Brittany Ortiz (C) and Jaimie Waxman (2nd L) and other high school students look at the signature of Florida Governor Rick Scott on Florida Senate Bill 52, after he signed the legislation to ban texting while driving.; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Forget public service announcements and giant freeway billboards, the government is now taking a page from the social sciences to influence our behavior.

It’s called “nudging” and uses tenets of the academic field of behavioral science to effect changes in how we act.

President Obama is a fan of the effort and has issued an executive order calling federal agencies to embrace the use of “behavioral science insights” to “better serve the American people.”

Locally, California’s Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is also a believer. Earlier this month, he co-wrote an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle explaining how California can better use “nudging” to help Californians cut down on texting while driving, and to get us to go out and vote.

Here’s to explain the concept is Sacramento Bee’s Dan Walters, whose column this week looks at the phenomenon.

Guest:

Dan Walters, long-time columnist for the Sacramento Bee. His column this week is titled, “Politicians advocate ‘nuding’ to influence how we act’

Tents used by the homeless line a downtown Los Angeles street with the skyline behind Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015.; Credit: Damian Dovarganes/AP

While L.A.’s homeless population grows, the question looms of how to handle giving to those in need, especially during the holiday season.

According to the Los Angeles Almanac, there are over 44,000 transients living in Los Angeles County.

Giving money, food, or volunteering time to organizations that help the homeless tend to be our obvious choices, but how do we know which option best supports the needy and keeps us from possibly enabling them?

Guest:

Rabbi Marvin Gross, CEO of Union Station Homeless Services

Democratic president candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton debate at Saint Anselm College December 19, 2015 in Manchester, New Hampshire.; Credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

The Democratic presidential candidates took the stage for their third debate over the weekend.

The topic at hand was national security and other domestic issues, but what many tuned in to see how frontrunner Hillary Clinton and challenger Bernie Sanders would deal with the revelation that the Sanders’ campaign stole voter information from Clinton’s camp.

After the accusations surfaced, the Democratic National Committee punished the Sanders campaign by barring it from accessing accessing a trove of information on potential voters. In response, Sanders’ campaign filed a lawsuit against the Democratic Party.

How would the breach impact the race?

Guests:

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

Jon Greenberg, staff writer for PolitiFact

A woman adjusts her hijab, a head covering worn by female observant Muslims.; Credit: M. Spencer Green/AP

Muslim women who wear hijab, the traditional headscarf, have been on edge since the recent mass shooting in San Bernardino.

One of the two shooters, Tashfeen Malik, wore hijab herself. Lately, after more dirty looks and harsh words than they can take, some Muslim women are making difficult choices.

Read the full story here.

Guests:

Hala Arafa, news editor and broadcaster at Voice of America and a retired journalist and co-author of a recent op-ed published in the Washington Post titled, “As Muslim women, we actually ask you not to wear the ‘hijab’ in the name of interfaith”

Hosai Mojaddidi, an Irvine-based Muslim blogger and activist featured in Leslie’s story. She recently wrote a post providing safety tips for Muslim women who wear the hijab

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made a preliminary decision to end a 30-year old restriction on blood donations from gay and bisexual men for fear of infecting blood supplies with HIV.; Credit: NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made a preliminary decision to end a 30-year old restriction on blood donations from gay and bisexual men for fear of infecting blood supplies with HIV.

Monday, they made good on that early decision.

Under the new rules, these men will be allowed to donate blood under the condition that they are HIV free and have not have sex with another man for at least one year.

This puts the U.S. more in line with other countries such as Australia, Japan and the U.K.

The reason that the FDA has not repealed the ban entirely, they say, is that completely lifting the restrictions would increase the transmission of HIV through the blood supplies by 400 percent.

Is not having sex a realistic expectation for gay and bisexual people who want to donate blood? Do gay people see this as a step in the right direction? Or is this an unacceptable decision when the ultimate goal is to lift the ban?

Guest:

Ayako Miyashita, the Inaugural Brian Belt HIV Law and Policy fellow at the Williams Institute at UCLA.

Official White House holiday reception desserts, including cookies created to look like the first family's pets.; Credit: TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images

‘Tis the season to eat. Rules, diets and promises aside, L.A. Times Test Kitchen Director, Noelle Carter, lavishes her readers (and our listeners) with delicious and practical baking gifts and baked goods.

We’ll explore cookie recipes, a unique gift idea for bakers, the spectrum of olive oil and dessert wines.  Plus, if you’re looking for a regional gingerbread house, how about a beach shack, complete with a fondant beer cooler, and instructions?

What’s the craziest gingerbread house you’ve made? What kind of foods or sweets to you make every year? What’s the best baking gift you’ve received? Ask your burning cookie questions -- we’re here with answers.

Click for recipes and ideas

Guest:

Noelle Carter, L.A. Times Test Kitchen director

Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump (L) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), interact during the CNN republican presidential debate.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Tuesday's Quinnipiac Poll showed what has been the trend for many months: Donald Trump still leads the Republican campaign for presidential nomination.

However, the poll also revealed some good news for Senator Ted Cruz: he only trails Trump four points.

The poll also showed figures on how the general public feels about a Trump-versus-Hillary Clinton general campaign.

Thanks to most independents polled, Trump is viewed as more trustworthy  than Clinton. Further, half of Americans, including a fifth of Republicans, said that they would be embarassed if Trump were elected president. Only a fifth of Democrats felt that way about Clinton.

How would you feel about a Trump/Hillary general election?  Do you see either candidate as an embarrassing candidate for nomination?

Guest:

Ken Rudin, Host, Political Junkie podcast and radio program

A lawsuit, filed by two former women’s basketball players at Pepperdine University, alleged that Pepperdine discriminated against them because they were in a relationship. ; Credit: San Francisco Foghorn via Flickr

Title IX is the statute that prevents discrimination based on sex in schools and colleges across the U.S.

Thanks to a ruling from a federal judge in Los Angeles yesterday, that law will now be able to be interpreted even more broadly.

U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson ruled that discrimination based on sexual orientation falls under the umbrella of Title IX’s view of discrimination based on sex or gender, and is not a separate category of discrimination.

The original lawsuit, filed by two former women’s basketball players at Pepperdine University, alleged that Pepperdine discriminated against them because they were in a relationship. The players say in the complaint that their coach told them that it “would cause the team to lose games.”

Pepperdine argues that the women’s complaints didn’t meet Title IX standards for gender discrimination and that the coach of the team was not trying to discriminate against the women, but rather bring the team closer together by eliminating off-court distractions.

Guest:

Erin Buzuvis, professor of law and director of the Center for Gender & Sexuality Studies at Western New England University; she also founded and contributes to the Title IX blog

A meeting of Gulf foreign ministers on December 7, 2015 in the Saudi capital Riyadh, a few days ahead of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit. ; Credit: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images

In the multi-national effort to get Syrian President Bashar Assad out of power, Saudi Arabia is a notable ally.

The powerful desert kingdom can influence other Arabian Gulf states in building the Syrian opposition or creating ceasefire zones - in an effort to undermine the so-called Islamic State violence.

However, allying with the oil-rich nation is often viewed as paradoxical to Americans. The Saudis are both victims and fomenters of extremism. And while their resources have long ensured a mutually beneficial relationship with the U.S., the required diplomacy has often tied the hands of U.S. presidents who otherwise might demand changes within the conservative Islamic country.

On AirTalk, we'll speak with Brian Katulis, a foreign policy expert with the Center for American Progress. Katulis just returned from Saudi Arabia and reports that the country is trying to expand its role in the Middle East.

Guest:

Brian Katulis,  Senior Fellow at American Progress, where his work focuses on U.S. national security policy in the Middle East and South Asia; Wall Street Journal “How Saudi Arabia is expanding its role in the Middle East”

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks to crowd during a campaign rally at Ottawa Farms December 19, 2015 in Bloomingdale, Georgia. ; Credit: Nicholas Pilch/Getty Images

Yesterday The Washington Post put up a cartoon that depicted Ted Cruz's two daughters as trained monkeys, in response to a recent Christmas ad that featured the Senator with his family.

The parody drew backlash from Cruz and other Republicans. Those against the cartoon said that children should be left out of any ads meant to slight the candidate's themselves.

While the artist Ann Telnaes defended her cartoon by implying that Cruz's daughters being in a political ad meant they were fair game for parody, The Post decided to pull it from their editorial section.

Washington Post Editorial page editor Fred Hiatt said, "It’s generally been the policy of our editorial section to leave children out of it. I failed to look at this cartoon before it was published. I understand why Ann thought an exception to the policy was warranted in this case, but I do not agree."

Where should the line be drawn when it comes to political cartoons? Should candidates be aware that their children are fair game if they're going to be a part of the campaign? Or should cartoonists and publications use more scrutiny when it comes to this sort of parody?

Washington Post retracts cartoon that depicts Cruz's daughters as trained monkeys: https://t.co/Bqx9O9GB4Tpic.twitter.com/dk49MA5tnG

— The Hill (@thehill) December 23, 2015

Guest:

David Jackson, White House correspondent for USA Today who has been following the story

There are few people who will know you as long and as deeply as your brother(s) or sister(s), but so many sibling relationships fall apart or even start off without much connection. ; Credit: TimothyJ via Flickr

Social work professor Geoffrey Greif of the University of Maryland has studied a variety of relationship dynamics, but he says the relationship between siblings is one of the most unique and yet least studied in the social sciences.

There are few people who will know you as long and as deeply as your brother(s) or sister(s), but so many sibling relationships fall apart or even start off without much connection.

The influences can be multiple and can include parental interference and favoritism. Even where there is affection and admiration, some old jealousies and resentment might fester. For some siblings, the holidays can force an uncomfortable togetherness.

So, Professor Greif counsels, “To ease the burden, we want to shine a bright star on a more realistic view of sibling relationships as not only affectionate but also as potentially, and acceptably, ambivalent and ambiguous. Too high expectations can tamp down the opportunity for siblings to get to know each other anew as adults.”

How do you get along with your sibling(s)? How has your relationship transformed over the years? How much childhood baggage lurks, if any? What value do you place on having a connection with your brother(s) and/or sister(s)?

Guest:

Geoffrey L. Greif, Ph.D., Professor of Social Work, University of Maryland; Co-author of the newly published book “Adult Sibling Relationships” (Columbia University Press; Dec. 2015)

Los Angeles International Airport is seen during National Landmarks Illuminated Across U.S.; Credit: Jason Kempin

It’s hard to deny that holiday travel is a pain.

Roads are jammed, airports are busy, security lines are long, and all you want to do is get where you’re going so you can start celebrating with your family and friends.

It’s almost enough to make you second guess even leaving your house during the holiday season.

In the hopes of helping you get through your holiday travel plans without going completely insane, we’ve enlisted the help of the folks over at Travelers United, who just put out their 2015 Holiday Travel Guide.

Charlie Leocha is the group’s co-founder and chairman, he joins Larry on AirTalk today to share his best advice for getting through holiday travel and the results of a new study they’ve published about the hidden fees you might be paying for hotels when you shop on comparison sites.

Guest:

Doctor Dan Sermand from MSF, finds the location on a map where today's delivery will go.; Credit: Jonas Gratzer/Getty Images

If you want to give good directions for traveling, mind the order to your words.

The School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen may have found the easiest way to give directions, and they found it by using a popular children’s picture book series.

The study finds that starting with a noticeable landmark and then ending it with the destination will make it easier for others to understand and follow the instructions.

To test this, the researchers showed participants an image from “Where’s Waldo?” and asked them to explain how to find the man wearing stripes among the variety of distractions on the page. When the subjects mentioned an obvious nearby landmark, those listening to them needed less time find Waldo for themselves.

Researchers believe that people start processing directions before others have finished conveying them; offering a waypoint immediately allows listeners to conceptualize where they need to be much easier.

Guests:

Alasdair Clarke, Ph.D, School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen and lead author of the study

Micha Elsner, Assistant professor at the Department of Linguistics, Ohio State University and co-author of the study

With the rise of YouTube and blogs, do-it-yourself gifts have gained popularity, especially for the holiday season.
; Credit: Stacie via Flickr

With the rise of YouTube and blogs, do-it-yourself gifts have gained popularity, especially for the holiday season.

But as thoughtful as they are, D.I.Y.’s aren’t always welcome. Not everyone shares an appreciation for jean pocket potholders or crocheted barefoot sandals.

For those who can’t seem to part with the thought of gifting homemade art or their latest macramé creation, AirTalk is here to help D.I.Y.-ers stay on-point for the holidays. Do-it-yourself expert, Kristen Turner, talks with Patt Morrison today about the best and worst D.I.Y. ideas, tips and tricks to get it right and quick and easy last-minute gifts you can make at home.

Guest:

Kristen Turner, D.I.Y. expert and creator of the lifestyle blog, Miss-Kriss 

When presidential hopeful Donald Trump used the action version of "schlong" to disparage Hillary Clinton this week, many news outlets bleeped out the Yiddish vulgarity.
; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

When presidential hopeful Donald Trump used the action version of "schlong" to disparage Hillary Clinton this week, many news outlets bleeped out the Yiddish vulgarity.

But as with many New Yorkers, it's arguable Trump's vocabulary has been enriched by Yiddish slang. It's almost a shock he hasn't called every one of his competitors a schlub, schmuck, or shlemiel - many of whom think him a shmendrik.

Even though it's not a yontef today, AirTalk and guest host Patt Morrison will try to make some bubbes smile and help you up your Yinglish game.

Guest:

Jonathan Kirsch, Book Editor at the LA-based the Jewish Journal. He is the author of many books, including his latest, “The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynszpan: A Boy Avenger, a Nazi Diplomat, and a Murder in Paris” (Liveright, 2014)

This is a rendering of the scene artist John Zachary proposed for the Nativity outside Claremont United Methodist Church.; Credit: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Claremont United Methodist Church usually steps outside the norm at Christmas.

Instead of displaying farm animals, three wise men and baby Jesus resting in a manger, Claremont United disrupts the nativity scene by inserting a political statement — but they're not making as provocative a statement this year.

This year, the display on Foothill Boulevard has been replaced by a banner declaring "Peace on Earth" in multiple languages. The artist who installs the nativity scene each year, John Zachary, said that the church decided not to move forward with his design themed around gun violence.

Read the full story here.

Guests:

Rev. Mark Wiley, Pastor at the Claremont United Methodists church. The church has an annual tradition of unconventional Nativity Scenes

David Allen, Reporter for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin who reported on this story earlier in the week

Chinese paramilitary police officers watch over pedestrians in the Wangfujing shopping district in Beijing.; Credit: GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images

A Christmas terror threat has forced officials in China to put parts of the country’s capital on lockdown and to warn Westerners that the threat has targeted them.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing said it received intel about possible threats to Americans and other Westerners. Armed guard units have been placed on street corners and in public plazas, and a yellow security alert - the lowest level on a three-tiered system - that will last through the Christmas weekend.

The threat targeting Westerners could be the first of its kind for Beijing, according to Yang Shu, a counter-terrorism expert at Lanzhou University in China. Patt Morrison discusses the threat with terrorism expert, Erroll Southers, and its implications for Westerners as a growing target of terrorism.

Guest:

Erroll Southers, managing director of Counterterrorism and Infrastructure Protection at TAL Global Corporation and USC terrorism expert

Jeremy Goldkorn, Founder and director of Danwei, a research firm on Chinese media and economy, and longtime China observer

A man smokes a joint during a march calling for the legalization of marijuana.; Credit: MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL/AFP/Getty Images

Teens are smoking more pot than cigarettes these days, and drinking and illicit drug use are down as well.

That’s the word from this year’s Monitoring The Future report, an annual look at substance abuse among teens. Cigarette and alcohol use are at their lowest points since the report was first published in 1975 and there’s also been a steady decline in the use of drugs like heroin, MDMA, and methamphetamines.

The one thing that teens are still using? Pot.

Marijuana use remained more or less level compared to last year. The report showed 12 percent of 8th graders, 25 percent of 10th graders, and 35 percent of high school seniors had used marijuana in the last 12 months. It also notes that the number of teens who see carrying marijuana as a big risk has declined dramatically. Ease of access and social perception could be a contributing factor to this.

The study reports a steady increase in peer disapproval of binge drinking since the year 2000 as well as a drop in the number of teens who say it’s easy to get alcohol, which the researchers suggest is an indication that efforts to reduce teen drinking are working.

What do you think is contributing to the decrease in alcohol use and the leveling out of marijuana use? What about other illicit drugs? Are anti-drug and alcohol efforts really working or is it just a matter of what teens can most easily acquire? How are teens’ perceptions of drugs, alcohol, and the risks that come along with them changing? What should we expect to see in years to come?

Guest:

Lloyd Johnston, distinguished senior research scientist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research and principal investigator of the Monitoring The Future study since it began in 1975

A boy rides a hoverboard on the day after Christmas, in San Pedro, California.; Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

This year, hoverboards topped most Christmas lists -- despite recent stories about them catching fire.

Both adults and children have found that the not-so-easy to ride hoverboards can actually be dangerous. This is why some physicians recommend that riders wear a helmet and elbow pads while aboard.

The hashtag #HoverboardFail has been popular on social media, including Instagram, accumulating more than 900 examples of some of the worst possible falls and injuries resulting from a rider losing their balance.

Did you receive a hoverboard for Christmas?  What has your experience been?

#HoverboardFail

Guest:

Kate Knibbs, staff writer at Gizmodo. She tweets from @KateKnibbs

A woman and a child holding up a miniature national flag walk along a road in Beijing on October 31, 2015.; Credit: WANG ZHAO/AFP/Getty Images

On January 1, 2016, China will officially end its famed one-child policy and couples will be allow to have two children.

In the  new book, “One Child,” former the Wall Street Journals reporter Mei Fong dives into the history and numerous consequences of the Middle Kingdom’s controversial population-control experiment that started in 1980.

Guest:

Mei Fong, author of the new book, “One Child: The Story of China's Most Radical Experiment” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016)