A scene from "Mad Max: Fury Road."; Credit: Jasin Boland

In a recent interview with The Guardian, actress Charlize Theron summed up the average female role in Hollywood: “You’re either a really good mother, or a really good hooker.”

Theron stars in the new action thriller "Mad Max: Fury Road" as Imperator Furiosa, an amputee with little patience and even less hair. She takes guff from exactly no one and ferries sex slaves across the desert while fending off bad guys.

Despite her portrayal as a strong, no-nonsense woman in the film, some are crying foul about her character. One men’s rights activism group took issue with Theron’s character ordering Mad Max around (no one orders Max around, they say), saying that the film is just another example of Hollywood ruining a perfectly good action film by trying to jam a female character into the cast in order to draw in those extra few million women.

Theron sees it the opposite way. “George [Miller] just showed the truth of who we are as women, and that’s even more powerful,” she told The Guardian. “Women thrive in being many things. We can be just as dark and light as men.”

In what ways are women portrayed in action films? Do you think they help perpetuate or combat gender stereotypes about female characters in movies? How are feminist themes represented in film? Who are your favorite female action heroes? What made them memorable to you?

Guests:

Amy Nicholson, film critic for L.A. Weekly

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt Film Guide

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com

Los Angeles City Hall; Credit: Harshil Shah via Flickr

The proposal to raise LA’s minimum wage to $15 by 2020, from its current $9 dollars an hour is closer to becoming a reality.

The Los Angeles City council is expected to decide early next week whether or not they will advance the proposal on to the city attorney to draft as an ordinance.  The plan to increase minimum wage has been in a holding pattern for months, as studies were done to measure the impacts of raising the minimum wage.

We’ll look at both sides of issue and what the next steps will be if the plan is approved.

Ruben Gonzalez, senior vice president for public policy and political affairs for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce joins us to discuss study findings and what some of the negative implications are in raising the minimum wage.

We’ll also hear from Michael Reich, professor at UC Berkeley and director of the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley on who would benefit from the raise and the research behind it.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Los Angeles Minimum Wage Proposal

The Proposed Minimum Wage Law for Los Angeles: Economic Impacts and Policy Options

Guests:

Ruben Gonzalez, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Political Affairs for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Michael Reich, Professor at UC Berkeley and Director of the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley, Author of "When Mandates Work: Raising Labor Standards at the Local Level” and lead member of the UC Berkeley team that was chosen by the Los Angeles City Council to assess its minimum wage proposals

1993: Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States (second from left) receives a last minute briefing from aide, George Stephanopoulos, during a meeting at the White House, Washington DC.; Credit: Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images

ABC News’ chief anchor is in hot water after it was disclosed that he donated $25,000 to the Clinton Foundation in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

George Stephanopoulos says that he failed to report the donations because he didn’t want to “compromise his integrity,” but that integrity is now being brought into question. On Thursday, he announced that he will no longer be involved in moderating the Republican presidential debate. ABC has yet to indicate if there will be any disciplinary action.

It wasn’t long ago that another prominent anchor’s integrity was challenged; NBC’s Brian Williams ignited a scandal after claims that he was shot-down in a helicopter while reporting from Iraq were debunked. Williams was given a six month suspension in February for misrepresenting the incident. While that suspension is due to end in August, NBC has yet to reveal whether he will actually be allowed to return to his old post.

In an industry where trust is value, how can news watchers be sure they’re being told the full story? What is the responsibility of the news organization?

Guest:

Kelly McBride, media ethicist at Poynter

Musician B.B. King performs onstage at his 80th birthday celebration at the home of Sam and Mary Haskell on September 20, 2005 in Encino, California. Funds raised from the event will go towards the forthcoming B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Mississippi.; Credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

He was born Riley B. King to Mississippi sharecroppers in 1925. But his legacy will forever be known as B.B. King, a pioneer for jazz and blues musicians everywhere. King died Thursday evening at the age of 89 at his home in Las Vegas.

His simple but soulful guitar licks and smooth vocals would influence an entire generation of jazz and blues musicians like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and John Mayer. King struggled to sing and play guitar at the same time, so he created his own style by laying down the vocals first and following it with an extended guitar solo, a model that would become a standard in rock and blues for years to come.

His guitar, a black Gibson hollow-body he named ‘Lucille,’ became one of the most iconic musical instruments in all of popular music. He was nominated for Grammy Awards 15 times and is often ranked among the best guitarists of all time, in any genre.

How big was B.B. King’s impact on jazz and blues music? How do we still hear B.B.’s influence in modern rock and blues? Where does B.B. rank among the greatest guitarists of all time? How will you remember B.B. King?

Guests: 

Barbara Morrison, a three-time Grammy-nominated jazz and blues singer. She has performed with many music legends, including Etta James, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, and Tony Bennett. She also owns and operates the Barbara Morrison Performance Arts Center here in L.A., and is an adjunct assistant professor of jazz performance and vocals in the Department of Ethnomusicology at UCLA’s Alpert School of Music.

US Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) attends the 13th Annual National Hispanic Foundation For The Arts (NHFA) Noche Musical at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on September 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Abby Brack/Getty Images

The fight for U.S. Senate is heating up between California democrats Attorney General Kamala Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez.

Sanchez announced Thursday that she will be running for the open senate seat, currently held by retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer. For months, California Attorney General Kamala Harris has been the top candidate for the seat but Sanchez’s announcement could be a game changer for the Harris campaign.

Republicans running for the seat include former state party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro and Oceanside state Assemblyman Rocky Chavez.

Both Harris and Sanchez would bring new representation to the senate. If elected, Sanchez would be the first Latina ever elected to the U.S Senate. 

While Harris’s support is primarily coming from the Bay Area, Sanchez is drawing much of her support from Southern California. Will she dominate the latino vote in the state? Will she be able to raise the money necessary to compete with Harris? And can she get Southern California Democrats to buck historic trends and turn out in larger numbers than their partners to the north?

Guests:

Loretta Sanchez, representative (D-46) for California's 46th congressional district, which includes Santa Ana, Anaheim, and parts of Garden Grove and Orange

Michael Finnegan, politics reporter for The Los Angeles Times who’s been covering

Pope Francis prays during the 68th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference on May 18, 2015 at the Vatican.; Credit: ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

Sylvia Poggioli has seen a lot in her three decades with NPR; if it happened in Europe, chances are she covered it.

Poggioli joined the NPR foreign desk in 1982 and traveled the continent covering some of the biggest headlines in recent history. From the fall of the fall of the Berlin Wall, to Greek debt crisis, Sylvia has adeptly reported on a breadth of stories that have transformed the world.

NPR’s senior European correspondent in Rome, Poggioli frequently reports on the Vatican. In March of 2013, she covered the selection of Pope Francis for the network.

Most recently, Poggioli covered the Mediterranean migrant crisis. As African refugees endure harsh conditions and human traffickers, she examined the social and economic challenges that are drive thousands to risk their lives for a chance at a new start in Europe.

Sylvia speaks with Larry Mantle about her long, storied career, and discusses the top stories Europe.

Guest:

Sylvia Poggioli, senior European correspondent for NPR

Galileo Galilei Mausoleum - Basilica di Santa Croce - Florence, Italy; Credit: Dennis Redfield via Flickr

Did you know that Galileo preferred painting and poetry to medicine and dropped out of university? Or that Isaac Newton stuck needlelike bodkins into his eyes to better understand changes in light and color? Or that Antoine Lavoisier drank nothing but milk for two weeks to examine its effects on his body?

These are just some of the stories physicist and author Leonard Mlodinow recounts in his new book tracing the history of human progress and pivotal moments in the development of science.  

He'll be speaking at Vroman's in Pasadena tomorrow at 7 p.m. Click here for more information. 

Guest:

Leonard Mlodinow, a former professor of physics at Caltech and the author of “The Upright Thinkers: The Human Journey from Living in Trees to Understanding the Cosmos.” His other books include two co-authored with physicist Stephen Hawking and “The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules our Lives”

Candy bars laced with medical marijuana are seen on display at the Alternative Herbal Health Services cannabis dispensary April 24, 2006 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

There is a lot in the news about the laws surrounding marijuana use and its production, but what about the science behind the cannabis plant?

What exactly does smoking or eating marijuana do to our minds and bodies?

National Geographic Magazine’s June 2015 cover story, High Science looks at what’s going on inside the plant and how marijuana really affects our brains.

The story’s author Hampton Sides shares the history of cannabis, past and present efforts to ban marijuana and how recent scientific findings could lead us to new beneficial pharmaceuticals.

National Geographic Magazine's June issue will be on newsstands May 26.

Guest:

Hampton Sides, frequent contributor to National Geographic and editor-at-large for Outside magazine

General atmosphere at 2013 Harvard University 362nd Commencement Exercises at Harvard University on May 30, 2013 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ; Credit: Paul Marotta/Getty Images

A coalition of more than 60 Asian-American groups filed a federal complaint last week against Harvard University claiming racial bias in the University’s undergraduate admissions process.

The claim might surprise you, given that Asian-American students are over-represented at top universities. But the complaint alleges that Asian-American students with top one-percent grade point averages, academic awards, and track records of holding leadership positions are more likely to be rejected compared to white applicants.

While Harvard has denied any discrimination, the coalition which represents Chinese, Korean, Indian and Pakistani members wants to see a federal investigation into Harvard’s admissions practices.

Are college admission practices fair? How should colleges base admission qualifications?

Guests:

Alex Chen, President of The Orange Club, a political action committee, which is one of the groups bringing the complaint against Harvard. 

Richard Sander, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law, author of  "The Evolution of SES Diversity in the Applicant Pool of Highly Selective Universities," 1994-2012. He's legally advising the coalition that's bring the Federal complaint against Harvard

Michael Yaki, member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; he also runs his own consulting firm in San Francisco

A National Guard truck drives by protesters at North Ave., and Pennsylvania Ave., a day after Baltimore authorities released a report on the death of Freddie Gray on May 2, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. ; Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

President Obama is announcing today he'll limit the types of surplus military equipment provided to local law enforcement.

This follows criticism of how the Ferguson, Missouri police department used armored trucks and body armor in its confrontation with protestors and rioters.

The ban is expected to include larger-caliber firearms, armored vehicles that run on tracks, grenade launchers, and weaponized aircraft. Some equipment will still be approved, but police won't be able to get it without their city councils okaying the acquisitions.

What are the pros and cons of the President's move? Do you see it as helpful or harmful to local police departments?

Guests:

Jon Shane, Assistant Professor in the Department of Law & Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He’s also a former captain with the Newark Police Department.

A man uses a GPS app on a smartphone during a Google promotion event at the City of Fashion and Design (Cite de la mode et du design) in Paris on November 4, 2014.; Credit: THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images

Myrna Arias had been working for the wire transfer company Intermex for two months when her boss told her to download an employee tracking app to her company-issued smartphone.

She was told to never disable it, but after a joke by a supervisor raised privacy concerns, she deleted the app and was promptly fired. Now, Arias is suing, alleging she was fired after complaining about the app's intrusion into her private life.  

Do employers have a right to track their employees at all times, even when they're off the clock? Is that an acceptable demand? And should employees agree to be tracked? 

Guests:

Gail Glick, partner at Alexander, Krakow and Glick in Santa Monica and attorney for Myrna Arias

Sue Bendavid, chair of the employment law department for the Lewitt Hackman Law Group in Encino

A boy plays in the water at Baker Beach near the Golden Gate Bridge March 25, 2005 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The next time you’re at a restaurant and see someone eating alone at a table for two, rather than assuming the person has no friends, ask yourself why you don’t do things alone more often.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that activities are more fun when done in groups, and for many, this is true. But as it turns out, you might be missing out on a whole load of fun that you could be having...by yourself.

A study set to be published in the August edition of the Journal of Consumer Research explores humanity’s aversion to doing things alone.

Titled "Inhibited from Bowling Alone," the study surveyed whether participants preferred to do certain activities alone or with friends. Then, they set out to see whether participants enjoyed visiting an art gallery more alone versus in a group of people.

The result? The participants expected to have less fun on the solo trip, but actually found they enjoyed themselves just as much, if not more, going alone than they did in a group.

The research suggests that our aversion to doing things by ourselves does not stem from a fear of not having fun, but rather from how we think others will perceive us.

Do you enjoy doing things on your own, or can you not have fun unless you’re with a group of friends? Why do you think this is?

Inhibited from Bowling Alone

Guest:

Rebecca Ratner, professor of marketing at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. She’s also the co-author of the study “Inhibited From Bowling Alone,” which will appear in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

401K on Chalkboard; Credit: GotCredit.com via Flickr

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in a class-action lawsuit against the Rosemead-based Edison International this week to add new protections for investors in 401(k) retirement plans.

Edison, one of several large companies sued over high fees paid on mutual funds held by employees investing in company retirement accounts, contended a six-year statute of limitations had run out for employees to sue. The court disagreed.

The court’s ruling states that plan administrators must continue “to monitor trust investments and remove imprudent ones. This continuing duty exists separate and apart from the trustee’s duty to exercise prudence in selecting investments at the outset.”

The case was based on 401(k) investors at California energy holding company Edison International who claimed the company violated its trustee duties by buying retail mutual funds when nearly identical products were available through less-expensive institutional-class funds.

While this ruling offers new protections to retirees, how will it be put into practice? What are the implications for employers offering 401(k) plans?

Guest:

Margaret (Peggy) Collins, personal finance and investing reporter at Bloomberg News and Businessweek in New York

Tel Aviv university students show support for Israel on June 2, 2010.; Credit: Lilach Daniel/Flickr

UC administrators and rabbis from across the state are calling on UC president Janet Napolitano to crack down on anti-Semitic statements made during campus protests.

The letter, sent yesterday, comes after a series of demonstrations over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the letter, members of the Jewish community urge UCs to adopt the State Department definition of anti-Semitism, and punish students accordingly. It’s a demand that not all Jewish groups are on board with, and they’re speaking out.

In a recent open letter to the State Department, the Jewish Voice for Peace Advisory Council calls for the revision of anti-Semitic definitions that have been on the books for years. They claim that, as currently written, the rules could be used to silence critics of Israel. In addition, they say  that the Department’s guidelines create a double standard, mandating that Israel be treated differently than any other country in the world.

The recent disagreement between Jewish groups raises an important question: where is the line between anti-Semitic speech and free speech?

Guests:

Sydney Levy, advocacy director at Jewish Voice for Peace, a national Jewish organization that provides a voice for Jews and allies who believe that peace in the Middle East will be achieved through justice and full equality for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Aron Hier, director of campus outreach at the Simon Wiesenthal Center

Soldiers with the 1st Infantry Division bow their heads in prayer before a deployment ceremony for another tour in Iraq August 13, 2009 at Fort Riley, Kansas. The Army requires all soldiers take suicide awareness classes. Thousands of soldiers have returned from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental difficulties. ; Credit: Chris Hondros/Getty Images

In 2005, Lieutenant Colonel Bill Russell Edmonds traveled as a Special Forces captain with the U.S Army to Iraq as part of the United States' attempt to advise Iraqi and Kurdish officers on how to rein in the type of torture highlighted at Abu Ghraib.

It was Lt. Edmonds who was asked to monitor interrogations and ultimately draw the line banning physical torture, but allowing mental abuse to gain information.

But as his mission went on, it began to wear him down to a point that he felt powerless to stop interrogation behavior he felt was wrong. As he puts it, he was a “good person forced to make many horrible choices.”

Years later, his guilt would manifest as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates nearly one in four Americans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have developed. Lt. Edmonds writes about the experience and his frustrations with the lack of support of veterans in his book, "God is Not Here: A Soldier's Struggle with Torture, Trauma, and the Moral Injuries of War.”

Guest:

Lieutenant Colonel Bill Russell Edmonds, decorated counterterrorism and counterinsurgency expert who has served in various positions throughout the Special Operations community, and author of "God is Not Here: A Soldier's Struggle with Torture, Trauma, and the Moral Injuries of War" (Pegasus Books, 2015).

A Rebels motorcycle club member rides from Meckering to Perth on September 12, 2013 in Perth, Australia. ; Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

As Waco, Texas police continue to sort through Sunday’s shootout at a restaurant that left nine dead and saw more than 170 arrested and charged, the conversation about motorcycle clubs (or biker gangs, depending on who you ask) has taken a place in the national spotlight again.

While many clubs claim they are simply recreational groups of people who enjoy riding motorcycles together, the reality is that many of the more well-known motorcycle clubs operate as organized crime syndicates.

“A lot of their members aren’t hardcore criminals…but a lot of them are,” says James Quinn, a professor at the University of North Texas and expert in motorcycle gang culture. “I don’t think anybody knows the percentage, it’s going to vary from one group to another and over time.”

Reports are now surfacing that Sunday’s incident at Twin Peaks, a Waco restaurant known for catering to biker club clientele, may have started because of an argument over a parking spot. But Quinn says there was likely more to it than that.

“These kinds of tensions and rivalries are endemic to the entire subculture,” Quinn said during an interview with AirTalk’s Larry Mantle. “They kind of ebb and flow within regions over time. What appears to be going on here is the Bandidos and their allies are upset with the Cossacks and their allies over what appears to be a symbolic claim to territory by the Cossacks.”

Turf wars are often a major catalyst for gang confrontations. Former U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Special Agent and undercover operative Jay Dobyns knows this better than most. He’s best known for infiltrating and becoming a full patched member of the Hells Angels’ legendary Skull Valley chapter, and says the same beef over turf started a war here in California between the Mongols and Hells Angels motorcycle clubs.

“30 years ago, the Hells Angels felt like they controlled California; that it was under their umbrella and they had the say-so as the most powerful club. The Mongols put a California bottom rocker [a patch identifying club affiliation] on their vests. That set it off. 30 years later, hundreds of dead gang members, gallons of blood spilled over that, and we saw a repeat of it in Texas.”

Rory’s story

One man who called into AirTalk and identified himself as Rory said that his brother was one of the people being held on $1 million bail after the Waco brawl. He says that his brother is an Army veteran who served six tours in Iraq and joined a biker group after he returned from his most recent tour because it gave him a group of guys to hang with and activities in which to participate.

“Rounding them all up because they happened to be at a civil meeting and some criminals took part in shooting has really put us all under the gun in my family because now he’s being held on $1 million bail and he didn’t even have a firearm with him, or any drugs, or a past record. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time wearing the wrong vest.”

Rory told AirTalk he’d expressed his concern to his brother about his involvement with the club, but his brother assured him that his club was a fraternal organization and doesn’t take part in illegal activity. He says his brother’s group does community service and fundraisers for charity events, and that there are many bikers out there like his brother who work day jobs during the week and ride with a club for fun in their spare time.

“There are hundreds, thousands of biker clubs out there that do community service, that are people that enjoy riding their motorcycles, and sometimes enjoy riding them as part of a club,” says Jay Dobyns. “They’re not causing the problem. The problem is the gang element, the criminal element, the syndicate element.”

Rory says his brother and many of his fellow club mates have high security clearance at Fort Hood, where they work, and he worries that if his brother is convicted, even by association, it could ruin his life permanently. Dobyns says while he sympathizes with Rory, his brother should have been more aware of his surroundings.

“If you’re in one of those civilian clubs, and you’re going to a meeting that’s being held by the Bandidos, which everyone knows is an international crime syndicate, you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you can’t afterwards say ‘Oh, I wish I wouldn’t have been here.’ You knew who you were going to meet with. You should’ve been wise enough to say ‘This is not where I need to be.’”

Dealing with the problem

Dobyns says, for law enforcement, dealing with biker gangs is a challenge because of their code of silence. Cooperating with law enforcement is considered treason, and is punishable by death in many gangs.

“They don’t talk, they’re not going to communicate with law enforcement with any authenticity, with any accuracy, for the most part, unless someone becomes so leveraged with their personal freedom that they decide that they’re basically going to betray their brotherhood and cooperate with law enforcement.”

Professor James Quinn at North Texas says that when people like Dobyn’s infiltrate biker gangs, it ratchets up the pressure on the gang to be more vigilant about new recruits.

“Every time they get penetrated by law enforcement, they increase the rigor of their selection and recruiting processes and that tends to toughen up the members that they do get and it tends to bind even more loyalty among the members.”

Since his time undercover with the Hells Angels, Jay Dobyns has written a book about his time in the gang, and says that at the end of the day, despite their differences, street gangs and motorcycle gangs are one in the same.”

“The reality of it is, biker gangs aren’t all that different than traditional street gangs. Look at Crips and Bloods. Whether you’re wearing red or blue can get you killed. With these different biker gangs, depending on what vest you have on, can get you killed.”

Guests:

James Quinn, Ph.D., professor of rehabilitation, social work, and addictions at the University of North Texas and a published author and expert on motorcycle gang culture.

Jay Dobyns, retired Special Agent and veteran undercover operative with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. He’s best known for infiltrating the Hell’s Angels, and has written a book about his time undercover called “No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels.”

Fast food workers, healthcare workers and their supporters shout slogans at a rally and march to demand an increase of the minimum wage to 15USD per hour, in Los Angeles on December 4, 2014.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The Los Angeles City Council voted to increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour yesterday; it’s a decision that could mean a raise for about 800-thousand low-wage workers by 2020.

In addition to an increase in pay, wage increases will begin moving with the consumer price index in 2022.  L.A. joins Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle, who have each voted for significant pay increases in recent years.

The council vote puts an end to a years-long debate between organized labor and business owners over the potential economic impact of a wage increase. The decision has critics on both sides of the economic aisle; city proprietors say that the ruling will lead to layoffs, reduced work hours and a loss businesses, while labor leaders contend that the timeline is too gradual. The first wage boost is set to take place in July 2016, when minimum wage will increase to $10.50 per hour. Until then, it could be difficult to predict what effect the boost will have.

Los Angeles is now the biggest city to adopt a wage increase: will nearby cities follow suit?

Guests:

George Abou-Daoud, Proprietor and chef of several LA restaurants

Tracy Rafter, Founding CEO, Los Angeles County Business Federation also known as BizFed - a not-for-profit advocacy organization

Chris Tilly, Director UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment Urban Planning 

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) (R) wipes tears from his face as he and U.S. President Barack Obama (L) attend a luncheon. Could the Speaker be considered a Highly Sensitive Person?; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

Does classical music move you to tears?  Do you avoid chaotic situations? Does violence deeply upset you?  If you answered yes...you might be an HSP - a highly sensitive person.

Being overly sensitive often has been considered a personality trait, but new research shows that sensitivity may be hardwired in our genetic make-up. In fact, studies show that about 20% of the population of both men and women fits into the HSP category.

So what does it mean to be an HSP? According to experts a highly sensitive person responds more intensely to experiences than the average individual, such as how they process positive and negative information. They are also acutely aware of sensations like taste, touch, sound or smell. They are also very  sensitive to emotions—their own and those of others.

Are HSPs brains wired differently than non-HSPs?  What makes some people more sensitive than others?  How do highly sensitive people experience the world?

Psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron came up with a test that, while not an exact science, can give you an idea of whether you might fall on the spectrum of highly-sensitive people.

Take Dr. Aron's quiz here.

Guest:

Dr. Judith Orloff, M.D., Psychiatrist and author of “Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life”

Bianca Acevedo, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow at the University of California at Santa Barbara 

Chief of L.A.P.D Charlie Beck speaks onstage at the GUESS and Peace Over Violence press conference for the 16th annual Denim Day at GUESS? Inc. Headquarters on April 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for GUESS

This week, LAPD announced a small expansion of foot patrols in the east side Hollenbeck Division.

"I want officers to be known by their name," said Captain Martin Baeza. Instead of three pairs of beat cops walking along the neighborhood's major corridors, it will be eight pairs. The department has used foot patrols on a limited basis on Skid Row, in Venice and elsewhere, but the sprawl of LA makes it sizeable challenge.

Larry will also get Chief Beck's thoughts on the motorcycle gang shoot-out in Waco, Texas and address whether any comparable gangs are working in LA. Earlier this month, Beck was in Washington, D.C. for an event commemorating Police Memorial Month and honored LAPD officers killed in the line of duty. We'll also talk about the recent gun buyback event; a court decision holding officers liable for withholding evidence; how officers are cracking down on street racing and cars modified illegally; and much more.

What are your questions for the chief?

With files from Frank Stoltze.

Guest:

Charlie Beck, Chief,  Los Angeles Police Department

Comedian David Letterman attended the Kennedy Center Honors reception at the White House on December 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes individuals for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts.; Credit: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Starting out as a radio talk show host and weatherman in Indianapolis, a young David Letterman was known for his goofy on air antics (once predicting hail stones “the size of canned hams”) and dry sense of humor.

This keen sense of comedy would ultimately vault Letterman into the host seat of three iterations of his own talk show, culminating in the last 20 years as host of “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

Over the course of his career, Letterman interviewed pretty much everyone worth interviewing and became well-known for his opening monologues and nightly “Top 10” lists. From his iconic first interview with Bill Murray that set the tone for the rest of the show, to Crispin Glover’s strange antics during a 1987 interview that caused Letterman to walk off his own show, to Joaquin Phoenix’s bizarre and now-famous interview with Letterman in 2009, there have been few who have had as profound an impact on late night talk shows.

In its final week, Letterman will interview some of his favorite guests, including actor Tom Hanks, Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder, musician Bob Dylan, and of course, Bill Murray, ending with Letterman’s final broadcast this evening.

Comedian Steven Colbert, formerly the host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” has been tapped to take Letterman’s place as host. CBS says “The Late Show with Steven Colbert” begins September 8th.

How will you remember David Letterman’s legacy? How big was his impact on late night talk shows? What are your favorite Letterman interviews/bits? How big are the shoes Steven Colbert has to fill? Can he fill them?

Guest:

Robert Lloyd, TV critic for the Los Angeles Times who has been covering Letterman’s wind-down