A few links for you. Only one is at all politically motivated. Fred Clark explores the question of whether book sales are a reliable barometer of how many Americans support a particular viewpoint.
My single favorite photoblog has to be Hungover Owls. When a real-life story about a drunken owl surfaces, yeah, they heard about it.
Joe Posnanski: Still the dad I aspire to be.
Lastly, h/t to Jen S. for graphical representation of what exactly the Ramones and the Misfits want. You could also add in Iggy Pop, "to be your dog."
WAIT WAIT THERE'S MORE: The Simpsons predicts the Tea Party.
It will surprise precisely no one that I have several links about the Giffords shooting. For starters, TMW sums up the modern gun control debate.
I personally am a lot softer on the gun control issue than I was ten years ago. I'll put up with gun ownership in this country, I guess. What I don't like are the modern tea party overtones of "If we don't get what we want, we're going to shoot some people,", which is, you know, not how democracy is supposed to work. I'm not saying that it's categorically wrong to take up arms against the government; at a certain level of totalitarian oppression, that's appropriate. But we're not at that level. We're not even particularly close. Fred Clark explains how the crap that the right wing makes up to scare people and stuff the ballot box contributes to tragedies like these, and how they should be held accountable one way or another.
Somewhat more pleasantly: I've never been a fan of Grover Norquist, but I did enjoy learning that he questions the war in Afghanistan and is in favor of prison reform. Who knew? Sounds like a job for... Bipartisanship!
If you are a Washingtonian, a rite of passage is trying to recall where all 50 streets names after states are. I used to be good at this, when I actually lived in DC, but now not so much. Here's a cool map that visits them all.
Music: If you lived and breathed alternative music in the early 90's like I did, you absolutely MUST read Steven Hyden's series on 90's alternative and grunge's rise and fall. I particulary like the 1995 installment, which focuses on Cobain's suicide and how it pretty well ended everything, as I've discussed previously.
While I was at the AV Club, I stumbled upon a wonderful compendium of Vonnegut quotes.
Lastly, sports and/or video games: Marshawn Lynch obviously picked up a star before making that run.
This week's LFF is much more upbeat than last week's. In fact, there's really nothing political in it at all, so even my conservative friends can read and enjoy.
I can't say it any better than the title: The Sugar Bowl Previewed by an Alcoholic New Orleans Police Horse.
The year's best animated sports GIFs. Personally I think the collapsing Metrodome warranted the top 10, not just an honorable mention.
The homeless guy with the super duper radio voice has been all over the interwebs this week, so you already know that story. This article on the guy who shot the original video is worth a read. There's a dude who walks the walk.
Lastly, I want to be Joe Posnanski when I grow up.