Zócalo Public Square

We’re familiar with the dangers of gluttony—from obesity to gout—but is there a downside to our current obsession with healthiness and moderation? What role does feasting play in modern society? What social and psychological outlets do food and drink offer us all? At a Zócalo/Getty "Open Art" Event moderated by Zócalo's founder and publisher Gregory Rodriguez, author of Gluttony Francine Prose, UCLA medieval historian Teo Ruiz, and chef, owner of three Los Angeles restaurants, and former contestant on Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef” Eric Greenspan discuss when too much is a good thing.

From annexing Crimea to dropping bombs in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin has led his country down a path for the past two years that worries many Americans. Given his aggressive tactics and long history of iron-fist control, why is Putin still in power? And should the West fear Russia—or fear for Russia? At MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, Wall Street Journal International Security Reporter Julian E. Barnes moderated a Zócalo discussion with “Morning Edition” host David Greene, encouraging Greene—a former Moscow correspondent, and author of Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey Into the Heart of Russia—to shed some light on what makes Russia tick, and how we should approach the nation.

From annexing Crimea to dropping bombs in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin has led his country down a path for the past two years that worries many Americans. Given his aggressive tactics and long history of iron-fist control, why is Putin still in power? And should the West fear Russia—or fear for Russia? At MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, Wall Street Journal International Security Reporter Julian E. Barnes moderated a Zócalo discussion with “Morning Edition” host David Greene, encouraging Greene—a former Moscow correspondent, and author of Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey Into the Heart of Russia—to shed some light on what makes Russia tick, and how we should approach the nation.

Four million Syrians have fled to other countries, and hundreds of thousands of others from the Middle East and Africa are pouring into Europe. Thousands have perished crossing the Mediterranean, and many nations have failed to live up to their legal obligations on refugees, creating a humanitarian emergency and leaving millions in legal limbo. What must Europe do differently in its response to the crisis? And, with war and climate change likely to produce more waves of refugees around the world in the decades ahead, what lessons must the world learn from today’s refugees challenges? In a conversation moderated by Reuters Global News Editor Alessandra Galloni, four panelists explore whether the world can devise a better approach to refugees: Naomi Steinberg, Director of Refugee Council USA, Astrid Ziebarth, Director of the German Marshall Fund’s Immigration and Integration Program, Susan Fratzke, Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, and Wenzel Michalski, Germany Director of Human Rights Watch.

Four million Syrians have fled to other countries, and hundreds of thousands of others from the Middle East and Africa are pouring into Europe. Thousands have perished crossing the Mediterranean, and many nations have failed to live up to their legal obligations on refugees, creating a humanitarian emergency and leaving millions in legal limbo. What must Europe do differently in its response to the crisis? And, with war and climate change likely to produce more waves of refugees around the world in the decades ahead, what lessons must the world learn from today’s refugees challenges? In a conversation moderated by Reuters Global News Editor Alessandra Galloni, four panelists explore whether the world can devise a better approach to refugees: Naomi Steinberg, Director of Refugee Council USA, Astrid Ziebarth, Director of the German Marshall Fund’s Immigration and Integration Program, Susan Fratzke, Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, and Wenzel Michalski, Germany Director of Human Rights Watch.

In California, few environmental issues are as hotly debated as fracking. A Zócalo/UCLA "Thinking L.A." event explored the roots of the fervor surrounding the oil and gas extraction technique in California, and attempted to dispel many misconceptions regarding its effects -- both detrimental and beneficial. Moderated by Los Angeles Times environmental reporter Julie Cart, the panel discussion included UCLA geologist Aradhna Tripati, California Council on Science and Technology researcher and author of a report on fracking in California Jane Long, senior physical scientist at RAND Corporation and professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School Aimee E. Curtright, and Faculty Co-Director of the UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Edward Parson.

In California, few environmental issues are as hotly debated as fracking. A Zócalo/UCLA "Thinking L.A." event explored the roots of the fervor surrounding the oil and gas extraction technique in California, and attempted to dispel many misconceptions regarding its effects -- both detrimental and beneficial. Moderated by Los Angeles Times environmental reporter Julie Cart, the panel discussion included UCLA geologist Aradhna Tripati, California Council on Science and Technology researcher and author of a report on fracking in California Jane Long, senior physical scientist at RAND Corporation and professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School Aimee E. Curtright, and Faculty Co-Director of the UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Edward Parson.

A melting pot. A bento box. Chop suey. Wontons with chips.Hawaii is such an assortment of races, ethnicities, and cultures that it’s hard to pick just one way to describe its unique mix. So what can it teach the rest of America about how different people can all live together? At the Kaka‘ako Agora in Honolulu, a panel moderated by Leslie Wilcox of PBS Hawaii took on this question at a Zócalo/Smithsonian "What It Means to Be American" event in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Institute. The speakers were Marketing executive Guy Kawasaki, Maya Soetoro-Ng of the University of Hawaii College of Education, vice president at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Corbett Kalama, and actor and director Daniel Dae Kim.

A melting pot. A bento box. Chop suey. Wontons with chips.Hawaii is such an assortment of races, ethnicities, and cultures that it’s hard to pick just one way to describe its unique mix. So what can it teach the rest of America about how different people can all live together? At the Kaka‘ako Agora in Honolulu, a panel moderated by Leslie Wilcox of PBS Hawaii took on this question at a Zócalo/Smithsonian "What It Means to Be American" event in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Institute. The speakers were Marketing executive Guy Kawasaki, Maya Soetoro-Ng of the University of Hawaii College of Education, vice president at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Corbett Kalama, and actor and director Daniel Dae Kim.

"Finish the job." That was the focused message of Phillip Washington, the new CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), at a Zócalo/Metro event. Washington, who came to Los Angeles three and a half months ago after years of heading Denver’s Regional Transportation District, spoke passionately with moderator Conan Nolan, an NBC 4 reporter, about the need for Los Angeles to finish the build-out of its transportation infrastructure -- and for the country as a whole to devote far more attention and money to infrastructure.