What’s gonna happen with the Tustin hangar?
The city of Tustin held its first meeting Tuesday night to gather residents' input on what should happen to the city's most prominent icon. In 2023, one of two historic World War II blimp hangars on a former military base in the city limits burned down. Now, the community is deciding what to do with the undeveloped parts of the base, and the still-standing hangar. The massive, historic blimp hangars are among the largest freestanding wooden structures ever built. Their fate had been hotly debated for decades — raze them? preserve them? And if so, what for? The remaining hangar has historic and sentimental value for many residents and families of World War II veterans. But finding the money to refurbish and maintain it for safe reuse would be a major challenge. Today on AirTalk, LAist reporter Yusra Farzan joins the program to talk about what the takeaway from Tuesday night’s meeting was, and what could be next for the still-standing hangar. What are your thoughts? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
AI Series: How has it influenced our experience on social media?
For those who’ve seen the evolution of social media over the years, it’s no secret that artificial intelligence has played a role in shaping what we see on major platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Its usage has ranged from new TikTok trends like “Italian Brainrot” to bot accounts on X that dish up “AI slop” that users have grown accustomed to. The term “slop” has been thrown around to describe much of the low-effort, AI-generated material on social media that is meant to drive engagement. Although some of it can seem harmless, there have been examples of how AI-generated material can lead to issues like misinformation. For this installment of our AI series, we’re getting into how the ways that artificial intelligence is impacting our experiences on social media, and how users’ interest in getting engagement could lead to greater concerns tied to media literacy. Joining us for this conversation are 404 Media journalist Emanuel Maiberg and Luca Luceri, research assistant professor of computer science at USC and lead scientist at its Information Sciences Institute.
Understanding the psychology of conspiracy theories
In our modern marketplace of ideas, conspiracy theories can sometimes feel mainstream. While in the past, seemingly irrational ideas — like the Moon landing being faked — were relegated to fringe media outlets, today we can find similar ideas floating around our social media feeds unabated. And while there’s little doubt technology has played a role in the way conspiracy theories have spread online in recent years, it doesn’t answer as to why certain people, particularly those many might consider otherwise rational, can find themselves spiraling down the rabbit hole of misinformation. Today on AirTalk we’re looking at the psychology behind conspiracy beliefs, where they come from, why they develop, and how to best talk to a loved one about their conspiracism. Joining us to discuss is Michael Shermer, author of the book, “Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational”. We also want to hear from you! How have you navigated conversations about conspiracies with loved ones? Have you found your way out of conspiracy thinking? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets will soon take flight!
We were all there, watching on the edge of our seats when Jackie and Shadow's eggs hatched, giving us two little pips. Now, only three months later, those pips are ready to stretch their wings and take flight. Pip Watch is now Fledge Watch! And it's just as exciting. Young eagles fledge when they’re able to flap their wings and have feathers capable of flight, usually when they’re around 10 to 14 weeks old. Males tend to take their first soar a little sooner. Sandy Steers, executive director of the Friends of Big Bear Valley, told LAist it’s especially exciting since they haven't had two eaglets fledge at the same time before. She’s encouraging fans to be in awe of nature and enjoy the moment so many have been waiting for, especially after the death of Chick 3. Fledge Watch officially started yesterday, so joining us to talk about the fledglings and what to expect for this eaglet rite of passage is Makenna Sievertson, general assignment reporter at LAist.
Kogi founder Roy Choi on rule-breaking and packing recipes with flavor
L.A. culinary icon, Roy Choi, is bringing joy to all the food lovers. The chef and founder of Kogi BBQ has a new cookbook out, The Choi of Cooking: Flavor-Packed, Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life: A Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2025). He joins Austin Cross to talk about fusion flavors and how to pack surprising flavors into recipes. Plus – we get his thoughts on the state of the food scene in SoCal right now.
How to get the most out of couples therapy
Therapy is a time to work on yourself, but what if your self is intertwined with another person? In comes couples therapy. Couples therapy can be helpful to address issues in the relationship or become a better communicator with your partner. But it can also cause competition if partners constantly try to assign blame or win an argument. So how can you make couples therapy work for you and your partner equally? Today on AirTalk, we're joined by licensed marriage and family therapist, Phil Stark, to talk about his new book "How to Win at Couple's Therapy: Strategies and Challenges to Improve Communication, Manage Conflict, and Strengthen Your Relationship." He'll share the benefits of going through therapy with a partner and when to know if couples therapy is right for you. We also want to hear from you! Have you gone through couples therapy? Share your experience with us. What did you find helpful? What were some of the challenges? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
