You might want to check that do-gooder feeling you get every time your recyclables get picked up, because that's only the beginning. We check in with industry experts on the current state and future of CA's recycling market. We also debate the WHO's decision to classify sex addiction as an official condition; discuss a proposed gondola to the Hollywood sign; and more.
Pie in the sky? Warner Bros. plans to build aerial tram to Hollywood sign
From the proposed Dodger Stadium gondola to an exploration of flying Ubers, the battle is on to dominate Los Angeles' skies (there's also a play for the underground — see: hyperloop, Boring Company).
The latest entrant in the quest to create our future transportation options: Warner Bros.
The idea from the company behind Harry Potter movies and Bugs Bunny: They want to build an aerial tram, dubbed "the Hollywood Skyway," according to a statement from the company. It would go from their Burbank headquarters up to the Hollywood sign.
WB's concept art shows people of all ages riding the tram, looking with wonder at... the back side of the hill, as they head up toward the sign. The ride would be around a mile long and take about five minutes, according to a Warner Bros. spokesperson.
Their pitch: Warner Bros. says they'll pay for the whole thing at no cost to the taxpayer. They presented the plan yesterday to L.A.'s Rec & Parks department and the Bureau of Engineering.
The likely cost would be around $100 million, according to a source. They would pay for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the sky tram, Warner Bros. said.
To read the full story, click here.
We reached out to the Mayor’s office, which provided this statement:
“Mayor Garcetti welcomes the discussion of any new idea that can ease traffic congestion and make our most iconic sights and landmarks more accessible to everyone”
Guests:
Elijah Chiland, reporter with CurbedLA.com
Leron Gubler, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Gerry Hans, vice president of science and conservation with the nonprofit, Friends of Griffith Park
The power of the blue bin: A check-in on the present and future of recycling in California
Californians are well-trained at separating their recyclables for weekly pickup. But how much of what we separate actually gets recycled?
It turns out that some of what you might be tossing in your blue bin and taking to the curb for pickup won’t end up getting turned into a tote bag, t-shirt or takeout container. Things like broken glass, hunks of PVC pipe, junk mail and shredded paper actually end up in landfills when trash gets sorted rather than at recycling centers. And then there’s the issue of the shrinking overseas markets for recyclable materials.
Paper, for example, was once shipped to China for processing, but China has since stopped accepting ‘contaminated’ material and tightened its standards for what kinds of material it classifies as such.
What is the state of recycling in California and what does the future of recycling look like? How are the different markets for recyclable materials expanding and contracting? Is there enough industrial use to continue to make recycling economically and environmentally sound?
Guests:
Mark Oldfield, communications director at the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), the agency that runs California’s recycling program
Coby Skye, principal engineer for the environmental programs division of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, which implements the county’s recycling program; he tweets
John Tierney, science writer and contributing editor to City Journal, the Manhattan Institute’s quarterly publication; he tweets
Mental health experts diagnose and dissect WHO’s designation of compulsive sexual behavior as a mental health disorder
In its June update of its official International Classification of Diseases list (ICD-11), the World Health Organization (WHO) grabbed headlines for its classification of compulsive video gaming as a mental health disorder.
But another compulsion is controversial among addiction experts as to whether it is a true mental disorder was also on that list — compulsive sexual behavior.
Sex addiction, as WHO says, is not necessarily about the number of sexual partners a person has, but rather how much of a role someone’s sexual behavior plays in their daily life and whether that behavior is repetitive to the point that it becomes a hindrance to personal care, relationships, work and other responsibilities.
There are clinicians, however, who disagree with its designation as a mental health disorder and say that it should be a standalone disorder and that labeling it as such opens up the potential of sex addiction shaming.
We’ll speak with mental health experts with differing opinions on whether compulsive sexual behavior should be classified as a mental health disorder and the potential for stigmatization on both sides.
Guests:
Timothy Fong, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry and director of the UCLA Addiction Medicine Clinic
Christopher Ferguson, professor of psychology at Stetson University in Florida; he tweets
The measure to split CA into 3 states qualified for the Nov ballot - but is it legal?
On Monday, an environmental group filed a lawsuit to block Proposition 9 from the November ballot, claiming that it’s too sweeping to be a ballot initiative.
This is the measure also known as the Cal 3 initiative, which would start the process of splitting California into three separate states. The California Supreme Court has ruled that voters can’t approve a measure that “revises” the state constitution, only one that “amends” it. In their suit, the Planning and Conservation League says this measure would be a revision.
What legal qualifications does a measure have to meet to be a valid ballot initiative? How common is it for there to be a legal challenge to a prop before it has been voted on? And does Cal 3 hold legal water?
Guests:
Darien Shanske, professor of law at UC Davis, where his areas of expertise include state and local government law
Michael Salerno, clinical professor emeritus of law at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco
‘We have been here before’: battling for the better soul of America
America’s story is full of triumph and downfall. Whether fighting for women’s rights, or the injustices of slavery, history cements our centuries-long cycles of division and fear — and then overcoming that division and fear.
Today is no exception, says Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Jon Meacham. In his latest book, “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels,” Meacham offers a timely look at our nation’s ability to survive the darkest hours of the past through resilience, hope and healing. Presidents and citizens have come together before. And despite current partisan fury, Meacham reassures us that America can still overcome through its “better angels.”
Host Larry Mantle talks with Meacham about the making and timing of his book. To share your comments or questions call us at 866-893-5722, or comment below.
Guest:
Jon Meacham, author of many books, including his latest,“The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels” (Random House 2018); Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian and contributing editor of TIME magazine; he tweets