September 22, 2009

Today on Word of Mouth, London, Berlin, Beijing and Pittsburgh? We’ll find out why the steel city was chosen to host this week’s G-20 summit. And in Pakistan, more than thirty thousand “ghost” schools exist on paper, but not in reality. Teachers who haven’t shown up in decades still collect government paychecks. And what’s better for the earth, beer or wine? Slate.com’s Green Lantern columnist weighs the options. Plus, getting a divorce is expensive in any economy, but as couples face economic challenges, mediation can be a more affordable option. And indie rockers fool’s gold mix Ethiopian rhythms, Congolese guitar riffs, and Hebrew lyrics.

(Photo by Joey Gannon via Flickr/Creative Commons)