A picture of a piggy bank, a stethoscope and a wad of bank notes.; Credit: Photo by 401(K) 2012 via Flickr Creative Commons

Next week, California voters will decide whether the state insurance commissioner should have the power to regulate health insurance rates, with the exception of employers' large group plans. It was 1988, when voters passed a similar initiative regulating power over automobile and homeowner policy rates. The ballot's author, Jamie Court of Consumer Watchdog, argues: "The public wants accountability and transparency for the skyrocketing rates being charged." Opponents say it is risky to place all the power with one government agency, adding more bureaucracy and costs to health care.

What do cost analyses show? How has the California Insurance Commissioner handled rates for cars and homes?

Prop 45 FAQ: What it will do, who's funding it and more

Guests:

Jamie Court, Author of Proposition 45;  President, Consumer Watchdog

Dario Frommer, Former California Assembly Majority Leader and Assembly Health Committee Chair

Voter registration and sample pamphlets in multiple languages were available after a naturalization ceremony at the L.A. Convention Center.; Credit: Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC

Ever wonder what happens to a voter's registration when he or she moves out of the district or passes away? Typically, nothing. In some districts, tens of thousand voter registrations can be inaccurate as a voter has moved to a different home, left the district, passed away, or even become ineligible to vote. As vote-by-mail has exploded in popularity among California voters, inaccurate voter registrations can cost a significant amount of resources, especially time.

This is not the case in Orange County. The OC Registrar of Voters and the President of the Election Official Association, Neal Kelley, has undergone substantial efforts to address inaccurate voter registrations. With over three million residents and 1.6 million voters, Orange County has much to gain from keeping up-to-date voter registrations. Kelley understands that changing voter registrations are the least of people's priorities as they move, and he is pushing for new technology to help deal the thousands of people who move out of Orange County every year so that they can focus on registering new voters.

How do we find "Mr. or Mrs. Voter" in our fast-paced, transient society? Can technology solve the problem of out-dated voter registrations? Where is the balance between dealing with old registrations and signing up new voters?

Guests:

Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters, County of Orange

Dean Logan,  Registrar of Voters, County of Los Angeles

A recent study by Swedish researchers published in medical journal, BMJ, disputes the generally accepted belief that milk consumption can lead to overall bone health.; Credit: Mario Villafuerte/Getty Images

A new study published in the medical journal BMJ wants people to rethink how much milk they should consume daily. Swedish researchers tracked over 100,000 Swedish men and women for over two decades and found that women who consumed three or more glasses of milk everyday significantly increased the risk of death and heart disease, versus those who drank less than a glass a day. As for men, drinking three or more glasses of milk increased their chances of death by 10 percent.

Furthermore, the study disputes the generally accepted belief that milk consumption can lead to overall bone health for women. The study found that the over-consumption of milk actually increased the likelihood of hip fractures by 16 percent.

Federal dietary guidelines recommend that everyone over the age of 8 to consume three cups of milk a day.

How is the study being received by the medical community? Would you change your milk consumption because of this study? Would the study have any impact on US milk consumption guidelines?

Guest:

Faye Flam, science writer who has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, and Forbes. She reported on the milk study published recently in the medical journal, BMJ for Forbes.

Apple CEO Timothy Cook testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Investigations Subcommittee about the company's offshore profit shifting and tax avoidance in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill May 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In an essay published this morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly announced he's gay.  Cook's sexuality wasn't a secret - he wasn't in the closet. However, he hadn't publicly referenced it before today. Cook writes his desire for personal privacy was overridden by a sense of responsibility to other gay people. In a BusinessWeek essay he wrote, "While I've never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly acknowledged it either, until now.  So let me be clear:  I'm proud to be gay and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me."

But Cook also is very clear that, in an ideal world, he'd prefer not to comment on his sexuality.  It's as he considered the potential benefit to someone struggling with self-acceptance or discrimination that he decided giving up his privacy was a worthy trade-off.  He referred to how much he'd benefitted from the sacrifice of others.

Is there a moral obligation for successful Gay Americans to speak to the world about their sexuality? Are we moving to a point at which successful gay men and women won’t feel the need to come out about their sexuality? How, if at all, do you think Cook’s announcement will affect Apple’s image and sales?

Guest:

Joshua Johnson, Morning Newscaster at KQED Radio, covers Silicon Valley

"Full Measure: A Novel" by T. Jefferson Parker

Novelist and California native son T. Jefferson Parker is known for a slate of popular crime novels from Laguna Heat to The Famous and the Dead. His latest outing is a department from a genre he’s best known for, and could be his most mainstream. At the center of Parker’s latest, Full Measure, are the Norris brothers.

Patrick Norris is a vet returning from Afghanistan, marred by his war experience but optimistic that he could pick up his life back home, where his parents and troubled older brother, Ted, live. But things don’t turn out quite the way he had hoped: his parents’ avocado farm is in ruins after a devastating fire, and Ted’s reckless behaviors threatens to push him toward the point of no return.

Parker interviewed a number of returning soldier from Afghanistan for the novel, which is set against the Southern California landscape he has returned to time and time again.

T. Jefferson Parker will discuss and sign copies of the book at Vroman in November. 

Guest:

T. Jefferson Parker, novelist of many books, including “Laguna Heat” and “The Famous and the Dead”. His latest is “Full Measure” (St. Martin’s Press, 2014).

Dr Philip Nitschke holds up a drug testing kit which is used as part of assisted suicides; Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Terminally ill Brittany Maynard has become the face of the right-to-die movement.  Tomorrow is the day she tentatively set to take her own life.  However, she says she's feeling well enough to hold off a while longer.

Maynard, a 29-year-old woman with stage 4 malignant brain cancer, has publicly declared that she would take her life in the manner of her choosing. She moved to Oregon from California in order to take advantage of their laws regarding the taking of one’s life and committed to her “death with dignity” for November 1, two days after her husband’s birthday.

After completing her bucket list, which included visiting the Grand Canyon, she has decided to postpone the decision to end her life. She wrote on her website, “I still feel good enough and I still have enough joy and I still laugh and smile with my family and friends enough that it doesn’t seem like the right time now.” She also noted that as the seizures worsen and she loses autonomy over making decisions for herself, she would again come closer to her final day.

What are considerations one must make when considering to end his/her life? Is the time right for Californians to vote on allowing doctors to prescribe lethal quantities of drugs to terminally ill patients?

Guest:

Melissa Binder, Faith and Values reporter for The Oregonian in Portland, Oregon who’s been following the story

A California Department of Corrections officer speaks to inmates at Chino State Prison in the dayroom of Sycamore Hall that was modified to house prisoners on December 10, 2010 in Chino, ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

It's a ballot measure pitting prosecutors against prosecutors. Co-sponsored by heavyweight District Attorney George Gascón of San Francisco, what he calls "The Safe Neighborhood and Schools Act" would reduce the classification of most "non serious and nonviolent" property and drug crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor for convicts without violent histories. Gascón says California prisons are over-crowded with low-level offenders who become more prone to recidivism by staying locked up for too long. Prop 47 would make about 10,000 inmates eligible for resentencing, according to Lenore Anderson of Californians for Safety and Justice.

Opponents, including the California Police Chiefs Association, say “dangerous three strikes" inmates would be eligible for release, and it would allow prior felons to buy and possess guns. How has the California legislature attempted to handle prison crowding and recidivism? Would the parole system be able to handle the consequences of Prop 47?

Guest:

George Gascón, Co-Sponsor of Proposition 47; District Attorney, City & County of San Francisco

Michael Ramos, Opposed to Proposition 47; District Attorney, San Bernardino County

Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom and Riz Ahmed as Rick in "Nightcrawler," written and directed by Dan Gilroy, opening October 31, 2014.; Credit: Chuck Zlotnick

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson and Henry Sheehan review this week’s releases, including “Nightcrawler,” “Low Down,” “Force Majeure” and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Guests:

Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and chief film critic for LA Weekly

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com

Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom in "Nightcrawler," written and directed by Dan Gilroy, opening October 31, 2014.; Credit: Chuck Zlotnick

The critically acclaimed new release "Nightcrawler" goes behind the scenes of gritty local news - with the help of real life LA stringers who consulted on the film. Howard Raishbrook and his twin brother Austin have been chasing stories across LA for 15 years. They advised writer and director Dan Gilroy to give him a truer picture of the bloody car wrecks, tragic murders and dramatic fires. The Raishbrooks' work takes guts and composure, but without the sociopath tendencies of film's anti-hero. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal plays the unscrupulous freelance cameraman capable of chilling acts to get the best shot.

What are the traits of a good stringer? How much risk does the job entail? How do they respond to critics of the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality?

Guests:

Howard Raishbrook, technical consultant and advisor on “Nightcrawler;” long-time LA TV News stringer and founder of RMG News (with his twin brother Austin)

Adrian Huerta, freelance cameraman for KTLA

Calpulli Tonalehqveh, 30, of the Teo Kali, Aztec cultural group, participates in a sunrise prayer with Native Americans during an 'Unthanksgiving Day' ceremony 24 November 2005 on Alcatraz Island, home to the ruins of the former federal prison in San Francisco Bay. ; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Should Indian tribes be allowed to build casinos on non-reservation land? One tribe will have that opportunity if Proposition 48 passes.

Prop 48 would ratify compacts that the California legislature approved back in 2005 between the state and two tribes, respectively: The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe. If passed, Prop 48 would allow the North Fork tribe to build a casino on about 305 acres of land in Madera County. The compact with the Wiyot tribe doesn't allow them to build a casino, but does allow them to get a portion of the revenue that the North Fork tribe's casino generates.

Supporters say voting yes on Prop 48 would create thousands of jobs, stimulate the local economy, and promote self-sufficiency within the tribes all without a cost to taxpayers. Opponents say passing Prop 48 would open the floodgates for other tribes to build casinos on non-reservation land, which they say will have a negative effect on the surrounding communities.

So what do you think? Should tribes like the North Fork and Wiyot be allowed to build and profit from casinos even if they're built on non-reservation land? How do you think the casinos will help or hurt the surrounding communities?

Guests:

Charlie Altekruse, Public Affairs Director for the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians

Andrew Acosta, Campaign Spokesman for No on 48

With just a day away from elections, are you prepared to cast your vote?; Credit: Photo by jamelah e. via Flickr Creative Commons

We know that sample ballot has been waiting for you in your car or on your desk for weeks and you’ve had the best intentions of getting to the bottom of Props 45 and 47, and buffing up on the arguments for and again the water bond, but the clock is running out. Now that we’re in the eleventh hour, here’s your last chance to get your questions asked and run through the ballot before election day.  

Think you know a thing or two about the 2014 midterm elections? Take AirTalk's quiz to find out!

Guests:

Frank Stoltze, KPCC Politics reporter

Patt Morrison, KPCC contributor and LA Times columnist

Debris from SpaceShipTwo lies in a desert field on November 1, 2014, in Mojave, California. The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo crashed on October 31, 2014 during a test flight, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another. ; Credit: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

Federal investigators say Virgin Galactic's experimental rocket ship broke apart in flight after a device to slow the space plane's descent deployed too soon.

The cause of Friday's crash of SpaceShipTwo over California's Mojave Desert has not been determined, but investigators found the "feathering" system - which rotates the twin tail "feathers" to create drag - was activated before the craft reached the appropriate speed, National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Christopher Hart said.

The system requires a two-step process to deploy. The co-pilot unlocked the system, but Hart said the second step occurred "without being commanded."

"What we know is that after it was unlocked, the feathers moved into the deploy position, and two seconds later, we saw disintegration," Hart said.

The finding moves away from initial speculation that an explosion brought down the craft.

The investigation is months from being completed, and officials are looking at factors that include pilot error, mechanical failure, design problems and whether pressure existed to continue testing, Hart said.

"We are not edging toward anything. We're not ruling anything out," he said. "We are looking at all these issues to determine the root cause of this accident."

The co-pilot, Michael Alsbury, 39, was killed in the crash. Pilot Peter Siebold, 43, parachuted to the ground and is hospitalized with injuries.

Speaking on NBC's Today Show Richard Branson said if the initial findings are the cause of the crash, then it could be an easy fix with a return to test flights within four to six months. Branson said normalizing space travel is "absolutely worth the risk" because of myriad benefits it could have for humankind.

The crash is reminder of the risks entailed in spaceflight innovation. Knowing that, how will this accident affect Virgin Galactic’s goals? What is the reaction of investors who are eager to use their prepaid tickets? How are other companies faring in the business of suborbital commercial flight?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guest: 

Douglas Messier, Managing Editor, ParabolicArc.com - a journalism outlet focused on private space enterprise in Mojave, California; Messier witnessed Friday’s crash

Doug Griffith, Aviation and Spaceflight Attorney; Griffith has a degree in aerospace engineering and two decades as a military and civilian pilot

Chicago's first pedestrian scramble, or "Barnes Dance", at the downtown intersection of Jackson Blvd. and State St. Pedestrians are allowed to cross all directions, including diagonally, every three light cycles. All vehicular turns have been prohibited to improve traffic flow. ; Credit: Kevin Zolkiewicz/Flickr

You may have been to an intersection or two in Los Angeles where there are crosswalks built diagonally, so as to allow pedestrians to cross from one corner of an intersection to the other. Could we be seeing more crosswalks like this popping up across the city?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is looking at an initiative that would install these diagonal crosswalks, also known as pedestrian scrambles or “Barnes dances,” because of traffic engineer Henry Barnes, who advocated the use of pedestrian scrambles 70 years ago in Denver. The crosswalks would stop traffic in all directions, allowing pedestrians to cross to any side of the intersection. Studies show that these crosswalks are safer for pedestrians, but they can also be a headache for motorists, who have to wait longer at red lights than they would at an intersection with normal crosswalks. Supporters say that pedestrian scrambles would not only make it safer for people walking in L.A. to cross the street but also increase the walkability of the city. Opponents say

At this point there are no plans to move forward with the initiative and it has not been proposed in front of the L.A. City Council.

How do you think pedestrian scrambles would change the pedestrian landscape in Los Angeles? Would you be more likely to walk to a destination if it were easier to cross the street in certain locations?

Guest:

Jim Moore, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Civil Engineering, Director of USC Transportation Engineering Program

To hear this segment, click on "Listen Now" above.

Ray Magliozzi, left, and his brother Tom Magliozzi, hosts of National Public Radio's "Car Talk" show, are photographed with their cartoon likenesses in Cambridge, Mass., on Thursday, June 19, 2008. The brothers announced Friday, June 8, 2012 their plans to retire from the program.
; Credit: AP/Charles Krupa

Tom Magliozzi, one of the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk," passed away Monday at the age of 77 due to complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Tom and his brother, Ray, hosted the show nationally on NPR since 1987. Known as “Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers,” the brothers helped callers on a weekly basis with their car troubles, but not before cracking jokes and creating hilarious radio. Tom’s laughter was infectious, and his knowledge was expert.

This weekend, Ray will go live to tell listeners about the tragedy, as well as to do a special episode where they cover some of Tom’s best segments. The Magliozzi family has asked that instead of flowers, friends and listeners make donations to their favorite public radio station.

Guest:

Doug Berman, longtime producer of "Car Talk" and "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!"

In the post-recession climate, companies are gearing up for pre-recession productivity - sometimes with recession-level staffing, putting a squeeze on vacations. How do you deal with vacation blackout periods during the holidays?; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

This time of year, employers struggle with scheduling vacation requests while maintaining enough staff to be relatively productive. Some employers eschew that stress by enacting "vacation blackout" periods. The Society for Human Resource Management says, "An employer ... has the right to manage its vacation pay responsibilities, for instance, by controlling when vacation may be taken and the amount of vacation that may be taken at any particular time." However, labor attorney Randy Renick who represents employees sees it differently. "I think it is inconsistent with California law on vacation pay, particularly where it deprives the employee of the ability to use the vacation time earned," Renick said. He added, "This happens more often as employers adopt a use-it-or-lose-it policy.

In the post-recession climate, companies are gearing up for pre-recession productivity - sometimes with recession-level staffing, putting a squeeze on vacations. Vacation blackouts are deemed a necessity for many retailers during the Christmas season -- and many retail workers are keen for the seasonal work and holiday overtime pay.

What is your experience with vacation requests at work? Does your company institute blackout dates or a use-it-or-lose-it policy? If you were given a generous vacation benefit, have you been able to use it, or is your work too demanding?  If you're a manager or business owner, how do you handle this potential tension? How does managing vacation time compare to handling your company’s other finances?

Guests:

Randy Renick, Labor Lawyer and Partner with Hadsell, Stormer & Renick LLP based in Pasadena; specializes in wage and hour class action litigation

John Kabateck, Executive Director, California Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business

This image shows the home page for the White House site indicating the amount of time remaining before open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act closes.; Credit: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images

The Affordable Care Act has been beset by partisan bickering, technical glitches, complaints from doctors to consumers even before it went into effect.  More than a year after the launch of Healthcare.gov and Covered California, how is the law faring?

New York Times health care reporter Margot Sanger-Katz crunched looked at enrollment and other sources of data to answer that question. The criteria she and her team looked at include how affordable has health insurance under the law been, if the law has led to a dramatic increase of people who are insured, and the effect of the law on the health care industry.

If you're looking for a doctor in the L.A. area who are covered by ACA healthcare plans, you can use this handy map courtesy of the L.A. Times.

Guest:

Margot Sanger-Katz, covers health care for the paper’s "The Upshot” section, which  presents news, analysis and data visualization about politics and policy. Her piece “Is the Affordable Care Act Working?” was recently published in the New York Times.

Wal-Mart is considering expanding its price match program to also match online prices from rivals like Amazon.com this holiday season.
; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Walmart already has a price match program at its brick-and-mortar locations, where you can show them a lower advertised price for a product they carry, and Walmart will match the price. This holiday season, the major retailer is considering expanding that price match program to also match online prices from rivals like Amazon.com.

The concern among Walmart brass is how much the program could potentially cut into profits, even if it does make the store more competitive among other discount retailers. Walmart is already fighting to keep customers in its stores, as dollar stores and online retailers have made the competition more fierce.

Other big-box retailers like Target and Best Buy have already implemented online price match programs to prevent customers from “showrooming,” or checking prices on products at brick-and-mortar locations and then making the purchases at online competitors like Amazon. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are planning to do more than 44% of their holiday shopping online this year, which is up 13% from five years ago.

Would you be more likely to do your holiday shopping at Walmart if they introduced an online price match program? How often do you make use of programs like this at other retailers? Do you think it will help or hurt Walmart more?

Guest:

Kit Yarrow, consumer research psychologist and professor at Golden Gate University in San Francisco

Sucharita  Mulpuru, retail analyst at Forrester Research, technology research company based in Cambridge, MA

Taylor Swift has removed her latest album "1989" from Spotify, four days after its release, following a string of musicians who feel the company doesn't pay artists enough for streaming their music. ; Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for TAS

In a move that has angered fans and created ripples across the music streaming industry, Taylor Swift’s label, Big Machine Records, has pulled all of her music off the streaming service Spotify. Speculation is that the move is to boost sales for her new album, 1989. She is not the first artist to have withheld music from Spotify, other notable artists including Thom Yorke, Beyonce, Coldplay, and the Black Keys.

Whether or not you listen to her music is one thing, but it is hard to deny her rampant success and popularity. Just through Spotify, Taylor Swift’s music has been listened to by almost 16 million people and can be found on more than 19 million playlists - and that’s only in the past 30 days. 1989, is expected to sell over a million copies, a serious achievement when no other album has sold a million records in 2014. But Big Machine's move raises the more interesting question of how music will be recorded and listened to in coming years. Music streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, and Beats Music are growing like crazy.

How can you beat free music with commercials, or unlimited commercial free streams for $10 a month?  iTunes certainly can't and is showing just the kind of decline in sales you'd expect. That raises the question of how recording artists will be paid. If sales continue to drop, can rights fees for streaming possibly pick up the slack?

Guest:

Casey Rae, Vice President of Policy, Future of Music Coalition, an artists’ advocacy group.

Ashlye Keaton, Attorney specializing in Entertainment Law, based in New Orleans; Keaton represents various Memphis and Motown artists and song catalogs

#CaElections are in full swing. We’ll round-up the hottest races to watch around the country and ask which contests are on your radar? ; Credit: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images

It's election day across the country, with big Senatorial races deciding which party is in the majority. Races in Colorado, Iowa, Georgia, Alaska, Kansas, New Hampshire, and others are under the microscope as voters go to the booths. The Republicans are expected to take control of the legislature’s upper chamber, although a last minute mistake or an unexpected turnout from the Democratic base could shift the tide. And while the House of Representatives has not been followed with as much scrutiny, Republicans are expected to pick up around 10-15 more seats, solidifying their majority.

We’ll round-up the hottest races to watch around the country and ask which contests are on your radar? And what would an entirely Republican-controlled Congress mean for President Obama?

You can visit the KPCC 2014 Election Voter Guide to get your free, personalized ballot cheat sheet.

Guests:

Carolyn Lochhead, Washington Correspondent, San Francisco Chronicle

Chris Moody, Senior Digital Correspondent for CNN’s Politics Team (a new position for Chris, formerly the politics reporter for Yahoo! News)

"Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America" by Yong Chen

When it comes to Chinese food, it’s not an overstatement to say that Southern California almost has it all. Chances are, discernible eaters can find anything their hearts desire in the San Gabriel Valley, from dishes everyone knows to street foods originating in obscure parts of China.

But that hasn’t been the case always, and certainly never so in most other parts of this country. The popularization of Chinese food in America parallels the growth of the country’s Chinese immigrant community. Just as it took time for Chinese immigrants to assimilate and become accepted, so has the cuisine.

In “Chop Suey, USA,” UC Irvine historian Yong Chen looks at the cultural, economic and sociological factors that have brought Chinese food to the mainstream.

Guest:

Yong Chen, a history professor at UC Irvine who focuses on the economic and cultural interactions between China and the U.S. He is the author of “Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America” (Columbia University Press, 2014)  

Take our quiz below on your knowledge of Chinese food