The root of real happiness, a case for the virtual office and how to make work cool again

Want to see what a horrifying 2.5-foot sea bug looks like? Ever wondered how Othello might have ended if Desdemona had had a Sassy Gay Friend? Better yet, did you know the new weapons of terrorism conveniently come in the form of explosive-laced breast implants? Neither did I. Here's what I've been reading (and watching) recently:

• What if no one went to the office anymore? Can you imagine a completely remote world, where everyone telecommuted and that corner table near the window at Starbucks became the new corner office? Inc. Magazine put the theory to the test in a fascinating article making a case for the virtual company -- where colleagues interact not in person, but entirely remotely over Skype, email, instant messenger, and phone. (If you have ADD are an article skimmer, here's an abridged version.)

• Admit it: You are chomping at the bit to see what a 2.5-foot prehistoric bug looks like. Disclaimer: It's terrifying. These "bugs" (if you can actually call them that as a bug to me connotes something I can smash with my shoe) live at the bottom of the ocean feasting on giant whale carcasses when they're not plotting to take over the world from their cockroach-brethren and scuttle across your kitchen floor in the middle of the night. Pray that you never wake up and find one of these on your face.

• Apparently if Desdemona had a Sassy Gay Friend (as all of us really should have), she might have avoided her untimely death. Same thing goes for Juliet. Best line: "Yeah, well he's also ordered a pillow from Bed, Bath, and Beyond that's good for smothering, so Tina Turner? We've got to private dance-it out of here."

• Finally, someone (aside from me) has formally recognized what YouTube is really good for: Discovering classic rock. Whether you're a relative new-comer into this world and need an education in The Kinks, The Who and Led Zeppelin, or are somewhat of an expert (like me) and looking for a classic rock graduate degree in The Band, Ten Years After, Stephen Stills and Jethro Tull, YouTube is the go-to destination for your classic rock education. Take it from Auntie Crystal. We know these things.

• The new face of terrorism comes in Femme Bot form: Explosive boobs. According to Gizmodo, British intelligence has discovered that Al Qaeda female suicide bombers are getting explosive charges inside their breasts, using a similar procedure to breast augmentation. This makes these bombs almost impossible to detect at airports. Hooray.

• What dictates happiness? Is it social trust, winning the lottery, or earning a higher salary? (P.S.: Did you know the daily activity most injurious to happiness is commuting? That makes SO much sense.) Anyway, according to this NY Times column economic and professional success is important to happiness, but these successes emerge only out of happiness in your interpersonal relationships. (Translation: Even though your work life may be flying high, if your married/home life is excruciating, you are probably not a happy camper.)

• The case for telecommuting continues, with the White House wanting to make work "cool" again. Their answer for higher employee retention? Flexibility. "It's about attracting and retaining top talent in the federal workforce and empowering them to do their jobs, and judging their success by the results that they get -- not by how many meetings they attend, or how much face-time they log, or how many hours are spent on airplanes. It's about creating a culture where ... work is what you do, not where you are," said President Obama. He wants this thinking applied to the private workforce as well. Thoughts?

• The Most Amazing Alan Greenspan Painting You're Ever Going to See. I think the headline alone about sums it up. It really is amazing. Very comparable in style to one of Eli Cash's giant murals in The Royal Tenenbaums: