The NFL has a new personal conduct policy for players, an LA Times investigation on labor practices on Mexican farms that provide produce to the US and the increasingly tight race to find a rental apartment in LA.
Dodgers revamp roster, agree to trade Matt Kemp
In the true Los Angeles spirit of cosmetic surgery, the Dodgers have undergone a major facelift. It started in mid-October when they hired former Tampa Bay Rays Vice-President Andrew Friedman to become president of baseball operations and made him the highest paid front office executive in baseball.
Then last month Friedman hired Farhan Zaidi to be his general manager. The two have really gone to work this week at the winter meetings in San Diego and, according to team sources, they've overhauled the Dodgers' roster.
Pending league approval, the Dodgers acquired shortstop Jimmy Rollins from the Philadelphia Phillies. Rollins has spent his entire 15-year career there. He's a former MVP and 3-time all star who'll be in the final year of his contract next year. Next, the Dodgers got 2nd baseman Howie Kendrick of the Los Angeles Angels and sent their own 2nd baseman Dee Gordon to the Miami Marlins.
The Dodgers and Padres have also agreed on a deal to send slugger Matt Kemp to San Diego in exchange for catcher Yasmani Grandal and two other prospects. The Dodgers would send around $31 million dollars to the Padres to cover part of Kemp's Hefty contract.
Take Two host and KPCC's resident sports authority A. Martinez weighs in on the latest trades:
First impressions of this big deal
Well, right off the bat with Rollins and Kendrick replacing Hanley Ramirez and Dee Gordon, it seems as if the Dodgers are stressing defense without sacrificing too much offense. Rollins comes off the books at the end of the season giving shortstop prospect Corey Seager another year to develop. And then with Kemp not being there, that loosens up that logjam in the outfield and saves money long-term. But I think for me the catcher in the deal, Yasmani Grandal, who was one of the guys who was busted for steriods a little while back, but his bat has always been his calling card, I think they're hoping that his bat will develop and blossom so that it could make up for some of the offense that Kemp is not going to have for them anymore.
They had the problem of too many outfielders, but why Kemp?
Yes, he's still an injury concern, I would think and Carl Crawford is also an injury concern, but he's also a little bit younger than Crawford so I think that's the move there. And he just had a resurgence so his value is never going to be higher and they found someone to take on that big contract.
Do these moves help lower the Dodgers payroll?
Right, it does. They get rid of Kemp's contract, even though they're sending money first to kind of entice the Padres to make the deal and then when Jimmy Rollins' contract comes off the book that's more money that they're going to save and they're going to replace with a young inexpensive player, in their prospect Corey Seager if he's ready so yes. They seem to be getting better in some way and also losing a lot of money in the process.
The NFL and their new code of conduct
The NFL has struggled with its public image following high profile scandals involving players, Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, but yesterday the league appeared to respond
They released new conduct policy guidelines for all employees, including players.
Parts of the new policy call for independent investigations into incidents that may include domestic violence and removes NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell from initial disciplinary proceedings.
We talked to Michael Schottey, the NFL National Lead Writer for the Bleacher Report
LA Times uncovers worker abuse by Whole Foods and Walmart vendors in Mexico
In October, Whole Foods launched a marketing campaign called "Values Matter" with commercials like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DCow4J-pDE
While the video talks about treating workers well, a recent investigation by the Los Angeles Times has shown that not only Whole Foods, but Walmart, Safeway and other grocers - have been buying produce from companies in Mexico that severely mistreat their workers.
Richard Marosi spent over a year reporting this series and he joins Ben Bergman to chat.
Psychologists in C.I.A. torture report paid $81 million to implement interrogation methods
Among the many disturbing details of the Senate report on the CIA's interrogation program is the key role two psychologists had in shaping the program. Like many things in the executive summary released this week, the psychologists' work was not a secret.
In fact, it was written about extensively seven years ago in Vanity Fair. Investigative journalist Katherine Eban wrote about the two psychologist who were paid $81 million by the CIA to craft and implement the coercive interrogation methods.
You can read her 2007 Vanity Fair story here.
A few surprises in this year's Golden Globe nominations
Awards season is beginning to take shape with this morning's Golden Globe nominations.
The movie "Birdman" led the pack with seven nominations. And in television, the FX series "Fargo" earned the most nods.
For more on the films that are up for awards, L.A. Times film writer
joins Take Two.
The Wheel Thing: Holiday gift guide for car fanatics
If there's a car nut on your holiday gift list, our auto critic Susan Carpenter has some recommendations.
If you are really trying to impress, how about the Maserati 100th Anniversary Neiman Marcus Limited Edition Ghibli S Q4. Sure, it will set you back 95 grand, but it gets to sixty in 4.7 seconds and has a 1280 watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system to compete with the highly tuned exhaust.
Too dear for your special someone? You can still give the gift of Italian supercar luxury with a Lamborghini carbon fiber travel bag. Made of the same material that wraps the new Huracan, it will never be mistaken for a Samsonite.
For the budding auto enthusiast on your list, Fisher-Price has a full line of Power Wheels – battery-powered mini-cars that kids can actually get in and drive. There are Jeep models, one patterned after Ford's new F-150 pickup, and if you just can't get enough branding for your child, a Disney Frozen Ford Mustang that features images and sound from the hit movie.
Motorcyclist that has everything? How about a genuine Indian Motorcycle tent. Sleeps two, and has a separate "lobby" for storing gear or muddy boots, and presumably for greeting guests.
Finally, maybe a goofy gift, maybe not – the AutoArt Center Lock Nut photo frame. Weighs ten pounds and looks like the lock nut from a racing wheel, on steroids.
Susan Carpenter is auto and motorcycle critic for the OC Register. She joins Take Two on Thursdays for The Wheel Thing.
KPCC's tips on scoring a rental in LA
Southern California has the nation's worst market for rentals, but it's not impossible to find a nice place at a reasonable rent. KPCC's Kristen Lepore talked with Take Two with tips for finding the best place, plus how to avoid a nightmare roommate.
You can also read the full story on KPCC here.
Fewer parents are opting out of vaccines for kids
The California Department of Public Health has released immunization information for kids who entered kindergarten this year.
State law says kids must be vaccinated to enter kindergarten, but if parents are opposed to vaccination, they must file what's known as a Personal Belief Exemption form.
For the first time in about a decade, the number of parents opting OUT of vaccinations has dropped. SCPR's Rebecca Plevin looked at the data and compiled this report.
We talked to her about it, then we spoke to the head of pediatrics of Northridge Hospital, Janesri De Silva.
Oldest horned dinosaur in North America named
A new dinosaur was named this week in a paper published by the journal, PLOS One. It's called Aquilops americanus, or American eagle face, for its beak and bird-like appearance.
It's the oldest horned dinosaur found in North America and was smaller than the thundering creatures we've come to associate with dinosaurs - closer to the size of a rabbit or large crow.
The Aquilops skull was discovered in Montana in 1997 and dates from the early Cretaceous period. It is quite dissimilar from later-era horned dinosaurs, or ceratopsians, like triceratops. This shows that it likely came to North America from Asia on a land bridge.
Andrew Farke, lead author of the study and paleontologist at the Raymond M. Alf Museum in Claremont joins the show with more.