Headlines from October 3, 2012

Political scientists: Never mind the zingers, presidential debates don’t change election outcomes.
If Romney suggests invading Iran. Your 2012 presidential debate drinking game.
Obama is on track to becoming the first candidate to raise $1 billion.
It’s worth recapping this year’s parade of anti-women horrors. Why 2012 could be a new “Year of the woman.”
Experts say a military attack on Iran’s nuclear sites would kill thousands of people.
On the philosophical implications of the popularity of “correlation doesn’t equal causation.”
Obama makes surprise visit to quantum-branching multiverse on alternate hyperdimensional plane.
History of the Polaroid and the role of goldfish in developing the filters.
Luca Pacioli was a monk, a mathematician, a magician and possibly, the boyfriend of Leonardo da Vinci. #audio
Everyone doubted the possibility of Game of Thrones becoming a TV show, including George R.R. Martin.
Jerry Seinfeld to the Times: “You crumbled a bit of civilization off there yourself.”
The foul lines of Major League Baseball do not create infinite ballfields. via
In just one hour I found no less than three Tumblrs related to shaming people who wear [fedoras].
Chinese firm sues Obama over blocked wind-farm deal.
Reasons why Massachusetts dislikes Romney—for being detached, overly scripted, and unavailable—may doom his campaign.
Netanyahu to call for early elections partially out of fear of Obama’s post-reelection revenge.
Study of the distinct species that is the libertarian: cold, calculating, and mostly masculine.
Due to the availability of computer programs and online matches, far more people make a living as professional chess players today than ever before.
Front pages from 125 years of the International Herald Tribune.
Photographs of Monday’s ferry disaster in Hong Kong that killed 38.
Tennis pros dropping like flies in Chinese tournaments due to stomach illness.
Everywhere in the ideology of foodism we see a yearning for food to be able to fill a spiritual void. Let the foodie backlash begin. #opinions
Notes on elaborate schemes cooked up by Top Chef contestants to hide their whereabouts during filming.
Don’t be too quick to believe recent studies that say curved glasses make you drink beer quicker.
You’ve heard of storing data in the cloud—but how about storing data in outer space? #tmn
Technological review of life with a smart thermostat for 10 months.
Authors discuss merits and problems of using critic James Wood’s prescribed writing methods.
Method to know whether or not you’re in Dallas: all the couples are Scrub + Scrubbed.
Real Men Swear, a Tumblr featuring male fashion victims cursing.
This is what it feels like to get older: You start making clever jokes without even realizing it. Which is pretty awesome.
Story of an extended phone-sex affair that began with a random call and ended face-to-face. #longreads
See also: “Ninety-Nine Bottles of Pee on the Wall.” #longreads