A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

PERVERSE AND OFTEN BAFFLING: Even if you're not already a regular This American Life listener via the radio or podcast, last week's episode "Tough Room" (iTunes, while it lasts) is much worth your time for two reasons: Ira Glass' trip to The Onion's weekly writer's meeting, and Malcolm Gladwell's retelling of his early days in journalism at the Washington Post, where he and a colleague would run month-long contests to see who could get the phrase "raises new and troubling questions" into more stories in a month. Fun stuff.