The FBI headquarters is seen on February 2, 2018 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The so-called Nunes memo dropped Friday morning.

AirTalk discusses the impact – on the FBI, the Mueller investigation into alleged Russian meddling of the 2016 election, and politics in DC with our panel of guests.

Read the memo below:

The Nunes Memo by Southern California Public Radio on Scribd

Guests:

Lisa Mascaro, congressional reporter for the Los Angeles Times; she just attended the annual Republican congressional retreat in West Virginia

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies; he is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets @RodStrategies

Sean T. Walsh, Republican political analyst and partner at Wilson Walsh Consulting in San Francisco; he is a former adviser to California Governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a former White House staffer for Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush

Ron Hosko, former assistant director of the FBI from 2012 to 2014; president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization providing assistance to law enforcement officers who are required to defend their official actions in court

Robert Kaufman, public policy professor at Pepperdine specializing in American foreign policy, national security, international relations and politics

Garrett Graff, journalist, author and contributing editor at Wired; former editor at Politico Magazine and the Washingtonian; he wrote a biography on former FBI Director Robert Mueller, “The Threat Matrix: The FBI At War In The Age Of Global Terror” (Back Bay Books, 2012); he tweets @vermontgmg

R.P. Eddy, CEO of the New York-based intelligence firm Ergo; former director at the White House National Security Council, as well as a former U.S. and U.N. senior diplomat; he is the co-author of the book, “Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes” (Ecco, 2017); he tweets @RPEddy

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

US Democratic Representative from California Jackie Speier speaks during a House Administration Committee hearing on "Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Congressional Workplace" on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2017.; Credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images

The CA Legislature is expected to release a trove of documents pertaining to how sexual harassment claims against lawmakers were investigated at the state capitol.

AirTalk’s guest host Libby Denkmann speaks with two Sacramento reporters who have been following the story.  

Information on eighteen alleged cases of sexual harassment were released Friday. Four lawmakers currently serving in the Legislature were named in those investigations.

Read more about them here and here.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Melanie Mason, reporter covering state government and politics in Sacramento for the Los Angeles Times who’s been following the story; she tweets @melmason

Laurel Rosenhall, political reporter who’s been covering the story at CALmatters, the nonprofit journalism site covering California; she tweets @LaurelRosenhall

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

The U.S. Capitol is shown on January 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. Congress managed to re-open the federal government following a three day shutdown, but immigration and continued funding of the government serve as potential friction points in the current weeks. ; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

This week, on AirTalk’s political roundtable, guest host Libby Denkmann speaks with analysts Jack Pitney and Lisa Garcia Bedolla about the week ahead in national politics, including:

• Continuing fallout from Nunes memo release (latest is potential release of Dem response memo and Nunes hinting at more memos)

• Gov’t shutdown deadline is Thursday

• Senate to introduce bipartisan immigration plan today

• The last two weeks of polls have been great for Republicans – do they signal a shift?

• White House wants Pentagon to offer more options on North Korea

• Nuclear posture review (see below press release from WH)

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Lisa Garcia Bedolla, professor in the Graduate School of Education and director of the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley; she tweets @GarciaBedolla

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.

Amazon employees aid job seekers through the registration process during a jobs fair at the Amazon Fulfillment Center on August 2, 2017 in Robbinsville, New Jersey. ; Credit: Mark Makela/Getty Images

Last week, Amazon received two patents for wristbands that could track the wearer’s hand movement and buzz them if they begin wandering in the wrong direction.

At this point, the device is theoretical, but it’s already raising concerns about privacy and workplace morale.

The patented bracelets would use ultrasonic sound pulses or radio transmissions so that a receiver can track an employee’s hands in relation to inventory bins. The wristbands could be used in Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

The promise of the tech is that it could make life easier and more efficient for employees, but privacy advocates have concerns about the data collected and how it would be used, as well as how this would affect workplace morale.

We talk to a tech reporter and an employment lawyer and HR specialist about the promise and the drawbacks of Amazon’s wireless tracker wearables.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Karen Weise, reporter with Bloomberg Technology and Bloomberg Businessweek; she tweets @KYWeise  

Kate Bischoff, owner of tHRive Law & Consulting, an employment law and HR consulting firm; she tweets @k8bischHRLaw

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

A fan is seen with a beer and barbequed sausages during the Northern Football League Grand Final match between Heidelberg and Greensborough at Preston City Oval on September 20, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia.; Credit: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The unspoken rules of being a host, or even a guest, can be difficult to navigate, largely because the rules are unspoken.

By definition, a host is someone who receives and entertains guests, either at home or elsewhere. It’s typically good manners to show up to a party with an offering of some sort – say, a bottle of wine for a dinner gathering or maybe some chips and dip for a big sporting event. But what do you do when the host of the party you’re attending casually suggests that you and the other guests help cover the cost?

Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary gets at this idea in her latest column, “Stop charging me to attend your celebrations — #guestsdontpay.” In it, she pushes back on the idea that guests should have to pay to go to someone else’s party.

Let’s say it’s a friend’s birthday and he or she wants to get a big group of people to meet at a restaurant for dinner. When the check comes, however, attendees discover that not only do they have to pay their own way, but it's implied that the guest of honor's tab will also get picked up by one or more of the attendees. Singletary says she doesn’t attend parties where she’s expected to pay anymore, and that she’ll ask in advance if the organizer isn’t clear about whether guests will need to cover their costs. She says the idea that people expect their friends to pay up so they can have the party they want on their special day “smacks of a sense of entitlement” and is evidence of a culture that encourages us to do things we can’t afford.

What is your expectation as a guest at someone else’s party or as a host of your own? And what about when they’re the host? Do you go potluck style and ask everyone to bring something to pitch in? Do you just foot the bill for everyone like a host generally should? Or do you ask guests in advance to pay their way? What’s the best way you’ve found to handle this?

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guest:

Michelle Singletary, writer of the Washington Post’s personal finance column, “The Color of Money”; she wrote the article, “Stop charging me to attend your celebrations — #guestsdontpay”; she tweets @SingletaryM

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

Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman attend the Closing Ceremony and "A Fistful of Dollars" screening during the 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2014 in Cannes, France.; Credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images

With the continuing stories coming out about allegations of sexual misconduct in Hollywood, Uma Thurman has added her account to the list.

As reported by the New York Times, not only has Thurman accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, but she has also discussed her relationship with Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino and the dangerous work conditions under which he allegedly created.

According to Thurman, she refused to drive an unstable car during shooting but was coerced by Tarantino to do the scene. The article included footage of Thurman losing control of the car, which crashed into a tree. Thurman said she is still suffering from injuries obtained during that accident.

As the conversation continues about power dynamics in Hollywood, we want to hear from listeners. Have you ever experienced dangerous work conditions and how did you handle that? If you’re an actor, how far would you go for your art--i.e. weight loss, doing your own stunts, etc? Call us at 866-893-5722.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guest:

Katie Kilkenny, associate editor at The Hollywood Reporter; she’s been following the story; she tweets @katiekilkenny7

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

The moon rises over the Mojave Desert on January 30, 2018 near Amboy, California. ; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

The Trump administration is reportedly considering scrapping the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation plan, which was created to protect the California desert and make sure energy facilities are set up where they’re least likely to cause environmental harm.

This could also open up these desert areas to mining, grazing and off-road vehicles. The Bureau of Land Management said it is considering changes that restrict energy development. But the California Energy Commission, which helped develop the plan, says the rollback on protections is unnecessary and that California is already meeting its clean-energy goals      

We debate the proposal and discuss what it would mean for California’s energy resources and environment.

AirTalk contacted Senator Feinstein's office to request that she be made available for comment, but they did not respond to our inquiries.

Guests:

Karen Douglas, commissioner of the California Energy Commission who worked on the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

Shannon Eddy, executive director of the Large-Scale Solar Association, a Sacramento-based solar industry advocacy group working on California and Western U.S. solar issues

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

Traders signal offers in the S&P options pit at the Cboe Global Markets, Inc. exchange (previously referred to as CBOE Holdings, Inc.) on February 6, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. ; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

“Panic” was a word used a lot after Monday’s stock market plunge.

It was the biggest single-day point drop in history, with the Dow plummeting nearly 1,200 points. As reported by Business Insider, selling, which began on Friday, was prompted by computer-driven trading and margin calls on investors who had bought stocks with debt. U.S. stocks are trying to recover, but not without see-sawing between gains and losses.

It’s hard to tell from the past three days what this all means long-term, but retirement-age people may be most affected by this change in the market. To find out more, Larry speaks to a panel of financial insiders for the latest on the ups and downs of the market, and how Californians may be affected by those gains and losses.

Guests:

Sarah Ponczek, markets reporter for Bloomberg News; she has been following the story

Randy Diamond, writer for Chief Investment Officer, an investment news, opinion and research site, where he covers CalPERS and CalSTRS

Liz Weston, columnist for NerdWallet; author of many books on personal finance, including “The 10 Commandments of Money" (Plume, 2011)

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

Royce Hall on UCLA's campus in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Ignacio Andrade/Flickr Creative Commons

If you visit any major university, you’ll find undergraduates from countless different cities, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds, but most are about the same age – in fact, at UC Berkeley, 95 percent of undergraduates are under 25.

Older students add a wide diversity of experience to four-year universities, but the campus climate can be isolating, as student programs and events are often geared toward younger classmates. Some seek each other out through organizations designed to connect “non-traditional” or “re-entry” students on campus.

If you pursued an undergraduate degree after your early 20s, what was your experience? What were your biggest challenges? What surprised you? And what was it that ultimately led you to go back to school?

Call us to share your story at 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Heather Adams, program director of the UCLA Transfer Center and non-traditional student programming; she is a non-traditional student herself and started UCLA’s first student organization for students over 25, the Non-Traditional Students Network

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

Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A. arrives at Changing Lives And Creating Cures Gala at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, in Beverly Hills.; Credit: Tonya Wise/Invision/AP

In its continuing coverage of USC’s former medical school dean Dr. Carmen Puliafito, the Los Angeles Times recently published a story about the death of his then-girlfriend’s baby.

There has been some criticism of the Times’ original and extended coverage of Puliafito’s story for failing to adequately take into account the complex struggles involving drug addiction.

AirTalk’s Larry Mantle speaks with an addiction specialist and opens up the phones for your comments.

Guest:

Damon Raskin, M.D., internist and chief medical advisor for Cliffside Malibu, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center; he specializes in addiction treatment

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

Orange trash bags sit outside tents and tarps of a homeless encampment along the Santa Ana riverbed bicycle path near Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, January 25, 2018. ; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The U.S. District Judge hearing the suit against the cities of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Orange and the County of Orange is asking for proof that their anti-camping policies aren’t being used to criminalize the homeless.

The suit was filed on behalf of the homeless people living in encampments along the Santa Ana river -- over 500 people that the County is attempting to clear out.

Attorneys on the suit say that people have nowhere to go. But how can these cities prove that their anti-camping policies aren’t discriminatory, if the only people who would camp along the Santa Ana River are homeless?

We discuss the legal matters and standards in the suit.

AirTalk reached out to the cities of Costa Mesa,  Anaheim, and Orange as well as the county counsel for Orange County for comment. As of the airing of this segment we had not received a response from the cities of Orange or Costa Mesa. The City of Anaheim and Leon Page, county counsel for Orange County, declined our request, but Mr. Page's office sent us this statement:

We have no comment on the merits of the litigation, but we have great respect for the Elder Law and Disability Rights Center and its talented attorneys and we look forward to discussing positive solutions that will benefit all stakeholders, including the population encamped in the Santa Ana Riverbed.

Guests:

Carol Sobel, a civil rights attorney who has represented L.A.'s homeless in federal courts; she is a co-counsel on this suit

Todd Wulffson, managing partner at Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger in Irvine, an employment and labor law firm with offices throughout California; he has served as legal counsel on behalf of several Southern California cities including Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Carson, and Palmdale

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

A general view of the atmosphere during Airbnb Open LA - Day 3 on November 19, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Airbnb

Los Angeles’ proposed ordinance to regulate short-term rentals through companies like Airbnb is back in the spotlight today as the L.A. City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee will continue its discussion over the particulars of the ordinance and exactly how these rental properties should be regulated.

One of the core issues of the discussion is exactly how long hosts should be allowed to rent out all or part of their homes. The ordinance as currently proposed would cap the number of days per year at 180. AirBnB hosts argue their livelihoods depend on their ability to rent out rooms or homes. But others say the number of short-term rentals that are being offered is severely cutting into the amount of available, affordable housing in L.A. and impacting certain neighborhoods' quality of life.

The city of Los Angeles says it could rake in approximately $30 million a year from taxes after it struck a three year deal with AirBnB in 2016 for it to pay hotel taxes for its hosts. 

Guest:

Emily Alpert Reyes, reporter covering City Hall for the Los Angeles Times

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

U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden share a laugh as the US Senior Men's National Team and Brazil play during a pre-Olympic exhibition basketball game at the Verizon Center on July 16, 2012 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

It’s no secret that most humans tend to surround themselves with like-minded friends.

But so far, no one has scientifically proven that similar activity occurs in the brains of people who have identified themselves as “friends” with one another. Until now.

In a study recently published in the journal “Nature,” researchers at UCLA and Dartmouth College were able to predict through brain scans of business school students which of them considered each other “friends.” First, the students were asked whether they were “friends” (someone you’d meet for a drink, meal, movie, or other “informal social activities”) with the other students. If two students named one another, they were considered “friends” for the purpose of the study. The students brains were then scanned in an MRI machine while they watched a series of video clips specifically chosen to evoke a range of different emotions.

The researchers examined data from 80 separate regions of their brains and compared responses. What they found was that the brain responses from pairs of “friends” were more alike than those of “non-friends.” In addition, the more similar their neural responses to the video stimuli, the closer they were in terms of their social network. Even after correcting for age, gender, and other controls, the correlations remained.

What does this study tell us about the nature of friendship and the people with whom we choose to surround ourselves? Do you find yourself seeking out more like-minded friends or are you more of the “opposites attract” mindset? Could this data be used to predict whether two strangers could potentially be friends?

Guest:

Carolyn Parkinson, assistant professor of social psychology at UCLA and lead author of the study “Similar neural responses predict friendship” (Nature Communications, January 2018)

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

CEO of Abraxis Health Institute Patrick Soon-Shiong during a Urban Economic Forum co-hosted by White House Business Council and U.S. Small Business Administration at Loyola Marymount University on March 22, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Times has been sold to local billionaire and physician Patrick Soon-Shiong for $500 million, ending a strained tenure under Tronc, the owner of the Chicago Tribune.

The Los Angeles Times and Tronc confirmed the sale early Wednesday.

Read KPCC’s story here.

Guest:

David Folkenflik, media correspondent for NPR who’s been covering the story

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

U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) departs after answering questions following a meeting of the House Republican caucus at the U.S. Capitol on February 6, 2018 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Less than 48 hours before the government shutdown deadline, Senate leaders have reached a two-year budget deal.

Earlier this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she and fellow Democrats would oppose the deal without a guarantee on from House Speaker Paul Ryan that there would be a vote on a DACA immigration bill.

So where does immigration stand now? We get the latest on the tick-tock of spending negotiations.

Guest:

Sean Sullivan, congressional reporter for The Washington Post; he tweets @WaPoSean

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

Heatless tobacco units are pictured in the widow display of an iQOS smokeless cigarette store on Wardour Street in London on May 9, 2017.; Credit: CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP/Getty Images

Coming soon to a convenience store near you: cigarettes that aren’t addictive?

This could one day be a reality if a Food and Drug Administration plan to reducing smoking levels in the U.S. moves forward. The proposal focuses on two major points: reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes to the point where they’re almost non-addictive, and paving the way for tobacco companies to sell alternatives to traditional tobacco products like cigarettes and chewing tobacco. One such product, called the iQOS is a smoking device that looks like a pen and heats tobacco but does not set it alight.

The proposal falls in line with an ongoing debate over what role the FDA should be playing in anti-smoking efforts. For about as long as anti-smoking advocacy has existed, the goal has been to get smokers to quit outright and, ultimately, to eliminate cigarette smoking from society altogether. Anti-smoking advocates say that there is still no safe alternative to smoking cigarettes and have taken issue with the FDA’s plan.

But there are others who say that the discussion around getting people to quit smoking has changed, and with new data and technology available to regulators, there should be a way to cut down on the dangerous effects of burning tobacco without preventing those adults who still want access to nicotine from getting it.

Guests:

Scott Ballin, a Washington, D.C.-based health policy consultant and longtime tobacco control policy advocate; former vice president and legislative counsel for the American Heart Association

Chris Bostic, deputy director for policy at Action on Smoking & Health (ASH), a nonprofit organization advocating for a tobacco-free society

Jacob Sullum, senior editor at Reason Magazine and syndicated columnist; he is the author of “For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health” (Free Press, 1998)

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

Students walk near Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA on April 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Mental health resources at SoCal universities are being stretched thin due to increased anxiety, depression and other issues among students.

According to a recent survey conducted by USC Center for Health Reporting and Southern California News Group, there’s been an increased demand for counseling sessions on college campuses in the past five years. And that rise has surpassed enrollment growth.

As reported by SoCal News Group, a Cal State Long Beach police officer even recounted witness a student attempting to throw himself off of a campus parking structure.

So what’s the cause? Social media may be a factor, but many students struggle with immigration issues, gender identity, socioeconomic factors and relationship problems. Larry speaks to a reporter on the story and a university counselor to find out more.

Guests:

Claudia Boyd-Barrett, writer for the Center for Health Reporting at USC; she co-authored “Students in Crisis: On Campus, record numbers seek mental health”

Jonna Fries, Psy.D., psychologist and director of counseling and psychological services at Cal State L.A.

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

U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a law enforcement round table on MS-13 at the White House on February 6, 2018 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

The Washington Post reported yesterday that Trump’s dreams for a Bastille Day-inspired parade on U.S. soil are beginning to solidify.

According to The Post, the parade would potentially involve marching heavy tanks and other military showmanship down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C.

Military parades are somewhat rare in the U.S., but they have occurred during various moments in history, such as the presidential inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the ending of Operation Desert Storm.

But a parade is a symbol, so what would this one mean? We discuss the motivation and implication behind an event such as this, and welcome your thoughts on how you feel about a military display such as the one Trump is aiming to host.

Guests:

Douglas Brinkley, presidential historian and professor of history at Rice University; Fellow, James Baker, III Institute for Public Policy

Brian McAllister Linn, professor of history at Texas A&M University; he specializes in military history and war

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

The 2010 census form included separate questions about race and Hispanic origin. ; Credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

There are already questions surrounding how accurate the 2020 Census count will be, due to a severe lack of funding and heavy reliance on the internet for the first time in Census history – but a new push from the Department of Justice to add a question about citizenship status is raising even more concerns over participation.

The Census has not asked about its respondents’ citizenship since 1960, and critics say it would likely lead to a chilling effect in the participation of non-citizens and their relatives and, therefore, an incorrect count. This in turn could create inaccuracies in the allocation of federal government funds for state services like Medicaid and food stamps, as well as the redrawing of Congressional districts and reapportionment of seats – a consequence that would be especially significant in California, which is on the verge of losing a Congressional seat after the 2020 Census.

Supporters argue undocumented immigrants shouldn’t be counted toward Congressional seats anyway, and states should have access to that information if they want to apportion based on citizenship instead of residency.

And even though the official census day is set for April 1, 2020 – more than two years away – the Census Bureau has to turn in the final wording of its questions to Congress by the end of March this year.

Larry sits down with proponents of both sides to debate the issue.

Guests:

James Copland, director of the Center for Legal Policy at The Manhattan Institute

Phil Sparks, co-director of The Census Project, a nonprofit network of organizations that use Census data in day-to-day operations to make decisions and advocate for policy changes; he was an associate director of the Census Bureau from 1996-1999 and held a temp job in graduate school as a census taker

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

Jonathan Learoyd of France competes in the Men's Normal Hill Individual Qualification at Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre on February 8, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. ; Credit: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The 2018 Winter Olympics kick off on Friday in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Teams from around the world will compete in 15 sports for the next two weeks. But sports aren't the only thing on people’s minds when it comes to this year's Winter games. North Korea has dominated the media spotlight since its announcement that it would compete in the ice hockey category by sending players to join the South Korean team. Furthermore, both Koreas will march under one flag during the opening ceremony.

On Wednesday, North Korea also announced that it’s sending Kim Yo Jong – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s younger sister – to the games. The younger Kim is on the US Treasury Department’s list of blacklisted officials.

But still, the Olympics are about the competitions. Here to join Larry to talk about the games before tomorrow's opening ceremony is Reuters' Rory Carroll.

Click here for coverage schedule for the Winter Olympics on NBC.

Guest:

Rory Carroll, sports reporter for Reuters in PyeongChang to cover the Winter Olympics; he tweets @rorydcarroll

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