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Orange County can't agree on where to move hundreds of homeless people

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US-POVERTY-HOMELESS

County workers clear and raze a homeless encampment beside the Santa Ana River on February 20, 2018 in Anaheim, California.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

After hundreds of people were moved from homeless camps in the Santa Ana River into motels, the plan was to then move them into temporary housing in Huntington Beach, Irvine and Laguna Niguel.

The problem is that leaders of those cities have said they don’t want those shelters there.

Today, supervisors representing districts that include Laguna Niguel and Huntington Beach plan to introduce a plan to nix the three-city homeless plan.

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett is also planning to propose a plan for one 400-bed homeless shelter in Irvine, which is drawing protest from residents.

So who has the legal high ground, the cities or the county? What is the legal path forward for establishing a shelter (or shelters) in Orange County?

Guests:

Norberto Santana, publisher of “Voice of OC,” a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on civics and government in Orange County since 2009; he tweets @NorbertoSantana

Brooke Weitzman, attorney at the Elder Law and Disability Rights Center, a Santa Ana-based organization that provides affordable legal services to the elderly and those with disabilities 

Christopher Campbell, attorney at Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger in Irvine, an employment and labor law firm with offices throughout California

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


The tensions and issues around selling marijuana legally on California’s tribal lands

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APTOPIX California Marijuana-Open for Business

A customer purchases marijuana at Harborside marijuana dispensary, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Oakland, Calif.; Credit: Mathew Sumner/AP

Caitlin Plummer | AirTalk®

Recreational marijuana may be legal in California, but businesses hoping to sell on tribal lands have hit a bit of a snag: they won’t be allowed to operate unless tribal governments give up their sovereignty.

To legally sell marijuana in California, businesses need a license from the state and the municipality they will be operating in. When licenses started being issued Jan. 1, many assumed licenses from sovereign tribal government would function the same as a license from a municipality – meaning marijuana businesses could operate legally on tribal lands as long as they also received a state license.

But because the passed legislation provided no framework for a license from a tribal government to interface with a state license, the state says its hands are tied and it’s unable to recognize licenses from tribal governments. Marijuana businesses can still operate legally on tribal lands, but the tribal governments would have to give up their civil jurisdiction to the state, in effect surrendering their sovereignty.

Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) is expected to introduce legislation that would create a framework for a tribal government license to interface with a state license in the next few months. A previous version of the bill didn’t make it out of policy committees, with stakeholder groups asking for more detail on how exactly the interface would work.

Marijuana legalization has not exactly gone smoothly for California. About one in ten marijuana stores in the state are legal, and allowing legal marijuana businesses to operate on tribal land would continue to undercut the legal state industry because federal taxes are much lower on tribal land. There’s also the concern within the marijuana industry that passing such legislation could create an over-saturation of growers in the market and drastically drive down prices.

Larry sits down with a reporter covering cannabis and a lawyer working on the legislation to explain the issue.

Guests:

Amanda Chicago Lewis, LA-based freelance reporter covering cannabis; she has been following the story

Mark A. Levitan, attorney who specializes in tribal issues; he’s worked on a California bill that will be introduced this year that would give state tribes legal access to the commercial marijuana market

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

California attorney general's office to oversee investigation into the fatal police shooting of unarmed man

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Demonstrators Protest Against Recent Sacramento Police Shooting Of Unarmed Black Man

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 22: A Black Lives Matter protester holds a sign as he marches on Interstate 5 during a demonstration on March 22, 2018 in Sacramento, California. Hundreds of protesters staged a demonstration against the Sacramento police department after two officers shot and killed Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man, in the backyard of his grandmother's house following a foot pursuit on Sunday evening. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images); Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

AirTalk®

The California attorney general's office on Tuesday joined an investigation into the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by Sacramento police to provide independent oversight.

Clark was killed by two Sacramento police officers who were responding to a report of someone breaking car windows in a South Sacramento neighborhood. Police thought Clark was holding a gun, but he was found with only a cellphone.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra's office will provide oversight of the investigation and conduct a review of the police department's policies and training around use of force. Body camera footage released by the department shows police firing 20 rounds at Clark.

With files from the Associated Press.

Guest:

Dale Kasler, reporter for the Sacramento Bee; he's been following the story

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

EPA ‘secret science’ ban proposal: research transparency or attack on science?

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EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Testifies At House Hearing On Mission Of The EPA

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on December 7, 2017 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Pete Marovich/Getty Images

AirTalk®

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a proposal that would restrict the research available to it when writing environmental regulations unless the underlying raw data is made public for independent review.

The move, seen by scientists as an attack on science, will leave environmental regulators at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing crucial decades-old studies such as linking air pollution to premature deaths or work that measures human exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. Supporters argue that Americans deserve to see the science for themselves and other scientists should be able to review the work. Critics, however, say the proposal would undermine the science that underpins modern environmental regulations such as those governing clean water and clean air.

What do you think, is it research transparency or an attack on science?

AirTalk reached out to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for comment but as of the airing of this segment, we have not received a response to our request.

Guests:

Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank based in Washington, D.C.; he also led President Trump’s E.P.A. transition team

Yogin Kothari, Washington representative with the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists

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

What video footage can and can’t tell us about the fatal Uber driverless car accident

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This image made from video of a mounted camera provided by the Tempe Police Department shows an exterior view moments before an Uber SUV hit a woman on Sunday in Tempe, Ariz.

This image made from video of a mounted camera provided by the Tempe Police Department shows an exterior view moments before an Uber SUV hit a woman on Sunday in Tempe, Ariz.; Credit: /AP

AirTalk®

Video of the self-driving Uber car crash that resulted in the death of a pedestrian was released publicly last Wednesday, showing a woman walking her bike across a dark road, the vehicle rider looking down right before the crash.

The incident has sparked questions about whether the pedestrian was at fault, or whether the LIDAR system used to detect objects by the car should have sensed her coming (or both). There have also been reports that Uber disabled the Volvo SUV’s collision-avoidance technology before the crash – but it’s common to disable other autonomous driving systems when developing and testing your own system.

In California, Uber will lose its permit to test self-driving cars on the road.

There’s also some question about the video itself – graphic in nature, released during a police investigation – and whether it has value or just adds to confusion.

What is the pedestrian detection tech in driverless vehicles and was it faulty in this situation? What is the value of releasing this video the public? And what about the larger trend of video footage being released to the public? What are the inherent limitations of camera footage and how is it perceived?

Guests:

Tim Higgins, reporter for The Wall Street Journal covering technology and autos; he covered the story; he tweets @timkhiggins

Jeffrey Miller, expert in driverless vehicle systems and computer science education; associate professor of engineering practice at the University of Southern California

Jack Bratich, associate professor of journalism and media studies at Rutgers

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

Medicare considers issuing limits on opioid prescriptions

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New England Towns Struggle With Opioid And Heroin Epidemic

Oxycodone pain pills prescribed for a patient with chronic pain lie on display on March 23, 2016 in Norwich, CT. ; Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Medicare officials are poised to approve a crackdown on opioids that could affect more than a million-and-a-half patients managing chronic pain. Medicare would refuse to pay for long-term, high-dosage, prescriptions.

The new limit would go into effect next January 1.

More than 200 pain and addiction specialists have signed a letter opposing the limit. They say it could lead patients to black market sellers, or even suicide.

Critics further claim the proposed limit is based on a misreading of Centers for Disease Control recommendations aimed at new opioid prescriptions, not ongoing ones.

We’ll talk to doctors about the tradeoffs they’d have to weigh with this new policy.

Guests:

Anna Lembke, M.D., associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic; her latest book is “Drug Dealer, MD: How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s So Hard to Stop” (Johns Hopkins University Press, October 2016)

Lynn Webster, M.D., former president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine and author of the book “The Painful Truth: What Chronic Pain is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us” (Oxford University Press, 2016)

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

Stormy Daniels’ attorney seeks for Trump to testify in deposition – will the court allow it and what implications would it have?

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Pornographic Film Star Stormy Daniels, Who Alleges Affair With President Trump, Appears At Florida Strip Club

Actress Stephanie Clifford, who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels, arrives to perform at the Solid Gold Fort Lauderdale strip club on March 9, 2018 in Pompano Beach, Florida.; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

AirTalk®

An attorney for Stormy Daniels filed a motion Wednesday seeking to question President Donald Trump and his attorney under oath about a pre-election payment to the porn actress aimed at keeping her quiet about an alleged tryst with Trump.

If successful, it would be the first deposition of a sitting president since Bill Clinton in 1998 had to answer questions about his conduct with women.

Attorney Michael Avenatti is seeking sworn testimony from Trump and Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, about a $130,000 payment made to Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election as part of a nondisclosure agreement she is seeking to invalidate. Avenatti's documents were filed in U.S. District Court in California.

Avenatti wants to question Trump and Cohen for "no more than two hours." In the filing, he says the depositions are needed to establish if Trump knew about the payment, which he refers to as a "hush agreement," and if he consented to it.

Will the deposition move forward? What questions would be asked of Trump and Cohen? And what would be the implications?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guest:

Zachary Clopton, assistant professor of law at Cornell Law School; one of his specialties is civil procedure; he has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Chicago

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

Leviticus didn’t mention anything about cell agriculture: Could lab-grown pork be kosher?

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America's Jewish Delis Struggle To Stay Afloat

An employee at Langer's Delicatessen, a Jewish deli, slices pastrami on February 26, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

AirTalk®

According to Book of Leviticus, animals fit for human consumption must fit two categories: they have a completely split hoof and they chew their cud.

Pigs, though they have split hooves, don’t chew cud and therefore, “You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.” But what about lab-grown pork?

As science makes progress on developing cell-cultured or “clean meat,” the question of whether this meat, and its pork variant, would be considered kosher, is up for debate among Rabbis and Jewish thinkers.

This lab-grown meat is created through a process by which a type of cell is reverted to a different stage in its development and tricked into becoming a different kind of cell, which then proliferates if placed in a nutrient-rich environment. And voila: meat. The process still has a ways to go and currently is more apt to producing ground meat than a rib-eye. But there are eight companies working on perfecting the method, three of which are in Silicon Valley, California.

Which leads us to the question of whether “clean meat” is kosher?

That might depend on the way the cells used in the lab-grown meat are obtained. For example, Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the kosher division at the Orthodox Union, one of Jewish groups that certifies foods as kosher in the U.S., has said that lab-grown chicken could be kosher if the cells were taken from a chicken that was slaughtered in accordance with kosher rules. But what does that mean in the case of clean pork?

If you keep kosher or halal, would you ever consider eating lab-grown meat? What about pork?

Guests:

Chase Purdy, business reporter for Quartz; he is writing book on the future of meat

Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the kosher division at the Orthodox Union, one of Jewish groups that certifies foods as kosher in the U.S.

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


CA High Court: schools should protect students, UCLA stabbing case will move forward

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UCLA Campus

The UCLA campus in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Stock photo from Bogdan Migulski/Flickr Creative Commons

AirTalk®

The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that public colleges and universities have a duty to protect their students from foreseeable acts of violence.

This decision reverses a 2015 ruling by a lower court that UCLA did not have a duty to protect a student who was attacked by a classmate.

Katherine Rosen was stabbed with a knife by Damon Thompson in 2009 at a UCLA chemistry lab. Thompson had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and possible schizophrenia. Now,  nearly nine years after the stabbing, the State’s High Court decided Rosen's lawsuit could move forward and that the University of California can be held liable for failing to protect the student.

The victim survived her life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, Thompson was charged and found not guilty by reason by insanity.

Guests:

Gregory Keating, professor of law at USC Gould School and an expert on accident law

Steve Newman, attorney specializing in defending class actions; he is a partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in Century City

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

On the heels of Veterans Affairs Secretary firing, we discuss the possibility of privatizing the VA

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VA Secretary David Shulkin Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin leaves after a hearing before the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee March 15, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

AirTalk®

On Wednesday, Trump fired Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin and announced that he will nominate his White House physician, Admiral Ronny Jackson, to fill the vacancy.

In February, Shulkin was criticized in an inspector general’s report for using public funds for a trip to Europe with his wife. But Shulkin has said the trip was mischaracterized, that it was a work trip and all expenses were approved in advance by an internal ethics committee.

After being criticized in the report, Shulkin wrote a personal check to cover those expenditures. He says the trip is being used as an excuse, and that his firing is likely due to his clashes with officials in the White House who want to privatize the V.A. Shulkin, who released an op-ed in the New York Times Wednesday, opposes privatization and says the private sector isn’t equipped to provide V.A. care.

We get the latest on Shulkin’s departure, Admiral Jackson’s nomination and the history and future of the privatization conversation surround the V.A.

Guest:

Nikki Wentling, reporter covering veterans for Stars and Stripes, an American military newspaper based in Washington, D.C.; she tweets @nikkiwentling

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

It’s Major League Baseball Opening Day: we preview the season

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Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers

Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts while running off the field in the spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch on March 3, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona.; Credit: Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

AirTalk®

For the first time since 1968, all 30 Major League Baseball teams will begin playing on the same day today, the earliest ever start date to the domestic games.

In this season, the Dodgers will be trying for another NL West title and, Dodger fans hope, another run for the World Series after coming up just short in last year's Fall Classic. Meanwhile, the Angels are welcoming Japanese two-way player Shohei Ohtani, who makes his debut in the Major Leagues. The 23-year-old phenom garnered a lot of attention during the offseason race to sign him. During his career in Japan, he doubled as a pitcher with nearly unhittable stuff and a batter who could launch towering home runs, but it remains to be seen whether he will have similar success in the U.S. It’ll be a tough slog to the top of the AL West for the Halos, who will look to dethrone their division rival and defending World Series champion Houston Astros.

Larry Mantle talks with Bill Shaikin, baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times, to get a preview of the season.

Guest:

Bill Shaikin, baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times

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

California bill to let student athletes to sign endorsement deals

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Texas A&M v UCLA

Josh Rosen #3 of the UCLA Bruins passes the ball during the second half of a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on September 3, 2017 in Pasadena, California.; Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

AirTalk®

California Assemblyman Chris Holden has introduced a bill that would allow student athletes in the state to sign endorsement deals.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which governs college sports, reported more than $1 billion in revenue for the 2017 fiscal year. Meanwhile, college athletes, many argue, are playing in an exploitive system, subjecting themselves to injuries without getting adequate compensation.

Should college athletes be paid like their professional counterparts?

Guests:

Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association who is sponsoring the bill; he is president of the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA), a non-profit organization that advocates for college athletes’ rights

John Acquaviva, professor of exercise science at Wingate University in North Carolina who has written on the debate over paying student athletes

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

Is Elon Musk’s Tesla in trouble?

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BELGIUM-US-AUTO-TESLA

This photo shows the logo if US car maker Tesla in Brussels on February 8, 2018.; Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Tesla was touted to be the ultimate disruptor in the electric car industry, combining topnotch technology with beautiful designs.

But trouble could be on the horizon for Elon Musk’s car manufacturer, driven by a cash crunch as well as production issues with its mass-market Model 3 sedan. Those two factors led Moody’s to downgrade the company’s credit rating.

AirTalk checks in on the health of the Palo Alto-based company.

Guests:

Sam Goldfarb, reporter for The Wall Street Journal who’s been following the story

Sean O’Kane, reporter for The Verge who’s been following the story; he tweets @sokane1

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

Lawsuit in SF blames city for letting Lyft, Uber thrive, and depressing the value of the taxi medallion

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One Third Of San Francisco Cabbies Switch To Ridesharing Services

A Cable Car passes a line of taxicabs as they wait for fares in front of the St. Francis Hotel on January 21, 2014 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

AirTalk®

The San Francisco Federal Credit Union is suing the State’s Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) alleging the transit agency is responsible for the downfall of the taxi market.

The credit union made loans to taxi drivers to buy medallions that cost $250,000 each; now the suit alleges that taxi medallions have decreased in value because of Uber and Lyft operations. The lawsuit seeks $28 million in damages and wants the SFMTA to pay millions to repurchase all the medallions.

Guest:

Carolyn Said, San Francisco Chronicle reporter covering business, tech and the on-demand economy; she tweets @CSaid and has been covering the story

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

The California response to Trump administration’s expected move to roll back CAFE standards

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The 2017 Concordia Annual Summit - Day 2

Scott Pruitt, administrator of U.S. EPA speaks at The 2017 Concordia Annual Summit at Grand Hyatt New York on September 19, 2017 in New York City.; Credit: Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit

AirTalk®

This Sunday, the US EPA is expected to announce its scrapping of ambitious mileage targets for upcoming cars.

The current requirement is that new cars and SUVs get an average of 55-miles-a-gallon by 2025. That standard was set by the Obama Administration, working alongside California regulators.

The Trump Administration says the standards are unrealistic and will keep Americans from being able to buy the pickup trucks and SUVs they prefer.

But California leaders say they won’t relax their requirements for car makers. That sets up a possible showdown between the state and federal governments.

Guests:

Julian Morris, vice president of research at Reason Foundation, a non-profit think tank advancing free markets

Sean Hecht, professor of environmental law and co-executive director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA

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


Water Day: Have you kept up with your water conservation efforts?

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US-ENVIRONMENT-WATER-DROUGHT-CALIFORNIA

Sprinklers water a patch of grass on the sidewalk in front of a house in Alhambra, California, on July 25, 2014. ; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Emily Guerin | AirTalk®

Since Gov. Jerry Brown called off California's drought emergency a year ago, we Californians seem to have gotten a little lazy when it comes to water conservation.

We've started watering our lawns more often. We're not putting buckets in our showers as much. (In fact, we're taking longer showers.) And we don’t let yellow mellow — meaning, we flush our pee instead of just letting it sit in the toilet bowl, according to Southern California residents KPCC queried for this story.

AirTalk checks in our environment reporter Emily Guerin on her story about Southern Californians and her water saving habits.

Guest:

Emily Guerin, environment reporter at KPCC who’s been following the story 

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

Week in politics: The tense state of U.S.-Russia relations, what’s next after Trump says DACA deal is off and more

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RUSSIA-FIRE-POLITICS

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a meeting with Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova and Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia's Investigative Committee, in Moscow on March 28, 2018.; Credit: MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the headlines from the weekend in politics and looks ahead to the week to come.

This week, our political analysts will discuss:

  • Russia

    • Kremlin says Trump invited Putin to The White House

    • Russia expels 60 U.S. diplomats and closes St. Petersburg consulate

    • Russia’s ambassador to U.S. says he can’t remember a time when U.S.-Russian relations were worse

  • DACA future after Trump’s weekend Twitter rant 

  • Follow on furor over Census citizenship question

  • Response from CA cities, counties to Trump’s sanctuary city lawsuit against CA

  • Trump administration's response to Sacramento police-involved shooting

  • Gov. Schwarzenegger’s surgery, and his “new way” comments that Kasich should run

  • Trump calls Roseanne Barr to congratulate her on reboot

  • China hits U.S. with tariffs on 128 products

  • Trump’s Twitter

    • Blasts USPS for getting fleeced by Amazon

    • Continuing VA fallout (former Secretary Shulkin says he was fired via Twitter)

    • With Hope Hicks gone, who can soothe Trump? Plus, Gen. Kelly’s role reportedly shrinking. Plus, POTUS is being told he doesn’t need a communications director

  • CA special elections tomorrow

Guests:

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

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

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

What do the results of independent Stephon Clark autopsy tell us about officers’ actions?

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Results Announced Of Independent Autopsy On Stephon Clark, Shot By Sacramento Police Officers

Dr. Bennet Omalu stands by a diagram showing the results of his autopsy of Stephon Clark during a news conference at the Southside Christian Center on March 30, 2018 in Sacramento, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

AirTalk®

According to an autopsy, conducted by an independent forensic pathologist hired by Stephon Clark’s family, Clark was shot in the back six times.

The shooting of Clark by police officers is being investigated by local and state officials as well, but the results of the independent autopsy raise questions about the police officers’ conduct.

Police had released footage of the incident. The officers said they thought Clark had a gun in his hand, which turned out to be a cell phone.

There’s more information to be learned about the case, but what do these new results of the autopsy tell us? Are the shots in Clark’s back proof of law enforcement malfeasance? Or were the officers justified in reacting the way they did in this situation?

Guests:

Sid Heal,  a retired Commander from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (1975 - 2008); president of the California Association of Tactical Officers, a non-profit organization that provides training for in-state special weapons teams

Tim Gipson, retired LAPD detective supervisor (1981-2012); he currently runs a PI firm, Secure Dynamix

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

To frown or not to frown: The debate over adding emotions to the beloved poop emoji

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BRITAIN-US-LIFESTYLE-APPLE

A member of Apple staff pose with a new Apple iPhone X smartphone showing new emoji features in Apple's Regent Street store in central London on November 3, 2017 after it opened for the first sales of the new smartphone.; Credit: CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

Have you ever wondered how emoji get approved to be an official part of the universal language of icons that many of us use on a daily basis in texts, emails, social media posts, and various other forms of digital communication?

You might be surprised to learn that there’s an official group of people whose job it is to play gatekeeper for emoji, and right now they’re embroiled in a debate with typographers and others who contribute to the digital language over the evolution of one of the most popular emojis around: the smiling pile of poop.

Members of the Unicode Consortium, which sets worldwide standards for emoji, are at odds with two prominent typographers over whether to include a new poop emoji with a sad face as part of the 2018 class of emojis set to be unveiled in June. Unicode approved the sad face poop emoji for consideration in 2018, but the typographers argue that including such an emoji would open the gates to a wide range of what they see as unnecessary emotional expressions for the poop emoji and dilute the larger body of language for which Unicode is responsible. While they have taken on oversight of emojis as a digital language as they have grown in popularity, Unicode is also responsible for encoding ancient and/or obscure alphabets and languages for use on the internet. The typographers add that this is just one example of a larger issue with the overall emoji proposal and approval process being commercialized, frivolous, and opaque.

The debate points to larger issues of Unicode’s role in approving emojis and a larger discussion between language encoders and long-time linguists about the role and importance emojis should have in our daily communications. Today on AirTalk, Larry talks with a sociolinguist and emoji expert about the emoji approval process and why this debate over a pile of poop has larger implications.

Guest:

Tyler Schnoebelen, sociolinguist and principal product manager at Integrate.ai, a startup that helps big companies understand their customers better; known as the “father of smiley linguistics”

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

With a newly required cancer warning label, we discuss if coffee is safe to drink

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INDONESIA-ECONOMY-COFFEE

This picture taken on October 7, 2017 shows roasted coffee beans in a traditonal Acehnese way at a factory in Banda Aceh. ; Credit: CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk®

A judge in California decided last week that coffee roasters, retailers and distributors should put a cancer warning label on coffee.

Proposition 65 requires businesses to warn customers about significant amounts of chemicals in the products that they purchase. But many public health experts don’t see the court’s decision  necessary. Arguing that coffee, if anything, is an antioxidant that is protective against many kinds of cancers.

We explore the benefits and harms of coffee, particularly, acrylamide, a byproduct of the coffee roasting process.

Guest:

Mariana Carla Stern, USC professor of research preventive medicine and urology; she is the Director for the Molecular Epidemiology Program at USC; her overall research interest focuses on diet and cancer

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

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