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The London Olympics are in full swing, after an opening ceremony Friday that was chock-full of historic and cultural imagery drawn from Britain's past. Critics are gushing over Queen Elizabeth's role in the spectacle — along with James Bond. But there is room for debate — especially among viewers here in the U.S.

The Olympic Games doesn't just seem like one of the most tradition-bound sporting events in the world — it is. But that doesn't mean the sporting events are written in stone. Some past duds:

Jane Bunnett and Chihiro Yamanaka come to the Kennedy Center from Canada and Japan, respectively, and each has a compelling story.

Landing on Mars is no walk in the park. It requires years of planning, thousands of engineers and, in the case of NASA's Curiosity rover, billions of dollars. NPR's Joe Palca has covered the last four successful landing missions and has some thoughts about process of getting to Mars.

Gu Kailai, wife of once prominent politician Bo Xilai, is accused of murdering a British businessman. Chinese media have not waited for the trial to declare her guilty.

An Associated Press report about Paula Broadwell's new book led with the "news" that Petraeus "almost resigned." But that was wrong. Friends encouraged him to do that, she says, but Petraeus did not consider it.

Argentina is mad for sports — and soccer in particular. There are plenty of opportunities for sportswriters and broadcasters, spawning an education industry that specializes in sports journalism.

On the campaign trail, Josefina Vazquez Mota avoids marketing herself as a presidential candidate specifically for women. One expert says the nomination shows change, but that's not Vazquez Mota's only challenge.

For years, Friday nights have carried a grisly reputation — where shows on broadcast networks are sent to die. But a certain kind of cable show has recently performed well — even really well — on Friday nights. And even broadcast networks are finding flickers of life.

Muslim extremists are pillaging Sufi tombs and mosques. They're ignoring international protests. To them, the sites are offensive. To most others, they're historical sites of huge importance.