Headlines from June 15, 2011

By ruling a gay judge didn't have to recuse himself from Prop 8 decision, district defends a judge's right to be objective.
The Backfire Effect: When deeply held beliefs are rightly challenged, we cling to them even stronger.
No Child Left Behind continues its rampage: Test results show little knowledge of history, no longer a classroom focus.
Thousands of Wal-Mart workers join together to push for better pay and benefits--but don't call it a union.
Google shuts down part of its translation service, fearing too many Google translations and not enough human ones.
Whither the gutter punks? Spring has arrived in the East Village, but the crusties have not.
Wichita experiences rare heatburst: The temperature rose 20 degrees over 20 minutes.
We both drank too much and said too much. I never opened the notebook of questions I had brought with me. Edith Zimmerman's must-read interview with Captain America.
Amsterdam is on the verge of outlawing foreigners entry to its "coffee shops."
Conspiracy theories aside, the origins of 3D biscuitry are both pragmatic and decorative.
FDA's new sunscreen rules limit SPF labeling to 50, as there's little evidence of protection past that.
The many prosthetic noses of Orson Welles, who never cared for the size of his own.
Famous people hanging out with their vinyl.
David Lynch to open Club Silencio in Paris, inspired by a scene from Mulholland Drive.
Athens protests turn violent, with gas bombs and tear gas exchanged.
Palestinians to unveil new Hamas-Fatah unity government next Tuesday.
Interesting U.S. project to deploy "shadow" internet/mobile phone systems to support dissidents and bypass censors.
Op: Syrians are well versed in the history of foreign interference; intervention is largely undesired.
Seventy percent of guns in Mexico come from the U.S.; 2010 was Mexico's bloodiest year yet.
Trudeau responds to comments about disorders among soliders in Doonesbury (recent example).
Long-awaited book on objectivism argues rich people must give up some luxuries to save Earth.
Sound map of Britain.
History of modern dance music in 100 tracks, available for streaming.
Audio version of little-known children's book now available for free, narrated by Samuel Jackson.
Eight years ago, I began traveling the United States to photograph senior dogs.
Lunch with Joey Chestnut, reigning champion hot-dog eater.
Guy on the Folgers jar, and other people whose mugs were stolen.
Videos of African-American musicians covering Rolling Stones songs.