There is a backlash against advice from the CDC warning sexually active women not to drink alcohol if they aren't using birth control; a study by California's Legislative Analyst bolsters efforts to allow school districts to accept student transfers from outside districts & a look at the phenomenon of people who practice more than one religion.
Debating CDC's strict warning against alcohol for women not on birth control
There is a backlash against advice from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) warning sexually active women women not to drink alcohol if they are not using birth control.
Brown University economics professor Emily Oster, who has studied pregnancy research, calls the CDC report "
Have said my piece about occasional drinking in pregnancy many times (its okay!) so not much to add for @CDC, even more insane than usual.
— ProfEmilyOster (@ProfEmilyOster) February 3, 2016
."
The Atlantic magazine calls the guidelines "bonkers" and the women's news site Jezebel characterizes the report as "an unrealistic warning." The report states an estimated 3.3 million women in the U.S. aged 15-44 are at risk of exposing their developing baby to alcohol, and therefore declares that "sexually active women who stop using birth control should stop drinking alcohol."
The scientific research has not reached consensus.
Oster has analyzed studies showing that there is "no credible evidence than low levels of drinking (a glass of wine or so a day) have any impact on your baby's cognitive development." The United Kingdom's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists asserts that while alcohol abstinence is the safest option, "[the] available evidence on low-level drinking has not yet been found to be harmful to women or their babies after 12 weeks." However, the well-respected Mayo Clinic advises women to "[c]onsider giving up alcohol during your childbearing years if you're sexually active and you're having unprotected sex."
Is the strict advice realistic? Is it supported by research?
Guests:
Emily Oster, author of the book “Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong” (Penguin, 2013) which explores research on pregnancy and alcohol use. She is an associate professor of economics at Brown University
Tom Donaldson, President, National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Founded in 1990, NOFAS is the only international, non-profit organization committed solely to FASD primary prevention, advocacy and support
As CA District of Choice bill awaits reauthorization, is it time to allow more kids to transfer?
A comprehensive study by California's Legislative Analyst (LAO) bolsters efforts to reauthorize a California law that allows school districts to accept student transfers from outside districts.
At present 47 school districts have opted into the "District of Choice" program, set to expire next year.
The LAO found of the 10,000 annual student transfers, a variety of demographic backgrounds are served by moving to schools with higher test scores. Moreover, home districts that lose students often respond by improving their instructional offerings, according to the report. There is a limit to the number of districts allowed to participate.
Should the cap be removed? Would the positive findings be replicated if the program expanded?
Guests:
Bob Huff, California Republican Senate Minority Leader Emeritus - 29th Senate District (San Dimas); Huff has authored two successive iterations authorizing District of Choice legislation
Sean Goldman, Executive Director of Student Support Services at the Simi Valley Unified School District. He is in charge of inter-district transfer for the district
Consumer advocate, self-driving car researcher debate CA DMV’s proposed rules for autonomous vehicles
California is the car capital of the world. It’s also becoming the self-driving car capital of the world.
Companies from Google to Tesla have used the Golden State as their base to produce and test their autonomous vehicles.The technology is still being fine-tuned, but municipalities and states have already begun thinking about road rules for these vehicles. Naturally, California is at the forefront of these efforts.
The CA DMV in December released a set of rules for self-driving cars and this month the agency is held two workshops in Northern and Southern California on the proposal, which would require, among other things, that a person is behind the wheel at all times despite the fact that the car could operate on its own.
Google has already said if these rules are adopted, the company will likely pull out of California, but consumer advocates say that these rules are exactly what we need to protect drivers and pedestrians.
Guests:
John M. Simpson, Privacy Project director at Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica
Brad Templeton, software architect and board member of Electronic Frontier Foundation. He consulted on Google’s team designing a driverless car and is an expert on the technology
Marco Rubio, an Evangelical Catholic? The dynamics of religious hybrids
A recent Politico article addressed Marco Rubio’s journey to Catholicism to Mormonism to an Evangelical megachurch and back again.
Rubio has been described as an Evangelical Catholic, which could be a deal-breaker for some voters. But beyond the political scope of Rubio’s faith, his hybrid of beliefs begs the question: Can you be a Catholic and an Evangelical at the same time?
Practicing a religious hybrid isn’t as uncommon as one may think. As one example, people of interfaith marriages and their children adapt to this concept, but finding ways to do it can be challenging.
So how do people practice more than one religion? Larry Mantle weighs in with some religious experts to discuss the dynamic of religious hybrids.
Guests:
Brett Hoover, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University
Rabbi Adam Greenwald, Director of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program at American Jewish University
Cecil M. Robeck Jr., Director of the David J. Duplessis Center for Christian Spirituality and Professor of Church History and Ecumenics at the School of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary
What we think we know about non-conformists is all wrong, says Wharton professor in new book
The business world worships innovation and non-conformity.
For evidence, look no further than the lionization of such CEOs as Jeff Bezo, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk.
But what exactly is a non-conformist? Traditionally, they are thought of as mavericks and risk-takers. According to the new book, “Originals” by Wharton professor Adam Grant, though, the personality traits that constitute a non-conformist run counter to what common wisdom might suggest.
Adam Grant will be signing copies of his book at UC Santa Barbara tonight from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Reserve tickets and get more information.
Guest:
Adam Grant, author of “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” (Viking, 2016) and a professor of psychology and management at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania