Headlines from October 25, 2011

Rick Perry doubles down on birtherism, catering to majority of likely GOP primary-goers.
Al Qaeda traditionally has taken advantage of areas that are wracked by conflict. U.S. fears terrorism in Africa.
France to aid Kenya’s intervention into Somalia.
We’re hooked on a drug that is destroying society. As with all addictions, the first step is to admit to it. Advertising is evil. #opinions
Favorite long-term data sets: prize-winning fishing catches; dates of Japanese festivals; continuous plankton collection.
Ian Frazier discovers no one in Siberia plays Tic Tac Toe. #audio
If society were fair, a new Helen DeWitt novel would receive Franzen/Eugenides-level ululation.
How the potato changed the world. #longreads
Time editors pick the 100 greatest English-language songs since 1923.
Books for designers, coders, writers.
Words like “gas giant” and “robotics” don’t come from science, but from science fiction.
History littered with abandoned punctuation, like the 16th-century sign denoting snark.
History and controversy of Daylight Savings Time explained. #video
After international fight between museums and collectors, famed goddess statue returns to Italy.
Hey, kids, get off my microlawn!
Vatican calls for central world bank to oversee financial institutions.
Pictures of faces with money.
Wikileaks to stop publishing secrets due to block by credit-card companies.
N+1 releases Occupy! An OWS-Inspired Gazette as PDF—“an attempt to begin to think through what is happening.”
“Occupy” now a banned search term in China.
John Paul Stevens on The Collapse of American Criminal Justice. #longreads
Gadhafi’s end compared to the fates of Mussolini and Ceausescu.
Anonymous takes down host of child pornography sites, including kingpin Lolita City.
Data finds dads rule when it comes to kids selecting favorite sports teams.
In the music world, A&R men once were alchemists; now they’re venture capitalists.
Tribute messages left for Jobs on Apple’s website analyzed for keywords; fans align him with Ford over Edison.
New York Times files Angry Birds gameplay correction.
Sampling Emily Dickinson’s coconut cake—not an airy treat, but quick to make.
Kanye West lyrics mashed up with images from Saved by the Bell.
British taxi driver who donated body in order to be mummified now rests with the Pharaohs.