RE: Patt Morrison for Tuesday, November 1 2011

 

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

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 - 1:50

“I can neither confirm nor deny…” Obama’s FOIA exemption

President Obama may have brought us @opengov on Twitter, but he seems to be just as unwilling to share some controversial information with the American people as his predecessor.  He has refused to make public provisions of the Patriot Act and photographs documenting the abuse of POWs.  A new proposed regulation drafted by the Department of Justice, if approved, would give government agencies the green light to circumvent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by denying the existence of the documents requested.  Currently, federal agencies can opt-out by answering, “I can neither confirm nor deny…”, but the new proposal allows them to go a step further.  It prompted the L.A. Times to write, in an editorial dated October 31, “This policy is outrageous. It provides a license for the government to lie to its own people and makes a mockery of FOIA.” Is the motivation behind this to protect our national security, as the President asserts, or to “protect the government from embarrassment” as the L.A. Times reports?

 

Guests:

UNCONFIRMED

Bob Woodward

Representative Justice Department

Editor, Bloomberg News, he filed a FOIA request to get more transparency on TARP recipients

 

1:50 – 1:58:30

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum loses director

Timothy Naftali, the director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum has recently resigned his position and will be stepping down November 19. He served as director of the Nixon Presidential Materials Staff at the National Archives from October, 2006, until a federal Nixon Library was established within the system of presidential libraries on July 11, 2007. Federal authorities refused to transfer control of tapes and documents to that library, especially those of the Watergate period, until Naftali and the National Archives took over the institution and made the library a nonpartisan education resource. According to the OC Register’s Blogwatch, Naftali has been criticized by local Orange County Nixon enthusiasts as “anti-Nixon” but he told one interviewer that he’ll leave it up to other people to gauge how successful he’s been, though he believes he’s achieved the goals he set back in 2006.  “It's time for me to move on,” Naftali said. He joins Patt Morrison to discuss his resignation and the challenges facing the future director of the Nixon Library.

 

Guest:

Tim Naftali, director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

 

 

2:06 – 2:39

Don’t Facebook my breakup, and other matters of social etiquette

Ever have your boyfriend or girlfriend change your status on Facebook before texting, Tweeting, or simply telling you it’s over?  Does “anything go” on Facebook, or should there be rules about how to navigate politely? Is it rude to tag people in compromising photos without telling them, submit a friend request to someone you don’t know without explanation, or make plans with people on your wall? And how do tell someone, “Yeah, I don’t want you on my friends list anymore?”

 

Guest:

UNCONFIRMED

Karen North, director of the online communities program at USC’s Annenberg school of Communications and Journalism

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Alan Alda debuts his new play, “Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie” and his new comedy “Tower Heist” is out this week too

You know him as Hawkeye Pierce from M*A*S*H or even Jack Donaghy’s father on 30 Rock. Alan Alda’s acting, writing and directing career have garnered him 31 Emmy nominations, six Golden Globe Awards and two bestselling books. He joins Patt in the studio to talk about his most recent accomplishment as playwright; his new work, “Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie,” debuts this week at the Geffen Playhouse. You can also catch him starring in the new film from Universal Pictures, “Tower Heist,” co-starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, also out this week.

 

Guests:

Alan Alda, actor, writer and director. He wrote the new play “Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie,” which runs from November 1^st through December 11^th at the Geffen Playhouse.

IN STUDIO

 

 

 

Patt Morrison for Monday, October 31, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, October 31, 2011

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 – 1:40: OPEN

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

Journalist Erin Aubry Kaplan and the modern black experience

Erin Aubry Kaplan is a Los Angeles-based author and journalist who is renowned for addressing issues of race head on and with a deft touch.  In her new book, Black Talk, Blue Thoughts and Walking the Color Line, Kaplan turns her keen eye and unique literary voice to topics that encompass the full range of the modern African American experience.  The book features thirty-three essays about a wide range of topics that originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Salon.com and elsewhere. Subjects range from the mundane to the tragic – including stories about Hurricane Katrina, Tiger Woods and Serena Williams, as well as new essays about President Barack Obama and her personal struggles with depression. But the common thread is Kaplan’s ability to distill life in the 21st century down to its complex and beautiful absurdity.

 

Guest:

Erin Aubry Kaplan, author, “Black Talk, Blue Thoughts, and Walking the Color Line: Dispatches from a Black Journalista;” contributing editor, op-ed section of the Los Angeles Times

IN-STUDIO

2:06 – 2:30

How much praise should we give our children?

Of course every parent wants to build self-esteem in their child, but can too much praise, or the wrong kind, backfire? Carol Dweck, author of “Parent Praise” claims it can. Her research found that kids who were given kudos for their effort (you tried really hard) as opposed to their sense of self (you are really smart) had higher self-esteem and were more motivated.  So if too much praise isn’t such a good thing, should we avoid giving kids trophies for simply showing up? Does the wrong kind of positive reinforcement as a child explain why some adults feel worthless after losing a job? If the research is sound, should we readjust how we talk to our kids? 

 

Guest:

UNCONFIRMED – DO NOT PROMOTE

Carol Dweck, researcher, Stanford University, author of the study “Parent Praise”

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Halloween costumes: the good, the bad and the ugly

Ah, Halloween, a holiday full of chocolate and reminders about the dangers of public perception. As of last Saturday, 4-year-old Luc wanted to be a princess for Halloween. Luc’s mothers, Anna and Louisa Villenueve, a lesbian couple living in Glendora, CA, are as loathe to let him as they are to turn their backs on their activist values. Glendora weighed in as “Yes on 8” in 2008, and the Villenueves are afraid that their neighbors’ reactions might be too vehement for Luc to understand. As Anna said in a recent Los Angeles Times article, “What I don’t want is. . .the comment that will make my child feel like he’s done something wrong.” The Villaneuves have a particularly sticky issue on the table (no pun intended), but what has the holiday brought up for you?  Share your best and worst stories, plus best and worst costumes, today on Patt Morrison.

 

Guests:

Anna and Louisa Villeneuve, a lesbian couple whose son wanted to dress up as a princess for Halloween

Paula Poundstone, comedienne and mother, she is a regular on NPR’s weekly news quiz program, “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me,” Her first comedy CD is “I HEART JOKES.”

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

RE: Patt Morrison for Friday, October 28, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, October 28, 2011

1-3 p.m.

 

 

1:06 – 1:30 OPEN

 

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

Is fixing America’s political system a lost cause? Lawrence Lessig doesn’t think so

On the heels of the Occupy movement comes a man with a plan: Lawrence Lessig. Lessig’s newest book, Republic, Lost, claims that the enemy that we face today is no longer hidden in smoky backrooms, but operating right in front of us, lulling us into accepting the current economic influence over our political system as par for the course. Regardless of your political stripes, says Lessig, you have to admit that the current system operates for the good of no one but itself, keeping those with the most connections rich and ignoring everyone else. Agree or disagree, but join us with your comments—and to hear Lessig talk about his proposed solution.

 

Guests:

Lawrence Lessig, author of Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress director of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School

IN STUDIO

 

2:06 – 2:19

L.A. contemplates protecting street murals

Street artists have used the walls of the City of Los Angeles as a canvas to express their culture, history and political struggles for decades. The city all but endorsed this renegade art form in the late 80s after issuing a blanket exemption for outdoor murals.  But in 2002, the love affair ended when the outdoor advertising industry sued to get equal protection for billboards. Today murals are, for the most part, only legal on public poverty if they are commissioned, and the city can take a pretty heavy handed approach to enforcement. Valley Village resident Barbara Black felt she had no choice but to paint over a mural she commissioned because the Department of Building and Safety threatened her with a $1,925 fine. Well-known street artist Saber said “they buff beautiful pieces, harass property owners and threaten us like we are in street gangs.” As many as 300 murals may have been lost in the last several years due to the new policy and that has frustrated some city council members who now want to find a way to preserve them.  The city is revising the distinction between murals, which should be protected as art, and advertisements. Stay-tuned, artists may get the walls back. 

Guests:

Jose Huizar, Los Angeles City Councilman (CD-14 Boyle Heights); CD 14 is home to by far the most murals of any district in the city (including Siqueros' America Tropical at El Pueblo)

 

Saber, street artist who has been fighting to protect murals

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

Farm to market to table to mouth: LA Mag’s 360 homage to local farmers’ markets

When we live in a city without noticeable seasonal changes (is Thanksgiving really one month away?), we forget how good we have it. Thanks to the West’s fertile crescent (aka, central valley), temperate weather from our endless coastline, a healthy amount of rainfall and lots of sunshine, fresh fruits and vegetables are available all year round. We eat seasonally (have you tried the fall figs yet?); we eat locally (how about fall figs from the Santa Monica farmers’ market?); and we eat well (fall figs and caramelized onions on an artisan pizza…sprinkled with some goat cheese?). Los Angeles Magazine documents our farm-to-table bounty in their latest issue, “Food Lover’s guide to L.A.” The issue takes you to the best neighborhood markets, from the West side to the San Gabriel Mountains, and dishes on the best restaurants that serve up farmers market goods. It also provides an intimate look at where our food comes from in “48 hours in the life of a market farmer.” What are your favorite neighborhood markets, or are you more of a CSA household? What makes them so special? What are your must-have ingredients for fall?

Guest:

Lesley Suter, dine editor, Los Angeles Magazine

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

“Anonymous” Shakespeare fact-check

The film “Anonymous,” which opens in theaters today [FRI], presents a version of history that William Shakespeare was a fraud and that the works attributed to him were actually written by the Elizabethan aristocrat Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. Patt fact-checks the film with a Shakespearean scholar and gets an update on the debate over Shakespeare’s authorship—a debate that’s roiled actors like Jeremy Irons and even caught the attention of great minds like Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia. Who was the man and what does the evidence support?

 

Guests:

Arthur Horowitz, professor, chair of the department of theater for the Claremont colleges

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Patt Morrison for Thursday, October 27, 2011

 

 

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 27, 2011

1-3 p.m.

 

 

Guest host David Lazarus fills-in for Patt Morrison

 

 

 

1:06 – 1:30 OPEN

 

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

Republicans want more taxes…from the poor
“The devil is in the details,” Bachman famously said about Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan. But many of her counterparts, including most recently Rick Perry, are championing a new America with a flat tax system. A raised flat tax, they argue, would broaden the base of taxpayers – many of whom don’t pay enough taxes, thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Enacted under Ronald Reagan (and broadened under Bill Clinton), the Earned Income Tax Credit operates as a refundable tax credit for poor families and individuals. According to the Washington Post, “a worker with two kids making $16,000 a year can get up to $5,036 back in taxes.” Under the EITC, Perry and his conservative counterparts claim that poor taxpayers are not paying enough. However, economic experts found that EITC beneficiaries are generally one time users, usually by families with young children as a way to proactively decrease early-childhood poverty. Ronald Reagan referred to the EITC program as “the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job-creation measure to come out of Congress.” Will jumping on the flat tax band wagon revive Rick Perry’s campaign? In these tough economic times, will repealing the Earned Income Tax Credit, help or hurt the economy?   

Guests:  TBD

 

2:06 – 2:30

Which came first, the person or the egg? Prop 26 and Mississippi’s Personhood Amendment

Should a fertilized egg have legal rights? On November 8, voters in Mississippi decide the fate of Proposition 26, an amendment to the state’s constitution that, if passed, would give a fertilized egg ‘personhood’ status under the law. If voters approve it, which some feel is likely (both Democratic and Republican candidates for Governor have endorsed it) all abortions in the state would be illegal, as well as some forms of birth control like the IUDs and the “morning after pill.”  The amendment is being called extreme and some in the anti-abortion movement, including the National Right to Life and the Roman Catholic bishops, feel it may undermine their efforts to chip away at, or even overturn, Roe v. Wade. So if the amendment passes, could a woman be charged with murder if she has an abortion? Will there be an impact on women’s health if doctors fear prosecution for performing a life-saving abortion? And more practically, can a pregnant woman drive in the carpool lane?

 

Guests:

UNCONFIRMED

Yes on Prop 26 or Personhood USA

Center for Reproductive Rights

 

 

2:30 – 2:58:30 OPEN

 

 

 

 

 

AirTalk for Thursday, October 27, 2011

Contact: Producers Linda Othenin-Girard, Karen Fritsche, Katie Sprenger & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

 

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Thursday, October 27, 2011

 

10:06 –10:30

TENTATIVE – DO NOT PROMOTE

Topic: Will Los Angeles officials crack down on #OccupyLA?

 

Guest: (Ms.) PJ Davenport, activist with OccupyLA; freelance television and multi-media producer

Other Guests: TBD

10:30 –11:00

Topic: Knowing your medical mind:  When it comes to your health, are you a maximalist or a minimalist?  A believer or a doubter?  Do you lean towards naturalism or technology?  These are all key aspects of your medical mind – your own prescription for making medical decisions. Between our doctors, the internet, friends and family we’re deluged with medical advice.  How do we choose which path to take?  Do you rely on statistics, seek out new therapies, shy away from side effects?  Do you trust your grandmother’s remedies over the latest drug-of-the-moment?  In their new book, Drs. Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband share the stories of people making big decisions – options for battling cancer, choosing between statins or lifestyle changes to treat high cholesterol, interpreting their loved ones’ end-of-life preferences – and explore the belief systems and experiences that shaped their choices.  The decision to watch and wait, rather than have a new type of surgery, may have more to do with your own tolerance for risk than your confidence in the surgeon.  This book doesn’t tell you what medical decisions to make.  But it does offer some insight into how and why you make those decisions, and that knowledge, the authors say, may help you to have more confidence in your choices. Do you trust your medical mind? Could understanding the medical choices you make improve your health - even save your life?

 

Guests: Jerome Groopman, M.D. and Pamela Hartzband, M.D., authors of “Your Medical Mind: How to Decide What is Right for You” (Penguin Press)

IN STUDIO               

 

Jerome Groopman, M.D., and Pamela Hartzband, M.D., are on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and on the staff of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, both in Boston. They have collaborated on several articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New England Journal of Medicine among other publications. Groopman, a staff writer for The New Yorker, is the author of four books, including The New York Times bestseller “How Doctors Think.”

 

11:06 –11:30 

Topic: LAUSD & UTLA battle over Public School Choice as outside groups push for broad reform: Leaders from the Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Union Los Angeles have been in closed-door discussions this week. What exactly they’re negotiating remains a bit of a mystery. The 3-year teacher contract expired this past June. But according to UTLA, full contract negotiations haven’t yet begun. The primary focus seems to be about Public School Choice (PSC), which allows outside groups to apply to take control of failing schools. In August, the school board agreed to keep charter schools out of the next round of Public School Choice. Insiders say that in return, the board hoped that UTLA would agree to a district-wide reform contract by November 1. But will they? And if not, what other proposals are on the table? Meanwhile, several outside groups, including The United Way, The Urban League, Alliance for a Better Community, Families in Schools, Asian Pacific American Legal Center and Communities for Teaching Excellence, have joined the fight to pressure both UTLA and LAUSD to “stop putting the interests of adults ahead of children.” The groups are pushing for changes largely supported by Superintendent John Deasy, such as giving schools more freedom to do their own hiring, making student achievement part of any teacher evaluation process, raising the bar on tenure eligibility and allowing bonuses and raises for high-performing teachers. Even if Deasy supports these reforms, it remains to be seen how various board members will respond. What – if anything – will be agreed to by November 1? Do LAUSD board members support Deasy’s proposals? Or might some fall towards UTLA? How are rank and file union members responding to all this? Will student test scores become part of how we grade teachers? We’ll talk with the top dogs in the fight, Superintendent John Deasy and UTLA President Warren Fletcher.

 

Guest: John Deasy (DAY-see), Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)

BY PHONE

Guest: Warren Fletcher, President, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)

IN STUDIO   

 

For web:

“LAUSD Office of the Superintendent” http://bit.ly/r3u8LX

“Don’t Hold Us Back” http://dontholdusback.org/

“United Teachers Los Angeles” http://www.utla.net/

 

11:30 –12:00 
Topic: Anita Hill re-imagines home and the American dream: The topic of sexual harassment became the focus of a national debate on Oct. 11, 1991 as lawyer Anita Hill testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that she had been sexually harassed by then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. The committee and the Senate ultimately decided to confirm and appoint Thomas, who has held the post for the past two decades. Since then, Hill said she received over 25,000 letters – mainly from supporters – on what the Thomas hearings meant to them. In her new book, “Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race, and Finding Home,” Hill expounds on how much of our access to opportunity is defined by where we live. She says for many people, it determines the kind of schools their children will attend and whether or not they will have access to quality, healthy food. In particular, Hill cites the foreclosure crisis hitting many Americans, to call for a new understanding about the importance of home and its place in the American Dream. Hill explores stories about discrimination in predatory lending practices, arguing that inequality needs to be addressed by the current administration. How does the subprime mortgage crisis shed light on inequality in America? How has the economic meltdown affected our conception of the American Dream? Does the American Dream exist for everyone? What does equality mean to you?

Guest: Anita Hill, Author of Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race, and Finding Home (Beacon); professor of social policy, law, and women's studies at Brandeis University, where she teaches courses on Race and the Law and Gender Equality; former attorney-advisor to Clarence Thomas at the U.S. Department of Education
IN STUDIO                                       

 

EVENT: Professor Hill will be in conversation with KPCC’s Patt Morrison tonight, Thursday, Oct. 27^th at 7pm at the Los Angeles Public Library, downtown. More info on the AirTalk page at kpcc.org.

 

FOR WEB: http://www.lfla.org/event-detail/660/Anita-Hill

 

 

Karen X Fritsche
Producer - AirTalk with Larry Mantle
89.3 KPCC 89.1 KUOR 90.3 KPCV
Southern California Public Radio
474 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
Desk: 626-583-5164 | Studio: 866-893-5722

 

Scpr.org | Facebook | Twitter

 

AirTalk is Best Talk & Public Affairs Program, LA Press Club 2011; host Larry Mantle is SPJ/LA's Distinguished Radio Journalist of the Year 2011

 

RE: Patt Morrison for Wednesday, October 26, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

1-3 p.m.

 

 

 

1:06 – 1:21 OPEN

 

1:23 – 1:39

How about ‘dem Dodgers?

A hard fought divorce settlement between the McCourts, cuts to season ticket prices of 60% after playing to a half-empty stadium, lackluster performance on the field, and a hearing next week that will decide whether or not Frank McCourt or Major League Baseball will determine the Dodgers’ future – all add to the veritable stew of money and power interests fighting over baseball as we know it in Los Angeles. MLB says Dodgers owner Frank McCourt “looted” $189.16 million from the team and wants to have him ousted, citing mismanagement; creditors are joined by Fox Sports in wanting to stop McCourt from auctioning off the team’s television rights; and beating victim Bryan Stow’s representatives will plead their case to the court as well, saying his medical bills could be as high as $50 million. While the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals scramble over the World Series title, hometown fans watch this battle played out in the newspapers and on sports news and ask: what will it take to get the Dodgers off the disabled list? 

 

Guest:

NOT CONFIRMED -  DON’T PROMOTE THIS GUEST

Bill Shaikin, national baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

TitleWave: Colson Whitehead talks about Zone One and America’s fascination with zombies

Zombie apocalypse is closer than you think, at least in Colson Whitehead’s latest installment, “Zone One: A Novel.”In post-apocalyptic New York City, Americans struggle to carry on with business as usual. As armed forces try to regain control of Manhattan, they must dispose of citizens who display even the slightest hint of infection. Whitehead parallels a post-zombie apocalypse New York to the emptiness and loss of a post-9/11 society. He joins Patt to talk about zombies and the ruins of New York. You can also see Colson Whitehead, along with writer David Kipentonight at 7 PM at the Los Angeles Central Library, as part of the [ALOUD] series.

 

Guests:

Colson Whitehead, a 2002 recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship; his latest book is the post-apocalyptic zombie novel Zone One; his writing has also appeared in Salon, The Village Voice, and The New York Times

IN STUDIO

 

2:06 – 2:30

Life in the ‘burbs isn’t as sweet as it used to be

Safe, clean, tree-lined streets, green grass and good schools, that’s the image we conjure up when we think about life in the suburbs, but a new study offers an alternative and stark reality.  The poor population in our nation’s suburbs has grown by 53 percent since 2000; by comparison, urban poverty grew by 26 percent. Currently, 55 percent of the nation’s poor live in suburbs. The dramatic increase has some of the nation’s suburban municipalities scratching their heads trying to figure out how to provide social services on tight budgets with limited resources.  How are communities coming together to support the declining middle-class? What will the suburbs look like in 5, 10, or 20 years if the U.S. stays on the same trajectory?  In today’s economic climate, would the Brady Bunch be issued a foreclosure notice?  Could they afford to live in the ‘burbs?

 

Guests:

Scott Allard, associate professor who focuses on social welfare and poverty, University of Chicago

 

UNCONFIRMED

Elizabeth Kneebone, senior researcher, Brookings Institute; she conducted the analysis of the census data on poverty in suburbs

Edward Hill, dean of the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University

 

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Ride along with Metro chief Art Leahy

President Obama’s visit reminded us: from point A to point Z, it’s all about getting around town. The head of the MTA is here to make the connection. Join him and Patt for the latest installment in a transportation series, with updates on the Metro’s plans for new high speed rail, highways, railways, and extensions of the existing Orange and Gold Lines. How did Metro’s decisions to eliminate some bus lines and significantly reduce others affect its low-income ridership, even as gas prices continued to rise? Whatever came of the controversy surrounding the construction of a new station in Leimert Park? How’s Metro’s new online bus-tracking service, NexTrip, working?  And has CicLAvia changed the way Angelenos think about getting around our vast landscape? Weigh in with your transit questions and comments.

 

Guest:

Arthur Leahy (Art), chief executive officer, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)

IN STUDIO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Patt Morrison for Tuesday, October 25, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

1-3 p.m.

 

 

1:06 –1:30 OPEN

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

The Price of Civilization

World renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs knows what’s causing America’s economic woes—political lobbyists have too much power in Washington; economic stimulus plans and tax-cutting measures aren’t working; our infrastructure is crumbling and the cost of an education coupled with ever increasing holes in the social safety net is creating a “poverty trap” for low-income Americans.  Sachs offers some solutions in his new book The Price of Civilization, which include a return to “civic virtues,” an acceptance of taxation and the adoption of new measures of economic wellbeing.  Even if Sachs has all answers to create a utopia society, could any of them be implemented in this highly polarized political environment?

 

Guest:

Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute and Professor of Sustainable Development and Health Policy and Management at Columbia University; his new book is The Price of Civilization

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

Warning! No TV for children under 2 & SpongeBob may be bad too

Limit tube time for children under age 2, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. In 1999, the same group recommended parents ban almost all television watching and complete a “media history” to show their doctors how much time kids spent in front of the TV. This year they conceded that the 1999 approach may have been a bit unrealistic.   The group claims that there is no educational benefit for the youngsters and TV time takes away from more important ways to learn. By interacting with people and objects, rather than watching visuals on a screen, children develop their “executive functions,” or the cognitive process by which they organize, pay attention, multi-task and take action. In a different study, researchers found that preschoolers who had watched SpongeBob tested with poorer executive function than those who colored with markers. How does all this new technology impact a child’s mental development and more practically speaking how might it impact a busy mom’s built in babysitter?

 

Guests:

Ari Brown, pediatrician in private practice and lead author of the policy statement “Media Use in Children Under Age 2”

 

UNCONFIRMED

Dan Hewitt, spokesperson for the Entertainment Software Association

Jennifer Peterson, lead researcher, “The Immediate Impact on Different Types of Television on Young Children’s Executive Function”

 

 

2:30 -2:41:30 OPEN

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Secrets, romance and sizes:  the life and thoughts of Edith Head

“Good clothes,” said Edith Head, “are not a matter of luck.”  The California-born Head ushered in a what some consider a golden age of costume design, dressing everyone from Faye Dunaway and Tippi Hedren to Steve Martin, but she was just as famous for her acerbic wit.  On October 28^th, playwright and actress Susan Claassen comes to Los Angeles’ Odyssey Theatre with her one-woman show, “A Conversation with Edith Head.”  Claassen and her co-writer, Paddy Calistro, former LA Times columnist, fashion journalist and author of Head’s posthumous autobiography, join us today to talk about Head and her legacy, on-screen and off.

 

Guests:

Susan Claassen, co-creator and star of “A Conversation with Edith Head;” she is managing artistic director of the Invisible Theatre in Tucson, Arizona

Paddy Calistro, one of the leading authorities on Edith Head; coauthor of Edith Head's posthumous autobiography, “Edith Head’s Hollywood”; president and publisher of Angel City Press.

BOTH IN STUDIO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patt Morrison for Monday, 10/24/2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, October 24, 2011

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 – 2:00

UN urges ban on solitary confinement, what does it mean for California prisons?

The United Nations’ lead investigator on torture, Juan Mendez, has called for governments to put an end to solitary confinement in prisons, arguing it can amount to torture and cause serious mental and physical damage. He’s defining solitary confinement as an inmate being held in isolation from everyone but guards for at least 22 hours a day and estimates that between 20-25,000 people are currently being held in isolation within the U.S. It’s been a big year for solitary confinement, from the controversy over the isolation of Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier accused of leaking secret documents to Wikileaks, to the ongoing hunger strike in California prisons over the practice of isolating prisoners. While the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) doesn’t consider its practice to be solitary confinement, they argue there are reasons for it, ranging from punishment to protection of prisoners from fellow inmates. Is it time to reconsider or is this the grim reality of detention?

 

Guests:

Juan Mendez, lead investigator on torture, United Nations; he was held in solitary confinement for three days in his native Argentina in the 1970s

CALL HIM

 

NOT CONFIRMED – DO NOT PROMOTE THIS GUEST:

Scott Kernan, undersecretary of operations for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

 

Craig Haney, professor, Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz; he was involved in the Stanford Prison Experiment

 

·         Professor Haney as a leading scholar and celebrated speaker on the psychological effects upon prisoners intends to provide commentary on both the psychological effects of prison overcrowding as well the constitutionality of conditions currently existing in American prisons. He also will provide valuable insight regarding potential criminal justice reform necessary to curb existing populations.

 

 

2:00 – 2:40

Think twice before you “go pink”: the big business of breast cancer

There are endless ways for us to contribute to the $6 billion industry that is breast cancer research: runs, walks, run-walks, salad spinners…the list goes on. In a recent Marie Claire article, writer Lea Goldman asks: “When snuggies go pink, haven’t we hit our awareness saturation point?” The ubiquitous campaign has everyone “going pink” – including scammers. Prosecutors in New York allege that one group even raised $4 million for breast cancer research and paid for only 11 mammograms. The State Attorney General’s office is asking over a hundred charities to disclose their financials, checking to see if donations end up where they were intended. How far are scammers willing to go? How intricate are these fraudulent charities? Have you ever been duped and didn’t know?

 

Guests:

Lea Goldman, deputy editor at Marie Claire. Her article, “The Big Business of Breast Cancer,” appeared in September.

CALL HER: 

 

Other guests:  TBD

 

 

2:40– 3:00

Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatra

Cleopatra was and remains notorious. The last queen of Egypt, lover of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony—her name has been used to sell cigarettes, adopted by an asteroid, a video game, a strip club, and it remains synonymous with Elizabeth Taylor. But without even one shred of surviving papyri from ancient Alexandria, most of what we know about her has come from a history written by her enemies and classical authors who conflated accounts and exaggerated melodrama. In an attempt to “pluck the gauze of melodrama” from the ruler’s image, Pulitzer prize-winning author Stacy Schiff set out as a kind of historical detective, digging up all alleged accounts of Cleopatra’s life, from contemporary historical and archeological records to Plutarch and Shakespeare. She then simultaneously brought them to bear on Cleopatra’s life and, considering the motives and bias behind each, fit them together to reconstruct a new and divergent image of the ruler. She joins Patt to talk about that woman.

 

Guest:

Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov); she is the author most recently of Cleopatra: A Life

ON TAPE

 

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Patt Morrison for Friday, October 21th, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, October 21, 2011

1-3 p.m.

 

 

1:06 – 1:30 OPEN

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

How should California teach gay history?

Now that Governor Brown has signed SB 48, the law requiring California social studies books to reflect the contributions and role of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans to society, teachers are grappling with just how to do that. It will be several years before state textbooks can be re-written, but teachers must begin incorporating material of their choosing into the lesson plan by January 1, 2012. Proponents of the bill, including some religious leaders and the California Teachers Association, argued it was long overdue; opponents, including some vocal parents and religious leaders, claim it is legislating morality. Senator Mark Leno wrote the bill as an attempt to combat harassment of gays by their classmates.  How will schools introduce the controversial subject to their students and at what age? And will shifting pedagogy bring more tolerance?  

 

NOT CONFIRMED:

Craig DeLuz, vice president of the Board of Trustees for the Robla School District in Sacramento; he’s also the parent of two high school students in the Sacramento district and a former high school teacher. He testified in the SB 48 hearings

 

2:06 – 2:20

Anthem Blue Cross sings a different tune to Medicare Advantage customers

Nearly 12 million seniors subscribe to Medicare Advantage, which provides them with the same Medicare benefits, but through a private health insurance plan. As of Jan 1, Anthem Blue Cross’ Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will have to pre-apply in order to receive benefits, an announcement that was equally disturbing as it was abrupt. As L.A. Times reporter David Lazarus reports, Anthem customers received two letters in the mail: one commending their loyalty and another gives them the boot. Currently, Anthem offers universal rates across California – even though medical expenses tend to be higher in the north than the south, a business plan that is causing them to lose money. Instead, Anthem will localize its Medicare Advantage program into 13 regions, customizing each accordingly with varying premiums and benefits. What prompted the Anthem’s abrupt and confusing change in policy? Will customers remain loyal, or will they shop around for an alternative provider? What other options are out their for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries?

 

Guests:

David Lazarus, business columnist for the Los Angeles Times

 

UNCONFIRMED:

Representative of Anthem Blue Cross

 

2:20 to 2:30 OPEN

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

City trees: danger, danger everywhere, or a potential hazard worth keeping, but who pays?

Are trees more expensive and potentially dangerous than they are worth? The cost of

pruning and maintaining trees owned by the city is a burden that in some cases the

city just can’t afford. Case and point are the Coral Trees lininig San Vicente Blvd. in

Brentwood. Residents have taken up the very expensive cause of tending to the majestic

trees that were planted after World War II.  One of the trees fell last month and residents

worry about the potential hazard if the trees are not maintained.Organizers have started a

Brentwood Coral Tree Endowment Fund and hope to raise $500,000 to provide care in

perpetuity.  That’s a lot of green. Should the finanical burden be on residents to care for

trees the city planted? Tree maintance isn’t just related to limbs. Faced with budget cuts,

the City of Los Angeles has come up with a new way to save a buck, and this one may

ruffle some feathers. The city council is considering a plan to make homeowners

responsible for sidewalk damage caused by tree roots. If the proposal passes, the

homeowner would be responsible for repairing damage to the sidewalk and legally liable

for any trip-and-fall claims. According to the DailyBreeze, the city spends between $4

and $6 million every year on liability claims and around $1.5 billion to repair sidewalks.

David Kissinger with the South Bay Association of Realtors thinks the city

should “amortize the costs over time to be paid through proterty taxes.” Geoffrey

Donovan of the U.S. Forest Service in Portland and David Butry of the National Institute

of Standards and Technologly found that walkablilty on a tree-lined street raised the

property values by $22,000. So, are trees worth it? And if the city can’t afford to maintain

them, who should? If the trees aren’t maintained and pose a threat, will the city cut them down?

The mayor of Los Angeles had a plan to plant 1 million trees, but given the cost, should he re-think that?

 

Guest:

Lisa Smith, registered certified arborist

 

UNCONFIRMED

Ron Lorenzen, assistant chief forester for the Los Angeles urban forestry division

Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks, who supports the plan to shift sidewalk

maintainence to homeowners