We'll find out if James Cameron's "Avatar" was worth its $500 million dollar price tag and whether George Clooney or Colin Firth deserve the best actor buzz. We'll give you the goods on what will be in theaters this Christmas season.

Some California cities are passing cat declawing laws before a new state law takes effect on January 1st.

Two college football bowl games will be played in San Diego, and that means much-needed tourist dollars for the region.

What are the most significant things that have happened over the last decade? Did the 2000s live up to our expectations? And, what are the predictions for the next decade? We speak to a futurist and an expert on computer science about the 2000s and beyond.

We'll talk about the benefits of winter gardening with garden expert Nan Sterman.

The way we use social media has evolved in the last decade. It's now part of our culture and most of our daily lives. We take a look at its evolution, what's hot right now, and what's to store for the future.

What kind of hardships will the local homeless population be facing this holiday season? We speak to representatives from the Alpha Project, the San Diego Rescue Mission and the United Way about the services available to local homeless people. Plus, we look ahead to talk about what can be done to end chronic homelessness in San Diego County.

We'll talk about the movies that are opening this Thanksgiving weekend, including the new animated film from Wes Anderson, the much-talked about "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire," and an independent film starring Woody Harreson as a soldier who notifies families who have lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Will 20 relatives be roaming around your house waiting to taste the turkey or the pumpkin pie? Well we have two of San Diego's premiere chefs in studio to answer your cooking questions and put any hosting anxieties to rest. We'll talk turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes and pie today on These Days.

Recent cuts to city and state budgets are affecting local beaches and parks. We take a look at how this impacts the quality of life for San Diego residents.

An update on Swine Flu in San Diego County. County of San Diego Public Health Officer, Dr. Wilma Wooten, joins us in studio to talk about the availability of the vaccine, what you can do to prevent infection and what people should do if they suspect they have the flu.

In the first of interviews scheduled with all eight San Diego City Council members at the close of the calendar year, we take stock of the city's accomplishments of 2009, issues as yet unresolved, and upcoming problems in 2010, including severe budget cuts.

Are the Chargers in the AFC West driver's seat after their victory over the Broncos this weekend? Is the frequent turnover of athletic directors at SDSU the norm for universities of that size? And, what are the chances that hometown hero Adrian Gonzalez will be traded by the Padres this offseason? We speak to longtime San Diego sports talk show host, Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton, about the top local sports stories.

How are residents and public officials in the Imperial Valley handling the demand for swine flu vaccines? What kind of impact is the decline in property and sales taxes having on governments in the Imperial County? We speak to Brad Jennings, editor of the Imperial Valley Press, about the top stories in his area.

New research shows that parents lie to their children more than they realize. We speak to an author of the study about her findings as well as a local therapist about the kinds of lies parents are telling and when to be concerned about your child's lying.

Would you pay $300 for a product that costs $3 to make? Chances are, you already have. It turns out that those stylish designer sunglasses you paid hundreds of dollars for are actually made in factories in China for a fraction of the cost. We speak to Marketing Professor Dr. Lois Bitner Olson about what makes sunglasses a unique product, and why we are willing to pay so much money for something that is so cheap to make.

San Diego is not alone in dealing with a water shortage. We'll find out how other Western cities have been dealing with a shrinking water supply and what San Diego might learn from them.

The mandatory water restrictions that have been implemented throughout San Diego County could be just the beginning. As the first part of our series, "H2NO: San Diego Going Dry," we speak to KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce about the three main factors that are affecting San Diego's water sources, and to discuss what could happen to our water supply in the future.

President Barack Obama introduced a plan to overhaul the country's financial regulatory system earlier this week. What are the specifics of the president's financial regulation plan, and who's already lining up in opposition?

If San Diego wants to expand its convention center, it will likely cost at least $52.5 million a year in new taxes and fees over the next 30 years. Is an expansion of the convention center worth the $780 million price tag? And, with the proposals to build a new city hall and downtown library also in the works, which project should be a priority?

There's going to be a new Sheriff in town, and not everyone is happy about it. We discuss the timing of outgoing Sheriff Bill Kolender's retirement, and the politics behind the appointment of new sheriff Bill Gore.

As the state budget crisis deepens and deep cuts are made to the UC and CSU systems, there is increased pressure on the already-stressed community colleges. We look at how the San Diego Community College District is coping with the stress and what it means for prospective students and their families.

Should the City of San Diego build a new city hall? What are the arguments for and against expanding the convention center? How much will both of those projects cost the taxpayers? We speak to 5th District City Councilman Carl DeMaio about the city budget, and to find out what he thinks the city's priorities should be right now.

The summer may be for vacations and trips to the beach, but you'll likely want a good book to accompany you. We'll talk with two local experts who spend their working days reading. They'll give us their picks for the best reads of the summer.

What's the deal with Orange County? Many San Diegans only know of the "OC" as that area between Camp Pendleton and Los Angeles were all the traffic on I-5 backs up, and little else. We speak to columnist Gustavo Arellano about his book Orange County: A Personal History.

San Diego's only chamber festival devoted to the music of our day begins this weekend and it's called Sound On. It's presented by San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library. The festival's resident ensemble known as NOISE joins us in studio.

As the governor and legislature struggle to close the state's $24 billion budget gap, local health care providers worry about the impacts of cuts on San Diego County's poor.

What, exactly, does the United States Coast Guard do? We discuss the new book Rescue Warriors: The U.S. Coast Guard, America's Forgotten Heroes. Author David Helvarg talks about the role the Coast Guard plays in protecting America's waterways and coastlines. We also discuss how the mission of the Coast Guard has changed since 9/11, and learn what role the San Diego "Coasties" play in our community.

Will online news become the standard for news gathering and distribution? We'll talk with the growth in online news sources and how changes in the media landscape will impact tradition media.

What's the future of news, and where does public radio fit into that equation? We'll talk with NPR's new president and CEO Vivian Schiller about the changing media landscape.

Have you checked out the early bird special lately? We'll talk about restaurants that are offering deals to get people in the door during the recession. And we'll find out where you can get great Mexican food in San Diego.

The state's funding crisis will affect the University of California's programs and perhaps its standing as the nation's best public university. The question is -- how much? These Days examines what the university means to the state and the nation and the threat lower funding poses to faculty recruitment and access to qualified students.

The Los Angeles Lakers are back on top...for the fifteenth time in the franchises history. Kobe Bryant and the Lake-show proved their dominance last night as they cruised to a 99 to 86 victory over the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. In other local sports news, the Padres have a new owner, and have drafted a hot high school prospect from Georgia. And former Chargers Quarterback Ryan Leaf is in the news once again, and once again not in a good way.

MCASD mounts an exhibit featuring the work of nine innovative architects and designers living and working in San Diego. We'll talk about architecture in the museum setting, what it means to have an alternative practice, and architecture in San Diego.

What compels a person to leave their comfy job on Wall Street so they can risk their life climbing seven of the tallest mountains on earth? We speak to Bo Parfet, author of Die Trying: One Man's Quest to Conquer Seven Summits, about why he climbed the tallest mountains on seven continents, and what he's learned from the experience.

What's it like to be a freshman Republican congressman nowadays? We speak to Congressman Duncan D. Hunter about his first year in office, the nation's ailing economy, and how he thinks the nation's health care system should be changed. We'll also get Hunter's thoughts on the U.S. military's strategic shift to the West Coast.

We look into the history of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), who were trained and flew every type of aircraft the U.S. Deployed during World War II, including the massive B-29. Yet they were always regarded as volunteers and were never incorporated into the military as they were promised.

The extent of cuts which will have to be made to programs and personnel in city and county schools are coming into focus, as new information on state cuts and school enrollment comes in.

Why do American's have such a big appetite for big food? It seems like everywhere you turn nowadays, there's a fast food restaurant offering a new double-bacon-cheese-filled item that you can wash down with a large fries, and a 32-ounce soft drink. We speak to Dr. David Kessler, author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, about why he says we've become a nation of "conditioned hypereaters."

Architectural photographer Mike Torrey talks about capturing the interconnection between the natural world and man-made structures.

Why are surfers off San Diego's coast getting sick? We'll talk about coastal water pollution and how budget cuts mean less testing and bigger public safety concerns for surfers and swimmers.

The U.S. Navy is on a building-boom in San Diego. We'll talk about the strategic decision to beef up security along the Pacific Rim and how San Diego's economy is benefiting.

Luis Alberto Urrea, one of today's most critically acclaimed writers, talks with us about his new novel "Into the Beautiful North," which is set in a Mexican village and in the Tijuana-San Diego border region.

The State of California is facing a $24 billion budget deficit, and needs to balance its books by the end of this month. We speak to political consultant Leo McElroy about the ramifications of letting the budget deficit carry over into the new fiscal year, and to find out where cuts are likely to be made.

The North County Fire Protection District will begin billing drivers for responding to automobile accidents. We'll find out why local public agencies are turning to an accident response fee to offset funding from the state.