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Hollywood’s new A-listers (and their C-list salaries)

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Premiere Of Paramount Pictures' "Star Trek Into Darkness" - Arrivals

Actor Chris Pine arrives at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' 'Star Trek Into Darkness' at the Dolby Theatre on May 14, 2013 in Hollywood, California. ; Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Actor Chris Pine may have the leading-man looks, even the leading-man roles such as the most recent "Star Trek," but he is not commanding paydays of yesteryear's stars. As The Hollywood Reporter explains, the new batch of A-listers can only expect the rare $10-million deal. Familiar faces including Denzel Washington, Robert Downey, Jr. and Leonardo DiCaprio still command $20-million a picture, but rare is the woman or up-and-comer who can come close. The salary tumbles started when the economic collapse hit everyone in 2008 and 2009, and when the home-movie market fell away.

Is this a good thing or bad thing for Hollywood? Who do you think deserves the bigger checks? Who are the names on your A-list?

Guest:
Tatiana Siegel, Film Reporter The Hollywood Reporter


Sound Pioneer Ray Dolby Dies

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; Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

Ray Dolby died Thursday at the age of 80 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease and acute leukemia.  Dolby was a sound pioneer, and took out the hiss in sound recordings. He founded Dolby Laboratories in 1965, and he revolutionized the movie theater sound with films like Stars Wars and  A Clockwork Orange. 

He acquired  a network of $2.4 billion over the years and won two Oscars, several Emmys and a Grammy. While he retired years ago, his company continued to thrive. Last year it had revenues over $900 million. He continued to make inventions including the Dolby Amos, which the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey used. 

In on post to their founder, Dolby Laboratories posted a tribute that included quotes on Dolby's view of success. "I was never a gold-digger, or an Oscar-digger, or anything like that. I just had the instinct about the right sort of things that should be done in my business. " 

Guest:

Kevin Yeaman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dolby

Australia does it: Should Americans be required to vote?

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Early Voting Begins In Iowa For Presidential Election

Residents fill in their ballots during early voting at the a courthouse in Iowa. Should Americans be required to vote?; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Australians chose a new prime minister earlier this month with a voter turnout rate that would shock most Americans. Nearly every Australian voted in that election - but not out of choice. It was because they have to. Voting has been required in Australia since the 1920s and it results in a 90 percent turnout at their elections.

Australia is one of 23 countries around the world that require their citizens to cast ballots. Nearly every election cycle someone makes the argument that Americans should be required to vote to boost our usually-dismal turnout.

Only 15 percent of Los Angeles residents voted in the last mayoral election. The 2012 presidential election only got 57 percent of people out to the polls.

Would requiring citizens to vote help get people more engaged in the election process? What are some of the problems with this? Without mandatory voting, how else could citizens be encouraged to participate? Do you think Americans should be required to vote?

Guests:
Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute

Jason Brennan, professor at Georgetown University and author of The Ethics of Voting

Five years after the Lehman collapse, is the financial system safer?

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Lehman Brothers Put Their Artworks Up For Auction

Two employees of Christie's auction house move the Lehman Brothers corporate logo, the collapsed investment bank on September 24, 2010.; Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The bankruptcy of investment bank Lehman Brothers is typically seen as the beginning of the unraveling of the U.S. financial system that ultimately ushered in a period of economic contraction not felt since the Great Depression. It's not an overstatement to argue that everything changed that day in September and that we, as Americans, are still dealing with the consequences today.

RELATED: Financial crash 5 years later: A timeline of key events in the Great Recession

From macroeconomic issues like chronic unemployment and the popping of the housing bubble, to personal financial decisions like how much we save and how much we spend, the recession has touched all aspects of our lives, whether we realize it or not.

RELATED: Financial crash 5 years later: Where are YOU now? (poll)

Five years after the start of the financial crisis, the question we at AirTalk want to ask is: are we safer going forward? Could something on the scale of the Lehman collapse happen again? Have we laid the foundation--legally, ethically and regulatorily--to preempt another domestic economic catastrophe?

RELATED: Looking back: How did Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy affect you?

Is the era of "too big to fail," too interconnected to fail, reckless lending, easy borrowing, the trading of esoteric derivatives, and irresponsible secularization a thing of the past? Or has it been a crisis wasted? To take on those questions is, in essence, to take on the topic of regulation.

RELATED: Great Recession Redux: Where are they now?

Has Dodd-Frank, the signature financial reform bill that came out of the crisis -- done the work that it is supposed to? Have regulators done enough? Has the financial industry been reined in?

Guests:
Ross Levine, an economist at UC Berkeley and a former economist at The World Bank. He is also a co-author of the book, “Guardians of FInance: Making Regulators Work for Us” (MIT Press, 2012)

Aaron Klein,  the director of the Financial Regulatory Reform Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and former deputy assistant for economic policy at the US Department of the Treasury

With Larry Summers out of contention, who is the frontrunner to lead the world economy?

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Obama Signs Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act

Larry Summers was thought to be the front runner for the job as the new head of the Federal Reserve until he withdrew from the race yesterday.; Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

What a difference a day makes. Just 24 hours ago, the world over was expecting Lawrence Summers—a top economic advisor to President Obama and the Treasury Secretary under President Clinton—to be a shoo-in as the country’s next Federal Reserve chief. Summers was President Obama’s top choice, despite reservations from many lawmakers, economists and academics, who instead favor the Fed’s current Vice Chair Janet Yellen for the post.

All that changed yesterday after a small group of Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee came out to say that they would vote “no” if Summers was nominated. The unexpected defection led to an even bigger surprise: an announcement from Summers saying that he has decided to pull out of the Fed chief race, so as to spare the country from a nomination process that would be “acrimonious and not serve the interests of the Federal Reserve, the Administration, or ultimately, the interests of the nation's ongoing economic recovery."

The stock and bond market responded to the news Monday positively. Summers is commonly seen as a proponent of deregulation and has been held up by opponents as one of the culprits that led the country into the Great Recession. Yellen, his erstwhile top rival for the job, is thought of as someone who would continue the scheduled unwinding of the Fed's stimulus measures.

With Summers’ exit, Yellen seems poised for the top job of running the US economy. Still, other names have been floating about. The Wall Street Journal reports that other possible candidates include Donald Kohn (former Vice Chairman of the Fed), Roger Ferguson, another former Fed Vice Chair, Christina Romer, former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, and former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who immediately said he isn’t interested in the gig after Summers’ pull out.

The current Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, ends his term at the end of January 2014.

The race for the Fed chief seat has been characterized by intrigue and public anger—something that a decade ago wouldn’t have been thought possible. It’s one testament of the recession’s effects on our everyday lives.

What do you think of Summers withdrawal? Is this good for the economy of not? What do you think of having the first woman Fed chief?

Guest:
Heidi Moore, the Guardian's U.S. finance and economics editor

Woodrow Wilson: A more personal look at the internationalist president

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"Wilson" by A. Scott Berg

Woodrow Wilson is known as the president who passed the first progressive agenda and who was determined to make the world “safe for democracy.” A. Scott Berg’s biography “Wilson” provides a look at Wilson’s life through a more personal perspective.

Though many saw him as being stoic and aloof, Berg paints a picture of a much more complex Wilson. Through letters and documents that had not before been accessed, Berg tells the story of the man he calls the most influential figure of the 21st Century whose personal story he calls “the most dramatic to ever unfold in the White House.”

Guest:
A. Scott Berg, Author, “Wilson”

Berg will be signing copies of the book at the Library Foundation of LA, at the Mark Tape Auditorium tonight at 7:15pm. 

The U.S. and Russia reach a deal on Syria, but the goal realistic?

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SWITZERLAND-US-RUSSIA-SYRIA-CONFLICT-DIPLOMACY

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) speaks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) before a press conference in Geneva on September 14, 2013 after they met for talks on Syria's chemical weapons. Washington and Moscow have agreed a deal to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons, Kerry said after talks with Lavrov.; Credit: PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP/Getty Images

Today it was confirmed that sarin gas was used in rocket attacks against civilians on August 21. Over the weekend, Russia and the United States hammered out a plan for the dismantling of Syria’s chemical weapons, which could be tricky to implement.

“If Assad fails in time to abide by the terms of this framework, make no mistake, we are all agreed — and that includes Russia — that there will be consequences,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters. Kerry was flanked by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, in a show of international cooperation.

The goal for the destruction of the weapons is mid 2014, and experts think it’s ambitious to think so much dangerous work could be done so quickly, especially amidst a raging conflict. A UN resolution is now being drafted to turn the plan’s framework into an actionable document.

But skeptics see the process as a win for the Assad regime, which has a history of using stalling tactics. But Kerry says the process of getting rid of these weapons has teeth, confirming Britain and France as allies in the process, stating, “The world must be prepared to hold [Syria] to account if they don’t, and our three countries are certainly determined to do so.”

Guest:
Denis Fitzgerald, Freelance Journalist at the United Nations who blogs at UNTribune.com

L.A. River revamp plans floated, River watchers think it doesn’t go far enough

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Los Angeles River Bridges Declared Historic-Cultural Monuments

The Los Angeles River flows under the 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

The Army Corps of Engineers has chosen a plan to revitalize the Los Angeles River. The $453-million plan is the second cheapest of four options shortlisted in a feasibility study released Friday. The plan, known as Alternative 13, would revitalize an 11-mile stretch of the river between Griffith Park and Downtown by removing concrete from the bottom of the river and widening it to create a freshwater marsh by Glassell Park.

RELATED: Report recommends greening 11 miles of the Los Angeles River for recreation and wildlife (PHOTOS)

The federal government will foot more than a quarter of the price tag, according to the Los Angeles Times. The city of Los Angeles will cover the rest. Environmental and advocacy groups don't think the plan chosen by the Corps goes far enough and are planning to push regulators to adopt and more comprehensive, albeit it more expensive, proposal.

The Corps will make its final recommendation after a 45-day public comment period. The project would need Congress' authorization before it could start, which could take years.

Guests:

Josephine Axt, Chief of Planning, Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District

Omar Brownson, Executive Director, LA River Revitalization Corporation, a nonprofit created by the city of Los Angeles


Supreme Court to hear challenge to affirmative action policy

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The US Supreme Court Building is seen in

The US Supreme Court Building is seen in this March 31, 2012 photo on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. ; Credit: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images

A politically charged Michigan ballot proposition that banned affirmative action will soon get its day at the Supreme Court. The 2006 Proposal 2 asked Michigan voters to prohibit race-based affirmative action in college admissions and hiring practices. The mostly white state supported the ban.

After lengthy legal battles, including a very close U.S. Sixth Circuit Court 8-7 en banc ruling overturned the ban, a hearing is slated for October 15 at the high court.  The question remains the same as most affirmative action lawsuits: does the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause guarantee greater protections for racial minorities?

If the Supreme Court rules against the Michigan ban, how could it affect California? If Justice Elena Kagan recuses herself because of a conflict of interest in arguing similar cases previously, how could it affect the fate of this case?

Guests:
Joshua Thompson, Staff Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF); Thompson co-authored PLF’s amicus brief on Schuette

Joyce Schon, Attorney with Sheff, Washington & Driver, the Detroit based firm arguing this case at the Supreme Court for the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality by Any Means Necessary (BAMN), et al.

Australia does it: Should Americans be required to vote?

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Early Voting Begins In Iowa For Presidential Election

Residents fill in their ballots during early voting at the a courthouse in Iowa. Should Americans be required to vote?; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Australians chose a new prime minister earlier this month with a voter turnout rate that would shock most Americans. Nearly every Australian voted in that election - but not out of choice. It was because they have to. Voting has been required in Australia since the 1920s and it results in a 90 percent turnout at their elections.

Australia is one of 23 countries around the world that require their citizens to cast ballots. Nearly every election cycle someone makes the argument that Americans should be required to vote to boost our usually-dismal turnout.

Only 15 percent of Los Angeles residents voted in the last mayoral election. The 2012 presidential election only got 57 percent of people out to the polls.

Would requiring citizens to vote help get people more engaged in the election process? What are some of the problems with this? Without mandatory voting, how else could citizens be encouraged to participate? Do you think Americans should be required to vote?

Guests:
Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute

Jason Brennan, professor at Georgetown University and author of The Ethics of Voting

BREAKING: Washington navy yard shooting

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US-MILITARY-SHOOTING

Police tactical units leave after responding to a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, September 16, 2013. A shooting rampage at the Washington naval base claimed at least 12 lives including that of an unidentified gunman, city police chief Cathy Lanier told reporters Monday. ; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

At least twelve people have been confirmed dead after a shooting at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday. One alleged shooter is dead, and federal officials are still searching for a possible second suspect. At this time police do not know the motives for the shootings. D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray said he believes it not related to a terrorist attack. The incident began around 8:15 in the morning when shots were reported. 

Guest:

Hal Kempfer, CEO and Founder of KIPP, Knowledge and Intelligence Program Professionals Inc. in Long Beach, California

2013 Emmys preview and predictions

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62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - Arrivals

General view of the atmosphere at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards will be presented this Sunday night on CBS, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. For the second year in a row, commercial broadcast networks have no contenders in the Best Drama field, but the competition is fierce with “Breaking Bad” (AMC), “Downton Abbey”(PBS), “Game of Thrones” (HBO), “Homeland” (Showtime), “Mad Men” (AMC), and “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO), all making the list again – and newcomer “House of Cards” (Netflix).

In the Outstanding Comedy Series category, “Louie” (FX Networks), “Modern Family” (ABC), “Veep” (HBO), “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS), “30 Rock” (NBC) and “Girls” (HBO) are all vying to win. In the lead actress in a drama series, Vera Farmiga, Claire Danes, Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, Michelle Dockery, Robin Wright, Connie Britton are all hoping to take the winged statuette home. As are their comedy counterparts, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Laura Dern, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Lena Dunham and Edie Falco.

As for the leading men, Damian Lewis is favored by many to win for his role in “Homeland,” but Bryan Cranston could win again for “Breaking Bad.” And it’s likely to be another big year for Louis C.K. We’ll ask a couple leading critics for their predictions and open up the phones to get yours. What are your favorite shows from this year’s lineup? What should win and what should, but probably won’t?

Guests:
Tom O'Neil, Editor, Gold Derby.com; has written books on the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys for Variety; and articles for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, and TV Guide, among others

Mary McNamara, Television Critic, Los Angeles Times

Playboy's going back to being your daddy’s favorite magazine: one you read for the articles

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Playboy Exposed - Private View

The "Playboy Exposed" Private View at the Sony Ericsson Proud Camden on October 19, 2005 in London, England. The show features a selection of images charting the history of Hugh Hefner's men's magazine. ; Credit: David Westing/Getty Images

Playboy magazine is turning 60 this year. But let’s be honest, it feels much older than that, doesn’t it? The power-that-be at the magazine knows it, too and to celebrate the special occasion they are embarking on a revamp to return Playboy to its former glory. Think smart, great writing by the likes of Norman Mailer and Tom Wolfe, but minus the big-haired, airbrushed bunnies.

One of the goals of the redesign is to feature women who are more natural and real. "You could tell by looking at it, the carpets had gotten a little bit musty," Playboy's editorial director, Jimmy Jellinek, told the LA Times. "We made a conscious decision two years ago that we needed to make some profound changes to the aesthetic and construction of the magazine."

This new tastefulness pervades all other aspects of the new magazine, from art direction to content. Playboy, like all magazines, has been bleeding advertisers and readers, but unlike others in the industry, it also has to contend with free online porn.

Guest:
Jimmy Jellinek, editorial director of Playboy magazine

South Bay residents want Edison held responsible for frequent blackouts

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California Power Grid Strained By Heat Wave

; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

California State Senator Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) is demanding that Southern California Edison fix the problems that left more than 100,000 South Bay residents without power this past weekend. Residents and city leaders in the South Bay say the power outages have been widespread and ongoing.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Lieu wrote a detailed letter to Edison asking the utility to detail what infrastructure improvements have been made and stating that the blackouts have hurt businesses, as well as caused disruption in people’s homes. The complaints with Edison dates back to 2008, and Lieu has said Edison fails to recognize the scope of the problem.

What can Edison do to prevent power outages? What kind of improvements does Edison need to make to its infrastructures? Is legislation needed? Should utility companies be fined or penalized for rolling blackouts?

Guests:

Ted Lieu, California State Senator, representing Senate District 28, which includes the cities of Carson, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance, as well as portions of Los Angeles and Long Beach

Steve Conroy, Director of Corporate Communications at Southern California Edison

Los Angeles is the state capital of staged car crashes

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Commerce Secretary Bryson Has Two Car Accidents In California Due To Seizures

How can drivers avoid becoming victims of auto insurance fraud? ; Credit: Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images

Yes, it’s true. The County of Los Angeles has a new $6.9 million grant to rid itself of that dubious honor. The money will be used to clamp down on car insurance fraud rings made up of medical professors like doctors who diagnose fake injuries, and lawyers who file fake claims; middle men who find cars to crash; and fake “victims” recruited to participate in these staged crashes. According to county officials, auto insurance fraud adds $200 to $300 more in premiums for Los Angeles drivers each year.

Dave Jones, commission for the California Department of Insurance, says that about $2.3 million of the grant will target organized auto insurance fraud and the rest of the money will go toward fighting auto insurance fraud in general.

How can drivers avoid becoming victims of auto insurance fraud? What kind of staged car crashes are out there?

Guests:
Rick Plein, Deputy Commissioner in the Enforcement Branch of the California Department of Insurance

Robert Passmore, Senior Director for Personal Lines for Property Casualty Insurers Association of America


Political Roundup: Capitol Hill heats up and Biden's Iowa steak fry

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Biden Speaks At White House Community Leaders Briefing On Seniors Issues

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a White House Community Leaders Briefing on July 16, 2012 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Vice President Joe Biden launched two unsuccessful White House bids in 1988 and 2008. He visited to Iowa over the weekend, delivering a keynote address at Sen. Tom Harkin’s annual steak fry – a speech that many political observers say came across much like a presidential stump speech.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve walked the picket line, I don’t know how many times I’ve been with you in your hometowns as factories were being padlocked and jobs were sent overseas,” Biden told Iowans on Sunday.

Biden’s Iowa stopover has generated a lot of talk about a potential run, even though the Vice President himself has stay mum on his presidential ambitions.

What would a Biden campaign in 2016 look like? How does his fundraising chops compared to that of another long-rumored potential candidate, Hillary Clinton? As a voter, whom do you prefer: Clinton, Biden or someone else?

Guests:

Ken Rudin, Political Junkie

Beth Fouhy, Senior Editor of Politics coverage at Yahoo! News

 

 

Battle brewing between Malibu residents and pricey drug rehab centers

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Betty Ford Remembered At Center Bearing Her Name

A sign at the entrance to the Eisenhower Medical Center at the Betty Ford Center, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation clinic in Rancho Mirage, California. These rehabilitation centers are scattered throughout the state, but residents of Malibu in particular are taking issue with the number facilities in their city.; Credit: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

Not all drug rehab programs are created equal. In Malibu, such treatments — offered by rehab centers like Cliffside, Summit, and Milestones — cost up to a $100,000 a month and provide perks like massages, lap pools, daily therapy sessions, and perhaps most importantly, privacy. 

Celebrities the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Matthew Perry are all known clients, and they swear by these treatments. Malibu residents, however, aren’t so enthused; they say the burgeoning rehab industry is causing all kind of problems in the area, including zone violations and unwanted disturbances.

"This is not an issue that is unique to Malibu. This is just a matter of local governments trying to manage compatible land uses," said Christi Hogin, Malibu city attorney. "Local governments exercise their authority to create zones where single family housekeeping units can live together and hospitals and commercial areas can function well and separately without stepping on each other's toes."

In addition, Malibu city councilman Lou LaMonte told the New York Times that, "The rehabs are overwhelming our neighborhoods. We have safety issues, noise issues, traffic issues. We’re going to take our city back.”

The problem isn’t just happening in Malibu. On Friday, lawmakers from the cities of Malibu, Newport Beach, Pasadena, Riverside and many others will meet in Sacramento to discuss the issue at the annual conference of the League of California Cities in Sacramento.

"If you're really concerned about this, deal with the offending facility, but where I get upset is when I'm doing such good work," said Richard Taite, founder and CEO of the Cliffside Malibu treatment facility. "We're so well-respected in the community, I don't want to be mentioned in the same breath as people who aren't following the law."

Taite argues that the majority of treatment facilities and group homes do not create disruption in neighborhoods and that they serve an important purpose to people who need them. He sees the conflict as being purely because homeowners think the facilities will cause the value of their properties to go down. 

"People recognize the need for this, but nobody wants it in their backyard," said Taite. "The reason they don't want it in their backyard is not because people are loud or anybody's causing a problem, but because they perceive it as damaging to their equity."

What do you think? Would you be opposed if a number of these facilities popped up in your community? Do you have any positive or negative experiences living near one of these facilities?

Guests:
Christi Hogin, City Attorney, Malibu - Hogin is in Sacramento for the annual conference of the League of California Cities

Richard Taite, founder and CEO of Cliffside Malibu, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center and coauthor in Malibu. He is also the coauthor of the book, "Ending Addiction for Good" (Wheatmark, 2012)  

Poll: Americans still confused about Obamacare, FactCheck.org tackles the top myths

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Supreme Court Hears Arguments On Constitutionality Of Health Care Law

Tea Party members protest the Obamacare in front of the U.S. Supreme Court March 27, 2012 in Washington, DC. A recent NBC/WSJ poll found that 45% of Americans don't think the Affordable Care Act is a good idea.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Much of the Affordable Care Act, perhaps more commonly known as Obamacare is set to go into effect in January. The insurance exchange market, where people can find and compare prices on individual insurance plans is opening next month.

But the closer we get to the implementation of Obamacare, the more confusion there seems to be about the new law.

A recent poll by NBC and the Wall Street Journal found that almost 70 percent of Americans say they either don’t understand the Affordable Care Act very well, or they understand it “some.” The poll also found that 45 percent of people think Obamacare is a bad idea, compared with just 23 percent who think it’s a good one.

Some of the confusion surrounding the ACA stems from differing interpretations of the law by those who support and oppose it. For instance, opponents of Obamacare argue that it’s a job-killer, it will make it difficult to find full-time work and cause insurance premiums to go up; while supporters of the law say it won’t really have an impact on jobs and will cause premiums to go down.

An editor from FactCheck.org talks to Larry and debunks some of the Obamacare myths.

September NBC-WSJ Poll

Guests:
Louise Radnofsky, Health Policy Reporter, Wall Street Journal

Lori Robertson, Managing Editor, FactCheck.org

Fix food 'sell-by' dates to stop consumer waste

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Food policy scientists from Harvard and the Natural Resources Defense Council found a mish-mash of rules governing use-by, best-buy and sell-by dates on perishable foods. ; Credit: Hand out/Clean Bin Project

 Before you throw out that delicious pepper jack cheese, know that a new report on food safety and waste is calling for confusing "sell-by" dates to be tossed out instead. Food policy scientists from Harvard and the Natural Resources Defense Council found a mish-mash of rules governing use-by, best-buy and sell-by dates on perishable foods.

A whopping 91 percent of consumers said they occasionally discard food past its sell-by date and 25 percent said they always discard such food, according to a 2011 survey by the Food Marketers Institute.

That helps explain why 40 percent of food in the United States goes to waste. Clearer language is suggested, such as "safe if used by" or "peak quality guaranteed before." A number of federal bills have been proposed to address the problem, but none of have passed.

What's holding them back? Common foods tossed too soon include yogurt, fruit juices, cheese, and dried snacks. How do you judge whether your fridge and pantry is stocked with safe foods, rather than your garbage can? What labels would offer more clarity for you?

Click here for USDA Food Safety Tips regarding expiration dates

Guests:

Emily Broad Leib, lead author, director of Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic

Dana Gunders, co-author, food & agriculture staff scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council

David Fikes, Vice President of Consumer Affairs for Food Marketing Institute (FMI)

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck on cop cameras, TRUST Act and more

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Police Chief Charlie Beck in our studio to discuss issues facing the LAPD. What questions do you have for them?

Police Chief Charlie Beck in our studio to discuss issues facing the LAPD. What questions do you have for them? ; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Every month we have Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck in our studio to discuss issues facing the LAPD.

In his opening speech of his reign, the new president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, Steve Soboroff, has vowed to make technology a priority for the force. He wants small video cameras mounted in all patrol cars and on officers’ uniforms to record interactions with the public that could be controversial, a move that Chief Beck has indicated he’s in support of.

RELATED: The most dangerous intersections in Los Angeles

Other topics we address with the Chief will include the LAPD’s push for tougher penalties for people involved in hit-and-runs, the impact the Trust Act could have on policing in Los Angeles, and the bill on the governor’s desk that would allow undocumented immigrants to get a drivers license.

Is there something you’d like to ask head of LAPD? Leave a comment, or give us a call.

Interview Highlights:

Q: What are your views on allowing undocumented resident to have driver's licenses?
A: "It does change the dynamic, and I am not at all opposed to looking at our policies regarding impounds and seeing if we need to change them. As I said the devil's in the details. It depends on who will become eligible for drivers licenses. There's also another issue. I need to see the judges written opinion on special order 7, because police officers always have latitude on what section to cite, what law to use to make an arrest under, as do the DAs and what they charge and the city attorney and what they charge. I want to make sure that the judges decision doesn't limit that because that's one of the basic tenets of police work."

Q: Will cracking down on hit-and-run drivers, revoking licenses, and extending statutes of limitations help fix an ongoing problem with these cases?
A: "We hope it will. The statute of limitations is an issue in some cases. I think the focus on hit and runs is a good thing. A hit and run is a decision people make after they're involved in an accident. What we're trying to do is change that decision making, so the increase in penalties, increase in our prosecutions, any increase in enforcement, all of those things are good at changing decision points. One of the other things that will help change the decision point is AB 60. When people are licensed, they're much less likely to run from a minor accident than someone who is unlicensed."

Q: What are your thoughts on the state bill prohibiting local jails from holding arrestees for longer so ICE can get them for immigration violations?
A: "LAPD does not ignore all detainers, we ignore some detainers for minor crimes, misdemeanors and the like. The vast majority of people that ICE requests a detainer on, we honor, but those that we think are in custody for minor crimes and should be released if they're eligible to post bail we release. What will happen with the TRUST Act remains to be seen, I have not seen the details of it. The last iteration of it did not allow the issuance of detainers for people that were in custody prior to conviction. I didn't agree with that and the Governor knows I don't agree with that. We've had a long discussion about it and I'm hoping that this version will take that into account."

Q: What do you mean detainers of people in custody prior to conviction?
A: "What I mean is an individual is arrested for, say, a sex crime, a serious crime or a robbery...they're still eligible for bail, and if they meet bail they are released from custody. If ICE issues a detainer prior to their arraignment or prior to their conviction, normally we'll hold them for ICE, if they're eligible. I want to make sure that this version of the TRUST Act doesn't inhibit that. I think that they have allowed us to honor detainers after review by the court, the initial review by the court which is something we do on every arrest well within the 48 hours."

Q: So your concern is that these are greater flight risks if you release these people on bail there's more of a chance that they're going to disappear?
A: "Particularly those that are of interest to ICE. Those are the ones that are the most likely to abscond."

Q: TRUST Act would add categories of child abuse, burglaries, to list of reasons for a detainer. What are your thoughts on these additions?
A: "That of course is the whole purpose of our wanting to modify this bill is to make sure that the right people are subject to detainer and those that commit minor crimes are not. The purpose of ICE and their secure communities program is to get the worst of the worse deported. We want to help them do that, but I don't want to break up families by deporting people at the low end of criminal behavior. Not everybody that gets arrested is a chronic criminal and not everybody that gets arrested is a gang member, and I don't have any interest in holding those people any longer than the law requires me to hold them and I don't have any interest in getting them deported.

Q: So ICE is coming after people for fairly minor infractions, looking to deport them?
A: "Less and less. Since we changed our policy, we have had to refuse very few detainers because ICE modified the individuals that are requested detainer on because they know our policy. I think it's a good thing in that we're working in cooperation with them to try to get at the right people. There are only so many seats on the bus for deportation and you want to get the right people on.

Q: What is the department's policy on enforcement at dispensaries?
A: "Medical marijuana is legal in California if you have a doctor's note and if you are complying with the other pieces of the law. I don't know the specifics of this particular incident, but we are beginning to do enforcement based on the city's new ordinance and people will see that."

Q: What are your thoughts on the proposed program to put cameras on police officers?
A: "When Mr. Soboroff got the appointment he asked me what some of the departments priorities were and I told him in-car video and body cameras are a huge priority, but we've been unable to secure funding because of the city's budget crisis.

"We have funding working its way through the city's budget process for another phase of in-car video, to enable us to get most of the city up and running with in-car video, but our body cameras have been very limited. Mostly restricted to things that officers purchase on their own or that we get through small grants or other donations because there is no money for this program. So commissioner Soboroff...went out and talked to significant donors who are going to find the program. I couldn't be more enthusiastic about it."

Q: You've said you're expecting the 11th straight year of declining crime in Los Angeles. What's the current pace?
A: "We're on pace to have a five-percent crime reduction this year overall. That includes property crime and violent crime. So far this year we're down about 10 percent in violent crime and about 3.5 percent in property crime. Homicides are down by about eight percent, so it's a good year and people should remember that that's in top of last year, which is the best year that the city has had in over five decades, relative to the overall numbers of crime. I'm not talking per capita, I'm not figuring in the expansion of the population, I'm talking about raw numbers of crime."

 

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