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Hermosa Beach’s 2-pet limit put to the test

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Dogs and Cats

Hermosa Beach, like nearby beach cities, has a limit of two dogs or cats per household.; Credit: JeffreyW/Flickr

Hermosa Beach has a limit of two cats or dogs per household, and it is enforcing it  by ordering Betty Starr and Steve Fry to remove two of their four cats, citing the city's municipal code. Similar to various nearby cities such as Manhattan Beach and El Segundo, which limit cats and dogs at 5 and 3 per household, respectively, Hermosa Beach has instituted the ordinance because of the city's density.

City Manager Tom Bakaly says "The city has ordinances limiting the number of pets owned is to protect the owners', the neighbors', and animals' well-being." But Starr and Fry have compared the decision they now face to Sophie's Choice, because two of the four cats are elderly and will most likely be euthanized if taken to a shelter. The issue arose when one of Starr and Fry’s neighbors, Mike Balzer, repeatedly complained about the cat's defecating in his yard. Balzer told the city council, "I've attempted to deal with this for four years...You get to the point where you say: 'How long can you pick up someone's poop from their pets?' This is an owner issue. They're not taking care of their animals, they're just letting them go wherever they want."

What recourse do neighbors have when people keep more pets than legally allowed? Are there extenuating circumstances where residents have a legal basis for exceeding the limit?

Guests:

Tom Bakaly, City Manager, Hermosa Beach

Sharon Papa, Chief of Police, Hermosa Beach


What you need to know about the latest Uber lawsuit and how to protect yourself

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San Francisco And Los Angeles District Attorneys Make Announcement Regarding Uber And Lyft Rideshare Companies

San Francisco district attorney George Gascon speaks during a new conference to announce a civil consumer protection action against rideshare company Uber on December 9, 2014 in San Francisco, California. Gascon, along with Los Angeles district attorney Jackie Lacey, announced the filing of a civil consumer protection action against Uber Technologies Inc. for making false and misleading statements to consumers and for engaging in business practices that violate California State law. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Attorneys with the District Attorney’s Offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the popular ride-sharing service, Uber, saying that the company misrepresents its safety and background check practices and overcharges customers for rides. The DA’s offices are also accusing Uber of fraud for charging a $4 fee for customers who request a ride to the airport even when the drivers weren’t paying the toll.

Another popular ride-sharing service, Lyft, settled with prosecutors and agreed to “play by the rules.” They will also have to pay a $500,000 fine and have said they will stop picking up customers from the airport until they get the permits and approvals needed.

Los Angeles district attorney Jackie Lacey said in a press conference this week that their aim is not to shut Uber down, but to get them to change their advertising, which the DA’s office says is false. Despite the lawsuit, Uber will be allowed to keep operating as normal. Uber said in a statement that it is in negotiations with the district attorneys' offices, but Los Angeles D.A. Jackie Lacey told KPCC's Take Two that Uber is not in contact with the D.A.'s offices and that she hopes they do reach out.

How much do you think ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft should be regulated? Do you think Uber is misleading its customers about the safety of its service and drivers? How do you keep yourself safe when using ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft?

Guests: 

George Gascón, District Attorney, City & County of San Francisco which filed a lawsuit yesterday against Uber

Carolyn Said, business and technology reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, she covers the so-called “sharing economy” and has been following the Uber saga as it has unfolded

Thilo Koslowski, vice president and automotive practice leader at the technology analysis firm Gartner.

New study reveals the science of how we change our minds

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Same-Sex Marriage Supporters In California Celebrate After Judge's Ruling

Buttons opposing Proposition 8 are displayed during a rally to celebrate the ruling to overturn Proposition 8 August 4, 2010 in San Francisco, California. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker announced his ruling to overturn Proposition 8 finding it unconstitutional. The voter approved measure denies same-sex couples the right to marry in the State of California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Most political strategists will tell you that changing voters’ opinions on divisive issues is difficult if not impossible — and that when it does occur, it is almost always fleeting. But a new study published today in the journal Science finds that a single conversation with the right messenger can go a long way toward building lasting support for a controversial social issue. The study took place in 2013 just a month before the Supreme Court effectively overturned California’s Prop 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage in 2008.

The project followed a long-standing door-to-door campaign in support of gay marriage and found that, while by the end of the year support for gay marriage was slightly up among voters in the study, the increase in support for gay marriage among those who had been contacted by gay canvassers was five times higher than that of the other participants. In addition, and perhaps even more noteworthy, that effect tends to spill over to friends and family members. The study looked specifically at the issues of Americans’ support for gay marriage, but the same researchers are beginning to apply their findings to other contentious issues, starting with abortion rights, and they hope to eventually test whether a similar approach could shift people’s attitudes on immigration.

Have you had similar experiences? When was the last time your mind was changed on a political issue? Was it because you came into contact with someone who was personally affected by the issue? Have you changed someone’s mind?

Guest:

Michael LaCour, PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science and Statistics, University of California at Los Angeles; he co-authored the study in Science

LA County Sups vote to hire more watchdogs to oversee Sheriff's Dept

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Jim McDonnell

Shortly after his swearing in, new L.A. Sheriff Jim McDonnell said he's happy to hear about the White House's plan to use federal funding to supply body cameras to officers. ; Credit: Erika Aguilar/ KPCC

The new LA sheriff in town, Jim McDonnell, will have to answer to a civilian commission approved on Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Exactly how the new oversight body will function, who will preside on it and how extensive their powers will be is yet to be decided. Sheriff McDonnell will join a working group of appointees to help craft the office.

Earlier this year, the same idea was rejected by the board, but with newly elected Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis, Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas was able to get the votes. This significant change comes after two years of controversy at the LA County Sheriff's Department that saw criminal indictments against 21 current and former sheriff's employees. The current Inspector General of the department has complained his oversight powers are limited because he cannot access personnel records. 

Should the commission include law enforcement officials? Should it have subpoena power? What about access to personnel records?

Guests:

Sheila Kuehl, Supervisor for Los Angeles County’s 3rd District; Kuehl voted for the creation of a civilian commission

Don Knabe, Supervisor for Los Angeles County's 4th District; Knabe voted against the creation of a civilian commission

Lakers president Jeanie Buss on the franchise’s current quagmire and future seasons

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Jeanie Buss

Los Angeles Lakers president Jeanie Buss stops by the KPCC studios to talk with host Patt Morrison on Wednesday, May 14.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

After a disappointing 2013-14 season, the Lakers were supposed to be a title contender again. The team got a new head coach in Lakers veteran Byron Scott and brought in a supporting cast including Jeremy Lin, Nick Young and Jordan Hill to back up a healthy and rested Kobe Bryant. But injuries continue to find a way to plague the team. The Lakers’ supposed torchbearer, Julius Randle, is sitting out the entire season after breaking his leg early on. And guard Steve Nash is still sidelined from recurring nerve damage in his back. The Lakers are 6-16 so far this season.

On Tuesday, at an event in New York City, Lakers legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson told reporters "I hope the Lakers lose every game, because if you're going to lose, lose. And I'm serious." Later that day, Magic took to Twitter and clarified his comments, saying "Laker Nation: Today in NY, I said I hope the Lakers don't win too many games because I want them to have the 1st or 2nd pick in the draft."

AirTalk asked Lakers part-owner and president Jeanie Buss on Thursday what her response to those comments was. You can hear Jeanie Buss' response by clicking the 'play' button above and going to the 3:00 mark of the audio.

"I was really disappointed in that and I got a message....I haven't spoken directly to Magic but I got a message to him and I ask him how would he feel if he was on the team, if he was on a team that someone who's close to the team and a legend, you know, of the game said something about a team that he was a player on, and in great Magic Johnson fashion, his reply was "If I was playing for that team, they wouldn't be losing." So there wouldn't have to be this conversation, so that's true Magic style, and we've got a player like Magic in Kobe Bryant, meaning that there is no chance that Kobe isn't going to do everything that he can do to make sure that the Lakers have every opportunity to win. We have a coach in Byron Scott who knows how to win and isn't going to settle for anything less than winning. So I think even though Magic's intention might have been good, I think he's read the situation completely wrong and I don't think that there's any player on this team, or coach, that would accept losing."

The team lost to the New Orleans Pelicans earlier in the week at the Staples Center and fans were so dismayed they started booing. What would team leadership need to do to not lose the loyalty of Lakers fans? With limited resources, how can the Lakers rebuild next year? What is the rebuilding plan for the team going forward?

Guest:

Jeanie Buss, part-owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers

What do sports mean to us in society?

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Slovenia v USA: Group C - 2010 FIFA World Cup

USA fans enjoy the atmosphere prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between Slovenia and USA at Ellis Park Stadium on June 18, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. ; Credit: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images

It’s no secret that sports fans are some of the most passionate humans on the planet. Die-hard fans will follow their favorite teams and players to the ends of the Earth and can experience the full spectrum of emotions over the course of a season. Sports allow us to experience sweet victory, bitter defeat, unbridled anger, and sometimes, just pure bewilderment. Many say it’s the human need to feel like we belong to something that fuels our passion for sport. We pick our favorite teams, spend our money on their merchandise, root for them unconditionally, and rail against rival teams. The importance of sports to Americans is undeniable. It is a phenomenon that perpetually permeates society when other things come and go. 

But what do sports really mean to us? Why do we get so invested in the teams we love? What are the psychological factors at work in the minds of sports fans? Is humanity’s ongoing love affair with sports evidence that the human need for a tribal connection is as strong as ever?

Guests: 

Michael Malec, Ph.D, professor of sociology at Boston College specializing in the sociology of sport

Edward Hirt, Ph.D, professor of social psychology at Indiana University, has done studies and research on the psychology of sports fans

Congress pushing forward with 2015 budget bill

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Congress Boehner

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014. Just days before government funding expires, House Republican leaders are trying to strike a balance between the conservatives determined to stop President Barack Obama’s immigration order and other lawmakers just as determined to avoid another politically damaging shutdown.; Credit: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Unlike last year, when Washington lawmakers could not agree on a budget and caused a government shutdown, Congress is expected to pass a 2015 budget deal before midnight. Delegating government spending through September 2015 with just under $1.1 trillion in funding, the House of Representatives is close to passing the appropriations bill.

Yet some Democratic lawmakers are up in arms over the legislation, citing last-minute riders to the bill that push against their interests. Certain controversial provisions include: changing campaign finance rules to allow wealthy donors to give nearly 10 times more to national parties than they previously could, amending the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill to loosen regulations on derivatives trading, cutting pension benefits for current retirees under certain plans, and stopping Washington D.C. from legalizing marijuana in the upcoming year despite a voter-approved initiative.

Passing any bill takes both houses of Congress, and the Senate may propose significant changes to the bill as it stands. While Democrats lost seats and their Senate majority in the 2014 midterm election, those results will not take place until January 20, forcing one last confrontation between the Republican House and the Democratic Senate. Leading the Senate Democrats in this fight is Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who recently had a leadership position crafted for her as the new strategic policy adviser to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. Senator Warren called for House Democrats to withhold support from the bill, although Democratic leaders were wary of causing what could be the second government shutdown in two years. Just last year, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) contributed to a government shutdown by calling for House Republicans to vote against last year’s spending bill.

Do you think the government will pass a budget? What is more important for a lawmaker: remaining steadfast in one’s beliefs or coming together to compromise?

Guests: 

Kitty Felde,  KPCC's Washington, D.C. Correspondent

Victoria McGrane, reporter for the Wall Street Journal covering financial regulation. Her piece for the Journal yesterday looked at the spending bill and the Dodd-Frank and derivatives fight

Dodgers and Angels trades shake up rosters as 2014 Winter Meetings wrap up in San Diego

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Los Angeles Dodgers v Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim runs to first base in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 7, 2014 in Anaheim, California. ; Credit: Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Baseball in Los Angeles is going to have a very different look in 2015, thanks to a slew of trades that came through in the 11th hour of the 2014 MLB Winter Meetings in San Diego.

News broke Wednesday that shortstop and former MVP Jimmy Rollins was traded to the Dodgers after a 15-year stint with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers also added Angels’ all-star second baseman Howie Kendrick in exchange for young starter Andrew Heaney, who the Dodgers had acquired from the Marlins earlier in the day. Meanwhile, the Dodgers shipped off young second baseman Dee Gordon, veteran starter Dan Haren, and infielder Miguel Rojas to Miami. If that wasn’t enough already, the Dodgers also made a move late Wednesday and signed free-agent pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four year deal worth $48 million.

Reports began to surface Thursday morning that the Dodgers had agreed to a deal with the San Diego Padres that would send Matt Kemp to San Diego. Neither team has confirmed the deal as of yet, but sources like ESPN and the LA Times are reporting that the deal is done.

How will these moves directly affect the Dodgers and Angels next season? Do you think it was smart for the Dodgers to ship off some of their younger talent, like Dee Gordon? Do these moves help or hurt the Dodgers’ and Angels’ chances of winning their respective divisions next year?

Guests: 

Ryan Fagan, MLB writer for the Sporting News

Pedro Moura, baseball writer for the Orange County Register, covering the Angels and Dodgers


Email hack sends Sony Pictures Entertainment into crisis mode

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"An Evening" Benefiting The LA Gay & Lesbian Center - Inside

Amy Pascal, Co-chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment speaks at "An Evening" benifiting The Gay & Lesbian Center at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on March 21, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. ; Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Sony Pictures Entertainment is reeling after reams of private emails between company executives and big Hollywood figures were released on the Internet. At the center of the leak: Sony Pictures co-chairwoman Amy Pascal and movie producer Scott Rudin. Among other things, email exchanges between the two reveal discord about an upcoming Steve Jobs biopic and racially-charged comments regarding President Obama. In one exchange, Rudin calls actress Angelina Jolie a “minimally talented spoiled brat,” and in another he jokes with Pascal about what to ask President Obama at a breakfast hosted by DreamWorks Animation. “Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?” Pascal writes, referring to the film ‘Django Unchained,’ about a freed slave. Both Rudin and Pascal have issued public apologies for their comments since the email leak.

What remains to be seen is just how bad the damage to Sony Pictures’ public image will be. The leak opens Sony up to lawsuits and has elicited backlash from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Actors Kevin Hart and Zoe Saldana and director Judd Apatow are just a few of the celebrities who have spoken out publicly against Pascal and Rudin’s comments.

The source of the leak is still unclear, though federal officials are looking into the possibility that North Korea was somehow involved. They have publicly condemned Sony’s upcoming film ‘The Interview,’ which is about an American TV host and producer who land an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and are then recruited to assassinate him.

Do you think people should be held responsible for the things they write in communications like email that are supposed to be private? How careful are you about what you write in emails sent from your work account? From your private account?

Guest:

Michael Fleming, reporter for Deadline, has been covering the Sony hack

Jane Kirtley, professor media ethics and law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota

Can someone suffering from Alzheimer’s consent to sex?

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A woman, suffering from Alzheimer's dese

A woman, suffering from Alzheimer's desease, holds the hand of a relative on March 18, 2011 in a retirement house in Angervilliers, eastern France. ; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

78-year-old Henry Rayhons is being charged with a felony for allegedly raping his wife, Donna Rayhons, who suffered from Alzheimer’s at a nursing home where she resided.

The Iowa Attorney General’s Office says that because Donna Rayhons lacked the mental capacity to consent to sex, she was raped. The couple married in their 70s and they were described as inseparable. About four years ago, Donna was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and on the recommendation of a family physician, she was later put in a nursing home. Donna’s two daughters from another marriage started suspecting that Henry was having sex with Donna and were concerned whether she was able to give consent.

Prosecutors will have to convince a jury that a sex act actually happened in Donna Rayhons' room at the nursing home where she was staying. If they can prove that, a conviction of Henry Rayhons will hinge on whether his wife wanted sex or not and whether her illness prevented her from communicating her wishes.

Donna died four days before her 79th birthday of complications from Alzheimer’s. Henry was arrested soon after for alleged rape. He pleaded not guilty.

Guests: 

Katherine Pearson, professor of law, Penn State Dickinson Law whose specialty is elder law who’s been studying the case

Daniel Reingold, President and CEO of Hebrew Home at Riverdale in New York, the first long-term care facility to create a sexual expression policy

Multi-hyphenate Chris Rock delivers latest hit film by an actor-turned-director

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18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards - Press Room

Actor/director Chris Rock, winner of Hollywood Comedy Film for 'Top Five,' poses in the press room during the 18th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Palladium on November 14, 2014 in Hollywood, California. ; Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

To create this weekend's "Top Five," Chris Rock took a turn as writer, producer, director and lead actor. It's the third film by the comedic performer and it is getting rave reviews.

This Christmas Day will see another feature directed by Angelina Jolie. In "Unbroken," Jolie the director once again deals with dramatic and dark storytelling from behind the camera. Other high-profile actors-turned-director include Barbra Streisand, Jodie Foster, Sofia Coppola, Ben Affleck, Mike Nichols, Marlon Brando, Jodie Foster and many more. Once someone is a celebrated on-screen presence, the pressure can be immense to make a solid directorial debut.

Who have been your favorite multi-hyphenate filmmakers? How does an artist master the control necessary for directing and the abandonment needed for acting?

Guests:

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt Film Guide

Filmweek: 'Inherent Vice,' 'Exodus: Gods and Kings,' 'Top Five' and more!

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Christian Bale attends an Official Academy Members Screening of Exodus: Gods and Kings hosted by The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences on December 8, 2014 in New York City. ; Credit: Craig Barritt

Larry and KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan and Tim Cogshell  review this week’s releases including "Inherent Vice," "Exodus: Gods and Kings," "Top Five" and more. TGI-Filmweek!

 

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Guests: 

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt Film Guide

How should drones be regulated for commercial use?

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Phantom/GoPro Camera Quadcopter Drone

Phantom/GoPro Camera Quadcopter Drone; Credit: Photo by Kevin Baird via Flickr Creative Commons

Movie studios, retailers, agriculture interests, and more are all trying to get their hands on drones. The problem is that the Federal Aviation Administration hasn’t written any rules for how drones would be allowed to operate commercially in the United States. Congress told the FAA in 2012 that regulations needed to be rolled out, and they set a September 2015 deadline. Until that deadline, there will be plenty of speculation as to how commercial drone use will be regulated in the U.S. Privacy is certainly a concern for many advocacy groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, who are concerned about the surveillance implications of commercial drone use.

Sources say that the FAA is considering requiring drone users to get a license, to only fly drones during the day and only as far as the operator could see them. Commercial groups argue those rules are way too restrictive. Amazon, for instance, would likely not be able to use drones to deliver packages if they could only be flown as far as the operator could see them.

Another drone issue plaguing the FAA is the increasing number of reports from pilots who have seen unmanned aircraft operating near their planes. The results could be disastrous if a drone or unmanned aircraft were to be sucked into a plane engine.

Should drone operators be required to be licensed under the pending FAA regulations? What about operators having to stay within sight of their drone? What regulations do you think should be included when the FAA rolls them out? Where does privacy factor in to this issue?

Guests:

Mark Dombroff, Partner at the Virginia-based law firm McKenna Long & Aldridge. He concentrates his practice on the aviation and transportation industry, including litigation, regulatory, administrative and enforcement matters, security, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations and employee related issues.

Michael Drobac, Executive director of the Small UAV Coalition, they advocate for law and policy changes to permit the operation of small unmanned aerial vehicles for commercial, consumer, recreational, and philanthropic purposes. The Small UAV Coalition includes companies like Google, Amazon, and GoPro.

Parker Higgins, Activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, focuses on privacy and rights issues pertaining to drones

Is it ethical to use ketamine to treat acute depression?

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Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic for decades. It's also a widely popular but illegal club drug known as "Special K."; Credit: Huw Golledge

Ketamine, or “Special K,” as it’s referred to on the street, is a drug that’s been used since the 1960s as a painkiller and an anesthetic during surgery for humans and animals. But these days, psychiatrists and clinics are turning to it to treat the most extreme cases of depression -- for those with symptoms that don’t respond to any other treatment. Some sufferers that use ketamine report an almost immediate alleviation of symptoms that might have been plaguing them for decades. The kind of quick relief this offers to depression-stricken people seems positive.

But some docs criticize its use, saying that long-term effects are unknown and some psychiatrists and clinics don’t understand the drug well enough to administer it properly. But advocates say the drug is approved by the FDA as an anesthetic and it’s giving people in crippling emotional pain the help they need -- now. Critics have concerns about ketamine being addictive, since it’s an opiate. But supporters say, the dosage received by patients battling depression are in far lower dosages than what a drug addict, using “Special K,” might take-in. Supporters also say, pharmaceutical companies stand to gain if ketamine use is discouraged; the companies would then have the ability to capitalize on making a new drug. Ketamine is expensive though. Clinics might charge somewhere between $300 and over $1000 per treatment, and there’s no guarantee an insurance company will cover it.

What happens to patients who have positive reactions to the drug, but then can no longer afford it? For how long is depression alleviated? Is the drug addictive? Should there be more clinical trials to prove its safety and efficacy for depression related cases?

Guests:

Dennis Hartman, founder of the Ketamine Advocacy Network -- an informational site for those suffering from chronic and treatment-resistant depression. He had used ketamine for the last two years, and says it saved his life.          

Dr. David Feifel, MD, psychiatrist and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences Program at UC, San Diego

Dr. Alan Schatzberg, MD, psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University

Fourth anniversary of the influential Tunisian revolution that sparked the 'Arab Spring'

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A Tunisian woman raises her ink-stained finger in front of a national flag after casting her vote in the country's first post-revolution presidential election on November 23, 2014, at a polling station in the capital Tunis.; Credit: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

Four years after a fruit vendor's self-immolation sparked the Tunisian revolution, also known as the Jasmine Revolution, there is hope and reform for the North African nation. It has a constitution, a parliament and a run-off presidential election later this month, with money placed on the victory of a prominent human-rights activist. However, that 2009 revolt against the Ben Ali dictatorship launched uprisings across the Arab world that came to be known as the "Arab Spring."

Egypt, Syria and Libya were torn asunder. Thousands have died in the Syrian civil war as Bashar al-Assad retains his government. The Egyptian people brought down the decades-old presidency of Hosni Mubarak, but after a series of elections, military chief Abdel Fattah el-Sissi reigns over a crippled economy while activists sit in jail.

What about Tunisia or its revolutionaries created a more promising future? What will be the staying power of the "Arab Winter?" Why is it so challenging for democracy to take hold in Arab countries? Or, what is it that allows authoritarian regimes to persist?

Guests:

Borzou Daragahi, covers North Africa and the Middle East for the Financial Times. He joins us from Morocco.

Bechir Blagui, Angeleno who co-founded Free Tunisia, an advocacy organization for human rights, political freedom and economic development in Tunisia; Blagui also organized a Los Angeles polling station for the Tunisian election

Frederic Wehrey, Specializes in political reform issues in the Middle East for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - an international think tank founded in 1910


A Wearables Christmas: The latest health and medical devices blurring physical boundaries

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Isabelle Olsson, the lead designer of Google Glass, says she is encouraging more women to enter the tech industry — not just as designers, but in all capacities.

Isabelle Olsson, the lead designer of Google Glass, says she is encouraging more women to enter the tech industry — not just as designers, but in all capacities.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

For the early adopters on your gift list, forget smartphones and tablets, think biometric shirts and life-trackers. As DigitalTrends.com shows in its wearable tech gift guide, the future can be found now with the Hexoskin biometric shirt, for instance. It collects heart rate variability and recovery, breath rate, step count, VO2 max, and more, then connects it to your smartphone via Bluetooth in real time for you or even a remote trainer.

For less serious athletes, the price points and fashion design of wrist-worn wearables are becoming truly accessible for any consumer. Most track your activity level and sleep patterns and synchronize with apps on your phone. These fast-moving tech trends have been recognized by USC's Center for Body Computing. The school is developing ways to translate wearables into better doctor-patient communication and more responsive treatment. Are you ready for wearables? If you use them already, has it benefited you?

Guests: 

Jeremy Kaplan, Editor-in-chief, DigitalTrends.com - news and review site focused on technology; Digital Trends Wearables Holiday Gift Guide; @smashdawg

Dr. Leslie Saxon, Executive Director, University of Southern California Center for Body Computing; Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine; Professor of Medicine and Clinical Scholar, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Congress grants California ⅓ of the funding it needs for earthquake warning system

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The map above depicts the locations where the U.S. Geological Survey has installed earthquake sensors in Southern California as part of a prototype early warning detection system. ; Credit: U.S. Geological Survey

Through the recently passed 2015 budget bill, Congress appropriated $5 million dollars to help fund California’s statewide earthquake warning system, however, the funding is only a ⅓ of the $16.1 million needed per year to establish and maintain for California, Oregon, and Washington state as the system is expected to cost $80 million in the first five years of its operation.

The system has already been created and shown its success following early warnings sent out after multiple moderate earthquakes throughout the state. While the system cannot predict earthquakes before they occur, the system is beneficial for those who live far away from an earthquake’s epicenter but will still experience its effects. For example, a 6.0 earthquake hit the town of Napa on August 24, and officials in San Francisco had eight seconds of warning before they were hit by the seismic shifts due to the early warning system.

Thus, the issue at hand is not whether or not the early warning system works but rather if it can garner enough funding to be implemented across California. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has called the $5 million “a down payment,” and she also said “more funding is needed to complete the system.” Yet as Republicans take control of the Senate and entrench their control over the House of Representatives, future Congressional appropriations to the earthquake warning system remain unclear.

Where will the rest of the money for the earthquake warning system come from? Should Californians prioritize earthquake safety over other pressing issues such as the drought?

Guest:

Sanden Totten, KPCC Science reporter

Sydney hostage situation ends with police storming café

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One of the hostages runs towards police from a cafe in the central business district of Sydney on December 15, 2014. Five people ran out of a Sydney cafe where a gunman has taken hostages and displayed an Islamic flag against the window, witnesses and police said December 15, adding that no one has yet been harmed. ; Credit: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images

16 hours after an armed man took hostages at gunpoint at the Lindt Chocolate Café in Sydney, Australia, police stormed the building and brought the standoff to an end on Monday morning. Reports this morning suggest that two people were killed during the standoff along with the gunman.

Media reports suggest there were about 10 staff members in the cafe when the gunman went in. Five people were seen running from the fire exit over the course of the standoff. It is thought that the suspect chose this particular cafe because it is a stone’s throw away from the newsroom of Channel Seven, Australia’s most-watched commercial broadcaster.

Australian media have identified the gunman as Han Haron Monis, an Iranian refugee who had been convicted previously of sending threatening letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. He was also charged last year with being an accessory to his ex-wife’s murder.

How can the U.S. prepare itself for lone wolf attacks like this? Are suspects in these incidents usually the same kind of person: a troubled outsider with little or nothing to lose? What can individuals and businesses do to protect themselves?

Guests:

Lisa Davies, Deputy News Editor, Sydney Morning Herald who's been following the story for the paper. She tweets @lisazdavies

Jay Kopstein, former Deputy Chief for the New York Police Department (NYPD) who retired in 2010 after 37 years of police service; for the last 12 years of his police career he was assigned to Operations Division and was involved in the planning and coordination of most large special events and significant incidents in New York City

Bringing down the cost of healthcare in the U.S.

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Emergency Room Physicians Sue State Over Dire Need For Additional Finances

Dr. Jason Greenspan (L) and emergency room nurse Junizar Manansala care for a patient in the ER of Mission Community Hospital where doctors held a press conference outside on a class action lawsuit against the state of California by a coalition of emergency room physicians claiming that without additional funding, the entire emergency healthcare system is on the verge of collapse on January 28, 2009 in Panorama City, California.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

The United States spends nearly $4 trillion a year on healthcare. To put that into perspective, that’s over one-sixth of the entire national debt. Healthcare prices in the U.S. for things like pharmaceuticals, healthcare policies, diagnostic procedures, and hospital care are some of the highest in the world, and are all major factors in the rising cost of healthcare in the U.S.

There’s no question that something needs to be done to bring these costs down, but there are plenty of questions to be asked about how this should be done. Is it a matter of reducing the amount of wasteful healthcare spending, or money spent on care that does not ultimately benefit the patient? Are unit prices too high? Are there too many frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits? Is the Affordable Care Act driving spending through the roof? Should we be spending less on end of life care for the elderly, many of whom would rather die at home than in an ICU? AirTalk has assembled a panel of healthcare experts from several fields to discuss why healthcare costs are so high in the U.S. and what can be done to bring those costs to a lower level that’s closer to what other countries are spending on healthcare.

Guests:

Dylan Roby, assistant professor of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute

Dr. Arnie Milstein, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Clinical Research Excellence at Stanford University

The most romantic spots in SoCal, according to KPCC listeners!

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A couple watches the sunset at the Griffith Observatory. ; Credit: Emmanuel_D.Photography/Flickr

It’s no Paris, but Southern California has plenty of special places that heighten romance. The Griffith Observatory, Malibu, Catalina Island are some of the spots that come immediately to mind. Los Angeles is one of 75 destinations in the world included in the new book, “Places for Passion” (FrommerMedia, 2014).  

Check out the slideshow before for a list of local romantic spots in Southern California chosen by AirTalk listeners. 

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Guest:

Janet Lever, co-author of “Frommer’s Places for Passion: The 75 Most Romantic Destinations in the World - and Why Every Couple Needs to Get Away” (FrommerMedia, 2014); Professor Emeritus at the Department of Sociology at Cal State LA, where her research focus is on intimacy, relationship, sexuality.  

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