The Brian Lehrer Show

Russia's anti-gay laws have sparked protest around the world (including at the recent track and field championships) and calls that the US should boycott the upcoming Winter Olympics in that country. But many athletes -- even those who actively support gay rights -- say that it's not fair to deny them their dream of competing in the Olympics at the expense of making a political point. What do you think? What role do Olympic athletes have when it comes to this issue? Call 212-433-9692 or comment below. These laws, which do not expressly prohibit being homosexual, criminalize public discussion of homosexuality, especially with foreigners. As an American, I believe in freedom of speech and equality for all, and therefore disagree with the laws that Russia has put in place. Given that I am currently residing in London, I will say, once again, that our LGBT neighbors deserve all the same rights as the rest of us. However, as an American who is about to reside in Moscow for 12 days, this will be the last time I will mention this subject. I say this not out of fear of prosecution by the Russian government, but out of respect for the fact that I will be a guest in the host nation. Just as I would not accept a dinner invite to a friend's house and then lecture them on how to raise their kids, neither will I lecture the Russian government on how to govern their people. This idea does go one step deeper, though. I am going to Russia to represent my country on the track. This civilized battlefield is where the best athletes in the world come together to metaphorically destroy each other. In the battle of the men's 800 meters, there are no weapons, no generals, no politicians involved, and actually very little contact at all. What you will find are 50 men who all want to become the next world champion, and who will figuratively and literally bleed to do so. I will say now what I said before the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, when people asked me how I felt competing in a foreign country with questionable human rights standards: The playing field is not a place for politics. In a world rife with never-ending political battles, let the playing field be where we set aside our differences and compete for national pride and the love of sport. -- Two-time Olympian Nick Symmonds on his decision to compete in Russia. Read the full piece at Runner's World.

Plans to have separate entrances for affordable housing and other residents of a new development have put the issue of "Inclusionary Zoning" back in the news. Brad Lander, Brooklyn City Councilman (D 39 - Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington) talks about the overall success and failure of affordable housing policy, and his call for mandatory inclusionary zoning.

A new study has found no evidence to support that some people display "right-brained" or "left-brained" personality traits. Jeff Anderson, neuro-radiologist at the University of Utah and lead author of the study that just came out in PLOS ONE, explains the findings and what it changes about our understanding of how we think.

Jason Q. Ng, 2013 Google Policy Fellow at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab and author of Blocked on Weibo: What Gets Suppressed on China's Version of Twitter (And Why) (New Press, August 2013), discusses his new book, which catalogues the many words and phrases censored by the Chinese government on the popular social media site Weibo. Excerpt: Blocked on Weibo // Blocked on Weibo Intro (PDF) Blocked on Weibo Intro (Text) From the book Blocked on Weibo. Copyright (c) 2013 by Jason Ng. Reprinted by permission of New Press. All rights reserved.

After covering three big stories from the world of science -- dolphin deaths, black holes and HeLa cells -- we're opening the phone lines for scientists and researchers to call in about what's going on in your laboratory, office, greenhouse or wherever you work. Call 212-433-9692 or comment below!

Dennis Overbye of the New York Times talks about a debate among physicists over what would happen if you jumped into a black hole and what it means for Albert Einstein's reputation.         

Dolphins are dying or being stranded in high numbers this summer along the mid-Atlantic coast, and New Jersey is seeing particularly high rates. Mendy Garron, the Northeast regional stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explains what could be killing the dolphins and what it means for humans. If you see a dead or stranded dolphin in New York, call the Riverhead Foundation's 24-hour rescue hotline at 631-369-9829. If you're in New Jersey contact the Marine Mammal Stranding Center's hotline at 609-266-0538.

Rebecca Skloot discusses the new agreement between the National Institutes of Health and the Lacks family about the use of HeLa cells - derived from Henrietta Lacks in 1951 without her or her family's consent - which have been integral to bio-medical research. Skloot is a journalist and author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. 

The RNC is shutting out CNN and NBC from the 2016 Republican debates over the network's plans to air programming focused on likely candidate Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, in New York, the mayor's race rolls along, with a major debate (co-sponsored by WNYC) scheduled for this Wednesday. Ben Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Buzzfeed, discusses the latest news.

At the London airport this weekend, David Miranda, Guardian columnist Glenn Greenwald's partner (and professional collaborator) was detained under Terrorism Act 2000 for 9 hours and questioned about the information supplied by NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Also over the weekend, Time magazine reporter Michael Grunwald tweeted (and quickly deleted) that he would defend a drone strike that "takes out" Wikileaks' Julian Assange. Amy Davidson, who writes the "Close Read" column for The New Yorker, discusses the role of national security journalism in the digital age, and why so many reporters feel so intimidated.

The RNC has voted to ban two networks from the 2016 primary debates. Ben Smith of Buzzfeed explains the dustup over two planned projects about Hillary Clinton. Plus: Bill Mahoney of NYPIRG talks about the surprises that were in bills Albany lawmakers passed this session. Then, a quick round-up of recent scientific developments including a new study showing there’s no such thing as right-brain and left-brain behavior, and a debate among physicists about what happens to you if you’re in a black hole. → Programming Note: Join Brian and NY1s Errol Louis for a Reddit "AMA" Tuesday at 2pm. Check this page for link Tuesday.

Bill Mahoney, research coordinator at NYPIRG, talks about some of the surprises in the end-of-session legislative flurry that are just now getting attention and how campaign finance reform might change the process.

On yesterday's show, NYS Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch said that "for a decade testing has driven instruction" but that the new Common Core standards will help shift the paradigm and "instruction and curriculum...will drive the test." She also said that teacher training for the Common Core has been "uneven" throughout the state, but that funds are being spent to bring teachers up to speed. Teachers: Do you think that Common Core will change the "teaching to the test" paradigm? And how have you been trained to prepare your students for the Common Core? Call 212-433-9692 or post your comment here.

Events in Egypt have overshadowed the first-in-five-years peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, brokered by Secretary of State Kerry. David Sanger, New York Times chief Washington correspondent and author of Confront and Conceal: Obama's Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power (Broadway, 2013), updates the progress and how turmoil in Egypt might affect the region.

State Senator Eric Adams talks about the ruling in the federal stop-and-frisk lawsuit. A former NYPD captain, he testified during the trial about disputed statements by Police Commissioner Kelly and is now running unopposed for Brooklyn Borough President. The judge's ruling: //