Radio Times

Guests: Richard Ross, Adam Gelb

It’s been one year since Philadelphia Police Commissioner RICHARD ROSS was sworn in to lead the department.  In this hour, Marty will sit down with Commissioner Ross to talk about his first year on the job, some of the problems facing the department, and his plans to improve the quality of life in the city.  Then, Marty will talk with ADAM GELB,  director of the Pew Charitable Trust’s public safety performance project.  Pew has just released a new report detailing the recent decline in crime and incarceration rates in America.

Guests: Ben Steverman, Gary Burtless

How do you plan to pay for retirement?  In this hour, we’re going to talk about the current trends, statistics, and options for maintaining a comfortable lifestyle when you’ve decided to stop working.  Is the 401(k) a bad deal, as one of the program’s early champions recently stated?  How do the current saving options compare to pensions?  We’ll also talk about what the future portends for retirement, between the potential shifts in Social Security policy and banking regulations. We’ll hear from BEN STEVERMAN, who writes about personal finance for Bloomberg, and from GARY BURTLESS, senior fellow of economic studies at the Brookings Institution.

Image: Ken Teegardin

Guests: Paul Pasles, Margot Lee Shetterly, John Allen Paulos

In this week’s edition of Radio Times in Review; we’re going to play three stories about math. First, we’ll learn about the mathematical side of Benjamin Franklin when we hear Marty’s discussion with PAUL PASLES, author of Benjamin Franklin’s Numbers.  This weekend, the new film Hidden Figures hits theaters across the country.  It’s the story of the many African American women who were among the mathematicians behind astronaut John Glenn’s historic 1962 orbit into space.  Marty spoke with MARGOT LEE SHETTERLY, who wrote the book that was the inspiration for the new movie. We’ll also listen to Marty’s conversation with Temple University mathematician, JOHN ALLEN PAULOS.  He joined us last year to tell us about his life in numbers which he wrote about in his memoir A Numerate Life.

Guests: Eugene DePasquale, John Baer and John Micek

We’ll start by talking with Pennsylvania Auditor General EUGENE DePASQUALE about what he’s called “egregious, excessive and inappropriate” payouts to former Philadelphia Parking Authority head Vince Fenerty, who resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment and reportedly received more than $227,000 in benefits. Then, we’ll turn to Pennsylvania’s legislators who returned to Harrisburg this week. The Pa. GOP holds majorities in both chambers larger than they’ve been in decades. In the coming months, they’ll also be confronted with big work: including a $604 million budget deficit, a massive pension problem and bad bond ratings. In this hour we’ll talk about some of the new faces in Harrisburg and the bills they’re expected to consider including reducing property taxes, regulating online gambling, and changing the retirement benefits for future state and public school workers. We’ll be joined by JOHN MICEK, Editor of the editorial and opinion pages for The Patriot-News and PennLive, and JOHN BAER, a Political columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.

Guests: Scott Santens, Josh Barro

Would you like an unconditional check from the government every week?  How would that effect your decisions regarding work and spending?  Some economists, businesspeople and activists have ramped up their call for universal basic income.  The reasoning varies; some point to the decline in jobs as a result of increased automation, while others believe that every citizen has a right to basic living needs.  But, detractors believe that implementing universal basic income would wreak havoc on the economy and lead to lower productivity.  Today on the show, we’ll hear from UBI advocate SCOTT SANTENS, and by JOSH BARRO, senior editor at Business Insider to discuss the pros and cons of universal basic income, and the likelihood of Washington even considering such an idea.

Guests: Carolyn Barlow, Alan Hedge, James Levine

Many of us sit at a desk all day at work and then head home to log a few more hours on the couch, binge watching our favorite show. On average Americans are sedentary 13 hours during the day and another eight or so at night and researchers are discovering just how bad all that down time is for our health. Today we’ll look at the risks of sitting too long and find out why standing for hours isn’t necessarily the cure. Marty talks with CAROLYN BARLOW, led the research team at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, ALAN HEDGE, a professor of ergonomics at Cornell University and and JAMES LEVINE, Director of the Mayo Clinic/Arizona State University Solutions Initiative and inventor of the treadmill desk.

Guests: Steven Dennis, Sarah Binder

The 115th Congress convened for the first time yesterday with a GOP majority in both chambers. Today, we’ll hear about what’s already transpired, who some of the leaders will be, what agenda Republicans plan to push, and how the Democrats will handle being the minority party.  We’ll also examine how the unpredictable soon-to-be President Trump will affect the lawmaking process. We’ll be joined this hour by STEVEN DENNIS who covers congress for Bloomberg, and by SARAH BINDER, professor of political science at George Washington University and senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

Guests: Pam Hasegawa, Peter Conn and Meredith Rose

The process and field of adoption has changed dramatically over the decades. Many adopted children in New Jersey can now find out who their birth parents are and whether there are any red flags in their biological family’s medical history, thanks to a new law that allows adopted adults to receive their original birth certificate and other information. Biological parents were also given the ability to block that access. We’ll be joined by PAM HASEGAWA, who supports the law and is the spokesperson for the New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education. And we’ll talk about how adoptions have changed over the decades, with PETER CONN, author of the book, "Adoption: A Brief Social and Cultural History," and MEREDITH ROSE, the Director of the Philadelphia-based Open Arms Adoption Network.

Guests: Bill Green, Helen Gym

Fifteen years ago, the state took over Philadelphia schools and created the School Reform Commission. Recently, two members of the SRC resigned, and a third member’s term expires soon. The future of the SRC has caused debate. Who should run Philadelphia schools? Some advocates want an elected school board and more local control, others envision school governance controlled by the mayor. And the SRC has its supporters. Are there other solutions to consider? In this hour, SRC commissioner BILL GREEN and Councilwoman-at-large HELEN GYM debate the pros and cons of the SRC, its future, and other models of school governance.

Guests: Aimee Lutkin, Sara Eckel

Does being single define a person?  About half of Americans are unwed, but many single people feel societal pressure to get married and start families.  In this hour of Radio Times, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of riding solo and some of the myths that surround those who, deliberately or not, remain unmarried. We’ll be joined by writer and comedian, AIMEE LUTKIN, and by SARA ECKEL, author of It’s Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You’re Still Single.