The television universe is about to get a Dear Jon letter as Jon Stewart's tenure at The Daily Show draws to a close this week. Under his watch, the show went from being a parody to being a serious player in the news business. The NYT takes a look back at nine essential moments from Stewart's quintessential nine year run. It's been influential and informative. But it's always been about the funny, which is why Exec Producer Steve Bodow is thankful for Donald Trump: "Anthony Weiner was, to [John] Oliver's run, what Donald Trump is for Jon right now. 'Oh, thank you, universe.'"

+ All the careers launched by The Daily Show in one video.

+ The Daily Show has parodied the media. And the media loved it. Slate's Brian Unger: How the press fell in love with The Daily Show.

"We'll just keep paying them normally, eliminating the headache of switching to state or disability pay. Each employee gets to figure out what's best for them and their family." Netflix just announced a year of unlimited maternity (and paternity) leave for its employees. The move is a sign of the competition for employees in the tech industry, an indication of the trend towards workplace equality, and a recognition that after a few weeks of hearing the crying and changing the diapers, you'll begging for your cubicle back.

+ The move is also a sign of just how successful Netflix has been in recent years. As the WSJ explains, we're addicted to Netflix.

+ Vox on the problem with unlimited leave: "It replaces clear, predictable limits with limits imposed by vague and arbitrary social pressure to work more." This brings up a broader discussion. These days, is anyone ever really not working?

"I am not saying this to be provocative. I am stating a fact . . . the choice we have is some kind of war, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in three months, but soon." President Obama made his case for the Iran nuclear deal and positioned it as the alternative to war.

+ "If we unilaterally walk away from this process and turn our back on [our partners'] cooperation, they're gone. I know they're gone." Jeffrey Goldberg talks to John Kerry about the risk of Congress ‘screwing' the Ayatollah.

"Game Of Thrones Is our World Cup." You might not watch baseball. But if you're a fan of streaming media, then you're a fan of Major League Baseball Advanced Media. They handle the streaming for some of the largest content players. Here's Ben Popper in The Verge with the story of how baseball's tech team built the future of television.

+ ReCode: Pro baseball's streaming video unit gets ready for a $3 billion spinoff by adding pro hockey.

The UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition is advising residents to take a daily vitamin D supplement to make up for the fact that many of them are not getting enough sunlight during the day.

"Already, giraffes have become extinct in more than seven African countries. Unfortunately, it's not fully hit the attention of the world, including many governments and major conservation organizations." As ridiculous as some of the Cecil coverage has been, it has engendered several interesting discussions and brought up many questions. Like, why do humans kill everything? The New Yorker's Robin Wright has another, slightly more narrow, question: Who Would Kill a Giraffe?

+ The vacation home of the Minnesota dentist shot the lion has been vandalized by graffiti. Pigs feet were also scattered throughout his lawn. That oughta teach a lesson ... to the pigs.

+ A viewpoint from Goodwell Nzou in the NYT: In Zimbabwe, we don't cry for lions.

While we all spend too much time staring at our screens, I'm noticing another (highly related) trend. We like to go outside and be with other people, especially when it involves an activity that demands our undivided attention. I'm guessing that is one of the reason that amusement parks are on track for a record breaking year. (It's either that or the free WiFi...)

"The word list arguments have been going on for maybe twenty years now, almost entirely in a repetitive, pointless circle." Charle's Bethea with the latest on the never-ending battle over Scrabble's dictionaries.

"Sushi in North Dakota in 1905! I bet you weren't expecting that." That's just one of the unexpected findings in this interesting look at the history of Japanese food in America.

+ Could regularly eating spicy foods help you live longer? (Who cares if all those extra years are spent reading questionable food studies?)

"Accelerator (n.): An institution connecting college dropouts with wealthy investors eager to lose money." The Verge is creating the New Devil's Dictionary. Word up.

+ Vogue: A look inside the world of bespoke hot dogs. (I always said there was still hope for the future. I guess I bespoke too soon...)

+ Here's a pretty amazing shot of the moon crossing the face of the Earth.