Today on AirTalk, we invite a panel of education experts and early childhood advocates to discuss Newsom’s plan to introduce a roughly $2 billion investment in child care and early learning programs in his budget. We also discuss the the coolest and weirdest tech at CES 2019; and more.
Cross-border roundup: Trump threatens to declare national emergency before border visit, meanwhile Mexico deals with gas shortages
President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress if he can't reach a deal with Democrats to fund his promised border wall.
He headed to the U.S.-Mexico border to draw further attention to his case after negotiations with lawmakers blew up.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the border, Mexico is dealing with gas shortages. For years, cartels in Mexico have been tapping into gas pipelines and stealing fuel. This week, Mexico’s President Obrador tried to crack down on the fuel trafficking by directing the government to forego pipelines in favor of trucks and heavily guarded trains -- a much slower method of delivery.
We check in on the latest from both sides of the border.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Carrie Kahn, international correspondent for NPR based in Mexico City; she tweets
Kevin Diaz, Washington D.C. correspondent for the Houston Chronicle and Hearst newspapers, who’s been following Trump’s visit to the Texas border; he tweets
The birth rate across the U.S. varies significantly between states. Why?
The birth rate across the United States has been steadily declining, but a new report released today says that fertility rates vary significantly across the country.
According to the report by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, fertility rates are higher in Midwest and Southeast states compared to states in the Northeast and the West Coast. The report breaks down the 2017 data that reveals the lowest birth rate since 1987, sinking well below the replacement level.
We discuss the findings and the possible reason behind the demographic differences
Guests:
Steven Martin, demographer and senior research associate in the Center on Labor, Human Services and Population at the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit think tank focusing on economic and social policy.
Georges C. Benjamin, MD,executive director, American Public Health Association, a public health advocacy organization in DC
Gadgets galore, sundry smart home stuff...and a dirty diaper sensor? The coolest (and weirdest) tech at CES 2019
Every January, the biggest names in consumer technology descend on the Las Vegas Convention Center for the annual Consumer Electronics Show.
It’s an opportunity for more than 4,500 companies large and small, from manufacturers to developers to suppliers, to showcase the newest and most cutting-edge tech that they’re working on, some of which they’ll release in the year to come and some that is still in the conceptual phases. But one thing is certain: there is never a shortage of fascinating, groundbreaking, and sometimes just plain weird tech to talk about at CES.
This year, the theme seems to be focused on gadgets and home electronics -- foldable TVs, stylish smart home control panels, next-gen VR headsets, new exercise and fitness tracking tech and other improvements to many gadgets that have become staples in our daily lives. There’s also futuristic new tech like Hyundai’s “Elevate” concept car, which has traditional wheels that are attached to the car by mechanical legs allowing the vehicle to navigate challenging terrain, a solar cooker, and even a laundry folding machine called “Foldimate.” And what would a consumer electronics convention be without the weird tech you didn’t even know you needed? For that, there’s a smart diaper sensor that will send you an alert when your little one is dirty, a vending machine that will bake you a fresh loaf of bread from scratch and even a
.@Kohler just showcased its amazing new line of bathroom products from Kohler Konnect. Here's a look at how they're revolutionizing today's smart bathrooms. pic.twitter.com/rQSp66h6h9
— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) January 10, 2019
from Kohler complete with a bidet, a heated seat that senses your presence and lifts itself when you get near, ambient lighting, music, and of course Amazon Alexa built in, so you never have to be alone while using the restroom again.
With CES 2019 wrapping up on Friday, we’ll check in with a couple of tech reporters who attended the show and got to mess around with some of the new products and technology being showcased.
Guests:
Lindsey Turrentine, editor in chief of CNET.com; she is attending CES 2019 and she tweets
Jeremy Kaplan, editor-in-chief of Digital Trends, an online publication covering the intersection of technology and lifestyle; he is attending CES 2019 and he tweets
Governor Newsom is proposing nearly $2 billion for early childhood programs
Governor Newsom plans to introduce a roughly $2 billion investment in child care and early learning programs in his budget on Thursday.
The move is being applauded by advocates who want to see California devote more of its resources to taking care of the state’s youngest residents. But questions still surround how the money will be used, and how these programs will be funded.
AirTalk invites a panel of education experts and early childhood advocates to discuss Newsom’s plan.
Read KPCC early childhood reporter Priska Neely’s coverage here.
Guests:
Priska Neely, senior early childhood reporter at KPCC; she tweets
Kim Pattillo Brownson, vice president for policy and strategy at First 5 LA, a child-advocacy organization
David Wolfe, legislative director for Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Bruce Fuller, professor of education and public policy at Berkeley
Neal McCluskey, director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, which is a libertarian leaning think-tank in D.C.
The big takeaways from Governor Newsom’s first budget
Governor Gavin Newsom has released his first budget. Health care, early childhood education, and higher education are areas that have received a boost in funding.
Here to talk about Newsom’s proposal in details are KPCC reporters Priska Neely, Michelle Faust Raghavan, and Adolfo Guzman-Lopez.
Guests:
Michelle Faust Raghavan, KPCC reporter covering health care; she tweets
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC reporter covering higher education; he tweets