Maverick Teams, Taxis, and Sweaters: Today’s Recommended Reading

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Here at Flavorwire, we pride ourselves on not only writing some of the best content on the Internet, but keeping an eye on all of the great writing that other folks on the ‘Net are doing, too. Today, we’ve got some sports stuff, a weird political analysis of Sarah Palin’s outfit, the backdoor dealings of Uber drivers, the genius of T-Pain, and, possibly, a new planet.

Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King relays a moment-by-moment account of how a last-minute rule change may have opened the door for the St. Louis Rams and, potentially, the San Diego Chargers, picking up and moving to a new stadium in Los Angeles.

“Why was the secret ballot so significant? The Chargers/Raiders faction felt it had between 18 and 20 votes solid entering the meeting—something the Kroenke side believed was fiction. But there was something about the Rams/Inglewood project that, while inconvenient for those who wanted the Chargers and Raiders stadium issues fixed in one fell swoop, many owners knew was better for the NFL long-term: Instantly, the 298-acre Inglewood site would be the best NFL property in the league … with $2.7 billion worth of buildings and development, including a 70,240-seat stadium with translucent cover that would join the regular Super Bowl rotation; a campus for a so-called ‘NFL West,’ including a new building for NFL Network and new home for NFL Media; and a 6,000-seat theater that one day one owner said ‘we hope will host the Oscars.'”

The Washington Post published a shockingly insightful political analysis of the outfit Sarah Palin wore during the press conference where she endorsed Donald Trump.

“It was vaguely gaudy, with a hint of kitsch. And for a political affair it was inappropriate — which in the politically disruptive universe of Palin, made it perfect.”

A report from Mel Magazine highlights the increasing number of Uber drivers booking private driving gigs with repeat customers and cutting the app out of the picture.

“By arranging a private fare, drivers stand to make a lot more money by removing Uber’s commission. Passengers, too, have realized that they can ask for — and get — discounts on privately scheduled rides. This being the case, there’s a growing buzz suggesting that all kinds of private ride-sharing arrangements are being made all over the country.”

Fun Fact: Did you know T-Pain is an unpaid spokesman for Apple? Me neither, until The Verge put up this piece about the new version of Garageband, where he explains how it helps both green and veteran producers make music. (There’s a video too.)

“T-Pain was using GarageBand long before Apple reached out to him. He says he’s been using the app for years as a way to quickly put together new beats. Over a decade ago, outside clubs in Tallahassee, he’d use the app to make songs for people on the fly.”

Last and absolutely not least, The New York Times was one of many outlets reporting today that scientists believe they may have discovered a ninth full-size planet in our solar system.

“Pluto, at its most distant, is 4.6 billion miles from the sun. The potential ninth planet, at its closest, would be about 20 billion miles away; at its farthest, it could be 100 billion miles away. One trip around the sun would take 10,000 to 20,000 years.”