Headlines from December 22, 2010

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 in 2011.
Late last night, Republicans tried to block DADT repeal by baking the process into a separate defense bill.
Following a lesbian coach's firing in Nashville, protestors paint bias as un-Christian, and Bible Belt values get a shock.
At the National Bible Bee children spew fire and brimstone in hopes of winning $100,000.
Saddam Hussein's Koran written in blood poses an ethical problem, but scientifically, it's nothing new.
With the human history of famines and the average adult providing 66 pounds of food, it's no wonder cannibalism existed.
Investors in life insurance policies crestfallen when the insured doesn't die as expected.
For runners, much of their pain can be attributed to a tendon inflammation called "dead butt syndrome."
Bishop strips a Phoenix hospital of its Catholic affiliation after an abortion saves a mother's life.
Vatican clarifies that when the pope said condoms could prevent disease, they should not be used to prevent pregnancy.
You know that song "Slow Hand?" Do that. That's what girls like. Bad advice from sex-ed classes.
This is amazing: The year Kenny Loggins ruined Christmas.
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 lottery spreads $3 billion around a country facing 20% unemployment.
Britain's business secretary stripped of power after "declaring war" on Rupert Murdoch.
Active Army Ranger named world's third best pastry chef.
Chief Executive's top 10 wealth creators and wealth destroyers.
Video: Leonard Bernstein conducting Haydn with his face.
Community's Donald Glover's favorite places in New York.
Account of Sofia Coppola's lost twenties in Hollywood shows fuel for Somewhere, her portrait of anti-Entourage L.A.
Long read: Everything you want to know about a city--really, nearly everything--can be determined from population.
See also: Radiolab report with Jonah Lehrer on same math that unlocks cities' logic.
Graphic: Spiral Path of a Blindfolded Man.
Christopher Nolan's hand-drawn map of Inception's plot.
Round-up of books recently received by Robert Birnbaum, over at his new blog, "Our Man in Boston."
Video: Sound-collage tribute to musicians who died in 2010.