What's the point of the NYTimes' permalink?

There doesn't seem to be a point to the New York Times' "permalink" URL.
When you click on the share link in a NYT article, it presents you with a few options.
One of those options is the "permalink". Presumably, this is the preferred link that the New York Times wants people (bloggers) to use. But for some reason, it's hidden away in a box that requires a click.
Another oddity. The permalink URL is not simple or SEO friendly.
Permalink:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/fashion/27blogher.html?ex=1374984000&e...
133 characters.
URL I was on clicked from Google Reader share:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/fashion/27blogher.html?_r=1&partner=rs...
96 characters.
Why is the permalink hidden behind a click and supremely complicated? What's the point of the permalink? Why bother?
Full text blog feed