The Week: June 7, 2013

We are in Paris this week. PARIS. It’s positively amazing. Everyone is wearing sensible flats and looks like a 60s-era movie star. Plus, every single bakery we see is, by definition, a French bakery. Despite being able to say roughly 20 words in French, I am pleased to say that I know how to order cake, cookies, and tartes with surprising ease. Priorities. I have them in order.

And as part of those priorities, I want to take a moment to say thank you to all of you. I did not intend for Tuesday’s post to be the love fest that it was. I merely wanted to talk about some issues that had been troubling me. Your responses were incredible and overwhelming. I’m truly humbled and honored. Thank you all.

I’m now off to shove more sweets into my mouth. You enjoy these links.

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This profile on pickpocket Apollo Robbins is fascinating (note: he’s a sleight-of-hand artist, not an actual thief). Ditto for this video that reveals how he pulls off some of his feats.

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In the U.S., we spend roughly twice as much of our GDP on medical procedures as other developed countries do. The New York Times takes a look at why this might be true, starting at the, um, bottom: the price of colonoscopies.

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This is glorious, and I’m not even a mom: Eff the MILFs, I’m bringing frumpy back. (via the brilliant @emvandee)

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I’m really digging the Selfless Portraits project, in which participants illustrate the Facebook profile pics of strangers.

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Wow. Maybe it’s just my vernalagnia talking, but I might be in love with these illustrations of unusual words.

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A 1947 “educational” video entitled How to Be Popular. Spoiler: Wally invites Caroline to a weenie roast, and the girls do home manicures! It’s almost funny. Almost.

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A look at how you actually play Monopoly.

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What happens when a 9-11 conspiracy theorist changes his mind?

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Patton Oswalt acts out the lyrics to his favorite song and IT’S AMAZING. Cameo by a giant leopard print couch.

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Whoa. A man who makes his living writing college papers for other people dishes a bit about his chosen line of work.

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