Happy Monday! JD is off to a public radio conference in Vegas this week. I can’t imagine the high jinx that will occur when public radio takes over Sin City. Well, maybe I can. In any case, we’re expecting him to bring home the big bucks.
MONDAY: Malloy in China
Today, Governor Dannel Malloy is in China – leading a delegation trying to drum up business between our state and increasingly powerful economic force. He’ll also be making an appearance at the World Economic Forum being held there. It’s not the first trip abroad for the Governor – he went “prospecting” at the world economic forum earlier this year in Davos, Switzerland. He’s been to Afghanistan and Kuwait, visited several states and Canada, attended governor’s conferences and shows up on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” so much, he should have his own coffee mug. And, of course, last week he delivered a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.So, what’s the value in having a Governor who travels the world? Specifically, what’s the value of having a governor who wants to make connections in China?Today, we’ll talk to Governor Malloy and members of his delegation.And, we want to hear from you – do you do business with China? Do you think our state should be making this connection? What do you think of Governor Malloy’s “global ambitions?”
TUESDAY: Why is Algebra Necessary? (Rebroadcast)
“Is algebra necessary?” It’s a question that crosses the minds of many students struggling in high school and college math classes. Professor Andrew Hacker wonders the same thing. His opinion pieceabout the math we teach to students has started a big conversation about how schools prepare people for the real world. He wonders whether this stumbling block forces kids out of school early…whether it really helps with the 21st century tools we need. His critics – and there have been several popping up in the last week – challenge many parts of his argument. And one of the more compelling questions being asked is “Why is any course necessary?” Why do we need to read Hamlet, or learn about ancient European history? What could – or should – change about the way we teach math? Only hours after the curiosity rover lands safely on Mars – is now the right time to be talking about backing off our math requirements? Can we cure our nation’s “math anxiety?” Today, we talk about the role of not just algebra, but calculus and geometry as well. We look at what can be learned about the education system as a whole.
WEDNESDAY: Questioning the Creative Class (Rebroadcast)
It’s been ten years since Richard Florida’s bestseller, “The Rise of the Creative Class.” So, has it risen yet? Florida touted the cities like San Fransisco and Austin Texas that have, for years, attracted young “creative” types with socially tolerant attitudes, plenty of outdoor activities and a confluence of art and hi-tech. But even Florida seems to be adapting his ideas – talking about everyone being a “creative” person in the new economy. Meanwhile, plenty of people WANT to believe in this idea – but are critical of Florida’s conclusions. Writer Frank Bures tried to buy in – but found life in one of the top “creative” cities to be stifiling. He says a whole generation of urban planners and Portlandia-watching hipsters got sold a bill of goods. “Florida just told us we were creative and valuable, and we wanted to believe it. He sold us to ourselves.” Today, where we live, we’ll pull apart the ideas behind the creative city – from the “class” itself to the “gay index.”
THURSDAY: Connecticut Eccentricities (Rebroadcast)
What makes your town unique or puzzling? What local history is important about where you live? What makes you proud to be in your part of Connecticut? Today we look into all the nooks and crannies that make our state eccentric. We’ll answer burning questions like: Why is Mystic half in Groton and half in Stonington? How did the Quiet Corner get its name? (Litchfield County’s pretty quiet, too.) Why is East Hampton west of Hampton? How does Lyme feel about its disease-ridden infamy? And, is Washington really the first town in the US named after our first president? Everyone has a little Connecticut history – and idiosyncrasy – to share. What are the quirky aspects of the state we call home? What makes your town unique?
FRIDAY: Magazine
We keep hearing that geography doesn’t really matter in such a globalized world. You can form partnerships from thousands of miles away over a cell phone – and multinational business has made almost every place in the world look like some version of…America. But Robert Kaplan says – not so fast. He thinks that it really is about location, location, location….his new book is The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us about Coming Conflicts and the Battle against Fate. We’ll also sit down with author and UConn professor Sam Pickering about his long career, higher education and his time in Syria. He was the inspiration behind Robin Williams’ character in Dead Poets Society, a movie that Pickering has barely seen once. Finally, we’ll talk about the lessons learned from the deadly Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island back in 2003. John Barylick represented victims in the fire and he has a new book called Killer Show.
