Think Pieces reviewed and written by Lakshmi and Seetha Ram

She believed that language learning was not just the accumulation of facts over time, but that it was inherent to who we are as humans, Lila Gleitman, Who Showed How Children Learn Language, Dies at 91 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/science/lila-gleitman-dead.html?referringSource=articleShare — Best regards Seetha Ram

He assisted me for evaluation of Indonesian ports in 1999. http://www.icea.co.uk/cvs/Ted_Laing.pdf

https://www.economist.com/business/2021/08/28/why-women-need-the-office Why women need the office from TheEconomist According to research by Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University and colleagues, 32% of college-educated American women with children want to work remotely full-time, compared with 23% of comparable men. — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/business/2021/08/28/indias-government-wants-to-monetise-state-owned-assets India's government wants to monetise state-owned assets from TheEconomist First, the government still has uses for some of the firms; lic has served as a source of bail-out cash for struggling businesses. Second, the firms' employees are a powerful constituency that resists change. Third, like bureaucrats everywhere, Indian ones worry that a completed sale would prompt endless inquiries into whether the price was too low. For everyone involved, safer to do nothing. 7 — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/08/28/singapores-thirty-somethings-are-leaving-home Singapore's thirty-somethings are leaving home from TheEconomist Fending for yourself takes getting used to. First you must inform your parents. It took Lydia Yang, an illustrator who was then 28, three months to pluck up the courage. Then you must learn to pay bills and do basic chores. — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/08/26/improved-technology-collides-with-religious-beliefs-at-the-icu Improved technology collides with religious beliefs at the ICU from TheEconomist Common to all disputes is the fact that once doctors have established that further treatment is futile, the decision about what happens next is as much a moral judgment as a medical one. — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/08/28/fundamental-physics-is-humanitys-most-extraordinary-achievement Fundamental physics is humanity's most extraordinary achievement from TheEconomist Physicists have got used to the idea that mathematical theories can be turned into reliable representations of reality, thus producing understanding. And one discovery based on maths that physicists were pretty confident of making was of a phenomenon called Supersymmetry, which gives coherence to the current, rather ad hoc explanation of the menagerie of fundamental particles that has been collected since the 1890s — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/08/28/adam-toozes-new-book-documents-the-economic-impact-of-the-pandemic Adam Tooze's new book documents the economic impact of the pandemic from TheEconomist Developing countries, meanwhile, suffered much less economic damage from the pandemic than would once have been expected. Since 2000 emerging markets have largely avoided two important and connected risks, namely pegging their exchange rates to the dollar and borrowing in foreign currencies. — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/the-%27wadokei%27-the-old-way-of-measuring-time-in-japan ? — Best regards Seetha Ram

Rubin isn't a Type A. She's a Type A Plus. Gretchen Rubin actually appears to have it all. But is that the kind of happiness guru we want? https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/gretchen-rubin-actually-appears-to-have-it-all-but-is-that-the-kind-of-happiness-guru-we-want/2019/03/05/0cf21774-349c-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.html

accessibility is not the same as inclusion. https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-and-disability-will-the-tokyo-paralympics-bring-change? — Best regards Seetha Ram

Not only does 3d-printing allow greater versatility and faster construction, it also promises lower cost and in a more environmentally friendly approach than is possible at present. That may make it a useful answer to tw https://www.economist.com/science-and-technologythe-rise-of-3d-printed-houses/21803667 The rise of 3D-printed houses from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

The importance of value-based education is well established. Interesting article. Positional goods are, by their nature, in strictly limited supply. Everyone can in principle live in a good neighbourhood, attend a good school, and work in a good job. But logic sadly dictates that not everyone can enjoy the nicest neighbourhoods, best schools or most prestigious jobs. As Hirsch pointed out, "what each of us can achieve, all cannot." https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/08/21/the-case-for-mutual-educational-disarmament The case for mutual educational disarmament from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

Matrimony in India is also big business. kpmg, a consultancy, estimates the wedding industry's revenues at roughly $50bn. Before the pandemic these were growing by 25% a year. https://www.economist.com/business/2021/08/21/how-the-pandemic-is-changing-indias-wedding-business How the pandemic is changing India's wedding business from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

Even if the next disaster cannot be predicted, having good infrastructure can make all the difference. https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/08/21/policymakers-weigh-up-the-future-of-britains-pandemic-state Policymakers weigh up the future of Britain's pandemic state from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

The country overestimated the effectiveness of military power to bring about fundamental political change, even as it under-estimated the impact of its free-market economic model on global finance. The decade ended with its troops bogged down in two counterinsurgency wars, and an international financial crisis that accentuated the huge inequalities that American-led globalisation had brought about. https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2021/08/18/francis-fukuyama-on-the-end-of-american-hegemony Francis Fukuyama on the end of American hegemony from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

Educating girls is also an excellent way to reduce poverty. This should be obvious—if half the population never learn much, they will never earn much. https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/08/19/why-educating-girls-is-even-more-important-than-people-realise Why educating girls is even more important than people realise from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007689277 — Best regards Seetha Ram

Wealth should be divided into five types, says Sukracharya. One portion is to be set aside for dharma. One portion is for one's own sreyas. One portion should be used to augment one's current wealth. One portion is to be used to run everyday life. One portion is to be used to help relatives. https://www.thehindu.com/society/faith/five-types-of-wealth/article35899630.ece — Best regards Seetha Ram

Learn your A-BCDs. University of Washington psychologist John Gottman identified four communication behaviors that derail conversations so consistently that he refers to them as "the four horsemen of the apocalypse."  With a mnemonic modification to Gottman's formulation, I teach clients to avoid torpedoing conversations by "learning your A-BCDs," by which I mean learning to Avoid Blame, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling. https://hbr.org/2017/05/8-ways-to-get-a-difficult-conversation-back-on-track  

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2021/08/13/language/discovering-meaning-japanese-one-kanji-particular/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

Nice article by Shanti Jagannathan. Striking the 'phygital' balance. The exponential growth in on-line learning may reduce 'physical' mobility, enabling 'digital mobility'. However, fully online programs do not provide critical dimensions of international study, including intercultural exchanges in a physical setting, student services in campus, networks of professionals, and opportunities for internships and work experience. https://blogs.adb.org/blog/how-post-pandemic-education-systems-can-welcome-back-international-students?utm_source=blognewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=edpix-aug  

School closures have been a common tool in the battle against COVID-19. Yet, their costs and benefits remain insufficiently known. We use a natural experiment that occurred as national examinations in The Netherlands took place before and after lockdown to evaluate the impact of school closures on students' learning. The Netherlands is interesting as a "best-case" scenario, with a short lockdown, equitable school funding, and world-leading rates of broadband access. Despite favorable conditions, we find that students made little or no progress while learning from home. Learning loss was most pronounced among students from disadvantaged homes.  https://www.pnas.org/content/118/17/e2022376118  

Dear Ishuwar This is the article in NG that I mentioned to you when you had called earlier this week.  You can read at your leisure.  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/two-gladiators-enter-only-one-leaves-alive-right-think-again-feature?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=crm-email::src=ngp::cmp=editorial::add=History_20210809&rid=7CA775419451D5AE14355B19B0EF0C49   Being a gladiator could be lucrative, and was sometimes a career choice, literary sources suggest. Brave performances in the arena could transform gladiators into popular heroes, and even earn prisoners their freedom. Gladiators probably spent most of their time training or in exhibition contests. 

Nice program on Japanese innovation. https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/K9NGYYZ8RG/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

Panasonic episode Shirai flexilight. https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/K9NGYYZ8RG/list/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

Nice program on Japanese innovation. https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/K9NGYYZ8RG/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.ifsa.jp/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.isa-japan.org/english/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

Inspiring indeed. http://nipun.servicespace.org/about/index.php?op=faq — Best regards Seetha Ram

Miyagi-san, who shared how he was "reborn" at Gandhi 3.0, happens to be closely connected to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics committee. Following the retreat, he is now moving forward with a lot of new ideas -- like inviting 50 thousand refugees to hold up a small piece of art, that collectively makes the image of an Earth Flag. Couple of the participants are "heartstorming" a global youth movement with major influencers and support from Gates Foundation. Another connected him to CTO at Apple, another to Steven Spielberg. Post Olympics, he is set to host a "Gandhi 3.0" retreat in Japan. https://www.servicespace.org/blog/view.php?id=29624 — Best regards Seetha Ram

Like many things about ancient Rome, some of the best preserved evidence for gladiators comes from  Pompeii , south of modern-day Naples, Italy. Once a thriving city, Pompeii was buried suddenly by a volcanic eruption in A.D. 79. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/two-gladiators-enter-only-one-leaves-alive-right-think-again-feature — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/08/08/olympic-glory-tends-to-go-hand-in-hand-with-economic-clout Olympic glory tends to go hand-in-hand with economic clout from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://tanimoto-office.jp/IJIRD0403-0404%20TANIMOTO.pdf

https://www.jef.or.jp/journal/pdf/218th_Cover_Story_06.pdf

https://www.ics.hub.hit-u.ac.jp/faculty/profile/nonaka_ikujiro.html — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/insight/olympic-dreams-require-early-state-support-1017370.html

http://emmahill.squarespace.com/former-group-members — Best regards Seetha Ram

The slow quake—the longest ever recorded—ended in disaster in 1861. Experts are racing to find today's equivalents. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/an-earthquake-lasted-32-years-and-scientists-want-to-know-how — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/liveblog?id=711dd709-8ce3-4fa5-9353-aab4c3aff3b7 — Best regards Seetha Ram

Takamada English contest trophy https://jnsafund.org/jnsa/category/report/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007478508 — Best regards Seetha Ram

— Best regards Seetha Ram Begin forwarded message: From: The New York Times <nytdirect@nytimes.com> Date: August 7, 2021 1:42:39 JST To: keseetharam@gmail.com Subject: Science Times: Can the Olympics Take the Heat? Reply-To: nytdirect@nytimes.com  Science Times: Can the Olympics Take the Heat? Plus: Squirrel acrobats, gecko navigators and other natural overachievers. View in browser | nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 6, 2021 Welcome to the Friday edition of the Science Times newsletter, keeping you up to speed between one Tuesday science section and the next. Sign up here to subscribe . As always, let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com . Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Can the Olympics Take the Heat? Pauline Jennings/PolyPEDAL Lab, UC Berkeley By Alan Burdick Senior Staff Editor, Health / Science Maybe every athlete went into the Tokyo Olympics secretly worried that they hadn't prepared sufficiently for the ...

Olympic athletes offer us an ideal of achievement and determination in the face of adversity. Knowledge that we are always, in some measure, complicit offers us a kind of moral adversity that we overcome not through the pursuit of an impossible moral purity, but through renewed efforts to engage in our deeply flawed world. Choosing to watch the Games, for all their faults, is perfectly compatible with these efforts. Are You a Bad Person for Watching the Olympics? https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/opinion/tokyo-olympics-tv-ethics.html?referringSource=articleShare — Best regards Seetha Ram

This Conversation Changed the Way I Interact With Technology https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-lm-sacasas.html?referringSource=articleShare — Best regards Seetha Ram

The six passenger cars that make up the train have room for 396 travelers, with a total of 163 reserved seats in Cars 1, 2, and 3. Seats in Car 1 have an auspicious chrysanthemum design on their upholstery. https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/new-shinkansen-design-revealed-for-nagasaki-extension? — Best regards Seetha Ram

To Aaswath Raman, who was a key mind behind Grocery Outlet's shiny tiles, that effect seemed like an opportunity. "Your skin, your roof, the ground, all of them are cooling by sending their heat up to the sky," he says. https://www.popsci.com/science/modern-air-conditioning-obsolete/ — Best regards Seetha Ram

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/07/28/data-dont-lie-but-they-can-lead-scientists-to-opposite-conclusions Data don't lie, but they can lead scientists to opposite conclusions from TheEconomist — Best regards Seetha Ram

Here's where those non­ver­bal cues come in handy, says Ohio's Dr. Thomas-Mad­dox. Take a step back to in­crease space. Wave at some­one across the room. Go ahead and peek at your watch. I thought you would be interested in the following story from The Wall Street Journal. What to Say When Someone Asks 'How Are You?' And Other Conversation Tips Download the Wall Street Journal app here: WSJ. — Best regards Seetha Ram