It's probably the first time in history that teddy bears have defeated generals.

Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has sacked two of the nation's top defense officials after two Swedish advertising agency employees piloted a light plane into the country's heavily guarded airspace, dropping 879 teddy bears decked out in parachutes and slogans supporting human rights.

Officials in the ex-Soviet state denied the July 4 incident until Lukashenko called a meeting last week to scold authorities for allowing such a "provocation."

Spain anti-austerity protests end in unrest

Earlier, tens of thousands of people held largely peaceful protests across Spain against the latest government austerity measures.

via BBC 20 July 2012 Last updated at 02:45

YouTube restores Obama videos, refuses to explain takedown policies

Four YouTube videos that had apparently been taken down earlier this week due to dubious copyright claims by the music publisher BMG Rights Management have once again become available to American audiences.

7/19/12 7:25 PM Timothy B. Lee

France's National Front Will Sue Madonna Over Nazi Imagery

via Rolling Stone

Glen Bearian

He's known as Glen Bearian, Meatball and the Future Mayor of Glendale, and he has over 24000 followers on Twitter

Last drugs standing: Key Alzheimer results coming

—Bapineuzumab (bap-ih-NOOZ-uh-mab), by Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy unit.

—Solanezumab (sol-ah-NAYZ-uh-mab), by Eli Lilly & Co.

—Gammagard, by Baxter International Inc.

Who stole the teeth of Brahms and Strauss?

 In a story that sounds ripped from an underwhelming, dental-centric thriller starring Nicolas Cage, Austrian officials are pursuing leads in an investigation of who broke into the graves of 19th century composers Johan Strauss Jr. and Johannes Brahms and stole their teeth.

 Culture Monster - latimes.com 7/3/12

What Hath God Wrought! Higgs Boson

"We've observed a new particle": leaked video reveals Higgs confirmation.

via Ars Technica 7/3/12

The highest court in the land has now spoken.

Spinning the Supreme Court ruling on ‘Obamacare’
The highest court in the land has now spoken.” — President Obama, June 29, 2012

via Washington Post: Breaking News 6/29/12 3:02

In Mexico, Voting Amid a Sense of Nostalgia

NYT > Home Page 7/1/12 1:30 PM By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD Elections Mexico Voting and Voters Pena Nieto, Enrique Salas, Sergio Facing a bloody drug war and a lackluster economy, Mexico voted Sunday for president in an election that may bring back a party that ruled autocratically for much of the 20th century.

via NYT > Home Page 7/1/12 1:30 PM By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD

-PRI, The National Revolutionary Party, was the first party formed after the 1910 revolution. 0ne hundred and ten years of party rule.

LAPD Might Not Get Manson Follower's Old Tapes After All

Are there any more crimes that could be connected to Charles Manson and his followers? The Los Angeles Police Department may have to wait longer to find out. A Texas judge has blocked the release of old audio tapes of conversations between former Manson Family member Charles "Tex" Watson and his then-attorney.

via LAist 6/29/12 5:30 PM Lindsay William-Ross