Links of the Week

Here's some links for people to check out.

I Learned the Hard Way: First up, some internet tunes to listen to while going through the links. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings always bring the funk and the soul, their new album is streaming on NPR until its release April 6th. Jones was a corrections officer at Rikers island before catching a late career break as a back-up soul singer. So I guess she took out the funk and the soul in her old job before bringing it in this one.

People.com: Elin Nordegren doesn't want to attend the Masters next weekend according to an unnamed source. No surprise there. What are the odds the "source" is an intern at people.com? 80%?

Speaking of Tiger: The PGA is likely more desperate than we think that his return is a ratings success. The tour's TV contracts are up for negotiation next year and its still seeking corporate sponsors for 10 tournaments in 2011. Needless to say, the stakes are very high for Tiger and the golfing world next weekend. Oh, and there's a great video in the article where Tiger gets showered with beer cans after a hole in one. Times seemed so much simpler back then.

Lavin to St. John's? St. John's went 6-12 in each of the last two seasons in Big East conference play. Lavin went 6-12 in the Pac-10 in his last season in Westwood. Perfect. Anytime you have an opportunity to lock up someone who hasn't actually coached in seven years, you have to do it. Don't discount Lavin's wife being an actress with the move to New York. Also, how pleated are Lavin's pants in that picture? I actually count seven pleats there somehow.

The Big Short excerpt: In case you haven't yet read this piece from Michael Lewis' new book.

Microsoft's Creative Destruction: An interesting Op-Ed piece about internal management stifling innovation at the world's largest computer software company.

Art of the Steal: Wired article on trailing the world's most ingenious thief.

Schrute Farms: 81% of travelers can't be wrong.