California State University and California Community College campuses got one step closer to being tobacco-free after the state Assembly voted 41-24 yesterday to approve a tobacco ban; Faith Salie of NPR's Wait, Wait . . .Don't Tell Me talks about new memoir, "Approval Junkie," and weighing the pros and cons of a bailout for Puerto Rico.
Tobacco ban on Cal State, Cal Community Colleges moves forward in legislature
California State University and California Community College campuses got one step closer to being tobacco-free after the state Assembly voted 41-24 yesterday to approve a tobacco ban.
It would include electronic cigarettes, much to the dismay of young vapers. Sacramento Democrat Kevin McCarty is leading the effort to get the law passed, citing links between secondhand smoke exposure and heart and lung disease. Opponents say the decision whether to ban tobacco should be left up to local community college boards to decide what best fits each campus.
The bill still has to pass the Senate and would have to be signed by Governor Brown before going into law.
Guests:
Naomi Kitajima, Member of the Health Services Association of Community Colleges - an official supporter of AB 1594 (McCarty); Health Services Director, Foothill College (near Palo Alto)
Mark Kleiman, professor of public policy at New York University and a consultant for Altria, a tobacco company; he tweets from
Assessing impact on customers of Charter takeover of Time Warner and forecasting the future of set-top TV cable boxes
Seeing no reason to delay the deal further, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission have both signed off on the deal worth $78 billion that would allow Charter Communications to take over Time Warner Cable.
Four FCC commissioners still have to sign off on the deal.
Assuming they do, Charter Communications would become the nation’s largest cable and internet provider with more than 23 million subscribers in 41 states. Only Comcast has more cable customers than Charter.
Speaking of Comcast, it has announced it will offer its programming to Roku and Samsung smart TV users through its Xfinity TV app. The plan contrasts with the FCC’s proposal that cable providers dispatch with leasing customers proprietary set-top boxes that deliver the company’s content to your TV screen.
New, open set-top boxes would replace the old proprietary ones in the hopes of both driving down customers’ monthly bills and providing a wider selection of content providers.
Guests:
Steve Effros, president of Effros Communications, a cable industry consultancy based in Virginia, and partner and director at Beyond Broadband Technology, a tech company that has developed and patented a downloadable security approach for data; he’s also former president of Cable Telecommunications Association, an industry trade association
Matt Wood, policy director for Free Press, an organization advocating for universal, affordable internet access and diverse media ownership
Larry Downes, Washington Post contributor and author of the article “The future of TV is arriving faster than anyone predicted”; he is an Internet industry analyst and author of several books, including “Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance"
Faith Salie cares a lot about what other people think
Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me panelist Faith Salie's new memoir Approval Junkie is about a feeling we all struggle with, that the like and approval of others is more important than our feelings about ourselves.
But her book is not about accepting yourself for who you are and finding a new motivation from self-love. Detailing her lifelong cycle of insecurities, Salie confirms the humanity of the seemingly flawless: that even people like Beyoncé (who just released a whole album on the topic!) worry about their appearance, their performance and whether people really, truly like them.
From getting good grades in school to having a "perfect" relationship to maintaining an unreasonably flawless body, Salie argues that while maybe she could care a little less what other people think, constantly seeking applause has led her to accomplish more than she would have imagined for herself.
Faith Salie will be in conversation with author Annabelle Gurwitch at Live Talks Los Angeles tonight at 8 PM. Click here for more information.
Guest:
Faith Salie, author of “Approval Junkie: Adventures in Caring Too Much” (Crown Archetype 2016) and television and radio personality who can be seen on CBS News Sunday Morning, Science Goes to the Movies on PBS and heard on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me; she tweets from
Should Congress take action to bail out Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico’s economy is on the brink of collapse. The territory is facing a $422 million bond payment on May 1. The territory owes about $70 billion in total debt.
Lawmakers have been trying to come up with a legislative solution to that would install a control board to help the island restructure its debt. Even though the bill is backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, many Republicans see it as a bailout that doesn’t call for true economic reforms in the island.
Proponents contend that the bill would simply extend Chapter 9 protection to a US territory, something that’s enjoyed by cities on the mainland.
Guests:
Michael Madowitz, an economist at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank in DC
Rachel Greszler, Senior Policy Analyst in economics and entitlements at the research institution The Heritage Foundation
Gannett makes a bid for Tribune Publishing
The largest US newspaper publisher, Gannett Company, has offered to buy Tribune Publishing for $815 million.
That’s an offer Tribune can’t really refuse, as it is worth about 60% more than the face-value of the company.
If this type of consolidation passes the Department of Justice, in the coming weeks or months, Gannett will hold eleven additional daily papers, including the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.
What effect could it have on local news coverage? And exactly where on the timeline do we get to the Death of Printed News?
Guests:
Ken Doctor, founder and owner of Newsonomics, a book and website about the how consumer media is changing in the digital age. He currently serves on the Dean’s Council at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication.
Without a will, what’s going to happen to Prince’s multimillion dollar estate
Who’s going to control Prince’s massive estate and music empire? That’s the question a lot of people are asking now that it’s been revealed that the singer might not have left a will.
His sister, Tyka Nelson, today filed paperwork asking a Minneapolis court to appoint a special administrator to oversee his estate. It’s estimated to be worth as much as $300 million, according to the Los Angeles Times, including about $27 million in property and much more in royalties from more than 30 albums.
But there’s a chance that a will could still turn up. Under Minnesota law, a person can file a will with probate court in secret. If Prince did so, the fact one exists would become public once a death certificate is filed, but the medical examiner has not yet issued one for Prince. An autopsy was conducted Friday and his remains were cremated Saturday.
With AP files
Guest:
Jeffrey P. Scott, partner at St. Paul, Minnesota, law firm Jeffrey P. Scott & Associates, which specializes in estate planning
Skirball presents Social Impact Media Awards, and powerful film 'Almost Holy'
Kicking off tonight, the Skirball Cultural Center is teaming up with the Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA) to present eye-opening films that inspire activism, compassion, and social transformation.
The opening night film "Almost Holy" brings viewers face-to-face with a Ukrainian vigilante priest who kidnaps and rehabilitates drug-addicted street kids.
The Village Voice called it, "The best superhero vigilante movie of the year."
How are “social impact” documentaries different than advocacy documentaries? What types of documentaries impact you to take action or open your eyes to a new way of seeing the world?
For tickets and a list of winning films visit Skirball's SIMA site at this (link).
Guests:
Daniela Kon, Co-Founder, Social Impact Media Awards
Steve Hoover, Director, "Almost Holy" - at the Skirball Center tonight and opens in Los Angeles theaters on May 20