California's Pension Crisis And A Preview Of Tonight's State Of The State Address; Large Study Weakens Autism-Mercury Link; 2008 Consumer Electronics Show; Anniversary Of The Surge In Iraq; Caring For Ailing Family Members
California's Pension Crisis And A Preview Of Tonight's State Of The State Address
Larry Mantle talks with Evan Halper, L.A. Times staff writer who covers Sacramento about California's Pension system woes, and a preview of the state of the state.
Large Study Weakens Autism-Mercury Link
Autism cases in California continued to climb in 2007 despite the removal of a mercury-rich vaccine preservative that some people blame for the neurological disorder. While the preservative thimerosal has not been used in childhood vaccines since 2001, autism rates in children have risen steadily from 1995 to 2007. Nevertheless, despite doctors' claims that the latest study adds to existing evidence refuting a link between thimerosal exposure and autism, skeptics maintain that mercury should still be evaluated as a possible risk factor. Larry talks with Steve Moldin, Executive Director of the USC Washington, D.C. Office of Research Advancement, and Sallie Bernard, Executive Director of Safe Minds, a non-profit organization focusing on the role of mercury in neuron-developmental disorders.
2008 Consumer Electronics Show
The International CES in Las Vegas is the world's largest annual tradeshow for consumer technology. It began Monday and continues through Thursday, January 10th. The CES features 2,700 exhibitors in 30 product categories including audio, digital content and imaging, embedded technology, gaming, home networking, in-vehicle technology and wireless. Larry talks with Randy Skoglund, of Americans for Technology Leadership, about some of the gadgets and gizmos he's seen at the show so far.
Anniversary Of The Surge In Iraq
Larry talks with Michael O'Hanlon, Senior Fellow of Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institute, and Christine Wormuth, Senior Fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies about the surge strategy in Iraq. How is it working one-year later?
Caring For Ailing Family Members
Larry Mantle talks with Nell Casey, editor of An Uncertain Inheritance: Writers on Caring for Family and with contributor to the book, Amanda Fortini about the daily struggles that confront those individuals who are caring for an ailing family member.