Instead of the sobbing rant that I feel like writing about Google Reader’s impending demise, I’ll leave it at this: it’s the one service I use absolutely every day. More than Facebook, more than Twitter. A key part of how I engage with the open web has just given notice, and I’m not sure yet how I’ll replace it – especially with something I can use across apps and platforms.

On the upside, I finally have a cartoon that looks like it might be part of the Previously on capsule summaries. (Please note the sidearm pictured fires Chuck-style tranq darts. If that.) My hope is that these two are actually Googlers themselves… and that turns out to be an officially sanctioned mission. It wouldn’t be the first time.

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Previously on Noise to Signal: The abrupt collapse of the Vector Proximity has enemies and friends alike scrambling. Misha’s shaky alliance with his former Chrysanthemum Project teammates suddenly looks like the one stable link in the chain. So why is Vasily so pleased to see Akinyele get his hands on the third piece of the cipher key? Is it because he finally noticed Mayor Subramaniam’s uncanny resemblance to Candace’s half-clone son… or because he hasn’t yet?