"The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, But Doesn't, What Shouldn't Make You Happy, But Does" by Sonja Lyubomirsky Credit: Penguin Group (USA)

We may understand that outward circumstances do not define happiness, but UC Riverside psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky believes most of us associate certain life events with happiness or misery. These preconceptions, or misconceptions, restrict us from a satisfying life.

In her new book, “The Myths of Happiness,” Lyubomirsky draws from scientific research to show how expectations from life events such as a new romantic relationship, having children, and achieving financial stability lead to a “happiness spike” that will not last long. Our emotional responses to adversity in the form of health problems, not having a life partner, and financial struggles are short-sighted and need to be brought into perspective. This book emphasizes that people are adaptable and will return to their initial happiness level, whether it be from the surprises in a new relationship becoming more routine and predictable, or forgetting why negative experiences were unbearable.

Can happiness be biologically understood? Does surprise and variety determine happiness? And does routine lead to indifference? Is long-term passion possible?

Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at UC Riverside and author of "The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, But Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, But Does" (Penguin)

A mother talks on her cell phone. Credit: iStockPhoto

One of the oldest debates in our society is the fight between those who champion the traditional parenting unit of a mother and father, and those who defend the single mother. Numerous statistics and studies have been made on both sides to support each viewpoint. However, as time marches on and society continues to abandon traditional principles such as marriage and the dutiful housewife, more and more women are becoming single mothers.

Yes, it is often the case that these women are forced into that position, whether by feckless fathers, lack of access to alternatives or socioeconomic access, but more of them are simply choosing to become single mothers because they do not wish to get married, but still want kids. Single-motherhood may no longer be a niche alternative to traditional families, it could become the new normal.

In fact, a 2012 study from research group Child Trends shows that more that of all the births for women under 30, over half of them were single mothers. This also comes on the heels of last year’s presidential election, which saw single women exercise their growing political power by pushing Barack Obama over Mitt Romney. If trends continue, then one day society will have to adapt to the unique needs of a single mother’s lifestyle.

What changes should be made in public education and the workplace to accommodate this new model of motherhood? Should the government start aggressively pursuing daycare options for working moms? What about mothers who moved close to home for help from their families? Will they start embarking on their own with their brood, given the right conditions? Are you a single mother? What developments would you like to see, whether on the large or small scale? 

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, contributing editor for the Newsweek Daily Beast and author of "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana"

A San Francisco police officer documents a gun that is being surrendered during a gun buy back program on December 15, 2012 in San Francisco, California. The San Francisco police department held a one-day gun buy back event that paid $200 per gun turned in. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

As Vice President Biden looks at crafting new national gun control legislation, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposes additional regulations in his state, California has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. Handgun owners register with the state, there’s a 10-day waiting period, and private gun sales are supposed to go through licensed dealers. There’s also a ban in place of state-defined assault weapons, which includes AR- and AK- semiautomatic rifles. But with a significant gray market, and very different laws in neighboring states like Arizona and Nevada, there are significant holes even in such a tough legal environment. On top of that, regulations are confusing and come from different branches of state and local government.

If you’re a gun owner in California, is it hard to comply? How difficult is it to enforce the multiple layers of regulation? And are advocates of gun control right to link more regulation with less violence? What about proponents of gun ownership, who counter that places with more guns experience less violence?

William Vizzard, professor of criminal justice at Cal State University, Sacramento; and former Special Agent in Charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (1967-1994)

A general view of atmosphere at the AMPAS Monday Nights with Oscar screening at the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International on December 13, 2010 in New York City. Credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Now that the Oscar nominations have been announced, Larry is joined by Los Angeles Times Film Writer Nicole Sperling to discuss this year's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award nominations. Which films, actors, and filmmakers made the cut and which were left on the cutting room floor?

Nicole Sperling, Los Angeles Times Film Writer

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck (C) speaks during a news conference at Los Angeles Dodger Stadium on April 14, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The LAPD just nudged over the magic 10,000, the number of sworn police officers, but did it happen by moving officers around, rather than adding them? Police chief Charlie Beck is here talking to Patt Morrison and taking your questions about policing in the City of Angels.

We’ll also find out what the chief thinks of even tougher California gun law proposals in the wake of the Newtown massacre.

Charlie Beck, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department

Actress Megan Fox speaks onstage during the 70th Annual Golden Globes Awards Nominations at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on December 13, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

While the entertainment industry is abuzz with news of the Academy Award nominations, there’s another awards show prepping the red carpet right now. This Sunday, the Golden Globes will be handed out to the winners chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. While no one can argue that the Globes are the biggest party in Hollywood — most everyone there is drunk, after all — there is a debate over the integrity and reputation of the event.

It has long been accused of serving as a means to drive up ratings and viewerships for NBC, which exclusively airs the awards show. Furthermore, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s conditions for membership have been called dubious, as film critics from such high-profile media outfits like the Times of London have been turned away. And in the past, the Globes have handed out awards that were unanimously considered to be the result of bribes.

On the other hand, there are viewers who enjoy the lively--i.e. drunk--atmosphere of the Globes over the more stoic Academy Awards. Some critics even stress that the Globes have made the right choices for certain categories when the Oscars faltered. Plus, almost everyone agrees that the jokes are better at the Globes, probably thanks to using funnier hosts.

Do you watch both the Globes and the Oscars? Do the Globes deserve to be seen as little brother to the Oscars? Are they a sham? Is it ridiculous to try and compare awards shows? What do you think?

Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian for “Entertainment Tonight,” host of “Maltin on Movies” on Reelz

California Gov. Jerry Brown at a news conference on August 28, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Earlier today, Governor Jerry Brown released the California state budget. After years of being in debt, California’s budget deficit is gone for the first time since the recession. In fact, he even predicts a surplus by the end of the year. Brown’s fiscal optimism is paired with increases to education funding to the tune of $2.7 billion for K-12 and community colleges, while a $97.7 billion general fund will see modest gains. Of course, that also comes with specific policy changes to the education system, including how schools receive funding and a cap on classes for college students.

Concerning the federal expansion of Medicaid, Brown proposed two different routes California could take to embrace what will be known in the state as Medi-Cal. Due to increased enrollment from now through next year, this process will end up costing an estimated $350 million on top of the 2013-2014 budget.

While the numbers seem to check out, how can Governor Brown assure Californians that they won’t be stuck with another deficit this time next year? How are the groups and local governments affected by the budget reacting? And what do Republicans think? What do these changes mean to you?

H.D. Palmer, Deputy Director of External Affairs for Governor Jerry Brown

State Senator Mimi Walters, Republican representing California’s 37th District, including Irvine and central Orange County, Vice Chair of Appropriations, Judiciary and Public Employment Retirement System committees, member of Banking & Finance and Joint Legislative Budget committees

Astrid Campos, representative and organizer for California Partnership, a statewide coalition of community-based groups advocating to reduce and end poverty; California Partnership is also a leading member of Health Care for America Now, a national movement uniting consumers, labor and community organizations for health care reform

Suraj Sharma as Pi Patel in "Life of Pi," which earned a best picture nomination. Credit: Courtesy 20th Century Fox

When screenwriter David Magee set out to transform the book "Life of Pi" into a screenplay, he faced a monumental task. The novel, by Yann Martel, is fantastical, outlandish, even hallucinatory.

RELATED: Author Yann Martel and how 'Life of Pi' became a Hollywood film

On the page, it's far easier to damn a young man to a lifeboat with a hungry tiger. Making it believable for a movie audience is a much more daunting exercise. The book is also beloved for conveying a deeply touching spiritual journey. Magee and director Ang Lee needed to capture that, too. They succeeded, judging by critical and commercial success.

How did Magee stay faithful to the original story? Was he worried about how Martel and his fans would receive it? What was it like working with Lee?

David Magee, Oscar-nominated Writer (for Best Adapted Screenplay category), “Life of Pi;” based on the novel by Yann Martel; Magee is nominated for a Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay

Director of the film program at Kickstarter, Elisabeth Holm speaks during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

It's been just three years since Kickstarter was created, and already it's being called one of the most notable Internet ventures ever. Almost anyone with a Facebook page has friends hitting them up for money for their Kickstarter projects.

The idea is simple. If you have an original idea, but don't have the cash, the website offers an easy way to raise funds. Last year, more than 2 million people kicked in more than $300 million to fund 18,000 projects, according to the company. From the quaint -- a beautiful bus stop shelter in Georgia designed by a local artist -- to the renowned -- a documentary nominated for an Oscar. Projects are pitched by writers, musicians, gamers, designers, filmmakers and engineers.  

What's the best way to use Kickstarter for a project? What happens to the projects that get funded but go nowhere? What's the future for the company?

Yancey Strickler, Kickstarter co-founder and Head of Community

A mother and child walk in Shanghai. China's one-child policy has been in place since 1979. There's now a debate about whether the policy should be eased or dropped. Credit: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

Ever since China enacted its one-child policy, negative stereotypes have been used in association with the rise of the country’s “Little Emperors.” These only children are marked as being lazy, spoiled and prone to tantrums. While that may not sound so different from our perception of only children in the United States, there is different weight to China’s situation. One only child can be a handful, but what about a whole nation of them?

Now, it looks like a recent study from Monash University in Australia reinforces those popular presumptions with research. When comparing adults born after the one-child policy went into effect to those born before the rule, the younger adults display less altruism and a higher aversion to taking risks. They also shied away from competition in relation to their counterparts born before the policy, and displayed a higher degree of negativity. Researchers also drew connections between these characteristics and China’s future economic competitiveness. As those born after the one-child policy continue to enter the workforce, eventually they will be the predominant group.

What will it mean for an entire office to be comprised of only children? What if they’re risk averse? Will that negatively impact entrepreneurship? How does this apply to the United States? What’s your take on all this? Do you think the plight of the only child is simply myth, or is there validity to it?

Clayton Dube, Director of the USC U.S.-China Institute

Members of the Los Angeles Dodgers watch from the dugout during the ninth inning of their baseball game against the San Francisco Giants. How will HGH testing change the sport? Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP

Two days ago, baseball fans got the shocking word that there would be no inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. The long shadow of performance enhancing drugs has darkened the bright lights of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and other stars who might otherwise have qualified for Cooperstown.  

In a serendipitous, if almost certainly unrelated, followup, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced yesterday that the MLB would be expanding its testing program for human growth hormone.  Going forward, players will be subject to random, year-round blood tests as well as baseline testosterone readings to help measure for use of synthetic testosterone.  The World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory will be authorized to keep records of the players’ blood levels and other stats.

The Major League Players’ Association, which has staunchly opposed increased testing in the past, has issued a statement in support of the change.  Prior to the ‘90s, the heyday of the steroid scandals, such scrutiny of pumped-up players could not have been imagined.  But recently, high-profile cases of athletic doping in nearly every major sport have put the issue on the big screen TVs of America’s sports fans.  

Will the new rules restore trust in our super-hero athletes?  How will the fans react to “cleaned up” baseball – will the games still hold the same excitement without the bigger-stronger- faster factor? Is this the end of major league baseball as we’ve come to know it?

Elliott Almond, Olympics, soccer and college sports reporter for the San  Jose Mercury News

Lincoln Kennedy, former NFL offensive tackle; played 11 seasons for the Falcons and Raiders. Currently, a broadcaster on Fox Sports Radio

Tomm Looney, broadcaster with Fox Sports Radio

A judges gavel rests on top of a desk. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

In May of 2011, a ten-year-old boy in Riverside shot and killed his father, Jeff Hall. This Wednesday, the trial for the now twelve-year-old ended after closing arguments from both the defense and the prosecution.

The issue here isn’t really whether or not the boy is guilty, as he has admitted to committing the act and said that it was premeditated. The defense also retracted its original defense of not guilty by reason of insanity. Now, the fate of the boy rests in the hands of Judge Jean P. Leonard, who has said she is open to arguments less serious than murder for the juvenile. The law in California is set up so that, if convicted of murder, the boy could be in prison until the age of 23. The prosecution feels this would be a just punishment for the crime of murder, but the defense is pointing to several aspects of the boy’s upbringing as mitigating factors for his decision to kill his father.

For instance, he was raised in a world and home of extreme violence, which lawyers argue played a role in his inability to realize the decision he made was wrong. Furthermore, the act could be seen as a form of self-preservation and defense. Also, the boy’s mother is described as being a drug addict, and it is likely that he was exposed to drugs during her pregnancy, which could have drastic consequences on the boy’s moral and cognitive abilities.

What exactly is the law in California for these types of situations? What makes this one so unique? What are the pros and cons of each side of this case? If you were the judge, how would you rule?

Cyn Yamashiro, Clinical Professor of Law, Loyola Law School; Director, The Center for Juvenile Law and Policy

Deborah S. Miora, clinical psychologist with a specialization in neurodevelopmental issues affecting youth and adults; Associate Professor, California School of Forensic Studies; she is on a juvenile justice panel as an expert witness for the L.A. County Superior Court

Promotional still from "Gangster Squad" (2013) in the hills of California. From left to right, actors Giovanni Ribisi, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Michael Pena and Robert Patrick.

Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Andy Klein from the L.A. Times Community Papers chain and Claudia Puig from USA Today to review the week's new film releases including Gangster Squad, Uprising and more. TGI-FilmWeek!

Gangster Squad

Quartet

Uprising

In Another Country

Sellebrity

Struck by Lightning                         

Max and the Junkmen

The Tower

Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and the L.A. Times Community Papers chain

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today

FilmWeek Oscar Preview at the Egyptian Theatre

A beach closed sign on October 9, 2010 in Malibu warns against contaminated water due to rain runoff. Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

The LACFD is proposing an annual fee to help pay for cleanup of stormwater runoff.  Toxins, sewage and debris ranging from plastic water bottles to soccer balls regularly find their way Southern California’s beaches and oceans through L.A.’s waterways after a heavy rain. The fee would be based on the size of an owner’s land parcel; homeowners would be assessed approximately $54 a year, city parks around $600 and elementary schools around $8,000.

The LACFD estimates the parcel tax would raise around $275 million a year, which would go towards various cleanup projects. Cities, homeowners associations and school districts have voiced opposition to the proposal. The county Board of Supervisors is holding a public hearing on Tuesday,and is expected to decide soon on whether to issue a special ballot asking landowners to vote on the measure.

Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Third District

Don Knabe, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Fourth District

Molly Peterson, KPCC reporter

Kids plant lemon trees at the Del Aire Public Fruit Park in Southern California. Credit: Del Aire Public Fruit Park

While the trees are only saplings, the figurative seeds have been planted for a fruit park in Del Aire. A fruit park may sound redundant, but this marks a change in the way communities approach and use public space. Typically, fruit trees and the like are frowned upon for use in parks due to the risk associated with child injuries from falling. But when proposals were being accepted for changes to Del Aire Park, one group found a way to convince Los Angeles County to reconsider.

Fallen Fruit, a group of artists which focuses on community involvement projects, proposed turning Del Aire Park into a place where residents could not only gather outside, but even use the fruit trees in the park for food. It will take some time for the saplings to grow, but the ultimate vision is to use a variety of crops so that there will be some kind of fruit ripening throughout the entire year.

Beyond providing a healthy snack, what benefits do these parks provide? How did Fallen Fruit come up with the idea? Will the park primarily be maintained by the city, or resident volunteers? Are you a Del Aire resident? What do you look forward to most about this park?

David Burns, one of the co-founders of Fallen Fruit, the artistic group which proposed the plan for a fruit park in Del Aire Park in Hawthorne

Should California's minimum wage be raised? Credit: Mel Bouzad/Getty Images

Lobbyists and legislators in Sacramento are debating whether California should boost the minimum wage. Currently, it sits at $8.00 an hour, but Assemblymember Luis Alejo's (D-Salinas) AB 10 seeks staggered increases in the coming years.  His plan would bump it to $8.25 in 2014,  follow with two 50 cent boosts over subsequent years, then automatically index it to inflation as of 2017.

Alejo tried a similar bill last year but it failed in the face of business opposition. Groups such as the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Restaurant Association warn of the unintended consequences of a higher minimum wage. They argue employers will cut down on hiring or move out of state. The last increase was before the great recession, back on January 1, 2008. Reacting to the freeze, a handful of California cities have instituted their own wage hikes above $10.

What are the economics of a modern minimum wage? How does California compare to the rest of the country? Why doesn't California tie the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, as nine other states do? What does research show about how businesses react to wage hikes?

Sylvia Allegreto, PhD; Economist, Institute for Research on Labor & Employment, University of California, Berkeley  

John Kabateck, Executive Director, National Federation for Independent Business in California

Critically lauded Modern Family will return for another season on ABC. What new shows are you looking forward to? Credit: ABC via Getty Images

Depending on how you feel about television, the conference that’s wrapping up in Pasadena this week is either your dream or your nightmare. TV writers and critics from all over the country have been camped out in ballrooms watching hours and hours of new shows, meeting with stars, writers and executives, all for The Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.

While smaller cable and online channels like Sundance, Netflix and blip made their showing--impressing some of the critics with edgy new offerings and mini series--a big focus at TCA is on the networks. Specifically, whether they’re able to create exciting new content and get the ratings to support those shows.  

If you’ve been keeping close tabs on TV’s midseason, what are you most excited for? And what more do ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox have to do get you to tune in?  

Alyssa Rosenberg, pop culture blogger for ThinkProgress, and correspondent for TheAtlantic.

Brian Lowry, Chief TV critic for Variety

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) makes brief remarks to the press after a meeting with Cabinet members and sportsmen's, wildlife and gun interest groups at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building January 10, 2013 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Biden to oversee a task force on gun violence and also was to meet with a representative of National Rifle Association (NRA) in a second day of meetings. Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The federal government has had a no-gun-sale database since 1998. California maintains its own Armed Prohibited Persons list. Yet millions of mentally ill people remain unlisted, ostensibly still able to purchase firearms legally. Vice President Biden’s task force to reduce gun violence has focused on improving the effectiveness of such databases.

Is this a realistic goal, given how many different agencies need to coordinate the information at the local, state, and federal level? Is the focus on gun access for the mentally ill an appropriate response, given the vast majority of acts of gun violence are not committed by those with mental illness? What are the practical implications of maintaining such a list? Can someone ever be removed from the list if they regain their mental well-being?

Steve Lindley, Chief of the Bureau of Firearms, California Department of Justice

"Creamy & Crunchy" by Jon Krampner

Creamy, crunchy, salty or plain – how do you like your peanut butter? Although  it’s not popular in other countries, more than 75 percent of the American population consumes over one billion pounds of it annually.

However, peanut butter has not been immune to social and economic trends. Sales dropped when it got a bad rap for being unhealthy, and risen again when recession-strapped families rediscovered it as a high-protein and cost-effective food.  

This prompted Hormel Foods to purchase Skippy for $700 million dollars earlier this month; the company forecasts sales of $370 million this year.  “Creamy and Crunchy: An Informal History of Peanut Butter, the all-American Food,” claims to be the first comprehensive history of peanut butter.  

The book covers the history of the humble peanut butter’s affect on Third-World hunger, how “Choosy mothers choose Jif” made Jif number one in peanut butter sales, proper peanut butter eating etiquette, and how a salmonella scare almost ruined the entire industry.

In what ways has peanut butter influenced the American economy or society?   Has the recession boosted your family’s peanut butter habit? Is there a PB&J in your lunchbox right now?  What do you think are all-American foods? And of course, do you prefer creamy or crunchy?

Jon Krampner discusses and signs 'Creamy & Crunchy: An Informal History of Peanut Butter' at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Jon Krampner, author of Creamy & Crunchy: An Informal History of Peanut Butter, the All-American Food (Perseus)

Could pedophilia be genetically predetermined? Credit: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

New research has shown that pedophilia is not stemmed directly from childhood sexual abuse. Some of the new information on the disorder comes from the Center for Mental Health and Addiction in Toronto, where studies have been conducted on convicted sex offenders.

Increasingly, pedophilia is seen as an intrinsic disorder rather than a trait developed after suffering child sexual abuse. Genetic predisposition may delineate potential pedophiles: 30% are left-handed or ambidextrous, and many are about an inch shorter than average, with a 10 point below-average IQ. The disorder has been found and researched almost exclusively in men. While many perpetrators of child sexual abuse are motivated by violent tendencies, and usually choose relatives as their victims, pedophiles are more likely to see children as romantic partners. Their sexual preference may be as biologically innate as any other, and although many pedophiles struggle with their desires, many are able to control their sexual urges.

Most psychiatrists have stopped trying to change pedophile’s sexual orientations, instead opting to help their patients find the best ways to control their sexual desire, sometimes through therapy and sometimes with hormone treatment. Is there a good way to create a support system for pedophiles that keeps children safe? How will new information about this disorder change the way medical professionals approach pedophilia?

Guests:  

Fred Berlin, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Sexual Behavior Consultation Unit, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Dr. Hy Malinek, Ph.D., Clinical and Forensic Psychologist in private practice in Beverly Hills; certified by the California Superior Court as a professional testimony expert; he also consults with U.S. Attorney’s Office in cases of sexual molestation and risk assessment and California’s Department of Mental Health in civil commitment of high risk sex offenders