Zócalo Public Square (Audio)

Is it possible to envision the next economic boom while we’re still in a bust? Gregg Easterbrook does exactly that in Sonic Boom, arguing that when we pull out of the current recession, the next period of economic growth will be unlike any we’ve seen before. The trends that have drastically changed our world in the last few decades — the lowering of trade barriers and the expansion of financial markets, the vast technological leaps that speed communication and exchange, the worldwide migration of jobs and job-seekers — are still in their early stages, and have yet to fulfill their transformative power. Gregg Easterbrook visited Zócalo to discuss the next great economic expansion and explain why it will increase interconnectedness and prosperity, while making the world a much less secure place.

In a little over two decades, the Internet has gone from a singular invention to an indispensable part of human life. Its rules — requisite anonymity, the free posting of information, and the power of the hive mind — have rapidly become norms that are rarely questioned. But much of the web’s standard design, functions, and assumptions rely on decades-old programming decisions that may not make the most sense for users today. Why is the Internet the way it is, and should we change it? Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto and a longtime Silicon Valley innovator, argues that the Internet’s design — and the nearly religious commitment some technologists have for it — have made for a web that hurts the middle class, contributes to economic crisis, and denigrates intelligence and individual judgment. Lanier visited Zócalo to discuss the flaws and the future of the Internet.

After 70 years of setting the standard for epicurean living, Gourmet magazine ceased publication in October at the order of its parent, Conde Nast. The magazine cultivated its exalted reputation by a devotion to lush photography, lengthy writing by famed authors, and finely crafted and often complex recipes. The commitment to such quality, and the name of the magazine itself, made it an aspirational and indulgent read for generations of gourmands who understood that food—eating it, cooking it, reading about it—was an art. Despite the subsequent rise of many other food magazines and blogs—often more focused on quick, simple, low-cost recipes than on literary food writing—Gourmet built a strong and diverse brand with books, websites, and television shows, and boasted nearly one million subscribers. Zócalo invites former Gourmeteditors Ruth Reichl and Laurie Ochoa, former Gourmet writer Jonathan Gold, and KCRW’s Good Food host Evan Kleiman to look back at the history of Gourmet, the culture it sparked, and the future of the Gourmet brand and American food writing.

Between 1993 and 2001, President Bill Clinton joined his friend of over 30 years Taylor Branch for a series of confidential interviews. Keeping much of his staff in the dark, Clinton recorded 78 sessions, each totaling 90 minutes and taking place at night, in the quiet of the White House Treaty Room. The White House diary project, transcribed, ran several thousand pages and became the basis for The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President. Branch’s work is filled with intimate observations from the president on the day-to-day, the nature of the job, and the major events of his tenure — the war in Bosnia, the effort to reform healthcare, Whitewater. Branch visited Zócalo to talk about the chronicling of his friend’s presidency, the Clinton legacy today, and the importance of keeping the public square alive.

Keeping our elderly parents healthy, particularly when they have a chronic illness or disability, can be a demanding full-time job. Though 70 percent of all elderly are cared for by family and friends, assisted living and nursing homes fill the gap in care in cases too challenging for even the most devoted families. Long-term care can require close medical attention multiple times a day, combined with assistance performing the basic tasks of daily life, like dressing and bathing, and providing mental health support. Nine million men and women over the age of 65 will need long-term care this year; by 2020, that number will rise to 12 million. The elderly will have a 40 percent chance of entering a nursing home, and about 10 percent of those will stay five years or more. These men and women and their families will face the difficult decision of where to seek and how to manage long-term care. They often have to make these decisions without reliable information about what types of care are available and appropriate, or which facilities and services offer the highest quality care. With the California HealthCare Foundation’s newly-launched ratings website making it easier to find quality long-term care, Zócalo hosted a panel of experts including — Debra Saliba of UCLA, California Culture Change Coalition Executive Director Bonnie Darwin, Gary Passmore of the Congress of California Seniors, and Gretchen Alkema of the SCAN Foundation — to discuss what we should do when we, or our parents, need help making these decisions. This event was made possible by the California HealthCare Foundation.

It’s easy enough to characterize a Southern writer, whether by origin or style, by a character’s audible twang or a novel’s focus on regional history. There is even, perhaps, a certain voice that is distinctly New York or Midwestern. But what makes a Los Angeles writer — birthplace, genre, theme? As part of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, Zócalo invited a panel of writers — Laurie Ochoa, Yxta Maya Murray, DJ Waldie, Gary Phillips, and Jonathan Gold — to explore the city, its writers, and its stories.

This event was made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Of all the many immigrant communities that have come to the U.S., Mexicans may have the most unusual experience.

Every president since Harry Truman has struggled with universal healthcare; the last major victory toward it came over 40 years ago, when Lyndon Johnson created Medicare and Medicaid. Since then, presidents’ efforts either made small advances or suffered overwhelming defeat, as Bill Clinton did. This year, as healthcare reform returns as a number-one issue,  James A. Morone, co-author of “The Heart of Power: Health and Politics in the Oval Office,” visited Zócalo to explain universal healthcare reform and how to get it.

The Census Bureau is fundamental to American democracy — its ten-year counts determine representation in Congress and in the Electoral College, and influence federal and state funding for health, education, transportation, and more. Americans of all political leanings have strong preferences for whom and what they want counted, and obstacles often prevent the Census from making full counts, particularly of minority groups. Some, recalling the Census' history of providing information on various groups for national security reasons, regard the count with skepticism and mistrust. With the 2010 Census looming, Zócalo invites a panel of experts -- including UCI's Jennifer Lee, UCLA's Paul Ong, Jorge-Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles, Arturo Vargas of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and Steve Padilla of the Los Angeles Times -- to consider how the Census works, how it might improve, and why it is relentlessly controversial.

Zócalo invited a panel — including Tamar Jacoby of ImmigrationWorks USA, Gary Gerstle of the University of Maryland, Associate Director of the National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities Jose Luis Gutierrez, and Duke University's Noah Pickus — to discuss how immigrants come to feel at home in the U.S., and what the native born can do to help.