Opposing pornography and supporting Trump

Edition: US - Today's top story: Why the Christian right opposes pornography but still supports Trump [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 7 April 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note This week, in his first public statement on the scandal, President Donald Trump denied any knowledge of “hush money” being paid to Stormy Daniels, the adult star who alleges that she had an extramarital relationship with Trump. Meanwhile the affair does not seem to have affected the president’s support among conservative Christians. Sociologist Kelsy Burke argues their reaction to the Stormy Daniels story "[fits right into how evangelical Christians have responded to pornography]( in recent history.” Middlebury College’s Laurie Essig has been following America’s plastic surgery industry for years. One industry constant has been its growth, so she was taken aback when she learned that over the past decade, the number of Americans getting nose jobs has... [nosedived](. She wonders why a perfect nose is no longer something people are willing to pay for. Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor Top stories Stormy Daniels, an adult star, at a local restaurant in downtown New Orleans. AP Photo/Bill Haber [Why the Christian right opposes pornography but still supports Trump]( Kelsy Burke, University of Nebraska-Lincoln The Christian right's response to pornography in recent history is complicated. The moral conviction against porn remains strong, but there is also sympathy for its consumers. The nose isn’t going under the knife like it once did. Lightspring/Shutterstock.com [Why are fewer and fewer Americans fixing their noses?]( Laurie Essig, Middlebury College People who’ve gotten nose jobs are also trying to revert to a more natural look. Environment + Energy [Coral reefs are in crisis – but scientists are finding effective ways to restore them]( Deron Burkepile, University of California, Santa Barbara; Mark C. Ladd, University of California, Santa Barbara With coral reefs in crisis around the world, many organizations are working to restore them by growing and transplanting healthy corals. A new study spotlights techniques that help restored reefs thrive. [A chicken in every backyard: Urban poultry needs more regulation to protect human and animal health]( Catherine Brinkley, University of California, Davis; Jacqueline Kingsley, University of California, Davis From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, thousands of Americans are raising chickens in their backyards. But without stricter regulation, urban poultry farming is risky for both humans and birds. [Half of Earth's satellites restrict use of climate data]( Mariel Borowitz, Georgia Institute of Technology There are more satellites than ever before, orbiting Earth and collecting data that's crucial for scientists. Why do some nations choose not to share that data openly? [Driverless cars are already here but the roads aren't ready for them]( Mark Wilson, Michigan State University It will be hard to adjust. Considering what happened with the onset of car travel and web surfing, society can't just wing it. Arts + Culture [Why are Sinclair's scripted news segments such a big deal?]( Amanda Lotz, University of Michigan It’s worth looking at how local news stations have traditionally operated. [Why is it so stressful to talk politics with the other side?]( Melanie Green, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York We can disagree with co-workers in meetings. We can argue about sports with friends. A new study explores why politics seems to be an entirely different beast. Economy + Business [Sinclair-style employment contracts that require payment for quitting are very uncommon. Here's why]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon A purported contract between Sinclair and an anchor demanded a huge penalty if the employee quit. While many asked if that's legal, a more interesting question is why more companies don't do the same thing. [Today's youth reject capitalism, but what do they want to replace it?]( Joseph Blasi, Rutgers University; Douglas L. Kruse, Rutgers University The recent March for Our Lives showed just how unsatisfied American youth are with their leaders. Recent polls suggest the economic system may be the next item on their agenda. Fuel Economy Rules [Why EPA's U-turn on auto efficiency rules gives China the upper hand]( Greg Dotson, University of Oregon The Trump administration announced a plan to relax fuel economy standards, but well-designed regulations can drive clean car innovations that make U.S. industry globally competitive. [Government fuel economy standards for cars and trucks have worked]( James M. Sallee, University of California, Berkeley Since the federal government started setting fuel economy standards, US-built cars have doubled their fuel efficiency, saving money for consumers and reducing pollution. [Stronger fuel standards make sense, even when gas prices are low]( John DeCicco, University of Michigan Manufacturers always have to make trade-offs when they design new cars, balancing the need to protect public health and the environment with their urge to wow customers. [Why California gets to write its own auto emissions standards: 5 questions answered]( Nicholas Bryner, University of California, Los Angeles; Meredith Hankins, University of California, Los Angeles Air pollution could be the next battleground between California and the Trump administration, which is reviewing the Golden State's special legal authority to regulate tailpipe emissions. Education [5 things to know about the teacher strike in Oklahoma]( Erin McHenry-Sorber, West Virginia University The Oklahoma teachers strike is about more than just pay, but rather a longstanding pattern of decline in funding for the state's public schools. [Howard University student protest: 3 questions answered]( Marybeth Gasman, University of Pennsylvania As the student protest over conditions at Howard University continues, a scholar weighs in on what the fallout means for historically black colleges and universities. Politics + Society [For many US towns and cities, deciding which streets to name after MLK reflects his unfinished work]( Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee When activists have sought to rename main thoroughfares that don’t serve just primarily black neighborhoods, they have faced many challenges. [Gaza's nonviolent protesters exploited by Hamas, but feared by Israel]( Dov Waxman, Northeastern University The violence that led to the deaths of 18 Palestinians last week in Gaza dominated the headlines. But that's not the real story from that day: The nonviolence of thousands of other demonstrators is. [Behind the scenes of Venezuela's deadly prison fire]( Rebecca Hanson, University of Florida; Leonard Gómez Núñez, Universidad Nacional Experimental de Seguridad (UNES), Venezuela After a fire killed 66 inmates at a Venezuelan jail in March, news stories portrayed the country's prisons as lawless. The real backstory of this deadly riot is more complex — and maybe a bit scarier. [I’m suing Scott Pruitt’s broken EPA - here’s how to fix it]( Joe Arvai, University of Michigan An academic suing the EPA over its decision to bar certain scientists from serving on advisory boards says the EPA needs to address legitimate criticisms to rebuild after Pruitt. Science + Technology [Resisting technology, Appalachian style]( Sherry Hamby, Sewanee: The University of the South People in Appalachia are skeptical and cautious around technology – and how they think can be useful and instructive for living in a tech-centric world. [Understanding Facebook's data crisis: 5 essential reads]( Jeff Inglis, The Conversation Scholars discuss the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal: what happened, what's at stake, how to fix it, and what could come next. [Look up – it's a satellite!]( Christopher Palma, Pennsylvania State University A couple thousand satellites are orbiting Earth right now. Under the right conditions, your naked eye can spot these human-made objects in the night sky. [Rights of the dead and the living clash when scientists extract DNA from human remains]( Chip Colwell, University of Colorado Denver Are DNA samples today's version of the human skeletons that hung in 20th-century natural history museums? They can provide genetic revelations about our species' history – but at an ethical price. Ethics + Religion [Why a census question about citizenship should worry you, whether you're a citizen or not]( Michael Blake, University of Washington An expert explains why a recent plan to include a question about citizenship in the 2020 census is unjust, both for citizens and noncitizens. [Martin Luther King Jr. had a much more radical message than a dream of racial brotherhood]( Paul Harvey, University of Colorado A scholar argues how MLK's ideas and thoughts remain underappreciated in wider public consciousness. Health + Medicine [Genes and environment have equal influence in learning for rich and poor kids, study finds]( Jeffrey Roth, University of Florida For years, educators have viewed socio-economic status as an influence on learning. Here's why a recent study suggests the full story may be more complicated than that. [Sure, cancer mutates, but it has other ways to resist treatment]( Fabian V. Filipp, University of California, Merced Cancer is a disease of our genes, but resistance to therapy might go beyond cancer mutations. The DNA stays the same, but cancer cells outsmart the drugs by switching their gene activity. [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111