The US, along with five other members of the UN have reached an interim agreement with Iran over its nuclear program. We'll talk about just what that deal entails and why there's so much disagreement over whether it goes far enough. Then, do longer commutes lead to political apathy? We'll talk about a new study that suggests it might and find out the latest on the space-travel industry. Later, we'll talk about the pros and cons of some new proposed toy gun regulations and the Hollywood Reporter's investigation of animal treatment on film sets. And finally, we're talking to the author of "From Scratch" about our favorite Food Network shows.
Analysis: preliminary Iranian nuclear deal
The U.S., along with five other members of the United Nations, have reached an interim agreement with Iran over the country's nuclear development program. Certain economic sanctions against Iran will be lifted in exchange for a six-month stoppage in Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
The deal was met with relief and joy in Iran, which has been crippled by economic sanctions enacted since 2006. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been vocal about his opposition to the negotiations from the beginning, has called the deal a "historic mistake."
A few U.S. lawmakers are also critical, saying that the agreement doesn't do enough to ban Iran from enriching uranium altogether. A formal agreement still needs to be worked out, even as some hardliners in the U.S. Senate threaten to impose a new round of sanctions against Iran.
Guests:
Rebecca Sinderbrand, Deputy White House Editor for POLITICO
Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute (AEI); Author of the forthcoming book Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes (Encounter Books, February 18, 2014)
Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine; weekly columnist for The National, leading English-language paper in the Middle East; proprietor of the weblog "Ibishblog.com"
Politically apathetic? Maybe it’s your commute, study suggests
No one knows better than an Angeleno the soul-sucking nature of the daily commute. Battling the freeway maze can leave you exhausted at the end of the day, and according to a recent study, it might also leave you politically apathetic -- especially if you’re poor.
Results from a survey of 590 working adults revealed that those who reported longer commutes also said that they were less involved in politics -- an effect that becomes more magnified the further down the socioeconomic ladder you look.
And it’s not just a matter of having less time to be involved, the study’s authors say. If it were, those who worked longer hours would experience a similar decline in political engagement (they didn’t).
Instead, the study points to the unique mental burden of commuting as a cause for political disengagement, and commuters who are poorer to start have less psychological resources at the end of the day to engage.
Guest:
Patrick Lown, PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University, and one of the authors of “The ‘Daily Grind’: Work, Commuting, and their Impact on Political Participation”
Latest on space-travel industry: Who will fly me to the moon first?
It's all eyes to the sky this evening as the widely-anticipated Falcon 9 rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. If successful, the mission would put a SES communications satellite into orbit, but the implications extend far beyond the expected increase in television and cable services in Asian markets.
The Falcon 9 is the baby of Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, a private company founded by Elon Musk (the same Musk who founded Tesla). Today's mission, the first-ever commercial satellite launch, would position SpaceX as a serious player in a multibillion dollar industry dominated by just a handful of companies and NASA.
With more ambitious, private companies like SpaceX entering the space race, will established space transportation companies like Boeing and Lockheed be able to keep up?
Guest:
Joel Achenbach, National Reporter at the Washington Post
California lawmaker calls for new regulations on toy guns
California State Senator, Kevin de Leon has announced plans to re-introduce a bill to modify replica guns.
It follows the accidental shooting of a 13-year old boy by a law enforcement officer in Santa Rosa last month.
Under the Imitation Firearms Safety Act, pellet, BB and other toy guns would be painted in bright colors to avoid confusion with real firearms weapons. A similar bill was introduced by de Leon in 2011, but failed to make it through the legislature.
Supporters of the proposal say it will help officers to quickly distinguish between real and imitation guns in high pressure situations. Airgun manufacturers argue that coloring imitation guns may impact on their business.
Do you allow your children to play with imitation guns? Would you feel more comfortable letting your little one play with a brightly colored toy gun? For adults who take part in role play games using imitation, would the fun be taken out of your pastime if the gun no longer looked real?
Guest:
Kevin de León, State Senator (D) representing California’s 22nd District which includes the Cities of Los Angeles, Alhambra, Maywood, San Marino, South Pasadena, Vernon and parts of unincorporated Los Angeles County
Kobe Bryant signs two-year contract extension with the Lakers
The Black Mamba has signed a two-year contract extension with the Lakers, which pretty much ensures that he will finish his gilded career with the team. The deal was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
"This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization," Kupchak said Monday in a statement. "We've said all along that our priority and hope was to have Kobe finish his career as a Laker, and this should ensure that that happens."
Terms of the extension were not released, but the Los Angeles Times reports that Kobe Bryant will make between $40 million and $50 million for the two years. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the deal could make Bryant the first player in the history of the NBA to play 20 seasons with a single team.
That’s great for the 35-year-old Bryant, who is still recovering from a torn Achilles injury, but is it a smart business decision for the Lakers?
Guest:
Eric Pincus, who writes the Lakers 24/7 via Lakers Now blog at the Los Angeles Times.
Hollywood Reporter investigation exposes animals harmed on film sets
“No animals were harmed during the making of this film.” Those words from the American Humane Association (AHA) are a relief for audiences to see at the end of movies that feature animals. But an investigation by the Hollywood Reporter found that that assertion displayed at the end of films isn’t always true.
According to THR, there are times when “no animals were harmed” means “no animals were harmed intentionally.” The article includes examples of some of the harm done to animals in films which were awarded the “No Animals Were Harmed” credit by the AHA. One example included a tiger on the set of “Life of Pi” that nearly drowned during filming.
It also cites an example of an AHA representative refusing to investigate a case during which more than 20 animals died during the filming of “The Hobbit.”
What needs to be done to ensure the safety of animals during film production?
Guests:
Gary Baum, Senior Writer, The Hollywood Reporter
Karen Rosa, Senior Advisor, "No Animals Were Harmed" unit, American Humane Association
'From Scratch' goes behind the scenes at the Food Network
Twenty years ago, the Food network was a scrappy TV startup with a newfangled plan to broadcast cooking shows around the clock. In "From Scratch: Inside the Food Network," writer Allen Salkin shows readers how the network has tweaked its recipe over the years to become a billion-dollar media monolith.
From the origins of Emeril Lagasse's "Bam!" catchphrase to the latest Paula Deen scandal, Salkin dives into controversies, rivalries and a host of little known facts that shed new light on the celebrity chef-fueled cable powerhouse.
With all of its larger than life personalities, the Food Network has been home to its fair share of drama. Which stars got along and which clashed?
Do you watch the Food Network? How do you think it has changed TV--and the way you look at food?
Guest:
Allen Salkin, Author, “FROM SCRATCH: Inside the Food Network”; former New York Times reporter
Judge blocks sale of Calif. high-speed rail bonds
By: Juliet Williams
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A Sacramento County Superior Court judge is blocking the sale of bonds to build California's bullet train and has rejected the state's funding plan, jeopardizing the future of the project.
In rulings issued Monday, Judge Michael Kenny rejected a request from the California High-Speed Rail Authority to sell $8 billion of the $10 billion in bonds approved by voters in 2008. He says state officials were wrong to determine it was "necessary and desirable" to start selling the bonds.
In a separate lawsuit, he ordered the rail authority to redo its $68 billion funding plan before continuing construction, a process that could take months or years.
The lawsuit claimed that the project's current plan no longer complies with what voters were promised, and the judge agreed.
Guest:
Ralph Vartabedian, National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times
From the Associated Press