Are We Headed For Recession?; Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee; Teen Suicide On The Rise; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Are We Headed For Recession?
A new economic forecast from UCLA predicts a near recession in the near future. The quarterly Anderson Forecast predicts economic growth of just over one percent in the fourth quarter of this year and first quarter of next year. It predicts that growth will remain "tepid" for the remainder of 2008 and return to three percent in 2009. The traditional definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of decline in gross domestic product. Larry Mantle talks with UCLA economist Ryan Ratcliff about the forecast. He also talks with real estate analyst John Karevoll, and Los Angeles economist Jack Kyser.
Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee
Larry talks with Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Huckabee, who was the Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to January 2007, placed second in the Iowa Straw Poll in August, just behind Mitt Romney.
Teen Suicide On The Rise
A report released this week by the Centers for Disease Control shows a spike in the number of suicides among teens and young adults between 2003 and 2004. The increase was especially drastic among girls ages 10-14. Suicide rates for that group rose over 75 percent during the year. There are also marked changes in the methods used, with more deaths attributed to strangulation and suffocation than ever before. What is behind this increase, what does the study tell us about the mental health of young people today, and how can further suicides be prevented?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome strikes more Americans than multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. It is characterized by long-lasting and profound fatigue, muscle and joint pain, problems with memory and concentration, headache, sore throat. CFS is estimated to cost $9.1 billion in lost productivity to the U.S. economy and yet less than 20% of Americans with the illness have been diagnosed. Once disregarded by doctors as a psychosomatic illness, the Centers for Disease Control now recognizes chronic fatigue syndrome as a legitimate disease. Larry speaks about this complex and debilitating illness with a CFS expert.