* We're on summer vacation until Aug. 27. In the meantime, enjoy a selection of our summer longreads. * A report from North America's largest consumer craft fair, where the competition for puppet dollars is intense. * A two-week journey across the U.S.—passing through a handful
* Russian punk band Pussy Riot sentenced to two years in prison for protesting Putin in a church. * Listen to Pussy Riot's new single, "Putin Lights Up the Fires." * Tom Morello: "Paul Ryan is the embodiment of the machine our music rages against." * The [Confederate]
* South African police open fire on striking miners, killing at least 18. * Even after billions of dollars have been spent reconstructing Haiti, many refugees still don't have safe housing. * France's targeting of gypsy camps continues under Hollande, though with less opposition; as for the Roma, deportation
* AP Stylebook releases list of election cliches to avoid—WaPo provides commentary. * Hungary tries to quell "brain drain" by requiring state-sponsored grads to stay for 10 years—a possible violation of EU laws. * Mr. Ramirez thinks that around 0.5% of all bills in Peru, including dollars,
* Europe lets Hezbollah operate openly as a political and social movement. * Prize-winning 1987 essay by Hilary Mantel on women's domestic life in Saudi Arabia. * Favorite new meme: "Ridiculously Photogenic Syrian Soldier." * NBA officials didn't think black players looked good in black until Jay-
* Rebuke to anti-algebra op-ed says algebra, like math itself, is for everyone. * I make even my most ardent pro-choice friends very uncomfortable when I explain why my mother should have aborted me. * Soledad O'Brien lucidly fact-checks GOP's $700+ billion Medicare cut claim.
* In a dozen years, China will have more than 220 cities with over a million citizens each. * It is becoming increasingly clear that Europe’s leaders are now planning for a Greek exit from the euro. * State-by-state picture of America's battle with the bulge. * Interactive panorama
* It is the recurring temptation of self-confident, insular elites to assume that the whole country loves what they love, hates what they hate and believes what they believe. * Paul Ryan: "Admit it, I scare the ever-loving shit out of you, don't I?" * Young environmentalists
* Supporters of the Syrian uprising may struggle to watch rebel fighters toss dead enemies off a roof. * The week in South Korean island-related political stunts. * Fascinating story of Argentine ants' violent domination of the planet. * Photographs of abandoned Chinese theme park Wonderland. * Saudi Arabia plans new city for
* Under Paul Ryan's tax plan, Mitt Romney would have paid around 0.82% on his income of $21 million in 2010. * Ryan: The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand. * Insurers
