Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading for the weekend:

1. Over on Wired Science, a thoughtful post on whether thinking about God enhances your self control.

2. At Der Spiegel, some fabulous photos of East Germany, past and present.

3. And speaking of nostalgia, I loved hearing about the project Dear Photo on NPR.

4. Also in the realm of nostalgia is this fabulous post on Scott Hanselman’s Computer Zen about floppy disks and 14 other “old people” icons that don’t make sense anymore.

5. Via Cassandra Daily, I came across this marvelous recruitment video at Twitter.

6. I loved the thread If You Could Be Brutally Honest With Your SO, What Would You Say?, as relayed on Ben Casnocha’s blog. (Sample comment: # If he actually showed serous interest in me, I’d leave you in a heartbeat. I’m sorry.)

7. Finally, I’m sorry but this video made my week, and you don’t even need to love Lionel Richie to appreciate it.

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading for the blogosphere:

1. In light of President Obama’s landmark endorsement of gay marriage, I offer you 14 steps that will help you evolve your views on gay marriage at Buzz Feed.

2. This New Yorker blog post on Putin’s Inauguration as Russian President by Julia Ioffe is funny and depressing in equal measure.

3. In other news, children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak died. Here’s a really smart analysis of the underlying message in his children’s books by Ann Hulbert at Slate.

4. Also, don’t forget to take this Washington Post quiz to see how well you really know Sendak.

5. Vidal Sassoon also died. Here’s a wonderful slideshow of his most famous haircuts at The Guardian.

6. On a lighter note, Idea Peepshow lets you vote on your favorite name in Public Radio. (Do not miss the song!)

7. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction:  Prince Charles gives a weather report. (And rocks it!)

8. Finally, if you’re looking to put an extra spring in your step, check out Ben Aaron’s dance walking fitness video. Love the Eminem guy!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. I was really moved by this essay by Cristina Alger in the New York Times in which she remembers visiting her father’s office as a child.

2. I also loved the history of key design on Slate.

3. And speaking of design, check out 10 crazy and unusual book designs over at Flavorwire. Fab! (Hat tip: Lisa Romeo Writes)

4. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you hit an egg with a baseball bat or explode a birthday cake, you’ll want to watch these video highlights from the Danish TV show Dumt & Farligt. (Hat tip: Very Short List)

5. If you enjoyed Texts from Hillary, you’ll also like Hey Girl, It’s Paul Ryan.

6. And if you want to smile, read today’s interview with the Bloggess on The Happiness Project.

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. Over on Salon, I loved Cary Tennis’ send-up of the Secret Service scandal.

2. Also clever is Avi Steinberg’s hilarious blog post Pulitzer: The Leaked Fiction Memos at The New Yorker.

3. On a more serious note, Hannah Brown’s essay in the New York Times Modern Love column about what it’s like to try and date when you have an autistic child was both honest and heart-wrenching.

4. I never cease to be amazed by Roger Ebert’s blog. Here he is talking about skylines in different cities, including my (former) hometown Chicago and current fair city of London.

5. This map of what different American states are good at and bad at is genius.

6. Check out these never-before-seen photos of New York City from 100 years ago at The Daily Mail. Breathtaking!

7. I don’t know how this Volkswagen “Lord of the Rings” ad sneaked under my radar screen, but it’s a keeper.

8. Finally, I think White Man’s D!#k with Susan Sarandon pretty much speaks for itself. (Definitely NSFW)

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. I’ll listen to author Anne Lamott talk about anything. Here’s an interview with her at the New York Times Motherlode blog where, among other things, she discusses her views on adulthood. Bliss.

2. Simon Doonan’s random meditation on why we really get tattoos over on Slate is hilarious.

3. Here’s a gorgeous graphic comparison of New York and Paris at The Guardian.

4. I really can’t say for sure why I was mesmerized by the Children Medieval Band performing a song about overdosing on drugs, other than my no longer latent obsession with Game of Thrones. Check out that drummer – wow!

5. Strangling My Muse had some terrific suggestions for how to mark World Creativity and Innovation week. I’m personally a big fan of the community story idea.

6. Via The Huffington Post’s Lisa Belkin, I’ve just discovered The Bloggess. Boy, does she look like fun…

Have a great weekend!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. It seems appropriate, as we approach the end of Passover,  to kick off this week’s list with a beautiful explanation by author Jonathan Safran Foer of why he decided to create a new Haggadah.

2. In light of this week’s showdown over the “War on Women”  in the American presidential election,I thought I’d share Slate’s slideshow on sex and the office, depicting working women through the ages.

3. And speaking of working women, if you haven’t yet seen the fabulous website, Texts From Hillary, do go visit before it is taken down. My own personal fave? The Ryan Gosling post.

4. I absolutely adore Cassandra Daily (formerly Trend Central), which keeps subscribers up-to-date on relevant trends and cool social happenings among youth.

5. This honest post by Devon Corneal over on The Huffington Post about why she finds it so hard to actually “play” with her kids really struck a chord.

6. I really responded to Necee Regis’ post at Beyond The Margins entitled The Power of Words, which is all about what happens when a stranger is moved (positively or negatively) by what you write.

7. A friend sent me this fantastic Geico ad about why it’s so important to be honest with your customers. Love it!

8. Finally, everyone – but especially bloggers – must look at The Oatmeal’s post on how to get more Likes on Facebook. At once hilarious and true!

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. Many reporters have been covering this week’s hearings on the Affordable Care Act at the United States Supreme Court, but I’ve particularly enjoyed reading Dahlia Lithwick’s behind-the-scenes coverage over on Slate.

2. If you’ve ever doubted the power of animation, have a look at this harrowing video about juvenile executions in Iran at The Guardian. You will not be able to look away.

3. As someone who lived through the London riots last summer, I found this article on how London artists reacted to the riots at The Huffington Post to be riveting.

4. I was completely fascinated by this article on why we are drawn to certain words based on how they are typed.

5. Finally, and though I’ve listened to this five times and still have no earthly idea what inspired it, I give you The Motherfu$%king Pterodactyl Song at The Oatmeal. Definitely not suitable for work or small children, but I guarantee that you will be singing it all weekend…

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. If you do nothing else this weekend, listen to this fascinating account at This American Life of a recent story on China they ran which turned out not to be (entirely) true. Kudos to them for owning this.

2. Over on The Washington Post’s She The People blog, here’s a sobering reminder by Diana Reese of why the whole contraception debate raging in the U.S. isn’t all that important when you don’t have a job.

3. I loved the essay entitled Erma Bombeck: Feminist Housewife by Kristen Levithan on Literary Mama. Such an inspiration for us all.

4. I also loved Lisa Belkin’s account at The Huffington Post of her interview with author Anne Lamott and Lamott’s son, Sam. Sam became a father at 19 and has now written about the experience with his mother. Can’t wait to read it!

5. Also on The Washington Post this week were snippets from the Things I Would Have Said book project. Marvelous!

6. Finally, this is fun: a video of Lego Tower Bridge time lapse construction on Londontopia. Cool!

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. I thought Roger Cohen’s Op-ed in the International Herald Tribune on the whole viral campaign to stop KONY was spot on.

2. Of all the parodies of Greg Smith’s now famous op-ed in the New York Times about why he is quitting Goldman Sachs, I thought this one in Vanity Fair – entitled Why I’m Quitting Pinkberry – was the cleverest.

3. My cyber-friend Lisa has another terrific meditation on her blog Amid Privilege, this one about the difference between “pretty” and “attractive.” Required reading for women of all ages.

4. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s *really* like to work in the Human Resources Department, take a look at Confessions of the HR Department: Drunk and Bleeding is Never a Good Start to the Interview in xoJane.

5. This week’s installment in hilarious belongs to Dadspin’s If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, You’re Fu**ed: Ten Tips For Avoiding Terrible Children’s Books. Yeah, I tried that whole DK thing too…

6. Finally, in the Department of Just Because, a slide show of Staircases that Wow at Slate.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Every Friday I point you towards some recommended reading around the blogosphere:

1. I’d like to begin this week with Frank Bruni’s sad and all too apt reflection in The New York Times on what it means that Republican Senator Olympia Snowe will be retiring from the Senate.

2. And speaking of prominent female politicians, have a look at Roger Ebert’s typically thoughtful review of Game Change and Sarah Palin’s tragi-comic role as the greatest actress in American political history.

3. I absolutely loved Connie Schultz’ contribution to My Story In 5 Faces over at Parade.

4. This post by Regina Barreca in Psychology Today on what it means to be a grown up really struck a chord. Best line?: “Wouldn’t it be great if you think that “arugula” is what the background singers are chanting in “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” you would be sent back to school?”

5.Check out these amazing photos of the London 2012 Olympic park over at The Guardian. Can’t wait!

6. This may be the most amazing thing an Oscar-obsessed soul like myself has ever seen. It’s a montage of slow-motion videos of Best Actress and Actor nominees as the winner is announced at The Academy Awards. Yes, you can actually watch a close up of these actors’ faces shifting from despair to muted joy as they pretend to be happy for their colleagues who win the big prize. (Hat tip: Communicatrix)

7. Have I mentioned how much I love The Oatmeal? Check out this series called Minor Differences. Brits and Americans who’ve spent a lot of time around one another will particularly love Part Four.