Customer satisfaction survey.; Credit: Flickr/Henri Bergius

Since December was a blitz of consumer activity, January is a bombardment of customer feedback surveys from retailers and service providers, such as Amazon, Uber, airliners, hotels, even brick-and-mortar retailers.

On a scale of 1-10, how often are you being asked to rate your customer satisfaction? How many stars would you give to companies that reach out to hear from you? What motivates you to respond to customer feedback surveys? How are companies using the abundance of data? Is it overkill or good for business?

Guests:

Lars Perner, assistant professor of clinical marketing at USC's Marshall School of Business; his website is ConsumerPsychologist.com

Republican presidential candidate businessman Donald Trump (L) pat the back of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz during the Republican Presidential Debate.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump isn’t one to be shy when it comes to calling out his opponents for what he sees as their shortcomings.

The GOP presidential frontrunner’s latest target? Fellow presidential candidate Ted Cruz, whose Canadian birthplace Trump says could be a “very precarious” issue for the Texas Senator if he were to receive the Republican presidential nomination. Cruz tweeted a response with a link to a video that suggested the issue was overdone.

While Cruz and Trump have been more or less friendly thus far, Trump is undoubtedly aware of Cruz’s rising poll numbers in Iowa, and this could explain why he’s on the attack.

​Cruz was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and his mother was a U.S. citizen when he was born. Babies born to a U.S. citizen are considered U.S. citizens by law, regardless of the place of birth. Cruz has long used this as his reasoning for why he qualifies as a presidential candidate.

The Constitution says a president must be a “natural-born citizen,” but the issue is that there is no consensus on what the definition of a “natural-born citizen is. Law scholars do generally agree, however, that Cruz is eligible for the presidency.

What, exactly, does the Constitution say about who can and cannot be president? Does Ted Cruz fit these criteria? Are there other candidates in U.S. history whose citizenship has been questioned?

Guest:

Gabriel Chin, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law at the UC Davis School of Law

A customer buys tomatoes at a fruit and vegetable stand.; Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Some Americans may not have to cut back on eggs, coffee, and salt as much as they once thought and eating lean meat is still OK.

But watch the added sugars, especially the sugary drinks.

New dietary guidelines, released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, back off the strictest sodium rules included in the last version, while still asserting that Americans consume too much salt. The guidelines reverse previous guidance on the dangers of dietary cholesterol and add strict new advice on sugars.    

After a backlash from the meat industry and Congress, the administration ignored several suggestions from a February report by an advisory committee of doctors and nutrition experts. That panel suggested calling for an environmentally friendly diet lower in red and processed meats and de-emphasized lean meats in its list of proteins that are part of a healthy diet.    

But, as in the previous years, the government still says lean meats are part of a healthy eating pattern.

What are the major changes? How were they arrived at? Where do the guidelines fall short in your opinion? How will the USDA get out the word to change Americans’ diet habits? Will behavior change?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests:

Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University. She is the author of a number of books on nutrition and food safety, including “Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health” (University of California Press, 2013), which she co-authored with Michael Pollan

Joy Dubost, PhD in Food Science a Registered Dietitian with a PhD in Food Science; Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

A man plays the piano.; Credit: Flickr/Chris Durant

A new study published this week seeks to aims to crack the code on how emotions feed and influence the process of creativity.

The study’s authors scanned the brains of 12 professional jazz pianists as they sat down at the piano to improvise, and found that their brain activities differ depending on what kind of emotions they were trying to musically convey.

Larry Mantle speaks with one of the study’s authors on the new research, and the implications it holds to our understanding of the creative process.

Emotional Intent Modulates The Neural Substrates Of Creativity: An fMRI Study of Emotionally Targeted Impro...

Guest:

Malinda McPherson, a PhD candidate at the  Harvard-MIT Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, and lead author of the study, “Emotional Intent Modulates The Neural Substrates Of Creativity: An fMRI Study of Emotionally Targeted Improvisation in Jazz Musicians” published in this week’s journal, “Scientific Reports.” She tweets from @MalindaJeanette

Samsung spokesmodel Kai Madden displays the connectivity feature on a Samsung smart refrigerator at the 2014 International CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center.; Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

Every year in January, the tech world converges on Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, to showcase the best, most ambitious, and just plain coolest new technology and gadgets they’re developing.

In addition to the TVs, tablets, and VR devices that we expect to see at CES, smart home products are a big part of this year’s show.

How about a smart fridge with a full touch screen and cameras inside that can beam pictures of your food right to your smartphone? Or a smart shower head that tells you when you’re wasting water?

These are just the beginning of the kinds of tech that aims to bring connectivity on several platforms to the average home. But as homes become more connected and the ‘Internet of Things’ becomes more of a reality, there also comes a risk of invasion of privacy.

For every new tech product that comes out, there’s always someone who figures out how to hack into it.

How much are consumers willing to sacrifice in terms of privacy in order to have a connected home? And why do some consumers not even think twice about how much privacy they’ll sacrifice when it comes to this new technology?

Guests:

Dan Ackerman, editor at CNET; he’s in Las Vegas for CES 2016 and tweeting from @danackerman

Elizabeth Weise, reporter for USA Today covering computer security, technology, and Silicon Valley

A sign showing that the Chipotle Mexican Grill seen at 1924 Beacon St. is closed on December 8, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. ; Credit: Scott Eisen/Getty Images

In Chipotle's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission published yesterday, the food chain divulged it was served with a Federal Grand Jury Subpoena focused on a Simi Valley location's norovirus outbreak in August 2015.

The outbreak reportedly sickened more than 200 patrons and workers.

Despite the temporary closure of dozens of Chipotle restaurants due to more dangerous E. coli outbreaks, this is the first time the chain is at the center of a criminal investigation.

Guests:

Michelle M. Mello, JD, Ph.D., Professor of Law and Professor of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University

Michael Doyle, Ph.D.,Regents Professor of Food Microbiology & Director, Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia

People walks along a pedestrian bridge with a screen showing stock market movements in Shanghai on January 7, 2016. ; Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images

China suspended stock market trading for a second time Thursday, after stocks freefell 7 percent in just 30 minutes of trading.

In its wake, stock markets around the world also plunged. The Dow and the Nasdaq both saw massive selloff, but have since recovered some of the losses after China announced that it’ll suspend its recently-implemented “circuit breaker” system, which has been used by regulators there to stem market volatility in the country.

China’s latest stock market trouble reflects a greater fear that the second-biggest economy in the world is slowing down and that a “hard landing” is all but inevitable.

Are these fears overblown? What are the underlying factors behind China’s economic slowdown? How would China’s economic troubles play out in the US and the rest of the world?

Guests:

Edwin Truman, fellow specializing in Asian economies and the IMF at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He served as assistant secretary of the US Treasury for International Affairs from 1998 to 2001

Carl Riccadonna, Chief US economist at Bloomberg Intelligence

The cross of the the Maronite cathedral of Saint Georges is seen side by side along with the minaret of Moahmmed al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut on January 4, 2010.; Credit: JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images

CHICAGO (AP) - The professor of a Christian college who asserted Christians and Muslims worship the same God said Wednesday that her views are in line with the suburban Chicago college's mission and disputed university accounts of interactions with administrators who've taken steps to fire her.

Larycia Hawkins, who's Christian, was placed on leave at Wheaton College in December after posting her views on Facebook. She also wore a headscarf to show solidarity with Muslims.

College officials said her views were inconsistent with the college's "doctrinal convictions." On Tuesday, they said she refused to participate in further conversations about theological issues and initiated termination-for-cause proceedings.  

However, Hawkins said she tried to reconcile with university officials during a news conference Wednesday at a downtown Chicago church where she received backing from religious leaders, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

With Files from Associated Press.

Guest:

David Albertson, associate professor of religion at USC’s Dornsife College

Jihad Turk, founding president of Bayan Claremont, an Islamic graduate school at the Claremont School of Theology

Delegates from California at the 2012 Republican National Convention.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The Golden State has a track record as a forward thinker.

We lead the nation with our stance on environmental laws, social policies, and business innovations. But one area we haven’t been able to put our unique stamp on is the presidential primaries.

In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, political science professor Larry N. Gerston says this year will mark an exception, specially in the GOP primary race, due to a few factors, including the larger than usual pool of candidates vying for the spot.

If Gerston’s prediction comes true, how might that impact how Californians vote? Would it spur some Democrats to vote strategically for a Republican, either preferred or as sabotage, given that Hillary Clinton could be locked in by then?

Guests:    

Larry N. Gerston, a professor emeritus of political science at San Jose State University and author of many books, including “Not So Golden After All: The Rise and Fall of California” (CRC Press, 2012). He is the author of the op-ed piece, “This year, California will finally influence who becomes the GOP presidential nominee,” published yesterday in the LA Times

Thad Kousser, a professor of political science specializing in California politics at UC San Diego. He is a co-editor of the book, “The New Political Geography of California” (Berkeley Public Policy Press, 2008)

California Gov. Jerry Brown released a state-wide budget Thursday, January 7.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

“Save it for a rainy day” seemed to be the takeaway as Governor Jerry Brown unveiled his 2016-2017 state budget proposal on Thursday.

During a news conference at the Capitol, Governor Brown preached financial prudence, but also announced a big bump in spending on public education to the tune of more than $70 million as well as $1.4 billion for Medi-Cal. The big focus of the announcement, however, was the $2 billion Governor Brown has earmarked for the state’s rainy-day fund.

Some lawmakers have applauded the Governor’s proposal and his continued conservative approach to spending. Others say while it’s good to save money for those “just in case” scenarios, there are other areas like infrastructure that are in desperate need of taxpayer money. Many Republicans don’t want to see fees or taxes increased on health care plans or to pay for infrastructure upgrades.

Do you agree with the Governor’s decision to save money for expenses down the road, or do you think there are more pressing needs the state has right now?

Guests:

Donald Wagner (R-Irvine), State Assembly Member representing California’s 68th Assembly District, which includes Irvine, Orange, and Anaheim

Chris Hoene, Executive Director, California Budget & Policy Center, a nonpartisan public policy research group

HD Palmer, spokesman, California Department of Finance

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck addresses the media at Police Headquarters in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck has called for criminal charges against an officer who shot and killed an unarmed homeless man in Venice last May.

Beck told the Los Angeles Times he made the recommendation to District Attorney Jackie Lacey last month when the LAPD handed the investigation over to prosecutors.

The May 2015 shooting involved 29-year-old Brandon Glenn. Glenn was black. The officer, named by the Times as Officer Clifford Proctor, is also black. The incident was caught by a surveillance camera.

The news comes on the heels of KPCC's in-depth investigation into police shootings in Los Angeles County, which found one in four people shot were unarmed and that prosecutors had not filed criminal charges against an officer in an on-duty shooting in 15 years.

How difficult will it be to prosecute this case? And what kind of pressure does it put on District Attorney Jackie Lacey? Today on AirTalk, we take a look at what some of the legal challenges will be moving forward.

Guest:

Stan Goldman, Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, where he specializes in criminal law and procedure; he’s also Director, Center for the Study of Law and Genocide

A photo shows the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC.; Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

A hotly debated legal and political issue was at the center of today's Supreme Court hearing.

The case challenges unions' right to collect fees from non-members who benefit from union negotiations but who do not want to support the union.

A veteran schoolteacher in Anaheim, Rebecca Friedrichs, is suing the California Teachers Association over the law that requires public-school teachers to financially contribute to unions in order to subsidize collective bargaining efforts.

Justice Anthony Kennedy challenged arguments made by lawyers for the state of California and the California Teachers Association that the current fee system is needed to prevent non-members from becoming "free riders" - workers who get all the benefits of union bargaining and grievance procedures without paying for it.

"The union basically is making these teachers 'compelled riders' for issues on which they strongly disagree," Kennedy said, noting the political nature of bargaining issues like teacher salaries, merit promotions and class size.

Justice Elena Kagan warned that the challengers "come here with a heavy burden" to overturn a nearly 40-year-old case on which thousands of contracts and millions of employees rely.

Justice Stephen Breyer said overturning Abood would require the court to overrule several related cases in which the high court has approved mandatory payments by lawyers to bar associations and mandatory student fees at public universities.

"That's quite a big deal," Breyer said. The case has implications in 22 states.

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests:

Lynn Rhinehart, General Counsel, AFL-CIO - the umbrella federation for U.S. unions, with 56 unions representing 12.5 million working men and women; Rhinehart co-authored an amicus brief in Friedrichs

Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow in constitutional studies at the libertarian Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review; Shapiro co-authored an amicus brief in Friedrichs. He tweets from @ishapiro

A sign reading "Skid Row" is painted on a wall next to the Los Angeles Mission in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

According to a revised report released late last week by city budget analysts, Los Angeles should plan to spend about $1.85 billion over the next 10 years to reduce homelessness.

But how the city will come up with that money remains to be seen.

The report suggests a variety of options, from winning state or federal grants to asking voters to increase taxes on themselves.

We talk with leaders at various levels of the conversation about their take on this new strategy -- the first comprehensive strategy in years.

Los Angeles Homelessness Strategy

Guests:

City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Los Angeles City Council Member representing District 8 in South LA and co-chair of the Homelessness and Poverty Committee. He tweets from @mhdcd8

Elise Buik, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Los Angeles. She tweets from @EliseBuik

Monica Alcaraz, President of the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, which is one of nearly 100 local councils that work with the city of L.A. @malcaraz13  

Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission

In this rendering released by AEG, the proposed football stadium to house a NFL team in Los Angeles is seen.; Credit: AEG

We could have an answer to the question of whether Los Angeles will be home to an NFL team next year as early as this week.

The owners of all 32 teams begin a two-day meeting session tomorrow in Houston, during which they ultimately hope to decide which (if any) of the three franchises who have applied for relocation to Los Angeles will be given the green light.

The St. Louis Rams, the Oakland Raiders, and the San Diego Chargers have all filed papers to move to L.A. Only two of those teams will get the nod to move, and those teams will have to share a single stadium, either in Carson or Inglewood. (MORE TK)

Guests:

Ben Bergman, KPCC’s senior business and economy reporter who is headed to Houston for the owners’ meetings

Darren Rovell, ESPN sports business reporter and business correspondent for ABC News. He tweets from @DarrenRovell

A woman reads La Jornada newspaper in Mexico City which shows a picture of drug lord Joaquin Guzman, aka "El Chapo" (R), shaking hands with US actor Sean Penn.; Credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images

Actor Sean Penn is expressing no regrets about his clandestine visit to interview Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

In a brief email exchange with The Associated Press, Penn was asked about images published in Mexican news media today that appeared to show officials watching him and a Mexican actress ahead of their October visit with Guzman. Penn responds that he has nothing to hide.

Guzman was captured last Friday, more than three months after Penn's meeting with him in central Mexico and six months after escaping from prison.

Still, many think Penn’s actions raise ethical and even legal questions. We hear what journalists in Mexico are saying and why Mexico is not considering extraditing Guzman to the US.

*With Files from AP

Read the full story here.

Guests:

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

Nacha Cattan, correspondent for Bloomberg News in Mexico City

Jordan J. Paust, Mike and Teresa Baker Law Center Professor of International Law at the Law Center of the University of Houston

Ignacio Pinto-Leon, Esq., a dual U.S.–Mexico licensed attorney. Director of JurisMex Corp., a consulting firm based in Houston, TX that provides legal advice in Mexican law; Mr. Pinto–Leon teaches the course of Introduction to the Law of Mexico as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center

A woman with a tatoo of David Bowie reacts as she pays her respects in front of the British singer, painted by Australian street artist James Cochran, aka Jimmy C.; Credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

David Bowie, the musician and artist alternatively known as Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, has died from cancer. He was 69.

The ultimate chameleon who had stretched the boundaries of music over 25 albums, Bowie’s influence is deep and wide. His final album, “Blackstar,” was released last Friday to unanimous praise -- two days before his death.

Call AirTalk at (866) 893-5722 to tell us about your favorite Bowie song, how his music has touched your life.

Guest:

Alex Gale, Senior Editor at Billboard. He tweets at @AlexGale

A couple share a romantic moment.; Credit: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

In a survey released by WE tv, most Americans say a clean break with an ex is the best way to get over the demise of a relationship, but over half say they haven’t taken their own advice and have stayed friends with an ex.

More than a third say they’ve slept with their ex.

Have you stayed friends with an ex? Did you regret it? Or were you glad to make amends? If you maintained a good friendship, how did you make that happen?

Guest:

Julie Albright, Ph.D., Professor in Sociology at USC’s Dornsife School and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in infidelity, relationship issues and online dating. She tweets from @DrJulieA

Pedestrians walk past a newspaper vending machine as it lies next to the PNI Building, which houses the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.; Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

(AP) The owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com has turned over the media company to a nonprofit institute in the hope that a new business model will help them survive the digital age and stanch years of layoffs and losses.

Local philanthropist H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, who bought the media company 19 months ago, will give the struggling properties to the newly formed Institute for Journalism in New Media and donate $20 million to endow the enterprise.

How would it work? Would it work?

Guest:

William Marimow, Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer

David Folkenflik, Media correspondent for NPR

Ken Doctor, Media analyst for newsonomics.com and the author of “Newsonomics: Twelve New Trends That Will Shape the News You Get” (St. Martin Press, 2010) who's been following the story

LAUSD's Michelle King

After months of searching, it appears the Los Angeles Unified School District finally has a new leader.

Michelle King went to LA schools and starting working for the district part-time while still a student. 35-years-later she's still there - now in the top position.

How will she cope with the huge challenges the district faces?

Guests:

Monica Garcia, LAUSD Board Member representing Board District 2

Scott Folsom, vice president for health California State PTA

Sarah Angel, Greater Los Angeles managing regional director for California Charter School Association

Maria Ott, professor of clinical education at USC’s Rossier School of Education and a retired senior deputy superintendent of LAUSD (2001-2005)

Ambulances and police are seen at the blast site after an explosion in Istanbul's central Sultanahmet district.; Credit: Can Erok/Getty Images

A suicide bomber affiliated with the Islamic State group detonated a bomb in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists Tuesday morning, killing at least 10 people - nine of them German tourists - and wounding 15 others, Turkish officials said.    

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the bomber who carried out the attack in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district was a member of IS and pledged to battle the militant group until it no longer "remains a threat" to Turkey or the world.

Davutoglu described the attacker as a "foreign national." Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus had previously said the perpetrator was born in 1988 and was a Syrian national, but the private Dogan news agency claimed the bomber was Saudi-born.

On NPR, reporter Peter Kenyon in Istanbul said "Folks here in Istanbul have been on edge for weeks, wondering if something was going to blow up here."

A shopkeeper near Istanbul's Blue Mosque, Ayse Demir, speaking to "The New York Times"  lamented, "Tourism had already dried up after last year's explosion, but after this it's game over."

Sinan Ciddi told KPCC, "I question the sincerity of the Turkish government in taking the best security precautions." Ciddi is Executive Director of the Institute of Turkish Studies and visiting assistant professor at Georgetown University. He spoke with Larry Mantle on "AirTalk" (audio playback above.)

Istanbul is one of the top tourism destinations in the world. Would this attack impact your travel plans there? What more can be done to increase security for the people of Turkey? What is this historical significance of this district?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guest:

Sinan Ciddi, Executive Director of the Institute of Turkish Studies and visiting assistant professor at Georgetown University