The CA Legislative Session Ended Last Night – Here’s What You Should Know
The state legislative session wrapped up Thursday night. And there’s lots to talk about. There’s a big mental health package, gun control legislation, big wins for “hot labor summer,” decriminalizing psychedelics, and much more. Joining Austin to help break down where things stand are Marisa Lagos, political correspondent for San Francisco Bay Area NPR station KQED, and Alexei Koseff, state politics and government reporter at Calmatters.
Tech CEOs Met With Congress To Discuss The Future Of AI Regulation
Some of the biggest names in tech have been flooding Capitol Hill this week as several Congressional meetings are taking place to outline comprehensive AI regulation and policy. The main event, held Wednesday, was a closed-door meeting between all 100 senators and tech giants including Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter (now rebranded as X), Mark Zuckerburg, co-founder of facebook, Bill Gates, co-founder Microsoft, and Sam Altman, CEO of the ChatGPT company OpenAI. The forum is part of an effort by a bipartisan group of senators, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, to create AI legislation. However, the forum has received criticism from others in the tech and media space for not being open to the public and seemingly prioritizing the opinions of tech companies over researchers, employees and activists. Among the CEOs invited to speak were also civil society members such as AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights President and CEO Maya Wiley. Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Josh Hawley of Missouri also recently introduced a framework for the US AI Act calling for more transparency in training data and registration requirements for AI companies. So, what exactly is Congress hoping to get out of these discussions? And what kind of AI regulation can we expect in the near future?
Joining us on AirTalk to talk about the future of AI policy is Sarah Myers West, managing director of AI Now Institute, an organization that conducts policy research and consultation on artificial intelligence, and Brian Ray, law professor and director of the Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection at Cleveland State University.
Beyond Apples And Honey, What Are Your Rosh Hashanah Food Traditions?
Rosh Hashanah, otherwise known as the Jewish new year, begins tonight at sunset. Families will be gathering to celebrate – and, most importantly, to eat. Menus will vary from table to table, but many folks see this as a chance not only to cook the classics (like brisket and kugel) but to forge new traditions inspired by the global Jewish community. One thing is for sure: sugar fiends the world over will be satisfied, as eating sweet foods signifies the hope for a happy year ahead. Joining us to discuss traditional (and not-so-traditional) Rosh Hashanah foods are Josh Heller, food writer, and Shannon Sarna, editor-at-large for The Nosher, a Jewish food website, and author of the cookbooks The Modern Jewish Baker and Modern Jewish Comfort Food.
FilmWeek: ‘A Haunting In Venice,’ ‘Dumb Money,’ ‘The Inventor,’ ‘Outlaw Johnny Black’ And More
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Amy Nicholson, Andy Klein and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms. We also hear from our critic Peter Rainer to tell us about his favorite films at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
- “A Haunting In Venice” Wide Release
- “Dumb Money” In Select Theaters
- “The Inventor” In Select Theaters
- “Carpet Cowboys” Brain Dead Studios [Fairfax District]
- “The Retirement Plan” In Select Theaters
- “Cassandro” In Select Theaters; Streaming on Prime Video Starting September 22
- “Outlaw Johnny Black” In Select Theaters
- “Love At First Sight” Streaming on Netflix
- “The Mountain” Laemmle Town Center [Encino] & Laemmle Glendale
FilmWeek Feature: Larry Interviews The NASA Astronaut Who Inspired The Film ‘A Million Miles Away’ And The Film’s Writer And Director
Inspired by the real-life story of NASA flight engineer José Hernández, the new film “A Million Miles Away” follows Hernández, a young man from a family of migrant farm workers, to his career as an astronaut traveling to the International Space Station. Hernández’s family migrated from a rural village in Michoacán, Mexico and later settled in the San Joaquin Valley. Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with José Hernández, NASA astronaut and author of the book that inspired the film “Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut”, and Alejandra Márquez Abella, writer and director of “A Million Miles Away”.
