China has at once decreased it economic forecast and bolstered its military budget. The change signals its search for higher-quality manufacturing and a modest military ambition. 

From the ruler's perspective, says Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, a democracy is the worst form of government possible, because it greatly increases the ruler's risk of losing power.

Democracy, says Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, is the worst form of government from the leader's perspective.

What would the founding fathers think of some of Romney’s ideas? Here we take a look some of the clips from a 2007 BigThink interview and see whether George Washington and Thomas Jefferson might have agreed with 2007 Romney on certain issues.

According to Matthew Bowman, author of The Mormon People, Mormons have "a fairly well developed sense of persecution and a sense...that the nation might be hostile to them." That is […]

Given the fact that Mormons were a key group that helped Mitt Romney win important victories in states such as Nevada and Arizona, it may seem counterintuitive that many Mormons are uncomfortable with a Romney candidacy. 

     A year ago a terrible earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power disaster in Japan gripped the world’s attention for weeks. The news is already full of stories about the anniversary […]

Could Rush Limbaugh finally be on his way to joining Glenn Beck in right wing wacko purgatory? I don’t know how to tell Rush Limbaugh this, but after his three […]

There’s this weird kid called Ali on the playground. I’ve never liked the looks of him, and Benji told me this kid doesn’t have any friends. I think he has […]

“What’s a ‘natural flavor’?” my 10-year-old asks me from the back seat of our car. He’s munching on a rare treat—a snack that lists about 500 unpronounceable ingredients and boasts […]

There’s been some interesting responses to my post on our obligation to eat headless, legless chickens (aside from the vague namecalling and useless expressions of outrage and disgust. Something is […]

A tearful Vladimir Putin claimed a "clean" victory in the Russian presidential election.  Critics, on the other hand, have charged that Putin's win is tainted by reports of widespread abuses, […]

It’s almost time for baseball again, and so I’ve been thinking about the very best pitchers in the game.In order to sustain their success on the mound, they all seem […]

The line between work and play is becoming increasingly blurred in companies all across America today.

The near earth asteroid 2012 DA14 discovered last year is not going to hit Earth next year, scientists say. Phew. And yet, it will still be coming in way too close for comfort, raising the question of how prepared we are. 

(Note: This review was solicited and is written in accordance with my policy for such reviews.) Summary: A memoir of escape from the overbearing, oppressive life of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, but […]

World Bank figures show that 2010 absolute poverty levels were half what they were in 1990, suggesting that the UN has met its Millennium Development Goals five years early. 

While welfare programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid did not directly cause the recession, they may be responsible for aggravating the problem. Might they even cause a depression.

"Properly led, the World Bank can build bridges among science, business, civil society and finance that will put sustainable solutions within reach," says Jeffrey Sachs, who seeks its presidency.

You can't put more of your brain to work, says Johns Hopkins cognitive scientist Barry Gordon. You can, however, learn to make it work more productively. Here are three solutions.