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Let’s all vote: should we crowdsource the morality of driverless cars?

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A biker passes a pilot model of the Uber self-driving car on September 13, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

If a driverless car is hurtling towards a pedestrian and has the option of swerving out of the way and killing the passenger, what should it do?

What if there are two passengers and only one pedestrian? What if the pedestrian is a child? It’s a twist on the Philosophy 101 trolley problem, but it’s a dilemma that driverless cars may one day encounter.
In an attempt at creating a moral framework for these decisions, MIT researchers set up a site called the Moral Machine, where people could decide who lives or decides in theoretical driverless car accident scenarios. In partnership with researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, those MIT researchers took the subsequent data and created an artificial intelligence that could learn from these results and make similar ethical decisions.

But is crowdsourcing morality the best way to create an ethical guideline for driverless cars? Or is this an example of tyranny of the majority? How should we code the morality of driverless cars?

Want to be a part of the moral machine? Try it out here.

Guests:

Pradeep Ravikumar, associate professor in the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University; he is one of the researchers that developed a voting-based system for ethical decision making

James Grimmelman, professor of law at Cornell Tech; he studies how laws regulating software affect freedom, wealth and power  

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


Listen, Amazon: These SoCal cities want you

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Amazon Unveils Its First Smartphone

Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos presents the company's first smartphone, the Fire Phone, on June 18, 2014 in Seattle, Washington.; Credit: David Ryder/Getty Images

AirTalk®

The corporation that has changed many of our shopping habits is looking for a second headquarters outside of its Seattle homebase, and cities all across North America are falling over themselves to win the opportunity to be Amazon’s second home.

Southern California cities are no exception. The cities of Irvine, Santa Ana, San Diego are all expected to put in bids for the 50,000 jobs that the expansion would offer.

Another contender is the city of Pomona, which is partnering with Cal Poly Pomona and the Fairplex to submit a bid. ​The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation submitted a bid on behalf of L.A. County with nine distinct sites proposed. Details are sparse, but this is their statement.

The city of Los Angeles is also interested, but Mayor Eric Garcetti has yet to offer more details.

Today is the deadline for cities to submit their bids.

Guests:

Nathan Bomey, reporter for USA Today who’s been following Amazon’s search for a second headquarters

Elizabeth Chou, city hall beat reporter for the LA Daily News who’s been following cities in Southern California and their bids to win the prize

 

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

Adam Schiff on re-introducing the Rim of the Valley Preservation Act

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Santa Monica Mountains

An area of the Santa Monica Mountains recreation area, which currently encompasses Runyon Canyon Park all the way to Point Mugu. ; Credit: fredo/Flickr Creative Commons

AirTalk®

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) announced Wednesday he is re-introducing the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act.

As reported by Southern California News Group, the bill would add 191,000 acres to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area, and would connect urban and natural landmarks, as well as different socio-economic communities. Schiff’s co-author on the bill is Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), which may mean a better chance of the legislation going through this time.

Schiff’s previous version of the act was introduced in 2016 with Sen. Barbara Boxer, but died soon after. Affected areas would include some parts of the Los Angeles River, the Arroyo Seco in western Pasadena and the San Rafael Hills.

Schiff speaks to Larry Mantle today to discuss the potential impact of the legislation.

Guest:

Adam Schiff, U.S. Congressman (D-Burbank) representing California’s 28th district which stretches from West Hollywood to the eastern border of Pasadena, and from Echo Park to the Angeles National Forest includes; he introduced the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

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

Dodgers, baby, Dodgers

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League Championship Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Chicago Cubs - Game Five

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate defeating the Chicago Cubs 11-1 in game five of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.; Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

AirTalk®

After 29 years, the Dodgers are heading back to the World Series.

They will either face the New York Yankees or the Houston Astros. But one thing is clear from the NLCS series, the Dodgers are as formidable a team as they come.

But before we turn our attention to the World Series next week, AirTalk wants to hear from you. Call 866.893.5722 to talk to Larry about your Dodgers.

Guest: 

Fred Claire, general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1987-1998; he tweets @Fred_Claire 

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

Californians will have the option to identify as nonbinary on birth certificates

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Obama Releases Original Birth Certificate

A reporter holds a copy of President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate in the Briefing Room of the White House April 27, 2011 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

AirTalk®

There will be a third option for Californians who neither identify as male nor female on birth certificates and driver’s licenses.

As reported by the New York Times, the birth certificate portion on the nonbinary gender designation bill, SB179, will be implemented in 2018. The San Francisco Gate reported that this would make California the first state in the U.S. to offer the gender-neutral option.

Nonbinary is a term typically for people who fall outside gender norms. The option for driver’s licenses will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

Today, Larry speaks to a supporter and critic of the bill.

Guests:

Jo Michael, legislative manager for Equality California, a non-profit that advocates for LGBTQ people and allies; Equality California co-sponsored the bill

Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council, a non-profit that works to advance the sanctity of human life, importance of the family, and necessity of religious liberty; the California Family Council was opposed to the bill

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

Week in politics: What to watch for in Washington as the president pitches tax reform

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Steve Bannon addresses the California GOP 2017 Convention in Anaheim, California on October 20, 2017.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

President Trump is off to Capitol Hill on Tuesday for lunch with Senate Republicans and a discussion about passing tax reform, a goal both parties share.

The optics of the meeting suggest it should be interesting. The president will be in the room with several senators with whom he has publicly clashed, among them John McCain, Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, so it should be worth watching how the discussion plays out, what questions the senators have for the president, and whether the two sides leave the table on the same page. President Trump tweeted Monday that his tax reform proposal would not change tax-deferred retirement plans,

Speaking of public clashes, the president continues to go back and forth with the widow of one of the four U.S. Marines who died earlier this month in Niger over a phone call the president made to her, and what and how the president said it. The woman, Myeshia Johnson, says the president couldn’t remember her husband’s name and that she was upset by his tone during the call. The president denied that he’d forgotten the Marine’s name in a tweet Monday morning and continues to push back on the idea that he was disrespectful during the call. The president’s chief-of-staff, General John Kelly, went to bat for the president on this issue last week during a White House press briefing. Kelly is, himself, a Gold Star parent.

We’ll also take a look at how much money Democrats are raising for 2018 and why it has some Republicans alarmed, what happened this weekend at the California GOP convention in Anaheim, where former chief strategist to the president Steve Bannon was keynote speaker, plus how the Virginia governor’s race is heating up and its national implications.

Guests:

Caroline Heldman, associate professor of politics at Occidental College and author of the forthcoming book, "Protest Politics in the Marketplace: Consumer Activism in the Corporate Age" (Cornell University Press, 2017); she tweets @carolineheldman

Jack Pitney, professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College; he tweets @jpitney

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

How an earthquake could affect the Aliso Canyon gas storage field

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Aliso Canyon Storage Facility Aerial

The SoCal Gas Company's Aliso Canyon Oil Field and Storage Facility pictured in an aerial photograph taken Sept. 28, 2016.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

AirTalk®

It’s been two years since the leak at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility was discovered, causing extensive pollution around Porter Ranch.

As KPCC’s Sharon McNary reported in 2016, about 5.4 billion cubic feet of methane sprung from the leak, along with trace amounts of other chemicals. The failed well was 63-years-old. Some of the other wells are even older and were in need of maintenance. It was months before the leak was plugged by the Southern California Gas Company, which is in charge of facility operations.

State utility and gas regulators were also warned in 2009 about seismic risks to the wells at Aliso Canyon’s gas storage field. James Mansdorfer, Aliso Canyon gas field’s former storage engineer manager at SoCal Gas, wrote a letter to company officials warning that more than 100 gas wells could be sheared off should an earthquake on the Santa Susana Fault occur.

McNary joins AirTalk today, to recap the events since the gas leak was found, and what precautions are being taken for the future.

Guests:

Sharon McNary, KPCC reporter who’s been following the story

Matthew d’Alessio, associate professor of geology at Cal State Northridge; he has studied the seismic risks to the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility

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

The FAA’s new flight path system has many LA residents complaining

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An Air China plane makes its descent over the city of Inglewood as it prepares to land at Los Angeles International Airport, California on January 24, 2016. ; Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Since 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration has been looking at changing flight paths in the United States to increase the efficiency at airports and reduce fuel costs and emissions.

The flight path modernization program is called NextGen and the next routes have spurred complaints all across the nation, including from many communities in Southern California.

Newport Beach and Culver City have filed court challenges over the new system and those cities are currently in mediation with the FAA.

LA Times reporter Emily Alpert Reyes has been following the story in South Los Angeles, where residents have been meeting over noise pollution as a result of the new changes.

Guests:

Emily Alpert Reyes, reporter at the Los Angeles Times who’s been following the story

Steven Taber, attorney with Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl, LLP, who is representing Benedict Hills in North Beverly Hills and communities in Pacific Palisades over its NextGen program

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


Triple play: It’s the Dodgers versus the Astros

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League Championship Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Chicago Cubs - Game Five

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate defeating the Chicago Cubs 11-1 in game five of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. ; Credit: Dylan Buell/Getty Images

AirTalk®

For the first time since 1988, we’ll be seeing Dodger blue at the World Series.

They’ll be playing the Houston Astros in the first game Tuesday, leading to speculation over which team has the advantage. Meanwhile, ticket prices for the World Series are reaching astronomical levels.

What are your hopes and speculations for the World Series? Will you break the bank and get a ticket for the historic view? Call us at 866.893.5722 to talk baseball with Larry, as well as KPCC’s All Things Considered Host Nick Roman and Take Two’s A Martinez.

Guests:

A Martinez, host of KPCC’s Take Two; he tweets @amartinezla

Nick Roman, host of KPCC’s All Things Considered; he tweets @Romanontheradio

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

What’s left of the JFK assassination documents might drop Thursday – why are some government agencies pushing back?

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US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy sig

US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy signs the order of naval blockade of Cuba, on October 24, 1962.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

On Saturday, Trump tweeted plans to disclose what’s left of the National Archives and Record Administration’s documents on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

Subject to the receipt of further information, I will be allowing, as President, the long blocked and classified JFK FILES to be opened.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 21, 2017

In 1992, The Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act was passed as a reaction to Oliver Stone’s film “JFK,” with the goal of putting conspiracy theories to rest. It required that the JFK documents, many of which are from the CIA, be released in 25 years, a deadline which falls on this coming Thursday.

It’s still unclear whether Trump will release the documents in full or whether they will be redacted. According to the Washington Post, government agencies have asked the president not to release some of the documents.

What is the timeline of the document release? Who are the factions involved and why are some government agencies opposed to the full release of these documents?

Guest:

Phil Shenon, former Washington and foreign correspondent for the New York Times; author of “A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination


 

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

Jonathan Gold’s top LA restaurant picks, from $ to $$$$

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Jonathan Gold

Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

AirTalk®

It’s like Christmas for foodies; that special day that comes once a year – “Jonathan Gold’s 101” for 2017 has arrived.  

The coveted top spot goes to Vespertine, the creation of chef Jordan Kahn, which the website describes as “a gastronomical experiment seeking to disrupt the course of the modern restaurant” – a multisensory experience with its own outer space mythology (no, really) that’s received mixed critical reviews, ranging the gamut from pretentious to chef-d’oeuvre.  

If you’re a Los Angeles Times subscriber, you can find the full list here.  

Old favorites such as Providence, Spago and Trois Mec are in the top ten. You’ll also find cheaper picks such as Guerilla Tacos, Roy Choi’s Downtown fried chicken spot Howlin’ Ray’s and Iranian Westwood favorite, Attari Sandwich Shop, though the list does skew on the pricier side. 

"There's a certain customer base of people who want to see cooking done at the very highest technical level. It's the same as the people who will pay $300 for opera tickets," said Gold. 

But not everyone can shell out $300, so from least to most expensive, hear are some of the spots  Gold told us about. 

Guerrilla Tacos ($) 

"If I'm asked to name a restaurant that's the most emblematic of Los Angeles, that's often the one that I'll mention. The chef, Wes Avila, studied and worked with Alain Ducasse who's one of the best French chefs in the world in France...he left not to open another place doing French food, which is what you'd expect, but cooking the kind of tacos he'd grown up eating in Los Angeles, and using the very top quality farmer market's ingredients and shellfish and almost unobtainable pork that all the rest of the chefs in town wish they had access to. It's kind of beautiful." 

Night + Market Song ($$)

"Night + Market Song is the second restaurant of Kris Yenbamroong who grew up in a Thai restaurant family and sort of fell backwards into doing a Northern Thai style restaurant using the kind of food he'd grown up on when he want to school in Thailand... the grilled boar collar is really good and there's really good Northern Thai soup with chicken  and with coconut flavored broth. It's spectacular." 

Kismet ($$$) 

"Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson ran a restaurant in New York that was very well received. They moved here, opened a falafel place in the Grand Central Market downtown and Kismet is their first full fledged restaurant in Los Angeles. Its specialty is a whole sauteed rabbit plate which is beyond wonderful. They have a special during the day that's called "all the things" which is literally every bit of flatbread and salad and hummus that's on the menu. It's a smart way of looking at Middle Eastern food." 

Orsa & Winston ($$$$)

"I think that he [Chef Josef Centeno] may be one of the people that's very much behind the high-end small plates thing that we've been doing for a while...Orsa & Winston is very Japanese based, so you're seeing a lot of fermented flavors, you're seeing a lot of great sauces, you're seeing...super good sushi-quality fish prepared in what you would expect a French-trained chef to be able to do. It's delicious." 

Guest:

Jonathan Gold, Pulitzer Prize winning restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times; his “101 Best Restaurants” guide released this week  

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

Can a Snap, NBCUniversal partnership change the future of mobile TV?

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The Snapchat log-in page is displayed on a mobile phone, March 1, 2017 in Glendale, California.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

It’s no secret that Snapchat’s parent company, Snap, has run into financial trouble since going public earlier this year.

But a new partnership with NBCUniversal may turn things around. As reported by Engadget, the two companies are teaming up to make entertainment content specifically for mobile apps. Independent filmmakers Mark and Jay Duplass are on board as a creative partner and the project’s new studio is unnamed. Shows already launched on Snapchat’s Discover platform include a fictitious reality series called "James Corden’s Next James Corden" and a rebooted MTV "Cribs." Like Snapchat Stories, each episode lasts for 24 hours.

While it’s unclear what the new content from Snap and NBCUniversal will look like, episodes will likely be under 10 minutes and other considerations on the best way for users to watch on their phone will be taken, including screen formatting, and story pacing. So what does the future of mobile TV look like?

Guests:

Josh Constine, editor-at-large for TechCrunch who’s been following the story; he tweets @JoshConstine

Alan L. Wolk, co-founder and lead analyst of TV[R]EV, a consultant firm for the TV industry; author of the book, “Over The Top. How The Internet Is (Slowly But Surely) Changing The Television Industry” (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015)

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

AirTalk asks: What are your extravagant plans to watch the World Series?

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Los Angeles Dodgers v Colorado Rockies

Yasiel Puig #66 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Curtis Granderson #6 after hitting a 2 RBI home run in the fifth inning against the Coloarado Rockies at Coors Field on September 30, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. ; Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

AirTalk®

The 2017 World Series kicks off today and the Dodgers are playing for the first time in almost three decades – so we want to know how you’re planning to watch the momentous occasion.  

The Series will be on local Fox channels, so viewers don’t have to pay premium cable fees to watch the games. But if you’re doing something extraordinary for your viewing experience, we want to hear from you.

Are you throwing a massive party or planning a trek to watch tonight’s game with someone special? Are you new to Los Angeles and embracing the Dodger mania? Where, how and who are you watching the World Series with?

Call us at 866-893-5722.

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

Do gun shows in Nevada increase injuries and deaths in CA?

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Gun show in Chantilly, Va., last December.

Gun show in Chantilly, Va., last December.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Do gun-related injuries and deaths increase in California in the two weeks after an in-state gun show? What about if the gun show was in a nearby area of Nevada?

UC Berkeley public health researcher Ellicott Matthay set out to find whether there was a potential link and their findings were published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Using gun show listings for a period from 2005 to the end of 2013 from a magazine called ‘Big Show Journal’ and health data from two weeks before and after the gun shows for the regions in California they examined in their study, they found that gun-related injuries and deaths in California stayed relatively the same in the two weeks after an in-state gun show but rose in the two weeks following a Nevada gun show. The researchers say that California’s stricter gun laws, which require background checks on firearms purchased at shows, could be a reason for the increase in gun-related trauma after shows in Nevada, which doesn’t require a background check on guns purchased at a gun show.

The authors say their hope is to prevent future injuries and death by drawing a line between where guns are purchased and where crimes committed with those guns occur. But others studying public health and the impact of gun control laws seem to have questions about whether the study’s methodology is sound enough to support its conclusion.

Guests:

Ellicott Matthay, Ph.D. candidate in epidemiology at UC Berkeley; lead author on the study, “In-State and Interstate Associations Between Gun Shows and Firearm Deaths and Injuries: A Quasi-experimental Study” which was just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine

John Lott, president of The Crime Prevention Research Center, which focuses on the study of gun laws and public safety; his latest book is "The War on Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun Control Lies" (Regnery Publishing, 2016)

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

Former U.S. Diplomat on Iran nuclear deal, Russia investigation

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Bulletin Of Atomic Scientists Announces Time On 2017 Doomsday Clock

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Thomas Pickering, a member of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, delivers remarks on the 2017 time for the "Doomsday Clock" January 26, 2017 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Trump has decertified the Iran nuclear deal and the 60 day deadline for Congress to decide next steps is ticking down – meanwhile, we’ll be discussing options with former U.S. ambassador Thomas R. Pickering.

Pickering has served as ambassador to the United Nations under President George H.W. Bush, as well as ambassador to Russia, India and Jordan in a career that lasted over forty years.  

We’ll be speaking with Ambassador Pickering about next steps on the Iran nuclear deal and what the decertification might mean, not just for the U.S., but in Pyongyang and Beijing as we also attempt to temper North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. We’ll also get his thoughts on the ongoing Russia investigation and what it means for the White House’s relationship with the Kremlin.

Do you have a question for Ambassador Pickering? Call us at 866-893-5722.

Ambassador Pickering will be speaking about Iran and America at the World Affairs Council in LA today at 12:00 noon. He is also a panelist at the GetGlobal Conference, focusing on global business expansion, today and tomorrow, October 25-26.

Guest:

Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. Diplomat for over 40 years; he has served as ambassador to the the United Nations, Russia, India, Israel and Jordan; he is a distinguished fellow in foreign policy for the Brookings Institution  

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


NYC street artists are suing a building owner for demolishing their work, and it could be a landmark case

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New York's graffiti iconic spot "5Pointz" stands defaced with white paint covering most of the art work, after the building was painted white in New York, November 19, 2013.; Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

A unique lawsuit that’s currently being tried in New York City could potentially have major implications regarding artists’ ownership of their work, specifically when it comes to street art.

A group of street artists is suing a building owner over the destruction of hundreds of works of what court documents call ‘aerosol art’ that once adorned the walls of the building complex known as ‘5Pointz’ in the Queens neighborhood of Long Island City. In 2013, the owner, who had given the artists permission to spray paint on the building, whitewashed the facade one night. He planned to demolish and develop the complex. The artists say not only did they didn’t have time to document their work, but that the ‘recognized stature’ of their works and the building qualify for protection obscure federal law called the Visual Artists Rights Act, a 1990 statute protecting works of art of ‘recognized stature’ on someone else’s property from being destroyed.

The 20 artists claim the building’s owner, Jerry Wolkoff, didn’t give them notice in writing at least 90 days in advance, lead time that they say would’ve given them a chance to document and preserve their artwork. They will have to prove that their works are indeed of ‘recognized stature,’ a battle that some legal experts say will be an uphill one. The property owner, Jerry Wolkoff, says the artists knew from the beginning that the building would be torn down one day. He also argues that the artists themselves were destroying each other’s work when they painted a new piece over someone else’s. Finally, there’s the contention that he owns the building and, in the absence of any written agreement regarding the existence of the artwork, he can choose whether or not to demolish it.

Do you think a work of graffiti or street art can rise to the point of qualifying as art protected under law? What about a street artist? If so, should the property owner have to preserve it? What are the implications of this lawsuit for future street artists’ claims to their work?

Guests:

Jon Tobin, attorney and co-founder of Counsel for Creators, a Los Angeles-based law firm focusing on the needs of creative businesses and individuals

Sarah Odenkirk, Los Angeles-based art lawyer and educator; she is the founder of Art Law Resource, an online network of legal professionals who provide service to the creative community

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

The East is still red: Xi Jinping and the return of China to its Maoist roots

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Members Of The Standing Committee Of The Political Bureau Of The New CPC Central Committee Make Public Appearances

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at the podium during the unveiling of the Communist Party's new Politburo Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People on October 25, 2017 in Beijing, China.; Credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

AirTalk®

As expected, China’s President Xi Jinping got another five years in power at the conclusion of the Communist party Congress Wednesday. But, breaking with convention, there was no obvious successor at the ceremony, sparking speculation that Xi might seek power after 2022.

On Tuesday, Xi and his ideas were written into the party constitution, which elevated him to the level of Mao Zedong in terms of his importance to the party and its ideology, sending a message of power to any potential challengers.

Xi’s narrative has been one of steering China back to its former Maoist greatness in a “new era.” But is Maoism compatible with China’s growing global influence and its burgeoning capitalist industry? How is this move towards Maoism sitting with the people of China and the Chinese diaspora?

Guests:

Robert Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States at the Wilson Center in DC; former Cultural Exchanges Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in the late 80s and early 90s

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

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

With Flake, Corker’s criticism of Trump, what’s next for the GOP

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Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election And Rebukes President Trump In Senate Chamber Speech

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and his wife Cheryl Flake leave the U.S. Capitol as they are trailed by reporters, October 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Flake announced that he will not be seeking re-election and he will leave the Senate after his term ends in 14 months. ; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake announced his retirement on Tuesday and gave a speech on the Senate floor denouncing the direction of the GOP under President Trump.

The Republican Senator’s speech didn’t pull any punches, and in one remark stated, “It is time for our complicity and our accommodation of the unacceptable to end.”

Yet Flake isn’t the only Republican speaking out against the president. Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.), who is also retiring, said on the record that Trump is “debasing our nation.” Trump dismissed Flake and Corker’s criticisms, tweeting that the reason the two are retiring is because they have “zero chance of being elected.”

With growing friction among those in the GOP, what’s next for the party? Larry speaks to reporters today to find out more.

Guests:

Laura Litvan, congressional reporter for Bloomberg News; she tweets @LauraLitvan

Christopher Conover, political reporter and producer for Arizona Public Media; he’s been following the story; he’s been following the story

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

Should LA follow Honolulu’s example and start fining ‘cell phone zombies’?

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A visitor texts before crossing the street in Waikiki Tuesday, October 24, 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Honolulu Police Department will start enforcing The City and County of Honolulu's newest law against looking or texting on your cell phone while using a crosswalk.; Credit: EUGENE TANNER/AFP/Getty Images

Mary Knauf | AirTalk®

Honolulu police have started issuing tickets to “cell phone zombies” — the term used to describe pedestrians who cross the street while looking down at their phones.

The new law states that the only legal justification for anyone to use a cell phone while crossing an intersection would be to dial 911. Any other use could result in a fine ranging between $15 and $99, with repeat offenders landing on the latter end of the spectrum.

Though cities across the country have been trying to pass similar legislation for years, Honolulu is regarded as the first major location to do so successfully. According to the New York Times, since no definitive data associating distracted pedestrians with traffic deaths has been produced, most lawmakers have an uphill battle when trying to implement these rules.

As a way to circumnavigate these legislative roadblocks, cities are getting a little creative when coming up with incentives for people to look both ways. The Northern California city of Hayward has put up street signs that read “Heads Up! Cross the Street. Then Update Facebook,” and many northern european towns have installed LED lights into crosswalks in order to signal pedestrians who may be looking down.

Guest:

Tanya Mohn, a contributing reporter to the New York Times, who wrote about the new Honolulu law

Tanya is the sister of NPR’s CEO Jarl Mohn, who is an Honorary Life Trustee of KPCC. Previously, he also served as board chair for SCPR and through his Mohn Family Foundation, is one of SCPR’s leading donors.

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

We need to talk about last night’s Dodgers loss

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World Series - Houston Astros v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two

Rich Hill #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros in game two of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

AirTalk®

The World Series matchup has all the hallmarks of an instant classic, with the unstoppable LA Dodgers up against the immovable Houston Astros.

Last night’s Game 2 at Dodger Stadium has certainly proven that prognostication correct – to the detriment of hearts everywhere in LA.

The Astros grinded out a win after a game that lasted 11 innings and 4-plus hours, beating the Dodgers 7-6 and evening the series at 1 game a piece.

On Friday, the Dodgers head to Minute Maid Park in Houston for Game 3 of the series.  

Today, AirTalk processes last night’s heartbreak and takes your calls at 866.893.5722.

Guest:

A Martínez, host of KPCC’s Take Two; he tweets @amartinezla

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

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