Weekend link dump for February 8

Is it time to change the NBA playoff system to ensure the best teams qualify?

The problem with (and promise of) word problems.

“To put that another way: If you’re unvaccinated, you’re about 35,000 times more likely to die from measles than you are to win at PowerBall.”

Great interview with Larry Wilmore, host of The Nightly Show.

Snakes on a dinosaur.

Jane the Virgin takes on immigration reform.

Still have respect for Dr. Oz? Read this and then tell me what you think.

“Baseball doesn’t always need a supervillain, but now that one’s here, isn’t it kind of awesome? If you can’t root for Alex Rodriguez, the person — and I’m not sure I can ask you to go that far — root for how amazing and rare it is for him to exist in the first place. Think about the next time Rodriguez strikes out with the bases loaded. The roar will be twice as good as any other player, I’m thinking. The stakes are raised. Here is a villain so perfect, his own team can mess with him and no one cares. That’s a villain, alright. Considering that we’re talking about a game, though, he’s a harmless one. He’s Hans Gruber, not a genocidal warlord, and I’ve never stopped being glad that Hans Gruber existed.”

Chris Christie might consider keeping his mouth shut the next time he’s asked about vaccinations.

“I think the reality is that society seems to has lost the historical memory of various horrific endemic childhood diseases.” That, and some people are just assholes.

“According to to the Jesus-rode-a-dinosaur crowd, Carnival just slapped them right across their highly-pronounced supraorbital ridge with one of those Darwin fish things with the feet.”

Lindsay Lohan sues Fox News.

So why is snow white, anyway?

“Harper Lee, the author of the beloved novel To Kill a Mockingbird, will publish a second book this summer.” It will feature Scout Finch as an adult.

“DNA tests commissioned by the New York state Attorney General found evidence that many herbal products may not contain what they advertise.”

The city of Santa Fe fell victim to one of the classic blunders, which is “never pay $50,000 to the producers of The Bachelor to feature your city on the air”.

Shoulda just baked the cake. I mean, it is what bakers do and all.

“It’s not because I’m an impossible-to-please feminist killjoy. (Though the NFL does tend to bring out that side of me.) It’s because most of the ads are hollow: soaring messages with few concrete policies or actions behind them.”

Ben Franklin regretted not vaccinating his son against smallpox.

Turns out letting sick employees stay home really is a good idea.

Can your employer require you to get vaccinated? It depends.

Wall Street likes Net Neutrality.

Turns out the lead plaintiff in the case that could gut Obamacare exchange subsidies is about to be eligible for Medicare. Which he’ll totally take, of course, because that’s totally different.

Illegitimi non carborundum, y’all.

RIP, Charlie Sifford, the Jackie Robinson of golf.

A new picture of Pluto, which arrived on what would have been Clyde Tombaugh’s 109th birthday.

RIP, Dean Smith, legendary Tarheel basketball coach and longtime advocate for racial equality.

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