The Pope addresses climate change, transgender health, the Golden State Warriors win their first NBA championship in 40 years.
Saving the planet: How different religions view the environment
Religion and politics are colliding this week with Pope Francis' highly anticipated encyclical expected to be released Thursday. A leaked copy contains specific environmental teachings, calls for increased efforts in the fight against global warming and blames developed nations, like the U.S., for consumerism and waste.
But should religious leaders be involved in such hot-button political issues? Alex Cohen discussed the subject with three local representatives of different faiths.
Kutter Callaway, Director of Church Relations and an Affiliate Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary agreed with the Pope's view that we need to learn from science but said many faiths are struggling with how to interpret scientific data. "All knowledge now is assumed under empirical science, in a way that is not always helpful or meaningful, because it leads to questions of moral uncertainty. The question now is how do we understand the data and how do we interpret it and incorporate it into our lives.”
But is it possible to change people's behavior? Founding rabbi from IKAR, Sharon Brous believes it is the duty of religious leaders to make others aware that this is not only a scientific issue, but also a moral one. “It’s our obligation as people who take religion seriously to step up and defend the poorest and most vulnerable among us who bear the brunt of the environmental devastation and to stand up and protect the earth itself.”
Meanwhile, Mustafa Umar, director of education and outreach at the Islamic Institute of Orange County said the first step to make change is education. He teaches conservation education in his religious community. “We should not abuse the natural world, and when we know that we are harming people in the future, we should stop doing that.”
#TransPride to be electric, but work is far from over
KPCC Forum, Tuesday, June 23: "Being transgender – barriers to health care beyond the spotlight"
Transgender people in Southern California are riding a high, with Caitlyn Jenner and her transition story at the crest of the wave.
That energy is fueling this weekend's Trans Pride celebrations at the LA LGBT Center.
"Our theme for this year is, 'Our time has come,'" says organizer Gina Bigham. "Things are happening and visibility is at an all-time high."
For decades, trans issues have often been overlooked even within the LGBT world.
"The trans community has been, for many many years, been at the back of the bus, so to speak," she says.
Festivities start Friday and continue until Saturday, with highlights including a talk by an originator of trans studies Sandy Stone and a cavalcade of performer in a "VarieTy Show." (schedule of events)
Many trans people say that their activism is far from over. While thousands call Los Angeles home, they say even basic facets of life pose obstacles.
Finding a doctor, for example, can be troublesome. Currently, only two clinics specialize in care for trans adults – the LA LGBT Center and St John's Clinic. There are more options open to you if you're eligible at Kaiser Permanente or Children's Hospital Los Angeles, too.
But several trans people tell KPCC of times when they were discriminated by doctors outside of those facilities.
Michelle Evans, a trans woman who takes hormones, described how she once broke her legs and needed to stay at a nursing home. Her care took a dive once she met her doctor.
"One of the very first things she told me was, 'You're never going back to estrogen,'" Evans recalls. "'That's just wrong. What they allowed you to do was wrong.'"
To better understand the struggles faced by trans people, KPCC hosts an event Tuesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the LA LGBT Center.
Panelists will talk about how health care professionals can be better in providing services and support.
FREE RSVP: Being transgender – barriers to health care beyond the spotlight
Impatient: Listen to our silly song about the cost of colonoscopies
SoCal residents expect their colonoscopies to be unpleasant. But many say they never could have predicted the high costs associated with the procedure.
That's what KPCC's Rebecca Plevin heard when she reached out to several people who shared their colonoscopy costs with our #PriceCheck project.
Plevin joined Take Two Wednesday to tell more about her project Price Check and the high costs (and horrors!) of colonoscopies.
Bonus: Listen to our song about the cost of colonoscopies, written and performed by the one and only Levi Petree (KPCC employee by day, rock 'n' roller by night).
It's called "#JustAsk", based on "Ask" by The Smiths. We hope you'll remember this next time you go to the doctor. For tips on how to have that awkward conversation about the price of your procedure, click here.
Track: Listen to our silly song about the cost of colonoscopies
Chronic lack of sleep linked to Alzheimer's
With our crazy modern lives, many of us sleep far less than the recommended 6 to 8. But scientists are now realizing that it's wreaking havoc on our brains, which drain out toxic waste when we're asleep.
Not enough sleep means some of that waste stays in our brains - and that's now believed to be connected to diseases like Alzheimer's.
Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, explained the findings of his latest research.
Sports roundup: Golden State wins NBA title, Chicago takes Stanley Cup, Cardinals come under FBI probe
In this week's sports roundup with Brian and Andy Kamenetzky:
- Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors fend off LeBron James and the Caviliers to win the 2015 NBA Championship in six games.
- The Chicago Blackhawks also took six games to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning to bring the Stanley Cup back to the windy city.
- The FBI investigates the St. Louis Cardinals for allegedly hacking into a rival team's network.
Why do companies still make robocalls?
Robocalls: They're the scourge of the modern age. The FCC will soon vote on tougher regulations to block callers, in response to the thousands of complaints they receive each year.
Why do any companies still make robocalls when they're so widely hated? USC marketing professor Lars Perner explained why.
A biologist explains why the honey badger don't care
As anyone who has seen the viral video knows, the honey badger don't care.
With their strong teeth and testy personalities, the tough critters are not to be messed with. They often take on venomous snakes and win.
Now new scientific research shows exactly why honey badgers don't care about deadly venom.
Danielle Drabek, a PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota, led the research and joins Take Two to explain.
In an unusual move, Disney/ABC cancels lay offs
Disney/ABC Television has apparently changed its mind after laying off about 35 technology employees in May.
Ordinarily that number of pink slips -- out of the entirety of a giant company -- wouldn't generate much notice. But the catch was that the employees who were leaving had to train their replacements - immigrants brought in by an outsourcing company.
Now, training of the new employees has been cancelled, and the workers get to keep their jobs.
Julia Preston, national immigration correspondent for the New York Times, has been covering this, and she joined the show with an update.
How a near fatal accident inspired The Gaslamp Killer's latest show
Back in 2006, a couple of guys involved with LA's hip hop scene decided to put together a weekly evening of music at a small club in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of LA. They called it the Low End Theory.
It's gone on to become one of the hottest music events in the city, attracting guest contributors over the years like Thom Yorke, Eryka Badu and James Blake, and helping to launch acts like Odd Future. Well known DJ's from around the world have come to perform alongside some local staples like our guest The Gaslamp Killer.
William Benjamin Bensussen, as he's known by his parents, is one of the show's founders and a resident DJ at the show.
He joins Alex Cohen in the studio to talk about the evolution of the Low End Theory, his near fatal scooter accident and his latest project The Gaslamp Killer Experience. To hear the whole interview, click on the audio embedded above.
If you'd like to see him perform live, he'll be at Grand Performances in Downtown LA this Friday, June 19.