If you are a fan of Mad Men, you might enjoy this slideshow of photos depicting New York City in the 1960s.

I came across an article written by Vanessa Barford of BBC. The topic surrounded introverts living in a world that values extroverts:

… contrary to popular opinion, introverts are not necessarily shy or anti-social, they just prefer environments that are not over-stimulating and get their energy from quiet time and reflection.

There is little question that I am introverted. I often find the mere thought of a highly-crowded environment debilitating. These overly-stimulating situations are exhausting. In most cases, I become quiet - analyzing my surroundings or deeply thinking about a familiar topic. If in a meeting, I do not often offer an immediate opinion or speak up on agenda items. Unfortunately, my actions are often misinterpreted and I am thought to be an ass.

I am not quiet because I dislike people. I very much enjoy the company of others. In fact, once I am comfortable with a person, I can talk their heads off. Understanding the window through which others view the world is one of my favorite things about conversation. I am a better person for having gotten to know so many different people.

I am not hesitant to attend events because I am apathetic toward friendship. My absence from social events is not meant as a snub. My friends may be few compared with the average person, but I intensely value their camaraderie. The thought of trying to achieve that same level of friendship with strangers can simply overwhelm me.

My lack of boisterous participation in meetings is not rooted in absence of opinion. I am driven by a profound fear of my self-perceived limitations. When someone gives a quick and loud opinion, I immediately worry that I do not fully understand the issue. Accordingly, I often approach everything with an overly-analyzing eye - choosing to defer an opinion until I achieve their seeming level of confidence. As Barford references, my creativity is best when I am able to quietly reflect.

To the introverts, know that there are many who share your way of processing life. You are not weird. Your self-nature is not something from which you must recover - it is simply who you are as a person. Remain confident and forge ahead.

To the extroverts, our quietness does not necessarily equate to anger or apathy. Don’t assume our absence or limited participation at events is anti-social in nature. You needn’t tell us that we are shy and need to speak up. I assure you that no one is more keenly self-aware than introverts. We are constantly trying to fit the mold of what society expects. As the famous saying goes, be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Patrick Riley, The Lost Ogle:

However, its irritating that while the average Oklahoman was cutting back and trying to recover from the Great Recession, our state’s Chief Executive Officer was busy worrying about the temperature in her swimming pool and the size of a hot tub cover. If that doesn’t show how out of touch she is with the average Oklahoman, I’m not sure what does…other than her constant need to vacation out-of-state.

If you are an Oklahoman struggling to pay for gas, food, and utility bills, I’m sure you can relate to the state spending $3,255 in maintenance costs to keep Gov. Mary Fallin’s pool and hot tub exactly the right temperature.

Stephanie Hegarty, BBC:

We often worry about lying awake in the middle of the night - but it could be good for you. A growing body of evidence from both science and history suggests that the eight-hour sleep may be unnatural.

Hegarty outlines how people used to sleep in a segmented fashion - sleeping for four hours, awakening for one or two hours, then resuming sleep for another four hours. Research shows that our current eight-hour sleep cycle originated from society’s increased night activity and was intensified by the industrial revolution. Some hypothesize that the unnatural nature of the eight-hour sleep cycle has increased our anxiety, stress, and depression.

A rather disturbing comparison of how microwave dinners look on the box versus how they look in reality.

Kieran Crowley and Todd Venezia, New York Post:

For one 83-year-old grandma, the most confusing piece of technology at an Apple Store wasn’t an iPad or iPhone — it was the front door.

Evelyn Paswall, a former Manhattan fur-company vice president, claims the tech company’s signature glass architecture is a menace to little old ladies after she failed to see the glass door at a Long Island location and smashed her face.

Now the Forest Hills, Queens, resident is suing Apple for $1 million, saying the company was negligent for not elderly-proofing the store’s see-through facade.

Hmm, I wonder if it looked anything like this?

A funny, yet depressing, depiction of what Super Mario Bros. would look like if it were released in today’s social-game-driven world.

Jesus Diaz:

The people from the Pima Air & Space Museum thought it would be a great idea to make a 45-foot long paper airplane, lift it with an helicopter, and then drop it to let it glide across the Arizona desert.

Why am I still in school when I could be doing this?

Bill Maher:

When did we get it in our heads that we have the right to never hear anything we don’t like?

This.

Maria Popova:

The following list of 41 don’ts for female cyclists was published in 1895 in the newspaper New York World by an author of unknown gender.

My favorite:

Don’t scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.