The California High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) advertises that once this $68-billion dollar project is finished, travel time between San Francisco to Los Angeles will be 2 hours and 40 minutes. But longtime backers are reconsidering their support and filed a civil suit for financial mismanagement. The digitized picture is the HSRA vision of the Anaheim station. Credit: California High Speed Rail Authority

California’s high speed rail project has faced opposition from several constituencies throughout the state. But its toughest criticism yet comes from longtime proponents of the project who say that too many political compromises are undermining legal safeguards, among other complaints. One former high-speed rail backer recently filed a civil suit seeking to halt the project due to financial mismanagement.

How will this division impact the future of California’s bullet-train? What is the California High Speed Rail Authority’s response to the criticism? Will high-speed rail get back on track?

Guests:
Ralph Vartabedian, National Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times

Dan Richard, Chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority

How much would you spend on healthcare for your pet? Credit: Photo by Terence T.S. Tam via Flickr Creative Commons

Dog owners today spend an average of $655 dollars a year on health care for their pets, up 50% from a decade ago. Health care costs for cats are up nearly 75 percent. Why is this?

For one, veterinary medicine has advanced significantly in recent years, and so there are options for pet owners that just weren’t available 10 years ago. Veterinary hospitals have specialty doctors offering everything from oncology treatments to MRIs and these days very little is out of reach. Meanwhile, we seem to be treating our pets like family more than we ever have before, and we’re willing to go to greater lengths to care for them than ever before.

But how far is too far? Individual specialty procedures can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and owners without pet insurance (which is still rarely purchased) will spend upwards of $1,000 per day to keep a pet in treatment, just to see the treatment fail.

Is there a price that’s just too far? Are families only making the pain of losing a pet worse by adding a financial burden? Are veterinarians making the choices more painful by offering expensive treatments?

Guest:
James A Serpell, Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine

Screenshot of Red Medicine's Twitter page. Credit: Twitter

Imagine planning a delicious dinner party then suddenly your committed guests turn into no-shows and don't even call to cancel. Well, restaurants deal with the problem on a nightly basis, but one Beverly Hills eatery has had enough.

This past weekend, Noah Ellis of the high-end Vietnamese spot Red Medicine called out half a dozen Angelenos who made reservations for the hottest night of the week, then failed to materialize. In a statement, Red Medicine says, "We lost 20% of our total reservations on a Saturday, and a huge chunk of our prime-time bookings ... We understand emergencies happen, but most diners who no-show most likely don't think twice about it."

Hi Kyle Anderson (323), I hope you enjoyed your gf's bday and the flowers that you didn't bring when you no-showed for your 815 res. Thanks.

— Red Medicine (@redmedicinela) March 24, 2013

Also, big thanks to Carlos MacManus, Colin Rolfs, Allison Joyce, Sam Java, Daniella Brown, and Matt Lopez for no-showing btwn 730p-930p.

— Red Medicine (@redmedicinela) March 24, 2013

All the nice guests who wonder why restaurants overbook and they sometimes have to wait for their res should thank people like those below.

— Red Medicine (@redmedicinela) March 24, 2013

They said the Twitter flaming won't be a regular practice, but they want to bring attention to the problem.

Are we just less polite or thoughtful when it comes to dealing with businesses? We wouldn’t just no show to a dinner party, why would we do so with a restaurant? If restaurants adopted this more widely, would it prevent people from “no-showing?”

North Korea cut military communications with South Korea and has made threats recently against the U.S. and Guam. Credit: Pedro Ugarte /AFP/Getty Images

North Korea announced Tuesday that it put all its artillery and strategic rocket units on “No. 1 combat readiness” targeting the U.S. mainland, Hawaii, Guam and South Korea. This latest in a series of escalating threats is in response to new U.N. sanctions and joint military drills by the U.S. and South Korea.

North Korea successfully launched a three-stage rocket in December as well as its third nuclear test just last month. Additionally, North Korea threatened to turn Washington and Seoul into a “sea of fire.” The U.S. maintains that North Korea has not developed long-range missiles capable of hitting the continental U.S. But the military has announced plans to add interceptors to the anti-missile system in Alaska.

How real are North Korea’s threats? What exactly is North Korea’s military capability?

Guest:
Jim Walsh, Ph.D., International security expert and a Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Security Studies Program

Should prayer be allowed in city council meetings? Credit: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that it was not unconstitutional for the Lancaster City Council to open its meeting with prayer mentioning Jesus Christ.

The case started in April 2010, when a pastor and former mayor prayed, “In the precious, holy and righteous and matchless name of Jesus I pray this prayer.” To Shelley Rubin and Maureen Feller, mentioning “Jesus” meant the government endorsed Christianity and took the case to court.

Mayor R. Rex Parris said the city council allows prayers from different religious leaders, including Muslims, Sikhs, Wiccans and Christians and that the residents of Lancaster are not bothered. Because multiple religions are allowed and there was no proselytizing, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the lower court that the prayers were constitutional. Prohibiting sectarian figures would cause every religion to edit their prayers, a practice that has been ruled unconstitutional under Marsh v. Chambers in 1983.

However, one 9th Circuit Court judge, Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain, wonders how people would react to Scientology prayers and cited the Rubin v. City of Burbank ruling that does not allow references to religious figures in prayer. The lawyer challenging the Lancaster City Council plans seeking a rehearing and possibly an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Should public prayers be allowed by city councils? Is mentioning sectarian figures unconstitutional? Does allowing prayer from multiple religions unify or divide residents?

Guests:
Roger Jon Diamond, Attorney representing plaintiffs in suit against Lancaster; based in Santa Monica

Mathew Staver, Dean and Professor of Law at Liberty University School; Vice President of Liberty University based in Lynchburg, Virginia; Founder and Chairman, Liberty Counsel - an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom.

(L-R) producers Alex Orlovsky and Lynette Howel, actors Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ryan Gosling, Writer/Director Derek Cianfrance and producer Jamie Patricof attend "The Place Beyond The Pines" premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Credit: Sonia Recchia/Getty Images

Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Wade Major and Henry Sheehan to review this week’s releases, including A Place Beyond the Pines, The Host, Blancanieves, and more. TGI-FilmWeek!

A Place Beyond the Pines

The Host

Blancanieves

Guest:

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and boxoffice.com

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com

"Here and Now" will become NPR's new national show, replacing "Talk of the Nation." Credit: NPR Logo

NPR has decided to cancel “Talk of the Nation,” a 21-year-old call-in show produced by Boston affiliate WBUR. Starting July 1, “Talk of the Nation” will be replaced by “Here and Now,” which falls into the increasingly popular “news magazine” style.

Bedrock NPR programs like “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” operate as news magazines, and in recent years, traditional call-in shows have often been replaced with co-hosted shows with pre-produced segments.

Which style of programming do you prefer? Would you rather call in and engage on the air, or listen to more pre-produced content, magazine style? Are call-in shows becoming obsolete in the era of the online comment? What is the listener’s place in news radio dialogue?

Guest:
Gabriel Kahn, Professor of Professional Practice & Co-Director of Media, Economics and Entrepreneurship (which studies business-model disruption in media) at the School for Communication and Journalism at USC (University of Southern California)

Mexican soldiers patrol along Sor Juana Avenue in Nezahualcoyotl, State of Mexico, Mexico on September 20, 2012. Credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images

One of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s major promises in last year’s election was that he would create a national paramilitary police force to fight the country’s high rate of violence. The national security commissioner has said the goal is to put 10,000 of these military-trained, but civilian controlled officers, on the streets by the end of the year, and expand to 40,000 by 2018.

But some local civic groups are concerned about the wisdom of such a strategy, and want the President to let Congress debate creating the paramilitary force. Former president Felipe Calderon implemented a system that uses actual military forces to fight local crime, which resulted in 70,000 deaths in a six-year period, and continues to draw criticism for major human right violations.

How will Peña Nieto’s strategy differ from his predecessor, and why should we believe that it will cut down on death and corruption?

Guest:

Shannon O’Neil, Senior Fellow for Latin American Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations

A rendering by Millennium Partners of the proposed 55-story Hollywood high-rises Credit: Millennium Partners

The Los Angeles city Planning Commission yesterday approved two 55-story high-rises in Hollywood. These new skyscrapers, which occupies one million square feet for apartments, offices, and retailers, would be next to the Capitol Records building.

However, City Councilmen Eric Garcetti and Tom LaBonge oppose this intrusion to the Hollywood skyline. And they’re not the only ones. The Planning Commission meeting was packed with residents who opposed the development, but construction workers and developers argued in favor of all the jobs this would create. Others like Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce consider the high-rises a push forward for the city. The City Council still needs to approve this development by the New-York-based company Millennium Partners.

Why are so many city officials split on this development? Will construction of these high rises bring in more jobs? Will it drag on and create air pollution for local residents? Will the Hollywood high-rises be a terrible addition to the Hollywood skyline or will they transform the city for the better?

Guests:
Tom LaBonge, Los Angeles city councilman representing the 4th district, which stretches from Koreatown to North Hollywood

Dana Perlman, Los Angeles City Planning Commission

Dodger Stadium, under construction, Jan. 8, 2013. Credit: Corey Moore/KPCC

Major League Baseball’s season kicks off Sunday night, with the two Texas teams going at it, but the rivalry most worth watching in 2013 could just be the one in our own backyards between the Dodgers and Angels.

Both teams have been on a spending spree lately. The Angel’s signed left-fielder Josh Hamilton to a six-year $125-million contract during the off season, and not to be outdone, the Dodgers enlisted the services of Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig, neither of whom have played in MLB at the cost of over $100 million. 

"I think our guys are in a good spot and that they know what's at stake, they know that the ownership has gone beyond the norm to make this franchise as great as it has been in the past to revitalize it. I think that they pay attention to that and they know that," said Dodgers' General Manager Ned Colletti. "Does that mean that they're going to be able to do more than they've typically done? What we have to do is keep it steady, keep our focus on what you can do, what you can control and who you are."

Despite an arms race that seems equally matched, the Dodgers are leading in the rhetoric department. Club co-owner Magic Johnson recently told the media that if the Dodgers don’t make it to the World Series it will be considered a bad year at the club. Big money, big expectations.

"I think we're going to have ourselves a good season," said Colletti. "I don't predict how you're going to finish, or how many games you're going to win or this or that. That's for people who don't have any skin in the game or don't have a true bearing on it. 

History has shown that big spending doesn’t necessitate World Series wins, so what other changes are being made that will transform the Dodgers into a trophy winning side? Do the Dodgers have the depth and leadership to compete? Will the hype and pressure inspire or distract?

Guest:

Ned Colletti, general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers

US actor and director Dennis Hopper poses in front of one of his art-works in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, 15 February 2001. The exhibition "Dennis Hopper (a keen eye) artist, photographer, filmmaker" will officially open here to public 17 February 2001. Credit: COR MULDER/AFP/Getty Images

Who was Dennis Hopper? The better question may be what wasn’t he? This actor, filmmaker, art collector and photographer lives on as an off-beat icon in entertainment history. The public remembers his life as much as his roles in “Easy Rider,” “Apocalypse Now, and “Blue Velvet.” Although he had no formal art education, he was also known for his portraits of celebrities like Andy Warhol and Jane Fonda. Hopper filled his house with paintings by artists such as Julian Schnabel, Roy Lichtenstein, and Warhol.  In 2010 he filed for divorce with his fifth wife while being terminally ill with cancer that led to his passing that  year. 

Author Tom Folsom couldn’t resist the roller coaster of Hopper’s life. In his biography, “Hopper: A Journey in the American Dream,” Folsom wanted to know Hopper’s off-screen life. Folsom told the Wall Street Journal that he saw Hopper as a “modern Don Quixote who spent his life in search of his American dream.”

What private details did Hopper disclose to Folsom? Was Hopper an artistic savant or a manic? Why did Hopper have such a draw on the public? Will Hopper’s tale become legendary or forgotten with upcoming generations?

Guest:
Tom Folsom, Author “Hopper: A Journey into the American Dream,” (ItBooks, March 2013); Folsom is a writer, director, and producer of documentaries; his previous book, “The Mad Ones: Crazy Joe Gallo and the Revolution at the Edge of the Underworld” was a New York Times bestseller

PCC President Mark Rocha is under fire for his decision to cancel winter quarter. How should the college proceed? Credit: prayitno/Flickr Creative Commons

Pasadena City College President Mark Rocha has come under fire recently for backing the decision to cancel the college’s winter intersession on short notice. Students and professors were upset about the cancelled winter classes, which offered students the option to take a course for credit in only six weeks.

Rocha defended the cancellation, saying that removing this year’s winter intersession ensured that PCC could offer more courses than any other community college, but many students, teachers and administrators don’t see it that way and found the choice to cancel winter classes disadvantageous.

A no-confidence vote amongst faculty found that 92 percent of teachers are unhappy with Rocha, and outcry from students has been vocal as well – the student paper, the Courier, published several scathing articles about the incidents.  The paper’s faculty advisor has since been put on administrative leave pending investigation into an undisclosed misconduct allegation.  Meanwhile, PCC’s trustees have expressed their support of Rocha – his contract was recently extended through 2016.

How should PCC students, faculty, and administrators handle these problems? Is it Rocha’s responsibility to maintain a yearly schedule?  Will the decision to cancel the winter intersession continue to have serious repercussions?

Guests:
Mark Rocha, Superintendent-President of Pasadena City College

Simon Fraser, president of Associated Students at Pasadena City College

A teen girl plays flag football. In Pasadena, a junior high school team had to forfeit it's 8-0 winning streak because having a girl on the team violated the league's rules. Credit: Michael Powers / Flickr

The Sequoyah School in Pasadena is a small private school known for its progressive teaching environment, less so for its athletics. Yet, the school’s flag football team made it into the Los Angeles Times last week for its incredible winning streak.

They went 8-0 this past season but the team of junior high school students had to forfeit all of their wins because having a girl, 13-year-old Ella Wood, on the team is against the Foothill Sports League rules. Anthony Orona, the school's flag football coach, didn't realize the new rule until the season started. 

"We're inclusive to everyone that wants to participate," said Orona on AirTalk. "The boys felt the same way and I felt the same way that she is part of the team and to have her not play just was not an option."

Girls were allowed to play on boys teams in the past, but this year the rules were changed to encourage the creation of a girls' flag football league. The problem, though, is that many schools don't have enough girls interested in playing to create their own teams. The Sequoyah School is attempting to form an all-girls team, but just two girls have signed up so far.

"Up until this year we actually did allow girls to play on the boys' flag football teams, and with that came some kind of awkward moments and we had to modify some blocking rules, but we didn't want to deny girls a chance to play," said Jill Cucullu, member of the Foothill Sports League. "We need the Ellas at all our schools to participate on their girls team, talk it up with their girls and get girls flag football started."

Cucullu says the decision not to allow girls was made well before the season start, and that Sequoyah's athletic director was at the meeting when the decision was made. 

In flag football, Cucullu explains, the permissible block is two hands at an opponent's chest, often  leading to awkward physical interaction on co-ed teams. In addition, if a school doesn't have enough interest for a full girls' team, combining with another school to create a team is an option. Orona says this is not an ideal option. 

"That kind of goes against the whole idea of a school team," said Orona. "A lot of these kids want to play for their school. In athletics that's such a big part, playing for your school, the pride of your school and showing what your school represents."

Should girls and boys be allowed to play on the same teams? Why did the Foothill Football League decide against co-ed teams? Is football too much of a contact sport for girls and boys to play against one another? What if a boy wanted to play on a girls team?

Guests:
Jill Cucullu, Athletic Director at Bethany Christian School in Sierra Madre and a member of the Foothill Sports League

Anthony Orona, Sequoyah School’s flag football coach

Should workers get paid sick leave? Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

New York City is set to pass legislation requiring thousands of companies to provide paid sick leave to their employees. City Council members struck a deal on March 28 to pass a measure that will kick in starting in April 2014, when businesses with 20 or more employees will be required to provide 5 paid sick days, while businesses under that size will be required to provide unpaid sick leave. By October 2015, the list of employers required to provide paid sick leave will include companies with 15 or more employees. Though mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to veto the measure, reports say the city council will have the two-thirds majority support it needs to override the veto.

Some California cities have passed similar legislation, but many more initiatives here have failed. Why? After a long fight over this in NYC, how did stakeholders reach a deal?

Guests:
Ken Margolies, Senior Associate of the Worker Institute at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations

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

Sharon Terman, Senior Staff Attorney & Director of the Work and Family Project; Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center based in San Francisco

South Korean K-200 armored vehicles move over a temporary bridge during a river-crossing military drill in Hwacheon near the border with North Korea on April 1, 2013. South Korea's new president promised a strong military response to any North Korean provocation after Pyongyang announced that the two countries were now in a state of war. Credit: KIM JAE-HWAN/AFP/Getty Images

After a week of saber-rattling, North Korea has stepped up its bellicose rhetoric against South Korea and the United States. This weekend, the country announced that it is in a “state of war” with South Korea, and North Korea’s parliament voted to beef up its nuclear weapons arsenal. 

At the same time, Pyongyang has named an economic reformer as its new premier. The U.S. sent F-22 stealth fighter jets to participate in annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises, meant to dissuade the North from making further threats. But the South appears to be shifting its position toward the North: The new South Korean president told her top military leaders to respond forcefully should North Korea attack.

On today’s show, Larry talks to North Korea expert David Kang at the University of Southern California on these latest developments coming out of North Korea.

Guest:
David Kang, Professor of International Relations and Business at the University of Southern California. He is also director of the Korean Studies Institute.

Kenneth Cukier and Viktor Mayer-Schonberger authored “Big Data: A revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think.” Credit: Big Data bookcover

It’s a wonderful time to ask questions. The immense amount of information available through the internet has transformed data and data analysis. In their book “Big Data,” Viktor Mayer-Schömberger and Kenneth Cukier explore the concept of big data, the ability to consume and analyze vast collections of information and draw conclusions.

Big data is behind the idea that flights are cheapest on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, can tell you which color used car is in the best shape. It can also be used to predict or prevent disaster, and as our ability to utilize big data effectively grows, will impact business, health, education, and politics even more in the future.

How has big data transformed the way we approach and evaluate information? What will its impact be in years to come? Can this kind of analysis be dangerous, or have significant drawbacks? Kenneth Cukier joins Larry to speak about the revolution of big data and how it will affect our lives.

Guest:
Kenneth Cukier, Co-Author, “Big Data: A revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think;” Data Editor, the Economist, based in London

David Orentlicher makes the case for two presidents in “Two Presidents are Better than One: The Case for a Bipartisan Executive Branch.” Credit: Two Presidents are Better than One bookcover

The American public has long endured bipartisan gridlock and filibustering over things like Obamacare, the fiscal cliff and the sequester. Former Indiana state representative David Orentlicher has had enough and suggests a radical change – How about two presidents instead of one?

In his new book, “Two Presidents are Better than One: The Case for a Bipartisan Executive Branch,” Orentlicher argues that government today is not how the Founding Fathers imagined it. The gridlock between the presidency and Congress is too inefficient. By amending the Constitution, executive power could be split. According to Orentlicher, this would end political gridlock, check the executive power of the President and also allow the presidents to divide responsibilities. In every decision, both presidents would have to agree.

Is our current system ineffective? Is Orentlicher’s proposal even possible? Would two presidents end partisan gridlock? What if the two presidents can’t agree?

Guest:
David Orentlicher, author of “Two Presidents are Better than One: The Case for a Bipartisan Executive Branch” (NYU Press); professor of constitutional law at Indiana University and a former state representative in Indiana.

Should the L. A. Board of Supervisors reduce the fee for filming in Grand Park? Credit: Mike Sheehan

Today the L.A. County Board of Supervisors is weighing the needs of film crews versus the needs of downtown residents using the Grand Park. The $56-million park project was just unveiled a few months ago. Initially, rates to rent the park for filming were set at $20,000 a block and $80,000 for the entire expanse. As reported by the Los Angeles Downtown News, talks between the county and Hollywood have led to agreement for a significantly lower rate -- $5,000 a block and $15,000 for the full park.

What's less clear is how this would affect local residents as well as transit users who use park pathways. Striking a balance between in-demand movie jobs and Angelenos' enjoyment of the city has been a long-standing issue.

Where do you stand on it? Are crews respectful of your neighborhood? Is there worry that this huge park project is nothing more than a government-subsidized film set? Or are restrictions on filming pushing productions to other states? Would some of those runaway productions leave anyway due to lucrative tax incentives offered by other states?

Guests:
Ed Duffy, Business Agent, Teamsters Local 399; Duffy is at the Board of Supervisors meeting today

Lucas Rivera, Director of Grand Park

How dangerous is cell phone radiation? Credit: Alex Ragone/Flickr Creative Commons

In the last 15 years, as the number of Americans who own cell phones has increased radically, the way we use them has changed as well.  From keeping track of appointments to keeping up with friends, playing Angry Birds to playing cat videos,  today’s mobile device is more than a way to bypass pay phones -- it’s an essential component of our identity, almost part of our DNA.  

But is it safe to spend so much time cozying up to your smartphone?  Health scientists, environmental activists and industry groups have long locked horns over whether cell phones emit enough radiation to cause cancer.  The FCC announced last week that it will be reviewing its safety standards with respect to cell phone radiation emissions, which haven’t been updated since 1996.  

The FCC’s inquiry was launched in response to a 2012 report by the Government Accountability Office, which urged it to update its standards based on the recommendations of federal and international health organizations.  In 2011 the World Health Organization listed mobile phones as a possible carcinogen and contributor to brain cancer. And their increasing use by teens and children as young as 5 or 6 has led to further concerns about the long-term effects.  

Do you worry about the effects of constant cell phone use, or do you think the fears are overblown?  Do today’s cell phones pose a greater risk than in the past? How much radiation is too much? Are there precautions we can take to minimize the danger?

Guests:
Devra Davis, Ph.D., Founder and President of Environmental Health Trust and Author of Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide it, and How To Protect Your Family (Penguin, 2010)

Bernard Leikind, Ph.D., independent physicist and contributor to Skeptic Magazine

Justin Timberlake stands onstage in front of a video of himself and Janet Jackson from Super Bowl XXXVIII onstage at the 2008 ESPY Awards held at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on July 16, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Federal Communications Commission is looking into possibly relaxing its indecency rules. The commission asked the public for comment this week on a proposal that would shift the agency’s focus to target only “egregious” indecency cases.  

The move comes in the wake of a Supreme Court decision in 2012, which found the FCC rules on “fleeting expletives” too vague. A fleeting expletive is an unscripted verbal profanity or brief nudity that’s broadcast on a TV or radio show. The FCC started to stepped up its efforts on cracking down on this kind of indecency violations after receiving numerous complaints for several incidents, including Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction in the half-time show of the Super Bowl in 2004.

Should the FCC loosen its indecency rules? Are indecency rules even relevant today, given more and more people go online to get their entertainment? Are indecency rules unfair to network broadcasters?

Guests:
Dan Isett, Director of Public Policy at The Parents Television Council

Julian Sanchez, research fellow at the Cato Institute