AirTalk for March 23, 2010
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Google leaves China for Hong Kong
Google shut down its Chinese search engine yesterday and began directing users in the country to its Hong Kong website. The move comes two months after Google pledged to stop censoring its website in China, when the company claimed it was targeted by cyber attacks originating from the country. Google's actions are threatening relations with the Chinese government, which responded by blocking links and searches for objectionable content on the Hong Kong site. What is the future of Google in China?
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Census 2010: Mayor Villaraigosa wants you to be counted
As the Constitution requires, the U.S. has to conduct a census every ten years. Well, it’s that time again, and by now, most Angelenos have gotten their forms. But have they filled them out? The reapportioning of congressional districts and more than $400 billion in federal funds are at stake – which is why Mayor Villaraigosa has launched the Make Sure LA Counts campaign. The Census is not without controversy though. Even the short form asks personal, and potentially confusing, questions about race and ethnicity. How is this data used? And why is this information important?
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Do school gardens yield success or failure?
School gardens have grown in popularity as a way to expand learning opportunities outside the classroom and promote environmental awareness and healthy eating habits with students. Today in California, there are more than 3,800 school gardens. But in a recent opinion piece in The Atlantic, Caitlin Flanagan argues that while this might be fine for an after-school activity, garden-based curricula have no benefit on academic performance and are a misuse of classroom time, especially in a state with high drop-out rates. Are school gardens providing valuable hands-on learning, or would the time and money be better spent on other subjects?
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The way forward for U.S.-Israeli relations
After two weeks of tense U.S.-Israeli relations, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) dinner last night. Both attempted to repair the “breach” in relations, but stood their ground—the Secretary insisted on a settlement freeze, while the Prime Minister declared, “Jerusalem is not a settlement. It's our capital.” Today, Netanyahu is making the rounds on J Street, and will meet privately with President Obama. Will Netanyahu soften his stance away from the bright lights of press and cameras? With such diverging goals, is compromise possible?
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Wisdom: from philosophy to neuroscience
What is wisdom? It seems easier to recognize than to define--a question for the realm of philosophers. But in recent decades, psychologists and neuroscientists have undertaken the empirical study of wisdom, locating brain activity that corresponds to traits like moral judgment, emotional regulation, and compassion. In his new book, Stephen Hall looks at the science behind wisdom and how it pertains to traditional interpretations. He finds associations between wisdom and adversity, and that in some cases, wisdom does come with age.
