From The Nation, Malcolm Gladwell's success as a brand-name thinker rests on the assumption that the unexamined life is the only sort his readers could be living. How many words do you see in a day, or has the "link economy" reached the point where news sites produce information overload rather than managing it? We shouldn’t underestimate the short-term self — sometimes the long-term self should stay out of its way. Richard Burton travelled the globe, charted its cultures — and sometimes infiltrated them with disguises. Odds are Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger meant to deliver more than one message in a recent veto to the state Legislature, mathematicians say (and more). Dark Roasted Blend takes a look at weird stuff McDonald's sells around the world. Terrorist organizations have to spread their ideology somehow — enter the strange, fascinating world of al-Qaeda’s magazines. Doug McGill on the Politico Paradox: Feeding the media we hate. From The New York Times Magazine, an article on the Obamas’ marriage: It’s modern, it’s a formidable brand, and it’s a continuing negotiation between two strong-minded individuals. Stefana Broadbent on how the Internet enables intimacy. A hunt through nation's attics: The 241-year-old reference authority Encyclopaedia Britannica is looking for the oldest complete set in private hands. Death to receipts: How can we trash them? The Gomboc, which started out as a question in the mind of a mathematician, not only exists in the abstract, but also in nature. Research suggests human facial expressions aren't universal. More and more and more and more on John Ortved's The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History.