Abortion rates are at an all time low since Roe v. Wade - advocates debate why; investigators of South Korea's presidential scandal are requesting a warrant to arrest Samsung heir - we discuss the latest details; after 146 years, Ringling Bros. will cancel "The Greatest Show On Earth" this year; and more.
Abortion rates drop to lowest level since Roe v. Wade, advocates debate the reasons why
According a new report from the Guttmacher institute, the rate of abortions in the US has hit the lowest level recorded.
Abortion-rights advocates claim it's the result of the Affordable Care Act making birth control readily-available, particularly long-acting ones like IUDs. Supporters of abortion restrictions claim newer restrictions on abortion clinics are making a difference. But many factors are likely in play.
Guests:
Rachel Jones, Ph.D., principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a research group supporting legalized abortion; she is the lead author of the study “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2014”
Chuck Donovan, president of the anti-abortion rights Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research-based wing of the Susan B Anthony List
Debating reforms to California's high-priced bail rules
A California Senate committee is considering major reforms to the state's criminal bail system which critics say unfairly punishes people with limited finances, plus costs taxpayers for jail time.
Senator Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), co-author of SB 10, argues detaining people simply due to an inability to afford money bail violates the American principles of equal protection and fundamental fairness. On the other side, Topo Padilla of the California Bail Agents Association concedes bail in California is excessive compared to the rest of the country, but he warns cheap bail conditions will encourage flight risks therefore harming the justice system.
If you have any first-hand experiences with California's bail or jail system, how has that informed your opinions?
Guests:
Bob Hertzberg, California Senator (Democrat - Van Nuys), Co-Author of SB-10 - the California Money Bail Reform Act of 2017
Topo Padilla, Member of the California Bail Agents Association; Padilla has been a bail bondsman for 34 years
The South Korean political scandal claims another big name: Samsung
South Korea has been embroiled by a political scandal involving President park Geun-hye and her confidante, Choi Soon-sil.
Park has been accused of letting Choi, who has no governmental post, meddle in political affairs for her own financial gains. And now, the political scandal has stretched into the highest reaches of corporate Korea, with word that investigators are looking to arrest Jay Y. Lee, head of Samsung – arguably the country’s biggest homegrown corporate giants – for allegedly bribing Park and Choi.
Investigators have started the process to get an arrest warrant for Lee, which has to be granted by a court. A hearing is likely set for Wednesday.
Guest:
Sung Yoon Lee, an expert on the Koreas and professor in Korean Studies at Tufts University
After 146 years, the end to ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’
The big top comes down: Ringling Bros. circus is closing.
After 146 years, the curtain is coming down on "The Greatest Show on Earth." The owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus told The Associated Press that the show will close forever in May.
The iconic American spectacle was felled by a variety of factors, company executives say. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs, along with changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal rights groups all contributed to its demise.
Read the full story here.
Guest:
Les Neuhaus, reporter who’s been covering the story for the LA Times; he tweets
Physical illnesses with no apparent cause? A neurologist explains what they could tell you about your life
In the book, “Is It All in Your Head,” neurologist and first-time book author Suzanne O’Sullivan looks at the possible causes behind some physical illnesses – like unrelenting pain, seizures, periodic paralysis -- medical science has failed to explain the cause of.
They are called psychosomatic diseases and are little-studied. But they cost the health care system a considerable amount of money. O’Sullivan looks at the role stress and past traumas play in the manifestation of these ailments.
BOOK EVENT:
Suzanne O’Sullivan will be discussing her new book on Wednesday, January 18, at Vroman’s in Pasadena. The event starts at 7:00 pm. For more information, click here.
Guest:
Suzanne O’Sullivan, a neurologist and author of the award-winning book, “Is It All in Your Head: True Stories of Imaginary Illness” (Other Press, 2017)