November 8, 2009
The Case For the Public Option
Dean of The School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania
The House vote doesn't end the healthcare debate. The Dean of UPenn’s School of Social Policy argues that universal healthcare is a basic human entitlement.
-
Sherman Alexie weighs the joys and frustrations of different publishing formats. Watch
-
Call Her a Bitch, and She'll Crush You at Poker
From "frigid bitch" to "cunt," Annie Duke is no stranger to name-calling at the table. She’s even classified the men she has met into categories. Watch
-
Noam Chomsky on Language’s Mysteries
Noam Chomsky contemplates the basic, yet still unanswerable, questions of linguistics. Watch
Featured Blogs
Politeia
November 7, 2009 — 3:31 AM
But the Chemical Industry Says It's Safe
Bisphenol A—generally known as BPA—is an organic compound used in the manufacture of plastics. It's also what's known as an endocrine disruptor. Because it's chemically similar to our own hormones, it can interfere with our bodies' development and metabolism, potentially with serious consequences. In particular, BPA appears to function as a xenoestrogen—that is, it acts like estrogen on certain parts of the human body. For that reason, some scientists worry that it may affect the brain development of fetuses and infants. It may be one factor behind the increasing incidence of breast cancer. It may affect fertility. It may also be part of the reason that girls have been hitting puberty earlier and earlier—and why we are starting to see some pre-teen girls develop breast cancer. And exposure to BPA may contribute to obesity. The science is still not clear, but research has shown that exposure to BPA affects mice at doses which are equivalent to substantially less than what the Environmental Protection Agency says is safe. Read more
The View From Europe
November 7, 2009 — 1:52 AM
The Impact of Nuclear Weapons on the Relationships Between Allied Nations
As part of its "nuclear sharing" policy aimed at defending against nuclear threats, NATO involves member nations in the storing and delivery of nuclear arms, even if they've got no weapons of their own. Belgium, Germany, and Italy, for example, host a number of U.S. nuclear weapons and means of delivering them should the need arise. In an effort to lessen NATO's reliance on nuclear weapons as means of global power, Germany (with support from the Belgians and the Dutch) is pleading for the removal of such U.S. arms from European soil. Reactions and arguments have been mixed, and most of them don't even involve war -- but they all exhibit the crucial role that nuclear weapons play in the relationship between the U.S. and Europe. Read more
The Voice of Big Think
November 6, 2009 — 6:59 PM
Snooping for Psychological Insight
Sometimes the best insights into the human mind can be found by poking about in odd places. This week Psychology professor and "Snoop" author Sam Gosling revisited Big Think to discuss the latest directions his inventive research has taken. Read more
Novel Copy
November 6, 2009 — 11:01 AM
US Climate Change Conference, Barcelona: Final Day
On the final day of the UN Climate Change Conference in Barcelona, delegations have begun looking toward Copenhagen where a climate change conference will again take place in one month’s time. Since the Bali conference in 2007, the world has counted on Copenhagen to deliver a legally binding treaty to combat global warming. Executive Secretary of the UN Framework on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, acknowledged that though such a treaty is now impossible to achieve, he still expects measurable progress in Copenhagen. Read more
Brave Green World
November 5, 2009 — 10:19 PM
Carole King's Crusade To Protect The Rockies
Grammy-award winning singer Carole King has been raising her voice on the radio lately – not in song, this time, but in a plea for the Rocky Mountains. King hails from the mountains of Idaho; at the apex of her career, the Brooklyn native went looking for a place with fewer people and more space, and settled on a county in the center of the Gem State. She’s been active in the fight to preserve American northern wilderness ever since. Back in February of this year, King announced her support of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA, or H.R. 980), a new bill introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). In May, King testified before Congress on NREPA, and just last week she traveled again to Washington, to talk with several Representatives about the economic, cultural, and environmental impacts it could have. Read more
Editors' Choice
Daily Ideafeed
-
Dead Bread
Bird Dropping - The world’s most powerful particle accelerator was shut down after a bird dropped some bread in it.
-
Religious Refusal
Finger Pointing - An evangelical Christian who teaches kindergarten has refused to give her fingerprints on religious grounds saying that fingerprinting is the “mark of the beast.”
-
Mongolia
Sham or Shaman? - The use of Shamans, spiritual priests who have a direct link to dead spirits, is making a comeback in Mongolia.
-
Smuggling
44m Smokes - Fourteen people have been charged with illegally purchasing 77m cigarettes.
-
Apology
Tribal Justice? - President Obama tells tribal leaders that he knows what it is to be ignored and forgotten.
-
Political Words
Screw Up Talk - Republican Michael Steele warns moderate Republicans that intra-party fighting “Is the first way to screw yourself.”
-
Get Thee To…
Law’s Hamlet Hit - A production of Hamlet starring Jude Law is a commercial success after recouping its $2.5m costs in less than three months.
-
Miscarriage
Tweeting Issue - Penelope Trunk explains why she updated her Twitter feed with the news that she was having a miscarriage.
-
Turbulence
Overseas Stimulus - Senator Charles Schumer has criticised plans to government fund a Texas wind farm project because it will create jobs overseas.
-
Cellular Barrier
Nano Change - Tiny metal particles can cause changes to DNA without crossing the cellular barrier, researchers have found.
