The surging popularity of treatment for sex addiction. The athlete's brain - is excellence in sports indicative of a type of genius? CA Supreme Court rules illegal immigrants qualify for in-state tuition. Is trashing your boss online protected speech or a good way to get fired?
Is sex addiction real?
Due to easy access to internet pornography and recent sex scandals involving celebrities such as Tiger Woods and Jesse James, treatment for sex addiction is booming. More and more people are seeking help for the disorder, and rehab facilities are popping up all over to treat those in need. But can an individual really be addicted to sex? Some professionals say no, after all, it is not even considered a legitimate psychiatric diagnosis. Those who are in the field and those being treated for sex addiction beg to differ.
Guests:
Rob Weiss, a founding director of the Sexual Recovery Institute, a center in West LA, also a psychotherapist and clinical social worker
Marty Klein, licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist, with a private practice in Palo Alto
Inside the athlete’s brain
Was it all about muscles and speed when Michael Jordan managed to dribble his way through the entire Detroit Pistons’ defense as if they weren’t even there? Brain scientists are discovering that world-class athletes also have some serious computing power upstairs. They subconsciously process thousands of visual cues and other information in an almost magical way. So are jocks really geniuses in their own right? And is there a new kind of steroid on the way: drugs and devices that stimulate the brain in ways that improve athletic performance?
Guests:
John Krakauer, professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University
Kielan Yarrow, lecturer in psychology at City University London. He does research with Krakauer into the athletes’ brain.
CA Supreme Court rules illegal immigrants qualify for in-state tuition
The California Supreme Court decided today that undocumented immigrants who complete three years of high school in California and graduate qualify for in-state tuition at California universities. This reversal of the lower court’s ruling allows California to remain one of several states that offer this benefit to undocumented students. The court ruled that the law does not conflict with a federal prohibition on illegal immigrants receiving government financial aid based on residency. The case will likely make its way to the federal Supreme Court for a final ruling. Should illegal immigrants attending California’s high schools be granted the rights of their legal peers?
Guests:
Chris Newman, Legal Director, National Day Laborer Organizing Network
Steven Camarota, Director of Research, Center for Immigration Studies
Trashing your boss online – protected speech or grounds for termination?
The National Labor Relations Board last week intervened to prevent the firing of an employee for insulting her boss online. Dawnmarie Souza was dismissed by American Medical Response of Connecticut after posting on Facebook “several vulgarities” about her supervisor including calling him a “17,” ambulance-service lingo for psychiatric patient. Because Souza’s coworkers chimed in, the complaint counted as a “concerted activity,” which guarantees employees the right to talk about workplace conditions. Does that mean you can say anything about your boss online? Not quite. Personal attacks are not protected, nor can employees spill trade secrets. American Medical Response claims that Souza was fired “based on multiple, serious complaints about her behavior,” not just the Facebook posting. An administrative law judge will hear the case January 25. What impact will this case have on employers’ social media policies? Could it be a free speech boon for employees? What should employees and employers do to protect themselves from water cooler banter 2.0?
Guests:
Jeff K. Winikow, is a Century City attorney whose practice focuses on employees' rights; represents and counsels workers in employment-related disputes
Larry A. Michaels, Partner, Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp; represents employers before state and federal courts and administrative agencies in virtually all labor and employment areas