wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Ban College Football

Corruption and a growing concern for head injury have put college football in the spotlight.  Are football program’s millions in profits exploitation? Or are they still a celebration of amateur sport?  Does football’s inherent danger and violence have any place in institutions of higher learning?  Or does it provide young men with educational opportunities they would not otherwise have?

When it comes to politics, the Internet is closing our minds

Does the internet poison politics? It’s been argued that the rise of “personalization,” the use of algorithms to filter what you see online, and easy access to the like-minded, has served to reinforce our pre-conceptions.  Is the information bubble a myth, or is it undermining civic discourse?  Is the rise of social media really broadening our world views, or narrowing them?

China does capitalism better than America

For all appearances, China has emerged unscathed from the global economic crisis, in stark contrast to its biggest debtor, America.  China’s admirers point to its ability to mobilize state resources, quick decision-making and business-friendly environment as reasons for its economic ascendency.  But can its brand of state-directed capitalism overcome rampant corruption and the threat of growing inequality, or will the American model of innovation and free-markets prevail?

Obesity is the Government’s Business

With 33% of adults and 17% of children obese, the U.S. is facing an obesity epidemic. A major risk factor for expensive, chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, it costs our health care system nearly $150 billion a year. Should government intervene, or is this a matter of individual rights and personal responsibility?