Today on the show, GOP Congressman David Valadao on supporting Dems' immigration bill. Then, HealthSherpa site helps guide Americans through Obamacare process, migrant education program gives farmworkers' children a boost, churches help push for immigration reform plus much more.
Rep. David Valadao on supporting Dems' immigration bill
It's been four months since the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill.
The House has been slow to do the same. Its own bipartisan gang of eight disintegrated after three republican members walked away from the table.
Recently, two California Republicans in the House broke ranks and joined 185 Democrats to support an immigration bill — HR 15 — that could give millions of undocumented people a pathway to citizenship.
Congressman David Valadao, who represents the state's 21st district in the central valley, is one of them. He joins the show to explain.
Churches help push for immigration reform
Among the many groups of people pushing for immigration reform are churches
Today, the campus community at Fuller Theological Seminary will host a prayer and walk to Pasadena's City Hall. For more on this, we're joined by Juan Martinez, professor of Hispanic Studies and Pastoral Leadership at Fuller.
Migrant education program gives farmworkers' children a boost
The children of migrant farmworkers sometimes face a life on the move that means their education is continually interrupted. The federal government helps them catch up and keep up through the Migrant Education Program.
Jill Replogle from our Fronteras Desk looks at how the program works today in one of Southern California's major agricultural areas.
Trojans look strong under Interim USC football coach Ed Orgeron
Trojan Nation may still be recovering from a celebratory weekend hangover this morning.
USC won an improbable victory against Stanford on Saturday, 20-17, leading to its first appearance in the BCS poll since last season. The team is now 5-and-1 since interim coach Ed Orgeron took over after Lane Kiffin was fired five games into the season.
Now there is renewed talk of taking the interim out of Coach O's title. Joining us for some perspective is Chris DuFresne of the LA Times.
HealthSherpa site helps guide Americans through Obamacare process
There has been plenty of frustration over the failures of the website healthcare.gov.
Here in California of course we have our own health insurance exchange, but that didn't stop a group of young, tech-savvy San Franciscans from launching a website to help Americans sort through insurance options.
The site is called The Health Sherpa and here to tell us more about it is one of its creators, George Kalogeropoulos.
The psychology of predicting our future health
For a lot of us, just thinking about health care and insurance is enough to cause brain freeze. But we're in open enrollment season, so there are a lot of important decisions that need to be made: high deductible or low? HSA? FSA? A platinum plan or a bare bones one?
We're making decisions about our future health, and there's a lot of psychology that goes into these decision. Dr. Peter Ubel, a physician and behavioral scientist with Duke University, joins the show to tell us about the psychology behind our health insurance choices.
On The Lot: Syd Field, Hayao Miyazaki, Governor's Awards and more
Time for On the Lot, our weekly summary of news from the movie business with LA Times reporter Rebecca Keegan.
Let's start with news of the death of screenwriting guru Syd Field, who died yesterday. He was 77, and the author of one of the best known books on the subject, "Screenplay".
Keegan has been writing about the retirement of the man who is sort of Japan's Walt Disney. Tell us about him, this beloved animator named Hayao Miyazaki.
And you begin this story by noting that he inspired a record-breaking Twitter frenzy...
His latest, and if you believe him, his last film is called "The Wind Rises", and it's a change from the kind of fantasy-based movies he's made in the past. This is set in pre-World War II Japan, and it's the story of the man who designed the infamous Japanese fighter plane, the Zero. Which is strange, because Miyazaki is an outspoken pacifist.
The Oscars, unlike Presidential elections, happen every year, but the season seems to get longer and longer. Saturday night there was a relatively new event that has quickly become sort of the Iowa caucuses of the Oscar race. It's the Governor's Awards, held by the motion picture academy, and apparently Oscar hopefuls like Bruce Dern and Tom Hanks were courting voters. But the event itself is supposed to be about honoring overlooked talent, right?
A long-running lawsuit over the Bond films, finally settled. This legal fight has been going on at least since "Thunderball" came out in 1965?
Harvey Weinstein, the impresario producer, is famous for pulling out all the stops to get his films on the Oscar list, but last week he won an even more impressive battle. He got the rating changed on one of his movies. This is almost unprecedented.
Finally, if you are old enough, you might remember a certain handsome baseball player from the 1980s, who made a big splash modeling — and selling — underwear. That's Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, and the tighty-whities he was pitching are back.
The Force is strong with these real life Jedis
Millions of people all over the world are fans of the "Star Wars" franchise. Some might even go a little further and call themselves "Star Wars" fanatics. But there are some that actually claim to feel the force in real life.
These are real life practitioners of the "Star Wars" belief system, Jediism. We talk to Ben Svetky who wrote an article in Details magazine entitled, "The Church of Jedi."
Interview Highlights:
On the gathering of Jedi practitioners:
"The event was a gathering of people who practice Jediism as an actual god religion. They have an event every year. It's in a different place every year, this one took place in a town called Norris, Tennessee, which is population 14,000. They rented a house and about 20 Jedis gathered in this place....What they were really trying to do was replicate a scene in one of the "Star Wars" movies where Yoda sends Luke Skywalker into a cave to confront a phantom Dark Vader and it's all very sort of spiritual and they were trying to see if they could, in their own Jedi way replicate that experience for themselves."
On how that involves using the Force and what do they consider the Force?
"The Force is sort of this metaphysical underpinning of the whole mythology of Star Wars. Some people describe it to me as a vague energy that just sort of floats through the system, through the universe. One of the people that was talking about how when she was in the Army, people used to make fun of her. They would say, "You're a Jedi, why don't you turn on the light with your mind?" And she would say, "OK, I'll do that." She would get up from her chair and she would go over and flip the light switch on. They would say, "You're not using the Force." And she said, "Yes, I am because in my mind the Force is energy and chemicals in my brain were telling my finger to flip the switch so as far as I am concerned I turned the light on with my mind."
On how it became a whole movement?
"If you follow the sort of genesis, if you will, of how it began, it started out in message boards and role-playing games and the role-playing games became more and more serious for people and people started asking the question, "Well, If I'm playing this role-playing game and these lessons that I'm learning in the game apply to my character in the game, why can't they apply to me in real life?" And that's sort of how it evolved into a more serious religion."
On whether they're criticized for their beliefs:
"The central code, the Jedi code, which is these four lines that are sort of their Ten Commandments. The four commandments, the four suggestions, whatever you want to call it, they get that from an old role-playing book. I went into this gathering understandably very skeptical, but I left kind of feeling like this isn't any different from any other religion and they are not doing anything evil.
"They are just trying to understand the universe in their own way and there is a code of ethics that in a lot of ways is very admirable. One of the things that is really important to the Jedi is community service and every single one of them did something good for the community, whether it was belonging to a search and rescue team or collecting cans for soup kitchens. As one of them put it to me, "This is what we do instead of praying. This is our form of prayer. So it's really hard to walk aways from that feeling like there was anything wrong them. It's just the way they deal with life."
Christians, Jews and Muslims follow the Ten Commandments, what about the Jedi?
"They follow something called the Jedi Code. The Jedi Code is four phrases, which I have not memorized so I cannot tell you what they are. But they are sort of like, there is no ignorance, there is only knowledge. There is no chaos, there is only harmony, or something along those effects. There are very cryptic, they come from a role-playing book published in 1987 that has since gone out of print. And that is sort of the cornerstone of the faith. There are lots of different Jedi websites and Jedi sects, I guess you would say, but they all have that in common. They all adhere to the Jedi Code."
On their ultimate thought on the film and series?
"Well, they are really concerned about the J.J. Abrams movie. For them in particular these films are not under Lucas' control anymore. So, what if J.J. decides to take the mythology in a whole different direction and that kind of wipes out their whole direction? The way they sort of deal with is say, "Look, we have been around for a while now. We have developed our own philosophy, our own way of looking at Jediism. If these movies come out and these movies decided to do something else, well we are going to stick with what we believe in."
UCLA Grand Challenge Project to turn LA into a model for urban sustainability
UCLA is kicking off a project called the Grand Challenges, to study how the city can adapt to climate change, through such things as reliance on solar power, capturing urban runoff and desalinating ocean water.
Mark Gold, director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability joins the show to explain the project.
Team Rubicon continues to expand efforts in the Philippines
In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, many are still hungry, missing or seriously injured.
Locally, Team Rubicon has worked in the hardest hit areas of the disaster, providing assistance in search and rescue efforts, as well as medical attention to survivors.
The El Segundo-based organization is comprised of military veterans who use their skills and experience in areas devastated by natural disaster or conflict.
William McNulty, co-founder and managing director of Team Rubicon International joined us to share the company's efforts in Philippines as well as their work here in the U.S. in Texas, Alaska and Illinois.
To find out how you can help Team Rubicon, you can visit their website here.
Comment Box: Reviewsday, Griffith Park cougar and more
Time now to dip into the Comment Box to find out what you think about the work we're doing.
First, some praise for Tuesday Reviewsday. Last week before he left on vacation A spoke with Take Two regulars Oliver Wang of Soul-Sides .com and music supervisor Morgan Rhodes.
They served up music from Yuna, Dam-Funk and Snoopzilla, the indie band Run River North, and the latest offering from M.I.A.
So far it seems we're doing right by you on the music front.
Deborah Shaka writes: "Loving these tunes. Thanks for the great recommendations. And Morgan's voice...makes me float on a cloud."
Now to cougars, aka Mountain Lions, aka Pumas. A lot of you wrote in after I interviewed National Geographic photographer Steve Winter about his photos of the elusive big cat in Griffith Park. A series of photos are out in the current issue of Nat Geo, but there was in particular that got most of you talking.
It was the photo of the cat in front of the Hollywood Sign. It's on our website at TakeTwoShow.org if you want to take a look. In the picture, the sign looks lit up, and that sparked debate among you on our website about whether it was doctored.
It wasn't. It appeared — based on comments — that some of you did not hear the interview.
Here is Steve talking about HOW he got the shot:
"Now on the Hollywood Sign, notice there's black behind him. It's a 4-second exposure, he does not stop he doesn't care about the flash or the camera or anything. Take the exposure, he walks by the camera stays open and is exposing the sign. Luckily we had fog that night because the signs not lit and the light from the city is bouncing off the clouds and is actually lighting the letters of Hollywood."
Last week I spoke to a famous man about town, Kogi Taco Chef Roy Choi.
He's got a new book out, "LA Son: My Life, My City, My Food", and so we talked about all of the above. At least one of you noted that it was one of the best interviews with Roy he has heard.
It was definitely one of the most fun interviews Alex has ever done, even if it made her incredibly hungry.
Finally on to a story we aired about a preschool in South LA who is working hard to get healthy food option on the kids' menu. As part of the story we asked listeners to submit their favorites healthy options for their kids.
Steamed veggies like carrots and broccoli were mentioned. Listener Miranda Bailey told us about vegan pita pizzas with tomato and basil.
There was also recipe for "hamburger buddy", pasta with lean ground beef and chopped veggies, minced, really, so the kids can't detect them. But the favorite was from Lorna Saxbee from a web series called Feeding Kids TV.
It's a red apple, hollowed out with an "M" carved on the side to resemble McDonalds Fries. And the fries? Thinly sliced apple sticks.
If you have a favorite something that you've heard on Take Two — or something that was decidedly not your favorite — email us at TakeTwoShow.org.
San Diego voters to elect a new mayor
Tomorrow, voters will head to the polls in San Diego to elect a new mayor. Democratic mayor Bob Filner resigned from his post in August amidst allegations of sexual harassment. For more on this race, we're joined now by reporter Sandihya Dirks of member station KPBS in San Diego.
Do indians make better cowboys than cowboys?
The Indian National Finals Rodeo wrapped up earlier this month in Las Vegas. During the event, spectators enjoyed the usual rodeo competitions: barrel racing, steer wrestling and bull riding.
But what's different about this event is it's an Indian-only rodeo. In addition to the bulls, cows and Indian cowboys, the whole family is there. Fronteras reporter Tristan Ahtone has this story.
Fake coyote decoys fend off bird pollution in Orange County
Visitors to the Poche pond on the Orange County coast could see a couple of coyotes on the beach. But don't fear, they're actually fake.
These faux coyotes have been placed there by Orange County park officials to try to fend off the hordes of seagulls which gather there and pollute the water with their droppings. Orange County park ranger Kevin Estrada joins host Alex Cohen to explain.
NASA launches MAVEN satellite to the Red Planet
NASA just can't seem to get Mars off its mind. Minutes ago, the space agency successfully launched another spacecraft bound for the Red Planet. It's official name is the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution satellite, but scientists just call it MAVEN for short.
RELATED: Live video, updates, of MAVEN mission to explore Mars' atmosphere
It's expected to reach the planet September 2014, where it'll join the other orbiters and rovers already studying our closest neighbor. Here to fill us in on MAVEN's mission is KPCC's Science Reporter Sanden Totten.
Actress Lupita Nyong'o talks about her role in '12 Years A Slave'
Fresh out of Yale's prestigious School of Drama, Lupita Nyong'o landed a role in the new film by acclaimed director Steve McQueen, "12 Years A Slave".
In the film, Nyong'o plays Patsey, one of the hardest working slaves on a cotton plantation in Louisiana. The slave master there is a brutal man who abuses her in all sorts of ways.
Host Alex Cohen recently had the chance to talk with Lupita Nyong'o and asked her how she prepared for this incredibly dramatic role.
Interview Highlights:
On how she immersed herself in the role of Patsey:
"What Patsey when through is real. One can look at it and be floored by it and ask oneself, "how?" But when I was given this role, I just recognized that someone actually lived through it so I could surely live through imagining it. And just it being real was always so grounding and it was practical, you know? She couldn't sentimentalize her pain and so neither could I in playing her."
On the intense makeup she had to endure during the film:
"Patsey has scars from before the epic whipping, from previous beatings, so the day before we did that epic scene I had the pre-whipping scars on and it took four hours of sitting in that chair. So the next day I looked at the call sheet for the next day and it was going to be six hours. I had to get up at three in the morning and be in makeup for six hours.
"I said to the makeup artist, 'Look, let me just sleep in these scars because then we'll cut our work in half." And of course, she loved the idea…I went home and I slept in the scars and they were so haunting. I couldn't sleep on anything, but my stomach because I did not want to mess them up. I was just aware of them the whole night and while I was doing '12 Years a Slave' I was an insomniac. I just could not sleep, but that particular night, I got even less sleep because of these scars. I just remember weeping in the night and then I recognized that my discomfort was temporary and the woman who I was playing was permanent. It still brings me to tears."
On the dolls she made for her character Patsey:
"I have trouble taking credit for it because I just feel like it was Patsey's guidance. Part of my ritual was I talked to her every day before I got on set because I do believe these spirits live on. So about a week before we started filming, I was daydreaming in my hotel room as I like to do just about the work and Patsey and just asking myself what would she do in the little free time she had. I knew that Epps grew corn on his plantation so it just occurred to me, 'Oh what if she made crafts out of corn husks?'
"I look it up on the internet and it was historically accurate that slaves did make crafts out of corn husks and then there was always something very child-like about Patsey. She had been robbed of her childhood by master Epps taking an early interest in her sexually and so I thought, 'Oh, wouldn't it be nice if she made corn husk dolls for the children on the plantation?' It was just something that I was going to know, but then the next day I had a meeting with Steve and he was asking me about Patsey and what I was thinking and I mentioned it to him and he loved the idea. So he immediately had the art department supply me with corn husk and I went about learning how to make corn husk dolls."