What Happened to a Leaner, Meaner Military?

The Pentagon budget again calls for more pricey, big-war weapons than we need.

Fred Kaplan | WAR STORIES | Monday, 07:29 PM EST

Hang Up and Listen: The Stop the Linsanity Edition

Slate’s sports podcast on New York Knicks shooting star Jeremy Lin, HBO’s boxing series On Freddie Roach, and the Westminster Dog Show.

Stefan Fatsis, Mike Pesca, and L. Jon Wertheim | HANG UP AND LISTEN | Monday, 06:45 PM EST

How Do You Rig a Straw Poll?

Buy all the seats in the house.

Will Oremus | EXPLAINER | Monday, 06:20 PM EST

Get Your Own Damn Coffee!

Most unpaid internships are illegal. Why don’t more interns protest?

Katy Waldman | MONEYBOX | Monday, 06:10 PM EST

Love in Three Photos: the 20 Winning Stories

Sweet and heartbreaking photo haikus from Slate readers.

Heather Murphy | CULTUREBOX | Monday, 05:46 PM EST

Downton Abbey, Season 2

Has Lord Grantham gotten his groove back?

Dan Kois | TV CLUB | Monday, 05:17 PM EST

Tinkering With Tomorrow

Join Slate, the New America Foundation, and Arizona State in Washington, D.C., for an event on the DIY revolution.

Torie Bosch | FUTURE TENSE | Monday, 04:51 PM EST

Dog Days Are Over

In a live chat, Dear Prudence advises a woman whose friends want to dump their pooch at the pound so they’re free to travel.

Emily Yoffe | DEAR PRUDENCE | Monday, 03:08 PM EST

The Other F-Word

Listen to Slate’s show about the history and future of the word faggot.

Mike Vuolo | LEXICON VALLEY | Monday, 12:38 PM EST

Dear Prudence: Barroom Cheapskate

A weekly Dear Prudence video.

SLATE V | Monday, 12:18 PM EST

The Technologically Enhanced Memory

How will life change if we can’t forget anything?

Evan Selinger | FUTURE TENSE | Monday, 11:29 AM EST

What Makes Toxicology So Slow?

Why it's taking so long to investigate the death of Whitney Houston.

Juliet Lapidos | EXPLAINER | Monday, 10:29 AM EST

"Eyes Gazing Into the Distance As If in Memory of Ages Past"

The accidental poetry of American Kennel Club breed standards.

John Swansburg | CULTUREBOX | Monday, 08:55 AM EST

The Shape of My Heart

Where did the ubiquitous Valentine's symbol come from?

Keelin McDonell | EXPLAINER | Monday, 08:45 AM EST

Will You Accept This Digital Rose?

How little flower icons could solve Internet dating’s biggest problem.

Ray Fisman | THE DISMAL SCIENCE | Monday, 07:35 AM EST

Westminster Champion or Line From Ginsberg’s “Howl”?

A quiz.

Michael Sloan | LOW CONCEPT | Monday, 07:23 AM EST

Cuckoo for Cocoa

Are women really crazy about chocolate?

L.V. Anderson | DOUBLEX | Monday, 07:15 AM EST

Downton Abbey, Season 2

Decoding the four big kisses of this week’s episode.

June Thomas | TV CLUB | Sunday, 11:15 PM EST

Lunch With Dustin Hoffman

The movie legend is loving his transition to TV.

Matthew Garrahan | FT | Sunday, 07:00 AM EST

The Longform Guide to “Anonymous”

Cheaters, real estate agents, and Tamil Tigers: Great magazine stories writers wouldn’t, or couldn’t, take credit for.

Elon Green | LONGFORM | Saturday, 07:15 AM EST

Supersized Structures

The world’s biggest buildings.

Kate Appleton, Rich Beattie, Adam H. Graham, and Lyndsey Matthews | TRAVEL + LEISURE | Saturday, 07:05 AM EST

Santorum vs. Gingrich, Komen vs. Planned Parenthood, and How Chipotle Is Like Apple

The week’s most interesting Slate stories.

Anna Weaver | COCKTAIL CHATTER | Saturday, 06:45 AM EST

How To Make It in the New GOP

It helps if conservatives love you. One day in the life of a Republican hopeful.

David Weigel | POLITICS | Friday, 08:56 PM EST

Did Early Christians Practice Birth Control?

A history of the Catholic ban on contraception.

Will Oremus | EXPLAINER | Friday, 08:06 PM EST

Return

Finally, a role worthy of Freaks and Geeks star Linda Cardellini.

Dana Stevens | MOVIES | Friday, 05:05 PM EST

The Mystery of the Millionaire Metaphysician

One of the greatest magazine stories of the past generation, republished in Slate.

James Ryerson | CULTUREBOX | Friday, 03:42 PM EST

Bain Loves Romney, and Congress Loves Earmarks

This week’s top MuckReads from ProPublica.

Blair Hickman | PROPUBLICA | Friday, 01:34 PM EST

Cancel the Oscars, Air the After-Parties

Would you rather see Gary Oldman thank his agent or dance the funky chicken?

Katy Waldman | THE HIVE | Friday, 01:30 PM EST

The Killer Dolphin Gabfest

Listen to Slate's show about the Santorum surge, the contraception debate, and the 9^th Circuit’s decision on Proposition 8.

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz | GABFEST | Friday, 12:40 PM EST

Go Vest, Young Man

What does it mean that Rick Santorum wears a sweater vest?

Julia Felsenthal | FASHION | Friday, 12:18 PM EST

The Real Problem With Google’s New Privacy Policy

The tech giant owes users better tools to manage their information.

Thomas Gideon and James Losey | FUTURE TENSE | Friday, 10:55 AM EST

How To Win the Westminster Dog Show

Step 1: Find a poodle. Step 2: Get a big-money backer.

Josh Dean | HEAVY PETTING | Friday, 07:15 AM EST

A Bettor’s Guide to Westminster

The black cocker spaniel looks tough to beat, but don’t sleep on the Welsh corgi.

Evan Dahl | CULTUREBOX | Friday, 07:08 AM EST

A Shunning in Seattle

A powerful megachurch’s harsh tactics raise questions about how much control churches should have over their members’ lives.

Ruth Graham | FAITH-BASED | Friday, 07:00 AM EST

Comic Book Men

Kevin Smith’s ode to fanboy culture isn’t geeky enough.

Troy Patterson | TELEVISION | Friday, 06:45 AM EST

Corrections

Slate's mistakes.

CORRECTIONS | Friday, 06:30 AM EST

Bad Cop

Woody Harrelson goes rogue in Rampart.

Dana Stevens | MOVIES | Thursday, 08:35 PM EST

The Last, Best Hope for Conservatives

Gingrich says that’s him. Then why is Santorum riding high?

John Dickerson | POLITICS | Thursday, 07:36 PM EST

Is That All You Got?

How the proponents of a gay marriage ban just ran out of arguments.

Dahlia Lithwick | JURISPRUDENCE | Thursday, 07:05 PM EST

How Did Washington State and Washington, D.C., Get the Same Name?

Congress really, really liked the nation's first president.

Brian Palmer | EXPLAINER | Thursday, 06:06 PM EST

DoubleX Gabfest: The Power Pinners and Pink Handguns Edition

Listen to Slate’s show about the Susan G. Komen kerfuffle, Bringing Up Bébé, and Pinterest.

Jessica Grose, Noreen Malone, and Hanna Rosin | DOUBLEX GABFEST | Thursday, 04:13 PM EST

The Complicated History of Catholics, Protestants, and Contraceptives

Today Christian leaders are united against Obama’s birth-control coverage rules. In the past, the Pill and condoms divided them.

Molly Worthen | DOUBLEX | Thursday, 03:06 PM EST

Romances for the Post-Bubble Homeowner

Why are home-renovation TV shows so seductive?

June Thomas | CULTUREBOX | Thursday, 02:08 PM EST

Questions for Bronson Pinchot

“Dear God, let me find some bird-crap-colored wood,” and other words of wisdom from the home-renovation devotee.

June Thomas | INTERROGATION | Thursday, 02:06 PM EST

A Losing Proposition

Why gay-rights leaders don’t want their big Prop 8 victory to go to the Supreme Court.

Will Oremus | JURISPRUDENCE | Thursday, 01:03 PM EST

Chipotle Is Apple

The burrito chain is revolutionizing food: Why doesn’t it get more respect?

Matthew Yglesias | MONEYBOX | Thursday, 01:01 PM EST

Mobile Phones Will Not Save the Poorest of the Poor

The cost of cellphone-based services is hurting huge swaths of the developing world.

Jamie M. Zimmerman and Sascha Meinrath | FUTURE TENSE | Thursday, 12:21 PM EST

Which Countries Have the Most Mobile Phones?

The Slate/New America Foundation map of the week.

Andy Hull, Nick McClellan, and Troy K. Schneider | MAP OF THE WEEK | Thursday, 12:20 PM EST

The Other Academic Freedom Movement

How scientists broke through the paywall and made their articles available to (almost) everyone.

Konstantin  Kakaes  | FUTURE TENSE | Thursday, 11:18 AM EST

Syria’s First Family

An illustrated guide to the Assad clan. How long can it cling to power?

Andy Warner | FOREIGNERS | Thursday, 10:42 AM EST

The Ties That Blind

It’s tough enough making decisions about elderly parents. What if you don’t like the siblings you have to agree with?

Robin Marantz Henig | FAMILY | Thursday, 07:25 AM EST

No Hetero

Hanne Blank’s lively history of straights.

Troy Patterson | BOOKS | Thursday, 07:15 AM EST

My Funny-Looking Valentine

Prudie gives advice on mismatched couples, quickie weddings, and secret affairs just in time for V-Day.

Emily Yoffe | DEAR PRUDENCE | Thursday, 06:00 AM EST

How Many Kids Are Sexually Abused by Their Teachers?

Probably millions.

Brian Palmer | EXPLAINER | Wednesday, 07:14 PM EST

It’s Time for Oscar Super PACs

A simple way to level the playing field for small movies.

Jessica Grose | THE HIVE | Wednesday, 04:51 PM EST

NFL 2011

Win a championship, lose a knee.

Stefan Fatsis | SPORTS NUT | Wednesday, 02:55 PM EST

Tampa or Bust

Forget what the pundits tell you. The Republican race will go on and on—and there’s nothing wrong with that.

David Weigel | POLITICS | Wednesday, 02:41 PM EST

Uncle Sam Is Not Coming to Dinner

Who won the Slate/Intelligence Squared debate on whether obesity is the government’s business, and why.

Katy Waldman | INTELLIGENCE SQUARED | Wednesday, 12:56 PM EST

The Culture Gabfest, “Halftime In America” Edition

Listen to Slate's show about Smash, Oscar darling Hugo, and Super Bowl ads.

Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Seth Stevenson, and Julia Turner | CULTURE GABFEST | Wednesday, 12:20 PM EST

Hallelujah for Leonard Cohen

When it comes to lyrics, he’s second to no one—including Dylan.

Jan Swafford | MUSIC BOX | Wednesday, 12:15 PM EST

Hoop Dreams

The crowded NBA schedule is hurting the quality of play. And creating one of the best seasons ever.

Matthew Yglesias | SPORTS NUT | Wednesday, 12:13 PM EST

The Best Novel About a “De-Gaying Camp” Ever Written

Emily Danforth’s new book, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, is a fantastic addition to the coming-of-age canon.

Curtis Sittenfeld | DOUBLEX | Wednesday, 11:23 AM EST

The Vest Man Won

What Rick Santorum’s surprise victories mean for Mitt Romney.

John Dickerson | POLITICS | Wednesday, 11:03 AM EST

The Thermostat Wars

How Honeywell could beat popular upstart Nest.

Farhad Manjoo | TECHNOLOGY | Wednesday, 07:30 AM EST

Battle of the Eco-Friendly Sports Cars

How the Fisker Karma has trumped the Tesla Roadster.

Alexandra Wolfe | DEPARTURES | Wednesday, 06:45 AM EST

The Games Authoritarians Play

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Syria was little more than a game of pretend.

Anne Applebaum | FOREIGNERS | Tuesday, 07:36 PM EST

For Prop 8, No Hollywood Endings

Today, the most liberal judges in the most liberal state could have made history. Instead, they opted for much less.

Dahlia Lithwick | JURISPRUDENCE | Tuesday, 06:53 PM EST

How Do You Win the Claw Game?

Use a partner.

Forrest Wickman | EXPLAINER | Tuesday, 06:34 PM EST

How Komen Became a Tool

Defunding Planned Parenthood over “controversy” was politics by another name.

William Saletan | HUMAN NATURE | Tuesday, 02:27 PM EST

NFL 2011

Math says if Wes Welker catches that ball, the Patriots win.

Brian Burke | SPORTS NUT | Tuesday, 02:21 PM EST

Downton Abbey, Season 2

The mystery of P. Gordon’s finger-lip tic.

Seth Stevenson | TV CLUB | Tuesday, 01:04 PM EST

A Florida Millionaire Adopted His 42-Year-Old Girlfriend. Isn’t that Incest?

Maybe. But it is also a good way to shield his fortune from the law.

Terry L. Turnipseed | JURISPRUDENCE | Tuesday, 12:12 PM EST

Read Dickens Now!

On his 200th birthday, two biographies remind us of his vast social imagination.

Michael Levenson | BOOKS | Tuesday, 11:30 AM EST

You’ve Got It All Wrong!

Should I correct blatantly wrong info my friends post to Facebook?

Farhad Manjoo and Emily Yoffe | MANNERS FOR THE DIGITAL AGE | Tuesday, 11:13 AM EST

My Roommate, the Single Mom, Has a Cocaine Problem

Do I move out of this toxic situation at the risk of abandoning her?

Lucinda Rosenfeld | FRIEND OR FOE | Tuesday, 07:00 AM EST

Marvel Comics’ Troubling Origins Story

Why I’m boycotting The Avengers.

James Sturm | CULTUREBOX | Tuesday, 06:45 AM EST

“Movement”

Wyn Cooper | POEM | Tuesday, 06:30 AM EST