Weather update. Supreme Court lets corporate money flow. Battlestar Galactica spinoff show, Caprica. Evaluating Obama's first year on foreign policy. Then, improving your brain at work.
Latest on Southern California storm conditions
Heavy rains are expected to continue today in Southern California, raising the threat of flash floods and mudslides. In areas affected by last year’s Station Fire, about 1,000 homes have been ordered evacuated. Larry Mantle gets an update on the latest conditions and warnings.
Guest:
Frank Stoltze, KPCC Reporter
Supreme Court decision rolls back campaign spending limits: is McCain-Feingold dead?
The Supreme Court issued a ruling this morning that may have dramatic effects on political advertising. Corporations will now be able to spend unlimited funds on ads during political campaigns. Citing free speech concerns, the 5-4 decision overturns two precedents and invalidates the "electioneering" clause of 2002’s McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law, which prohibited corporate and union ads that mention a candidate by name in the weeks leading up to an election. What will the decision mean for midterm elections this November?
Guests:
John Eastman, Dean of Chapman Law School
Erwin Chemerinsky, Founding Dean, UC Irvine School of Law
Birth of the Cylons: Caprica
“Battlestar Galactica,” as re-envisioned by producer-creators David Eick and Ronald Moore, received a Peabody Award for overall excellence, several Emmy Awards for Visual Effects, and Emmy nominations for Writing and Directing. “Time” magazine named it one of the 100 Best TV Shows of All Time. Last year was its final season. Now the show’s creative team is introducing a spinoff series called “Caprica.” The DVD-pilot, which was released last April, received its own share of praise. The first season of the new show begins tomorrow at 9 pm on the Syfy channel.
Guests:
David Eick, executive producer of Caprica. He was executive producer for Battlestar Galactica
Esai Morales, who plays “Joseph Adama,” the father of William Adama from Battlestar Galactica
Obama's foreign policy grade one year later
One year ago Barack Obama took the oath of office and became the first African-American President of the United States. The President’s defenders say he has rebuilt America’s image in the world and has made strides toward securing Afghanistan and scaling down the war in Iraq. However, many once-ecstatic liberals are disappointed to see Obama recast as a War President. What kind of marks does the 44th President get on his foreign policy initiatives? Has he lived up to his campaign promises?
Guest:
David Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, New York Times and author of “The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power”
This is your brain at work
It's distracted, drained, and deluged by a seemingly constant onslaught of email, meetings and demands. It’s enough to make a brain shut down and—according to author David Rock—it will, especially at 3pm. Why? Our brains aren’t built to focus on complicated things for hours…and hours…on end. But as the economy tightens, employees are taking on even more responsibilities. So how’s a brain to cope? In his new book, "Your Brain at Work", Rock says a little neuroscience know-how can go a long way towards improving our performance. Hot tip: brainiacs take breaks.
Guest:
David Rock, author, "Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long" (Harper). He is the founder of Results Coaching Systems and the NeuroLeadership Institute.