LA teens discuss their employed and unemployed plans for the summer.; Credit: Jonathan Benn/KPCC

Summer job prospects for teens and young adults are better this summer than they have been in recent years. America’s young workforce seems to be settling into sunnier times when it comes to seasonal work, despite ongoing debates whether internships (especially unpaid internships) are worth it.

Summer gigs have always offered a unique opportunity — teens and young adults can try out careers, explore new fields, work alongside peers and people of all backgrounds. While some summer jobs of yore have been phased out (believe it or not, Larry Mantle spent one college summer as a dictionary salesman), the stories that come along with them live on.

What have been your most memorable summer jobs? How are things changing when it comes to seasonal work for young people? Weasked our listeners on Facebook and via the Public Insight Network. Here's what they had to say: 

One summer during college I came back home and worked as a teacher's aid for my hometown high school's summer school biology class. The teacher kept all sorts of animals in the classroom, such as birds and various reptiles. Part of my job was to buy food for the animals from the pet store. One time I had to buy live mice to feed to the boa constrictor. It made me so sad to hear the mice scurrying around inside of a brown paper bag as I drove them from the pet store to the school. Thankfully I did not have to feed the mice to the snake. There was actually a student who volunteered to do that.

—Lauren Shen

My most memorable summer job was working as a crew member aboard a sight seeing tour catamaran cruising along Glacier Bay, Alaska. Glacier Bay, which is where I lived, is about 60 miles away from Juneau, and can only be reached by air or sea. There is a small town named Gustavus 10 miles away from the lodge and our cottages and it had a population of 500. It was such an incredible summer, words can hardly describe. I worked roughly four to five days a week and in my off time, I was usually kayaking somewhere in Glacier Bay, which has two main arms and many fjords and inlets. While I was working, it was hard to call work because it was my job to entertain and inform the passengers while spotted bald eagles, grizzlies galore, orcas and breaching hump back whales, all with the back drop of countless 15 thousand foot plus mountains in the background. And the main attractions were the glaciers we stopped by.

—Carl Penaloza

I started working part time as a cashier at a cupcake shop and never left. I ended up convincing my bosses to let me ... work in the kitchen. I worked there for two years but still work full time as a professional baker five years later. I will always appreciate those ladies for taking a chance on their part-time cashier and giving me an opportunity to learn a craft, which turned into a career.

—Paula Kirsch

I was a process server one summer when I was in college. It was AWFUL. I drove all around Riverside County and San Bernardino County (two of the biggest counties in the nation) delivering eviction notices for $10 a document, and I wasn't reimbursed for gas. People were always so upset when you showed up at their door (understandably), and were occasionally outright obstinate in trying to deliver them (also understandably). My boss was really disorganized, routinely lied to me about things, and took months to pay me. After several days in a row where I had to drive out to the Palm Springs-Indio area to deliver a single document, I realized I was actually losing money on the job, and I quit. The bright side of the job though is I now have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of virtually every freeway east of Los Angeles and can navigate with extreme ease.

—Adam Cook

I was a ball girl, usherette, charity work & softball player for the Philadelphia Phillies for 4 years in college. It was like getting paid to have a season ticket. Yes that is the now gone Veterans Stadium. My favorite job ever. Favorite part was doing the charity events and working with kids (MD telethons) and meeting people - oh yeah and working the world series. (playoffs were against the Dodgers and Tommy Lasorda always came to say hello to Philly people) I'm front row left next to the coach.

—Connie Bevivino-Huffa

I was a young 14 year old hired by the city of Los Angeles to at LADOT (L.A. Dept of Transportation). I remember strapping myself on the outsides of those yellow city trucks. The driver, a very nice white man, and I would drive all over the city to place temporary traffic signs on posts. It was through those yellow trucks how I discovered the beauty of L.A.. It was my first time venturing out to meet the world! I loved it. Now, I'm a teacher and I share all my teenage memoirs with my students. It's the zeitgeist moments in our lives which matter most.

—Victor Castaneda

The most fun summer job was working at the Greek Theatre summer of 1980. A bunch of my friends from Glendale High also worked there, but I think the best part was meeting kids from all over LA. from different backgrounds. The bands ran the gamut from Peaches And Herb to the B52s. We would work late and usually end up at some party together. We even had our own satin jackets made.

—Susan Bowen McGregor 

Our Facebook friends share their stories as well:

Guest:

Lori Shreve Blake, Senior Director of Alumni and Student Career Services at USC

; Credit: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Texas governor Rick Perry is expected today to announce a plan to deploy 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to the Rio Grande Valley to combat the recent surge in illegal immigration. The news was first reported in The Monitor, a newspaper in South Texas, quoting a state senator and an internal memo from a state official's office.

The troops will be deployed gradually, adding up to 1,000 within a month at a cost of about $12 million per month, according to the memo. Perry is expected to announce the details of his plan at a press conference in Austin at 2 p.m. central time.

This announcement comes amid a surge in migrants fleeing drug violence in Central America, and various protests in U.S. cities by people who don't want the migrants housed in their areas. Perry has been critical of President Obama's handling of the crisis, referring to this issue as Obama's "Katrina."  

What are the implications of sending National Guard troops to the border? What is the current status of the migrant crisis in Texas and elsewhere? Has the number of migrants crossing the border increased or decreased? Are emergency shelters still being used? Is this move mainly a political one for Rick Perry?

Guests:

Christy Hoppe , Austin Bureau Chief for The Dallas Morning News

Jude Joffe-Block,  Senior Field Correspondent for The Fronteras Desk, based in Arizona. She’s been reporting on the migrant crisis.

Camel cigarettes, manufactured by Reynolds Amercian, are displayed at a tobacco shop on July 11, 2014 in San Francisco, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A Florida jury has ordered R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to pay $23.6 billion to the widow of a long-time smoker.

Mrs. Cynthia Robinson sued the cigarette manufacturer over the 2006 death of her husband, Michael Robinson, Jr. He died of lung cancer at the age of 36, and started smoking when he was 13 years old. Robinson’s lawyers argued the tobacco company was negligent when it failed to inform minors of the dangers of smoking.

The company says it plans to appeal, but this case is one of thousands in Florida spurred by a state Supreme Court decision in 2006 that vacated an earlier verdict in favor of former smokers. The ruling stated families simply need to prove smoking is addictive and that smoking causes illness or death.

How were the $23 billion in damages calculated? What does this portend for the other cases in Florida? Since the U.S. Supreme Court recently failed to grant an appeal by tobacco manufacturers, is it likely this verdict will stand?

Guests:

Edward Sweda, Senior Attorney, Tobacco Products Liability Project (TPLP), a project of the Public Health Advocacy Institute, based at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston.

Jacob Sullum, Senior Editor, Reason magazine, Syndicated Columnist; Forbes drug policy blogger

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry listens as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks before a meeting of the UN Security Council on July 25, 2013 in New York City.; Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

President Obama called on Russia to exert pressure on pro-Russia separatists to assist with the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 investigation in a speech this morning.  The international community has slowly come to the consensus that pro-Russia separatists might be behind the downing of Flight MH17 on Thursday, using weapons believed to have been supplied by Russia. President Obama has made clear that the U.S. will ratchet up economic sanctions against Russia if it fails to "get serious" about de-escalating the Ukraine crisis, but has offered little else on what the U.S. would do if Russia fails to comply.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry is heading back to the Middle East to help secure a cease-fire that had been agreed to in November 2012.

Poll after poll have shown that Americans are tired of the U.S. being involved in foreign conflicts. The latest evidence came courtesy of a POLITICO survey released today, finding that Americans overwhelmingly want the country to stay out of Ukraine,, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.  

With intervention fatigue firmly setting in, should the U.S. get involved in what's happening in Gaza and Ukraine?

Guests: 

Thomas Alan Schwartz, a historian of the United States’ foreign relations and a history professor at Vanderbilt University. He is a co-editor, with Matthias Schulz, of “The Strained Alliance: U.S.-European Relations from Nixon to Carter,” (Cambridge University Press, 2009).

In this Oct. 30, 1983 photo provided by the NFL, Los Angeles Raiders tight end Todd Christensen (46) runs with the football after making a catch during a football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Los Angeles.; Credit: NFL/AP

Two decades ago, the Rams and Raiders played their final season playing football in the City of Angels, and no teams in the NFL have called Los Angeles home ever since.  

But it's not for the lack of trying. There had been numerous plans to bring the country's most popular sport back to Los Angeles, the latest attempt being the beleaguered Farmers Field project--the $1.5 billion football stadium that the L.A. City Council unanimously gave the go-ahead to build in 2012. But construction has yet to begin, because developer AEG hasn’t been able to find a NFL franchise willing to move to the city, the nation’s second-biggest market for the sport.

Still, hope springs eternal, and L.A. fans pining for a home team might finally have something to look forward to this season. Three teams--The St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders--are seriously eyeing a move to Los Angeles. 

And they all have the flexibility to do so--each team has just a year-to-year lease in its current venue.

Guest:

Sam Farmer, NFL writer for the Los Angeles Times who’s been following the story 

; Credit: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images

Because of faulty language in the Affordable Care Act, some low and middle-income people may not be entitled to receive government assistance to subsidize their insurance. That’s being argued in several legal challenges to Obamacare currently being addressed in the federal courts. Now, two federal appeals courts handed down conflicting rulings today.

At issue is what the Obama administration argues is imprecise language. The exact wording in the ACA states that subsidies, or tax credits, should be paid to low and middle-income people who purchase insurance through an "exchange established by the state." But 36 states have not implemented their own exchanges, opting to rely on the federal exchange instead.

A circuit court in Washington D.C. said today that the ACA does not authorize the IRS to issue tax credits to people who have purchased health coverage through the federal marketplace. But, the Obama administration contends that Congress had intended to offer subsidies to low and middle-income people who bought insurance through either a state or federal health exchange created by the ACA.

And just hours after the ruling in D.C., the Obama administration’s contention was upheld by a fourth circuit court in Richmond, V.A., that ruled that the IRS can exercise its discretion on how to interpret the subsidies language.

How must the Obama administration respond now? Does the latest ruling mean that the administration will not need to move to correct the wording of the law? Given Republican opposition to Obamacare, would any effort to do so have a chance at success anyways?

Guests:

Lisa McElroy, a supreme court scholar and Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University School of Law

Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speechwriter for Governor Pete Wilson

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist, Rodriguez Strategies; former senior Obama advisor in 2008

A look inside the cars that compose "The Vault" collection at the Petersen Museum.; Credit: Ivette Lopez/KPCC

Hidden away in the basement of the Petersen Automotive Museum, in a room they call “the vault,” are about 150 cars that aren’t on regular display.

They include Saddam Hussein’s limo, a popemobile, 3 original Muntzs and Greased Lightening, among many, many others.

A select few get tours and Larry Mantle recently ventured down there to see the many famous cars that are housed there, as well as the Petersen’s current exhibits dedicated to the cars owned by Steve McQueen and The World’s Greatest Sports Coupes.

Guests:

Terry Karges, Executive Director, Petersen Automotive Museum

Leslie Kendall, curator, Petersen Automotive Museum

Hillary Rodham Clinton arrives to a signing of her book "Hard Choices", Thursday, July 17, 2014, in Ridgewood, N.J. ; Credit: Julio Cortez/AP

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded on Tuesday to charges from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that she is a "20th century candidate" by defending the Obama administration's first term and saying that "every election is about the future."

On Morning Edition Tuesday, Rubio said: 

"I think she's extremely vulnerable on her record. The truth of the matter is she was the Secretary of State during an administration that has had virtually no major successes on foreign policy. In fact, their failures on foreign policy are stark, and we'll remind them of them every single day, and she'll have to answer for that. And the other is I think she's just a 20th century candidate."

Clinton is currently touring the U.S. promoting her new memoir "Hard Choices," in which she writes about the four years she served as the nation's top diplomat under President Barack Obama. We were lucky enough to snag some time with her to discuss a number of issues, including Rubio's comments on her potential candidacy.

On Rubio's '20th century candidate' remark:

"I wrote a whole book called 'Hard Choices' that details a lot of the important successes of the first term of President Obama (and maybe I should send a copy of it to my Republican friends). Secondly, elections are about differences, as we know, but every election is about the future and certainly anyone who wishes to run for president has to make it clear how the experience that you've had in the past and what you believe and how you have acted on those beliefs will translate into positive results for the American people.

"I will be standing up and speaking out in favor of the changes that I think we need to make to improve life for middle-class Americans, to give every kid a chance to go to college without being bankrupted and disabled by student debt, to try and resolve our immigration challenges in a way that is keeping with our values, and so much else. I know that elections are about the future and I look forward in engaging in that kind of debate."

On whether she'll run for president:

"We have an election this November, which is a pretty consequential one, because it'll determine the control of the Senate, and obviously I strongly am committed to doing what I can to keep the Senate in Democratic hands. And so I think we all should be focused on that election and not look ahead to 2016. But by the end of the year, or early next year, people will start making decisions, and of course, I will be among them... 

"You certainly have to make the decision, when and how you go pubic with it, that's up to each individual, but from my perspective, I think it's incredibly important that we stay focused on these midterm elections — that historically have a lower turnout than presidential elections — because so much is at stake. After we've done everything we can for the 2014 elections, the Democratic Party, the country, we can turn our attention to the upcoming presidential race."

On medical marijuana and federal enforcement:

"Honestly, I don't think we've done enough research yet to say what the effects are and what they could be on different people with different physical or psychological issues, different ages — yes, medical first and foremost, we ought to be doing more to make sure that we know how marijuana would interact with other prescription drugs and the like. But we also have to know how even medical marijuana impacts our kids and our communities.

But the states are the laboratories of democracy, and we're seeing states pass laws that enable their citizens to have access to medical marijuana under certain conditions, so we have the opportunity to try to study those. And then Colorado and Washington have proceeded to permit recreational use. And at the same time, we're seeing the beginnings of important criminal justice reforms.

So I'm a big believer in acquiring evidence, and I think we should see what kind of results we get, both from medical marijuana and from recreational marijuana before we make any far-reaching conclusions... I think the feds should be attuned to the way marijuana is still used as a gateway drug and how the drug cartels from Latin America use marijuana to get footholds in states, so there can't be a total absence of law enforcement, but what I want to see, and I think we should be much more focused on this, is really doing good research so we know what it is we're approving."

On teacher tenure and the Vergara decision:

"I haven't read the Vergara decision, so I don't know the details, but I would make just a few points. First, I think everybody should agree that good teachers are at the heart of high-quality learning, and we need more cooperative partnerships between innovative unions, especially at the local level, and with local school districts, with parents, with teachers, and not the adversarial approach that I think has not worked to the benefit of our kids. And we have to get back to what really does work for kids, because these education debates are really toxic.

...

Anything that stands truly in the way based on reliable evidence to the well-being and educational attainment of our most disadvantaged kids we should tackle systematically. But I think it's probably unwise to be making education decisions by judicial decision."

On the conflict in Israel and Gaza:

We obviously want to help bring an end to the conflict in Gaza, we also want to support Israel’s right to self-defense. And we want to ensure that lethal rockets don’t continue to make their way to Gaza under the control of Hamas. You may have heard that American airlines have just been ordered by the FAA not to fly into Ben Gurion Airport because a rocket just landed very close to Ben Gurion Airport.  So that certainly is an issue that we have to be paying attention to.

Similarly, with Ukraine, when an unarmed civilian commercial airplane is shot down by insurgents who have been armed and equipped by Russia, that raises a lot of issues for anybody in America who is flying these days, so you have to look at all of this in a thoughtful way, and you have to meet high bars to do anything that might lead to anything with military support. 

...I’ve been on the phone many times with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I have a whole chapter in my book about negotiating the November 2012 cease fire that prevented a ground invasion by the Israelis into Gaza, because at that time Hamas was firing rockets into Israel…I would certainly be urging that he try to accomplish the military objectives — which I have to say Larry, are legitimate ones: To destroy the tunnels that are providing pathways into Israel by armed Hamas fighters and destroy the stockpiles of rockets that are getting more accurate and raining down now on the entire territory of Israel — and I would say, 'Mr. Prime Minister, please move as carefully and expeditiously as is possible to finish the military objectives, because although you do have a right to protect your country, we want to do everything we can to limit, if not eliminate, civilian casualties... I would urge the prime minister to accept any additional offers of cease fire, because Israel should demonstrate its willingness to end the military conflict, but of course, Hamas should be required to do the same."

On the embassy attack in Benghazi:

"I took general responsibility immediately, because I was responsible for the State Department and the people there, but as I write in a very thorough chapter in my book, I am not a security expert. I would not pretend to be one… Obviously it was a tragic event, and I immediately put together an independent review board and they found that there were problems in the assessment of security requests in the department…

I think it’s important for Americans to realize that our facilities around the world are often attacked. We had a terrible attack with Ronald Reagan was president — 258 Americans killed in Beirut. There were attacks when my husband was president. We lost 12 Americans and many Africans in attacks on our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania… It’s a dangerous world out there and we do the best we can, but we don’t retreat. We don’t say, 'OK, it’s a dangerous world, therefore we can’t be out there, and we can’t be picking up information, and we can’t representing the United States.'"

Guests:

Hillary Rodham Clinton, author of the new memoir, Hard Choices (Simon & Schuster, 2014). She served as the United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013 and is former senator from New York from 2001 to 2009

Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speechwriter for Governor Pete Wilson

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist, Rodriguez Strategies; former senior Obama advisor in 2008

; Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

We all know that interruptions and distractions can make you less productive, but how do they affect creativity?

A new study out of George Mason University shows that interruptions during creative work are a bigger problem than previously thought. Researchers asked 54 college students to write short, SAT-style essays. Some students were allowed to finish their essay without being interrupted, others were interrupted during the outline stage and the rest during writing.

The study found that those who were interrupted wrote shorter and lower quality essays than those who were allowed to finish uninterrupted. The findings suggest that even generations who grew up with texting and chat as a main mode of communication aren’t immune to the effects of interruptions.

How do we avoid letting these distractions get the best of us? What about those of us who use Twitter, Facebook and chat for work? How do we avoid or lessen the impact of these distractors? What are some listeners' observations of the worst creative work interrupters? What’s the difference between multitasking and interruptions?

Guest:

Cyrus Foroughi, doctoral student at George Mason Universityand co-author of the study

A sign is posted in front of a Verizon Wireless store on January 24, 2012 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Cellphone carrier Verizon Wireless is launching a first of its kind loyalty program to its 100-million-plus subscribers nationwide. To earn points to use on hotels, car rentals, and Verizon products, customers have to consent to be tracked by cellphone towers. The phone company will use the data to target ads, but says customers will not be personally identifiable in the data. As The Wall Street Journal reports:

Ultimately Verizon plans to license the data it collects to help advertising technology companies serve more relevant ads and offers to its subscribers. The first companies to have access to the datasets will most likely be Verizon Precision Market Insights’ existing ad tech partners, which include Oracle, Bluekai, Run, Turn, and Brightroll.

The location data will help advertisers decide what to market as you surf the web on your mobile device, whether you are in Los Angeles or Oklahoma, etc.

Would you opt-in to this program at the expense of your privacy? Websites track your computer use to better target ads you see online, but is location tracking a different animal?

Guest:

Jack Marshall, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

A different social media war is being waged online between Israel and Hamas. . ; Credit: SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images

While Israel launches a ground offensive in Palestine against Hamas, a different war is being waged online. Both sides are battling via social media to disseminate propaganda messages and help shape public opinion on the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Israel Defense Force employs a 40-person team in its interactive unit — including videographers, computer programmers, etc. — to help produce and spread messages sympathetic to Israel's plight. Hamas has tried to leverage social media degree, but their label as a terrorist organization in the U.S. and other Western countries has lead to the deactivation of some official accounts by Facebook and Twitter.

Both sides are using competing hashtags, such as #GazaUnderAttack — which has been used in millions of Twitter posts — and #IsraelUnderFire, which has been used considerably less.  

How are both sides using social media and propaganda to shape the conversation? What impact do these messages have on international public opinion of the conflict? How are Facebook and Twitter reacting?

Guest:

Prof. William Youmans, Assistant Professor of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University in DC, specializing in transnationalism and news media in conflict with emphasis on the Middle East

"Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do," by Wallace J. Nichols, PhD.

Marine biologist and researcher Wallace J. Nichols has devoted a large portion of his career in the water. In ‘Blue Mind,’ Nichols lays out the argument and science as to why others should follow in his footsteps.

‘Blue Mind’ presents Nichols’ research in neuroplasticity, neurochemistry, happiness, and creativity. According to his findings, water and its properties have profound affects on human senses.

Nichols found that the different properties of water, such as its blue color, smell and taste all reduce stress and make people happier overall. The research shows that simply being around water instantly triggers a sense of belonging and tranquility.

Do you find yourself happier around water? Are any of your stress relievers in or around bodies of water?

Chapter 1 of Blue Mind

Guest:

Wallace J. Nichols, marine biologist and author of “Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do”

KPCC’s Healthcare Reporter Rebecca Plevin and the Price Check team are currently crowdsourcing the varied price of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.; Credit: Paula Steele/Flickr Creative Commons

Have you ever gone to the doctor or hospital for a routine test or procedure, and later received a shockingly high bill?

Price Check, KPCC’s collaboration with KQED and Clearhealthcosts.com, a health costs transparency company, wants to help consumers avoid healthcare sticker shock. And to that end, they are crowdsourcing billing information from willing healthcare consumers online to create a comprehensive database of healthcare prices. 

KPCC Healthcare Reporter Rebecca Plevin will join AirTalk to discuss the project. How much do MRI prices vary? What are the factors that influence the cost of an MRI?

How do costs for back MRIs compare to other common procedures? How can a patient determine what the cost of an MRI will be before opting to receive one?

Guest:

Rebecca Plevin, KPCC Health Reporter

President Barack Obama speaks at USC Shoah Foundation's 20th Anniversary Gala at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on May 7, 2014 in Century City, California. ; Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for USC Shoah Foundation

President Obama will arrive in Los Angeles Wednesday as part of his West Coast fundraising tour. Along with raising money for the Dems for November's midterm elections, the President will also be giving a talk at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.

For Angelenos, who are no strangers to the President's frequent Southland visits, that means road closures and nightmarish traffic jams. But the President's trip this time around is also drawing criticism of a different sort. Republican National Committee spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski is one among many saying that he should devote his time to more urgent matters instead.

"With all that's happening in our country and around the world — wildfires, droughts and international crises, I think everyone can agree the last thing the president should be doing is fundraising," Kukowski said in a statement Tuesday.

The White House has defended the fundraising trips, but did cancel the President's appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that had been scheduled for Wednesday night.

Guest:

Tony Quinn, Sacramento-based political analyst and co-editor of the California Target Book, which provides analysis of State Assembly, State Senate and Congressional races in California.

Ken Goldstein, professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco. He also teaches in the school’s Masters’ Program in Public Affairs, focusing on the skills needed to run a modern political campaign

Two people stand a the El Al Airlines ticket desk at Terminal 4 in John F. Kennedy Airport July 22, 2014 in New York City. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has halted all flights from the U.S. to Tel Aviv, Israel following a rocket attack near Ben Gurion International Airport.; Credit: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

American and European flights to Tel Aviv remain suspended after a rocket struck near Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport yesterday. Commercial airliners took the lead when Delta first rerouted a jet in mid flight.

The Federal Aviation Authority followed with a 24-hour ban on flights to Israel, which could be extended. The aviation community is trying to avoid a repeat of last week's tragedy that saw a Malaysia Airlines civilian jet downed by a missile over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly has asked Secretary John Kerry for help in reversing the FAA flight ban. Should commercial airliners take the risk?

What about consumers — what will assure people it's safe to fly into the Middle East conflict? Going forward, will consumers want to know more about flight paths? Should they? Are travelers willing to fly with Malaysia Airlines after double disasters? 

Guests:

John McGraw, Former FAA Flight Standards Services Deputy Director; founder and principal of John McGraw Aerospace Consulting based in Virginia

Patrick Smith, commercial airline pilot; Author "Cockpit Confidential and columnist found at AskThePilot.com

Airbnb hosts have seen an increase in squatters, many having to hire lawyers and pay large fees to remove tenants from their units. ; Credit: Chris Weeks/Getty Images

A recent case in Palm Springs is proving to be a learning opportunity for people renting out rooms or vacation homes on Airbnb.

Cory Tschogl rented out her home to a man for 44 days, but he stopped paying after 30 days and refused to leave the 39-year-old's rental unit. Under California renter's rights laws, the man is legally allowed to live there until the issue is resolved in court.

In response to this case, Airbnb is currently reviewing its policies. Airbnb spokesman Nick Pappas provided AirTalk with the following statement:

“Officials from our team have contacted this host and she has been paid the full cost of the reservation and we're working with her to provide additional legal support as we move forward. We're also reviewing our procedures and making changes to our platform to give hosts more information about long-term reservations.”

How can Airbnb rental unit owners avoid falling into this trap? What does California law actually state about squatters? Should Airbnb have to do more to assist their users with these issues?

Guest:

Ken Carlson, an Idyllwild-based attorney who has specialized in landlord tenant law for 34 years.

Philip Seymour Hoffman at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2014 in Park City, Utah.; Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Court documents show that deceased actor Philip Seymour Hoffman left his $35 million fortune to his long-time partner, but not their three young children. Hoffman's accountant David Friedman told a  judge the actor rejected recommendations to create trust funds for his kids, adding that Mimi O'Donnell would take care of the children.

Hoffman is just one of many high-profile figures who want their children to take their own initiative. Billionaire and father of two Michael Bloomberg has said he’d give most of his worth to charity by the time he dies. "I am a big believer in giving it all away and have always said that the best financial planning ends with bouncing the check to the undertaker," the former New York mayor said.

Even if you’re not a billionaire, it can be emotional to wrestle with your will. What are your plans for your children? Or if you’re on the other end, what do you hope for from your parents?

Guest:

P. Mark Accettura,  Estate & Elder Law Attorney, Accettura & Hurwitz firm based in Michigan; Author of “Blood & Money: Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What To Do About It”

Susan Wright holds a sign protesting racist comments made by L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling outside Staples Center before a playoff game on April 29, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Jonathan Alcorn/Getty Images

Donald Sterling started fighting to maintain ownership of the Clippers on a third front this week with another lawsuit alleging he is still the rightful owner of the team. It’s anticipated that advertisers could begin to pull ads and Clippers CEO Dick Parsons testified in court that he fears coach Doc Rivers probably won’t want to continue coaching next season if Sterling still owns the team when the season starts.

The Clippers players are contractually obligated to keep playing, but should Doc Rivers refuse to coach the team? And are there other things the players can do to voice their opposition?

Guest:

Ramona Shelburne, Senior Writer for ESPN.com

A California Department of Corrections officer speaks to inmates at Chino State Prison in the dayroom of Sycamore Hall that was modified to house prisoners on December 10, 2010 in Chino, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

A federal judge bolstered a lawsuit yesterday allowing 125,000 California inmates to be represented in a challenge to race-based prison treatment.

The case stems from an inmate at California’s High Desert State Prison in north eastern Lassen County - a maximum security facility. Following a violent incident there in the warden locked down a group of African-American inmates for 18 months.

One of them, Robert Mitchell, stayed in the double-bunked cell he shared with another inmate -24 hours a day for seven days a week.

As reported by KPCC, Prison Law Office attorney Rebekah Evenson who is representing Mitchell said the type of discriminatory deprivation the inmate suffered is common in California prisons — and illegal, she contends.

Most prison gangs fall along racial lines, as do the tensions and violence. Nevertheless, the Department of Corrections recently revised lockdown policies in an effort to be more race-neutral, but those details are not yet known.

So what is the solution for quelling violence and maintaining relative accord among inmates? How do other states deal with such problems without violating the law?

Guests:

Don Specter, Director of the Prison Law Office, which is representing the 125,000 California inmates covered in the class-action lawsuit

Scott Kernan, former Undersecretary of Operations, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

New prescription bottles lie on a counter at a Target pharmacy April 28, 2005 in Chicago, Illinois. ; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The California State Board of Pharmacy is set to consider that issue in a July 31 meeting. Currently, pharmacies are mandated to provide interpretation for non-English speakers at the pharmacy counter.

Next week's meeting will focus on whether to expand that requirement to include written translations in selected languages of prescription drug labels.  

Proponents say translated labels would eliminate the risks posed by medication taken incorrectly by non-English speakers. But critics maintain that the current system is working the way it should, and the added requirement could mean liability issues down the line.

Guests:

Sarah de Guia, Director of Government Affairs at the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, an Oakland-based non-profit organization advocating for public policies that address the health needs of communities of color

Jon Roth, Chief Executive Officer of the California Pharmacists Association, which represents pharmacists, technicians, and student pharmacists from all practice settings in the state