Today, we'll start with a discussion about how Facebook is cracking down on illegal gun sales on its website. Then, we're less than 100 days from Brazil's World Cup. What are the issues? Plus, the College Board announces major changed to the SATs, local Venezuelans react to unrest back home, we dispel recent 'guacpocalypse' panic and much more.
Facebook cracks down on posts about illegal firearm sales
Yesterday, Facebook announced new rules to crack down on illegal firearms online.
Yes, the social networking site has become quite the hotbed of gun sales. For more on what's happening with guns online and how Facebook has responded, we're joined now by Jeff Elder of the Wall Street Journal.
Brazil's World Cup: What are the top issues?
It’s now fewer than 100 days until the first kick off at The World Cup in Brazil.
Though that may still sound like a long time away, in a tournament that takes nearly four years to crown a winner, it’s just the blink of an eye.
We check in on some of the top questions at this point: who are the top teams and players set to take the field? Where does the U.S. team stand? Will Brazil’s ambitious stadiums be ready on time? We’re joined by Steve Han of Goal.com and KoreAm Journal.
College Board to omit obscure words from SATs
The SAT is getting a big makeover. Yesterday, the College Board announced a sweeping redesign of the exam. Among the changes? More obscure vocabulary words, once a hallmark of the SAT, are out.
Instead, the exam will focus on words more commonly used in college courses and in the workplace, words like "synthesis," "distill," and "transform." Could this be the end of "grandiloquence"? That's an SAT word for you, it means "lofty, pompous, language."
We asked our listeners what words they remembered learning while studying for the SAT:
- Lisa Harris: Avuncular
- Ryan Thomson: Obsequious, Ameliorate
- Sarah Johnson: Jurisprudence
- Barbara Werney Kurzman: Salubrious, Lugubrious
- Kelly O'Connell TerBush: Tintinnabulation
- Nancy Sassaman: Fulminate
- Shanin Ziemer: Crepuscular
- Miles Austin Cox: Panacea
Listener Jennifer Bier Thompson wrote in and said, "the sheer fact that I have no memory of any of the words I so studiously labored over, proves how ludicrious SATs are." But are they ludicrous?
We're joined now by Geoff Nunberg, a linguist and a professor at UC Berkeley's School of Information.
Do you remember learning difficult or obscure words while studying for the SATs? Tell us in the comment section below which word(s) you remember learning. Thanks!
Why the computer mouse won't go extinct any time soon
Here's a great SAT word: Obsolete. As in "no longer used because something newer exists."
An adjective some could say might apply to the computer mouse. Many a mouse has disappeared as users turn to trackpads instead. But there's no fear of the mouse becoming completely obsolete. At least not according to our next guest, Geoff Fowler, personal tech columnist with the Wall Street Journal.
Could religion be the next big thing at the box office?
Last week the film "Son of God," from producer Mark Burnett of Survivor fame hit theaters.
This December comes director Ridley Scott's interpretation of Exodus, starring Christian Bale and Aaron Paul, of "Breaking Bad" fame. In a few weeks Russell Crowe will build an ark to save the faithful, in Darren Aronofsky's epic, "Noah."
For more on religion in film we're joined by Professor Diane Winston, Knight Chair in Media and Religion at USC.
From Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali
In sports movies and documentaries, there are instances where the subject of the film transcends the sport itself. Where the protagonist becomes greater than the game or event in which they participate.
Muhammad Ali is one of those figures. His struggles inside and outside of the ring have become galvanized in American history. The new film, "The Trial of Muhammad Ali," explores his life shortly after he converted to Islam, changed his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, and refused to serve in the Vietnam War.
The film will be shown in our very own Crawford Family Forum, and part of the event will include an original art exhibit called "From Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali," curated by Ali expert Larry Earl.
Host A Martinez got an early peek at the exhibition and talked to Larry about Ali's life during this time period.
State of Affairs: LA Fire Commission, oil tax, medical marijuana and more
It's Thursday and that means it's time for State of Affairs, our look at politics and government throughout California. To help us with that we're joined in studio by KPCC political reporters Alice Walton and Frank Stoltze.
The Sacramento Bee reported this week that state lawmakers went on trips costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they weren't the ones who had to pick up the tab. Who were the worst offenders?
This is just one of many stories of politicians using money in ways they aren't supposed to. In response, today state Senate Democrats plan to propose some big changes to the Political Reform Act. What exactly are they proposing?
We talked yesterday with the head of the LA Fire Commission about mounting problems at the City's Fire Department. Mayor Eric Garcetti has now called for an investigation into hiring practices after it was reported that more than 20 percent of its new class of recruits is related to a city firefighter. How serious is the problem?
From putting out fires at the Fire Department to snuffing out the smoke from electronic cigarettes, the Los Angeles City Council voted this week to ban e-cigarettes in places where tobacco is already prohibited. Council President Herb Wesson is a lifelong smoker and he gave an unusually passionate speech on the council floor.
The debate over whether to impose an oil tax in California has returned. Proponents are taking their case to the front doors of LA's largest petroleum producer today.
Governor Brown made some interesting comments about medical marijuana on ABC News this week:
"A certain amount is OK. But there is a tendency to go to extremes. And all of a sudden if there is advertising and legitimacy, how many people can get stoned and still have a great state or a great nation. World is pretty dangerous, very competitive, I think we need to stay alert if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the potheads might be able to put together."
"A certain amount is ok" is a bit nebulous. Where does the governor stand on legalizing marijuana?
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti is in Mexico. We talked to him earlier this week about the trip, here's what he had to say about our neighbor to the south:
"Its our number one source of tourists and visitors of any country in the world. We had about 15 Billion dollars of trade just last year between the LA metropolitan area and Mexico. And increasingly we are seeing educational exchange, cultural exchange. And other cities, other states are hustling for businesses in their town."
But what will really come out of this trip to Mexico?
Facing a backlog of hundreds of health and safety complaints about nursing homes, Los Angeles County public health officials allegedly told inspectors to close cases without fully investigating them. How's the county responding?
There's another candidate for State Controller. Who is it and do they have a chance?
If you're running for mayor, it seems like you'd want to get the right picture on you're mailers. But that didn't happen in Long Beach this week.
As protests back home continue, Venezuelan immigrants react
Protesters in Venezuela are speaking out against President Nicolas Maduro, and that's led to violence with government forces. KPCC's Leslie Berestein Rojas reports Venezuelan expats in Los Angeles have responded with protests of their own.
Report: Border Patrol agents lack diligence
U.S. Border Patrol agents have stepped into the path of oncoming cars on purpose to justify shooting at the drivers. They've also fired in frustration at people throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the border.
Those revelations come from a recent independent review of 67 cases resulting in 19 deaths. Joining us for more is Brian Bennett, reporter for the L.A. Times
California Drought: Orange County expands 'toilet to tap' water recycling
One way state officials hope to make California better able to withstand drought is to stock underground drinking water supplies with recycled wastewater. Water managers across the state could learn from Orange County -- an early adopter of recycled water.
KPCC's Ed Joyce says the county water district is looking to expand its use of what some call toilet-to-tap.
Mexico mulls changing marijuana laws
Uruguay is the first,but it may not be the last country in Latin America to change its drug policy on marijuana.
Already there are signs that Mexico could be moving in that direction. Last month, a number of bills were introduced in Mexico City, and at the national level that could soften drug laws regarding marijuana.
For more we're joined by Richard Fausset, reporter for the Los Angeles Times based in Mexico.
Dispelling the recent Chipotle-induced 'guacpocalypse' panic
Reports that Chipotle may have to stop serving guacamole because of global warming shocked the Internet and avocado lovers everywhere.
The blog, Thinkprogress.org, published an article, "Why Chipotle's Warnings About Guacamole And Climate Change Are Not 'Routine," and triggered panic of a pending guacpocalypse.
Chipotle says the information was in the "risk factor" section of its annual report and is not cause for alarm. Take Two host A Martinez talks to the LA Times' Tiffany Hsu on the state of guacamole.