Headlines from January 31, 2013

Breakdown of recent arguments around a favorite conservative concept: the hidden prosperity of the poor.
Photos from Hillary Clinton’s 956,733 miles traveled as secretary of state.
Chinese court finds two Tibetans guilty of urging self-immolation, sentences one to death, the other to prison for 10 years.
To try and understand their motives, a look at Tibetan self-immolators final words.
Gabrielle Giffords’s speaking notes for her Senate testimony, handwritten by her speech therapist.
Schools continue to phase out teaching cursive—experts say most adults don’t use it now, either. #education
Since at least the beginning of the 20th century, we’ve been sounding handwriting’s death knell. #tmn
His nose wrinkles as he fishes a morsel of mackerel from Una’s fingers. A polar bear’s dental exam. #animals
Four men charged with robbing homes of LA Times readers who’d put their subscriptions on vacation hold.
The last of the Andrews Sisters dies, age 94. #obit
Werner Herzog on spirituality, extinction, and owning only one suit. #interviews
Accidentally with my trowel I kill a flower. The world is chaos. Rosecrans Baldwin opens Herzog’s diary. #tmn
Bo Obama receives visiting dognitaries from Furuguay.
Amoeba Records digitizes rare and out-of-print records, holds profits in an escrow account if rights-owners come forward.
Today at TMN: Post-Armstrong, Oprah gives the yes-no treatment to more villains.
Lance Armstrong claims he’s cycling’s “fall guy,” taking the blame for a culture of winning by any means necessary.
The best cover of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” ever recorded. #video
Paul Ford: Every night at dinner my wife and I each ask what the other learned that day.
Reminder: Tomorrow is your last day to apply for TMN’s Spring 2013 internship. #tmn
While Giffords and the NRA’s LaPierre addressed the Senate, another mass shooting took place in Arizona.
NRA admits it doesn’t support the idea of extending background checks to gun shows.
As of 1998, for every time a woman used a handgun to kill in self-defense, 101 women were murdered with a handgun.
Times says it was hacked for four months after running the story about Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s family wealth.
We do a lot of stupid things in foreign policy. Get used to it. Top five truths no U.S. official will admit.
Terrific profile of Norwegian architectural collaborative Snøhetta, producers of the spectacular Oslo Opera House. #longreads
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s unborn child already worth $550 million.
Amazon is a charitable organization being run by elements of the investment community for the benefit of consumers. via #opinions
Rebecca Solnit: Everyone praises Silicon Valley, but the area’s culture is ruining San Francisco.
Analysis of whether Hilary/Hillary really is the most rapidly poisoned name in recorded American history.
Volkswagen Super Bowl ad criticized: “Borderline racism I can take, but lazy, unamusing borderline racism? Why bother?”
Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan on why the band finally decided to make a music video, and why it includes recipes. via
Note to self: Our use of Chinese food takeout boxes has been, until now, horribly inefficient #video
Hallmarks from the history of marine art. #tmn
Put a camera near him on the field and he sucks that thing up like it’s Earth’s last bubble of oxygen Hater’s guide to the Ravens’ Ray Lewis.