Today on AirTalk, we break down the latest COVID-19 news. Also on the show, we review a state bill to decriminalize psychedelics; discuss how the city is responding to the use of illegal fireworks; and more.
COVID-19 AMA: National Vaccination Campaign, Variants And Vaccinating Animals
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Professor Kristen Choi of UCLA.
Topics today include:
Biden to announce new efforts on vaccination campaign as Delta variant spreads
Hospitalization rates getting worse for black residents of L.A. County
Which parts of the U.S. could be breeding grounds for variants?
New Israeli data about effectiveness of Pfizer against Delta variant
England to lift mask restrictions
Cases on rise in immigration detention centers in the U.S.
Bay area zoo is vaccinating big cats and some other animals
Guest:
Kristen R. Choi, professor of nursing and public health at UCLA; registered nurse practicing at Gateways Hospital, based in Echo Park
Hot Vax Summer? How Sex And Relationships In America Are Changing With Vaccines Widely Available
A new survey shows that in the era of widespread vaccine availability, American couples are more satisfied in their relationships -- and some are even getting more experimental than they have been.
Led by Indiana University Kinsey Institute researcher Justin Lehmiller in collaboration with the website Lovehoney, which describes itself as “global sexual happiness experts,” the report looked at responses from 2,000 U.S. adults age 18-45, including an oversample of 200 who identified as LGBTQ, and among the major findings of the survey were that more than half (51 percent) of respondents said their sexual interests had changed during the pandemic, and many of those said they’d started trying things they hadn’t before. It also found that 44 percent of people surveyed said they were communicating better with their partner, and among singles surveyed 52 percent say they’re less interested in casual sex and more than a third of them said they weren’t interested in having sex on the first date.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with Professor Lehmiller about the survey, its findings and how the pandemic impacted Americans’ views on relationships and sex.
Guest:
Justin Lehmiller, social psychologist and research fellow at Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute who conducted the “Summer of Love” survey; author of “Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life” (Hachette Go, July 2020); host of the “Sex and Psychology” podcast; he tweets
The Challenges In Enforcing Use Of Illegal Fireworks In SoCal
Every year in the days leading up to Independence Day, we’re flooded with public service announcements warning of the dangers and risks associated with fireworks. In LA County, where most fireworks are illegal, it can be even more dangerous as the area’s risk of fire grows.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the challenges in enforcing and responding to the use of illegal fireworks and the growing risks. We also want to hear from listeners. What was your Fourth of July experience like this year with fireworks? Do you think more needs to be done to crack down? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
We reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department, but the department was not able to accommodate our interview request and says updated data is unavailable at this time.
Guest:
Mike Feuer, Los Angeles city attorney; he tweets
Could California Be The Next State To Legalize Psychedelics?
California on Tuesday moved another step closer to decriminalizing psychedelics — amid a debate over whether their prohibition is an outdated remnant of the War on Drugs — after the author removed a substance (ketamine) from the bill that opponents said can be used as a date-rape drug.
The bill would allow those 21 and older to possess for personal use and “social sharing” psilocybin, the hallucinogenic component of so-called magic mushrooms. It also covers psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, mescaline excluding peyote, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, often called ecstasy).
The bill bars sharing with those under age 21 or possessing the substances on school grounds. It would remove the state’s ban on cultivating or transferring mushroom spores or other material containing psilocybin or psilocybin.
Even if California makes the bill law, the drugs would still be illegal under federal law.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Scott Wiener, author of SB 519; California State Senator representing Senate District 11, which includes all of the city and county of San Francisco, Broadmoor, Colma, Daly City, and part of South San Francisco; he tweets @
John Lovell, legislative director of the California Narcotics Officers Association
New Book Details Full History Of Black Baseball Players’ Fight For Integration
Most of us are familiar with the story of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to play baseball in the Major Leagues, and while Jackie’s story is arguably the biggest chapter in the story of how baseball was integrated, there’s plenty more to the story that happened both before and after Jackie broke into the Majors. Author, sports historian and Santa Barbara City College Director of Athletics Rocco Constantino dives into this rich history in his new book “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” where he explores the contributions of major figures like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Satchel Paige as well as the lesser known ones of players like Vida Blue, Mudcat Grant and Dwight Gooden.
Today on AirTalk, Constantino joins Larry Mantle to explore the history of Black players in baseball, their fight for recognition and integration into the Major Leagues and the issues of race that persisted well beyond Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.
Guest:
Rocco Constantino, author of “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2021); he is a sports historian and the director of athletics at Santa Barbara City College
COVID-19 AMA: National Vaccination Campaign, Variants And Vaccinating Animals
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Professor Kristen Choi of UCLA.
Topics today include:
Biden to announce new efforts on vaccination campaign as Delta variant spreads
Hospitalization rates getting worse for black residents of L.A. County
Which parts of the U.S. could be breeding grounds for variants?
New Israeli data about effectiveness of Pfizer against Delta variant
England to lift mask restrictions
Cases on rise in immigration detention centers in the U.S.
Bay area zoo is vaccinating big cats and some other animals
Guest:
Kristen R. Choi, professor of nursing and public health at UCLA; registered nurse practicing at Gateways Hospital, based in Echo Park
Hot Vax Summer? How Sex And Relationships In America Are Changing With Vaccines Widely Available
A new survey shows that in the era of widespread vaccine availability, American couples are more satisfied in their relationships -- and some are even getting more experimental than they have been.
Led by Indiana University Kinsey Institute researcher Justin Lehmiller in collaboration with the website Lovehoney, which describes itself as “global sexual happiness experts,” the report looked at responses from 2,000 U.S. adults age 18-45, including an oversample of 200 who identified as LGBTQ, and among the major findings of the survey were that more than half (51 percent) of respondents said their sexual interests had changed during the pandemic, and many of those said they’d started trying things they hadn’t before. It also found that 44 percent of people surveyed said they were communicating better with their partner, and among singles surveyed 52 percent say they’re less interested in casual sex and more than a third of them said they weren’t interested in having sex on the first date.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with Professor Lehmiller about the survey, its findings and how the pandemic impacted Americans’ views on relationships and sex.
Guest:
Justin Lehmiller, social psychologist and research fellow at Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute who conducted the “Summer of Love” survey; author of “Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life” (Hachette Go, July 2020); host of the “Sex and Psychology” podcast; he tweets
The Challenges In Enforcing Use Of Illegal Fireworks In SoCal
Every year in the days leading up to Independence Day, we’re flooded with public service announcements warning of the dangers and risks associated with fireworks. In LA County, where most fireworks are illegal, it can be even more dangerous as the area’s risk of fire grows.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the challenges in enforcing and responding to the use of illegal fireworks and the growing risks. We also want to hear from listeners. What was your Fourth of July experience like this year with fireworks? Do you think more needs to be done to crack down? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
We reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department, but the department was not able to accommodate our interview request and says updated data is unavailable at this time.
Guest:
Mike Feuer, Los Angeles city attorney; he tweets
Could California Be The Next State To Legalize Psychedelics?
California on Tuesday moved another step closer to decriminalizing psychedelics — amid a debate over whether their prohibition is an outdated remnant of the War on Drugs — after the author removed a substance (ketamine) from the bill that opponents said can be used as a date-rape drug.
The bill would allow those 21 and older to possess for personal use and “social sharing” psilocybin, the hallucinogenic component of so-called magic mushrooms. It also covers psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, mescaline excluding peyote, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, often called ecstasy).
The bill bars sharing with those under age 21 or possessing the substances on school grounds. It would remove the state’s ban on cultivating or transferring mushroom spores or other material containing psilocybin or psilocybin.
Even if California makes the bill law, the drugs would still be illegal under federal law.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Scott Wiener, author of SB 519; California State Senator representing Senate District 11, which includes all of the city and county of San Francisco, Broadmoor, Colma, Daly City, and part of South San Francisco; he tweets @
John Lovell, legislative director of the California Narcotics Officers Association
New Book Details Full History Of Black Baseball Players’ Fight For Integration
Most of us are familiar with the story of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to play baseball in the Major Leagues, and while Jackie’s story is arguably the biggest chapter in the story of how baseball was integrated, there’s plenty more to the story that happened both before and after Jackie broke into the Majors. Author, sports historian and Santa Barbara City College Director of Athletics Rocco Constantino dives into this rich history in his new book “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” where he explores the contributions of major figures like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Satchel Paige as well as the lesser known ones of players like Vida Blue, Mudcat Grant and Dwight Gooden.
Today on AirTalk, Constantino joins Larry Mantle to explore the history of Black players in baseball, their fight for recognition and integration into the Major Leagues and the issues of race that persisted well beyond Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.
Guest:
Rocco Constantino, author of “Beyond Baseball’s Color Barrier: The Story of African Americans in Major League Baseball, Past, Present, and Future” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2021); he is a sports historian and the director of athletics at Santa Barbara City College