Headlines from December 5, 2007

Scholars don't know how a 500-year-old map of America, now on display in D.C., got to be so darn accurate.
Undated map of blondes in Europe; ugly Argentinian condemns idea that all of Buenos Aries is beautiful, proposes tax for hotness.
Tina Fey's opinions about Paris Hilton, Paula Abdul.
Fashion guru Isabella Blow's death ruled suicide by weedkiller.
Conservation group condemns waterboarding as wasteful.
This is the reality of intensive care: at any point, we are as apt to harm as we are to heal. Atul Gawande on how a "stupid little checklist" saves lives and money for hospitals.
We need your intensive care: Please recommend a novel or two for this year's Tournament of Books.
Striking writers to take moment next Monday to honor Star Trek. See also: Six ways an ongoing strike could affect the 2008 elections.
Video: Like Sex & The City? Try Sexy Beijing.
How children understand large numbers differently from adults.
In many numbers, Josh Groban fans respond to Groban's music being insulted in a blog caption.
Mp3 bloggers may escape the record industry's wrath, but what about Google's revenue from bootlegged music?
Morrissey responds to the NME's racist slant.
Completely unrelated: Uncle Mark's always enjoyable gift guide for the holidays.
How lessons learned from the WMD debacle in Iraq delayed the word that Iran wasn't working on nukes.
Of the Democratic frontrunners, whose health plan covers more people? Also: a quiz to find your candidate.
Seating chart revised to put problem senators up front.
As with the old maitres-paumiers Ross devotes one day a week to hand-sewing game balls out of cork, string, and yellow felt. Playing renaissance tennis in Paris.
A Berlin exhibit shows the work of six female Iranian photographers.
New York Review of Books co-founder Elizabeth Hardwick dies, age 91.
Because people love pages, and hate when they're missing: the history of Google Books and its tainted reputation.
AT&T says goodbye to pay phones; pay phone fans take photos around the world.
The 43-year trip of Santa and Rudolph from stop-motion puppets to Christmas decoration to restoration.
Hangovers from holiday parties projected to cost U.K. businesses £790 million.
Trade bureau approves the first American-made absinthe in almost a century, though getting the monkey on the bottle was a trick.
Video: Pot smoking, coughing in Pineapple Express, the product of airflows from Hawaii and Canada.
When Led Zeppelin reunites, they almost certainly will play Stairway to Heaven, even if it puts the audience in psychic danger.
"Every year there's some sort of swimming hole... the guys from Twiztid dubbed it 'Lake Hepatitis.'" The Insane Clown Posse's posse.