A couple of noteworthy NPR stories

+ Why Phoenix continues to grow in spite of the unbearable heat -- it has to do with access to the middle-class American dream (and A/C!) -- Phoenix's identity is "growth" -- part 1 of 3.

+ A British public school now requires that all students study Mandarin Chinese -- a growing trend. It makes sense -- good sense. And because it is more tonal than English -- the earlier the better.