AirTalk parses through the details of the revised travel ban before it goes into effect this evening, including what a “bona fide relationship” means for immigrants and the effects the ban may have on airport travel. We also look back on KPCC favorite Off-Ramp before its last episode airs this weekend; is the Bachelorette’s racial conversation crossing a line?; and more.
What to know about legally entering the US as the revised travel ban moves forward
The revised travel ban against foreign visitors from six mostly Muslim countries will go into effect 5 p.m. Pacific on Thursday.
As reported by the New York Times, the Supreme Court’s decision to partially implement the ban will enable people with “a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.” The words “bona fide relationship” have left some wondering where the line will be drawn to enter the country. One thing we do know is that it includes “close family.” That means parents, parents-in-law, spouses, children, adult sons and daughters, sons and daughters-in-law and whole or half siblings.
Foreigners from the listed countries may also enter if they have accepted a job offer from an American company in the U.S., a hotel reservation and those attending a university. Now, questions remain around what will happen at airports, and what legal help refugees will need to enter the U.S. Guest host Libby Denkmann speaks to legal experts to find out what you need to know about the revised ban.
Guests:
Nicholas Espiritu, LA-based staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center; he is one of the litigators in one of the travel ban cases, International Refugee Assistance Project v. Trump, in the Fourth Circuit; he tweets
James Copland, director of legal policy and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute; he tweets @JamesRCopland
Artificial intelligence – it’s deep (learning)
To what extent can we trust artificial intelligence if we don’t understand its decision-making process?
This may sound like a science fiction scenario, but it’s an ethical dilemma that we’re already grappling with.
In his recent MIT Technology Review cover story, “The Dark Secret at the Heart of AI,” Will Knight explores the ethical problems presented by deep learning.
Some context: one of the most efficient types of artificial intelligence is machine learning – that’s when you program a computer to write its own algorithms. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning which involves training a neural network, a mathematical approximation of the way neurons process information, often by feeding it examples and allowing it to “learn.”
This technique has taken the tech world by storm, and is already being used for language translation, image captioning and translation. The possibilities are extensive, with powerful decision making potential that can be used for self-driving cars, the military and medicine.
However, when an AI writes its own algorithm, it often becomes so complicated that a human can’t decipher it, creating a “black box,” and an ethical dilemma. What are the trade-offs to using this powerful technique? To what extent can humans trust a decision-making process that they can’t understand? How can we regulate it?
Guest host Libby Denkmann in for Larry Mantle
Guest:
Will Knight, senior editor for AI at MIT Technology Review; he wrote the article “The Dark Secret at the Heart of AI;” he tweets
Brown breaks up 138-year-old California Board of Equalization
Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation yesterday to break up the California Board of Equalization, a unique, obscure and powerful state agency that’s been handling our taxes and hearing tax appeals for almost 140 years.
In and out of hot water for several decades - including a current Department of Justice investigation and a damning audit out earlier this year that accused BOE employees of putting $350 million in sales tax in the wrong accounts and other “mismanagement” - the state legislature and the government agree the BOE needs major changes. With Brown’s signature to break up the board - more than 90 percent of the 4,800 BOE employees will transfer to other agencies, including a new one - the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. That is, if the state government can get the new agency up and running by the July 1 deadline.
A second new department, the Office of Tax Appeals will be created by January 1. It will take over the tax court run by the BOE. As for the original agency? It’s not completely dead. The Board of Equalization still has responsibilities that are defined in the State Constitution - those aren’t changeable by new legislation.
Guest:
Dan Walters, long-time CA politics observer with CALmatters, a nonprofit public interest publication
The Bachelorette: Is the show’s racial conversation crossing a line?
After 14 years as a ratings juggernaut, the reality TV franchise "The Bachelor" has finally featured a black person as its star: Texas attorney Rachel Lindsay.
She’s charming, smart and Disney-princess-pretty — fabulously well-suited for the role. But after many years of ignoring race in content and casting, many viewers have cringed this season watching scenes of racial conflict that seem as though they were set up by producers.
At least one of the contestants, a white musician from the South, has been accused of using coded racist language to antagonize black men in the competition. Tweets have now surfaced in which the musician, Lee Garrett, likens Black Lives Matter to a “terrorist group.”
Producers aren't shying away from race. But is this a valuable conversation or a cynical ratings ploy? Are producers crossing a line by encouraging racism on television in order to juice the drama?
Guest host Libby Denkmann in for Larry Mantle
Guest:
Ali Barthwell, freelance writer for Vulture and writer for Cards Against Humanity; she wrote the Vulture article, “The Bachelorette Recap: Why is This Happening?;” she tweets
Your favorite Off-Ramp stories, and Off-Ramp producers’ favorite John Rabe stories
Los Angeles has many cultural institutions and one of them is KPCC’s Off-Ramp.
After close to 11 years, the best radio show on Southern California is coming to a close. Host John Rabe and his crew of producers and interns have been bringing thousands of quirky, hilarious, heartbreaking stories of this place to audiences.
AirTalk guest host Libby Denkmann celebrates Off-Ramp with John and his producers.
The final episode of Off-Ramp is airing this Saturday, July 1, at 1:00pm, and Sunday, July 2, at 6pm.
Guests:
John Rabe, host of Off-Ramp and KPCC’s incoming Production and Promotions Director
Queena Kim, founding Off-Ramp producer; senior editor at the NPR-affiliate KQED in the Bay Area; she tweets
Kevin Ferguson, former Off-Ramp producer; producer for “Bulleyes with Jesse Thorn;” he tweets