Headlines from June 6, 2011

In some Indian villages, the decisions of unelected councils of male elders carry more weight than the law.
An attempted murder and accusations of gang violence shine a light on a once-private Hasidic village.
"Foreskin Man" comic creator defends his work as anti-circumcision, not anti-Semitic, despite its depiction of "Monster Mohel."
"I have killed off most of the Golden Girls." Playwrights pillage reruns for murder-mystery theater.
From the sedan of the man who inspired Norman Bates to the Unabomber's typewriter, the "murderabilia" market endures.
Madoff household goods auctioned for Ponzi victims; Hagman auctions genie bottle, silver saddle.
Op: Lady Gaga's charisma and dedication make her the Mother Teresa of the 21st century.
Beginning in ancient Babylon, a timeline of people named "Lady Gaga."
A short history of the price of a dress.
Amongst political hullabaloo over light, engineers create the four-inch, 22-year-lasting bulb of the future.
Facing high gas prices and an Arab Spring, British vacationers turn to France and "piggy heaven" when it comes to food.
Manually creating transparent critters; an X-ray view of a thirsty dog.
Op: Imagining a post-spelling world.
"I believe the United States will blow up within a century." H.L. Mencken's version of the "25 Things You Don't Know About Me" meme.
Yemen, already accustomed to mere subsistence, teeters on ruin.
Germans interested in romanticizing war play confederates during Civil War reenactments.
Legal analysis of the Strauss-Kahn case.
Op: France determined to run the IMF to conceal how Eurozone led its members into serious fiscal jeapordy.
Businessmen rush to create next social network; anthropology says we can only have four close friends.
French radio and TV anchors barred from saying "Facebook" or "Twitter" during broadcasts.
Colin Firth commended for "useful contribution" to brain research.
Teenager sells kidney for iPad and iPhone.
Skeleton thieves, blood pirates, and child kidnappers. Criminals reap profits selling organs on the "red market."
Brief captivating profile of activist Arundhati Roy, "mobile republic."
Op: Corporal punishment is effective and humane, unlike our current prison system.
Oxford no fun.
Despite budget cuts, majority of librarians remain satisfied with their jobs.
TMN's Anthony Doerr interviews a librarian operating on a zero-dollar budget.
D.C. Metro map's creator returns to reinvent his work.
Physics of a triple backflip on a bike; video of Lauren Cheney's U.S.-Mexico goal.
Game: George Plimpton's Video Falconry.
New Christoph NIemann drawings find him touring Art Biennale in Venice.