Graham Zusi #19 of USA controls the ball during the International Friendly against Mexico at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 2, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. Mexico and USA played to a 2-2 tie.; Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The World Cup kicks off this Thursday. National-team nicknames are as much a part of the four-year event as the World Cup song. The Brazil national team, the home team, is commonly known as the Canarinho (or the Canary). Ghana’s team is nicknamed the Black Stars, inspired by the country’s flag, while the moniker for the Japan national team is Samurai Blue. And frequently, a team frequent has more than one sobriquets. The U.S. national team is sometimes called the Yanks or the Stars and Stripes.

Slate writer Ben Mathis-Lilley thinks we can do better, and has come up with the American Dream as a more befitting alternative. He argues that a good nickname can help boost the domestic popularity of U.S. soccer, and can give the U.S. team a more cohesive identity.

What do you think of the American Dream? Call us with your suggestion.

Guest:

Mike Woitalla, Executive Editor, Soccer America Magazine. He has covered soccer in 18 countries and is the co-author of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna's book, "More Than Goals” (Human Kinetics, 2004)

A crucifix hangs on a wall as a teacher leaves the classroom in Viterbo on July 1, 2010. In California, the Cal State University system is now mandating that all students, regardless of sexual orientation, be allowed in leadership roles in clubs. ; Credit: TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images

This summer Cal State, the largest university system in the U.S., will join the growing group of universities at odds with campus religious student groups as the chancellor prepares to withdraw recognition from certain evangelical clubs.

Many universities, Cal State included, require religious groups to sign nondiscrimination policies pledging not to discriminate on the basis of religion when it comes to leadership selection.

Evangelical groups in particular have contested these policies, arguing that while they don’t discriminate when allowing members into organizations, leadership is different, and allowing a club leader whose religious or personal identity is in conflict with the beliefs of the group would against their religion.

Members of campus religious groups argue that to lead a Bible study or a religious meeting, you have to believe – many groups expect student leaders to abide by a religious lifestyle. Often this includes restrictions about sexuality and abstinence. Colleges that have removed official recognition from religious groups that won’t abide by campus nondiscrimination policies say that these clubs should be about education and inclusivity.

Should campus religious groups be allowed to discriminate on the basis of religion? How should a public school like Cal State handle non-discrimination practices?

Guests:  

Susan Westover, lawyer for the California State University System

Greg Jao, National Field Director for the Northeast InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R), R-Ohio, speaks during the House Republican Leadership press conference at the House Republican Issues Conference in Cambridge, Maryland, Jan. 30, 2014, with Majority Leader US Congressman Eric Cantor (C), R-Virginia, and Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington.; Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) was trounced in a primary election last night, losing to a little known candidate, Dave Brat. The blame and praise being shelled out today focuses plenty on the Tea Party, but Brat does not identify as a Tea Party candidate, nor did that ilk back him with money or campaigning.

Adding insult to injury, Rep. Cantor spent millions of dollars on the race, yet lost nonetheless. As The New York Times reports, "Since the beginning of last year, Mr. Cantor’s campaign had spent about $168,637 at steakhouses compared with the $200,000 his challenger, David Brat, had spent on his entire campaign."

Cantor was seen as an heir apparent to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH). Does this create an opening for California Congressman and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy to vault in as a replacement for Boehner? Who is Brat and why did Virginia voters throw support his way? What lost the election for Cantor, and what does it portend for the GOP's strategies?

Guests:

Ken Rudin, Host of Ken Rudin’s Political Junkie podcast; you can find his weekly podcast at krpoliticaljunkie.com - that’s all one word

Sal Russo, Co-founder & Chief Strategist of @TeaPartyExpress. President of the political consulting firm Russo Marsh + Associates, Inc.

A till receipt is displayed on a bar on January 12, 2012 in Rome.; Credit: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

Small businesses and restaurants are embracing apps that allow for easy tipping. You may already have used one — an iPad or phone plug-in that allows you to swipe your card and then asks how much you’d like to tip. By default, the choices are 15, 20, and 25 percent, with options for a custom tip, or, if you’d like to feel incredibly guilty, no tip.

Tipping is contentious enough without technology, customers have to decide whether they want to tip before or after tax, whether to include drinks, how much to tip on take-out, at-the-counter orders, and more.

Apps like Square simplify the process, calculating percentages for you and making payment easier. But they also lead to more spending.

Tips go way up at businesses that use tipping apps — customers are more likely to pay up when a waiter or cashier swivels an iPad to let them add a tip. Is it guilt that business are cashing in on? Or ease? Is technology changing the culture of tipping?

Guests:

Rachel Levin, San Francisco based reporter and contributor to Pacific Standard Magazine

Michael McCall, Professor and Chair, Department of Marketing and Law at Ithaca College, visiting professor at Cornell University Hotel School 

Echo Park Movie Poster

The Los Angeles Film Festival is underway and this year, the festival is shining a spotlight on its namesake city with a new program called "LA Muse." It features 11 films shot or inspired by Los Angeles, from "Echo Park," about the budding romance between a British expat and a westside transplant in the hip L.A. enclave, to "Eat With Me," which follows a young, gay chef as he reluctantly deals with living with a new roommate: his conservative mom.

How do these filmmakers in the LA Muse program see Los Angeles? How is the city captured and reflected in their films?

Guest: David Au, director and writer of Eat With Me, one of 11 films that is part of the Los Angeles Film Festival’s new LA Muse program. Eat With Me is screening on Sun. June 15 at 4:30pm at Regal Cinema L.A. Live. Rush tickets are still available.

Guest: Amanda Marsalis, director of Echo Park, which is part of LAFF’s new LA Muse program featuring films inspired by or shot in the city. Echo Park will be screening on Sat. June 14 at 6:45pm at Regal Cinema L.A. Live. The film is sold out.

David Boule, author of "The Orange and the Dream of California"

The history of the orange is juicy. The fruit is emblematic of California and sun-kissed West Coast dreams.

In his new book, "The Orange and the Dream of California," author David Boulé recounts the history of the orange, tracing the story of the orange’s origins and its cultural and financial power. Boulé’s writing is accompanied by color photos, postcards, and classic advertisements -- a fully formed picture of the iconic and symbolic orange and its impact on California. 

How did the orange embody the ideal of a fruitful life in California? What is the history of the fruit in our state?

Guest:

David Boulé, author of The Orange and the Dream of California

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) addresses a news conference after telling the Republican caucus that he will resign his post at the U.S. Capitol June 11, 2014 in Washington, DC. Cantor announced that he will resign his leadership position in the House of Representatives on July 31 after losing a primary race to Tea Party-backed college professor David Brat. ; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s surprising primary loss may shake things up for California. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican congressman from Bakersfield, is considered a likely candidate to fill Cantor’s position when he steps down this summer.

If McCarthy, a viable fundraiser and the current House Whip, were to become the Majority Leader, it could impact California’s political influence in Congress. McCarthy focuses on key issues that face major opposition in California, including easing environmental rules, spending on oil and gas, and expanding fracking programs. If he were chosen as Majority Leader, he would be under pressure to cut the budget, and would be the face of a party diametrically opposed to many of California’s big-government programs.

How would McCarthy’s influence in a Congressional leadership position differ from Nancy Pelosi’s former Speaker of the House clout? How will California policy and politics change if McCarthy wins Cantor’s seat -- will it affect the state GOP? What do McCarthy and his Bakersfield district represent for the Republican party? 

Guest:  

Evan Halper, writes about policy from Washington DC for the Los Angeles Times

An Iraqi policeman mans a checkpoint in the capital Baghdad on June 12, 2014, as jihadists and anti-government fighters have spearheaded a major offensive that overrun all of Nineveh province. Jihadists are pushing toward Baghdad after capturing a town only 90 kilometres (56 miles) to its north, in a lightning three-day offensive the Iraqi government has failed to stop.; Credit: AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images

The militant group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) vowed today to attack Baghdad and further destabilize the country.

The Shiite-led government under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is seeking to declare a state of emergency, after ISIS seized control of the second largest city in Iraq, Mosul.

The group is reportedly comprised of 7,000 - 10,000 fighters some of whom spilled over from Syria to capture Mosul. Iraqi soldiers presented little resistance with some dumping their uniforms and fleeing the city.  

he insurgency has maintained control of Falluja for more than six months, but as The New York Times reports, the seizure of Mosul is more ominous for the stability of Iraq. James Jeffrey, a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq told the Times, "It's a shock. It's extremely serious. It's far more serious than Falluja.” Does the current violence threaten to split Iraq? What role is the US playing?

Guest:

Tim Arango, Baghdad Bureau Chief, The New York Times

Do fathers matter? That is the question science journalist Paul Raeburn explores in his new book, Do Fathers Matter?: What Science Is Telling Us About the Parent We've Overlooked

While we have entered an era in which paternity leave is not a strange concept, it took years of research to show the influence of fathers on their children is profound, from conception through adulthood.

Raeburn dives deep into the genetic, social, evolutionary, socio-economic, psychological and the personal role of fatherhood. It’s a fascinating story of scientific discovery that will change the way we think about fathers. In addition, he peels back the veil on the assumption that mothers matter more to a child’s health and survival, an idea that has played out in the home, in the media, in the courtroom, in the lab.  

How did your own father influence you, compared to your mother? If your dad was not present, what effect do you think it had? If you’re a father, what do you think of Raeburn’s research?

Guest:

Paul Raeburn, Author, “Do Fathers Matter? What Science Is Telling Us About the Parent We’ve Overlooked.” Raeburn writes the About Fathers blog for Psychology Today and is the chief media critic for the Knight Science Journalism Tracker at MIT. He contributes to The New York Times, Discover, Scientific American and The Huffington Post.

Ben Burgman's series “High Rent, Few Options," looks into the rental infrastructure in Los Angeles. ; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

California’s economy continues to shine brighter compared to the rest of the country’s, according to the latest UCLA Anderson Forecast released Thursday. Growth in the state is driven largely by the improving housing market. Home prices, of course, have risen dramatically, but the numbers of foreclosed homes have also fallen—a positive indicator of the health of the sector.

But home sales have been flat. Would-be buyers, frustrated by bidding wars and tight inventory, are being pushed into the rental market instead. KPCC’s business reporter Ben Bergman has been looking at the rent crisis in Southern California, where residents pay as much as 40% or more of their income on rent.  

Guests:

Ben Bergman, KPCC’s business reporter who’s been looking at rental prices in Southern California. His second piece in the series, “High Rent, Few Options,” airs today.

Adrian Glick Kudler, senior editor, CurbedLA, a Los Angeles neighborhood and real estate blog.

A row of parking meters line O'Farrell Street on July 3, 2013 in San Francisco, California. One group in Los Angeles is lobbying for a parking ticket cap of $23. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Parking Freedom Initiative is beginning a ballot effort to cap the price of a parking ticket at $23.

The group is working with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office to make changes to parking enforcement, particularly when it comes to projected revenue from parking fines. If administrative negotiations don’t work out, the group plans to put a measure on the March 5, 2015 ballot which would significantly lower parking fines -- the current lowest ticket is $58, and the fines go up from there.

Steven Vincent, founder of the Los Angeles Parking Freedom Initiative, argues that the price is way too high, especially for minimum wage workers who might put almost a whole day’s paycheck into paying off a ticket.

The group also takes issue with the estimations about parking fine revenue, saying that it should be placed in a special fund instead of factored into the general budget. Mayor Garcetti’s office is working with the Parking Freedom Initiative, and seems focused on alternatives that might help people avoid tickets altogether.
What would capping parking fines do for Angelenos? Would this proposed measure have a detrimental impact on L.A.’s budget? What’s a fair price to pay for a parking citation? Is it better to lower the price of the ticket, or install technology intended to help people avoid a fine?

Guests:

Jay Beeber, co-head of the Los Angeles Parking Freedom Initiative, executive director of Safer Streets LA

Donald Shoup, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning, UCLA, and author of “The High Cost of Free Parking, Updated Edition” (APA Planners Press, 2011)

President Barack Obama today said there is no military solution for the current crisis in Iraq if the Iraqi government fails to address sectarian difference, promote country-wide stability and build capacity of effective security forces.; Credit: ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images

The latest on Iraq’s instability in Mosul, Baghdad, Kirkuk, Falluja: President Barack Obama today said there is no military solution for the current crisis in Iraq if the Iraqi government fails to address sectarian difference, promote country-wide stability and build capacity of effective security forces. Obama says he will review recommendations from his national security team is the coming days.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Iraq police officials say Sunni militants entered two newly conquered towns in Diyala Province - about 70 miles north of Baghdad. Iraqi soldiers abandoned their posts without any resistance.

What action can be taken by the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki? Will President Obama consider airstrikes?

Guests: 

Eric Davis, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and past director of the University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies; His blog is “The New Middle East”

Hillary Mann Leverett, Professor at American University's School of International Service; Co-author “Going to Tehran;” formerly served at the National Security Council and State Department

Keira Knightley stars in the British film "Bend It Like Beckham."; Credit: Bend It Like Beckham

Soccer is a genuine universal sport and the passion of its fans is indisputable. Yet for all of its popularity, rabid supporters, stunning athleticism and movie star-esque players like Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham,  Hollywood has failed to make a single great soccer movie.

Read the entire blog post and vote for the best and worst soccer films of all time

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill attend a photocall to promote their new film '22 Jump Street' at Claridges Hotel on May 22, 2014 in London, England. ; Credit: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

John Horn and KPCC film critics Wade Major, Charles Solomon and Lael Loewenstein review this week’s releases, including 22 Jump Street, How To Train Your Dragon 2, The Rover and more. TGI-Filmweek!

22 Jump Street

How to Train Your Dragon 2

The Rover

Guests:

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and producer and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com

Lael Loewenstein, film critic for KPCC and Variety

Charles Solomon, animation film critic for KPCC and Indiewire Animation Scoop

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 07: Dwight King #74 celebrates teammate Jarret Stoll #28 of the Los Angeles Kings goal against Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers in the second period during Game Two of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Staples Center on June 7, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images); Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals is tonight, and the Kings have another chance to wrap up the series in New York.

The team has been nothing but extraordinary on the ice, but the same can be said off the ice, particularly on social media. The Kings’ official Twitter account has more than 400,000 followers and the man tasked with keeping them engaged is the team’s social media director is 29-year-old California native Pat Donahue.

The Kings’ Twitter account is famed for its irreverence, fun, and humor.

Take a look for yourself:

Ohhh yeahhh (Kool-aid man voice) pic.twitter.com/IWXVFUu68o

— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 13, 2014

ugggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh pic.twitter.com/lJx98LyrPF

— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 12, 2014

IS THIS REAL LIFE?!

— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 12, 2014

Guest:

Pat Donahue, Los Angeles Kings’ social media director  

A security guard keeps watch at the entrance to Olympic Park, the primary set of venues being built for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, on April 16, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More than 2,000 workers have been on strike at the site for the past two weeks in spite of an apparent new settlement. ; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Most of the attention on Brazil this week is focused on soccer scoreboards, but the lead up to the World Cup was plagued with construction problems and cost overruns. It does not portend well for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The International Olympic Committee for the first time has sent an oversight committee to maintain a constant presence and advise a host city. Last week, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said the Guanabar Bay won't be clean in time for the 2016 Olympic sailing competition.

That competition will have to moved to unpolluted waters, free of debris and sewage, either outside the bay or at its entrance. Last month, IOC Vice President John Coates called Rio's Olympic preparations the "worst ever." Still, Paes insisted, "We really do believe we are on time, and that we are going to deliver great games."

How much work must be done on transportation and housing? Is there a back-up plan if Rio defaults?

Guest:

David Wallechinsky, President of the International Society of Olympic Historians and author of The Complete Book of the Olympics (Aurum Press)

A man who works recycling home electrical appliances watches on TV the Netherlands vs Spain FIFA World Cup 2014 football match, at the Rocinha shantytown in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 13, 2014. ; Credit: YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images

Brackets, at-desk online streaming, and lunchtime soccer -- the World Cup has inspired some interesting office dynamics. Snippets of the game are available on Facebook and through a partnership between Google and ESPN, and many people watch the games online through a stream or on an office TV.

RELATED: World Cup 2014: US coach Klinsmann opts for youth, international experience

In China, where games are on in the middle of the night and in the early morning, large numbers of people will call in sick, or even buy fake doctors notes to excuse themselves from work during the tournament (one employer garnered favor with his employees by allowing them to work from home throughout the World Cup).

Can you tear your eyes away from the World Cup at the office? Do conversations about the games or a lunchbreak TV check in foster good work relations? How are you watching and working?

; Credit: Photo by Chip Griffin via Flickr Creative Commons

Modern slang and youthful words are making their way into the New York Times crossword puzzle, and the change has a lot to do with Anna Shechtman.

The 23-year-old is assistant editor to word game guru Will Shortz, and her influence on the newspaper’s classic puzzle is noticeable. New words include “twitter hashtag,” and “epicness” -- “amazeballs” didn’t make it into the paper.

Shechtman’s job as a crossword editor is to make submitted puzzles more elegant, worthy of publication. She and Shortz change clues, inserting more interesting words where constructors rely on obscure crossword crutches. Shechtman’s work has the added value of infusing the puzzle with a hipper and arguably more accessibly tone. Younger readers (and older ones) may find her clues familiar, less outdated, leading to more “aha!” moments.

How are crossword puzzles changing? How do gamemakers and puzzlers to keep classics feeling new? Does making the crossword more accessible add value or appeal for a younger readership?

Guest:

Anna Shechtman, assistant to Will Shortz, crossword editor for the New York Times

Proof: The Science of Booze by Adam Rogers

In "Proof: The Science of Booze," Adam Rodgers, an editor at the technology magazine Wired, dissects the science behind one of the longstanding bonds between cultures and continents: alcohol.

Regardless of whether it is created in a microbrewery or mass produced, there is a centuries old history of our ancestors’ accidental discovery of fermented drinks to cutting edge research that explores how our bodies and brains react when we consume it.

Drawing on passion and a curious mind, Rogers profiles the innovative brewers, distillers, bartenders and scientists who are uncovering booze’s deepest mysteries.  

Proof brings to light answers about the barely understood physiological and psychological experiences of drinking and explains how the chemical reactions in the stomach, kidneys, livers and the brain are set off when the first sip of alcohol touches the drinkers lips.

Have you ever wondered about the scientific effects of drinking on your body?  Have the effects of alcohol changed as you age?  What is your favorite drink, and do you know its origins?

Guest:

Adam Rogers, author of “Proof: The Science of Booze,” and an editor at Wired

; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Hydroelectricity is completely dependent on reservoir levels, and the ongoing drought has depleted significantly water levels.

California has some 400 hydro plants, a majority of which are located in the eastern mountain ranges. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the state’s Department of Water Resources jointly run the larger dam-based plants in the state; while smaller plants are operated by utilities.

The California Independent System Operator manages about 80 percent of the state’s electric grid and gets over 13 percent of its electricity from large hydro plants.

Guest:

Bob Weisenmiller, Chair, California Energy Commission

Jay Lund, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, UC Davis. His areas of expertise includes the study of climate change and hydropower generation in the state