Today, we take a look at part one of the Lance Armstrong/Oprah Winfrey interview. Then, can Congress save the struggling U.S. Postal Service? John C. Reilly goes country with a little help from his friends Becky Stark and Tom Brosseau, and we take a further look at the intersection of a pregnant woman's civil liberties and the rights of the fetus. Plus the Friday Flashback and your Weekend Alibi.
Lance Armstrong: Doping was an integral part of cycling career
In an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey last night, Lance Armstrong said his regimen consisted of blood transfusions, EPO and testosterone. He also said doping was an integral part of the sport and helped him win the Tour De France.
Oprah: "You've been quoted as saying that we had one goal one ambition and that was to win the greatest bike race in the world, and not just to win it once, but to keep on winning it. And to keep on winning it meant that you had to keep on using banned substances to do it."
Lance: "Yes, but that's like saying we have to have air in our tires, or we have to have water in our bottles. That was in my view... Part of the job."
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour De France titles last year.
Ed Engay is a cyclist we caught up with in Santa Monica this morning. He said the confession was not detailed enough:
"I didn't want him to necessarily throw anyone under the bus, but hey it's going to come out. He's taking these steps to bring it out, so why not just bring it out completely?"
In the interview, Armstrong told Winfrey that his downfall began a couple of years ago when his former teammate, Floyd Landis, admitted to doping.
Reed Albergotti, the Wall Street Journal reporter who broke the story, joins the show to offer his insight on Armstrong's admission.
Can Congress save the struggling US Postal Service?
For years, Lance Armstrong rode with a team sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service. Armstrong is reportedly in talks to return some of the millions of dollars he received from the agency.
But that wouldn't do much to help the floundering Postal Service, which loses millions of dollars each day. According to David Williams, the inspector general of the U.S. Postal Service, the USPS could go under this year, unless Congress acts.
We speak with Heidi Moore of the Guardian on why a Congress distracted by elections and the fiscal cliff could be the agency's undoing.
Friday Flashback: Inauguration preview, gun control, and more
We wrap up the week's news and look forward to what's to come in the Friday Flashback. This week's guests, Sophia Nelson of NBC's The Grio, and James Rainey of the LA Times.
John C. Reilly goes country with a little help from his friends
Actor John C. Reilly is known for his comic roles in films like "Talladega Nights" and "Step Brothers," and also for his dramatic performances in films like "Magnolia" and "We Need to Talk About Kevin."
But acting isn't his only forte. He also fronts a country band called John Reilly and Friends with Becky Stark of the band Lavender Diamond, and guitarist Tom Brosseau.
"I've always been playing music since I was a little kid, singing in musicals. Then I taught myself to play the guitar, and I got more and more interested in music," said Reilly. "We came up with this Roots music revue, and it's a rotating cast of people that I sing duets with...everything from old country standards to old vocal bluegrass stuff. Songs from the roots of the tree of song."
The band just released two singles on Jack White's Thirdman Records label, and they stopped by the Take Two studio to play us some tunes.
Interview Highlights:
What attracted you to this early Americana/country music?
"I'm drawn to stuff, for whatever reason, that seems eternal. I'm really fascinated by why this assembly of notes with these words stands the test of time. There are thousands of songs written that year, in 1895. Why did this melody carry on? In some ways I suppose it's a reaction to the world and the way things move so quickly and how quickly we discard things in our world. I guess I'm just drawn to eternal magic."
What was it like making the jump from film actor to playing tiny clubs?
"It took a little bit of time to get comfortable with that. I think one of the reasons I became an actor is because I'm really happy inhabiting masks. There were some growing pains in our very first shows, where people were screaming "Shake And Bake!" at the shows, people that just knew my name from comedy…Then we come and we start doing songs from the 1930s or old Bluegrass spirituals. But to the audience's credit, once people hear what we're doing and get the spirit of what we're doing we've had I'd say 100-percent satisfaction rate. I sort of use the fact that people know my name to bring people together and then turn them on to Tom Brosseau and Beck Stark and Dan Byrne and WIlly Watson…I feel like I'm the chum in the fishing boat, throw this in the water this will bring all the fish towards the boat then once they get there we share this special happening with them."
Catch John Reilly and Friends at the Bootleg Bar in Los Angeles on Jan. 18. Click here to get tickets.
Latinos host their own gala for Obama's inauguration
Latinos will have a special gala this Sunday for President Obama's inauguration: the Latino Inaugural. Hosted by Eva Longoria and featuring a star-studded cast, it's also a way for them to celebrate their influence on the 2012 campaign.
But will that political muscle stay flexed throughout President Obama's next term in office?
We talk with Andrès Lopez, one of the main organizers of the event and a former advisor to the Obama campaign.
Weekend Alibi: Ice skating, Star Party, apple pie
KPCC's Meghan McCarty is back and better than ever in a revamped and retooled Weekend Alibi. For those that don't know, it's your guide for a fun weekend.
On tap this weekend: Pretend you're in the colder climate of DC by skating by the last weekend of Downtown on Ice, the ice rink at Pershing Square. Or you could emulate the president's star-studded night by checking out the Star Party at the Griffith Observatory, where astronomy geeks will help you sight the season's sparkling constellations.
Finally, there's nothing more American than apple pie ... We'll give you the lowdown on where to find the best ones in LA.
OOLPROOF VODKA PIE DOUGH
from America's Test Kitchen
Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor — do not substitute.
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water
Process 1½ cups flour, salt and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening, and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days. Makes crust for 1 pie.
How pregnancy alters a woman's civil liberties
This is part two of a two-part segment on pregnancy and crime. Click here to view and hear part one.
A recent report published in the Journal of Health, Politics and Policy and Law says hundreds of women have been denied their civil liberties because they were pregnant. The study examined specific examples, and touched on a legal grey area where the rights of the mother and the fetus intersect.
We're joined now by Matthew Staver, Dean of Liberty University School of Law in Virginia
Legacy of Bell's corruption case: high tax rates, new civic engagement
Several former city council members from the city of Bell go on trial next week on charges of public corruption. They are accused of taking large city salaries for no work, attending phantom meetings, and receiving illegal loans from the city.
Since their arrests, and that of former City Manager Robert Rizzo and his assistant, new leaders have been trying to restructure the city. Residents and business owners say they are noticing a difference, although the pace of change has been slow.
RELATED: Jury selection begins in Bell corruption trial in Los Angeles Superior Court
Charlie Ortiz opened Charlie's Chop Shop in Bell a dozen years ago when the Rizzo regime was in full swing. Ortiz swiftly made professional and personal friends with members of the local police department, but suspected something might be wrong.
"I used to think your voice wasn't heard as loud, before," he says.
When Ortiz first came to town, he didn't really know anybody. But on a recent evening, years later, he was scheduled to appear before the Bell City Council. They wanted to thank him for giving free haircuts to local kids.
"Now it's like one of those old Western towns you see on TV where everybody knows each other," he said.
Rizzo and the old City Council tried to take advantage of Bell residents, Ortiz says.
"They think that the people of Bell don't know what's going on, because maybe some people are not legal or maybe because they don't speak English," Ortiz says. "And boy, were they wrong, huh?"
Now he has the ear of the mayor, literally.
One of his hair clients is Ali Saleh, who runs a clothing shop in town and is in his second year as mayor. On a recent afternoon, Saleh is cutting the ceremonial ribbon for a new business that trains developmentally-disabled adults.
Saleh, the U.S.-born son of Lebanese immigrants, moves with ease between English and Spanish at such gatherings, where speeches are in both languages.
Saleh addresses the crowd of business people and Chamber of Commerce members in English: "Any businesses that you guys may know, tell them that the city of Bell is a very friendly business community and we're delighted to have the new business here."
About 10 years ago, Saleh started attending City Council meetings. The sessions were mere minutes long, free of dissent, and attended by only a few people. It wasn't until Bell's salary scandal came to light that Saleh fully understood how bad things had gotten under Rizzo.
"He was a disgrace to local government to the city manager's position, what he did to our community was shameless," Saleh says.
The Rizzo legacy lives on in legal costs topping $1 million a year — about three times what a similar size city would normally have. Residents still pay one of the highest parcel tax rates in the county, after approving bonds that Rizzo and the old council placed on the ballot. One of the bond elections drew only about 300 voters in a city where more than 8,000 people are registered.
"I don't know if we can move on," Saleh says. "We can move on from the scandal, but we can't move on because we still have this property tax assessed on us for many years."
One of the biggest changes has been the awakening of Bell residents to civic life. City council meetings now stretch for hours and draw dozens of residents. They are live-streamed on the Internet, and city employee salaries, contracts and every check written out of the city treasury are available for public scrutiny at council meetings and online.
An early debate in the post-Rizzo years was whether Bell could afford to keep its police department. The police union is in negotiations with the city and Saleh says he's pressing for lower salaries and pensions. He attended local schools and recalls the pride of the city having its own department.
"At the moment, we are working to keep our police department," Saleh says. "That discussion has really been muted and we're moving forward and we're keeping 'em."
Councilman Nestor Valencia prefers to dissolve the Bell police and outsource public safety to the county sheriff's department or another agency.
He said the city retains the Rizzo legacy in higher-than-sustainable salaries.
"What he did, what former council people did, and employees did and police did was created a very nice egg nest for themselves," Valencia says. "We're still paying high salaries."
Valencia believes Bell taxpayers cannot sustain the expense or pay down the bond debt incurred under the former council.
"Probably the biggest thing that I'd like to see is for those obligations to be mitigated, negotiated somehow," Valencia says. "If we have to, just say, 'We can't do it. BK the whole thing.'"
By "BK," he means he's willing to see the city go bankrupt in order to restructure the city's debts.
For now, Valencia represents a vocal minority on the council, and he's hopeful the March city council election brings a change.
"The good is that we still have an opportunity – elections," Valencia says. "Finally, there are six people running in this election cycle. I'm not up for election, but there are two who are up and four who are running for those seats and that's exactly what we wanted."
It's perhaps a sign of returning normalcy that one of the big controversies here these days is whether to remove speed bumps installed on many side streets.
Said Saleh: "There's a lot of speed bumps in the city of Bell."
Parents invoke trigger to shake up failing LA Unified school
Hundreds of parents from a West Adams elementary school on Thursday invoked the “Parent Trigger” law to take over the failing 24th Street Elementary school. It's the first attempt to use the controversial law in L.A. Unified since it was passed in 2010 -- and could mark a turning point for parent-reform advocates.
Amabilia Villeda, the leader of the Padres de 24 Parent Union leading the effort, handed Superintendent John Deasy some of the signatures she’d been gathering over the last nine months in a door-to-door campaign.
“I hope now you’ll hear us,” she said.
The school in the Historic West Adams neighborhood has a slew of problems. It’s one of the worst performing in the state and in the bottom 2% of the district. Two in three students can’t read at grade level and it has the second highest suspension rate for elementary schools in all of LAUSD. Villeda said parents want a new principal and experienced teachers.
Smiling and shaking hands, Deasy accepted the more than 400 signatures, delivered in a little red wagon, and addressed the crowd of more than 100 mostly Latino parents -- in Spanglish.
“Bienvenidos los padres de Escuela 24," he said, with a thick accent. "You are welcome here and I look forward to working together with you.”
The Parent Trigger law allows parents to take over a failing school and force a complete overhaul, as long as half of parents sign off. In response to the petition, the district can take a number of steps including negotiating with the parents. Deasy said he’ll meet with them next week.
Deasy’s warm welcome of Villeda shows how much LAUSD's attitude toward outside reform efforts have changed in the past decade.
It's in sharp contrast to the hostile response at other school districts that have been targetted for parent triggers -- and fought back.
Deasy said he wants to join with parents “to fundamentally and dramatically change 24th street," eliciting cheers and applause the packed auditorium at LAUSD's headquarters. “We are proud of you being part of the revolution to take power and agency to change 24th Street.”
For years parents have been pushing the district intervene. The district itself recognized that the school is in trouble and put it in line for serious reforms. But nothing changed.
Parent Revolution, a well-funded education advocacy group, got involved and began organizing parents.
“This is a school that has been an abject failure for years, you know, parents can’t wait for pilot programs or half measures… their kids get older every year and these parents need a great school for their kids next year and they’re going to get it,” said Ben Austin, of Parent Revolution.
Since launching in 2009, the organization has been encouraging parents to take over struggling schools by replacing staff or facilitating charter school conversions.
On behalf of the parents at 24th Street, Parent Revolution acquired an office space, set up phone banks, and helped them canvass the neighborhood for signatures.
Austin said 24th Street Elementary is “a poster child for why parents need power.”
A win in LAUSD - the second largest district in the country - would be huge victory for his group. Its first attempt at pulling the parent trigger was in Compton Unified and despite an initial win, a court decision ultimately disqualified so many parent signatures that the petition was thrown out.
Just last week, the Adelanto school board approved a charter organization to take over Desert Trails Elementary in the Mojave Desert. It was the first school in the country to be converted by parent trigger and it was a long slog.
“I think that this is a new day in the LAUSD," Austin said. "Partly because there is real enlightened leadership within this district and within this city that believes in parent power.”
Deasy once worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has funded Parent Revolution.
Still it’s not exactly a walk in the park for the movement in L.A. The teachers union adamantly opposes a takeover by parents.
UTLA President Warren Fletcher interrupted the event and told the audience the process would make parents and teachers adversaries. He called the parent trigger a blunt instrument.
“It is a tool like an axe," he said. "It can chop down a tree.”
Parents were irate.
"We’ve been asking our teachers at our school for help," said one mother. "It’s not fair for me or my child that’s in kindergarten to have numerous teachers in one year. This is his first year, it’s supposed to be exciting."
Mixing up creative cocktails with a dose of science
The weekend so close, you can almost taste it. Some of you might be planning to indulge in a delicious cocktail this weekend, but what if you're in the mood for something a little different?
Marina Mercer, a 29-year-old bartender at the Chandelier Bar in the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, mixes her potables with a heavy dose of science and technology, and a little spice, as well. Reporter Adam Burke prepared this refreshing story.
Mavericks big-wave surfing competition returns
Mavericks, the big wave surfing competition, will be held on Sunday for the first time in years in Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay, CA.
In 2010, spectators were injured while watching from the beach, and pro-surfer Shane Dorian almost drowned. The weather forecast calls for 30-foot waves with clear blue skies.
Take Two speaks with pro-surfer Peter Mel about the conditions and what's it like to surf one of the biggest, most dangerous waves in the world