The Supreme Court ruled unanimously today to disallow patenting on human genes. We'll talk about what that means, and we'll take a look at parking in Venice. Will the city decide to put restrictions on overnight street parking? Then, what role do California water boards play in local politics? And we'll discuss the latest on the NSA surveillance scandal. Later, how long should movie trailers be? And we'll find out how parents choose the perfect name for their babies.
Human genes cannot be patented, Supreme Court rules
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that human genes cannot be patented, saying laws of nature and natural phenomena are not patentable. The ruling comes after cancer patients and their doctors challenged a company that had exclusive rights to certain human genes. Myriad Genetics, a Utah-based molecular diagnostic company, had identified and patented two genes--BRCA1 and 2--whose mutations are associated with higher risks of breast and ovarian cancer.
With patents on the genes, Myriad was the only company that was allowed to perform tests on them. Prior to the ruling, the US Patent and Trademark Office had been allowing patents on genes for the last 30 years. Though court ruled that a natural gene can’t be patented, the justices agreed that a synthetic version of the gene may be.
Should companies have had the ability to patent these genes in the past? How will today’s ruling affect the medical and biotechnology industries?
Guests:
Lisa McElroy, Associate Professor of Law, Earle Mack School of Law, Drexel University
Brian Rye, Senior Health-Care analyst Bloomberg Government
Parking in Venice anything but a day at the beach
When the issue of beach access collides with the issue of street parking, expect fireworks. Today, the California Coastal Commission is set to hear a testy debate about overnight parking spots in Venice. Some residents of Venice are asking the CCC to allow for restrictions of overnight parking for streets between the ocean and Lincoln Boulevard. Only permitted parking for residents and guests would be allowed between 2 and 5 a.m.
The Venice Stakeholders Association argue that visitor and tourist parking would not suffer because more lots will open in the wee hours to mitigate for the loss. Those opposed to the plan say it sets a dangerous precedent for who and when the public beaches are accessible.
If you hit the beach for early morning runs or late night walks, where do you park? If you live in Venice or Santa Monica, how do you deal with parking challenges? How have other beach cities dealt with this?
Guest:
Mark Ryavec, long-time resident in Venice and member of the Venice Stakeholders Association; Ryavec joins us from outside the Commission hearing in Long Beach
Sara Wan, former California Coastal Commissioner; currently a land use consultant
The murky depths of California’s obscure water boards
Even though you probably can’t name one of the people who sits on your local school board, fire board, or mosquito abatement board, they play a powerful role in the local politics of your community. In California, where droughts are common, water boards are important players in both local and statewide issues, and their super-sized power occasionally leads to super-sized problems.
The Los Angeles Times reported that State Senator Ron Calderon’s recent troubles could, in part, be linked to his ties to the Central Basin Water District, who Calderon’s brother Tom is reportedly a consultant for. If it’s true, it wouldn’t be the first time a water board has found itself on the wrong side of the law.
What checks and balances do local communities have over these entities? What role do they play in our lives?
Guest:
Ellen Hanak, co-director of research and senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California
Latest on the NSA revelations
National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander went behind closed doors today to give Senators a classified briefing on the scope of the security agency's domestic surveillance program. Yesterday, Alexander told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the program was responsible for thwarting "dozens of terrorist events" in recent years but didn't give specifics on how many, or what other programs helped avert the attacks.
Meanwhile, FBI director Robert Mueller said Thursday that the US is taking all necessary steps to prosecute the man who leaked the information, Edward Snowden. The former NSA contractor fled his home in Hawaii for Hong Kong shortly before the news broke and allegedly carried with him four laptops full of state secrets. Yesterday, he accused the US of hacking hundreds of targets in China and Hong Kong.
What criminal charges might Snowden face? How is the NSA explaining the surveillance program? If the meeting is behind closed doors, how much will we know? Is the US concerned that Snowden will hand over secrets to China?
Guests:
Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor and Publisher, The Nation
Cedric Leighton, founder and president of Cedric Leighton Associates and the former Director for Training of the National Security Agency
Film studios and theater owners fight over length of movie trailers (Poll)
On average, movie trailers are about 2 minutes and 30 seconds long. If the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) has its way, previews will start clocking in at just 2 minutes. Theater owners say they’ve been getting an earful from viewers telling them that trailers are too lengthy and give too much of the plot away.
But Hollywood studios, which rely primarily on trailers to attract viewers, are none too happy about the proposed change.
"My trailers are 2.5 minutes because that's what we need to send the right message. This could be a paradigm shift. Thirty seconds is a long time," an unnamed studio executive told the Hollywood Reporter.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to trailer lengths. Right now, studios follow marketing guidelines suggested by the Motion Picture Association of America, which puts a 2.5-minute restriction on them.
Guest:
Pamela McClintock, senior film writer at the Hollywood Reporter
How do parents choose the perfect baby name?
Have you ever wished that you had a different name? Many soon-to-be-parents take naming their bundle of joy very seriously and go on an exhaustive quest for the perfect baby name. Whether it’s inventing a name or inheriting one, parents juggle between names that are too common or too weird. Which factors influence this decision?
A recent study by University of Chicago political scientists stated that the parents’ political affiliation affects their baby’s name. The study showed that liberals prefer softer sounding names with “L” and “A” sounds, and conservatives prefer harder sounding names with “K” and “T” sounds.
In your experience, does this theory hold water? What are current baby naming trends? Do you have any naming regrets? Can a child’s name affect their lives and future success?
Guests:
Tom Wood, second author of the University of Chicago paper, “Liberellas versus Konservatives: Social Status, Ideology, and Birth Names in the United States"
Pamela Redmond Satran, co-producer of baby name website Nameberry; co-author of numerous baby name books including, “Beyond Ava & Aiden: The Enlightened Guide to Naming Your Baby (St. Martin's Griffin, 2009) and “The Baby Name Bible: The Ultimate Guide By America's Baby-Naming Experts” (St. Martin's Griffin, 2007)