Headlines from October 14, 2010

A detailed look into the Medicare fraud scheme--doctors, patients unknowingly played a role.
One miner ran several miles a day. How diet and exercise shattered dire predictions by topsiders.
U.S. brokers peace talks between Afghan government, Taliban, whose factiousness makes progress uncertain.
Inside the saga of Amina Masood Janjua, crusader for those who disappeared into Pakistan's prisons.
Astronomers review data on Gliese 581--aka our backup planet--and discover it may not actually exist.
In L.A., band members face conspiracy charges for blocking three lanes of the 101 to hold a surprise concert.
He is averaging one George Washington uniform a month. Costume makers say the Tea Party is making a run on Colonial wear.
Historical and linguistic explanations for why we really hate the word "gubernatorial."
There were farewell columns by the food columnist, the hiking columnist, the farming columnist, and most of the paper's regular voices.
Philadelphia's new "democratic education" school has no tests, teachers, grades, or curriculum.
Sweden's leftists say Nobel committee has finally crossed a line in selecting right-wing Llosa.
Yale possesses an unusual reliquary: meat autographed by psychologist Ivan Pavlov.
More pop science shows that nice guys, evolutionarily, will end up with the girl.
Pope creates department to re-Christianize "interior desert" of the secular world's soul.
Former Joint Chiefs Chairman blames Iraq war "fiasco" on Rumsfeld and Franks, saying flatly the war was pointless.
Vet suggests suicides might drop among soldiers if garrison life had less paperwork, fewer PowerPoint presentations.
Chart: How often adjectives are intensified with obscenities (e.g., stochastic as fuck).
Q&A on how scandal narratives titillate, and why people allow themselves to live in garbage.
Manchester, England police tweet every incident in 24 hours.
Young people love texting, hate small talk or "intrusive" telephone calls.
Shifting revenue models account for why American movies are terrible and American TV is excellent.
Video: Antoine Dodson performs "Bed Intruder Song" live at BET's Hip Hop Awards.
Instead of suddenly dropping, curveballs arc consistently; illusion stems from batters switching vision modes.
Table tennis, in the West, is in crisis. No one watches. Booker winner Jacobson profiles ping-pong champ Marty Reisman.
Video: Japanese fembot learns to sing.
TMN's Clay Risen struggles to decide between a robot and a monkey to give him a helping hand.
Thomas Pynchon lyrics set to music (see Thomas Pynchon Fake Book).
One Hundred and Seventy-One Minutes With Evan Dando (World Trade Conspiracy Theorist) and Juliana Hatfield, in Search of a Bowl.