Recommended Reads, 15 September

It might not seem like it - especially here in Minnesota -  but there are things going on in the world besides NFL players beating on their 'loved' ones. For one thing, Scotland might become independent after this Thursday's election. 

Over at the London School of Economics British Politics and Society Blog, Jim Tomlinson has a novel take on why independence might not be terrible: Scotland's economy is as well-prepared for independence as ever. (LSE British Politics and Society)

But if Scotland leave the United Kingdom, what's left? More importantly to Emile Simpson, the Scots are getting a choice that many English, Welsh, and Northern Irish people wish they had: to leave an United Kingdom where David Cameron is Prime Minister and UKIP is the largest party. (Foreign Policy)

Red Delicious apples are terrible. They're like gnawing on red packing tape filled with wet sand. Here's the story of why we are still eating them. (The Atlantic)

Truth in Advertising: Beer labels that are the Pantone tiles of the beer color. (Txaber)

Pennies now cost 1.6 cents to produce, over 1.5 cents last year. If that's not an inflation mindfuck, I don't know what is. (WSJ)

There are 1,264 subgenres of modern music. Ever wonder what Duranguense, Chalga, or deep filthstep are? Well, here you go. (Guardian)