What's been the impact of LA's FasTrak lanes? Do the FDA's e-cig regulations go too far or not far enough? Then, the FCC is proposing new rules on net neutrality. What will it mean for consumers? Later, do mentions of liquor in pop songs lead to teen binge drinking? One study says so.
FasTrak pay lanes on 10 and 110 may become permanent; Metro votes today
A comprehensive study by the Federal Highway Administration says FasTrak-lane pilot projects “are accomplishing their goals and objectives.”
Paid access to the HOV (high occupancy vehicles) lanes was introduced on the 110 Freeway in 2012 and the 10 in early 2013 – with tolls based on congestion levels. Disdainfully referred to as “Lexus lanes” by some, the report says 10 Freeway commuters who switched to pay lanes had their average travel times cut by more than 17 minutes in the morning and nearly 14 minutes in the afternoons.
RELATED: FasTrak Express Lanes could continue on 10, 110 freeways
The transponders cost $40 for the first four, then tolls range from 25 cents per mile to $1.40 per mile. Today, the Metro board will vote on a proposal to make the lanes permanent.
What has been your experience on the freeways since FasTrak was introduced? If they become permanent, will more drivers purchase transponders? If more drivers get on the FasTrak, how will it affect travel times, emissions and the goals of Metro?
Guest:
Laura Nelson, who writes about local transportation for the Los Angeles Times
FDA’s proposed e-cig regulations: Too much or not enough?
The e-cigarette industry has hitherto been untouched by federal regulation. That changed Thursday with a set of recommendations the Federal Food and Drug Administration has proposed to rein in the industry.
The proposed rules seek to ban sales of e-cig devices to anyone under 18 and would require that e-cig products be FDA-approved. In addition, e-cig manufacturers would need to disclose the chemicals used in their products and will be banned from giving out free samples. There would also be new health warnings raising awareness about the addictiveness of nicotine.
RELATED: LA's e-cigarette ban takes effect: What you need to know
The proposed e-cig regulations are less stringent than the ones in place for traditional cigarettes. And critics of the new rules charge that they don’t do enough to curtail manufacturers from targeting minors by banning flavoring or television advertising.
The public can comment on the recommendations for the next 75 days.
Guest:
Tom Burton, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who covers medicine and the Federal Food and Drug Administration for the Wall Street Journal.
Should taxpayers help foot the bill for advanced degrees?
The Congressional Budget Office has released projections for the Department of Education’s profits over the coming decade. The U.S. Department of Education is expected to generate $127 in profit on loans to students and their families. About three quarters of that profit is expected to come from graduate students, despite the fact that students pursuing advanced degrees make up a smaller portion of the lending market.
Loans to undergraduates and their families are less profitable than those to graduate students, partially because grants and subsidies make funding easier. But does the government have a responsibility to keep advanced degree programs more affordable?
Should taxpayers help foot the bill for grad students, who make up a much smaller percent of the population and frequently go on to earn more than enough to pay back their loans?
Should the private sector fund graduate education on its own through an independent borrowing program or in-program subsidies? Do students seeking advanced degrees deserve the same amount of government support as undergrads -- is it fair for the government to profit on these loans? And as advanced degrees become more commonplace (or even necessary), how will the government adapt?
Guests:
Justin Draeger, President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
Neal P. McCluskey, Ph.D., Associate Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute
FCC to allow Internet 'fast lanes' for company’s willing to pay
The Federal Communications Commission is set to propose new Internet rules that would allow Internet service providers to charge content companies for faster delivery of their services over the so-called "last mile" connection to people's homes.
The agency also proposes to enhance government oversight of such deals to ensure that they don't harm competition or limit free speech, according to a senior FCC official familiar with the matter. The official wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is scheduled to present the proposed rules to the agency's four other commissioners on Thursday.
So-called "net neutrality" rules have been hotly debated among policymakers, Internet providers and content companies such as Netflix. Without regulation, say consumer advocates, giant conglomerates -citing business or political reasons- could limit consumers from freely accessing certain types of content.
But some policy analysts are unhappy with the FCC's current proposal. The draft rules kick off a policymaking process that involves commissioner votes and a public comment period before a final vote sometime this summer.
How will this affect the long-term innovation of Internet companies, and, ultimately, consumers? Will current content providers have an edge over new ventures? Will this mean consumers pay more for using sites with faster connections?
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Rosyln Layton, Visiting Fellow, Center for Internet, Communications, and Technology Policy at the American Enterprise Institute
Craig Aaron, President and CEO of Free Press
Study: Teen binge drinking linked to liquor brand mentions in pop songs
Listened to music on the radio today? Chances are you’ve heard at least one alcohol brand mentioned.
Brands from Patron to Jack Daniels are regularly name-dropped in songs of all genres. It sure seems, as Lorde says in her smash hit “Royals,” that “every song’s like gold teeth, grey goose, tripping in the bathroom…” But does the popularity of songs about alcohol and drinking influence listeners behavior?
A new study in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has found a link between teenagers listening to music containing alcohol-brand mentions and their alcohol related behavior.
On average, a teenager in America listens to two and a half hours of pop music a day and hears eight mentions of brand alcohol. Researchers collected information from more than 3,400 males and females between the ages of 15 and 23.
The study found that teens who listened to the most alcohol-brand-mentioning music were twice as likely to have engaged in binge drinking.
How much influence does music have over a teenager’s behavior? Can teens avoid being influenced by the alcohol mentions in their favorite music?
Guests:
Dr. Brian A. Primack, MD, PhD; Associate Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Clinical and Translational Science; Director, Program for Research on Media and Health University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Renee Hobbs, Professor and Founding Director of the Harrington School of Communication and Media at the University of Rhode Island; Leading authority on media literacy education