How are you holding up? You’ve had some tough days lately, it seems. The last few years haven’t been very kind to you. Despite democracy being at a modern-day high at the end of 2017 (Drew Desilver, Pew Research), a 2025 report from the University of Gothenburg found that autocratic countries now outnumber democracies worldwide, with 72 percent of the global population living under some form of autocratic rule. Some sources say that global democracy has slid back to levels last seen in the 1970s, with The Economist’s Democracy Index reporting eight consecutive years of decline in 2025. Democracy, what happened to you? What can we do to make sure your future is secure and hopeful?
Introducing TED’s exclusive strategic partner in China: New Channel International Education Group
TED meets with New Channel International Education Group in New York City.
On March 16, 2026, TED and New Channel International Education Group held a formal signing ceremony in New York to celebrate their exclusive strategic partnership in China. The event brought together TED chair Chris Anderson, TED CEO Logan McClure Davda and New Channel Chairman Professor Hu Min.
This time of year brings Seville oranges to the markets in Paris. For the past few years, I kept wondering why they were so hard to find since it’s perhaps my favorite of all jams and jellies to make, and eat. But lately, they’ve been everywhere. And I found myself busy making a lot of marmalade, which was easier since I came up with a brand-new, revolutionary technique which I couldn’t wait to share.
After 19 years, I finally went back to Ko Lipe, the Thai island I spent close to a month on in 2006. Back then, it was one of those super off-the-beaten-path destinations that few but the most intrepid travelers visited, where electricity only ran a few hours a day, basic bungalows right on the beach cost something like $2 USD, and there really was a last boat for the season.
Apparently I’m not the only one who loves polenta cake. The Italians like it so much that it’s called Amor Polenta. Which means “Polenta Love.”
Well, at least that’s what I thought it meant, because amour in French means “love.” And I assumed that it was the same in Italian. (Another reason for finally getting on that life-long ambition to live in Italy and learn Italian.) But for now, checking in an Italian dictionary, I found out that “amor” means “sake.” (As in, for the purpose of.) So I’m not sure how it got its name, but this cake makes a pretty good argument for the sake of whisking polenta into a cake.
