I give up on trying to live in a spoiler-free world.
About six weeks ago, my wife and I began watching Game of Thrones to catch up with the insanely popular show before it finished its sixth season. Going into it, the only thing I knew was that just about every character on the show dies. Love ‘em? They’re dead. Hate ‘em? They’re dead. I knew that going in, and it got me thinking about spoilers.
I am guessing by the past episode, a beloved character dies. How do I know? 96% of my timeline has a that person’s name followed by a frowny-emoji. I’ve been spoiled. And you know what? I don’t care.
I don’t know what it is - maybe in my heart of hearts I’m not that invested in the show. Maybe I just don’t have much of a stake in make-believe anymore. Maybe I’m just salty and this is turning into a four-paragraph temper tantrum. Who knows?
So, here I stand, a season behind the broadcast, declaring myself spoiler-proof. I don’t care anymore. The internet has broken my “give-a-crap-about-TV” gene. I’m glad I got it out of me before I turn 30.
Let’s check out the Links of the Week.
People are moving into Houston and out of Chicago, so much so that Houston is about to overtake Chicago as the United States’ third most-populous city. [Red Eye Chicago]
If you have about 25 minutes this weekend, here is an essay that is all about how your brain processes information and why means that brains are nothing like computers. [Aeon]
It turns out Hulk Hogan really did have the best lawyers money could buy when he won his $140 million lawsuit against Gawker. [Forbes]
In this week’s argument for “nature” over “nurture”, a study in the Wall Street Journal found that 48.8% of NBA players were related to someone who played a sport professionally, in college, or on a national team. [Wall Street Journal]
The Coolest Article Layout of the Week goes to Vox and their study of how kids these days are better than kids in my day, or your day. They have some stats to prove it too. [Vox]
Slate had a really good read on former Grantland writer and my favorite NBA writer Zach Lowe, who currently owns the championship belt for Best Basketball Podcast. (Editor’s Note: not a real belt.) [Slate]
The Pentagon still uses floppy disks for their nuclear program? Floppy disks?! WHAT? [The Verge]
After this, I will be recruiting Oklahoma City’s Steven Adams for our next dodgeball team. [Streamable]
A “Where are they Now” on the 90’s stars of MTV’s Rock N’ Jock? Sign me up. [Uproxx]
Well, this seems like a lot of work. Microsoft and Facebook are teaming up to lay 4,100 miles of super high-speed internet cable across the Atlantic, from Virginia to Spain. [The Verge]
To close it out, Khaleesi sings MmmBop in Dothraki. Have a good weekend.