Incidents Of Hate And Feelings Of Grief Locally Amid War In Gaza
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, recently wrote an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times detailing the rise in antisemitism on his campus in the last few weeks. He says, “I am a 70-year-old Jewish man, but never in my life have I seen or felt the antisemitism of the last few weeks.” He goes on to detail specific instances and, in addition, voice his criticism of the Netanyahu government, which he says shouldn’t be confused with anti-Semitism. Anti-Arab and Muslim hate incidents have also increased compared to this same time last year, according to figures from the LAPD, and reports say these crimes are often undercounted. LAUSD parents who are Muslim spoke out this past month about concerns over their kids’ safety. The events are fueling deep fear and feelings of hopelessness across communities. Although words might be hard to express with the grief so many are carrying, we want to try and talk about it. We’re asking Muslim and Jewish listeners, as well as those with ties to Israel and Palestine, to call in. Have you experienced an incident of anti-Semitism or Islamophobia after the war started? Have your feelings of safety or security diminished? How are these feelings impacting you and your life? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Why The Term ‘Cougar’ Is Still Used Conversationally, And What That Tells Us About Persisting Stereotypes About Age Differences In Relationships
In 1972, the American author Susan Sontag wrote “It is thought to be a scandal for a woman to ignore that she is old and therefore too ugly for a young man.” It’s a quote that modern day author and journalist Katie Roiphe says immediately came to mind during a conversation she had with a female friend about another female friend of theirs who was living with a man 15 years her junior. Roiphe recounts the exchange in an essay titled “Our Hangup With Cougars” that she recently wrote for the Wall Street Journal. “I just saw them at a party,” Roiphe recalls her friend saying about their mutual acquaintance. “She looks terrible standing next to him! He is so handsome. I just don’t get it.” The exchange got Roiphe thinking about the idea of the so-called “cougar,” a slang term that has been used to describe an older woman who dates a younger man. “A ‘cougar’ in the popular imagination is sexy, powerful, sleek, but the tiniest bit pathetic or desperate,” writes Roiphe. And yet, she argues, the term is still commonly-heard and much less policed than similar terms that would now be considered outdated or disparaging. She points out there is no equivalent term for a man who dates or marries a much younger woman, and that while we often notice an older woman with a much younger man, the same can’t always be said of an older man dating a much younger woman. In her essay, Roiphe explores the concept of the “cougar” today, why the term is still around in a society that is generally more accepting of relationships in different forms, and what that tells us about how differences in age, power and gender dynamics in relationships are perceived based on the people involved.
Today on AirTalk, Katie Roiphe joins us to talk about her essay. And we’d like to hear from you -- if you’re in a relationship with someone who is significantly younger or older than you, how does that affect others’ perception of your relationship, if at all? Join our live conversation by calling us at 866-893-5722 or by emailing us at atcomments@laist.com.
Insurance Companies Are Threatening Policy Cancellations If Ojai Residents Don't Trim Their Trees
Wildfires are an ever-present risk for California homeowners, especially with growing concerns over climate change. Just in May of this year, State Farm announced that it would no longer offer new policies for homes in California, citing the state’s propensity for fire as the main reason. Some insurers in Ventura County have opted for a different solution: residents must cut their tree branches or lose their insurance provider. Ojai homeowners have been receiving letters from insurance companies requiring tree canopies to be cut so that they are at least 18 feet apart from each other. If homeowners don't comply, they risk losing their home insurance. But locals argue that these tree trimming regulations are unnecessary and do not pose any great fire risk. Some residents have even switched insurance companies over the new demands. So why are these insurers requiring such strict landscaping guidelines? And are these trimmings really that effective in mitigating potential wildfire risk?
Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss these tree trimming notices are Jan Scow, consulting arborist based in Ojai and board member of Ojai Trees, and David Russell, professor of Insurance and Finance at California State University, Northridge. We will also speak with Chief John Morgan from CalFire to discuss the potential fire risks at play.
Come Together For A “New” Beatles’ Song Today, Thanks To Artificial Intelligence
The final Beatles recording is here. Titled “Now and Then,” the almost impossible-to-believe track is four minutes and eight seconds of the first and only original Beatles recording of the 21st century. More than four decades since Lennon’s murder and two since George Harrison’s death, the very last Beatles song has been released as a double A-side single with “Love Me Do,” the band’s 1962 debut single. “Now and Then” comes from the same batch of unreleased demos written by Lennon in the 1970s, which were given to his former bandmates by Yoko Ono. They used the tape to construct the songs “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” released in the mid-1990s. But there were technical limitations to finishing “Now and Then.” That changed in 2022, when the band — now a duo — was able to utilize the same technical restoration methods that separated the Beatles’ voices from background sounds during the making of director Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary series, “The Beatles: Get Back.” And so, they were able to isolate Lennon’s voice from the original cassette and complete “Now and Then” using machine learning. Today on the show, we discuss the significance of the song with Mikael Wood, pop music critic for the LA Times.
With files from the Associated Press
TV-Talk: 4 Shows To Watch Including ‘Bodies’ & ‘Invincible;’ Talking The Latest TV News
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network tv and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we’re going to try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Eric Deggans, television critic for NPR, and Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor for Consequence.
