AirTalk discusses Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort's convictions and its implications on the Trump presidency. We also examine the dependency forming properties of cannabis; look into a multilayered system to detect wildfires before they spread; and more.
AirTalk special coverage: Cohen’s plea deal, Manafort’s conviction and the impact on the Trump presidency
It was a very bad day for former close associates of President Trump.
His former attorney Michael Cohen pled guilty to illegal campaign activities, among other charges. Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort was convicted of multiple counts of tax and banking fraud. What implications are there for the president?
Guests:
Jens David Ohlin, vice dean and law professor at Cornell University where he focuses on criminal and international law
John Malcolm, vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government and director of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation
Laurie L. Levenson, professor of law at Loyola Law School and former federal prosecutor
Bradley Smith, expert in election law and campaign finance; professor of law at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio; he served on the Federal Election Commission (2000-2005) and was Chairman of the Commission in 2004
Christopher Cadelago, White House reporter with POLITICO
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
The trials and tribulations of Victoria’s Secret, Cheesecake Factory and OSH
What do the restaurant, hardware and lingerie industries all have in common?
They’re struggling to keep up.
Recent news regarding Lowes’ closing of OSH, along with the continued poor stock performances of Victoria’s Secret and Cheesecake Factory, reveal that some companies just can’t handle shifting market tides.
If homeowners are losing interest in DIY projects, will more hardware and home improvement businesses flounder like OSH? Is the Victoria’s Secret “sexy” image growing outdated? And how are restaurants coping with the recent hikes in minimum wage?
We discuss these issues and more with our business experts.
Guests:
Lindsey Rupp, retail reporter for Bloomberg; she tweets
Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at The NPD Group, a retail analysis firm
Gabriella Santaniello, owner and founder of A Line, a retail consultancy firm based in Los Angeles
Satellites, drones, aircrafts: the next phrase of wildfire detection?
Thousands of firefighters are battling the largest fire in California history.
The Mendocino Complex fire prompted evacuations and is putting a lot of lives and structures in danger. In some areas, firefighters are having trouble accessing the blaze safely due to brush and dense timber. Last October, the Tubbs Fire was the most destructive before the Mendocino Complex fire broke. The wildfires translated into loss of life, property damage and destruction.
Now, an astrophysicist from the University of California, Berkeley, wants to change that. Carl Pennypacker is leading a team of researchers in developing a multilayered system to detect wildfires before they spread. The Fire Urgency Estimator in Geosynchronous Orbit system, known as Fuego, consists of geosynchronous satellites, aerial drones, piloted aircraft and fire towers. It is equipped with high-tech sensors and infrared cameras designed to spot wildfires in less than two minutes instead of the current average time of half-hour.
But the system comes with challenges. The satellite alone would cost up to $300 million to build and place in orbit. Some fire experts are skeptical. Witness reports, they say, have been effective in detecting fires where 95 percent of all wildfires are quickly contained.
We talk to fire experts about Fuego and its potential usability.
Guests:
Carl Pennypacker, astrophysicist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at UC Berkeley, who is leading a team of researchers working to develop a system that would detect a fire before it spreads
Mike Mohler, deputy director of communications for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire)
Jessica Gardetto, spokesperson for the National Interagency Fire Center, a government agency in Boise, Idaho, that serves as a focal point for coordinating the national mobilization of resources for wildland fire and other incidents throughout the United States
Sending your kids off to college: All the feelings
Millions of teenagers across the country head off to college each year. It is one of the biggest milestones in a teen’s life.
But this rite of passage is also an important milestone for parents. From coming to terms with how your baby has grown to returning home to an empty house, dealing with a teen going to college can encompass a lot of mixed feelings. Some parents experience excitement, others feel anxious or stressed. These emotions that come with your realization that your kid is an adult is a reminder of your own adulthood as well.
So how to deal with a kid heading off to college? How can you prepare emotionally for that? As a parent, did you experience feelings that you were surprised to have? Call us at 866-893-5722 and weigh in.