* Bizarre publicity stunts will appear in otherwise reasonable science articles as long as they draw attention. * Economics of the matzo market. * Now we know: The New York Times first published "asshole" while quoting Richard Nixon. * H.P. Lovecraft's commonplace book of fragments and ideas. * See also:
* Frustrated by FDA approvals, ALS patients home-brew experimental treatments. * Spate of lawsuits arrive in New York courts from lawyers who find businesses with disabilities violations, then recruit plaintiffs. * Researchers marvel at orangutans' engineering skills while constructing their nests. * Tanzanian farmers try to thwart crop-raiding elephant packs, which
* New online dating sites embrace face-to-face singles events over scrolling through profiles. * Germans build a hand-cranked barrel organ out of Legos that plays the Star Wars theme. * Arguing that Tolstoy and Aristotle would consider meme culture an art form. * Ten years in, Andy Baio's favorite
* El Salvador marks its first murder-free day in almost three years. * For the first time, Kim Jong-un addresses the North Korean people—his father addressed the nation only once. * Uncovering new clues in the mystery surrounding the Bush National Guard story that ended Dan Rather's career.
Every Friday we take a look back at the week’s headlines, centering on a theme we’ve singled out as particularly important. Many of this week’s stories were related to remembering the bad things in order to make a better, happier, and more pain-free future. Researchers find
* Newark mayor, amateur superhero Cory Booker rescues neighbors from burning houses. * During the 2010 snowpocalypse, Booker and his staff were ready with shovels. * The psychology of walking. * Since eventually the lands of Earth will be subsumed by the rising tides of the planet, it is imperative we learn to live
* Unlike past rocket failures, this time North Korea did not maintain its launch was a success. * Researchers find "manipulating" past memories of drug use can help addicts avoid relapse. * As alternative medicine continues to come under fire from conventional physicians, some hope to combine the benefits of both.
* A prisoner of the Taliban for the past three years, American POW Bowe Bergdahl has been largely forgotten. * Kinkade may be synonymous with kitsch, but he's not so different from Hirst. * Research suggests work is killing us slowly, though being unemployed is worse. * Alain de Botton: "I
* After a campaign spent pandering to conservative ideals, Romney tries to win back women voters. * Romney has a Gore problem—people tend to describe both using robot metaphors. * North Korea flouts international pressure, moves forward with plans to launch a weather satellite. * What not to do if your child is
* Norwegian mass murderer Breivik declared sane after second psychiatrist evaluation. * About to deploy on his fourth tour to Iraq, a Marine vanished into the Montana wilderness, and clues as to why are slowly emerging. * "Beware of muses who promise unrealistic timelines" and other tips to improve your writing.
