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The Verge Weekender: Online voting, Reddit's plans for democracy, Mark Pauline, and new iPods

The Verge Weekender: Online voting, Reddit's plans for democracy, Mark Pauline, and new iPods

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weekender art 3
weekender art 3

Welcome to The Verge: Weekender edition. Each week, we'll bring you important articles from the previous weeks' original reports, features and reviews on The Verge. Think of it as a collection of a few of our favorite pieces from the week gone by, which you may have missed, or which you might want to read again. This was a very busy week (just ask around!) for us, and we've got a few more links than usual, so have fun!

Beta-testing democracy: Reddit's plan to drop an open internet 'geek bomb' on lawmakers

In a dispatch from Boulder, Colorado, TC Sottek — who is riding aboard Reddit's "Internet 2012 bus" — reports on co-founder Alexis Ohanian's plans to get members of the startup community engaged with lawmakers about the future of the internet.


Samsung Galaxy Note II review

When Samsung released the Galaxy Note last year, people scoffed at the massive device, which looks ridiculous held up to your face and barely fits in your pocket. But then Samsung sold millions of the giant phone. Apparently the company was onto something, and it's going even further with the 5.5-inch successor, the Note II. Is bigger even better

Your Klout score must be greater than 35 to read this

Hated by many, social scoring services like Klout are growing — and it looks like they're here to stay. But when Klout scores start showing up in job requirements, has the idea gone too far?

Terrorism as art: Mark Pauline's dangerous machines

Thirty years ago, Mark Pauline dedicated himself to building killer robots: giant fire-breathing monstrosities that don't so much confront the audience as assault it. His Survival Research Laboratories performances have been banned in several cities (as well as Japan and Spain), including his home city of San Francisco. Despite the obstacles, Mark Pauline, now 58 years old, continues his obsessive, loud, and dangerous art.


Apple iPod touch review (2012)

It didn't get as much buzz as the iPhone 5, but Apple bestowed upon the iPod touch one of its biggest upgrades ever. It's still a music player, but it's much more, too — a camera, a gaming console, and more. It's also $299, which is no impulse buy. Is the new model worth the price? We dove in to find out.

Apple iPod nano review (2012)

It's 2012. So why is everyone still using iTunes to manage their MP3s? Come to that, why is anyone still managing MP3s? Apple's new iPod nano is just the latest overhaul for the nano line, but it's still an iPod through and through. We looked at whether or not the world still needs this tiny little iTunes device.

Why can't you vote online?

Making internet voting secure is a big challenge, but American elections have bigger demons. TC Sottek investigates how close we are to realizing a dream.

'What does this mean??' The absurd pleasures of HeTexted's terrible relationship advice

'Hot or Not' meets 'Cosmo' with hilarious results