American army combat platoon leader Second Lieutenant John Libs (center) of 2nd platoon, C Company, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division.; Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The United States emerged from World War II as one of the planet’s clear-cut superpowers, and many expected the country’s involvement in Vietnam to cement that global position.

But the trials of the Vietnam War left a fractured and complicated legacy that still informs American society to this day.

It’s that legacy that James Wright examines in his new book, “Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War.” In “Enduring Vietnam,” Wright looks not only at the political steps that led to America’s decades-long involvement in Vietnam, but also at the combat experiences and the effects of the war on the soldiers who returned from it.

Crafted from over a hundred interviews with veterans, their families, policy-makers, and historians, “Enduring Vietnam,” creates a vivid portrait of one of the most influential events in contemporary American history.

James Wright will be speaking about his book tonight at 7pm, at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank. For more information, click here.

Guest:

James Wright, president emeritus and Professor of History Emeritus at Dartmouth College and author of “Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War” ( Thomas Dunne Books, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

circa 1956: Stacie and Shawn Moten of Havertown, Pennsylvania, with two large containers of milk. ; Credit: Nocella/Getty Images

You’d be surprised how many people believe that twins can read each other’s minds, or that there’s always one good twin and one evil twin.

Those might be some of the more outlandish myths about twins, but there are plenty of widely-held beliefs about twins that aren’t entirely true. Those myths and misconceptions are examined and debunked in Dr. Nancy L. Segal’s new book, “Twin Mythconceptions: False Beliefs, Fables, and Facts About Twins.”

A twin herself, Segal covers a wide variety of twin-related myths — do identical twins have identical fingerprints? Can dogs tell identical twins apart based on their body odors? And are first-born twins naturally more responsible than their second-born counterparts?

Dr. Segal answers these twinteresting questions, and many more, as she explores our fascination with twins and the crazy stories people have told about twins throughout history.

Guest: 

Dr. Nancy L. Segal, Professor of Psychology at Cal State Fullerton and Director of the Twin Studies Center. She is the author of the book, “Twin Mythconceptions: False Beliefs, Fables, and Facts About Twins” (Academic Press, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A web page of the www.youtube.com is displayed on a computer screen, 02 August 2006. ; Credit: SAMANTHA SIN/AFP/Getty Images

YouTube TV went live on Wednesday. And the Google endeavor is making headlines as a possible way to entice younger generations to pay for television.

As reported by Wired, the new service may have a shot at what’s been an uphill battle for previously launched internet streaming television services such as Dish’s Sling TV and Sony Playstation Vue. But YouTube TV has huge name recognition which could be a catalyst for changing the landscape of paid television streaming. And at $35 a month, it’s uncertain how the chips may fall for the brand. YouTube isn’t the only one willing to give the market a try. Hulu is planning its own launch later this year.

Would you pay for YouTube TV? Can YouTube TV revive paying for television, or will younger generations of watchers say “no thanks”?

Guest:

Klint Finley, writer covering telecommunications and internet service providers for Wired Business; he’s been following the story

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday, January 7.; Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Gov. Jerry Brown is getting down to brass tacks with his proposed gas tax bill, which faces a vote in the California Legislature today.

Brown's new bill, titled Senate Bill 1, would create $52 billion over the next 10 years to repair the state's roads, bridges, and traffic congestion.

But much of that money would come from an increase to California residents' gas tax, which is already one of the highest in the country. So while the state of the state's infrastructure has been a frequent topic in Sacramento, it's unclear whether or not Brown will be able to garner the necessary votes to approve a plan that would raise Californians' taxes.

Guests:

Roger Dickinson, executive director of  Transportation California, a Sacramento-based construction industry organization and a supporter of SB1; he is a former Democratic California Assemblymember (2010-2014) serving the 7th district, which represents eastern Sacramento County

Joel Fox, head of the Small Business Action Committee, which represents small business in CA; he co-publishes the political commentary website FoxandHoundsDaily.com  

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A mourner attends a vigil for victims of a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida nearly a week earlier, in front of the United States embassy on June 18, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. ; Credit: Adam Berry/Getty Images

The number of hate crimes in the city of Los Angeles in 2016 jumped from 200 in 2015 to 230 in 2016, a 15 percent increase according to a new study out from Cal State San Bernardino’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

It’s the most hate crimes reported in L.A. in nearly a decade and the third straight year where there has been an increase, but it’s also far below numbers that have been reported in past years. 2001, for example, had 559 reported hate crimes in L.A..

The study authors, Brian Levin and Kevin Grisham, say the increase is being driven by a 64 percent spike in violent aggravated assaults reported with lesser but still significant increases also reported in racially-motivated crimes and crimes against LGBTQ community.

Why do you think we are seeing a spike in hate crime numbers? In aggravated assaults? What strategies do you think can be employed at the city level to help stem this issue?

Guests:

Brian Levin, professor of criminal justice and director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino

Francisco Ortega, acting director for the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Judge Neil Gorsuch testifies during the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 22, 2017.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Another big 24 hours of news out of D.C.

Senate Democrats have successfully filibustered the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the high court. Now Republicans have to decide whether to do away with the ability of Supreme Court nominations to be filibustered.

To the surprise of even his fellow House Intelligence Committee members, their chairman, Devin Nunes of CA, removed himself from the Russia investigation.

Yesterday, President Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was removed from the National Security Council. Word is, he wasn't too happy about it. Where do we start? Larry speaks to two reporters covering the story in D.C.

Guests:

Lisa Mascaro, reporter covering Congress for the Los Angeles Times; she is on Capitol Hill following the story

Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for the New York Times; he’s been following the latest

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Neil Gorsuch testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on his nomination to be an associate justice of the US Supreme Court.; Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

After voting yesterday to employ the nuclear option to lower the vote threshold needed to end a filibuster on a Supreme Court nominee, today the Senate voted along party lines to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacant seat on the United States Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has been operating with only 8 justices since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, but Gorsuch’s confirmation creates a conservative majority within the Court.

So what’s next for the largest court in the land? How will Gorsuch’s appointment change the dynamic of the court, and what are the upcoming cases that he’ll have an impact on?

Guests:

Derek Muller, associate professor of law at Pepperdine School of Law

Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean of the School of Law at UC Irvine and an expert on constitutional law, federal practice and appellate litigation

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

US President Donald Trump delivers a statement on Syria from the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6, 2017.
; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

In what is seen as a foreign policy aboutface, President Donald Trump last night ordered a missile strike on an airfield in Syria, after the use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria.

In ordering the strike, Trump has broken away from his “America First” stance to again wade in on an ongoing conflict overseas. Reactions from Congress have been swift, with many Republicans backing the president’s move. Some Democrats have criticized Trump for not seeking congressional approval before launching the attack.

Guests: 

Nabih Bulos, Beirut-based reporter for the Los Angeles Times, who’s been following the story

Susan Glasser, Chief International Affairs Correspondent at POLITICO; she tweets @sbg1

Nicholas Heras, fellow at the Center for a New American Security and expert on ISIS strategy and tactics

Brian Katulis, senior fellow for national security at the Center for American Progress. His latest piece on the Syrian airstrike was published earlier today on Foreign Policy

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

(L-R) Los Angeles Kings broadcasters Jim Fox and Bob Miller announce a game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks at Staples Center on April 8, 2017 in Los Angeles.; Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Bob Miller, the legendary broadcaster for the LA Kings, called his final two games for the hockey team this past weekend.

The 78-year-old broadcaster has long been the voice of the Kings -- he called 3,351 broadcasts over nearly 44 seasons. But over the past year, Miller suffered two strokes and recovered from a quadruple bypass surgery. Miller was one of the most iconic sports broadcasters both in hockey and in Los Angeles, and his departure from the profession leaves a hole akin to Vin Scully's departure from the Dodgers last season.

Guest:

Bob Miller, American sportscaster and former announcer for the Los Angeles Kings

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

California Governor Jerry Brown speaks during day three of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 27, 2016.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The passage of the $52 billion transportation bill marked a huge victory for Governor Jerry Brown.

Apparently, it came with a prize. Both the LA Times and Sacramento Bee are reporting on the “side deals” and “pork” the Democrats had to dole out in order to win enough votes.

Brown’s ambitious plan wants to fix California roads by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees. It was a tough sell for some lawmakers, but the bill cleared the Legislature on Thursday.

Guest:                                

Patrick McGreevy, reporter who covers the California Legislature in Sacramento for the LA Times. His latest piece looks at the negotiations behind the passage of the transportation bill

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A photo from one of Billy Graham’s first crusades in Los Angeles on September 25, 1949.; Credit: billygrahamlibrary.org

Led by charismatic figureheads like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and James Dobson, evangelical Christians dominated conservative politics for decades.

But as political influence of evangelicals has waned and more Americans are moving away from organized religion, the world of evangelical politics has become a much more complicated place. It’s this complex world that Pulitzer Prize winner Frances FitzGerald dives into in her new book, “The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America.”

From America’s Puritan founders to the religious schisms created by the Civil War, FitzGerald tracks the multifaceted history of politicized Christianity in America to contextualize the identity crisis which evangelicals face today.

Guest:

Frances FitzGerald, journalist and author of a number of books, including her latest, “The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America” (Simon & Schuster, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 10: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Judge Neil Gorsuch (L) takes the judicial oath as President Donald Trump looks on during a ceremony in the Rose Garden. ; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The U.S. Supreme Court now has a full complement of nine justices. Neil Gorsuch was sworn in this morning at the White House, restoring a conservative majority to the High Court.

It gave President Trump a chance to enjoy his political victory and ensures that there is a legacy for the Trump administration. But things are murkier for the president and the White House on Syria.

Top American diplomats gave conflicting visions yesterday, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson saying that the U.S. policy in Syria will continue to be the eradication of ISIS while U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said she doesn’t see a political solution in Syria so long as President Bashar al-Assad remains in power.  

Our political roundtable tackles all this, plus we’ll touch on the attacks in Egypt over the weekend as well as what’s next for Congressional Republicans in their tax reform efforts.

Guests:

Ange-Marie Hancock-Alfaro, associate professor of political science and gender studies at USC

Pete Peterson, dean of the School of Public Policy and senior fellow at The Davenport Institute at Pepperdine University

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 07: D'Angelo Russell #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on March 7, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. ; Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The LA Lakers have been in rebuild mode for the last few seasons, and those efforts have stepped up since Kobe Bryant retired in 2016.

Rookie coach Luke Walton was brought in from the Golden States Warriors to work with a young and promising team that includes Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and second overall draft pick in 2015, D’Angelo Russell.

For the reboot to succeed, the Lakers need to keep infusing the team with new and young talents. And they have a good chance of doing that by retaining their first-round draft pick – provided that they lose enough games this year.

And that’s what some Lakers observers are calling on their team to do, including LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke and KPCC's own A Martinez.

Should the Lakers lose on purpose to maintain their draft edge?

Guest:

Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times sports columnist; he tweets @BillPlaschke

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Current federal tax forms are distributed at the offices of the Internal Revenue Service November 1, 2005 in Chicago, Illinois. ; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

If you’re still scratching your head trying to figure out which tax forms and exemptions to file before April 18, it’s not your fault.

Author T.R. Reid says our U.S. tax system is so complicated that navigating a 1040NR-EZ, or struggling to understand what counts as charitable deductions, leaves Americans both bewildered and stuck in an obscure process subject to misuse.

Reid, a former Washington Post foreign correspondent, compares the tax systems of other countries to our own in a quest to find a structure more “simple, fair and efficient,” all of which can be found in his new book “A Fine Mess” before the big Tuesday.

At a time when the Trump administration is also pushing to reform America’s tax code, host Larry Mantle speaks with Reid about his book and its most prominent findings.

Guest:

T.R. Reid, longtime Washington Post correspondent and author of numerous books including his latest, “A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System” (Penguin Press 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Fans hoping to get a signature from actor Daniel Radcliffe hold Harry Potter photos, at Radcliffe's star unveiling ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, November 12, 2015.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Defined as a community or subculture united by its obsession with some aspect of pop culture, fandom has also become a driving force for modern marketing.

In their new book “Superfandom: How Our Obsessions are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are,” co-authors Zoe Fraade-Blanar and Aaron Glazer explore how fandom bends the traditional separation between consumer and creator.

In some ways, the advent of digital platforms give creators incredible power over their audience, but it also puts them in a more delicate position than before, pressured to adjust to the demands of consumers whose zeal is the key to profit.

From the popular game "Cards Against Humanity" to the resurgence of the Polaroid camera, “Superfandom” uses the lenses of history, psychology and sociology to explore fandom-business relationships, as well as why some fan engagement strategies succeed, while others crash and burn.

Guests:

Zoe Frade-Blanar, faculty member of New York University and NYU Journalism, co-founder and CCO of crowdsourced toy company Squishable and co-author of “Superfandom: How Our Obsessions are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

GRANITEVILLE, SC - APRIL 10: Constituents disagree with Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) during a town hall meeting April 10, 2017 at Aiken Technical College in Graniteville, South Carolina.; Credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

The 2016 election has shown that we live in an increasingly polarized world. Months after that divisive political battle, the split seems to have only solidified.

AirTalk regulars and law experts Jody Armour and Eugene Volokh join Larry to discuss. What are you experiencing? With family members, colleagues, political adversaries? 

Guests:

Jody Armour, professor of Law at the University of Southern California

Eugene Volokh, professor of Law at the UCLA

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

In this frame from video provided by KABC-TV, faculty and students evacuate North Park School Elementary School as emergency personnel respond to a shooting inside on Monday, April 10, 2017, in San Bernardino.; Credit: KABC-TV via AP

Questions about school safety are looming in the aftermath of Monday morning’s North Park Elementary School shooting.

The incident occurred when a 53-year-old man shot and killed his estranged wife Karen Elaine Smith, who was teaching a special education class at the San Bernardino school. The man also fatally shot an 8-year-old student before turning the gun on himself. Another student was wounded, but is in stable condition. The shooter reportedly had a history of domestic abuse and he was able to enter the school by checking-in at its front office.

So what is school protocol when a suspicious individual enters a campus? What rules are there to ensure student safety?

Guests:

Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., distinguished professor of education at the UCLA Graduate School of Education

Kenneth S. Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, a national school safety consulting firm

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson disembarks from an airplane upon his arrival at the Vnukovo II Government airport in Moscow on April 11, 2017.; Credit: ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images

As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives in Moscow to meet with Russian foreign officials, including President Vladimir Putin, the White House is elevating its rhetoric on the recent chemical attack in Syria, in which Turkish investigators recently confirmed sarin gas was used.

The White House said Tuesday that the Russian government tried to cover up the chemical attack and create confusion about it through spreading misinformation to try and shield the Assad regime.

Shortly before he boarded a plane for the Russian capital, he cautioned that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is coming to an end. The White House has at times echoed that sentiment, as did UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, though Tillerson himself on several of the Sunday talk shows downplayed the idea that the U.S.’s Syria strategy was changing to focus on Assad, saying instead that it would remain the removal from ISIS.

What can we expect Tillerson to get out of this meeting? What should the U.S.’s role be moving forward in terms of foreign policy? How should it work with allies on sanctions?

Guest: 

Greg White, government editor for Bloomberg’s Moscow bureau; he tweets @whitegl

Edward Fishman, nonresident senior fellow with the Eurasia Center at The Atlantic Council and former member of the policy planning staff for the U.S.  State Department from 2015-2017

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A police car stops near homeless people sleeping in their encampments in the early morning hours of downtown sidewalks on April 19, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Los Angeles officials are looking into options for getting homeless with severe mental illnesses off the county's streets.

On Tuesday, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors instructed the Department of Mental Health to research what legal options officials have at their disposal to compel people into treatment if it's believed they're so gravely disabled, they can't make decisions for themselves.

The move comes as city and county agencies in L.A., backed by new taxpayer dollars, are making major investments in tackling the region's growing homeless problem. As they do so, there are questions the supervisors want answered about whether a small percentage of homeless will refuse all attempts to get them into stable housing.

Read the full story here.

Guests:

Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 5th District; she authored the request for the Department of Mental Health to research legal options for involuntary hospitalization

Carol Sobel, a civil rights attorney who has represented L.A.'s homeless in federal courts

Jonathan E. Sherin, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health

Dorothy Edwards, formerly homeless and a current advocate for the Corporation for Supportive Housing’s“SpeakUp!” program; a housing solutions organization

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Cheech Marin discusses his new memoir at the SiriusXM "Town Hall" series with host Ron Bennington at SiriusXM Studios on March 15, 2017 in New York City. ; Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

You probably don’t know his actual name, but you’ve definitely heard of Cheech.

In his new memoir “Cheech Is Not My Real Name: ...But Don't Call Me Chong,” Cheech Marin reflects on his childhood in South Central L.A., as well as his friendship with Tommy Chong and their iconic stoner comedy duo.

Host Larry Mantle talks to Cheech about the trajectory of “Cheech & Chong,” as well as Cheech’s more recent endeavors, which range from guest starring on “Jane the Virgin” to compiling a renowned collection of Chicano art.

Cheech will be speaking at the Canyon Club of Agoura Hills on Wednesday, April 19, and at the Rose of Pasadena on Thursday, April 20. You’ll also find him at the L.A. Times Festival of Books on Sunday, April 23. For more info on these events, click here and here.

Oh, and his real name is Richard.

Guest:

Cheech Marin, stand-up comedian, actor, director and author of “Cheech Is Not My Real Name: ...But Don't Call Me Chong” (Grand Central Publishing, 2017)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.