Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority is facing criticism for overlooking people who might have been homeless for a short period of time. We analyze a new report that re-examines LAHSA's 2017 numbers. We also discuss Kavanaugh's continuing investigation; look into the expansion of CBD and THC-infused drinks; and more.
What an FBI probe into sexual assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh would look like and the political implications it could create
The ball is now in Senate Republicans’ court. How will they proceed with the confirmation process for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh?
The Palo Alto college professor accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault says she won’t testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee unless an FBI investigation of her allegations occurs first. Christine Blasey Ford’s refusal leaves how to proceed to GOP leaders and President Trump. Given the President’s statements in support of Kavanaugh, it seems unlikely he’d request the FBI reopen the judge’s background check.
So will Judiciary Committee chair Charles Grassley call for a vote on Kavanaugh, despite the cloud over him?
Guests:
Shannon Pettypiece, White House correspondent for Bloomberg News; she tweets
Ron Hosko, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, a Virginia-based nonprofit that provides legal assistance to law enforcement professionals; former Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigative Division at the FBI (2012-2014)
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies. He is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets
Sean T. Walsh, Republican political analyst and partner at Wilson Walsh Consulting in San Francisco; he is a former adviser to California Governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a former White House staffer for Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush
Hispanic, Latino or Latinx? A look into navigating identity in the US
The gender-neutral term “Latinx” was officially added to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary earlier this month.
By definition, the word is most commonly used for individuals of Latin American descent who are gender-nonconforming or who choose not to be identified by gender. Others have met this word with resistance, arguing that the word is grammatically and orally impractical to the Spanish language.
The preferred term for people from the Latin American diaspora has long been a topic of uncertainty for many who fall into that category. A Pew Research Center report found that most individuals prefered using their family’s country of origin to describe themselves, including words like “Mexican,” “Cuban,” and “Salvadorian,” for example.
The categories Hispanic or Latino, on the other hand, have often been used as broader terms to help individuals situate themselves in American society. The fluidity of identity has also contributed to the introduction of politically charged names, like Chicano/a, to pan-ethnic ones, like Hispanic.
In a community with a myriad of origins, a suitable name can be difficult to agree upon. If you’re of Latin-American descent, what label do you relate to most? Does the word of choice change in different contexts? Call us at 866-893-5722 and weigh in.
Guest:
Louis DeSipio, professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies at UC Irvine
Discussing methodologies: A nonprofit estimates that LA’s homeless numbers are significantly higher than suggested by the homeless count
Every year, volunteers spread out through the streets of Los Angeles in an effort to estimate how many people in the city are experiencing homelessness.
And in turn, those numbers often inform decisions about policy and resources — but what if the numbers aren’t accurate?
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has faced some criticism for overlooking certain populations, for example people who might have been homeless for a short period of time during the year. A new report from Economic Roundtable tries to get at those numbers by analyzing LAHSA’s 2017 numbers using a different statistical approach. LAHSA’s homeless count that year was 52,442. Economic Roundtable’s was 102,955.
What accounts for the stark difference? What are the methodologies behind the two approaches? And what are the challenges in getting an accurate count of the homeless population?
Guests:
Paul Beeman, data scientist for the Economic Roundtable, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit research organization that examined the data collected by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
Tom Waldman, director of communications for the the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
As Coca-Cola considers cannabis-infused wellness drinks, we look at the expansion of CBD and THC-infused beverages
The Coca-Cola Company said Monday it is "closely watching" the expanding use of a cannabis element in drinks, another sign cannabis and cannabis-infused products are getting more acceptance in mainstream culture and a harder look from long-established pillars of American business.
The statement came after reports the beverage giant was in talks with a Canadian cannabis company to create a health drink infused with cannabidiol, a naturally occurring non-psychoactive compound derived from the cannabis plant. Spokespeople for the companies declined to comment on the report but acknowledged their interest in that segment of the cannabis market.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, does not produce the high commonly associated with marijuana. It is believed by many to have anti-inflammation and pain-relieving properties, and numerous CBD-infused products have emerged recently. Aurora spokeswoman Heather MacGregor said her company "has expressed specific interest in the infused-beverage space and we intend to enter that market." A Coke spokesman said the beverage giant has made no such decision.
CBD-infused drinks are not the only novelty making its way in beverage industry. There is the THC-infused beer and new beverage concepts such as an alcoholic offering that’s only available in Japan. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the most common cannabinoid in marijuana. We look at the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in wellness beverages and how this industry is growing with an array of infused drinks.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Jen Skerritt, reporter at Bloomberg News, who wrote about Coca-Cola’s plans to tap into the cannabis industry; she tweets
Gillian Flaccus, reporter for the Associated Press covering the marijuana beat, who wrote about Coca-Cola’s plans to tap into the cannabis industry; she tweets
Amy Ludlum, co-founder of Seven Cities Beverage Company aka California Dreamin’, a San Francisco-based cannabis-infused soda startup
How working in end-of-life care has changed people’s perspective on death and dying
Many of us are uncomfortable with the realities of death and are unsure of how to behave when we encounter it up close for the first time.
But for professionals who work in palliative care, death is a recurring part of life. And for those trained in helping people and families through these difficult situations, the work can be fulfilling and meaningful.
Today on AirTalk, we sit down with hospice workers to discuss how their experiences have changed their views on death and dying.
If you are a hospice worker, how has your profession changed your perspective on death? What commonalities have you observed? And how do you keep yourself from being drained by your work?
Guests:
Karin Clemente, R.N., nurse case manager with Mission Hospice and Home Care in San Mateo
Sunita Puri, MD, physician, assistant professor of clinical medicine and medical director for palliative care at the Keck Medical Center of USC; she previously served as a hospice physician in South Los Angeles; her upcoming autobiographical book “That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour” (Penguin Random House, 2019) dives into some of her experiences providing end-of-life care