Some of the biggest names in technology like Google, Apple and Adobe are facing a class action suit for allegedly conspiring to keep employee wages down between 2005 and 2009. Jeff Elder has been covering this for The Wall Street Journal and joins host Alex Cohen to talk more; Facebook could be getting into the remittances market as the social networking site nears regulatory approval in Ireland. Then, we'll chat with author Gail Storey about her book, "I Promise Not to Suffer." Plus, we'll talk '80s New Wave with Lori Majewski; Then, LA Times’ Rebecca Keegan joins us for her regular Monday Hollywood update with On the Lot.
Will Facebook be entering the money transfer world?
Facebook may be entering the money transfer arena.
The social media company is getting approval in Ireland that would let users store money on Facebook and send it to one another. Facebook hasn't confirmed this, but experts who watch the company say this makes sense considering Facebook's recent pushes to gain a foothold in emerging economies.
India, for example, was the top recipient of remittances in 2013 according to the World Bank. That country has over 100 million Facebook users—most of whom use the service on their mobile device.
For more on Facebook's foray into the money transfer world, we turn to Financial Times reporter Hannah Kuchler.
The uplifting art of LAX
When you want to see world class art in Los Angeles, you might head to LACMA or a gallery in Santa Monica.
But you probably wouldn't think to hop a flight.
At airports around the country, however, millions are being spent to showcase public art ranging from towering sculptures to collections of paintings to performance pieces.
At LAX, the 66 million passengers who travel through its terminals can get a glimpse of art.
"For people who might be traveling through Los Angeles, they might not have time on their itinerary to stop at one of the local museums or galleries," says LAX's curator Sarah Cifarelli, "but they can have an art experience at the airport."
One example is a collection of paintings and photographs at terminals 7 and 8 called, "Welcome to LA /Please Come Again." Featuring dozens of works by local artists, it's a tribute to Southern Californian culture.
For instance, one set of large-format photographs shows desolate beach locations, some at night. Serene and somber upon first glance, Cifarelli explains their hidden meaning: "They all reference beach locations where a famous person may have disappeared."
"Because L.A. is known for lots of legends and stars and notorious happenings, I think it just emphasizes you're in Los Angeles," she said.
The growth spurt in art at airports actually has some roots in the tragic events of 9/11 and the increased security afterwards.
"A lot of airports saw that people were spending more time at airports especially because you have to allow more time to get through security," explains Cifarelli. "Then once you're through security, you have quite a chunk of time on your hands. So for a lot of airport art programs, we were able to sort of fill that void and give passengers something to do and to look at during that waiting time at the gate."
One example flanks the line of the security checkpoint at terminal 3: "Elevate," by Joyce Dallal.
It's a dramatic sculpture of a flock of paper airplanes swirling up and seemingly out the atrium windows.
Printed on each plane is an excerpt of the Geneva Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, combining the image of a soaring journey with ideas of war and security.
"What [the artist] realized is that she wanted people to feel at peace as they were embarking on this journey," says Cifarelli. "They were going to go through security, which can be stressful, and she really wanted people to have a sense of peace and tranquility."
The prospect of an airport being an art venue has also excited some artists, said Cifarelli.
"It's very different from a gallery because we don't have the four perfect white walls and things like that," she says, "but for a lot of artists they're not looking for that perfect pristine space. They're looking for a place that's energized by the public that has lots of different people moving through it."
Some of the art at LAX don't even require a ticket to view: many are located before the security checkpoints throughout the airport. You can preview some examples here.
And Cifarelli hopes that the next time you hurry through the terminal, you're able to take a breath and soak in the art.
"The airport can be a stressful place," she said, "but it can also be a place of discovery and delight."
House bill could endanger national monuments and parks
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed legislation which restricts the President's ability to establish national monuments and parks.
But conservationists are concerned the House bill sends the wrong message, especially at time when there's a political battle over drilling in national parks.
From the Fronteras Desk reporter Lorne Matalon brings us this story.
'I Promise Not to Suffer': Adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail stretches from the border of Mexico, up through California, Oregon and Washington, all the way to Canada. It's a 2,663 mile trek that runs through scorching desert filled with snakes and bugs heavy snow in the High Sierra.
But that didn't stop writer Gail Storey. She and her husband Porter decided to sell their house in Houston and take on the Pacific Crest Trail. It's an adventure she writes about in the book "I Promise Not To Suffer." She joins us now to talk more about her adventure.
Should euthanasia be an option for the terminally ill?
Pro-choice, pro-life, the rather stark terms used to define the abortion debate which rages as passionately as ever. But another debate is increasingly making headlines, about how people who are terminally ill should be treated.
"Aid in Dying" as it's called, is seen by its supporters as giving dignity and choice to people at the end of their lives. Opponents fear it's a slippery slope to legally sanctioned murder. The latest battleground is in New Mexico. The BBC’s Matt Wells brings us this report.
State Department puts Keystone XL Pipeline project on hold
The State Department announced on Friday that it would delay its decision on the always controversial Keystone XL Pipeline project. And in Washington, holding off on an answer is having a political effect on both sides of the aisle.
Bob King is the energy and transportation editor for Politico and he joins the show to discuss.
Transgender activist's death spurs political debate over death certificates
Filmmaker and activist Christopher Lee fought to bring light to the struggles of transgender people. Now his untimely death is speaking proposed legislation in Sacramento.
The California Report's April Dembosky explains how his death has opened a new political battle over the accuracy of transgender people's death certificates.
Boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter dead at 76
Rubin Hurricane Carter, the former boxer who spent nearly two decades in prison before charges against him were dismissed, died over the weekend. He was 76.
Carter was played by Denzel Washington in the 1999 film, "Hurricane," and spent his years after prison focusing on other cases of wrongful conviction with an organization he founded, called Innocence International.
Ken Klonsky, co-author with Carter of the book "Eye of the Hurricane: My Path from Darkness to Freedom," talks with Take Two about the man's life and career.
Congressional caucus for cut-flowers?
When lawmakers head to the country's capitol, there are a vast number of committees, panels and groups to sign up for.
Now, add to that the sharp rise in the number of congressional caucuses.
Some, like the Congressional Black Caucus or the Republican Study Committee, wield influence. But now a member can be part of the Bourbon Caucus, the Bike Caucus or the Hockey Caucus.
Here to tell us more is reporter Sarah Mimms with the National Journal.
On The Lot: 'Rio 2,' Dee Dee Myers, Bryan Singer and more
LA Times’ Rebecca Keegan joins us for her regular Monday Hollywood update.
This week, "Rio 2" proves that "Frozen" may not have been a fluke – animated musicals are back.
Former Clinton Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers is the new head of communications at Warner Bros. It’s only the most recent example of that odd revolving door between Hollywood and The Beltway.
Director Bryan Singer is out promoting his new "X-Men" movie, but he has a problem: a 31-year-old man filed a sex abuse case against him this weekend.
In China, they are finally screening "Rebel Without A Cause," so Chinese kids can now tell their parents, “you’re tearing me apart.”
Tech workers file class-action suit against Apple, Google and other tech giants
First, a look at a fascinating legal case out of Silicon Valley. The anti-trust lawsuit pits more than 64,000 software engineers against Google, Apple, Intel and Adobe. The claimants allege that these tech giants conspired to keep their employees down.
It's a story Jeff Elder has been covering for The Wall Street Journal and he joins the show to discuss.
'Charcutería' author Jeffrey Weiss shares recipe for Tomate Frito
Take Two host A Martinez talks to Jeffrey Weiss about his new book, "Charcutería: The Soul of Spain," which explores the surprising culture and techniques of meat preservation.
He also shares some of his favorite recipes, like the Tomate Frito:
This standard Spanish tomato sauce plays an essential part in a lot of recipes so I always have some on hand. Tomate Frito, which basically translates as 'fried tomato sauce,' gets its unique flavor from frying ingredients in order to bring out their inherent sweetness and remove some of the acidity and canned flavor from the tomatoes.
Since this recipe uses just a few ingredients, it’s imperative that everything is the best you can find. Look for ingredients like great olive oil and canned San Marzano tomatoes (yes, even the Spaniards bow to those great Italian tomatoes when their fresh crops aren’t in season). Otherwise, if you want to make this recipe with fresh tomatoes during tomato season, you can use an equal amount of high-quality fresh tomatoes like dry-farmed Early Girls (these are just as delicious as San Marzanos)!
The resultant sauce—an umami-packed flavor bomb—was standard fare at our family meals in Toledo, usually served over pasta or as a component in other dishes. We always had a stash canned or in the freezer (Tomate Frito preserves really well), so consider making a lot at one time and then storing it for later.
RECIPE
Yield: Around 4 ¼ cups (1 L)
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of fresh tomatoes or canned San Marzano tomatoes
- ½ cup (125 mL) good Spanish extra virgin olive oil, such as piqual
- 1 medium yellow union, sliced into thing julienne
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled, destemmed, and sliced thinly
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Granulated sugar, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Make a sofrito: In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil for 4 minutes, until just rippling but not smoking. Add the onions and garlic and season with the salt. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft but have not taken on color.
2. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut up the tomatoes into rough pieces. (If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them roughly.)
3. Raise the heat to high. Add the tomatoes and season them to taste with the sugar, salt, and black pepper. Fry the tomatoes in the sofrito for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes, until most of the water has cooked out of the tomatoes. Remove from the heat.
5. Process the mixture through a food mill with a fine screen (if you don’t have one, you can use a chinois or other fine strainer) into a large mixing bowl. If necessary, repeat until the purée is smooth. Taste the sauce as necessary with salt and black pepper.
6. If using the Tomate Frito immediately, transfer it to a large plastic container and set aside to cool to room temperature. Cover and chill the sauce overnight. The Tomate Frito can also be canned in sterilized containers.
Mad World: An oral history of New Wave artists and songs that defined the '80s
In Lori Majewski's new book, "Mad World: An oral history of New Wave artists and songs that defined the 1980s," she uses first hand accounts from artists that were part of the New Wave scene to paint a picture of what it was like during the time.
One of the things she covers is the origin of New Wave. Majewski recently spoke with A Martinez on Take Two about the topic: "New wave came after punk. So, punk was a time where it was very dark, it was a lot of spitting and safety pins... and it gave way to these artists who were playing three chords and they got sick of it. They said, you know we actually want to be pop stars... punk gave them the DIY spirit to go after what they wanted."
One band that embodies the '80s is Duran Duran, said Majewski on Take Two.
"Out of the box Duran Duran were born to be big."
Unlike bands like the Rolling Stones, she says, they had found their sound right away, and were able to rocket to the top of the charts.
While it originated in the United Kingdom, Los Angeles actually played a roll in the New Wave scene as well, particularly for women.
"L.A. is... a very glamorous place. And I think that's why women ruled there," said Majewski.
"When you look to England — the women there — you had Annie Lennox in drag... but in L.A. everything was about style, fashion, glamour, and that's why I think women ruled the roost there."
By the '80s, music had gone from the political activism of the '60s to the disco revolution of the '70s, and it seemed like maybe music and causes didn't really mix, until Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
It was a song that brought together superstar artists like Bono, Sting and Nick Rhodes to sing about the famine in Africa. "You have to remember when Bob Geldof sought to get all of these artists together for Band Aid, they had no idea what was going on," said Majewski. "I mean, it was really just reported that there was a famine going on in Africa... and they all realized what was going on and they were like wow, music really can change the world."
It wasn't without controversy though.
"Bono was wondering if Bob Geldoff was going too far with one of the lyrics - tonight, thank god it's them instead of you - he said, wait, what do you mean by that. I don't know if I should be recording that. And Bob talked him into it and it probably is the most famous line to come out of that song," she said.
The record actually set Bono on the road to activism.
"If not for Band Aid, he really may not have gone in that direction.
If you want to meet Lori and hear her read an excerpt from her book, she'll be at Book Soup in West Hollywood on April 23rd.
California teen survives 6-hour flight in jet's wheel well
Airport security officials in San Jose are still scratching their heads this morning. They're trying to figure out exactly how a teenager could have accessed the tarmac at Mineta San Jose International Airport, snuck into a plane's wheel well and survived a nearly six-hour flight to Hawaii unhurt.
For more on this story we're joined by Henry Lee, he's a crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle.
RELATED: You can survive a flight in a jet's wheel well, but probably won't
Hmong community celebrates naming of first judge
Members of the Hmong community came to the U.S. as refugees after the Vietnam War. Many settled in the Central Valley, where they've struggled at times to fit in.
But they're now celebrating a big step into the melting pot of American culture. Alice Daniel from the California Report reports on a lawyer in Merced County, Paul Lo, who has become the nation's first Hmong judge.