

James Franco gets a trans-formation. [Suicide Blonde]

In a mash-up between AC/DC and Ghostbusters, who wins? (Everyone.) [Best Roof Talk Ever]

Kermit the Frog lip-syncing to David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.” [The Daily What]

First adorable Halloween photo of the year. [World War Mike]

The real Willy Wonka: Scientists say three-course meal in a single stick of chewing gum is now a possibility. [Premiere]

French women protest burka ban in niqab and hot pants. [Telegraph]

Jonathan’s Franzen’s glasses were stolen! OMG! Don’t worry. He got them back. [New York Times]

In more blog to book to TV news… [GalleyCat]

There’s now an incredible LED light garden in Jerusalem. [Obvious]

NPR just got themselves a Tumblr. [NPR.tumblr]

OK, OK. I’m sorry. I haven’t done Linked Up in a while and I didn’t think anyone would notice. But you did (which I appreciate) and I’m sorry (but not that sorry) for letting you down (I think you’ll recover). Please forgive me (Jen).

Prepare to be amazed by these amazing hyper-realist still life paintings. [Recave]

If you haven’t already, SUBSCRIBE TO THE OXFORD COMMENT! [iTunes]

Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake & The Roots perform an epic “History of Rap.” [NBC]

Apparently there is a Tea Party coloring book. [GalleyCat]

The Infinite Jest finally makes sense: a diagram. [Johnny]

Today in BBC history… [Wired]

I think your little one needs something special from this store. [Vivi]

I don’t really want to swim at this pool on account I might catch on fire thankyouverymuch. [MSNBC]

What the Lisa Frank is going on here?! (Mixology magic…) [The Daily What]

OK Go. They’re a fun bunch. [YouTube]

Kirsty here from a sunny (for once) Oxford. Lauren has let me loose on the linked up, so behold! Linked Up: UK Edition!

Tweet

Places you really shouldn’t have spelling mistakes #275: road signs. [BBC]

Tony Blair’s autobiography… in just 818 words! [The Guardian]

Scotland’s Makar (or National Poet), Edwin Morgan, died recently at the age of 90. Here are some of the things we learned from him. [Creative Boom Edinburgh]

What’s the best poem about the British countryside? [The Independent]

9.2 million adults in Britain have never been online, apparently. [Derren Brown]

“Sex education, STIs, and politicians make a toxic combination.” [Dr Evan Harris]

Musings on the Oxford comma. [Quercus Blog]

Why would adults want to play with water pistols? [BBC]

What’s so great about Jonathan Franzen? [The Telegraph]

Oh, for font’s sake. [The Bookseller]

If you haven’t already noticed, we now have a TWEET button. Look down. To the left. See it? Yeah. It’s awesome. Use it well.

Here are some other items I obsessed over this week.

Tweet

In Mexico City, that plastic bag could get you a $90,000 fine, jail time. [BBC]

They call it the Snazzy Napper, but it’s more like the Snazzy You’re-about-to-have-your-purse-stolen-while-looking-ridiculous-er. [Urlesque]

Feel estranged from your friends who use Twitter? [GeekandPoke]

See kids? Sophomore Chemistry wasn’t a total waste of time. [FailBlog]

This song would be OK, but it features Rivers Cuomo, so that makes it awesome. [YouTube]

It’s almost time for school, so let’s make sure we all know how to write absurd, incoherent academic sentences. [UChicago]

This is a photo of our President being silly. [DailyWhat]

Could you live in these teeny tiny homes? [MNN]

They made an ice cream-serving robot. So, that’s that. [Eater]

20-Somethings. Sigh. [NYTimes]

We only have one week left in August, people. ONE WEEK! Oh, the agony…

Here are some things that don’t make me sad.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. It might be the most delightful video I’ve ever seen. [Vimeo]

Dinner Party Download needs your help! Because “it’s not really public radio if you don’t beg your listeners for money.” [APM]

Ah, home… This Day in History: Record Setting Tow-Truck Parade Held in Washington State [History Channel]

I’m sure this was staged, but it is delightful. [YouTube]

Cute item of the week: Puffin. [Next Web]

Our colleagues at Oxford Fajar have a treat for you! [Save the Words]

Kindle vs. iPad close-up showdown [Wired]

It’s about time we had a Silly Bandz anthem! [Urlesque]

#EatPrayWhatever [Twitter]

This is one “epic” parking garage. [GalleyCat]

Today is Friday the 13th AND Alfred Hitchcock’s birthday (1899) AND Fidel Castro’s birthday (1926) AND William Goldman’s birthday (1931) (y’know, he wrote The Princess Bride)  AND Annie Oakley’s birthday (1860). Craz-ay. Here are some other tidbits I found amusing.

A kitten! (Sorry, it was time I posted a cat video link.) [Next Web]

How you trick a chipmunk into posing with Darth Vader. [Gizmodo]

This is a pretty awesome staircase. [Bookshelf Porn]

I’m thinking about going with the tattoo at the top of this page. Thoughts? [Paste]

These Egyptian commercials are hysterical. [YouTube]

Every week, you have the chance to do some good for yourself and get a reward. [Bolder]

So…you’re saying if I get rid of my nesting doll collection, I’ll be happier? [NYTimes]

A warning for all you leisure bloggers. [Married to the Sea.]

French scientists are working really hard…to show us how to pour champagne. [Daily Mail]

Gasp! Study finds pop-up books are lackluster learning tools. [GalleyCat]

If you don’t know what a spam queue is, I envy you. Everyday, this blog receives hundreds of bot-generated comments that I have to sift through while sighing dramatically so my coworkers know how annoyed I am. It’s a tedious task, but once in a while I get a gem like this one:

Hello,
I invite you to see the most beautiful decorative animal mailboxes!!
You love the animal!!!

HOW DID THEY KNOW I LOVE THE ANIMAL ESPECIALLY WHEN IN DECORATIVE MAILBOX FORM?! C’est incroyable.

Here are some other things that amused me this week.

Pop-Tarts, I really didn’t need more of you in my life. [NY Eater]

I guess some thieves have great taste in books. [The Awl]

129,864,880 was not the number I would have guessed. [Booksearch]

I love lists. I especially love lists when they are lists of books. [LA Times]

Beatboxing is great. It is better if it is accompanied by a flute. In an office. [YouTube]

Best headline I’ve read all week. [Daily Intel]

These pencils are awesome, but pretty useless as writing utensils. [Design Swan]

“A kind of upside-down Mad Men meets Mr. Mom.” [New York Observer]

TV Reporter ruins ice sculpture. [Breitbart]

THIS CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY ROBOT THING! [Daily Mail]

Yesterday, I tried to start a #mathbattle on Twitter, but it proved too geeky to take. (Go figure.) I was having a nostalgic moment, remembering back in middle school when we had to write date equations. Everyday. Because each day, my friends, is different. A new day, full of new possibilities, opportunities, and numbers. Today is 7/30/2010. That means two things:

1) It will be August very, very soon.
2) We have the numbers 7, 3, 0, 2, 0, 1, 0 to work with. (Or, you can leave out a 2 and a 0. That is the cheater’s way.)

LET’S DO IT! —>     7 – ((3+0)(2 + 0)) = (1 + 0)

Yessssss. Math is awesome. Got a better equation? Prove it. Until then, here are some interesting things.

William Carlos Williams is not a very considerate roommate.

The Bookavore has created an “E-books article drinking game.” (Finally.) (Thank you.)

Ben Zimmer refudiates fake words.

And the best goat calendar of 2011 goes to…

I am sooooo over air quotes.

This baby must be a deep sleeper.

Get your vocab fix here.

This is an awesome new Twitter tool.

These should keep you busy for a while.

And to clarify, I am not a whiner. NASA agrees with me. So there.

Looking at what I’m choosing to share this week, one might call this the brand-placement edition of Linked Up. But it’s actually the accidental-brand-placement edition. Lucky them. (P.S. I think Lucky Brand Jeans is having a sale.)

Gary Vaynerchuk on wine: “It’s like smelling Batman.”

Facebook, not that popular after all.

Does Coca-Cola own happiness? They do in this case. (Yes, I know this happened months ago, but it is sooo worth re-watching.)

There’s a second (???!!!???What!?!?!?!?) Stonehenge.

A group of researchers mapped our emotions via Twitter, and it looks like blow-paint art.

PBR, not so low-brow in China.

The Old Spice spoof that almost makes me want to go back to school…

Woman’s Day encourages you to get your “literary buzz” on.

Finally. Jelloware.

McNally Jackson is so over Sad Keanu. Now is the time for Sad Keith Gessen.

By Lauren Appelwick, Blog Editor

Here at Oxford, we love words. We love when they have ancient histories, we love when they have double-meanings, we love when they appear in alphabet soup, and we love when they are made up.

Last week on The Sean Hannity Show, Sarah Palin pushed for Barack and Michelle Obama to refudiate the NAACP’s claim that the Tea Party movement harbors “racist elements.” (You can still watch the clip on Mediaite and further commentary at CNN.) Refudiate is not a recognized word in the English language, but a curious mix of repudiate and refute. But rather than shrug off the verbal faux pas and take more care in the future, Palin used it again in a tweet this past Sunday.

Note: This tweet has been since deleted and replaced by this one.

Later in the day, Palin responded to the backlash from bloggers and fellow Twitter users with this:

Whether Palin’s word blend was a subconscious stroke of genius, or just a slip of the tongue,  it seems to have made a critic out of everyone. (See: #ShakesPalin) Lexicographers sure aren’t staying silent. Peter Sokolowksi of Merriam-Webster wonders, “What shall we call this? The Palin-drome?” And OUP lexicographer Christine Lindberg comments thus:

The err-sat political illuminary Sarah Palin is a notional treasure. And so adornable, too. I wish you liberals would wake up and smell the mooseburgers. Refudiate this, word snobs! Not only do I understand Ms. Palin’s message to our great land, I overstand it. Let us not be countermindful of the paths of freedom stricken by our Founding Fathers, lest we forget the midnight ride of Sam Revere through the streets of Philadelphia, shouting “The British our coming!” Thank the God above that a true patriot voice lives on today in Sarah Palin, who endares to live by the immorternal words of Nathan Henry, “I regret that I have but one language to mangle for my country.”

Mark Liberman over at Language Log asks, “If she really thought that refudiate was Shakespearean, wouldn’t she have left the original tweet proudly in place?”

He also points out that Palin did not coin the refudiate word blend. In fact, he says, “A Google Books search turns up four instances,” which count even though they “might well be writers’ or transcribers’ slips of the finger.”

Curious if refudiate had legs beyond Urban Dictionary, I asked Jesse Sheidlower, Editor at Large (North America) of the Oxford English Dictionary, if there were any plans to include the word blend in the OED. “As with any word,” Sheidlower said, “we always pay attention to what’s out there, and when something becomes common enough, we will consider adding it to the dictionary. However, it would take more than a few uses, even high-profile ones, in order to get such a word into the OED.”

So maybe we won’t see it listed along with truthiness and bootylicious anytime soon, but could refudiate join the ranks of unfriend, hypermiling, and locavore as the 2010 Oxford Word of the Year?

Q: What do you call a leafy green rock star?

A: Elvis Parsley.

Enough of that. Here are some other items I found amusing this week.

Yay! The Old Spice guy loves libraries!

Feeling generous? Amateur Thursdays needs your help!

Most awesome dug-up-thing of the week.

Um…need a DJ?

Wanna know which famous writer you write like? (Yes. You do.)

DRUNK HULK NO BE THIS EXCITE ABOUT BOOK SINCE PIZZA HUT MAKE BOOK IT PROGRAM!

This awesome blog for all you parents out there. (Oh, and now it has a book deal.)

Follow-up to previous vuvuzela link: it finally happened.

Like light painting? Like a challenge? Enter this contest.

On caffeine.

The heat wave! It broke! Now it’s only…in the high 80’s!

It was very hard to focus this week when all we New Yorkers could do was sweat, and complain about the garbage smells, and whine about how it was only 67° in Los Angeles. Other than that, though, I had a fabulous week. I learned about Meg Cabot’s crush on Michael Nourri, tweeted about #DraculaOnTwitter, and publicly embarrassed our new assistants, so I’m pretty darned pleased with myself. Below are some other things that kept me distracted from the heat.

Speedo art. ‘Nough said.

You should call this octopus for help with your next sports bracket.

Sandwich IN A CAN!

Hey mom! Guess who’s still not gonna make her bed? (Hint: me.)

Ah, the power of the sun…

Did you celebrate your 10th birthday by putting on 215 pairs of underwear?

The funniest video I’ve watched all week. The second funniest video I’ve watched all week. (Yes, one of them is about the KFC Doublicious.) And now both of them are followed up by this one.

A call for one month of abstinence.

The most creative press release ever?

Insult after insult after insult after insult after insult….

A few weeks ago, we were joined by two wonderful new publicity assistants, Nick and Bobby. Now that they’re settled in, I decided it was time to harass properly introduce them to you. Hopefully this (incredibly interesting) Q&A will show how lucky we are to have them on board.

Do you speak (or pretend to speak) any other languages?

Nick: Yes, Farsi. My parents were born and raised in Iran. They came to the US to continue their studies at college. They met here in the States and a few years later I entered the picture. My first language was, in fact, Farsi. I grew up in a house where my parents and grandparents both spoke to me in Farsi. I did not learn English until I was in early elementary school. Looking back, this now explains so much…

Bobby: I studied Spanish up until sophomore year of college, but I can’t really call what I do with the language “speaking” it.  I also studied some Japanese when I studied abroad, and I can now ask where the train station is, I think.

What is your favorite book that was not originally published in English?

Nick: War and Peace. I read it for the first time a few years back after my brother continuously insisted on my commitment to finishing the behemoth of a book. Finally, I gave in and I am now forever indebted to him. This book is my bible and is undoubtedly this best piece of literature ever created. It is both a beautiful story as well as a deep philosophical piece that proves to be a perpetually modern novel that will never lose its relevance in society. This is the only intellectual answer I will provide, promise.

Bobby: Labyrinths by Borges, which might not count since it’s a collection of short stories.  No other author has inspired so many moments of disturbed awe and wonder for me.  I like when a book freaks me out enough that I have to leave the room.

Fill in the blank: Don’t stop _____________.
a) believing
b) ’til you get enough
c) the music

Nick: ’til you get enough.

Bobby: Believing, duh.

What’s your favorite viral video?

Nick: Does Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video count?

Bobby: Stalking cat.

Which is more awesome: a Jesus Christ lizard, or a sugar glider?

Nick: Jesus Christ lizard, for sure.

Bobby: A Jesus Christ glider.

What’s your favorite word/term of 2010?

Nick: It’s a tie between “Brown chicken brown cow” (the new way of saying “bow-chika-bow-wow”) and “Cobra yawn” (which is when you inadvertently squirt saliva from your mouth when you yawn–I know, it’s gross, but don’t judge. I wasn’t the one who came up with it.).

Bobby: “Insanity band.”

What’s the oddest job you’ve ever had?

Nick: Teaching English in Thailand.

Bobby: Working for a crazy old man’s travel firm, which was run out of his house.  He wanted to make me his protégé, but I soon discovered things in his garage which implied that he wanted me to be something more, at which point I promptly terminated the employment.

Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Nick: Team Edward?

Bobby: Team Coco.

If you two went head-to-head on an episode of Wipe Out, who would win?

Nick: I don’t have the best center of gravity, so Bobby would probably win.

Bobby: I had to look up what “Wipe Out” was, and it looks like no one wins on that show.

If you had to pick a theme song to play every time you entered a room, what would it be?

Nick: Definitely would have to go with Beyoncé, “Single Ladies.”

Bobby: “Freshly Squeezed,” from the Twin Peaks soundtrack.  I think it was Cooper’s theme.

This has been a fantastic week for me. I didn’t spill my coffee once, I (almost) cleaned my desk, and I finished Mad Men season 1. (Yes, I know I’m way behind.) Here in the States, it’s the 4th of July this weekend. Well, I suppose it will be the 4th of July everywhere, but for us it’s Independence Day, and I’m headed to Washington DC. How will you be celebrating? Leave a comment and let me know! In the meantime, here are some items that caught my attention this week. (P.S. Happy Birthday Dad!)

I like my books best WHEN THEY ARE FLOATING IN MIDAIR!

This kid performs a blow-your-mind multitrack acappella rendition of the Pokémon theme song.

The 5 worst pollutants in your beauty products.

FIFA considers a solution for those “blatant missed calls.”

The end of tuna.

This week’s New Yorker cover.

Man in the White Dress is running around the East Village.

Silly Bandz. Now they’re for everyone.

“We plan to buy 100 vuvuzelas and hire 100 vuvuzela players off Craigslist to play in front of BP’s International Headquarters in London for an entire work day.”

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY: KFC presents…

Phew. I’ve made it through the first week as blog editor, and I have to tell you: I’ve enjoyed every minute! Thanks so much for all your comments, retweets, likes, etc. New York has been sweltering, but editing OUPBlog has made me feel soooo cool. (Bad wordplay? Yes it was.) Remember to keep up with emeritus blog editor Rebecca Ford on Twitter @FordBecca! Below are some items that caught my attention this week.

Live in NYC? Not doing anything at 10:17 tonight? Ride the W train for the last time.

This fish is pretty ugly, but also pretty awesome.

NOAA has released a near-real-time map of the Gulf oil spill relief efforts.

Ever wonder where the @ sign came from?

Vuvuzela: the infographic.

Two friends on opposite coasts inspire each other with photos every day.

I bet you don’t know what Argentina’s official national sport is. (Hint: Not soccer. Or football. Or fútbol.)

This goose in Prospect Park is probably more hardcore than you will ever be.

This amazing real-time train map of the London Underground.

Kale: the blog.

Rebecca Ford, Emeritus Blog Editor

Well the time has come for me to say goodbye to all of you lovely readers (don’t be upset, Lauren is a fabulous blogger). Running the OUPblog has been a dream job and leaving is very bittersweet. So I thought before I left we could take a trip down memory lane and review some of the best blog posts of the past. This list certainly is not conclusive, just a few of the thousands of posts I had the honor of sharing with you.  Please keep in touch.  You can follow my adventures on twitter @FordBecca.  Ciao!

Holiday collections of our favorite books: 2006, 2007, 2008 (US), and 2008 (UK), and 2009.

Philip Pullman’s look at Paradise Lost.

A look at Lincoln’s finest hour by James M. McPherson.

A prediction that the Kindle would sell a million units in the first year by Evan Schnittman.

Andrew Smith quizzed us about hamburgers.

Anatoly Liberman’s look at the death of the adverb.

The story of the word “tase” by Ben Zimmer.

Colin Larkin looks at Christmas records.

Daniel Walker Howe reflects on his Pulitzer Prize win.

Our podcast series with Richard Dawkins.

Edward Zelinsky’s look at marriage.

Nikita, our department cat, reads!

David Perlmuter on slow blogging.

Charles O. Jones teaches us what it means to be president-elect.

Dennis Baron looks at his Amazon sales rank.

The lingo of the Big Lebowski by Mark Peters.

Donald Ritchie’s look at how the press almost missed the Watergate Scandal.

Shelley Fisher Fishkin’s look at Mark Twain and world literature.

We’ve made it to Friday, everyone! From now on, you’ll be hearing a lot more from me as I transition into the role of Blog Editor after next week. To let you know a little about myself, Rebecca has graciously let me share some items that caught my attention this week.

Which talk show has the best late night band?

Have 117,000 feet of packing tape? Try this.

Copenhagen is going really, really green.

Is Joshua Ferris a Friday Night Lights fan?

Twitter statistics continue to surprise me.

Can you go without your cellphone, social networks or e-mail?

Here are 9 puzzles to keep you occupied all weekend.

The Karate Kid is back.

Ben Zimmer has a favorite Indian English word.

Who are the best librarians to follow on Twitter?

Is it football or is it soccer?

Is it me or does the week before a long weekend always go particularly slowly?  Wednesday feels like a month ago.  Luckily, despite my whining, Friday has arrived and so has Memorial Day Weekend.  I hope you have lovely weather, delicious barbecues, and some time to relax with a good book.  Below are some links to get you through the day.  See you all on Tuesday!

Tina Fey wins the Mark Twain Prize for Humor!

Speaking of Mark Twain, here comes his autobiography.

Are we really friends with our friends?

Sequencing the bugs in our bodies.

A simple swab can save a life.

Do paywalls kill traffic?

The unicorn at Microsoft was real.

The Kagan kids.

Bookshelves to make you drool.

EMT’s in Massachusetts and New Hampshire faked their papers.