Graduates through their mortat boards in the air after US President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 1, 2010. ; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

It's a commonly held belief in the education reform community that educators should be encouraging all students to attend college and preparing them to succeed at traditional universities.

Research shows that those with a college degree earn significantly more over the course of their careers than non-degree holders and getting a well paying job without a degree is getting harder.

But what happens when a student is not "college material"? Are we doing students harm by pushing them down the traditional college route when many of them are destined to fail?

According to research from Georgetown University, less than 10 percent of poor children now graduate with a four-year college degree. With improvements in K-12 education, it's possible that the number could double down the road but large numbers of students will still be left without a degree in hand.

A lack of well paying vocational jobs makes the path to the middle class even bumpier for many young Americans. Some students may not fare well in college but without strong reading and math skills above the high school level their prospects may be even worse.

Should the traditional college track still be considered the ideal for all American students? Are we providing enough 'non college' alternatives that also provide a path to the middle class? Are we shortchanging our students by not emphasizing the need for strong reading and math skills, even in vocational tracks?

Guest:

Michael Petrilli, Executive Vice President of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a prominent education reform think tank

RiShawn Biddle, editor of Dropout Nation and co-author of ‘A Byte at the Apple: Rethinking Education Data for the Post-NCLB Era’.

Hip Hop artist Jay Z performs at The Staples Center on December 9, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

A downtown Los Angeles music festival proposed for Labor Day weekend is under fire from critics who say there hasn’t been enough information or outreach about the event. The “Budweiser Made in America Festival” boasts music “curated by Jay-Z.” It would be held at Grand Park -- sidewalks and streets in the surrounding areas might be closed to up to 10 days to prepare for the event.

L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar is arguing that the city should hold off on issuing permits for the festival, citing concerns from business owners, residents, and traffic congestion. Huizar is pushing for more information from the show’s producers, Live Nation, as well as the Police Department and other city offices so that he can examine the cost and other logistical issues.

Last week, Huizar  introduced a motion calling for a committee of Downtown stakeholders and residents to help manage Downtown special events permits. He introduced a second motion--aimed specifically at halting the “Budweiser Made in America Festival” proposed for Grand Park. 

A spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti called the festival a lot of fun, a “boon for our economy,” and said it would highlight downtown’s rejuvenation.

Is the area around Grand Park prepared to support a festival of this size and length? How will business owners, residents, and commuters adapt during the preparations for the festival? In what ways would the city be impacted in terms of cost?

Councilmember Huizar's office addressed his motions in a press release:

Guests:

José Huizar, Los Angeles City Councilmember since 2005 for the 14th District - encompassing Downtown LA

Carol Schatz, President and CEO of the Central City Association - which represents numerous downtown LA businesses

Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell, founder and chancellor of Liberty University, speaks during a Christians United For Israel (CUFI) news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, 19 July 2006.; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

It was not so long ago that Evangelical voters were considered a formidable voting bloc that could be relied on to vote against same-sex marriage and increase conservative turnout. But the days of relying on Christian conservatives to vote the 'party line' seem to be over.

A recent poll from the Public Religion Research Institute found that only 27% of evangelicals approve of same-sex marriage but 43% of evangelicals younger than 34 do. Some in the older conservative Christian establishment are now turning away from the traditional hot button issues of banning same-sex marriage and overturning Roe v. Wade.

Instead, Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention and Ralph Reed, chairman of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, joined together to pen an editorial in the Wall Street Journal criticizing the Republican-led House for failing to pass immigration reform.

With evangelicals no longer thought of as a single voice, what impact will that have on politics? Can the GOP still rely on the Christian vote? What issues are most important to young evangelicals?

Guest:

Tom Krattenmaker, contributing columnist for USA today in religion and public life and author of  "The Evangelicals You Don't Know: Introducing the Next Generation of Christians"

Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans attend the UK Film Premiere of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" at Westfield London on March 20, 2014 in London, England. ; Credit: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Larry and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein review this week’s releases, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Nymphomaniac: Vol. II, Under the Skin and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II

Under the Skin

Guests:

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt FilmGuide.

Lael Loewenstein, film critic for KPCC and Variety

People wait to attend the press conference of Mozilla's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in Barcelona on February 24, 2013, a day before the start of the 2013 Mobile World Congress. The 2013 Mobile World Congress, the world's biggest mobile fair, was held from February 25 to February 28 in Barcelona. ; Credit: JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

The newly appointed CEO of Mozilla, the company that makes the popular Firefox web browser, announced on Thursday that he was stepping down after being the subject of protests from gay rights supporters.

News recently broke that back in 2008, Brendan Eich made a $1,000 contribution in 2008 to support Proposition 8, the California ban on same sex marriage. The proposition was later overturned by the Supreme Court but the damage to Eich's career was already done.

In an interview this week, he did not apologize for his donation and said he was capable of separating his personal beliefs from the inclusive message of the open-source company he's running.

Tens of thousands of supporters of same-sex marriage rights did not agree and launched a petition asking Eich to resign from the company. The popular dating site OkCupid also lashed out against Eich by generating a message that encouraged Firefox users to use a different browser to visit the site.

In a blog post on Thursday, the company's executive chairwoman Mitchell Baker announced that Eich had stepped down as CEO and emphasized that Mozilla's "organizational culture reflects diversity and inclusiveness".

Does that 'inclusiveness' extend to employees who don't share the company's beliefs? Should a company's CEO, or any of it's employees, be forced to represent the views of their customer base? Do you think Eich’s political beliefs should have cost him his job?

Guest: 

Rob Enderle, President and Principal Analyst at the Enderle Group, which focuses on business advising and strategizing for technology companies

David Letterman announces his retirement during the taping of his "Late Show" on April 3, 2014.; Credit: CBS/YouTube

Late night mainstay David Letterman has announced that he plans to retire in 2015. “The Late Show” host announced the decision during a taping of the show Thursday and released a subsequent statement:

"We don't have the timetable for this precisely down. I think it will be at least a year or so, but sometime in the not too distant future, 2015 for the love of God, in fact, Paul [Shaffer] and I will be wrapping things up.”

His announcement sparked immediate speculation about possible heirs. Late night talk shows have been in reinvention mode for the past decade in hopes of luring those coveted young male viewers. With the recent ascension of Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel to the late night host desks at NBC and ABC, respectively, the pressure is on for CBS to find a suitable replacement.

Who would you like to see as the next host of “The Late Show”? Mayor Eric Garcetti wrote an open letter to Les Moonves, pitching CBS’ head honcho the idea of bringing the talk show to Los Angeles. What are the chances of that happening?

We collected your top picks from the comments and social media. Vote on who should take the helm at the "Late Show"!

LINK

KPCC's online polls are not scientific surveys of local or national opinion. Rather, they are designed as a way for our audience members to engage with each other and share their views. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page, facebook.com/kpcc, or in the comments below.

Guests:

Dominic Patten, Legal Editor and writer at Deadline, a news site covering Hollywood and the entertainment industry.

Robert Thompson, professor of radio, film and TV at Syracuse University and Director, Bleier Center for Television & Popular Culture

Co-President of Paramount Classics Ruth Vitale participates in 'The Working Breakfast Series: The Midsize' during the Tribeca Film Festival at the Tribeca Rooftop April 26, 2005 in New York City.; Credit: Peter Kramer/Getty Images

Indie film veteran Ruth Vitale has been tapped to head CreativeFuture, the entertainment industry's anti-piracy initiative.

The venture, known previously as Creative America, is a nonprofit coalition created in 2011 to fight copyright infringement, with the support of the MPAA, Warner Bros., and Viacom, and many other big industry players.

In 2011, the organization backed two pieces of proposed federal anti-piracy legislations, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), that were shelved after a waves of  online protests that culminated in an one-day “internet blackout,” which counted Wikipedia, Google and other high-profile Silicon Valley giants as participants.

Going forward, how will CreativeFuture fight online piracy?

Guest:

Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture, a coalition of movie and television producers, unions and companies that fight piracy in the digital age

Juan Uribe #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Carl Crawford #3 after scoring during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park April 2, 2014 in San Diego, California. ; Credit: Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Baseball season is in full swing. After starting the season in Australia, the Dodgers will be playing their home opener tonight. Fans lucky enough to be heading to the stadium can enjoy a California rivalry as the Dodgers face off against the San Francisco Giants. Direct TV customers hoping to watch in the comfort of their homes won’t be as lucky.   

The start of baseball season was expected to put pressure on negotiations between Time Warner and Direct TV but after a week of games tensions between the two corporations continue to rise. Earlier this week Time Warner Cable told the Los Angeles Times that Direct TV walked away from negotiations over the Dodger’s owned channel Sportsnet LA. Direct TV has denied Time Warner’s claims.

Until TimeWarner and Direct TV can come to an agreement on Sportsnet LA nearly 70 percent of Los Angeles will be unable to watch Dodgers games. Why have negotiations between these two companies been so unproductive? Is there any expected end to negotiations in sight? How will this impact the Dodger’s season?

Guest:

Joe Flint, Entertainment Business Writer, Los Angeles Times

A Yelp sticker on the window of a business. ; Credit: Steve Rhodes via Flickr Creative Commons

Many consumers love Yelp reviews to get the inside scoop on everything from restaurants to dry cleaners and dentists. But does the website play fair with small businesses?

An investigation by the Los Angeles Times has turned up an ad-selling practice that seems to be a lot like extortion. When a local jewelry store owner canceled his Yelp ad, he had a representative from Yelp call him up to say that competitor's ads had been appearing above his listing and that — for a fee — the company could make the ads go away. It's a controversial practice that is leading to questions about how the company does business.

About 83 percent of the online review company's nearly $71 million in revenue in the most recent quarter came from local ads.

The alleged strong-arm tactics are coupled with concerns that the company is planting fake bad reviews to retaliate against businesses that don't shell out money for ads.

The Virginia Supreme Court is hearing a case this month brought by a small carpet cleaner who argues that Yelp posted fake negative reviews about his company after he turned down a pitch to buy ads.

Are some of Yelp's bad reviews secretly coming from the company to force businesses to spend more money? Do you trust the reviews posted on Yelp? Should the identities of Yelp reviewers be protected?

Guests:

David Lazarus, Consumer Columnist, Los Angeles Times

Kristen Whisenand, Yelp Inc. Spokesperson

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) is greeted by Palestinian Ambassador to Jordan Attallah Khairy, outside the Palestinian Ambassadors Residence in Amman where he will meet with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas for talks on the Middle East peace process, as crunch decisions loom in the coming days on March 26, 2014.; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met for the second time on Monday with an American mediator to try and salvage the peace talks that nearly came to a screeching halt late last week.

Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that the week had been a "reality check" for the peace negotiations and that the U.S. would reevaluate its role as moderator. Secretary Kerry was instrumental in prompting the two sides to restart negotiations last summer.

U.S. efforts to extend the talks past a late April deadline were shattered after Israel failed to carry out the last phase of a planned release of 104 long-held Palestinian prisoners, while the Palestinians said they would suspend a campaign to sign up Palestine, recognized by the U.N. General Assembly as a non-member observer state in 2012, for as many as 63 U.N. agencies, treaties and conventions.

Abbas then signed letters of accession for 15 international conventions, after which Israel said the final prisoner release was off the table. Kerry originally hoped for a peace deal by April 29 but that is looking increasingly unlikely.

What will get both sides back on the correct negotiating track? Should the U.S. continue in its role as moderator? What are the possible outcomes if neither side is willing to compromise?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests: 

Yousef Munayyer, Executive Director of The Palestine Center

Neri Zilber, visiting fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Sam Walsh, a budtender, sets up marijuana products as the 3-D Denver Discrete Dispensary prepares to open for retail sales on January 1, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Legalization of recreational marijuana sales in the state went into effect at 8am this morning.; Credit: Theo Stroomer/Getty Images

Ever since Colorado and Washington became the first states to sanction the use of recreational marijuana, the legalization of pot on a federal level has taken on a narrative of destiny, with interest groups forming hoping to hasten this inevitability. The National Cannabis Industry Association, a pro-legalization group, has hired its first full-time DC lobbyist to work the halls of Congress to gain support for a variety of pot-friendly bills, while startups and publicly traded companies have sprung up to hopefully cash in on the boom.

What do lobbyists want from Congress? Some investors are touting pot as the next big investment. Is it magical thinking?

Guests: 

Aaron Smith, co-founder and executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a nonprofit that promotes marijuana legalization in DC

 Brad Barker, Bloomberg Industries Senior Washington Analyst who’s been following the marijuana industry

Peter Leeds, publisher of Peter Leeds Newsletter, which deals with speculative stocks and author of “Penny Stocks for Dummies” (For Dummies, 2013)

Actor Mickey Rooney attends the memorial Mass for actor and comedian Bob Hope at the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, August 27, 2003 in North Hollywood, California. ; Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney, the once-child star and among the last surviving entertainers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, died Sunday in California at the age of 93.

Rooney’s career began shortly after his first birthday, and includes at least 340 acting credits in movies and television.  He made a name for himself in musicals—such as 1939’s “Babes in Arms”—and powerful dramas like 1938’s “Boys Town.” Rooney is still known to many for his portrayal of Andy Rooney in MGM’s film series in the 30s and 40s.

The 5-foot-2 showman was nominated for several acting Academy Awards—including a supporting actor nod for his role in 1979’s “The Black Stallion”—and several Emmys and Golden Globes.  

Seen most recently on-screen in small roles or cameos in films like “Night at the Museum”  and “The Muppets,” Rooney is considered by many to have been one of the finest actors in cinema history.

What are your favorite memories of Rooney? What did his career mean to you?

Guest:

Leonard Maltin, Film critic, LeonardMaltin.com;  Author, “Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide.”

Musician Luke Bryan performs on stage at the 2011 CMT Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 8, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee.; Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

The 49th Academy of Country Music Awards was packed with live performances Sunday, flaunting artists who are young, mainstream, and more influential than ever.  

The show, held Sunday at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Hotel, captivated its largest audience in fifteen years, growth that analysts attribute to the genre’s increased appeal to younger listeners.

But that growing audience includes more than tweens who idolize Taylor Swift.

An increased number of young men have become country fans thanks, in part, to tailgate party songs by artists like Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean. These “bro-country” artists, who sing about driving pickups, picking up chicks, and drinking beer, also appeal to female listeners, making country music the nation’s most popular radio format.

Is the popularity of "bro-country" just a trend? Has country music taken a turn for the worse?

Guests: 

Randy Lewis, Pop Music Writer for the Los Angeles Times.

To hear to this AirTalk segment, click on the "Listen Now" icon in the upper left. 

“The Way of the Knife: the CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth” by Mark Mazzetti is now out in paperback.

The current - and uncharacteristically public - challenge facing the CIA threatens to reveal the darkest violence the spy agency is tasked with. The Senate Intelligence committee is demanding the declassification of an internal CIA report critical of the agency's interrogation (read: torture) techniques post-9/11. That episode in the agency's history is further evidence that its espionage services run parallel to direct paramilitary actions.

As national security reporter Mark Mazzetti writes in "The Way of the Knife" (now out in paperback), the U.S. is fighting a shadow war with what once was a Cold War enterprise. Mazzetti reports that the CIA’s killer drones, private assassins and proxy armies are a lower-cost, lower-risk alternative to the Defense Department’s drawn-out wars and occupations.

Why has the CIA taken over Pentagon territory? How has it been effective and where has it failed? What direction has the new director, John Brennan, taken? How much more is there to learn about "enhanced interrogation" techniques that we don’t know already? Should the CIA revert to its original mission?

Guest:  

Mark Mazzetti, Author, “The Way of the Knife: the CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth” – now out in paperback from Penguin; Pulitzer-Prize winning, national security reporter for The New York Times; Previously for the Los Angeles Times.

Sacramento Bee reporter Peter Hecht takes an in depth look at the marijuana movement in California in his new book "Weed Land: Inside America's Marijuana Epicenter and How Pot Went Legit."

California has been at the forefront of the medical marijuana movement since it passed the Compassionate Use Act back in 1996 that allowed ill residents to smoke marijuana with a doctor's note.

Since then, the marijuana movement has come up through the ranks in public opinion to the point where recreational use is now legal in a handful of states. Medical marijuana has thrived despite being the subject of DEA raids, crackdowns by the federal government and social opposition.

With so much stacked against it, how did the medical marijuana movement manage to go mainstream? Why has recreational use not been legalized in California?

Sacramento Bee reporter Peter Hecht has been taking an in depth look at the movement in California, tracing its history from fledgling ballot measure to a lucrative industry that served as a launching point for liberalization across the country.

Guest:

Peter Hecht, senior writer at the Sacramento Bee and author of "Weed Land: Inside America's Marijuana Epicenter and How Pot Went Legit" (University of California Press, 2014)

Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes arrives at the premiere of Rio at the Chinese theater in Hollywood, California, on April 10, 2011.; Credit: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

Sergio Mendes, one of the most successful Brazilian artists of all time, has recorded more than 35 albums and is a three-time Grammy Award winner. Mendes started his career with 1961’s “Dance Moderno” and the groups Bossa Rio and the Sergio Mendes Trio. Global fame came to Mendes a few years after, when he and another group, Brasil ’66, remade “Mas Que Nada.” The hit marked the first time that a song sung entirely in Portuguese hit Billboard’s Pop chart in the U.S., and came to define Brazilian music for many music enthusiasts and converts around the world.

Mendes was the executive music producer and contributed five songs to the animated film “Rio” in 2011.  Mendes, who along with Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett, was nominated for an Oscar for the song “Real in Rio.” The 73-year-old has reprised his role as executive music producer for “Rio 2,” the follow up to the Blue Sky Studios film.

Mendes joins AirTalk to talk about his decades-spanning career and his work on the “Rio 2” soundtrack.

Guest:

Sergio Mendes, musician with over five-five releases, and executive music producer of the animated film “Rio 2”

Andrew Breitbart holds a news conference at the National Press Club October 21, 2009 in Washington. Breitbart, who died in 2012, founded Breitbart.com in 2007. ; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The conservative media empire launched by the late Andrew Breitbart is making a major push into the Golden State. Breitbart California made its debut this week and will showcase conservative success stories in California and what it calls the 'failures of the left-wing establishment.'

Conservative politics could use the boost as figures show Republican engagement in California dwindling. Republicans currently hold no major statewide offices and the number of registered Republicans dropped from 35.2% in 2003 to 28.9% in 2013.

The new site was still celebrating its debut when critics pounced on its controversial marketing campaign, which featured Photoshopped images of a 'twerking' House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in a bikini with her tongue hanging out a la Miley Cyrus.

Other images in the campaign showed Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's face on a topless female body with the phrase "Covering Cali-sized IQs & cup sizes." The controversy already cost Breitbart California one of its most prominent voices when House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy pulled his column from the site. 

How will the addition of Breitbart California shake up the conservative media landscape? Will the site have any impact on flagging Republican participation in state politics? Will the controversy over the Pelosi marketing photos cause a setback in the party's efforts to engage more women?

Guest:  

Jon Fleischman, politics editor for Breitbart California

Revelers at Isla Vista Deltopia 2014.; Credit: slayed0 (via YouTube)

The melee that broke out following the street party known as Deltopia last Saturday night led to more than 100 arrests and dozens of injuries, including those suffered by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies who were hit by bricks and full bottles of alcohol.

RELATED: Santa Barbara spring break party 'Deltopia' turns into riot, officers injured

15,000 people convened this year for the annual spring break celebration known as Deltopia, an unsanctioned, largely unregulated event that draws partiers from all over Southern California, even from out of state.

Last year’s event was plagued by several violent and tragic events, including an accidental falling death of 18-year-old Giselle Esme Ayala, a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student. The annual street party is not a new phenomenon for UCSB’s off-campus Isla Vista community.

Many locals point fingers at the out-of-towners, blaming them for the wild and dangerous behavior. But UCSB student body representatives stated that a change in Isla Vista resident’s party mentality is also in order.

If events like this can’t be better regulated, should they be banned altogether? Does the responsibility fall on law enforcement to crack down? What can students do to discourage disorderly conduct in their community? Can a “party school” change its collective mentality and, therefore, change its reputation?

LINK

KPCC's online polls are not scientific surveys of local or national opinion. Rather, they are designed as a way for our audience members to engage with each other and share their views. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page, facebook.com/kpcc, or in the comments below.

Guests:

Kelly Hoover, Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office

Jonathan Abboud, UCSB  student association president

STATEMENT FROM UCSB:

“Deltopia” is an unsanctioned event that took place in the streets and private residences of a nearby community where many college-age students, including some from UC Santa Barbara as well as Santa Barbara City College, choose to live during their studies. Unfortunately, it also draws large numbers from outside the Santa Barbara area who typically represent the largest percentage of arrests and citations during the event.

The unsanctioned event is a serious concern for the University as well as many Isla Vista residents. Although not in the jurisdiction of the University, we discourage student participation and work closely with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to promote safety and provide policing support. In addition to contributing significant policing resources, the University also provides resources for lighting and security cameras in Isla Vista.

The actions of some the participants involved in Saturday night’s incidents were outrageous and extremely dangerous. Any of our students found to have violated the law or University policies are subject to University sanctions.

In the coming months we look forward to discussions with local government officials, law enforcement, Santa Barbara City College administration and our own students on ways to address the events of last night and hopefully prevent them from taking place in the future.

Finally, we are extremely grateful for the efforts of the law enforcement officers and safety teams who risk their own safety to protect the community -- the Sheriff’s Office, the UCPD, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other local law enforcement departments. Our thoughts go out to those officers who were injured Saturday night and we wish for a quick recovery.

In this handout photo provided by NASA, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft as payload rolls out of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41 Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad November 16, 2013 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.; Credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images

The true story of six strangers, picked to live in a 1,000 square foot dome, work together, have their lives documented, to find out what happens when humans land on Mars. It sounds like the opening to a pretty cool new reality show but it's all in the name of science.

Three men and three women have been handpicked by NASA to live together for four months inside a Mars simulator dome on Hawaii's Big Island. The HI-SEAS 2 mission has been underway for just a few weeks and with the goal of exploring the psychological impact of sending astronauts on long term missions to Mars.

The participants will live and work together in an environment much like what NASA expects astronauts to encounter when they embark on a 2.5 year Mars mission slated for sometime around 2030.

The tight quarters and long duration of the Mars mission is leaving a lot of questions about how well a group of strangers will be able to get along. On top of psychological concerns, NASA also has to deal with other ethical issues when sending astronauts on years-long missions to Mars. The astronauts will be subjected to high levels of radiation, vision impairment and bone loss from the microgravity environment.

A new ethics report raises some questions about NASA's plans for a manned mission to Mars. Is it ethical to send people into space for several years at a time? What sort of health risks are there? What are the psychological impacts of being isolated in small groups for long periods of time?

Guests:

Kim Binsted, professor of information and computer sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and principal investigator on the HI-SEAS 2 Mars simulator mission.

Jeffrey Kahn, professor of bioethics and public policy at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics

The 'Pyongyang Express' food truck operator Bob Gottlieb takes an order from a customer outside an office building in Los Angeles where the truck is parked for lunch business July 16, 2010. ; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Of the roughly 3,200 food trucks and carts wheeling meals around Los Angeles County, about 40 percent have never been inspected by the Department of Public Health--and the rest are checked less frequently than guidelines require, according to a Los Angeles Times report.  

Those troubling figures come from Angelo Bellomo, the Department’s director of environmental health, who oversees restaurant and food truck inspections. "This is an area that needs improvement," Bellomo told the Times.

Letter grades for food trucks were first introduced in 2011, and county health guidelines require two annual field inspections. This hasn’t happened—and consumers cannot review health inspection information for many rolling restaurants. Bellomo told the Times that one of the main reasons food trucks and carts go unchecked is because they can be difficult to locate for surprise inspections. 

Fifteen field inspectors and two supervisors with the Department of Public Health are responsible for food service inspection in L.A. County. Trucks and carts that receive complaints are highest priority.   

Would you have thought inspection rates for food trucks were this low? Are you willing to take your chances with food trucks? How should consumers get safety information about trucks and carts? Should there be more field inspectors monitoring L.A.’s mobile eateries?

Guest:

Matt Geller, Co-Founder & CEO, Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association