Health spending in the U.S. flattened in 2009, as the recession forced many to forgo medical treatment. N.A.S.A. names 2012 the most scientifically flawed movie of all time--as if a neutrino particle could ever do that? Auburn football tumbles from fourth to 85th in academic
Chinese aviation enthusiasts "discover" new stealth jet days before U.S. Secretary of Defense arrives in Beijing. Spilt coffee leads to false hijacking alert, angry Turk leads to real alert. Dead birds falling from the sky and fish washing ashore have people puzzling over "aflockalypse." Cop
Mexico's La Familia publishes public letter offering to suspend January activities to prove authorities are behind violence. What undermines student writing today isn't slang, it's unchecked prose. Ever-shortening print quotes and sound bites indicate smart journalism. A writer tells how she won a
For D.C.'s new freshmen, today's swearing-in ceremony is the rookie year's high-water mark. Russia captivated by mock Kremlim Twitter feed--KermlinRussia--which doesn't need to do much to make Russian reality funny. Long read: Today's super-rich
This time, America really is in decline: picking apart the arguments that insist otherwise. If China is the next superpower, that's news to the Chinese. Eager Republicans want to undo the last Congress--except their constituents want job creation, not patriotic posturing. Focus groups during the development of
World's boredom aficionados meet to discuss drying paint, paper clips, car roofs. Op: Contemplating anti-Semitism in the Netherlands--Europe's Muslim problem is that it sees no problem. Despite cold winters, nearly every building in Mexico City lacks central heat. Decade after Taliban's supposed
As lawmakers depart their D.C. offices and new ones move in, their aides scramble to find new jobs. One-term Democrat Alan Grayson leaves office, though not without hurling barbs at his own party and "tool of special interest" Boehner. In contrast to Pelosi's gala
Charity Navigator's tips for holiday giving: give without strings; follow up on disaster donations. Humanitarian Notes produces music to entertain, educate, and raise HIV/AIDS awareness in Africa. Partners in Health: Partnering with poor communities to address "untreatable" health problems. Acumen Fund invests in enterprises that
New census results in seat gains for some states, losses for others--California still holds the largest chunk. Texas's four new seats aren't a sure G.O.P. win--though Republicans will be drawing up the new district lines. Backgrounder on the worldwide elections to watch
South Korea aggressively erects giant Christmas tree near North Korea. Chinese officials ban foreign words and Chinglish from publication to keep language pure. Justice and politics in Russia is "all form and no content," as shown in trial of jailed oil tycoon Khodorkovsky. Spain's annual Christmas
