Patt Morrison for Thursday, April 15, 2010

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, April 15, 2010

1-3 p.m.

 

CALL-IN @ 866-893-5722, 866-893-KPCC; OR JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE ON THE PATT MORRISON BLOG AT KPCC-DOT-ORG

 

 

1:06 – 1:30

OPEN

 

 

1:30 - 1:58:30

More trouble for Toyota……and they are ready to respond

After Consumer Reports warned of roll over problems with the Lexus GX, Toyota announced that they will halt sales of the vehicle. Now, they’ve asked to use the magazine’s test track so their own team of engineers can attempt to duplicate the test.  Consumer Reports declined—undaunted, Toyota will recreate the track at a test facility in Japan.  When a driver experiences a sudden acceleration problem, Toyota ushers in their SMART “swift market analysis and research team” to investigate and in some cases (like the case involving the Prius driver in San Diego) discredit them.  When a professor of automotive technology testified before Congress about possible electrical problems with Toyota’s electronic engine control system, Toyota hired Exponent Inc. to refute the professor’s findings, point-by-point. Is this a concerted effort to defend an automaker from unfair claims or a PR campaign to protect its image and reputation? Are there legitimate concerns (beyond the pedal) about what’s causing Toyotas to accelerate out of control?

 

Guest:

Kristen Tabar, Toyota’s General Manager of Electronics Systems

SHE CALLS US

 

Sean Kane, founder & president of Safety Research & Strategies; founder of the Vehicle Safety Information Resource Center

CALL HIM:

• Kane testified before the House Energy & Commerce Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee hearing on the “Response by Toyota and NHTSA to Incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration” on February 23^rd.
• Safety Research & Strategies is a product research firm, focusing on automobiles, they works with plaintiffs’ attorneys on lawsuits related to injuries and/or safety matters.  They investigate products and help determine the level of liability, if any, that a manufacturer or distributor is responsible for.
• Safety Research & Strategies, Inc. clients include attorneys, engineering firms, supplier companies, media, and government. SRS works with organizations and entities interested in improved vehicle and product safety.
• The Vehicle Safety Information Resource Center provides researchers with the tools to locate and obtain safety data and documents from government sources.

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

Sen. Sanders sells healthcare reform: community clinics to get a major boost

Health care reform is in the books, and yet doubts remain about one of the most sweeping pieces of social legislation in a generation.  Sen. Bernie Sanders was an early proponent of universal coverage, so the final health care bill is probably a disappointment to him—but there’s an element of the bill that is near and dear to his heart, and that’s the increased funding for community health centers.  Serving the most vulnerable segments of our population, community health clinics in California should be able to serve an additional 1.3 million people as $9.5 billion becomes available nationwide for these clinics.  But is there a chance that these clinics could become overwhelmed with a flood of newly insured patients under the reform bill; and what will keep medical costs from continuing to rise, even as more money becomes available to community health organizations?  The Senate’s true maverick, Bernie Sanders, is here to answer your questions.

 

Guest:

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont

via ISDN

 

 

2:30 – 2:39

OPEN

 

 

2:41 – 2:58:30

Growing Greener Schools

Going green has become a trend as 21^st century society begins to grow an environmental conscience. Now schools, public and private, have stepped into the “going green” arena. The new documentary “Growing Greener Schools” premiering April 25^th on PBS, goes inside the new movement at several schools in both affluent and inner-city areas. Could greening schools mean rising grades and test scores? The film explores the academic outcomes that green initiatives and programs had on the children, schools and communities.

 

Guests:

Harry Wiland, principal & founder of the Media Policy Foundation; executive producer of “Growing Greener Schools”

IN STUDIO

 

Alison Suffet Diaz, founder & director of the Environmental Charter High School in the Lawndale Elementary School District

CALL HER:

• ECHS is a free public charter school with 28 teachers, an average class size of 25 students, and enrollment of about 450 students.
• 95% of our graduates exceed the admission requirements of UC/California State University schools.
• ECHS requires that all students apply and be admitted to a 4-year university in order to graduate.
• ECHS is certified by the California Charter School Association.

 

 

 

Jonathan Serviss

Producer, Patt Morrison Program

Southern California Public Radio

NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles

89.3 KPCC-FM | 89.1 KUOR-FM | 90.3 KPCV-FM

626.583.5171, office

415.497.2131, mobile

jserviss@kpcc.org / jserviss@scpr.org

www.scpr.org