U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks at a White House Opioid Summit March 1, 2018 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Justice Department is suing CA over three new laws designed to limit federal immigration enforcement.

The federal government claims the laws make it more dangerous for ICE agents to do their jobs and more dangerous for CA residents exposed to criminals in the country illegally.

What are the arguments on both sides, and who would likely prevail?

Guests:

Josh Blackman, an associate professor of law at the South Texas College of Law who specializes in constitutional law; he tweets @JoshMBlackman

Bill Hing, immigration law expert; professor of law and director of the immigration and deportation defense clinic at the University of San Francisco School of Law

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

This handout photograph obtained March 1, 2018 courtesy of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Morongo Basin Station, shows the area in Joshua Tree, California where a couple were allegedly living with their three children inside a box for four years.; Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images

On Tuesday, the parents of three children who had all been living in a plywood and tin shelter near Joshua Tree, were released from jail.

As reported by the New York Times, they were greeted by supporters with signs such as “Being Homeless is not a crime” and “Guilty of Being Poor.” The parents are facing three felony counts of child abuse and their kids are in county custody, but the question for both social workers and the law is whether their living situation is child abuse.

There was no running water or electricity and there was human waste throughout the property. But the family and surrounding community has reportedly said the family was trying its best. The father said he didn’t know many of the social services that were available to their family, but he also said he did not believe in government help.

So what services were available to this family and are they responsible for not taking advantage of them? How will Children and Family Services assess the situation? And can these parents be criminally charged with child abuse?

Guests:

Caroline Danielson, an expert on social safety net programs in California, and a senior fellow at the nonprofit think tank Public Policy Institute of California

Peggy Stewart, an expert in child abuse; adjunct professor of social work at USC and a licensed clinical social worker at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Matthew Ruff, criminal defense attorney in L.A. County who has handled many child abuse and neglect cases over 23 years

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

; Credit: Courtesy of Central Library LAPL

Most drivers in the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles rely on Google Maps, Waze or their in-car GPS system to navigate the city, but not that long ago, drivers relied on a different type of North Star — one that lived in almost every backseat or glove compartment: the Thomas Guide.

So what happened to the Thomas Brothers and the guide company that bears their name? And what was the guide’s significance to Los Angeles? Let's take a look.

The Thomas Brothers: Early beginnings  

Thomas Bros. Maps was established in Oakland in 1915 by cartographer George Coupland Thomas and his two brothers. What began as a company that made wall maps expanded into block, community and tourist maps.

In 1940, the company moved to Los Angeles at 257 South Spring in Downtown L.A., where it grew its inventory. Glen Creason, the map librarian at the downtown's Central Library who takes care of a collection of nearly 250 Thomas Guides, said they initially made fold-up maps that could fit into a '40s men's suit pocket. In 1945 they started the book format that we still recognize today, sized to fit inside a glove compartment.

Creason said there were other mapmakers in Los Angeles, most notably the Automobile Club of Southern California and Gillespie's Guide.

There were also smaller companies that sometimes tried to copy Thomas Bros. Maps' cartography. 

"There were a lot of counterfeit operations out there... making smaller maps using our data," said Todd Nathanson, grandson of Warren Wilson, former president and CEO of Thomas Bros. Maps. "And we would put fake streets or people's [employees] kids' names...pets' names...in little cul-de-sacs, and that was one way we would be able to keep the copyright."

In 1955, George Coupland Thomas died with no heirs, leaving the company to his widow. That’s when the company was bought by its attorney, Warren Wilson, and his business partner.

Thomas Bros. Maps under Warren Wilson

The map company continued to grow in the 40 years under Wilson. In the 1970’s, he bought out the whole company and moved it to Irvine. Even as Thomas Bros. grew to dominate the map market on the West Coast, many Angelenos didn’t realize that Thomas Bros. was a fairly small company with less than 250 employees.

In the 1990s, the company made a computer database of its maps with a system for cartographers to update and edit the information, à la Wikipedia. It also started selling map data to utilities and cities in California

Attempted expansion and the rise of digital

Even though Thomas Bros. Maps made strides in the digital landscape, and even sold its guides via CDs, the rise of digital map sites changed the game for physical mapmakers. At the same time, in the 90s, the Thomas company made an unsuccessful foray into the east coast.

According to Nathanson, the attempted entry into the beltway was costly and ultimately the company didn’t have the brand name or resources to compete with already established map companies.

Meanwhile, in-dash car navigation systems and websites like MapQuest became more popular. A larger map and Atlas maker called Rand McNally had been trying to buy Thomas Bros. Maps and Nathanson said his grandfather could see the writing on the wall.

In 1999, Wilson sold the company to Rand McNally.

Rand McNally

Nathanson, who had worked in various departments at the Thomas company while in college, and then worked in sales after graduating, stayed on for four more years after the company was sold.

He said it has since been bought and sold by venture capitalists. Some versions of the Thomas Guide can still be bought, but for the most part, they’ve faded from prominence.

(Though not for everyone!)

I don't know any movies, but I still have my Thomas Guide pic.twitter.com/21EaQHOEpE

— Brian Wharton (@dafoink) March 7, 2018

Why did Thomas Guides mean so much to Angelenos?

“I think they [Thomas Guides] are way more important here than they are in most cities,” Creason said.

Los Angeles is bigger than most cities, he said. When automobiles went into mass production, it was the Automobile Club of Southern California, not the government, that put up the first street signs, but there was still a comprehensive map needed to make the city navigable. That's where Thomas Guides came in. 

“Just a regular guy could drive up to the Angeles National Forest or to Venice,” Creason said. “Street guides opened the city up to the common man.” 

Now, that you know the story, what are some of your favorite Thomas Guide memories? Here's just a few we heard from our listeners: 

I moved to L.A. in 1994 and loved my Thomas Guide, which helped me really learn L.A. Despite using online maps now, I still have my VERY well-worn Thomas Guide. When my car was broken into a few years ago, the only things that weren't taken were my Thomas Guide and my umbrella!

— Holly Strother (@Lotsa_Moxie) March 7, 2018

On @AirTalk@LarryMantle: I love, love the Thomas Guide - learned LA/OC with it. Dad played a game with me at the kitchen table. How to get from pt A to pt B, go! Such fun memories. I love maps to this day & know the city streets from that game. Still have the Guide.

— Elizabeth Aguilera (@1eaguilera) March 7, 2018

I was new to LA in 1987, around that time I worked driving for a payphone company! The Thomas Guide was indispensable to my route planning, as I traveled from Santa Ana to Ojai retrieving the coins and fixing phones. Thomas Guides and Pyphones - Both anachronisms today!

— Keith McWilliams (@kmckey) March 7, 2018

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

A young girl marches with scientists and supporters in a March for Science on April 22, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Sarah Morris/Getty Images

A new study published last month in the journal Psychological Science explores a strange paradox: In countries that empower women, they are less likely to choose math and science professions.

The study addresses the issue of an underrepresentation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Using an international database on adolescent achievement in science, mathematics, and reading, the study showed that girls performed “similarly to or better than boys in science in two of every three countries, and in nearly all countries, more girls appeared capable of college-level STEM study than had enrolled.” Gender differences in relative academic strengths and pursuit of STEM degrees rose with increases in national gender equality.

Guest:

Susan Pinker, developmental psychologist and a columnist who wrote about the study for the Wall Street Journal; author the book, “The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women and the Real Gender Gap” (Scribner, 2009)

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

California Governor Jerry Brown speaks during a press conference at the California State Capitol on March 7, 2018 in Sacramento, California. ; Credit: Stephen Lam/Getty Images

California Department of Finance released a map on Friday showing where it recommends to designate so-called “opportunity zones” where people and businesses could pocket some tax relief by committing to long-term investments in lower-income communities.

The moves comes after Republican lawmakers passed the new federal tax bill in December. While Gov. Jerry Brown is not a fan of the new law, he intends to use one of its provisions to open economic development opportunities in lower-income neighborhoods around California. The new tax law allows governors to designate certain census tracts as so “opportunity zones” where investors could defer or eliminate federal taxes on capital gains.

It’s not clear whether investments have to create jobs to reap the tax benefits. Still, officials from the Brown administration say they’re hopeful that the zones could lure investors to communities that have not benefited from the full economic recovery since the recession.

Guests:

H.D. Palmer, deputy director for external affairs at the California Department of Finance

Timothy J. Bartik, senior economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, a nonprofit research organization devoted to studying unemployment; he specializes in regional economics, public finance, urban economics, labor economics, and labor demand policies; he tweets @TimBartik

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

The Uber logo is seen outside the Uber Corporate Headquarters building in San Francisco, California on February 05, 2018. ; Credit: JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images

A recent study from MIT finds that Uber and Lyft drivers only take home a measly $3.37 an hour on average driving for the two companies.

The study was based on a survey of more than 1,100 drivers with the two ride-hailing companies.

The resident economist at Uber swiftly took issue with the results, calling into question the MIT study’s research methodology. That prompted the MIT researcher, Stephen Zoepf, to recrunch his numbers. Zoepf has now revised the average hourly earning to $10 per hour.

There have been many studies in the recent past trying to arrive at exactly how much rideshare drivers make, after expenses and gas. An example of these numbers can be seen in this survey.

We’ll look at the different studies and take calls from SoCal drivers who work for Lyft and Uber on their take home pay.

If you drive for Lyft or Uber, call us at 866.893.5722. You can also tweet us, or post a message on our Facebook page.

Guest:

Harry Campbell, Los Angeles-based Uber and Lyft driver and founder of TheRideShareGuy.com, a blog and podcast for rideshare drivers; he tweets @TheRideShareGuy

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

US President Donald J. Trump speaks during a meeting with members of his Cabinet, in the Cabinet Room of the White House March 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

Despite widespread opposition within his own party, President Trump is poised to announce tariffs on steel and aluminum.

He said this morning Canada and Mexico would get temporary exemptions during NAFTA negotiations. The President indicated other countries, like Australia, might also be spared.

Listen in for the latest from AirTalk.

Guest:

Ana Swanson, reporter for the New York Times who writes about trade and international economics, who’s covering the story; she tweets @AnaSwanson

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

Cannabis is displayed at the Higher Path medical marijuana dispensary in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, December 27, 2017.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The California Bureau of Cannabis Control has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Irvine-based Ghost Management Group, which owns and operates Weedmaps, a popular listing guide for marijuana dispensaries.

The bureau wants Weedmaps to stop advertising those dispensaries that are not legally licensed to operate in the state. California, of course, became the biggest state in the country to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana this year.

Guests:

John Schroyer, senior reporter at Marijuana Business Daily who broke the story

Avis Bulbulyan, CEO of Siva Enterprises, a Los Angeles-based cannabis consultancy

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

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels arrives at the 24th annual Adult Video News Awards Show at the Mandalay Bay Events Center January 13, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. ; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

In the latest installment of news about Trump’s alleged affair with Stormy Daniels, it’s been reported that Trump had won an arbitration proceeding against the adult-film actress.

That was one day after Daniels had sued the president over her right to disclose their relationship because, according to her, Trump had never signed the non-disclosure agreement.

Trump was reportedly unhappy that press secretary Sanders acknowledged that he was involved with the legal proceedings, potentially adding fuel to the story.

We get the latest on the Daniels story, plus we look back at the affairs and scandals of president’s past, including those of Clinton and JFK, to see how those incidents were treated by both the public and the press, as well the politicians themselves.

How has public perception and media coverage of the sex lives of politicians changed over the last 100 years? What legal issues are entangled in the Stormy Daniels situation? And as a member of the public, do you care?

Guests:

John Wagner, White House reporter for the Washington Post, where his recent article is “Republicans flee the storm over Stormy Daniels and President Trump”; he tweets @WPJohnWagner

David Greenberg, presidential historian and professor of History at Rutgers University; author of “Republic of Spin: An Inside History of the American Presidency” (W.W. Norton & Company, 2016)

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

Panelists Meghan Trainor, DJ Khaled and Sean 'Diddy' Combs of the television show The Four speak onstage during the FOX portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 4, 2018 in Pasadena, California.; Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Last week, in a private industry event in L.A., Fox Networks Group’s ad sales chief speculated on an unusual goal: two minutes of ad time per hour of television by 2020.

In the words of David Levy, executive vice president of non-linear revenue at Fox Networks Groups, “the price of attention has gone up.” And this proposed shift is likely meant to entice viewers from ad-less streaming sites like HBO GO or Netflix.

The current ad time average is 13 minutes per one hour of network T.V., so reducing that time to two minutes would necessitate a change in how ads are sold, how they’re produced and how much that air-time would cost. And after all that, would it really work against cable cutting?

How common is this move to shorter T.V. commercial time? How will it change the nature of ads? And how would it transform the ways in which ads are sold?

Guest:

Jeanine Poggi, she covers the TV industry for AdAge, a trade publication for the marketing and media industries; her recent article is “What Ads Would Cost If Fox Really Cut Them To 2 Minutes Per Hour”

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

Journalists and bloggers get a closer look at the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone at the Samsung press conference ahead of the IFA consumer electronics fair on August 30, 2017 in Berlin, Germany.; Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Smartphone sales fell for the first time ever in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to Gartner.

Handset makers sold nearly 408 million smartphones, down 5.6 percent from the same period a year ago, the research firm said. That marks the first annual decline since the firm started tracking the smartphone market in 2004.

People are waiting longer to upgrade their phones, according to Gartner analyst Anshul Gupta. Those who already own higher-end models are holding on to them longer.

Meanwhile, it's become harder for handset vendors to make huge changes in their devices and differentiate from one another. Samsung managed to hold on to the No. 1 position in the fourth quarter, even though its unit sales slid 3.6 percent to 74 million units; Apple came in second with sales down 5 percent to 73.2 million.

Guest:

Shara Tibken, senior reporter for CNET News who focuses on Samsung and Apple; she covered the story; she tweets @sharatibken

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

This combination of file photos created on March 9, 2018 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un during the 5th Conference of the Workers' Party of Korea Cell Chairpersons in this photo from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) taken on December 23, 2017 and released on December 24, 2017 (L) and US President Donald Trump speaking to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on February 9, 2018.; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Ho hum, just another day at the White House, with word coming last night that President Trump will meet with North Korean President Kim Jong Un.

Seems no one in DC’s getting hopes too high for a breakthrough, but the meeting itself will be historic. AirTalk looks at the upcoming summit from multiple perspectives.

Guests:

Abe Denmark, Asia Program Director at the Wilson Center in D.C.; former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for East Asia (2015-2017)

Sung Yoon Lee, an expert on the Koreas and  a professor in Korean Studies at The Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts

Ronald Neumann, American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (2005–2007), Bahrain (2001–2004) and Algeria (1994–1997), president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, an organization of former senior diplomats that aim to strengthen American diplomacy

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; Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in second Clinton administration

General James ‘Spider’ Marks, expert in national security, military and intelligence; he is a retired Major General with over 30 years in the U.S. Army

John Haynes, historian whose areas of expertise include communism and the Cold War and coauthor of the book, “Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America” (Yale University Press, 2009); he worked as a specialist in 20th-century political history in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress

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

President Donald J. Trump speaks to supporters at the Atlantic Aviation Hanger on March 10, 2018 in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.; Credit: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps what you might have missed in political headlines over the weekend and previews the week to come in California and national politics.

Today, AirTalk political analysts Lanhee Chen from Stanford’s Hoover Institution and Professor Lisa Garcia Bedolla of UC-Berkeley join guest host Libby Denkmann to discuss:

• Recap of Trump’s PA rally and looking at the PA special election

• White House announces plan for school safety (and Rick Scott signing gun bill on Friday)

• More on possible meeting between U.S. and N. Korea (here’s what the WH was saying Friday, here’s the latest)

• More on steel and aluminum tariffs, probably a mention of Gary Cohn’s departure too

• Trump visits CA for first time since becoming POTUS (here’s what our local paper’s editorial board is saying)

• Continuing coverage of CA response to Trump admin suing the state over immigration laws

• Jobs report out Friday shows signs of growing economy

• Trump lawyers want deal to speed end of Russia probe

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Lanhee Chen, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former policy director for the Romney-Ryan 2012 presidential campaign; he tweets @lanheechen

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

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

Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich (L) testifies before the Joint Economic Committee January 16, 2014 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

America, some argue, has been in a vicious cycle that has undermined shared ideals and values.

In his new book, “The Common Good” (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 2018), Robert B. Reich looks at how the fundamentals of our democracy and civilization depend upon our common values, the notion about what we owe one another as citizens – the norms we voluntarily abide by, and the ideals we seek to achieve. Reich argues without a common good, we don’t have a society.

The book comes at a time when the nation seems to be more divided than ever. So what are the American ideals and can we restore a common good with a system that works for all? Reich joins us to discuss.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Robert Reich will be discussing his new book, “The Common Good” at a Writers Bloc event tonight, March 12, at 7:30 p.m.

Guest:

Robert Reich, author of numerous books, including his latest, “The Common Good” (Knopf, 2018); former Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton (1993 - 1997)

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

Chris Childs, assistant chief of the California Highway Patrol, speaks at a press conference during an active shooter situation at the Veterans Home of California on March 9, 2018 in Yountville, California. A lone gunman opened fire and is holding three hostages inside the largest veterans facility in the United States founded in 1884. ; Credit: Stephen Lam/Getty Images

A former US Army soldier once deployed to Afghanistan killed three people on Friday at a veterans home in Napa County, California, where he once stayed.

Authorities were trying to sort out the motive of 36-year-old former Army rifleman Albert Wong. Wong killed two executives and a psychologist at The Pathway Home, a nonprofit post-traumatic stress disorder program at the Veterans Home of California-Yountville in the Napa Valley wine region.

The incident sheds light on challenges combat veterans face as they integrate back into society. What are the critical issues they face after returning from conflict zones and are they getting adequate care.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Miatta Snetter, licensed clinical psychologist with US Vets; founder and CEO of Life’s Within Psychological Services in Los Angeles, which offers counseling and therapy services

Laura Werber, senior management scientist at RAND Corporation, a public policy research organization; coauthor of a report looking at the challenges military members face reintegrating into society

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

State Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, hugs Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego, after his storm water bill was approved by the Assembly, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Sacramento.; Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Last week, an investigation into the behavior of California state Senator Bob Hertzberg, nicknamed “Huggy Bear,” found that though his hugs weren’t sexually motivated, they made people uncomfortable.

He was told to stop hugging people at work.

Hertzberg is one of a string of California lawmakers, including former Sen. Tony Mendoza and former Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra and Matt Dababneh, who have resigned due to sexual harassment findings, spurred by the larger conversation around #MeToo. Others, such as Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, are currently under investigation.

Is Sen. Hertzberg being treated differently from other lawmakers, and if he is, is the difference legitimate? We get the latest on Hertzberg and sexual harassment investigations in the capitol.

Plus, Sen. Hertzberg has a long reputation of hugging at work. In a letter that he sent around last week, he wrote, “all my life, a hug has been a way of greeting friends and colleagues – a gesture of warmth and kindness and a reflection of my exuberance.”

So when is hugging appropriate in the workplace, if ever? Are you a non-hugger in a touchy feely workplace and how do you navigate unwanted physical affection? And if you’re a hugger, is the current conversation surrounding Hertzberg changing your behavior?

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Melanie Mason, reporter for the Los Angeles Times covering state government and politics in Sacramento; she tweets @melmason

Alison Green, work advice columnist whose website is Ask a Manager.org; her forthcoming book is “Ask a Manager: How to Navigate Clueless Colleagues, Lunch-Stealing Bosses, and the Rest of Your Life at Work” (Ballantine Books, 2018)

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

US President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on March 13, 2018. Trump is heading to California where he is expected to inspect the border wall prototypes in San Diego. ; Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump makes his first visit as president to California Tuesday.

The President is expected to speak to troops, attend a fundraiser and inspect recently constructed prototypes for a border wall with Mexico. The visit comes amid tension between the two governments, President Trump’s administration has been at odds with California Democrats over policies from immigration to tax reform.

Meanwhile, advocacy groups were expected to begin protesting before Air Force One lands today in a state where voters supported Hillary Clinton by a nearly 2-to-1 margin in 2016.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Scott Shafer, senior editor for the Politics and Government Desk at KQED, our sister NPR affiliate in San Francisco; host of the the new show Political Breakdown on KQED

Erik Anderson, reporter at KPBS, our sister NPR affiliate in San Diego; he’s at Otay Mesa, a community just north of the US-Mexico border covering a pro-Trump rally

John Sepulvado, host of the show "California Report" on KQED, our sister NPR affiliate in San Francisco; he’s at the San Ysidro Port of Entry near the border covering President Trump’s visit; he tweets @JohnLGC

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

William Haight plays with his five-year-old daughter, Soleil Haight, at the Venice Beach Boardwalk Playground on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 17, 2017. ; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Playgrounds are an important setting to a child’s development, from providing opportunities for physical activities to contributing to cognitive learning.

For decades educators invested in minimizing risks for children in playgrounds. Sand, for instance, has been used more sparingly in public playgrounds in recent decades because of the danger of hidden glass or animal feces, part of the “sterilization” of play that risk advocates complain about.

But this notion is being challenged today. Researchers are working on bringing that element of risk back into a child’s everyday environment. Bringing in risk, some researchers say, helps build resilience in children. Do you think a risk-enhanced playground will do more good than harm?

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guest:

Barbara Sarnecka, associate professor of cognitive sciences at University of California in Irvine, specializing in cognitive development; she authored a study on how people overestimate the risks children face if left alone.

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

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) speaks during an expanded bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, April 7, 2017. ; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

On Sunday, China’s national legislature voted 2,958 to 2 to nix the presidential term limit, effectively allowing President Xi Jinping to rule for life.

The vote was not surprising. Xi has removed much of his opposition from his party, while also beefing up his own leadership roles. He would have had to step down in 2023, but has now ensured that he will stay in power for a substantial length of time.

Meanwhile, Russia is gearing for its election on March 18, which is almost without question going to go to current president Vladimir Putin, whose opposition is less worrisome than the possibility  of a low voter turnout. Putin has been in power for almost 18 years. In 2008, the Russian constitution was amended to extend presidential terms from four years to six. Could Putin pull a Xi Jinping and extend the limits beyond his 2024 expiration date?

We get the latest on the legislature’s vote in China and what it portends, plus a preview of the Russian election.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

Elizabeth Economy, director of Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; her forthcoming book is “The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State” (Oxford University Press, April 2018)

Yuval Weber, expert on Russian domestic politics and international security; global fellow at the Wilson Center and Daniel Morgan Graduate School; his forthcoming book is "Designed to Fail: Patterns in Russian Economic Reform, 1860-2018" (Fall 2018, Agenda/Columbia University Press)

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

U.S. President Donald Trump departs from the White House after answering questions from the media about his firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on March 13, 2018 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

AirTalk guest host Libby Denkmann checks in with reporters after President Trump lands in Miramar.

With guest host Libby Denkmann.

Guests:

John Sepulvado, host of the show “California Report” on KQED, our sister NPR affiliate in San Francisco; he’s at Otay Mesa in San Diego County  covering President Trump’s visit; he tweets @JohnLGC

Susan Murphy, multimedia reporter for our sister affiliate KPBS in San Diego; she is at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar where President Trump is slated to deliver a speech to members of the military at 2 p.m. PST

Rebecca Plevin, immigration reporter for the Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs, part of the USA Today Network; she is in Tijuana by the U.S.-Mexico border; she tweets @rebeccaplevin

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