PATT MORRISON for Tuesday, December 20, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Tuesday, December 20, 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 – 1:58:30

California’s smallest baby raises host of really big questions

On August 30, 2011, doctors at the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center delivered Melinda Star Guido, the smallest baby ever to be born in the state of California and the second smallest baby to be born in the United States.  Fully four months premature, Guido weighed 9 oz at birth; just one ounce more than a can of soda.  Three and a half months later, Guido is up to 4 lbs, 1 oz.  Doctors are happy with her progress but plan on monitoring her for the long term—at least until she hits 6 years old, barring any complications. Melinda’s parents, Haydee Ibarra, 22, and Yovani Guido, 24, are overjoyed. The story of the happy family has another side to it, however, and the ethical questions are beginning to percolate, beginning with whether or not it’s in anyone’s best interests to establish a policy of saving babies that might be prone to health problems for the rest of their lives. Also on the table are questions of economics and access—the total cost of raising Melinda is estimated at a half million dollars, most of which will be paid by the county and the state, due to the fact that her parents are on Medi-Cal. If keeping preemies born this early were to actually become a trend—even just a few—would publically-funded health care programs be able to absorb the costs?  And if not, would that mean a whole demographic group left without access to these options? What are your thoughts on the ethical factors involved in premature births, and why?  Do you have similar feelings about end-of-life care?

 

Guests:

Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania

 

NOT CONFIRMED:

Dr. Udayakumar Devaskar, chief, Pediatric Neonatology at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

 

2:06 – 2:30

It’s almost New Year’s Eve – last minute tax tips for 2011

With less than two weeks left in 2011, income tax accountants across America are reminding their clients to tie up loose ends and get their ducks in a row before January 1st.  Tasks such as donating tax-deductable charitable gifts, making estate transfers and selling off certain investments must be finalized before the end of the year in order to be included on 2011 income tax statements. Amidst the distractions of the holiday season, it can be difficult to keep financial planning in mind, but advisers offer last minute advice and helpful tips for preparing to pay Uncle Sam. What is at the top of your list of tax preparation objectives? What questions and concerns do you have about filing your income tax statement for 2011? Has the recent economic recession changed the way you think about taxes?

 

Guest:

Selwyn Gerber, CPA and founder, Gerber & Co., Inc.

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Holiday music at its best – and worst
Christmas music…entire stations on the radio dial are devoted to it for at least a month every year. Record stores have entire sections full of it. It inspires delight and sometimes loathing, depending on your faith and musical preferences. But the thing about Christmas music is that it isn’t really a genre unto itself. In what other category do you find songs of every conceivable style and spanning several hundred years? There are songs sacred and secular; there are the time-honored melodies and more recent classics sung by Nat, Bing and Burl; there are pop novelty songs and countless others. It seems that every artist takes their turn at making a holiday album, sometimes using it as an excuse to foist unforgivable sins of bad musical taste upon the holiday masses. Christmas music even transcends religion - a significant percentage of the most cherished Christmas songs were written by Jewish composers. And what if you have no faith at all? Just try setting foot in a mall after Halloween without hearing sleigh bells. Which songs get you into the holiday spirit? And which ones make you pine for the end of the season? And does a song have to be vintage to be a Christmas classic?

Guest:
Noel Murray, music and pop culture writer for The Onion’s A.V. Club

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison