“Birdman” soared to four Oscar wins on Sunday night, including best picture and best director,we’ll take a look back at the winners, losers, surprises, and snubs from the 87th Academy Awards. Also, What are the short and long-term implications for Congress if they neglect to fund DHS? Then, three out of four hospitals are not meeting standards for high-risk childbirths.
Wrapping up the 2015 Oscars
“Birdman” soared to four Oscar wins on Sunday night, including best picture and best director, while “The Grand Budapest Hotel” checked in with four wins as well, including best costume and production design.
On AirTalk today, we’ll take a look back at the winners, losers, surprises, and snubs from the 87th Academy Awards.
For the full story, click HERE.
Guests:
John Horn, host of KPCC’s The Frame, was at the Oscars last night.
Justin Chang, chief film critic for Variety.
Shutdown brewing over DHS funding as deadline looms large
Unless Congress acts this week, the Department of Homeland Security will run out of money on Friday.
It’s the first major fiscal deadline the newly GOP-controlled Congress will face as they continue to fight the White House of the President’s immigration policies. Senate Republicans are still weighing their options but would most likely support a short-term extension of funding DHS. They want to write language into the long-term funding bill that would block President Obama’s recent executive action on immigration as well as stop his 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
What are the short and long-term implications for Congress if they neglect to fund DHS? Who would shoulder the blame if another government shutdown were to occur?
Guest:
Karen Tumulty, national political correspondent for the Washington Post
Why fewer college students are taking foreign language courses
Learning a second language isn’t easy, but research has shown that it’s worth every bit of effort.
Speaking a foreign language not only helps with brain development, it’s also becoming an indispensable skill in the global economy. But a report from the Modern Language Association has found a marked drop in the number of college students taking foreign language courses. So why?
Guest:
Rosemary Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Association, which put out the report
Lawmakers debate repeal of ‘welfare queen’ law in California
California Democrats want to overturn a state law that bars families from receiving more welfare money if they give birth to an additional child while on benefits.
This is the third time Senator Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles has introduced a bill to repeal the 20 year-old-law, which she says was meant to discourage welfare recipients from having children. Rather than accomplishing that, she argues, the welfare cap helped California achieve the nation’s highest poverty rate. The new state bill that would increase welfare payments to parents as they have more children, without a maximum. But republicans who helped passed the original law, like former Assembly Leader Jim Brulte, say the new law would offer people incentives to stay on welfare and have more children.
Read more here.
Guests:
Holly Mitchell, (D-Culver City) California Senator representing the 30th District, which includes Culver City and the communities of Century City and the Crenshaw District. She is author of Senate Bill 23
Mary Theroux, Sr. Vice President of the Independent Institute, a non-profit scholarly research and educational organization on social and economic issues based in Oakland
Hospitals watchdog finds high-risk deliveries inconsistent and lacking nation-wide
Three out of four hospitals are not meeting standards for high-risk childbirths according to a leading nonprofit watchdog, The Leapfrog Group.
Babies born with very low birthweight (less than 3 pounds, 4.91 ounces) are more likely to survive and thrive in intensive care units where staff have ample experience dealing with very vulnerable newborns, so Leapfrog advises mothers to choose hospitals with proven capacity for high-risk deliveries. In California, 25% of hospitals meet the Leapfrog standards for risky births. A significantly positive finding in the new data shows fewer hospitals performing early elective births. In California last year, the average rate of early elective delivers was 2.5 percent approximately - a whopping decrease from the 10 percent rate in 2011. More data strongly demonstrates early births pose greater risks to mother and child.
On another positive note, episiotomy rates are improving. Sixty‐five percent of hospitals achieved the target rate of 12 percent or less for episiotomies—a once routine incision made in the birth canal during childbirth that is now recommended only for a narrow set of cases.
What would it take for more hospitals to improve care for high-risk births?
Guests:
Erica Mobley, senior manager of communications and development, The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit representing employers and other purchasers of health benefits advancing safety and quality in American hospitals.
Extra cushion, not bare feet, is the next running trend
The minimalist approach to running shoes with brands like the Vibram Five finger, promised a healthier approach to running.
Author Christopher McDougall championed barefoot running with his book, “Born to Run.” But the latest trend is now extra cushion for running shoes, according to the New York Times.
Olympic medalist, runner Leo Monzano has been championing the new maximalist trend with a running shoe brand that touts double the cushioning than standard shoes. His plantar fasciitis disappeared after using more cushioned shoes. The shoe is designed to make the runner feel like they aren’t hitting the ground, but not ideal for those who want to run at top speeds. They’re gaining momentum, selling more than 550,000 pairs last year.
Do you prefer more or less cushion when running? Will this be another trend that will be forgotten within the next couple of years ?
Guest:
Jonathan Beverly, Shoe Editor, Runner’s World magazine and Running Times
Jay Dicharry, physical therapist and director of the REP biomechanics lab in Bend, Oregon. He’s also the author of the book, “Anatomy for Runners” (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012)