AirTalk
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Filmweek: The Hangover III, Fast & Furious 6, Epic and...
Cast members, (L-R) Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Heather Graham, director Todd Phillips, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong and Zach Galifianakis as they arrive for the European Premiere of 'The Hangover Part 3' in London on May 22, 2013.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images Larry and KPCC critics Andy Klein, Henry Sheehan and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including The Hangover III, Fast Furious 6, Epic and more. TGI-FilmWeek! The Hangover III Fast Furious 6 Epic Guests:Andy Klein, film critic...
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Obama discusses drone use, Guantanamo prison in speech
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about his administration's drone and counterterrorism policies and the military prison at Guantanamo Bay at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. on May 23, 2013.; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images President Obama delivers a major speech on his administration's counterterrorism policies today and sheds light on the decision process for carrying out unmanned drone strikes. This is seen as a clear step toward fulfilling the President’s promise...
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A Path Forward: the shifting landscape of immigration...
The group of senators known as the "Gang Of 8" hold a news conference on immigration legislation in April. It's a critical time for immigration reform in this country. Washington is getting set to make major changes, the likes of which haven't been seen since the 1980's under President Ronald Reagan. The issues affect families every day, alter economies for years and touch every aspect of American life. We are, after all, a nation of immigrants. Who has the power to shape this new...
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Political machinations moving the Immigration reform bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a markup session on the immigration reform legislation in the Hart Senate Office Building on May 20, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The immigration bill passed a major landmark yesterday with a 13-5 approval vote in the bipartisan Senate. The bill will now undergo further debate in the Senate.However, the immigration bill still faces another challenge in the House, where it may be harder to pass, but lawmakers are hoping to...
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It’s a bad time to be a Los Angeles sports coach
Vinny Del Negro of the Los Angeles Clippers watches play during the game at Staples Center. ; Credit: Harry How/Getty Images Clippers coach VinnyDel Negro confirmed on Tuesday that his contract with the team was not extended for next season. The Clippers and Del Negro have had some differences over coaching style this season and the move isn't a huge surprise. Del Negro is the latest in a string of LA coaches and managers who have spent time in the hot seat lately. UCLA basketball's Steve...
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Will the real & reformed Rick Ross please stand up?
Rick Ross, also known as Freeway Rick, is featured by L.A. magazine as a reformed former drug dealer.; Credit: Wikipedia It's aL.A. story seemingly far from Studio City and Hollywood lots. The story of a one-time drug kingpin who emerged from prison still very much an entrepreneur but stripped of criminal intent and, somehow, renewed with optimism. In the new issue of Los Angeles magazine, profile writer Jesse Katz tracks Ross’ complicated navigation of life, possibly with hopes of truly...
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Golf’s governing bodies ban anchored putting
Peter Hanson of Sweden lines up a shot with his belly putter on day 2 of the 4 day 2012 Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City on November 30, 2012.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images Professional golf’s two governing bodies -- the RA and the USGA -- have banned something called “anchored putting,” a technique that’s favored by four recent major golf tournament champions, including Keegan Bradley, who won the 2011 PGA Championship by using a belly putter. The new rule bars against any golfer from...
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Los Angeles’s new mayor, the future of pot shops, and...
Eric Garcetti delivers a speech on May 21, 2013.; Credit: Mae Ryan/KPCC City Councilman Eric Garcetti beat out opponent Wendy Greuel to become the city's newest mayor. He took 54% of the vote compared to Greuel's 46% in preliminary results. Turnout was estimated to be about 19% and some 345,000 votes were cast in all the races. In other races, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich was unseated by former Assemblyman Mike Feuer; Monica Ratliff bested Antonio Sanchez for the 6th District seat on the...
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Jody Williams: Grassroots activism, landmines, and the...
“My Name is Jody Williams: A Vermont Girl’s Winding Path to the Nobel Peace Prize,” is Jody Williams' memoir chronicling the ups and downs of her life. Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jody Williams tells AirTalk about her new memoir that chronicles the ups and downs of her life. She begins by going back to her hometown in Vermont, where she defended her deaf and mentally ill brother against bullies. After attending college and marrying a man that she was not romantically in love with, Williams...
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Apple CEO defends company’s tax payments, rallies for...
Apple CEO Timothy Cook delivers opening remarks while testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Investigations Subcommittee about the company's offshore profit shifting and tax avoidance in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill May 21, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Apple CEO Tim Cook got a grilling this morning in a hearing called by the U.S. Senate to investigate the tech giant’s paying of its taxes on...
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The Cult of Arrested Development (Poll)
Will Arnett and Jason Bateman with "Arrested Development" fans.; Credit: Marion Curtis Fans may have been late getting on board with the TV series Arrested Development but once they fell, they fell hard. The Fox series was canceled in 2006 after three seasons but a hardcore cult of fans kept demand alive.This Sunday, the show is returning on Netflix for fifteen brand new episodes starring the majority of the original cast, including narrator Ron Howard. RELATED:There's an 'Arrested...
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Changing how we think about germs
A medico-technical assistant examining cells under a microscope.; Credit: Carsten Koall/Getty Images Most of us have grown up thinking that germs are disgusting. Antibacterial soaps, sprays and detergents have tried to eliminate germs and microbes from our daily lives. But now scientists are starting to convince people that the 100 trillion bacteria that inhabit the human body are actually beneficial. The success of new treatments called fecal transplants and the new citizen-science...
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Two dozen killed in massive tornado near Oklahoma City
Flipped vehicles are piled up outside the heavily damaged Moore Medical Center after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma.; Credit: Brett Deering/Getty Images At least 24 people were killed after a massive tornado pounded an area outside of Oklahoma City yesterday afternoon, according to officials. The suburb of Moore, with a population of over 50,000, bore much of the damage. Rescue workers have been sifting through the debris and wreckage for...
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Privacy concerns and the rise of the 'Glassholes'
An attendee tries Google Glass during the Google I/O developer conference on May 17, 2013 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images It’s the hottest tech toy since Apple released the iPhone back in 2007. But while many tech observers think Google Glass – the tech giant’s newest wearable computer in the form of a pair of eyeglasses – would revolutionize the consumer tech industry, privacy advocates and lawmakers are worried about its abilities to record people and...
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The daily routines and quirks of inspired artists
Mason Currey's book "Daily Rituals" chronicles the routines of famous artists.; Credit: Daily Rituals book cover Many know all too well the feeling of staring at a blank computer screen, cursor blinking, as your hands fidget with nearby objects. Your mind is racing, unable to focus, yet it is absolutely blank at the same time. You type in some words. Delete. And repeat. Well, rest assured that you are not the only writer who has ever suffered from writers’ block. Writer and former editor...
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Marijuana propositions breakdown
Long Beach Police raided seven medical marijuana dispensaries Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012. Several of the dispensaries operated elaborate marijuana growing facilities.; Credit: Long Beach Police Department Voters will decide the fate of pot shops in Los Angeles in Tuesday’s election when they choose between three propositions that will regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. Propositions D, E and F will either limit the number of dispensaries in the city or allow more to open with tighter...
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Sanchez, Ratliff face off in LAUSD School Board District...
(L) District 6 School Board Candidate, Monica Ratliff, in her classroom at San Pedro Street Elementary. (R) District 6 School Board Candidate Antonio Sanchez.; Credit: Rebecca Hill/KPCC Tomorrow, voters will be asked to choose between two candidates in a runoff for a seat on the Los Angeles Unified School District board representing the east San Fernando Valley. Monica Ratliff’s and Antonio Sanchez’s stances on the issues seem similar on many issues, though Sanchez, a rising star in Los...
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Debate rages on between the White House and its critics...
US President Barack Obama returns to the White House in Washington on May 19, 2013 from Atlanta.; Credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images TheIRS targeting conservative groups, the killing of US Ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi, and the government’s recent seizure of phone records from AP reporters have plagued the White House with scandal in recent weeks.White House Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer made the rounds on this past Sunday’s talk shows to defend the Obama administration and to drive...
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Abercrombie’s chief executive doesn’t want to play nice,...
A man walks past an Abercrombie and Fitch store on February 22, 2013 in San Francisco.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Since his 2006 interview with Salon resurfaced last week and went viral, Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Michael S. Jeffries has faced a slew of backlash and protests towards his blunt comments regarding the company’s marketing strategy. RELATED: LA filmmaker protests Abercrombie Fitch anti-overweight policies by giving their clothes to Skid Row homeless (poll) In the...
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Yahoo throws down $1.1 billion in cash for Tumblr
A screenshot of Tumblr on May 20, 2013; Credit: Screenshot Another year, another blockbuster tech acquisition. Yahoo! has announced that it is buying microblogging site Tumblr. The deal is worth $1.1 billion in cash and gives the aging internet giant an instant infusion of young, dedicated social network users. But there’s a catch: Tumblr isn’t really making any money, so Yahoo! would need to figure out a way to monetize the site. The proven way, so far, for a social networking site to...
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Midwest cleans up after deadly tornadoes with more to...
A family van is exposed after the garage was blown apart May 16, 2013 in Cleburne, Texas.; Credit: Ben Torres/Getty Images A large area of the central US is under a tornado alert Monday after deadly twisters killed two and injured 21 in Oklahoma yesterday. Oklahoma GovernorMary Fallin declared a state of emergency after tornadoes tore through 16 counties. Residents across the Midwest are bracing for more storms as residents whose homes were destroyed start the devastating task of combing...
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Alhambra Police Department implements 'predictive...
Would predictive policing reduce crime? Could it lead to racial profiling and infringe on 4th Amendment rights?; Credit: Bruce Chambers/Orange County Register It's straight out of the mind of sci-fi writer Phillip K. Dick, but “predictive policing” is not just a nifty plot device. Since late 2011, the Los Angeles Police Department has been using the tool in a number of geographic areas. The software, also called PredPol, is developed by a team of academics and uses police data to predict and...
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Rock the Vote puts its imprint on the the Los Angeles...
This combo shows a Feb. 20, 2013 file photo of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti speaking to media in Los Angeles, left, and undated image provided by the Wendy Greuel Campaign of mayoral candidate Greuel meeting with voters.; Credit: AP Voter turnout for tomorrow’s runoff mayoral election between City Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilman Eric Garcetti is expected to be in keeping with historical trends, meaning the number would more likely than not be pretty low. Only 21% of...
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Is the best foreign policy for America today a strong...
"Foreign Policy Begins At Home," by Richard Haass. At a time when world crises have been dominating the agenda -- Syria's civil war, North Korea's nuclear threats, turbulence after the so-called Arab Spring --, a top foreign policy thinker is calling on Americans to focus on our domestic agenda. Richard Haass, head of the influential Council on Foreign Relations, has written a new book arguing that, for now, "Foreign Policy Begins at Home." Guest: Richard Haass, Author, “Foreign Policy...
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The ethics of cloning human embryos
An embryologist holds a dish with human embryos at the La Jolla IVF Clinic in La Jolla, California.; Credit: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images For the first time, researchers have successfully cloned human embryonic stem cells that could be used to treat diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s to diabetes. More importantly perhaps, the breakthrough shows that it may be scientifically possible for humans to clone themselves. The method used is called somatic cell nuclear transfer—the same...
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Can the new Star Trek film replace the classics?
Zachary Quinto attends the screening of "Star Trek Into Darkness" at MPAA on May 15, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Kris Connor/Getty Images Star Trek fans don’t have to wait any longer for the newest installment of the sci-fi series. Star Trek: Into Darkness opened nationwide on Thursday and it’s getting mostly positive reviews from critics and fans. The $190 million budget and cutting edge special effects are a far cry from the original low-tech Star Trek series but fans have not...
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Filmweek: Star Trek Into Darkness, The English Teacher,...
Zachary Quinto attends the screening of "Star Trek Into Darkness" at MPAA on May 15, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Kris Connor/Getty Images Larry and KPCC critics Claudia Puig and Peter Rainer review this week’s releases, including Star Trek Into Darkness, The English Teacher, What Maisie Knew and more. TGI-FilmWeek! Star Trek Into Darkness The English Teacher ? What Maisie Knew Guests:Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and the Christian...
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Network upfronts: A review of how you’ll spend your...
What will you be watching this fall? We review the network upfronts. ; Credit: Detlef Reichardt/Flickr Creative Commons Over the past four days, advertisers were treated to flashy presentations from network TV execs on their fall season lineups. It’s the annual ritual known as the upfronts. But the subtext this year, like the last few years, is all about the health of network television. The industry desperately needs a hit or two to stem the exodus of viewers that have flocked to cable or...
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Amazon enters the world of online streaming video with...
Amazon Studios creates pilots like "Zombieland"; Credit: Amazon Studios The web has come a long way since cat videos and reruns of old TV shows. The success of Netflix's "House of Cards" has inspired a lot of other video streaming sites to get into lucrative game of producing original content. Hulu and Yahoo both have a dedicated production arm of their own. The latest entry is a name that doesn't typically get associated with original sitcoms or dramas. Amazon has recently released 14 new...
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Will faux-tanning products help young women see the...
A girl in a tanning bed.; Credit: Evil Erin/Flickr (cc by-nc-nd) Sunless tanning products, such as airbrush tans, lotions and towelettes, have grown more popular as Americans learn more about skin cancer. Still, a survey by Baylor University shows the majority of college-age women use such products to complement UV (ultraviolet) tanning -- whether by the pool or in a tanning bed. The Baylor researcher, Jay Yoo, says product manufacturers need to figure out how to convince fashion-conscious...
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The White House’s growing headache
U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement on the situation regarding the Internal Revenue Service May 15, 2013 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Pool/Getty Images President Obama has his hands full lately with all of the scandals plaguing the White House. Between Benghazi, the IRS and the Associated Press, the administration is facing a public relations nightmare. President Obama started fighting back on Wednesday by announcing the resignation of the acting...
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In vitro ground beef: Growing the perfect burger
Would you eat meat made in a lab? ; Credit: Flickr via bittermelon A lab-made hamburger maymake its culinary debut in London sometime this month, giving the world a first taste of what could be the future of meat. The burger, genetically engineered by University Maastricht scientist Dr. Mark Post, is made from thousands of tiny pieces of meat grownin-vitroand held together by salt. Post uses tendons from fetal calves to grow the meat and, in a lengthy, expensive process, puts them together...
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A case for why the criminal justice system doesn't work
Leading defense attorneys Mark Geragos and Pat Harris co-author, "Mistrial An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't"; Credit: Mistrial book cover Defense attorney Mark Geragos has tried approximately 300 cases, including representing celebrities Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Winona Ryder, and Mike Tyson. In his new book with Pat Harris, "Mistrial An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't," the two lawyers make a...
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License plate scanners and predictive policing: A...
Police Chief Charlie Beck joins Larry to talk about BAC limits, Dorner, plate scanning, and racial profiling. ; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images Today we’re having our monthly check in with the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Charlie Beck, on a host of topics, including the reward decision for fugitive Christopher Dorner, the department’s lawsuit with ACLU over the use of data collected by license plate scanners attached to LAPD cruisers, accusations from USC students that...
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Chicago’s mayor proposes steeper fines for cycling...
A man eats a banana while biking in New York.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC To contend with an upswing of two-wheeled commuters in Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants bigger fines imposed on reckless drivers and cyclists. The city's current fine for bicyclists who disobey traffic laws, such as running red lights, is $25. He wants it raised to a $200-maximum. As for drivers and passengers who open their doors in the way of a cyclist, the fine could double to $1,000. "Dooring" can cause serious...
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Checking in on the race for LA mayor
The two leading rivals for the LA mayor's race, City Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilman Eric Garcetti, take part in a candidate forum at Leo Baeck Temple in the Sepulveda Pass.; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC With the runoff election for Los Angeles Mayor between Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel taking place in less than a week, Larry talks with KPCC’s political team for a check in. Guests:Alice Walton, KPCC Politics Reporter Frank Stolz, KPCC Politics Reporter
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Poll: Should states follow NTSB advice and lower DUI...
Florida Highway Patrol trooper Raymond Addison conducts a field sobriety test at a DUI traffic checkpoint June 4, 2007 in Miami, Florida. How many drinks would put your blood alcohol level at .05?; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images The National Transportation Safety Board wants to lower the amount of alcohol it takes for a person to be considered a drunk driver.The NTSB voted to recommend that the legal blood alcohol level be reduced to 0.05 from the current level of 0.08. They say that at .05...
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LACMA director Michael Govan talks museum redesign
LACMA's Urban Light exhibit, as featured by the Instagram Challenge winner stevenjay; Credit: Steven Gaskin LACMA director Michael Govan joins AirTalk to talk about his redesign ideas. How it will affect the future of the Los Angeles art scene? Guest:Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Director
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Justice Department’s secret seizure of AP reporters’ and...
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been criticized for federal investigations into the A.P. that included seizures of phone records. ; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images Federal investigators secretly seized the phone records from editors and reporters for the Associated Press. Two months of office, home, and cell phone records were taken without notice – the A.P. is calling the seizure “serious interference with A.P.’s constitutional rights to gather and report the news.” Justice...
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How are travellers impacted by dwindling airport...
A passenger walks through the Ontario Airport.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images If you've had a hard time booking flights at Burbank or Ontario airport lately, we now have hard data to attest to that. A new study from MIT researchers shows that while flights have decreased on the whole since the Great Recession, mid-size airports have been hardest hit. From 2007 to 2012 departing flights at Burbank dropped by 25% and Ontario had a bigger drop of 49%, while LAX experienced just a 7%...
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California Condors versus Wind Farms
A man rids his bike against the win as giant wind turbines are powered by strong winds at sunset on March 27, 2013 in Palm Springs, California. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images In one corner, we have the California condor, one of the most endangered birds in the world that the Golden State has spent tens of millions of dollars to save from extinction. In the other corner, we have wind farms—a valuable alternative energy source in the state. The Bureau of Land Management is...
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How will Governor Brown spend the state’s budget surplus?
California Governor Jerry Brown in Washington, D.C.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Today, Governor Jerry Brown unveils how he plans to use the estimated $4.5 billion in extra tax revenue the state has collected in the first 8 months of the fiscal year. Some lawmakers want to use the money to restore cuts to social safety-net programs like Denti-Cal and state mental health programs, but Brown is on the record calling for lawmakers to practice fiscal discipline and work to pay down...
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Was the Kermit Gosnell 'guilty' verdict a win for the...
Anti-abortion and pro-choice demonstrators argue in front of the Supreme Court. Both the pro-choice and pro-life camps claim that the Gosnell decision was a victory. Who's right?; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Doctor Kermit Gosnell was found guilty yesterday of murdering three babies and one female patient. He may face the death penalty. Authorities say the three babies were alive when they were delivered, but Gosnell then snipped them with scissors. Gosnell was convicted of...
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The science behind Angelina Jolie’s choice of a...
Actress Angelina Jolie attends the Women in the World Summit 2013 on April 4, 2013 in New York, United States. Jolie spoke out this week about her preventative double mastectomy. How should women best screen for and protect against breast cancer? ; Credit: Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images The actress made a stunning announcement in a New York Times op-ed that she underwent a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of contracting breast cancer. Jolie said she was a carrier of the “faulty” gene BRCA1....
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Cyborg Neil Harbisson listens to color
Neil Harbisson gives a TED talk: "I Listen to Color." Neil Harbisson was born completely colorblind, but with a machine he helped invent called the "eyeborg" he can now hear in color. Harbisson says he was inspired by the idea of expanding his perception:his eyeborg machine perceives a wide spectrum of colors, including some that the human eye can't detect, and translates them into sound. Each color matches up with a tone and pitch, and using bone conduction in the back of his skull,...
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Obama administration and the American public still...
State Department foreign service officer and former deputy chief of mission in Libya, Gregory Hicks arrives for testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee during a hearing titled, "Benghazi: Exposing Failure and Recognizing Courage" in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill May 8, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images Did the United States mishandle the September 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya? Was there a cover-up? Four Americans...
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IRS targeted conservative groups
The IRS apologized for targeting the tea party and other conservative groups in its screening process -- how should the IRS avoid politicization? ; Credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images The IRS has come under fire after senior official Lois Lerner announced that the group had inappropriately targeted conservative-leaning groups. The IRS has in the past been accused of politicizing the screening process for tax-exempt status application. Conservative groups especially have said the IRS...
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Weighing risks when mapping travel plans
Tourists walk past the National Museum building in Phnom Penh on May 10, 2013. Cambodia is expected to receive 4 million foreign visitors in 2013, an expected 12 percent rise year-on-year.; Credit: TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP/Getty Images Planning summer vacation is mostly about finding relaxation or excitement and beautiful places, but it can also be about what you’re avoiding: bad weather, poisonous snakes, picket pockets and palatable fear. Are you a smart traveller or do you travel with...
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LAUSD could ban suspensions for ‘willful defiance’ (Poll)
Should LAUSD ban school suspensions for acts of "willful defiance"?; Credit: Photo by superterrific/dana byerly via Flickr Creative Commons The LAUSD board will vote tomorrow on whether to ban suspensions for acts of defiance. The resolution would prevent suspensions for defiant acts like mouthing off to teachers, instead installing disciplinary measures that would take place while students remained in school. If passed, the ban would mark a major shift from a zero-tolerance policy for...
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Body politics: Sacramento bill considers fate of...
Tennis player Renee Richards on the tennis court, July 1977.; Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s AB 1266 would allow transgender students in public K-12 schools to use bathrooms and participate in team sports that correspond to their gender identity. California law currently prohibits discrimination in education, and the Ammiano bill would take protecting trans students one step further, as the first bill in the country to address issues of restroom use and school...
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Instant cult classic: 'The Source Family' documentary
The new documentary, “The Source Family,” explores the life of Jim Baker, his followers and the life that they shared. Los Angeles in the 1970s was an era of many self-styled spiritual groups and communes. One of the most visible was based around the popular, celebrity-filled, Sunset Strip vegetarian restaurant, The Source. Owner Jim Baker was a former karate champion, World War II vet, and ex-con with a knack for the hospitality business. Once he underwent a spiritual transformation and...
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Final stretch for 75-year-old Hollywood Park...
Groomer Byron Vasquez of Cerin Racing Stables washes a racehorse after a run on Friday morning at Hollywood Park Race Track. Each season, the team moves their staffers and horses to a different track. Cerin Stables just transported their 35 racehorses from Santa Anita.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC After 75 years of horse racing, Hollywood Park will have its last run on December 22 of this year. Track President Jack Liebau has told the California Horse Racing Board that Hollywood Park is not...
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McCain introduces bill that overhauls cable TV business
Fans react as they watch a men's football game.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images Disgruntled cable subscribers tired of paying for channels they never watch have a new advocate in the form of Senator John McCain. The Arizona lawmaker yesterday introduced the Television Consumer Freedom Act 2013, which would give cable viewers the right to choose which channels they want to buy. Currently, television networks like Viacom and Disney sell their channels to cable companies in bundles. The bill...
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UCLA brain drain to USC
A statue of the school mascot, the Trojan, stands on the campus of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images USC has lured a world-renowned neuroscience lab away from UCLA. Described as perhaps the world's premier lab when it comes to finding insights about the brain in massive amounts of data from image scans and genetic tests, leading professors Arthur Toga and Paul Thompson have reportedly been pursued by USC for years with...
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Filmweek: The Great Gatsby, And Now a Word from Our...
Leonardo DiCaprio and Carrie Mulligan in "The Great Gatsby."; Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Larry and KPCC critics Wade Major and Henry Sheehan review this week’s releases, including The Great Gatsby, And Now a Word from Our Sponsor, Aftershock and more. TGI-FilmWeek! The Great Gatsby And Now a Word from Our Sponsor Aftershock Guests: Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and Host/Producer, IGN DigiGods Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com
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Court rules employers cannot be forced to post...
The National Rights Labor Board requires employers to put up posters about labor laws, but did they ask for too much? This week, a federal appeals court said the National Labor Relations Board violated the free speech rights of employers by compelling them to post rules in the workplace about the right to unionize. The poster rule went into effect in 2011. Employers already are required to inform employees about minimum wage, health and safety laws and a slew of other rights. The NLRB wanted...
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California amendment may slow down ‘gut and amend’...
What would happen if lawmakers no longer used gut and amend practices? ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images California Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) and Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) are proposing amendments to the California constitution to slow down “gut and amend” political strategies. Here’s how gut and amend works: Right before legislature is about to vote on a bill that’s gone through discussion and revisions, politicians switch out the bill’s original language and replace it...
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Governor Brown proposes to amend Prop 65, toxicity...
A sign posted at a Sacramento apartment complex warns of harmful chemicals on the premises, as required by Prop. 65.; Credit: devinsandberg/Flickr The governor has proposed a serious overhaul to the decades-old Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, which requires product manufacturers, retailers and property owners to post signs warning the public if goods or premises contain toxic chemicals. While most agree that the law has successfully forced businesses to eliminate or reduce...
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Jews in the Los Angeles Mosaic opens at the Autry
Jewish photographer Julius Shulman documented the work of the numerous modernist architects inspired by Austrian Jewish immigrant and Angeleno Richard Neutra to realize their designs in Los Angeles. Shulman's photograph of a Pierre Koennig–designed home, with two young women seated in the glass-encased living room, epitomized the modern metropolis. Tomorrow, the Autry Museum in Griffith Park opens its exhibition chronicling the contributions of Jews to the business, arts, and skyline of Los...
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Medicare releases hospital pricing data
How will price transparency change the way hospitals charge for procedures? ; Credit: Brian Watt/KPCC Medicare has released new data on the prices hospitals charge for 100 of the most common in-patient treatments and procedures, which are found to vary widely from one healthcare service provider to another. In Los Angeles, one hospital was found to have charged on average $223,000 for knee and hip replacement surgeries, but at another area hospital, the same procedure only cost around...
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The appeal of Internet heroes like Charles Ramsey and...
Charles Ramsey speaks with a reporter after finding missing woman Amanda Berry and calling 911. His call lead to the discovery of two more women being held in the Cleveland home of Ariel Castro. ; Credit: WEWSTV The drama of the Cleveland kidnapping story yesterday could be eclipsed only by the comedic candor of kidnapping rescuer Charles Ramsey. He's the man who heard Amanda Berry kicking and yelling for help, then responded. Television cameras captured Ramsey recounting the story and...
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How can the U.S. military fight sexual assaults within...
Sexual assault in the United States military is up 37 percent. ; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images The Pentagon reported Tuesday that there were about 26,000 cases of military assault last year, an increase of 37 percent from 2010. President Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called the high number an outrage and denounced the military's handling of assaults. "I expect consequences," Obama said in a press conference Tuesday. "I don't want just more speeches or awareness programs or...
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Is sharing a bed with your infant safe?
; Credit: New data released by Los Angeles County officials today finds that suffocation while bed-sharing is the leading cause of infant death in L.A. County. According to the data, a baby suffocates every five days while sleeping in L.A. County. And from 2008-2011, more babies died from suffocation because of unsafe sleep than all accidental deaths for children under age 14 combined. L.A. County, along with the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect and First 5 LA is rolling out a...
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Is there a 're-Latin-ization' of 'lohz AHN-hell-uhz'...
The Los Angeles skyline. How do you pronounce the names of local neighborhoods, landmarks, and streets? ; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images Newbies and tourists in Los Angeles easily betray themselves when they spit out the Spanish pronunciation of what we know as San Pedro (san PEE-droh) or Los Feliz (los FEE-liz). Resident Angelenos anglicized those locales so long ago that native Spanish speakers get corrected for saying "sahn PAY-dro" or "lohz fay-LEES." But that could be changing. As...
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Could the Washington Redskins become the Washington...
The Washington Redskins huddle around Robert Griffin III #10 during the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game against the Seattle Seahawks at FedExField on January 6, 2013 in Landover, Maryland.; Credit: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images Washington D.C. councilman David Grosso has put forth a new resolution asking the city’s pro football team to change its name. Though there’s some debate as to the origin of the term ‘Redskins’, the phrase has often been described as offensive to Native Americans. Team...
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Why is Chris Christie getting flak for weight-loss...
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Florida, on August 28, 2012 during the Republican National Convention. Has Christie's lap band-related weight loss increased his odds in a potential presidential run? ; Credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images For years, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been mocked and criticized for weighing upwards of 300 pounds. The health and fitness of political leaders - especially those with rumored presidential...
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How did kidnapping of three Cleveland women last a...
A police officer keeps the public away from the house where three women, who disappeared as teens about a decade ago, were found alive May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004, and Michelle Knight, who went missing in 2002, managed to escape their captors on May 6, 2013. Three suspects, all brothers, were taken into custody. ; Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images The pain and panic in Amanda Berry's 911 call yesterday is...
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Privacy groups sue LAPD and Sheriffs for collecting data...
A "License Plate Reader" or LPR, one of two mounted on the trunk of a Metropolotian Police Department(MPD) is seen on a police car in Washington, DC, December 1, 2011. It works silently in the backround automatically recording automobile license plates that drive by and then rapidly checks a computer database of stolen or wanted cars. Hundreds of MPD police cars have the cameras forming a virtual net looking for stolen vehicles. ; Credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images Privacy rights...
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Los Angeles mayoral race update
City Councilman Eric Garcetti and City Controller Wendy Greuel greet each other before a mayoral debate at USC Health Sciences Campus in Mayer Auditorium on Monday, April 22.; Credit: There areonly two weeks until the May 21st runoff between mayoral candidates Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti. KPCC’s politics reporter Frank Stoltze gives us an update on the candidates’ last minute moves to gain an edge. Guest: Frank Stoltze, KPCC politics reporter
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Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body rejected for burial at Boston...
Ruslan Tsarni, uncle of the suspected Boston Marathon bombing suspects, speaks to reporters in front of his home April 19, 2013 in Montgomery Village, Maryland. Tsarni has said his newphew Tamerlan Tsarnaev deserves a proper burial, but his body has been refused by cemeteries all over the Northeast. ; Credit: Allison Shelley/Getty Images Suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev is ready to be buried, but so far no one has been able to figure out how. His widow has rejected the...
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Zero-emission vehicle credits: An unfair subsidy for...
Tesla Model S electric car on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. ; Credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images To combat air pollution, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) requires all carmakers to sell a certain number of electric vehicles in the state. Those that fail to reach the quota could purchase zero-emissions-vehicle credits from other automakers in an open market. One of the biggest beneficiaries is the Palo Alto-based high-end electric...
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Three bills seek to ban fracking temporarily
US-Energy-Gas-Environment.Jeff Boggs, responsible for the drilling at Consol Energy poses infront of one of the company's Horizontal Gas Drilling Rigs exploring the Marcellus Shale outside the town of Waynesburg, PA on April 13, 2012. It is estimated that more than 500 trillion cubic feet of shale gas is contained in this stretch of rock that runs through parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. Shale gas is natural gas stored deep underground in fine-grained sedimentary...
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California’s Supreme Court rules to allow cities to ban...
Lev Goukassian, owner of the Nirvana Pharmacy, a medical marijuana shop in Los Angeles, California, works on his products.; Credit: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images California’s Supreme Court has unanimously ruled to allow local governments to ban medical marijuana dispensaries within their borders. The ruling will allow cities and counties to restrict access to medical marijuana by shutting down pot shops within city limits. Medical marijuana is legalized in California, and the drug is...
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Malibu’s hidden beaches and how to access them
How will an app identifying Malibu beach access points change the way the community shares the beachfront? ; Credit: Mae Ryan/KPCC Anyone who’s ever sat in the bumper to bumper summertime traffic crawling from Santa Monica to Malibu’s Surfrider Beach can attest to two most striking features of the drive: how beautiful the coast is west of the Los Angeles basin and how few actual access points there are to all that stunning beachfront. RELATED:The beach app Malibu residents really don't want...
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Tray tables up & wallets open: Airline to charge extra...
A Frontier Airlines plane sits on the tarmac at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Is it fair for airlines to charge for drinks on flights? ; Credit: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images Frontier Airlines plans to charge economy passengers $1.99 for soda, juice, coffee and tea. The last carrier that tried to stop complimentary beverage service was US Airways in 2009. At the time, it hoped to set an industry trend, but found itself all alone fielding vitriolic reaction from customers.Six months...
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Oil Boss Irani swept out of job in wave of shareholder...
FILE - This undated photo provided by Occidental Petroleum Corp., shows Occidental Petroleum Corp.'s Dr. Ray R. Irani.; Credit: Occidental Petroleum/AP One of the highest-paid execs in corporate America is out of a job. Investors at the Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum voted to oust Executive Chairman Ray Irani at its annual shareholder meeting last Friday. Shareholders were apparently unhappy with Irani’s alleged attempt to throw out the energy company’s current CEO, who replaced him...
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Keeping your pets safe in summer heat
Two-week-old puppies play -- what are the best ways to keep your pets safe in the summer heat? ; Credit: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images With summer right around the corner and temperatures heating up it’s important to remember to take time to make sure your pets stay cool too. When it’s hot for you, it’s even hotter for them. Too much heat can be extremely dangerous and even fatal for animals. Most of the advice is common sense, but it’s always good to get a refresher course. How can you...
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The L.A. river is on its way up
On a cloudy Sunday afternoon, two dozen photography enthusiasts trudge along the muddy banks of the L.A. River. Though not always known for its beauty, the river provides no shortage of photo ops...; Credit: KPCC The L.A River is undergoing a series of improvements and upgrades that have Angelenos taking a new look at its shores. Several events have taken place along the river in Studio City, Atwater, Highland Park and Glendale. Bike and walking paths are open, film screenings will show in...
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Iron Man 3: The beginning of the end of the...
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in "Iron Man 3."; Credit: Marvel Studios China places a strict quota on foreign film imports. For Hollywood, the most popular way to bypass that quota has been to co-produce films with Chinese companies. But that means giving China’s state film more control over a film’s creative process. And some Hollywood filmmakers are wondering if it’s worth the sacrifice. “Iron Man 3,” the new Robert Downey Jr. tent pole provided by Walk Disney Co., Marvel Pictures and...
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The risks and technologies behind night-time...
A helicopter from Kern County drops water on a brushfire in the unincorporated Newbury Park neighborhood west of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County.; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC The risks and technologies behind night-time fire-fighting: The Summit fire continues to rage across Ventura County as high winds and low humidity fuel the flames. So far the fire has burned more than 10,000 acres from Camarillo south of the 101 Freeway all the way to the Pacific Coast Highway. The blaze is only 10...
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Redesigning the condom for both pleasure and usability
Would a better-feeling condom result in lower numbers of STDs? ; Credit: Photo by Robert Elyov via Flickr Creative Commons Personal computer. Philanthropy. And now, you can add prophylactic to the list of things Bill Gates is working to revolutionize. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as part of its Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative, is offering a $100,000 grant for any organization or aspirant engineer to design a next generation condom to make it more widely-used....
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What’s the public good of salacious police cruiser...
A police cruiser is parked outside a police department in Riverside. Should videos taken from police cruiser footage be used by the media? ; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC On Monday, the local ABC News in Michigan ran footage of Deerfield Elementary School principal Kim Warren in the backseat of a police cruiser after being picked up on the suspicion of drunk driving when she was swerving in her car on the way back to school at lunchtime. The video, shot by a camera mounted in the rear area of...
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FilmWeek: Iron Man 3, Midnight’s Children, The Iceman,...
Actor Robert Downey Jr rings the opening bell at New York Stock Exchange on April 30, 2013 in New York City. ; Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images Larry and KPCC critics Wade Major and Henry Sheehan review this week’s releases, including Iron Man 3, Midnight’s Children, The Iceman, and more. TGI-FilmWeek! Iron Man 3 Midnight's Children The Iceman Guest: Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and Host/Producer at DigiGods.com Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com
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Updates on Ventura wildfires
The fire in Camarillo near Hueneme Road at Saviers Road.; Credit: Courtesy of Troy Corley Wildfires in Ventura County have consumed nearly 3000 acres and forced evacuations. We have the latest updates from the Ventura County Fire Department and reporters on the scene. Bill Nash,public information officer - Ventura County Fire Department John Cadiz Klemack, local NBC reporter RELATED:UPDATE: Camarillo Springs fire shuts stretch of PCH, spreads to 6,500 acres (map)
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Poll: Who should cover the cost of rescuing a lost hiker?
An Orange County Fire Authority helicopter takes off to assist in the search for Kyndall Jack, the 18-year-old hiker who was lost while hiking in the Cleveland National Forest.; Credit: Ben Bergman/KPCC It took four days and services from six agencies to rescue Kyndall Jack and Nicolas Cendoya, the two teens who got lost in Trabuco Canyon in April. The tab of the rescue is calculated to be over $160,000 and officials are saying they won’t be billed for the rescue. An Orange County reserve...
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Part-time employees losing hours as ACA implementation...
How will the ACA affect part time workers? ; Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images The Affordable Care Act requires large employers to offer health insurance to part-timers working 30 hours a week or more. But, as the Los Angeles Times reported this morning, more and more large employers are opting to take hours away from part-time workers so they won’t have to provide them with healthcare. “Not only will these workers earn less money, but they'll also miss out on health insurance at...
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How are workers with alcoholism protected by disability...
Should alcoholism be considered a disability?; Credit: Getty Images A police officer fired for driving drunk, while off duty, is suing his Oregon employer for discriminating against his alcoholism disability. In early 2011, Jason Servo, 43, was at a bar with colleagues after firearms training. He later crashed his unmarked police car in a ditch then was arrested. Servo's lawyers say he immediately quit drinking, entered treatment then was diagnosed as an alcoholic. The Americans with...
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Move over, QWERTY! Here comes KALQ
How might the KALQ keyboard revolutionize the way we type on mobile phones? The QWERTY keyboard is for big, chunky computers. But as more and more of us turn to our smartphones and tablets for daily computing, doesn’t it make more sense to come up with a new, smaller keyboard that is also more thumb-friendly? That’s exactly what University of St Andrews lecturer Per Ola Kristensson and his colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and Montana Tech did.It’s called KALQ, named for...
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Is the California Fire Fee an unfair tax on homeowners...
A Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter drops water on a fire burning on the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Monrovia, Calif., on Saturday, April 20, 2013. ; Credit: John Antczak/AP Since it was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 2011, the rural fire fee has been dogged by criticism. The $150 fee affects some 825,000 homeowners in California and is supposed to pay for fire prevention services in rural and wildfire-prone areas. Multiple legislature efforts have been...
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NYC company offering a raise in return for a corporate...
Rapid Reality's staff are freshly inked -- would you get a tattoo if it came with a big raise? A New York City company has found a way to offer its employees a 15 percent raise while picking up some free marketing - in the form of a company logo tattoo. Rapid Realty offered its 800 employees the option of getting a company logo tattoo in exchange for a raise. Forty of them are now sporting fresh new 'Rapid Realty' ink. Would you get a company logo tattoo in exchange for a raise? How much...
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Will the San Onofre nuclear plant be mothballed?
A runner passes by the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant.; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC The costs associated with the shutdown of San Onofre nuclear plant has reached $553 million for Edison International. The parent company of Southern California Edison told investors the plant may have to be closed entirely without approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to restart its troubled reactor. The update comes as summer approaches. The plant hasn't generated electricity since January 2012,...
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How will same-sex partners factor into new immigration...
Edwin, a 46-year-old naturalized US citizen from El Salvador, and Rodrigo Martinez, 34, an illegal resident from El Salvador, who have been together for ten years and got married in Washington, DC, in 2011 but for the Federal government, which does not recognize marriage between same-sex couples, they may as well just be housemates. Rodrigo is counting on US President Barack Obama's push for immigration reform to finally be able to become a legal resident. ; Credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty...
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Will traffic light syncing alleviate LA gridlock?
How can Los Angeles use traffic lights to manage its infamous traffic?; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images L.A.’s infamous traffic problem has been unsolvable for decades. In the newest effort to alleviate gridlock, the city has synchronized over 4,300 traffic lights. This system called the Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control system is a complex system that links all the traffic lights together. Sensors and transportation engineers will monitor traffic flow and operate the lights...
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New arrests made in Boston bombing case
Boston Police and Massachusetts State Police stand guard outside of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.; Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images Three people have been taken into custody in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings. The three people are allegedly connected to suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and two of them are also reported to be students at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, where Dzhokhar was a student. The suspects, who are said to be from Kazakhstan, allegedly...
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Sky's the limit: How would you redesign and renovate LAX?
A sign at the entrance of Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images President Obama mentioned on Tuesday that no U. S. airport has received accolades. However,LAX is going through almost $5 billion in improvements and renovations. How would you redesign LAX? Guest:Brian Sumers, Airports and Airlines Reporter, The Los Angeles News Group and a self-described aviation geek
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Who is responsible for building safety in countries like...
Members of the Bangladeshi Army carry the body of a garment worker as heavy equipment is brought in to remove debris following an eight-story building collapse in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, on April 30, 2013.; Credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images With the death toll well past 350 people and another 1,000 still missing after the Rana Plaza collapsed in Bangladesh, workers are now using heavy machinery to lift concrete slabs. Under those slabs, workers expect to find hundreds more...
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How does your voice affect the way you are perceived?
Voice therapist Robert Dowhy goes through a series of exercises that teach how to relax throat muscles, use vocal cords properly and breathe in ways that reduce voice strain.; Credit: Mae Ryan/KPCC How you speak could be more important than what you say, according to a new study from Quantified Impressions, a communications analytics company. Everyone knows someone with a grating or annoying voice, and according to new research, they’re more likely to experience HR conflict at work. Accents...
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Should the OC District Attorney publicize names of...
A female police officer poses as a prostitute on Holt Boulevard in Pomona, CA.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images In an attempt to stem prostitution, Orange County is turning to publicizing the names of those who are convicted of buying sex. Orange County District Attorney's office said in a news release that putting a spotlight on convicted "johns" will help, "Send a message to human traffickers and sex purchasers that they can no longer perpetuate this problem without suffering severe...
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LAX runway may move closer to residential neighborhoods
A plane coming in for a landing at LAX.; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC The Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote on proposed improvements for LAX. This nearly $5 billion set of changes includes additional terminals and a transportation center, but the most controversial change is moving a runway 260 feet closer to neighborhoods in Westchester and Playa del Rey. This runway move is so LAX can add a center taxiway, which is supposed to help the airport manage air traffic and increase safety...
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Domain name battles - Would the real Amazon please stand...
A box from Amazon.com; Credit: Flickr/Aurelijus Valeiša In a battle of the digital world vs. the real world, Amazon the online retailer is battling Amazon the river over the rights to the .Amazon domain name. The Internet retailer wants to stake its claim to the domain but the governments of Peru and Brazil think .Amazon should be reserved for the protection of the river's environment, the advancement of indigenous rights, and other uses in the public interest. The two South American...
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Pediatricians offer prescription for homebirths
A 4-day-old newborn baby lies in a baby bed in the maternity ward of a hospital.; Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued guidelines for delivering a baby outside of a hospital. Statistics show that more women, though still a small number, have been choosing midwives over maternity wards. So, doctors say they want to ensure best practices for newborns wherever they come into the world. There is worry that mothers-to-be taking a...
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Psychological pressures may have driven Boston bombers...
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, center, mother of Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar, reportedly spoke of radical ideas with her eldest son in 2011. Anzor Tsarnaeva, the boys' father, is on the left. At right is the boys' aunt, Patimat Suleymanova.; Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images What would lead a 19-year old student to carry out a bombing plot? Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s uncle, Ruslan Tsarni speculates that without close family ties and the lack of parental figures, Tsarnaev came under...
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LAUSD could eliminate classroom breakfast program
A student talks with cafeteria worker Sophia Villareal as she picks up her breakfast at Brockton Elementary School.; Credit: Richard Hartog LAUSD may eliminate a classroom breakfast program serving over 200,000 children. The program’s supporters argue that offering a nutritious breakfast at school is crucial for children who may not be eating at home, either because their parents can’t afford food for breakfast or because they leave for work too early in the morning to make sure something is...
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Should legal immigrants who aren’t citizens serve on...
Should non-citizens serve on California juries? ; Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images Under a law proposed by the California state assembly, the Golden State would be the first in the nation to allow non-citizens to serve on juries as long as they meet all the other requirements of jury service (jurors must be 18, proficient in English, and have no felony record). While to opponents the idea sounds like a departure from one of the basic tenants of American life--the right to be judged by a...
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Asian-American fraternity under fire for blackface video
Members of Lambda Theta Delta (LTD), an Asian-American fraternity at UC Irvine, created a music video inspired by the Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z collaboration, "Suit and Tie," that shows one of the men in blackface.; Credit: Screenshot via YouTube The University of California, Irvine, is looking into a video produced by the Asian-American fraternity Lambda Theta Delta that features one of its performers in blackface. The video shows three members of the fraternity dancing to the Justin...
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NBA Roundup: Lakers are out...and so is Jason Collins
Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers is consoled by Kobe Bryant after coming out of the game in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on April 28, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The Spurs defeated the Lakers 103-82.; Credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images The season started out promising enough, but injuries proved to be the ultimate undoing of the Los Angeles Lakers this year. The...
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Michael Jackson’s star-studded trial begins
This April 18, 1995 file photo shows Lisa Marie Presley (L), the daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley, walking with her then husband Michael Jackson (R) as they go to greet children at his Neverland Ranch in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images Opening statements start today in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Michael Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson against concert promoter AEG. Jackson alleges the promoters of the King of Pop's comeback concert were ultimately...
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The painful search for a hangover cure
Goose Island's India Pale Ale and Budweiser beer; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images For years, the medical community abstained from studying hangover cures because doctors didn’t want to be seen as encouraging overindulgence of alcohol. What helped change that was grasping the severity of the problem: it’s estimated that painful hangovers cost the U.S. economy $148 billion annually. Recovering revelers either call in sick or show up with headaches, nausea, decreased skills and general misery....
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Friedkin looks back on 'The French Connection,' 'The...
"The Friedkin Connection," by WIlliam Friedkin Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin is out with a new book chronicling his rise from a poor urban neighborhood the the height of Hollywood elite. Director of "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist," Friedkin gives readers a behind the scenes look at how his films came to life - from how the Exorcist's demon voice was created to whom he considered for the lead role of Popeye. Guest:William Friedkin, director of "The French...
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Doctors debate telling patients they are terminally ill
Hospice volunteers caress the hands of terminally ill patient Annabelle Martin, 95.; Credit: John Moore/Getty Images It’s probably one of the toughest conversations doctors have to have with their patients: how to tell someone that he or she has a terminal illness. The latest issue of BMJ, an online medical journal, has turned the very topic on its head, by asking several doctors whether physicians should even tell their patients that they are terminally ill. Proponents say information is...
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Koch Brothers eyeing Tribune Company
The Los Angeles Times building on June 7, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images The Tribune company, which owns many large media brands, is emerging from bankruptcy and considering selling its newspaper division, which includes, among other important U.S. dailies, the Los Angeles Times. Billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who are unabashed libertarians, are reportedly looking into purchasing the Tribune’s papers valued at $623 million. The thought...
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Lawmakers want to strip the California Medical Board’s...
Are doctors reckless in prescribing painkillers? ; Credit: Photo by Be.Futureproof via Flickr Creative Commons California legislators are considering a bill to strip the California Medical Board of its powers to investigate problem physicians. The board has been criticized for failing to properly discipline doctors who are accused of harming patients, including recklessly prescribing painkillers. The bill, co-authored by Sen. Curren Price (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblyman Richard Gordon...
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FilmWeek: Mud, At Any Price, The Big Wedding, and more
Camila Alves, Matthew McConaughey, Andra Liemandt and Joe Liemandt attend the Cinema Society with FIJI Water & Levi's screening of "Mud" at The Museum of Modern Art on April 21, 2013 in New York City.; Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein to review the week’s new film releases, including Mud, At Any Price, The Big Wedding and more. TGI-FilmWeek! Mud ? At Any Price The Big Wedding Guests:Tim Cogshell, film critic for...
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If Assad is using chemical weapons against opposition...
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel speaks with reporters after reading a statement on chemical weapon use in Syria during a press conference on April 25, 2013 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.; Credit: Pool/Getty Images Defense secretary Chuck Hagel announced on Thursday that the US has a "varying" amount of confidence that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons in its ongoing civil war. President Barack Obama has repeatedly said that if Syria ever used chemical weapons it...
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Poll: Would you use Burger King's new delivery service?
A sign advertising the new Burger King turkey burger is displayed at the drive-through of a Burger King restaurant on March 20, 2013.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The fast food giant Burger King announced that it’s expanding their limited delivery service to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. One local Burger King in Glendale has been delivering Whoppers and fries since earlier this month. The new push for delivery is one way that the fast food chain is trying to hold on to...
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OC Journalists Roundtable: Fire ring controversy...
The Orange County Board of Supervisors opposed a ban to restrict fire rings.; Credit: California Coastal Commission We convene our monthly gathering of esteemed Orange County reporters and editors to discuss the latest in the controversy over the proposed removal of fire rings from county beaches, the OC Register’s ad deal with local universities that put the paper’s credibility under scrutiny, charges against former UCI professor Tatsuya Suda regarding conflict of interest in his academic...
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Apps, ‘big data,’ and the ‘folly of technological...
Evgeny Morozov's new book “To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism”; Credit: PublicAffairs Are you tired of hearing, “There’s an app for that?” In today’s technologically-savvy world, there seems to be an app to solve everything. This has many techies expectant of a promising future. As technology develops, it’s presenting solutions for problems as big as education reform and as basic as forgetting something. Not so, says Evgeny Morozov. In his new book, “To...
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You can have Burger King delivered to your home...but...
A sign advertising the new Burger King turkey burger is displayed at the drive-through of a Burger King restaurant on March 20, 2013.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The fast food giant Burger King announced that it’s expanding their limited delivery service to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. One local Burger King in Glendale has been delivering Whoppers and fries since earlier this month. The new push for delivery is one way that the fast food chain is trying to hold on to...
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The legacy of George W. Bush: How our view of a...
Former President George W. Bush hugs his wife, Laura Bush, during the George W. Bush Presidential Center Topping Out Ceremony on October 3, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. ; Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images Former president George W. Bush is stepping back into the public eye after spending nearly all of his retirement avoiding media scrutiny. The Bush Presidential Library opens tomorrow in Dallas and both Democrats and Republicans are taking the opportunity to reflect on the legacy of the Bush...
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How do mosques deal with radicalized members?
Male worshipers at the South Bay Islamic Center mosque stand at prayer.; Credit: Omar Shamout FBI agents have begun questioning members of the mosque that Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the suspected mastermind of the Boston Marathon bombing, attended and where he disrupted services on two occasions. Leaders of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center told the Los Angeles Times that Tsarnaev visited the mosque only occasionally and didn’t believe the outbursts constituted enough evidence that he...
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Florida law seeks to limit spousal support
Divorce papers. How much alimony should spouses receive? ; Credit: Sharyn Morrow/Flickr Creative Commons Lawmakers in Florida have passed a law to cap amounts and duration of alimony payments. Governor Rick Scott could still choose to veto the controversial bill. Proponents frame it as a retirement issue. They say too many breadwinners find themselves on fixed income while paying former spouses who receive social security. Opponents say the bill would make stay-at-home parenting impossible....
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Paths to permanent citizenship for immigrants may hinge...
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents along the border returning immigrants to Mexico.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images If you’ve never heard of “sign-cutting,” don’t feel bad. The term refers to the art of tracking people by looking for signs that they’ve passed through an area...a footstep in the sand, a broken tree branch, a discarded apple core. The practice has become an important tool for border patrol agents on the U.S.-Mexico border who are tasked with tracking down those...
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Recognizing the Armenian genocide
An Armenian man waves his national flag along with the Syrian national flag during a march north of the Lebanese capital Beirut, to commemorate the 98th anniversary of the Ottoman Turkish genocide against the Armenian people on April 24, 2013.; Credit: -/AFP/Getty Images Today, Wednesday April 24th, marks the annual remembrance day for the estimated 1.5 million Armenians who died in the former Ottoman Empire, present day Turkey. President Obama's official statement for Armenian Remembrance...
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How successful people become successful
"Give and Take" by Adam Grant. In his book “Give and Take,” Adam Grant explores the different ways people rise through the ranks on their way to extreme success. Can you be a giver without being a doormat? Is it better to take anything you can without returning favors, or to “match” those who give you help? Grant discusses how some of the most famous networkers and creative geniuses personalities helped them reach the top of their fields. Are you a giver? A taker? A matcher? What’s the best...
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Hacked AP Twitter account sends Dow Jones down
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City.; Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images The Associated Press’ Twitter account was hacked today and the perpetrator sent out a fake tweet saying that President Obama was injured in an explosion at the White House. Minutes later, the AP, using another Twitter account, announced that the tweet was fake. White House spokesman Jay Carney went on air to confirm that the president had not been harmed. RELATED:AP Twitter account...
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POLL: Should there be more surveillance cameras in Los...
Metropolitan Police officers view displays from CCTV cameras around London in the Special Operations Room in London, England.; Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images When the FBI released images of the two suspects involved in the Boston Marathon bombings, many people found the clarity of these images quite striking. Although many are uncomfortable with the idea of being watched by surveillance cameras, the country was relieved to finally see some progress in identifying suspects in the bombings....
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Hawthorne schools install palm scanners in lunch lines
Cafeteria workers prepare lunches for school children.; Credit: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Hawthorne Middle and Ramona Elementary schools in the Hawthorne School District are turning to palm scanners to speed up the lunch line. The device takes a photo of the vein pattern below the skin. When student places their palms on a digital reader, a photo of the student and other pertinent information are displayed. The devices are currently used by eighth-graders and Hawthorne Middle and...
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Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveils new budget
Antonio Villaraigosa Mayor of Los Angeles speaks during a news conference on the deck of USS Iowa on April 3, 2013 in San Pedro area of Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa yesterday unveiled a $7.7-billion budget that closes a projected $216 million deficit without resorting to layoffs or furloughs. There’s money to hire new firefighters and purchase new police vehicles, plus funding to fill potholes and pave city streets, which...
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Should LA building owners be required to retrofit...
The famous row of homes known as the "Painted Ladies" are seen from Alamo Square Park in San Francisco, California. Many San Francisco homes are unprepared for earthquakes and will need to be retrofitted at high cost to owners.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images San Francisco passed a sweeping law on Thursday that will require building owners to upgrade any properties that have the kind of structures mostly likely to be damaged in an earthquake -- so-called "wood-frame soft-story"...
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Poll: Should the legal tobacco purchase age rise from 18...
New York City considers raising the age for legal cigarette purchase to 21. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A new proposal in New York City could raise the age requirements for legal purchase of cigarettes from 18 to 21. The proposal would not prevent people under 21 from possessing or smoking cigarettes, but would restrict purchase of cigarettes to those 21 and older within city limits. City council speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn and city health commissioner Dr. Thomas...
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More questions and answers in Boston bombing case
Massachusetts State Police officers walk in formation during the funeral procession for the slain Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) police officer Sean Collier at St. Patrick's Church on April 23, 2013 in Stoneham, Massachusetts.; Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images As Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev begins to answer questions from investigators, new details are emerging about the motivation behind the attack. The Tsarnaev brothers were said to have been operating alone,...
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Should there be more surveillance cameras in Los Angeles?
Metropolitan Police officers view displays from CCTV cameras around London in the Special Operations Room in London, England.; Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images When the FBI released images of the two suspects involved in the Boston Marathon bombings, many people found the clarity of these images quite striking. Although many are uncomfortable with the idea of being watched by surveillance cameras, the country was relieved to finally see some progress in identifying suspects in the bombings....
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CicLAvia swarms LA’s streets
Cyclists took to the streets for CicLAvia on Sunday, April 21, 2012.; Credit: Tony Pierce/KPCC Yesterday, tens of thousands of Angelinos abandoned their cars, pumped up the tires of their bikes, and rode en mass the fifteen miles from Chinatown to Venice Beach as part of CicLAvia, which was inspired by Ciclovia, Bogota, Colombia’s cycling festival which doubles as a peaceful protest against the oppressive traffic of the city. The city blocked the streets so bike traffic would rule the day,...
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What legal rights should Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar...
This combination of photos provided on Friday, April 19, 2013 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, left, and the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, right, of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the suspect in custody for the Boston Marathon bombings.; Credit: Uncredited/AP After a weekend spent hospitalized, sedated, and in serious condition, Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is awake and answering questions from investigators in writing. During his arrest on Friday, Tsarnaev was not...
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Boston bombing suspect has been charged
Items are placed by people visiting a makeshift memorial for victims near the site of the Boston Marathon bombings at the intersection of Boylston Street and Berkley Street two days after the second suspect was captured on April 21, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against persons and property resulting in death. He made his first court...
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Social media lynch mobs, and the downside of a...
Ruslan Tsarni, uncle of the suspected Boston Marathon bombing suspects, spoke to a sea of reporters in front of his home April 19, 2013 in Montgomery Village, Maryland.; Credit: Allison Shelley/Getty Images The manhunt for Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a big week for social media but unfortunately much of the information being passed around was wrong. Redditors listening in on police scanners quickly broadcast the names of innocent people as suspects. They even fingered an...
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Furloughs of air traffic controllers kick in at LAX
A plane passes the Whiteman Airport control tower as it takes off on March 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Furloughs of air traffic controllers at the Los Angeles International Airport began yesterday as part of the across-the-board government cuts known as "sequestration." Flight delays are widely expected. The Federal Aviation Administration says the wait at LAX, the country's third busiest airport, will average about 10 minutes, but could...
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How should colleges handle on-campus sexual assault?
In Eagle Rock, California, Occidental College's Thorne Hall; Credit: victoriabernal/Flickr (Creative Commons-licensed) A case brought against Occidental College by several current and former students alleges that the school failed to respond adequately to sexual assault on campus. The group of Occidental students and alumni includes some who say the college failed to protect against sexual assault – their attorney, Gloria Allred, argues Allred that 37 students were “raped, sexually...
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Boy Scouts to consider ending ban on gay youths
Brandon Lampert, right, receives some advice on how to complete a project from Scoutmaster Larry Turner.; Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC The Boy Scouts of America is proposing to end its ban for gay youth members, but will continue to forbid gays as adult leaders. The proposal still needs to be voted on by its nearly 1,400 members of its National Council at a meeting in Texas in May. Gay rights groups want to see a wholesale lift, but some conservative groups want the ban to remain in place in...
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FilmWeek: Oblivion, In the House, and Antiviral, and more
Tom Cruise stars in the Universal Pictures film "Oblivion."; Credit: Universal Pictures Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Wade Major and Henry Sheehan to review this week’s releases, including Oblivion, In The House, and Antiviral, and more. TGI-FilmWeek! Oblivion In The House Antiviral Guest: Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and boxoffice.com Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com
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Updates on Boston manhunt for marathon bombing suspects
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (L) speaks to the media at a shopping mall on the perimeter of a locked down area as a search for the second of two suspects wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings takes place on April 19, 2013 in Watertown, Massachusetts.; Credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images Stay up to date with on the ground coverage of the search for Boston Marathon bombing suspectDzhokhar Tsarnaevas reporters from WBUR check in with law enforcement. We'll also consider the way the...
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Texas factory explosion destroys a hundred homes
Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex near the fertilizer plant that exploded earlier in West, Texas, in this photo made early Thursday, April 18, 2013.; Credit: LM Otero/AP A massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas leveled a four-block area and sent a mushroom cloud into the sky. Authorities say between 5 and 15 are dead and more than 160 injured. It's not known how the initial fire started last night at the West Fertilizer Company plant in West, Texas. Amateur video...
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Should Cinemark be responsible for the James Holmes...
A roadside memorial set up for victims of the Colorado theater shooting massacre across the street from Century 16 movie theater July 29, 2012 in Aurora, Colorado. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images A federal judge declined to dismiss lawsuits against Cinemark, the owner of the Aurora, Colo. movie theater where 12 were killed and 70 injured in a shooting last summer. Judge R. Brooke Johnson ruled that wrongful death and liability suits against Cinemark could move forward, but dismissed...
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Cupcakes and Kogi, Baconators and Pom: when the bubble...
What's next in fad food? ; Credit: Ari Perilstein/Getty Images for Stella & Dot The cupcake bubble has burst, or so say dropping stock prices for gourmet bakery Crumbs, which fell from $13 a share in 2011 to under $1.50 this year. The decline in cupcake popularity may be a reflection of changing taste – in recent years fad foods have come and gone. Are morphing American appetites a sign of moral and ethical shifts? Trends towards local, organic, and sustainable foods have made things like...
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Reversal of fortune: Clippers win division, Lakers...
James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets shoots over Dwight Howard #12 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on April 17, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 99-95 in overtime. ; Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images After a wild ride of a season for Angelino basketball fans, both Lakers and Clippers qualified for the NBA playoffs, though in an unusual order. The Lakers, who’ve only missed the playoffs a handful of times since moving to Los Angeles, limped into the NBA...
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Should Generals and Admirals face review by subordinates?
Army recruits perform exercises as part of a demonstration for tourists in front of the military-recruiting station in New York's Times Square.; Credit: Mark Lennihan/AP If one thing is undeniable about the U.S. military, it's the power of hierarchy. If a brigadier general tells a full-bird colonel to jump, the only answer is "how high?" But as part of an effort to reform the training of top military brass -- generals and admirals, specifically -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,...
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What’s next for gun control?
US President Barack Obama is accompanied by former lawmaker Gabrielle Giffords (L), vice president Joe Biden (R) and family members of Newtown school shooting victims as he speaks on gun control at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2013.; Credit: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images When the Manchin-Toomey bill to expand background checks on gun buyers failed to make it through the Senate yesterday, gun control advocates were left angry and frustrated and wondering...
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Revenge Porn
What can victims of revenge porn do if photos and information were posted without their consent? ; Credit: iStockPhoto Revenge porn websites, where an angry ex posts sexually explicit photos or videos of a former lover, have fallen into a legal gray area for decades. Victims often find private photos of themselves posted on websites with their name, links to social media sites and even their address or phone number. But because current law protects the right to post these photos, there is...
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Should FDA regulate dietary supplements?
The American Medical Association recently published a letter online calling for more FDA oversight of dietary supplements, which are highly recalled.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images New research shows the majority of drug recalls by the FDA are for dietary supplements rather than pharmaceutical drugs. The popular products used for everything from weight loss to sexual enhancement sometimes contain unapproved ingredients, including trace amounts of pharmaceuticals. Americans spend...
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L.A. Fire Chief to shift firefighters from engines to...
Should firefighters be reassigned to deal with medical emergencies? ; Credit: Photo by KristaLAPrincess via Flickr Creative Commons The Los Angeles Fire Department announced a new plan to reassign dozens of firefighters from engines to rescue ambulances as the number of medical emergencies continues to rise. Fire Chief Brian Cummings' plan would shift 60 firefighters to ambulance crews, reducing the number of firefighters working on each engine. The plan also would add 11 new ambulances to...
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Suspicious mail to Obama and Wicker positive for ricin
An official walks past a hazardous materials response team truck outside a mail sorting facility on April 16, 2013 in Hyattsville, Maryland. An envelope addressed to U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) tested positive for ricin at the facility where mail bound for the U.S. Capitol is sorted.; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Suspicious mail that was sent to the White House and to Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker both tested positive for ricin, a deadly poison. Both letters are postmarked from...
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LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy addresses his...
LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy spoke at a press conference at South Region High School #2 in Los Angeles on February 6, 2012. Deasy joins AirTalk to talk about the recent "no confidence" vote.; Credit: Krista Kennell/AFP/Getty Images Since he was hired in 2011, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent John Deasy has been shaking up the 2nd-largest school system in the nation. In his first year, LAUSD fired 99 tenured teachers — a 30-fold increase from five years earlier --...
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How animals grieve
"How Animals Grieve" by Barbara J. King Barbara J. King's new book "How Animals Grieve"explores the depths of animal emotion and the fascinating question of how animals express the loss of an offspring, partner or family member. King brings her anthropological training to answer the question of how animals, both wild and in captivity, feel and express emotion and draw parallels between the human experience of grief and that of the animal kingdom. Guest: Barbara J. King, professor of...
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What punishment fits the crime of teen cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying has become more and more common in recent years -- how should it be handled? ; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images Anti-bullying advocates across the country are calling for stricter laws to prosecute juveniles who harass others online. A California teenager killed herself just a week after she was sexually assaulted at a party and photos of the attack were circulated online. A Canadian teen, Rehtaeh Parsons also took her own life after allegedly being raped and cyber-bullied. In...
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Investigating the Boston Marathon bombing
Unclaimed finish line bags are viewed near the scene of a twin bombing at the Boston Marathon, on April 16, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. Three people are confirmed dead and at least 141 injured after the explosions went off near the finish line of the marathon yesterday. The bombings at the 116-year-old Boston race, resulted in heightened security across the nation with cancellations of many professional sporting events as authorities search for a motive to the violence. ; Credit: Spencer...
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Details of Gang of Eight Senators’ immigration reform...
(L-R) U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Senate Majority Whip Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) listen during a news conference on a comprehensive immigration reform framework on January 28, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images The Gang of Eight senators have pushed back the formal unveiling of their immigration overhaul bill to later this week, in light of yesterday’s attacks in Boston. However, details of...
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Can RNC leaders unify inner-party factions?
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus (R) talks with members of the press after speaking at the National Press Club March 18, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images Republican voices from across the country gathered in Hollywood this past weekend to discuss the future of the party at the Republican National Committee’s annual Spring Meeting. Chairman of the RNC ReincePriebusand other leaders had recently released an “autopsy” report following the last...
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Wrongful accuser of Brian Banks facing $1-million-plus...
Brian Banks, center, reacts with his mother, Leomia Myers and father, Jonathan Banks, outside of a Long Beach court after being exonerated. Banks, a former Long Beach high school football star and prized college recruit, served more than five years in prison.; Credit: Nick Ut/AP The young woman who falsely accused Long Beach football player Brian Banks of sexual assault is now facing legal action herself. Wanetta Gibson was a Long Beach Poly High student in 2002 when she sued the school for...
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California Democrats move to reform Proposition 13
A view of the California State Capitol February 19, 2009 in Sacramento, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Pressure is mounting to change the sacred cow of California politics. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that California Democratic lawmakers have introduced measures seeking to reform parts of Proposition 13.With a supermajority in the Legislature, Democrats are hoping to finally be able to tackle a popular tax initiative that has hitherto been regarded as...
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‘Clean’ fights ‘America’s greatest tragedy’ – Addiction
After his memoir "Beautiful Boy" about his son's drug addiction, author and journalist David Sheff wrote "Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy" hoping to change how American views addiction.; Credit: Clean book cover After his desperate grappling with his son’s drug abuse, author and journalist David Sheff could not let go of the topic of addiction. His new book, “Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy,” is the product of five years of...
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Now presenting: Chapman Filmed Entertainment
Chapman University unveiled their state-of-the-art Marion Knott Studios, located at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, on February 10, 2007 in Orange, California.; Credit: Mark Davis/Getty Images An independent film company started by Chapman University's film department is wrapping up production on their first feature, Trigger. The fully-functioning production company, Chapman Filmed Entertainment, was designed to produce four to six micro-budget films each year produced, directed...
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Dodgers’ new ace Greinke breaks collarbone in a scrum...
San Diego Padres players and Los Angeles Dodgers players brawl after Carlos Quentin #18 charged Zack Greinke #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers after being hit with a pitch during the sixth inning at Petco Park on April 11, 2013 in San Diego, California.; Credit: Denis Poroy/Getty Images In the 6th inning of last night’s game between the Dodgers and Padres, Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke threw a pitch that hit Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin in the arm. Quentin, who has been hit 116 times in his...
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The last films of 50 great directors
"Final Cuts" by Nat Segaloff At the end of a long career, a great director may leave behind a large body of work. In his book “Final Cuts” author, critic, and playwright Nat Segaloff examines the last films made by 50 great directors, including John Ford, Robert Altman, Howard Hawks, Arthur Penn, and more. Final films are notoriously difficult for directors, and some of the end results have been famously sub-par, but is the reputation for a bad final film deserved? Is the film industry...
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UTLA teachers express ‘No Confidence’ in Superintendent...
Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy speaks during a press conference at South Region High School #2 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images Los Angeles teachers announced a no confidence vote against L.A. schools Superintendent John Deasy on Thursday. The vote was overwhelming with 91 percent of teachers who participated expressing their disapproval of Deasy. United Teachers Los Angeles president Warren Fletcher said that teachers are unhappy with Deasy’s reliance on...
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Robot experiment coming to Los Angeles classrooms
This dragonbot named Chili encourages students to make healthy food choices. The students give Chili different foods, and Chili gives feedback after tasting the foods.; Credit: Dragonbot Adragon-like robot will soon grace the classrooms of one Los Angeleselementary school in hopes ofhelping first-graders adopt healthier eating habits. "We all know the challengeto get kids to do the right thing. And if the robot ismotivating,why not try it?" saidMaja Mataric, Professor of Computer Science,...
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FilmWeek: To The Wonder, 42, It’s a Disaster, and more
(L-R) Actors Olga Kurylenko, Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams attend the premiere of Magnolia Pictures' 'To The Wonder' at Pacific Design Center on April 9, 2013 in West Hollywood, California. ; Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Andy Klein and Henry Sheehan to review this week’s latest, including To the Wonder, 42, It’s a Disaster, and more. TGI-FilmWeek! To the Wonder 42 It's a Disaster ? Guests: Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and the L.A. Times...
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CA bill seeks to end tax breaks for Boy Scouts for gay...
The Boy Scouts could lose their tax exempt status if the California Youth Equality Bill passes. ; Credit: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty Images A bill introduced by California Senator Ricardo Lara would take away certain nonprofit tax benefits away from certain youth groups that ban gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people from becoming members. The move is largely seen as a way to pressure the Boy Scouts of America to lift its ban on gay members. The Youth Equality Act is the first...
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IRS reading emails without search warrants
A woman looks at her email on a computer screen. The IRS can read emails without a warrant, but should that be legal?; Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images It's tax time and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is offering another reason to stay honest in your tax returns. Internal IRS documents show the agency can obtain your private emails without a search warrant if the emails are older than 180 days. The documents, obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union, that govern how IRS...
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What’s next for the gun bill?
On April 11, 2013, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) (C), Christopher Murphy (D-CT) (L) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) participate in a news conference to urge their colleagues into passing tougher gun laws.; Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images The senate voted Thursday 68-31 to block the filibuster the Republican filibuster on gun-control bills and re-open discussions on new gun control legislation. The vote only signals the beginning of formal discussions, and there are no guarantees that any...
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Are Weiner and Sanford the Next Comeback Kids?
On June 16, 2011, U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) announced his resignation after admitting to sending lewd photos of himself on Twitter to multiple women.; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images Scandal-plagued Mark Sanford is close to winning back his old seat in the House. And now Anthony Weiner tells The New York Times Magazinethat he's thinking about running for Mayor of NYC. Is a sex scandal still the career ruiner it once was or has the art of the comeback made it possible to get...
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Do interfaith marriages last?
Naomi Schaefer Riley's new book, "'Til Faith Do Us Part," looks at why interfaith marriages are becoming more common and how to make them work.; Credit: 'Til Faith Do Us Part bookcover Author Naomi Schaefer Riley’s new book, “’Til Faith Do Us Part: How Interfaith Marriage is Transforming America,” examines why interfaith marriages are becoming more common but sometimes end in unhappiness and divorce. In a national study that Riley commissioned, she found that over 40% of marriages are...
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Are group medical appointments a solution to physician...
Instead of a one-on-one doctor's visit, would you share your appointment with a group of strangers that have similar symptoms?; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Under the Affordable Care Act, a surge of people will need health care, but how will medical professionals be able to accommodate everyone? The Annals of Family Medicine projects that an additional 34 million people will receive health insurance and will need over 51,000 more primary care physicians by 2025 to meet that need. When...
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Is there hope for compromise on gun control in Senate?
Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) (R) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) speak to the press in Washington DC on April 10, 2013 about their proposal to expand background checks to firearms sales at gun shows and on the Internet.; Credit: Allison Shelley/Getty Images Senators may be close to a compromise on some gun control issues. In the aftermath of the Newtown massacre, President Obama has made gun control a priority of his second term, but has met resistance from pro-gun Republicans. Senate Majority Leader...
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Deal reached on migrant farm workers?
A south-bound train passes farm workers shortly after sunrise in the Coachella Valley near Mecca, California. A tentative senate agreement could bring foreign farm workers to the US. ; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images On Tuesday Dianne Feinstein announced that senators had reached a “tentative” deal between farm businesses and labor groups on the framework of a reformed program to bring foreign farm workers to the US. The issue is a central caveat in the senate immigration bill, and has...
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Los Angeles targets Chinese 'birth tourists'
Should Pasadena and Arcadia police crack down on "birth tourism"?; Credit: Erika Aguilar/KPCC The lure of citizenship has brought a number of pregnant women from China to the U.S. to give birth. Their top destination in Los Angeles is the San Gabriel Valley, which has a sizable Chinese population. These expectant mothers typically spend three to four months in the area, staying at maternity wards—typically single-family homes or apartment units that have been converted illegally to house...
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Is the Brad Paisley/LL Cool J 'Accidental Racist' song,...
Actor/rapper LL Cool J (L) and recording artist Brad Paisley appear backstage during the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival.; Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel Combining country music and hip hop in one song may be offensive all its own, but a new song that does just that is drawing criticism for a much deeper reason. The lyrics of "Accidental Racist," by country singer Brad Paisley and hip hop legend L.L. Cool J, are played as a conversation between a regular ol' white...
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Villaraigosa and the state of the city: 'L.A. is on the...
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke on the deck of USS Iowa on April 3, 2013 to mark the completion of the port's main channel deepening project at Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Last night, in his final State of the City address before he ends his term on June 30th, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa touted the advances made during eight years in office: reducing the city’s carbon emissions by almost 30%, a nearly 50% drop in violent crime and...
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Why anti-bullying policies hurt more than help
"Bully Nation," by Susan Eva Porter As the public looks at adolescent development to make sense of violent tragedies, anti-bullying programs and policies are growing. However, an educator and clinician for 25 years asked herself a question: “Why have our views toward aggression changed when the kids haven’t changed?” Her answer was Columbine. EducatorSusan Eva Portersaid that the nation considered the shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold as victims of bullying, and the nation quickly and...
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Study shows widening income gap between professors at...
Students walk across the campus of UCLA. What does the discrepancy in pay for professors at public and private universities mean for higher education? ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images The annual economics report from American Association of University Professors reveals that the difficult economic climate is taking a particularly nasty toll on professors at public universities. Tenured professors at private universities received an average of $167,118 last year, while their...
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Technology, immediacy, and coping with ‘presentism’
"Present Shock," by Douglas Rushkoff Have you ever been annoyed by someone who answered a text in the middle of the conversation? In Douglas Rushkoff’s new book, “Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now,” Rushkoff believes that this is a symptom of a new way of life. Rushkoff challenges Alvin Toffler’s 1970s book “Future Shock,” which theorizes that mankind will be unable to cope with rapid change. Rather, with our microwave and smartphone lifestyles, Rushkoff believes that society has...
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Will L.A. lay down the law on street vending? (Poll)
Shoppers look over items being offered for sale by a vendor at the century-old Maxwell Street Market on October 12, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors is considering a motion today that would clamp down on illegal street vendors. The motion, written by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas who represents the 2nd District, applies to illegal vendors that sell everything from bacon hotdogs on pushcarts to used and new items on the streets...
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Governor Brown shopping for trade in China
California Governor Jerry Brown is in Washington, D.C. for the annual meeting of the nations governors. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Governor Jerry Brown touched down in Beijing today. He’s on a week-long trade mission and told reporters today, “We’re a green state, and we like greenbacks.” Chinese officials see a parade of Western governmental and business leaders keen on finding investors. So is a trade mission still worth it? What are the compromises California might make for...
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Should journalists reveal their sources?
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) arrives for the weekly Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on April 9, 2013 in Washington, DC. McConnell's campaign office has asked the FBI to investigate the source of a recording of an internal campaign meeting that was recently made public.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images Mother Jones published on Tuesday a secret meeting between Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and his aides on February 2. Mother Jones said they were...
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Topless protests split feminists
An activist of the women's rights movement Femen is expelled by the police during a topless protest near Tunisia's Embassy in Paris on April 4, 2013.; Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images The feminist protest group FEMEN, founded in Kiev in 2008, has been in the news lately with a series of topless protests. The latest was held this week in Hanover, Germany, when Russian President Vladimir Putin was meeting publicly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Protesting the jailing of members of...
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Annette Funicello, from Mouseketeer to pop culture icon
In this Jan. 3, 1978 file photo, actress Annette Funicello recalls moments when she played a "Mouseketeer" on ABC's first successful daytime television show,"The Mickey Mouse Club" in Los Angeles, while she was taping an ABC Silver Anniversary Celebration special.; Credit: Lennox McLendon/AP Original Disney Mouseketeer Annette Funicello died today at the age of 70 from complications of multiple sclerosis. Funicello was discovered by Walt Disney while dancing in a school production of "Swan...
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The legacy of the Iron Lady
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1981. She died Monday, at the age of 87.; Credit: /PA Photos /Landov Margaret Thatcher, one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, has died at age 87. As British prime minister in the 1980s, Thatcher's decisive policies altered much of the United Kingdom and rippled around the world. Her conservative agenda reformed England's economy - privatizing major industries and strong-arming unions. Today, British PM David Cameron credited Thatcher as...
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Does selling 'used' digital music equal piracy?
A screenshot of the ReDigi website on April 8, 2013.; Credit: ReDigi Screenshot A federal judge in New York has declared that a website that provides a secondary market for digital music is unlawfully infringing on original copyrights. The ruling is aimed at a company called in ReDigi, which in late 2011 opened a platform for people to upload and resell music files once legally purchased from retailers like iTunes. The case was a litmus test for whether the first sale doctrine - a legal...
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Powerball lottery comes to California
A Powerball lottery ticket for the estimated record 425 million USD jackpot prize, Powerball's biggest winnings ever, is seen in a convenience store in Washington on November 26, 2012. Today California becomes the 43rd state to join the Powerball lottery. ; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images California becomes the 43rd state to join the Powerball lottery today, giving residents the chance to play for a jackpot that starts at $40 million and can rise to hundreds of millions of dollars....
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Plans in the works for a Kings-Ducks hockey game at...
Is it a good idea to have a Kings hockey game outside at Dodger Stadium? ; Credit: Julio Cortez/AP Helene Elliott of the LA Times reports that the NHL is close to finalizing an outdoor hockey game in 2014 between the two SoCal hockey rivals. The NHL has been reticent about hosting an outdoor game in a warm weather city -- in 1991 the Kings played an exhibition game on an outdoor rink outside of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas amid upper 80’s temperature and the rink was overrun by grasshoppers...
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Maceo Parker measures out 98% funky stuff
Maceo Parker's new memoir, "98% Funky Stuff: My Life in Music," includes his experiences from playing in soul bands with his brothers to his times with Prince and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.; Credit: 98% Funky Stuff It was James Brown, exhorting him, “Maceo, I want you to blow!”, who turned saxophonist Maceo Parker from a sideman to a showstopper. But when Parker blew the doors off James Brown’s “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” it was only the beginning. His new memoir takes us from his Southern...
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Smokers banned from jobs at major Pennsylvania employer
Even though smoking is a legal activity, should employers be allowed to adopt non-smoker hiring practices?; Credit: PABLO PORCIUNCULA/AFP/Getty Images As if there weren’t enough impediments to landing a job these days. A growing national trend has some employers – predominantly health care institutions – deeming those who admit to being tobacco users candidates-non-grata. Twenty-nine states, including California, have laws prohibiting discriminatory hiring based on legal activity, and as of...
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Obama proposes budget that both Dems and Republicans...
President Obama pauses while speaking during an event in the East Room of the White House April 5, 2013 in Washington, DC.; Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images In a continuing effort to reach consensus on a way to reduce the federal deficit, President Obama has come up with a set of proposals that has managed to annoy both sides of the aisle. His budget, to be released next week, includes cuts to Medicare and Social Security achieved by lowering the cost-of-living adjustment –...
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How can we prevent the need for wilderness rescues?
Hikers walk through Eaton Canyon Park on Wednesday afternoon, March 27.; Credit: Molly Peterson/KPCC Two lost hikers have been found alive in Trabuco Canyon. But the five-day search involved hundreds of personnel and ledto the hospitalization of one rescuer, seriously injured in a 60-foot fall. This morning, five hikers that were reportedly missing overnight in Eaton Canyonwere found. Why do hikers ignore warning signs not to leave the trail and strike out into dangerous areas? Should there...
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Birth control for all, says federal judge
Should Plan B be available over the counter to women of all ages? ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Since 2011, only women over 17-years-old can get Plan B One-Step—what’s commonly known as the morning-after pill—without a prescription. That’s quickly about to change, after today’s ruling from a federal judge in New York ordering the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make the pill available to any woman over-the-counter, regardless of age. It’s taken more than a decade for the...
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Remembering Roger Ebert: The movie critic who was a star
Film critic Roger Ebert gives his trademark thumbs-up as he arrives for the premiere screening of Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke's new film "Training Day" at the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 7, 2001.; Credit: J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP/Getty Images Influential film critic Roger Ebert died yesterday at age 70 after a public battle with cancer that lasted a decade. His friend and iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese said it's a personal loss for him and for many more, "[Ebert's death is]...
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FilmWeek: Trance, 6 Souls, Neighboring Sounds, and more
Actor Vincent Cassel, actress Rosario Dawson and director Danny Boyle attend the premiere of Fox Searchlight Pictures' "Trance" hosted by The Cinema Society & Montblanc at SVA Theater on April 2, 2013 in New York City.; Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Claudia Puig to review this week’s releases, including Trance, 6 Souls, Neighboring Sounds, and more. TGI-FilmWeek! Trance 6 Souls Neighboring Sounds Guests: Tim Cogshell, film critic...
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Does it matter to you where your meat comes from?
Is it important to know the details of where your meat comes from? Proposed new labeling regulations would offer much more information. ; Credit: Justin Lane/EPA/Landov A new proposal for detailed labelling of meat products in the U.S. is upsetting some in the agriculture industry as well as foreign producers. The plan would see grocery-store packages specify where livestock was born, raised and slaughtered. Currently, meat labelling is required, but not specific. For example, a single...
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Amidst threats, questions about North Korea’s nuclear...
North Korean soldiers, led by their national flag bearers, march on a street in Pyongyang, North Korea on Saturday, March 16, 2013. ; Credit: David Guttenfelder/AP As military tension escalates in North Korea, the U.S. is left wondering about the nation’s true nuclear capabilities. North Korea has moved a missile to its coast, and according to South Korean military officials, it has “considerable range,” though not enough to reach American shores, according to reports. RELATED:Instagram...
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Is Consumer Watchdog the wrong hire for insurance...
Is Consumer Watchdog the right choice for the Insurance comminsion? ; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images In response to rising health insurance rates, California's insurance commissioner has been reviewing rate hikes with the help of a consumer advocacy organization. As reported in the L.A. Times, the insurance industry is complaining that using Consumer Watchdog for government work creates political and financial conflicts of interest. A spokesperson with the state's Insurance Department tells...
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Federal Trade Commission announces winners of "Robocalls...
Aaron Foss and Serdar Danis win $50,000 from the FCC for their "robocall" blocking techology called "Nomorobo."; Credit: Nomorobo Screenshot How many times have you picked up the phone at home only to hear an automated computer voice on the other end? The Federal Trade Commission gets about 200,000 complaints every month related to “robocalls” – computer-dialed, prerecorded messages – and it recently sponsored a national contest to find the best blocking technology for these unsolicited...
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- Pasadena, CA
- Interviews, Call-In, Public Radio
- Southern California PR, KPCC
- English
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