“It’s been a trying year for the world’s most visible institutions. Congressional gridlock, partisan divide, and federal indictments torment Washington. Silicon Valley’s biggest companies are under scrutiny — and even headed to Capitol Hill — for their role in foreign interference during the 2016 election. And meanwhile, over at the Unicode Consortium, there is a contentious debate over a scowling pile of shit.” Charlie Warzel takes you Inside The Great Poop Emoji Feud.

+ Audible’s new feature lets you skip right to the most erotic part of romance novels. (This is titillating news for those who haven’t yet discovered the Internet…)

+ Energy Secretary Rick Perry explains how fossil fuels can prevent sexual assault.