Last November, Los Angeles Unified School District lawyers fighting a civil lawsuit argued in court that a 14-year-old middle school student was mature enough to consent to having sex with her 28-year-old teacher, and that she bore some responsibility for what happened. Also, San Diego-based matchmaking site SINGLDOUT has joined the ranks of other dating services using DNA to determine compatibility with partners. Then, to become an assassin is to learn a series of calculated, meticulous steps that keep you safe while your target sits comfortably unaware.
KPCC investigation reveals questionable tactics LAUSD used to defend rape lawsuit
Last November, Los Angeles Unified School District lawyers fighting a civil lawsuit argued in court that a 14-year-old middle school student was mature enough to consent to having sex with her 28-year-old teacher, and that she bore some responsibility for what happened. The district's attorneys also introduced the girl's sexual history into the trial as part of their defense strategy.
Two legal experts sharply criticized the school district for using those tactics. They also said the case highlights a little-known conflict in California law: while the age of consent is firmly set at 18 in criminal cases, at least two appellate court rulings have found that in civil cases, it is possible to argue that a minor can consent to sex with an adult.
Listen to KPCC investigative producer Karen Foshay’s story here
Guests:
Karen Foshay, KPCC’s investigative producer who broke the story
Jennifer Drobac, Professor of Law at Indiana University. Her forthcoming book on minors and consent is titled “Worldly But Not Yet Wise: Teen Sexual Exploitation, Adolescent Development, and Consent Law” (University of Chicago Press, 2015)
Marci Hamilton, Chair in Public Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School in Yeshiva University in New York
Stupid is as stupid does: How smart is the American voter?
How smart is the average American voter? Depending on who you ask, you might not like the answer you get.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology economics professor and Affordable Care Act architect Jonathan Gruber has been under fire recently for comments he made on several occasions, alleging that the health law only passed because the American voters lacked an understanding of what was in the bill. Gruber even went as far as to suggest that the only reason the ACA passed was because of the “stupidity of the American voter”
Several video clips of Gruber speaking about the healthcare law have surfaced and gone viral because of his comments. This week, Gruber apologized for his comments, saying he “spoke inappropriately” and “off the cuff.”
How informed do you think the average American voter is? What do you think are some of the unspoken assumptions that politicians make about their constituents?
Guest:
Aaron Blake, political reporter at the Washington Post and senior reporter for the Post’s column, The Fix.
Can a DNA test determine partner compatibility?
San Diego-based matchmaking site SINGLDOUT has joined the ranks of other dating services using DNA to determine compatibility with partners. They’ve taken it a step further by launching a forthcoming mobile app to make finding love even easier. Once signed up, users receive a DNA kit where they provide a saliva sample, mail it back and complete a personality survey.
They've partnered with the Canadian-based service Instant Chemistry. Researchers look at both the serotonin transporter gene, which shows how emotionally sensitive or stable a person is and at physical attraction based on three immune system genes. People are more compatible by how dissimilar their immune system genes are.
Do these tests help for just immediate attraction or can long term compatibility be achieve by looking at DNA? What are the pitfalls of using DNA to find love?
Guests:
Joel Block, Ph. D, Psychologist practicing couple and sex therapy, partnered with InstantChemistry.com, a DNA Matchmaking service, author of over 20 books on love and sex, Fellow of the American Psychological Association
Martie Haselton, Ph.D, Psychology Professor, member of the Institute for Society and Genetics at UCLA
Mayor Garcetti considers street repair plan that would allow some to pay to skip to the front of the line
Tired of tripping on buckling sidewalks or driving over potholes? What about the untended trees, dropping weighty palm fronds and dead branches? Your future might hold a self-imposed tax enabling you and your neighbors to pay for road, sidewalk and street repair.
At a City Council meeting yesterday, Councilman Joe Buscaino proposed a plan which would allow residents to tax themselves to get those fixes done faster. It wouldn’t necessarily be city crews doing the work, but the city would find a contractor and facilitate the process. The so-called “beautification assessment districts” could be the size of a city block and might pay a fee wrapped into their property taxes. The districts would be created by a neighborhood vote. Inspired by City Controller, Ron Galperin’s July report, the Bureau of Street Services was found to have dropped the ball in many ways, like poorly kept records and the non-collection of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Do you think your city block could build consensus to pay for street services so to get them done faster? Or, is your neighborhood more inclined to wait for the city to do its obligated work?
Guests:
Joe Buscaino, Councilman for the 15th District in Los Angeles, which includes San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway and Watts
Richard Close, President of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, the largest homeowners association in the city
Cold, duplicitous, and exact: How to execute the perfect assassination
To become an assassin is to learn a series of calculated, meticulous steps that keep you safe while your target sits comfortably unaware. Robert Baer explores the world of seasoned killers with his new book, "The Perfect Kill: 21 Laws for Assassins," a journey that begins with his arrest for the attempted murder of Saddam Hussein and moves into the history and theory of political assassination.
This is Baer's fourth New York Times bestseller, one of which became the story behind the Oscar-winning film "Syriana." The basis for Baer's books is his own life experience as an assassin with the CIA. "The Perfect Kill" continues the trend as Baer reflects upon his experience fighting Hezbollah and taking out its "revered bang man," Hajj Radwan.
The laws of the assassin reflect the nature of their work: cold, duplicitous, and exact. Among his rules are: placate the edifice until it's time to blow it up, always have a backup for everything, don't get caught in flagrante delicto, and, perhaps most importantly, don't miss. Have you ever imagined living the life of an assassin?
Robert Baer will be talking about his book at an event on Friday presented by Writers Bloc tonight at the Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 in Beverly Hills. It starts at 7:30pm. Find out more here
Guest:
Robert Baer, former CIA operative and author of numerous books, including “See No Evil” (Broadway Books, 2003) and “Sleeping with the Devil” (Three Rivers Press, 2004). His latest book is “The Perfect Kill: 21 Laws for Assassins” (Blue Rider Press, 2014)
Checking in on the publishing industry as local treasure Vroman’s turn 120
120 years is a long time for any business to stay open, but in a day and age where fewer people are consuming literature the old-fashioned way, from cover-to-cover, it’s even more impressive when a local bookstore hits that milestone.
On Friday, Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena will celebrate 120 years in business. Despite a significant rise in the number of people downloading e-books and audiobooks or ordering hardcover books from online retailers like Amazon, Vroman’s has remained not only relevant in the community, but successful as well. They continue to draw in customers by offering a variety of gifts and sundries beyond their book selection, as well as holding community events like craft classes, kids story-time, and trivia nights. Vroman’s also donates a portion of its revenue to local nonprofits. Earlier this year they were even named one of the 10 Best Bookstores in the U.S. by USA Today.
Vroman’s will hold an event on Friday night starting at 6:30, during which local authors who have been supporters of the store for years will share specially-written stories. On Saturday morning at 11, Vroman’s will have an anniversary party and hold its inaugural “Authors Walk of Fame,” during which local author Lisa See will be the first person to put her handprints and signature into the cement walkway between Vroman’s and the Laemmle Playhouse 7 Theater.
Guests:
Allison Hill, CEO of Vroman’s Bookstore, and Book Soup in West Hollywood
Mike Shatzkin, book industry analyst and founder of the publishing consulting firm, The Idea Logical Company