Headlines from August 7, 2012

The space race is long over, but America still lags behind the Soviets in number of planets visited.
Where Russia meets Kazakhstan, space junk is prevalent—as are health problems associated with toxic rocket fuel.
Schwarzenegger [wants to] become president and fulfill Hitler’s superman scenario. Inside the mind of last week’s Tennessee Democratic Senate primary winner.
Romney’s top campaign strategist: an adventurer-writer who’s never voted Democrat, no matter what his editor says.
Aaron Sorkin repeats himself.
Only a few respondents said they did it because they thought it was safe. Why cyclists run red lights.
Related: “How to Not Kill a Cyclist.” #tmn
You can see from our eyes, and the way you talk changes. Translated version of banned Russian article on four days spent with drug-addled youth.
Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1890 illustrated journal depicts his pre-Sherlock voyage as a ship’s doctor in the Arctic.
Ulysses is “pure style,” bad for literature, says Paulo Coelho.
How comic books around the world reflect their individual cultures—the Middle East’s first superheroes arrived in 2005.
Introducing Playtest, Matthew Baldwin’s new board-game review site. #games
See also: Matthew Baldwin’s annual Good Gift Games guides. #tmn
Tig Notaro’s comedy set on Saturday: “Thank you, thank you, I have cancer, thank you, I have cancer, really, thank you.”
Syria’s prime minister defects; Iran pokes U.S. over hostages in a bus.
The entire case that Romney is putting before undecided voters is something he does not believe himself.
Panama Canal to soon accommodate mega-ships, causing highways and shipyards elsewhere to evolve.
Man deposits junk-mail check; bank cashes check, then sends tough guy to demand money back.
Compelling large-format pictures from the London games. #photography
Usain Bolt ate McDonald’s before winning gold in the 100m race.
List of 154 countries with fewer Olympic medals than Michael Phelps.
Olympian Lolo Jones deserves gold in playing look-at-me. #opinions
Chinese athletes who return with less than gold face violence and hate mail at home.
Honey-badger commentary on Olympic sailing. via #video
“Super-cut” model applied to text, highlighting every use of the word “cat” in The Cat in the Hat.
Homage to Graham Greene and “the other text” he wrote into every novel.
In case you missed it: Sarah Hepola’s column, “Crushes on Strangers.” #tmn
Evidence of class war in New York City, or, “in SoHo Ferraris are running over cops.” #video
Did you ever imagine you might one day live in a world in which Al Sharpton would narrate a report about dancing Japanese robots on the television?