Good Reads

Why Chicago Should be Called Phoenix.

A biologist at Colorado State University working with the Department of Defense is training plants for national security. Genetic engineering is making plants react to threats they never encountered in nature -for human benefit. (via Fortean Times)

Developing a habit of reading, in the cutest way ever.

17 Images That Will Ruin Your Childhood. Unless, like me, you were an adult when these childhood images appeared in our pop culture.

Brad Goodspeed wondered how an exact copy of the earth would look if it were as close to us as the moon. In this animation, he has earth and several other planets revolving around the earth at the same distance as our moon. (via Metafilter)

An innovative but intriguing idea for saving health care dollars: focus on helping the most expensive patients. Ignoring them only causes the bills to rack up unnecessarily. (via Boing Boing)

How (and Why) Are Black and White Films Colorized?

10 Weird Tax Deductions Other People Got Away With (But You Probably Won’t)

Jon Stewart Named to 9/11 Memorial and Museum board of directors. (via Fark)

Fly the Flag, Boys! Interesting flags from around the world.