Every episode of every live action Star Trek series is now free for streaming from Amazon.

Henry Farrell provides his reading list for his fall PhD-level course on institutions and politics at George Washington University.

Jon Huntsman just tweeted, “To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy.”

Arturo Trejo conducts a hard-hitting interview with his son, Jose Luis

Not only is the US outspending all our allies and competitors combined in real dollars on defense, we’re doing so in terms of GDP as well.

Two cases in the news today raise questions about the NFL commissioner’s power.

Michelle needs to stop buying shoes–but Barack’s keeping his golf clubs.

British courts are handing out swift and harsh sentences for people involved in last week’s riots, including four-year prison sentences for two 20-somethings for Facebook postings in support of the mayhem.

Social Security is like a Ponzi scheme in one way but not in other, more important ones.

Most students need remedial classes. Whose fault is that?

The treasurer behind “Rick Parry with an ‘A’ for America” has left to work with Rick Perry

When one adopts a one-word pseudo-elfin name, one might expect a spot of trouble

Do we have a new frontrunner in the race for the Republican nomination?

Political journalists are asking clumsy, ignorant, and intolerant questions. Film at 11.

DARPA has a revolving door that doesn’t revolve.

America’s pundits have never met anyone who didn’t think Tim Pawlenty would be a good nominee.

One of the super-rich says we should stop coddling the super-rich.

Rick Perry declared, “One of the reasons that I’m running for president is I want to make sure that every young man and woman who puts on the uniform of the United States respects highly the president of the United States.”

The Ames Straw Poll is like the first scrimmage of NFL training camp.

The First Lady takes a lot of days off from her unpaid “job.”

The Telegraph’s chief political commentator sees moral decay at the top as well as the bottom.

The Twitterverse and the Democratic National Committee are having a field day with Mitt Romney’s declaration that “Corporations are people, my friend.”

Is S&P’s downgrade of the US bond rating “free speech” and thereby protected by the Constitution?

So, you want a career in foreign policy field and are weighing your options….

Today is Cost of Government Day, at least for those who can’t do math.

Dan Drezner believes those worrying that we’re seeing the global meltdown of 2008 repeat itself are kidding themselves.

The more education you have, the more you’re likely to spend on booze.

Rebecca J. Rosen explains why “Ridiculously Long CVS Receipts Will Remain Ridiculously Long.” And Mitch Hedberg ponders why they give you a receipt for a donut.

Non-rich people are in favor of taxing the rich and using the proceeds to fund programs for non-rich people

The second round of the rolling Wisconsin recall elections was held yesterday. The Republicans are still in charge.

Through 20 years of effort, we’ve successfully trained everyone to use passwords that are hard for humans to remember but easy for computers to guess.

Honoring the fallen by ensuring that the didn’t die in vain is a recipe for getting more good men killed.

Joseph Nye explains why China’s “demand the United States address its structural debt problems and ensure the safety of China’s dollar assets” is really just talk.

The 30-year bond has actually gained more than a point in early trading after the S&P downgrade!

Lost in the hubbub of S&P downgrading the US bond rating is news that the Italian government has the ratings agencies under criminal investigation.

Watching the news and reading the op-eds makes it clear: America is doomed.

Former Oregon governor and long-time US Senator Mark Hatfield has died.

Upon further review, S&P’s downgrade of the United States bond rating . . . still makes no sense.

Texas Governor Rick Perry got lousy grades as an undergrad at Texas A&M. Does it matter?

While it’s hard to argue with S&P’s political analysis, its economic judgment is a head-scratcher.

Does it matter which candidate the GOP nominates?

Looking at the state-by-state map way too early.

iPad games, on the other hand, are like someone you meet in a bar and find yourself screwing in the bathroom 10 minutes later. This is not a criticism.

Apparently, getting the debt deal done was not a panacea.

Tim Pawlenty is rethinking his campaign strategy.

Marvel has created an alternate universe in which Spiderman is a half-black, half-Latino teenager. Some people are angry.

Pat Buchanan referred to President Obama as “your boy” in conversation with Al Sharpton.

Kurt Vonnegut on teaching a computer to write a story.

The general made famous by his leadership of the Katrina effort has some harsh words for our political leadership.