Headlines from November 12, 2013

Analysis of Kerry’s bet, and opposing views, that lining up a nuclear deal with Iran is still the smart play.
U.S. veterans return to Vietnam, some for closure, some to foster reconciliation between the two countries.
Cracking down on U.S.-waged “economic war,” Venezuela’s military occupies a popular chain of electronics stores.
Large hairy crabs escape from a box and go scuttling down a train in Germany. via
Over the past decade, bandwidth reports show Netflix streaming has effectively squashed file sharing.
YouTube-less China has the world’s largest population of online-video watchers, and it’s set to explode.
“ESPN searching for a few loud-mouthed fucks for new afternoon program.”
Profile of a window cleaner and how he gets his clients’ windows so clean. #tmn
Book on the history of panoramic photos contains staff pictures of the Anti-Saloon League of America and the Midget Swing Review, among others. #photographs
In New York the paid-friends market is more formal then in LA, where “it’s much more faux democratic.”
Former employees say French restaurants seat customers depending on their aesthetic appeal.
Studies find young women are becoming equal partners in hookup culture, but without equal benefits when it comes to orgasms.
“Local teen walks in on family masturbating.”
See also: Non-Expert Eric Feezell advises a mother who’s just walked in on her son during a private moment. #tmn
Here, books are nothing special, just part of a wider ecology of continual destruction, recomposition and miscegenation.
Astonishing Ariel Levy article about traveling to Mongolia for a story while pregnant. #longreads
Whenever Mother Nature wants to send an urgent message to humankind, it sends it via the Philippines.
Tom Scocca takes apart a psychotherapist’s argument against Obamacare and explains how insurance actually works.
Retailers are clamoring for same-day delivery, and it may be enough to save the U.S. Postal Service. #audio
The decision to sort of market ourselves as a kind of elite public university paid off. Miami’s ex-president has regrets.
Singing too much while your voice is changing can lead to bad habits and injuries, similar to an athlete playing hurt. #longreads
After 72 days of continuous coughing, Julia Ioffe blames all the non-vaccinating parents for her whooping cough.
Returning from paternity leave, Alexis Madrigal feels great, even though his data tracking shows otherwise.
Related: When the Fitbit rules the mind, it’s time to ignore the beckoning of self-knowledge. #tmn
Speculation is the new spoiler—even floating a theory can change the way you watch and spoil the viewing experience.
See also: From 2008, how spoilers—including joke spoilers, which still plant a thought—ruin everything. #tmn
The chocolate industry’s slow consolidation is devastating West African farmers and independent cocoa processors.
New Orleans and San Antonio companies battle over the “Who Dat” trademark—the term dates back to the 1700s.
Smartphones are changing the way teenagers shop, shoving malls into the periphery.
Apps alone (without services) probably generate more than four times the revenues of digital music.
The private yet public spaces of security guards in Latvia. #photos
More than just calamari: a roundup of the world’s most fascinating squids.