* Beppe Grillo, whose movement now holds the balance of power in Italy's parliament, rules out a coalition with the center-left. * Only half of Americans believe the U.S. is the no. 1 military power in the world. * South African paper The Daily Sun publishes amateur footage of
* Dozens of U.S. companies, including Apple, Facebook, eBay, and Intel back same-sex marriage. * In addition to a photograph and fingerprinting, [should arrestees] be required to open up for an oral swab? * A beer monopoly may be imminent, and it's perfectly legal. * "Harlem Shake" reaches
* Coastal Carolina University is on lockdown after a student was shot and killed this morning. * A harrowing, interactive chart of the more than 2,300 people who have been killed by guns in America since Newtown. * Kerry defends free speech to German press: "In America, you have a right
* For more than a year, [Democrats] subjected Koop to the kind of horrific nomination battle we have practically come to consider normal. * U.S. Dept. of Transportation orders shutdown of the East Coast Chinatown bus system. * An in-depth profile of Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathoner. * From
* Dozens of prominent Republicans...have signed a legal brief arguing that gay people have a constitutional right to marry. * What really happened to William Sparkman Jr., the census worker whose body was found hanged in a Kentucky cemetery in 2009. * With a local economy that continues to spiral downward, a
* In talking to Seth about his sense of humor, I asked him about his penchant for making fun of those not like him. * Iran slams Argo Oscar win, calling it an "advertisement for the CIA." * Nine years after a group of Brits tried to swing Ohio in his
* Obama's team formalizes its second-term fundraising and agenda-activating mission. * Despite their long history of doing bad things together, North Korea wouldn't have tested an Iranian nuke. * Thin snows foreshadow another summer of drought and wildfire. * To take ownership of a statuette, Oscar winners first
* Medicine in the U.S. is big business—that should be our first clue when asking why our medical bills are so high. * Scientists discover how brain cells in the midst of a stroke protect themselves from damage. * How music helps children to deal with bereavement. * Defense Dept. finds drone
* Replacement ears are difficult to make—3D printing could perfect how they look. * Scientists get closer to understanding how babies become bilingual before learning grammar. * Why better prenatal testing does not mean more abortion. * How to interpret rejection letters. * See also: A writer rejects a rejection letter. * [The South is]
* Snows depart the Midwest for the Northeast, but also bring moisture to some drought-stricken areas. * Medical bills are simply too high, enriching labs, Big Pharma, device makers, and hospital administrators, and screwing over everybody else. * For foreign drug manufacturers, Japan's aging population and manufacturing provide the world&
