In the digital age, the printed book has received a stay of execution from an unlikely source: designers.

Selling a Book by Its Cover

Play helps develop crucial skills, advocates say as they try to pull children and their parents away from the screen.

Effort to Restore Children’s Play Gains Momentum

The Day He Knew Would Come

Some dating Web sites allow users to specify who will be waiting for them in their personal dating pool.

Narrowing the Field Before Playing It

President Obama is closing in on a decision to fill two top positions and recharge his administration in a time of divided government.

Obama Turning to Experienced Hands as He Remakes Staff

Auburn’s top-ranked football team dropped from No. 4 to No. 85 in the N.C.A.A.’s Academic Progress Report, and critics saw that as a sign of progress.

Auburn Is First in One Ranking, 85th in Another

A prominent research psychologist’s assertions about strong evidence for extrasensory perception is already mortifying scientists.

Journal’s Paper on ESP Expected to Prompt Outrage

The 1920s stage version of “Dracula” has been revived with Michel Altieri as the fanged one.

Bloody Bloody Revival Revival

Researchers studying the effects of women’s emotional crying found it to dampen arousal in men.

In Women’s Tears, a Chemical That Says, ‘Not Tonight, Dear’

Marc Maron is an angry and bitter comedian. All the better to get other comics to open up on his cult-hit podcast.

The Comic Who Explores Comedy’s Darkest Side

The recruitment of William M. Daley from the corporate board room is seen as savvy by some in Washington, but it is causing alarm in the president’s liberal base.

Business Background Defines Chief of Staff

The White House ordered the Pentagon to squeeze almost all growth from its spending over the next five years, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

Pentagon Seeks Biggest Military Cuts Since Before 9/11

The English comedian Daniel Kitson explores questions about loss and love and the pursuit of meaning that are too complicated to answer completely.

Exploring That Old Knee-Slapper, Suicide

A fatal blast at a church has forced leaders to acknowledge that Egypt is plagued by religious extremism that could undermine stability.

Blast Awakens Egyptians to Threat From Religious Strife

Gwyneth Paltrow plays an alcoholic country-western star in Shana Feste’s new film, “Country Strong.”

I Am Woman. Hear Me Sob, Y’All.

Toyota will introduce an addition to the Prius lineup of gas-electric vehicles at the Detroit auto show.

Toyota Aims to Remain King of the Hybrids

Three new series — “Downton Abbey, “Shameless,” and “Episodes” — continue the Britishification of American TV.

Sincerest Forms of Flattery for British Shows

A new edition of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” that replaces the word “nigger” with “slave” does the original Twain novel a disservice.

Light Out, Huck, They Still Want to Sivilize You

Douglas Coupland takes a pop-culture approach in this short biography of the media savant.

Marshall McLuhan: Media Savant

Bjarke Ingels, who has designed mountain-like structures in Copenhagen, is working on a project for the Durst Organization in New York.

A Danish Architect Brings His Mountain-Making Ideas to New York

Dial hopes its new product, fabric softener in crystal form, can follow up on the success of its antistatic laundry sheet with detergent and softener.

Laundry Products Put Into Yet Another Form

Betsy Morgan, who was chief of The Huffington Post for two years, said she is “a very apolitical person. I’m a business person, who is absolutely fascinated by brands.”

Former Huffington Post Chief Is Hired to Run Glenn Beck Site

Conspicuous by its absence, Apple will still permeate the big annual Consumer Electronics Show, as exhibitors present their fine-tuned responses to the iPad.

Apple, Though Absent, Is a Presence at Electronics Show

Corrections appearing in print on January 6, 2011.

Corrections

The New York State Board of Regents has named a 16-member advisory group to address the controversial issues surrounding the selling of art and artifacts by museums to cover operating expenses, known as deaccessioning.

Panel to Advise Regents on Sales by Museums

Uchenna Kizito Okafor, often shortened to Uche Okafor was a Nigerian professional footballer who played as a defender. He made 34 international appearances for the Nigeria national team.

January 6, 2011

Headlines from January 6, 2011

Selling a Book by Its Cover

Effort to Restore Children’s Play Gains Momentum

The Day He Knew Would Come

Narrowing the Field Before Playing It

Obama Turning to Experienced Hands as He Remakes Staff

Billboard 200

Speak Now

The Gift

Glee: The Music; The Christmas Album

O Holy Night (EP)

Michael

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for January 6, 2011