Airtalk for Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Contact: Producers Karen Fritsche & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

 

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

11:06 –11:30
OPEN

 

 

11:30 -12:00 – (NOTE: Patt Morrison joins us for one segment)
Topic: Patt Morrison asks the chief, LAPD’s Charlie Beck: It’s time for Ask the Chief, your opportunity to put your law and order questions to top cop Chief Charlie Beck. Patt gets the latest on how the department is dealing with accusations of racial profiling, the challenge of expanding the department to 10,000 officers amid budget cuts, and how Mayor Villaraigosa’s new city ID card law will impact crime among illegal immigrants. Chief Beck will also discuss the murder cases at an Echo Park Church in November, and the quadruple homicide in Northridge just a week and a half ago.Looking to the future, Chief Beck will analyze evolving policing policies in Skid Row, as well as the impact of Prop 36 on prison populations and crime rates. And as always, you can ask the Chief your questions as well.

Guest: Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department Chief   
IN STUDIO                           

12:06 – 12:30
OPEN

12:30 – 12:40 -- (TAPING AT 10AM)
Topic: Randy Newman muses about being inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame: Piano man Randy Newman is being inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, it was announced yesterday, along with the likes of Quincy Jones, Lou Adler and Donna Summer. The induction ceremony will be on April 18 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. The event will be open to the public and will air as an HBO special on May 18. We’ll talk with the famously funny and multi-talented singer, songwriter about this latest accolade and whatever else the man wants to talk about, because that’s just the way he rolls.

Guest: Randy Newman is a songwriter, singer, pianist, and composer. His solo albums span six decades and include 12 Songs, Sail Away, Good Old Boys, Harps & Angels, and the current Randy Newman Songbook series. Newman began scoring films in the 1980s, with movies such as The Natural, Awakenings, Ragtime, Toy Story 1, 2 & 3, Seabiscuit, James and the Giant Peach, and A Bug’s Life. He has been recognized with six Grammys, three Emmys, and two Academy Awards. Newman is on the Board of Councilors for the USC Thornton School of Music.
ON TAPE


12:40-12:50
Topic: SAG awards unveiled: Awards season officially kicked off this morning (WED) with the release of the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations. We’ll get the scoop on who got the nods and who got snubbed. On Thursday, the awards announcements will keep coming, with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Golden Globe nominations. What best movies and performances of the year are topping the lists? What do we know now about who’s most likely to take home Oscar gold when the red carpet is rolled out this coming February? (BLURB TO BE UPDATED WITH RESULTS IN AM)

Guest: Glenn Whipp, entertainment reporter for the Los Angeles Times, writes the Times’ Gold Standard, on everything award season
BY PHONE

12:50-1:00
Topic: Santa’s pipe censored by Vancouver librarian: A Vancouver librarian has come out with a “p.c.” version of a Christmastime favorite, the classic children’s poem “Twas The Night Before Christmas,” published in 1823 and generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. The self-published author of the edited version, Pamela McColl, removed lines referring to Santa’s pipe from the holiday tale and included a letter from Santa saying that he’d kicked the habit. McColl’s edition’s cover proudly claims that it has been edited “by Santa Claus for the benefit of children of the 21st century.” McColl’s edit is already getting some backlash from the American Library Association.  Deputy director for intellectual freedom Deborah Caldwell-Stone likened the rewrite to the much maligned censorship of “Tom Sawyer” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain scholar Alan Gribben. Is McColl’s version f “Twas The Night” in line with 21st century ideals? Does it matter whether or not Santa smokes a pipe? Is there a way to teach children about the dangers of smoking without altering a classic?

Guest: Pamela McColl (mc-CALL), publisher “Twas the Night Before Christmas, edited by Santa Claus”
BY PHONE

UNCONFIRMED
Guest: Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director, American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom

 

 

 

Karen X Fritsche
Senior Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Southern California Public Radio
NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles
89.3 KPCC-FM | 89.1 KUOR-FM | 90.3 KPCV-FM
626.583.5164, desk
323-301-2251, mobile

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

 

Airtalk for Wednesday, November 28th, 2012

Contact: Producers Karen Fritsche & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

 

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Wednesday, November 28th, 2012

Patt Morrison sits in for Larry

 

11:06 –11:30
(Break at 11:19)
Topic:  TBD
Guest:  


11:41:30 -11:58:30
Topic:  Will Britain really withdraw from the European Union? The European Union (EU) was established to unite the continent of Europe, but now the EU may be losing membership from one of the region’s most influential nations, The United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK). Hostility toward the EU among the British is on the rise and some government officials, including UK Independence Party councilor Peter Reeve, are calling for the country to cut ties with the EU before the alliance transforms into a Soviet Union type regime. European leaders have recently proposed increasing the EU budget, which is funded by member states, but UK Prime Minister David Cameron of the Conservative Party has pushed back against this proposal, saying it would be “picking the pockets” of British taxpayers. Moreover, with member state Greece still bogged down in economic turmoil, some insist that the EU is dragging the UK’s economy down with it. Others in the UK are concerned about the limits of the EU’s legal, judicial and health-and-safety regulations that trump British laws. What is the underlying cause of tension between the EU and the UK? Is British policy different enough from the rest of Europe to warrant a withdrawal from the EU? How would British withdrawal from the EU impact the United States?

Guest: Andrew Gumbel, British journalist for the Guardian and the Independent

BY PHONE

UNCONFIRMED
Guest: Nicholas Cull, professor of Public Diplomacy and Director of the Masters Program in Public Diplomacy, USC

BY PHONE


12:06 – 12:26:30
Topic: TBD
Guest:


12:26:49 - 12:39
Topic:  Joe Mozingo chronicles the ‘Mozingo’ name from Jamestown slave to KKK members “The Fiddler on Pantico Run” is author Joe Mozingo’s quest to discover the origins of his father’s family, and the shocking discoveries he made along the way. After initially believing that Mozingo was a French or Basque name, a college professor suggested that it was most likely of African origins. This came as a shock to the blue eyed, very Caucasian Mozingo, but spawned a search for his family’s origins. Eventually, Mozingo was able to trace his ancestry back to Edward Mozingo, an African slave brought to Jamestown in 1644, who eventually earned his freedom and married a white woman. The discovery of Edward Mozingo, however, is only the beginning of the family history laid out in The Fiddler on Pantico Run. Joe Mozingo searches for Edward’s roots in Africa, but also traces how the family evolved in America from Edward’s initial mixed race marriage. Mozingo meets distant relatives all over the country, some white, some black, some somewhere in between, all with distinct family histories. Some had become abolitionists during the Civil War period, while others had fought for the Confederacy and joined the KKK. To this day, some remained open about race, while others still harbored a blatantly racist worldview. Through all of these discoveries within his own family, Mozingo’s book paints a masterful portrait of America’s tenuous racial past, and complicated racial future.

Guest: Joe Mozingo, author of “The Fiddler on Pantico Run: An African Warrior, His White Descendents, A Search For Family” (Free Press)

 

ON TAPE


12:41:30-1:00
Topic: An in-depth look at the King of Pop: “Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson” is a biography of the ‘King of Pop’ with unprecedented insight. Acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan’s latest work paints an in-depth portrait of Michael Jackson sourced from previously  inaccessible material – access to those who were closest to Jackson in life and in business. Sullivan’s biography delves into Jackson’s mysterious final years and scandals from his past, in what the Los Angeles Times calls the “first deep-dive narrative” on the star’s life and death. “Untouchable” offers a more significant, evaluative look at Jackson’s childhood abuse, pedophilia allegations, personal relationships, and professional decisions. Finally, Jackson’s famous mask has been partially lifted.

Guest: Randall Sullivan, author of Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson (Grove Press); contributing editor to both Rolling Stone and Men's Journal

IN STUDIO                                                  

Airtalk for Monday, November 26th, 2012 - RESENDING WITH CORRECTED SPELLING OF STROMPOLOS

Contact: Producers Karen Fritsche & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

 

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Monday, November 26, 2012

 

PATT MORRISON SITS IN FOR LARRY

11:06 –11:30
Topic:  TBD
Guest:  


11:29-ish - 11:35-ish
Topic:  Long-dead WWII airborne agent carries secret message from the past: It’s the stuff of wartime spy thrillers like “Casablanca” and “The 39 Steps” -- the body of a secret agent is found under mysterious circumstances, with a coded message that defies cracking by experts.  This courier was no stool pigeon - but it was a pigeon, one of some 250,000 enlisted during World War II by the U.K.’s National Pigeon Service to carry messages from behind enemy lines in Germany, France and elsewhere.  Around 30 of the brave birds were awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery in battle, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.  The skeleton of this particular pigeon was recently found in the chimney of a home in Surrey, England, on an estate that was used by decryption experts during the war. Strapped to its leg was a tiny red canister containing a handwritten message: 27 five-letter codes listed in columns.  Code breakers at Britain’s super-secret communications intelligence agency, GCHQ, have been poring over the missive, but have admitted they can’t crack the code.  What was this avian agent’s mission?  Was it ever accomplished?

Guest: TBD


11:30 -12:00
Topic: Big Man on Campus: LAUSD’s Superintendent John Deasy As students across LA head back to school from their Thanksgiving break, LAUSD’s John Deasy will head back to his office with a lot of decisions to make after Proposition 30 passed on the November ballot. With the state receiving an additional $6 billion in revenue, LAUSD has voted to restore its classroom calendar to the standard 180 days for the first time in five years of budget cutting, which Deasy publicly supported. The district will also rescind 10 furlough days teachers had agreed to, and will talk to other, much smaller employee unions about rescinding their furlough days. The LAUSD school board also voted ot keep John Deasy in his role as superintendent through 2015. The LAUSD is also applying for high profile “Race to the Top” grants that the federal government will distribute, but the LA teachers’ union is opposed to the grant on the grounds that it could overextend the district financially.

Guest: John Deasy (“daisy”), Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)

IN STUDIO         

12:06 – 12:25ish
Topic: E-mail privacy reforms cause back-and-forth on Capitol Hill: The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) was a statue enacted in 1986 as a means to set privacy parameters on new and growing technologies. As one might imagine, any phone, computer or other device from 1986 would be woefully out-of-date in today’s society. Some politicians and many technological experts feel the same way about the ECPA itself. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), has taken it upon himself to tackle this issue, and has drafted an amended version of the ECPA. Leahy’s version specifically alters the rules of access law enforcement agencies have over private e-mail accounts, requiring them to obtain a court-approved warrant as opposed to an administrative subpoena. Unsurprisingly, groups such as the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National District Attorneys’ Association and the U.S. Department of Justice voiced their displeasure of Leahy’s changes. After this, tech website CNET made a report that Leahy again altered the bill, allowing for searches without a warrant. With an air of confusion now surrounding Leahy’s proposal and stark opponents on both sides of the issue, it is clearer than ever than some substantial changes must be made to bring this old law kicking and screaming into the 21st century. What are the concerns for those who want the ECPA to stay as is? What about those calling for reform? How will Leahy be able to navigate this thorny topic in a particularly contentious political environment?

Guest: Declan McCullagh, chief political correspondent, CNET News.com

BY PHONE

2^ND Guest: TBD


12:24:40 -12:39
Topic: Does the rise of women mean the fall of men?: Hanna Rosin’s “The End of Men” is part of a recent swath of gender-related discussion. Women have become breadwinners in their families, they are attending college in higher numbers, and this year, they made up a majority of the electorate. Media and literature has adapted to reflect these changes, and to speculate about how they will resonate in the future. Rosin’s book follows an attention-grabbing article of the same title that she published in a 2012 issue of The Atlantic, and serves as a more in-depth analysis of the fall of the dominant sex. Is the rise of women a new thing? Is gender equality the “end of men,” or are men being eclipsed by women? What will these changes mean for future generations?

Guest: Hanna Rosin, author of The End of Men: And the Rise of Women (Riverhead)

ON TAPE


12:40-1:00
Topic: The story of ‘The Story of Greatest Fan Film Ever Made: Raiders!’ Alan Eisenstock’s Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made follows how two kids, 12-year-old Eric Zala and 11-year-old Chris Strompolos, from Ocean Springs, Mississippi decided to remake the Indiana Jones film ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’ Over the next seven years, the two made a complete remake of the movie, with every scene and every stunt. The final product was considered an undisputed fan film masterpiece. The story of how the movie was made serves as a backdrop for Eisenstock, who chronicles the maturation of Zala and Strompolos during the movie’s making: how the two kids grew up and dealt with their own respective hardships, and how their boyhood friendship eventually dissolved. The film was the center of their youth, but it was also the biggest, and eventually unbearable, burden on their friendship. From their devotion to their film, to their ruined friendship, to the eventual redemption of their relationship and current directing cooperation, Eisenstock writes of youth, maturation, and the boundless energy and hope contained in a young person’s dream.

Guest: Alan Eisenstock, author, Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (Thomas Dunne Books)

IN STUDIO                                                              

Guest: Eric Zala, co-author, Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (Thomas Dunne Books), director of the film remake, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation,’ chronicled in the book, and portrays Dr. Rene Belloq in the remake

IN STUDIO                                                              

Airtalk for Monday, November 26th, 2012

Contact: Producers Karen Fritsche & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

 

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Monday, November 26, 2012

 

PATT MORRISON SITS IN FOR LARRY

11:06 –11:30
Topic:  TBD
Guest:  


11:29-ish - 11:35-ish
Topic:  Long-dead WWII airborne agent carries secret message from the past: It’s the stuff of wartime spy thrillers like “Casablanca” and “The 39 Steps” -- the body of a secret agent is found under mysterious circumstances, with a coded message that defies cracking by experts.  This courier was no stool pigeon - but it was a pigeon, one of some 250,000 enlisted during World War II by the U.K.’s National Pigeon Service to carry messages from behind enemy lines in Germany, France and elsewhere.  Around 30 of the brave birds were awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery in battle, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.  The skeleton of this particular pigeon was recently found in the chimney of a home in Surrey, England, on an estate that was used by decryption experts during the war. Strapped to its leg was a tiny red canister containing a handwritten message: 27 five-letter codes listed in columns.  Code breakers at Britain’s super-secret communications intelligence agency, GCHQ, have been poring over the missive, but have admitted they can’t crack the code.  What was this avian agent’s mission?  Was it ever accomplished?

Guest: TBD


11:30 -12:00
Topic: Big Man on Campus: LAUSD’s Superintendent John Deasy As students across LA head back to school from their Thanksgiving break, LAUSD’s John Deasy will head back to his office with a lot of decisions to make after Proposition 30 passed on the November ballot. With the state receiving an additional $6 billion in revenue, LAUSD has voted to restore its classroom calendar to the standard 180 days for the first time in five years of budget cutting, which Deasy publicly supported. The district will also rescind 10 furlough days teachers had agreed to, and will talk to other, much smaller employee unions about rescinding their furlough days. The LAUSD school board also voted ot keep John Deasy in his role as superintendent through 2015. The LAUSD is also applying for high profile “Race to the Top” grants that the federal government will distribute, but the LA teachers’ union is opposed to the grant on the grounds that it could overextend the district financially.

Guest: John Deasy (“daisy”), Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)

IN STUDIO         

12:06 – 12:25ish
Topic: E-mail privacy reforms cause back-and-forth on Capitol Hill: The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) was a statue enacted in 1986 as a means to set privacy parameters on new and growing technologies. As one might imagine, any phone, computer or other device from 1986 would be woefully out-of-date in today’s society. Some politicians and many technological experts feel the same way about the ECPA itself. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), has taken it upon himself to tackle this issue, and has drafted an amended version of the ECPA. Leahy’s version specifically alters the rules of access law enforcement agencies have over private e-mail accounts, requiring them to obtain a court-approved warrant as opposed to an administrative subpoena. Unsurprisingly, groups such as the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National District Attorneys’ Association and the U.S. Department of Justice voiced their displeasure of Leahy’s changes. After this, tech website CNET made a report that Leahy again altered the bill, allowing for searches without a warrant. With an air of confusion now surrounding Leahy’s proposal and stark opponents on both sides of the issue, it is clearer than ever than some substantial changes must be made to bring this old law kicking and screaming into the 21st century. What are the concerns for those who want the ECPA to stay as is? What about those calling for reform? How will Leahy be able to navigate this thorny topic in a particularly contentious political environment?

Guest: Declan McCullagh, chief political correspondent, CNET News.com

BY PHONE

2^ND Guest: TBD


12:24:40 -12:39
Topic: Does the rise of women mean the fall of men?: Hanna Rosin’s “The End of Men” is part of a recent swath of gender-related discussion. Women have become breadwinners in their families, they are attending college in higher numbers, and this year, they made up a majority of the electorate. Media and literature has adapted to reflect these changes, and to speculate about how they will resonate in the future. Rosin’s book follows an attention-grabbing article of the same title that she published in a 2012 issue of The Atlantic, and serves as a more in-depth analysis of the fall of the dominant sex. Is the rise of women a new thing? Is gender equality the “end of men,” or are men being eclipsed by women? What will these changes mean for future generations?

Guest: Hanna Rosin, author of The End of Men: And the Rise of Women (Riverhead)

ON TAPE


12:40-1:00
Topic: The story of ‘The Story of Greatest Fan Film Ever Made: Raiders!’ Alan Eisenstock’s Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made follows how two kids, 12-year-old Eric Zala and 11-year-old Chris Stromopolos, from Ocean Springs, Mississippi decided to remake the Indiana Jones film ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’ Over the next seven years, the two made a complete remake of the movie, with every scene and every stunt. The final product was considered an undisputed fan film masterpiece. The story of how the movie was made serves as a backdrop for Eisenstock, who chronicles the maturation of Zala and Stromopolos during the movie’s making: how the two kids grew up and dealt with their own respective hardships, and how their boyhood friendship eventually dissolved. The film was the center of their youth, but it was also the biggest, and eventually unbearable, burden on their friendship. From their devotion to their film, to their ruined friendship, to the eventual redemption of their relationship and current directing cooperation, Eisenstock writes of youth, maturation, and the boundless energy and hope contained in a young person’s dream.

Guest: Alan Eisenstock, author, Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (Thomas Dunne Books)

IN STUDIO                                                              

Guest: Eric Zala, co-author, Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (Thomas Dunne Books), director of the film remake, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation,’ chronicled in the book, and portrays Dr. Rene Belloq in the remake

IN STUDIO                                                              

Before There Was Mayor Sam...

THE BOOZOO COMICS
_______________________________________________________________
AUGUST 1, 1995  VOL I, NO. 1
EDITED BY MICHAEL HIGBY
MHI...@PRIMENET.COM
_______________________________________________________________

WOW! A BRAND NEW ONLINE NEWSLETTER
But Hopefully Something Different

Welcome to the Boozoo Comics.  What the hell is a Boozoo?  I have no idea.  Its
just a word I made up because Larry Harmon took the name I really wanted.

The Boozoo Comics is the place where I will tell you about the things I'm
interested in.  Mostly politics, popular culture, the internet, the entertainment
business, etc.  Some other things here and there.

For now, the Boozoo will be a text only newsletter, posted to relevant newsgroups
and sent via e-mail to anyone who wants it.  We'll publish every few days or so,
until we get our stuff together and get regular (and for anyone who wants to get
regular, I recommend Metamucil.).

In the future, we'll have a web page, hard copy edition sent via snail mail, a hotline
and our own brand of hoof polish.  We really do want to grow, so we need you.

Please feel free to send all comments, suggestions and questions to me at
MHi...@primenet.com.

We of course are very interested in receiving any submissions you want to
include.  We can't pay for them, but if you're real nice, when we get big, if we like
your stuff, we'll give you a job.  E-mail your submissions to the above e-mail
address.

In the meantime, we now present Boozoo Comics.
_______________________________________________________________
SUBSCIBE TO BOOZOO COMICS - E-MAIL TO MICHAEL HIGBY AT
MHI...@PRIMENET.COM
_______________________________________________________________
BREAKING NEWS!
WESTINGHOUSE TO BUY CBS

According to reports on CNBC, Westinghouse, a leading appliance maker and
longtime owner of Westinghouse Broadcasting, is going to buy the Tiffany
Network. A news conference will be held this afternoon to announce the deal.

If shareholders go for it, and the folks who want to do this deal can get the money
for it, Westinghouse will spend $5.4 billion to buy CBS, offering $81 a share.
Apparently Westinghouse has committments from JP Morgan and Chemical Bank
for a cool billion in loans.

Government approval will be needed too.  Westinghouse and CBS own radio and
television stations in some of the same markets, so under FCC laws, they will
have to sell.  Here in LA, Westinghouse owns newsradio KFWB and CBS owns
their competition, news station KNX-AM.  One will have to be sold.  One will have
to be sold, and my guess is on KFWB.  Someone should buy KFWB and turn it
into a news, talk and rock format  That's my idea for a brand new radio format.

Anyway, another network sold in the last two days, since Disney bought ABC
yesterday.  Now NBC must be shaking in their boots and hope that Ted Turner
doesn't try to buy them.

* * *
NBC FOR SALE?

Now that CBS and ABC have been sold, who do you think should buy NBC?  We
asked people on the streets in New York, LA and Bartolo, Texas.  Here's their
thoughts:

        "Ross Perot" - Harley Bobcat - Texas
        "Captain Caveman" - Shoshana Bernstein - Studio City, CA
        "Jello Pudding" - Bryan Arcola - Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City
        "My mother" - Sarah Rapshel - Texas
        "Federal Express"  - Harrison Bocksingwortoning - Manhattan, New York
        "Barney" - Sunshine Gomez - Santa Monica, CA

According to the experts, those possibly interested in NBC are Sony.  But that
depends if GE wants to sell.  Since they got rid of David Letterman, they don't
sweat as much.

By the way, you've heard that the guy who runs Westinghouse is Michael Jordan?
Well, its not the basketball player Michael Jordan.  Its another guy.

* * *

Bonehead of the Day Award

A few weeks back I wrote to my US Senators, Dianne Feinstein & Barbara Boxer,
expressing my opposition to the Communcations Act amendment to the
Telecommunications Act of 1995 (S. 652), authored by Nebraska dinosaur,
Senator James Exon (D-NE).  He had some help from Dan Quayle's replacement,
Senator Dan Coats (R-IN).

Senator Boxer's office called me and said she would oppose it.  Well, I finally got a
letter back from DiFi and here it is, in its entirety:

United States Senate
Dianne Feinstein - California
Washington DC 20510-0504

July 16, 1995

Mr. Michael Higby
(address deleted)

Dear Mr. Higby:

        Thank you so much for contacting me about the Decency Act amendment
to the Telecommunications Act of 1995 (S. 652).  I appreciate hearing from you.

        During debate on the Telecommunications Act, the Senate overwhelming
adopted by 84 to 16 a bi-partisan amendment offered by Senators James Exon
(D-NE) and Dan Coats (R-IN) that would ban obscene telecommunications.  I
voted in favor of the amendment.  Specifically, the amendment would make it
unlawful to use electronic mail, a fax machine or other telecommunications device
to harass another person with obscene, lewd or indencent material.

        The amendment also would make it unlawful to make available obscene
material to anyone, or indecent material to minors, via computers.

        The Exon/Coats amendment replaced an alternative amendment offered
by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) which would have provided for a study of legal
and technical issues of restricting obscenity on telecommunications systems.

        Once again, thank you for your letter.  I value and respect your opinion
and hope that you will continue to share your thoughts and ideas with me.

        If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me or
Matthew De La O of my Washington DC staff at 202/224-3841.

        With warmest regards.

                        Sincerely,
                       
                        Dianne Feinstein
                        United States Senator

DF:mpd

What a bonehead!  Senator DiFi has made it clear in the past that she hates
computers, fax machines, etc.  And this is the kind of mentality pervading
Washington right now, in both parties, from people who know nothing about
computers or free speech for that matter.

Senator Patrick Leahy has done a wonderful job of standing up for the first
amendment and even has a web page where you can get more information.

Well, strike a blow for liberty and be sure to let your senators and congressmen
know that you oppose the amendment to S. 652, as well as President Clinton.
And while you're at it, why not call Matt De La O and tell him what you think.

Therefore, Dianne Feinstein has been awarded our bonehead of the day award.
Congratulations!

* * *

BONEHEAD OF THE WEEK AWARD

Goes to our old buddy, LA County Supervisor Zev Yarovslasky, who wants to take
money from the Los Angeles MTA subway system to pay for hospitalizing
indigents, since they ran the county dry, and now its broke.

The problem here, is that the subway has enough problems, and that the money
comes from a special tax, that voters passed several years ago, that is specifically
earmarked for transit.  To take it and spend it on other county functions is a
breach of the voters trust, and to all those who have paid this tax.

LA is desperately in need of a rail transit system and the sooner the better.  To
delay it five years as Zev wants, is going to make a bad situation even worse.
Yes, people need health care, but the county can take other steps.

So, congratulations, Zev, bonehead of the week.

* * *

OTHER NEWS

INTERNET HAPS: Here's what they're talking about on alt.showbiz.gossip.
Thought you might like to know:

        Is Charles Perez Gay? (someone said he was a gay man's lover on MTV's
                                    "The Real World!"  I have no idea.)
        These Stars Are Gay
        Is Rosie O'Donnell Gay
        Real Stinky Celebs
        Michael Jackson's Skin

PEPSI CHALLENGE: Little bits of metal have apparently been found in some
cans of Pepsi.  Here are the lot numbers, if you have one, you can take it back to
the store where you bought it and get a replacement or refund:

        1800 to 2359 071154
        0000 to 0400 071254

* * *

That's it for now!  Send your comments, suggestions, submissions, etc. to
MHi...@primenet.com.

6200HollyweirdBlvd.skyscraper groundbreaking 4 years behind schedule.Elegant Density,my ass!

Airtalk for Monday, October 8, 2012 -- Patt Morrison guest hosts for Larry Mantle

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Monday, October 8, 2012

 

KPCC’s Patt Morrison guest hosts for Larry Mantle

 

11:06 –11:39
OPEN


11:30 –11:51:30
Topic:  Sports fans love to hate: Whether it’s the Giants and the Dodgers, Raiders and the Broncos, or Duke and North Carolina, rivalries are a treasured part of sports. But does the joy come from watching you team emerge victorious or is it seeing the team you despise the most lose? Is it because you’re not a fan of the Celtics moldy green uniforms? Or maybe Kobe Bryant’s standoffish personality rubs you the wrong way? Are you rooting for your team to win? Or do you just want your rival to lose? What does that say about your personality? Does that make you a good fan, but a bad person? Some say that sports fandom is based on a shared experience. Others say that it is rooted in tribal times when we were warriors protecting their own. One thing is certain; sports fans love to hate.

Guests:  TBD


11:51:30 – 11:58:30
Topic:  The search for Richard III’s skeleton: For centuries after the Battle of Bosworth Field and the end of the War of the Roses, the slain body of King Richard III went missing after a hasty burial. 527 years later, a team of archaeologists started digging under a parking lot in Leicester, England, hoping to find the ruins of a medieval monastery. Instead, they found a skeleton with the remnants of a metal arrow in its back, a severe injury to the skull and a deformed spine, consistent with historical accounts of Richard III. Finding the skeleton, however, was the easy part. In order to prove that the skeleton could have belonged to the King, genetic samples of the bones and a living heir of Richard III need to be compared to see if to see if the skeleton belonged to the fallen King. John Ashdown-Hill, a historian and member of Britain’s Richard III Society, traced the lineage of the king 527 years, from Anne of York, Richard III’s older sister, to 55-year-old Michael Ibsen, a Canadian furniture maker, who, as most furniture makers, had no idea that he could be linked to the last English Plantagenet King.

Guest:  John Ashdown-Hill, historian and member of Britain's Royal Historical Society, and author of “The Last Days of Richard III”
ON TAPE

Guest:  Michael Ibsen, Canadian furniture maker, living descendant of Richard III
ON TAPE


12:06 – 12:19
Topic: Who deserves a Nobel Prize? Sports fans have the Olympics and the Superbowl; film buffs have the Oscars, music lovers the Grammys.  But for the followers of dark matter, single-molecule spectroscopy and nuclear hormone receptors, Nobel Prize week is the most exciting time of the year. The fun starts this Monday morning with the announcement of the Nobel Laureate in physiology or medicine, and continues throughout the week with physics, chemistry, peace, economics and literature.  In the days leading up to the announcements, prominent scientists, journalists and pundits have been speculating as to who should receive the coveted prize in each field. For medicine this year, the money seems to be on a Japanese team that has made major advances in stem cell research. Physics geeks are lobbying for the team behind the “God particle” or the inventor of transformation optics – a weirdly nifty theory involving warped space-time and light-bending that could explain Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. And then there’s the biggie: the Nobel Peace Prize, often the subject of controversy, as in 2010’s selection of President Barack Obama. Of course, like any other competition, the road to the Nobel can be fraught with political intrigue, professional rivalries, jealousy and backstabbing. And there can be a number of stumbling blocks along the way. Who would you like to see win a Nobel this year?  What major accomplishments in science, literature, economics and world peace have gone unrecognized by the respective Nobel Committees? Who deserves the recognition – and who doesn’t?

Guest: Peter Doherty, Michael F. Tamer Chair of Biomedical Research at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Nobel Laureate and author of “The Beginner’s Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize: Advice for Young Scientists” (Columbia University Press)
BY PHONE

For web:

http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Winning-Nobel-Prize/dp/0231138970/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349472421&sr=1-1&keywords=nobel+prize

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/about/prize_announcements

[for the web preview]:  Who deserves a Nobel prize, and why?  Weigh in on our survey, and listen in when Patt Morrison shares your suggestions on Monday’s Airtalk.


12:21 – 12:39
Topic: Can your digital life corrupt your physical health and livelihood? As social media sites like Facebook become increasingly popular, our social lives are becoming increasingly digital. For some, virtually all of their social interaction revolves around using social media through the Internet. Such prolonged digital socializing is possibly affecting our lives in ways we don’t even realize. A series of new research studies from professors at Columbia University suggest that prolonged use of social media can have adverse effects on our behavior and our health. Specifically, the studies indicate that people who spend more time on Facebook are more likely to have lower self-control, more credit-card debt, unhealthy diets, and to give up on difficult tasks more quickly. How healthy is it to let our social lives be dominated by social media? Is the widespread use of social media the first step on a path toward living exclusively digital lives with little or no real human interaction?

Guest: Andrew Stephen, (Co-Author of the study, full title to come)
BY PHONE


12:40-1:00
Topic: Lynn Povich on the story of a newsroom uprising at ‘Newsweek’: Gender discrimination became legally prohibited following the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but that didn’t (and doesn’t) mean that such mistreatment was eradicated. Discrimination toward women was still rampant at the offices of “Newsweek” in the 1960s. All of the magazine’s writers and reporters were men while women were lucky if they were promoted to simply be researchers or fact checkers. After years of struggling for equal treatment, the women of “Newsweek” finally sued management – twice. Journalist and author Lynn Povich, who became the first female Senior Editor in the magazine’s history in 1975, recounts the events that culminated in a revolution for women in her book “The Good Girls Revolt: How the Women of Newsweek Sued Their Bosses and Changed the Workplace.” Listen in as guest host Patt Morrison gets the inside scoop from fellow journalist Lynn Povich.

Guest: Lynn Povich, author, “The Good Girls Revolt: How the Women of Newsweek Sued Their Bosses and Changed the Workplace” (PublicAffairs); and the first ever female Senior Editor at “Newsweek.”
BY PHONE

 

 

Karen X Fritsche
Producer - AirTalk with Larry Mantle
NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles
89.3 KPCC | 89.1 KUOR | 90.3 KVLA
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

 

Next Governor Gavin Newsom to address LA @Downtown Grand Park. Angeleno backers to rally!

Attention:Daily Budget Editor:

Today our signs say:" GOVERNOR GAVIN 2014 or 2018 !!! " Our website is now under construction: GAVIN NEWSOM FOR DOT GUV. Visit us soon!

"Gavin Goes For Governor 2014 or 2018 "supporters will end our march at 5:30 at Downtown
LA's great new Grand Park today Friday where California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom is scheduled at 6 PM to deliver an outdoor address to the people of Los Angeles under the aegis of Zocalo Square.

California's Next Governor Gavin while speaking at the outdoor podium set against the stunning backdrop of Los Angeles City Hall makes for a great photo opportunity or video shoot!

Termed-out LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is cordially invited to make room in his busy schedule to take a folding chair seat at Grand Park today like everyone else and watch his rival for Next Governor make his first major speech in the City of Angels. VENCEREMOS!

For more details: EMAIL hollywooddems@gmail.com
PHONE:(323) 469-4178

JOHN WALSH
HOLLYWOODHIGHLANDS.ORG
1.25 million server requests since 9/1/11
(GO DADDY ANALYTICS AVAILABLE
TO ALL UPON REQUEST)

Airtalk for Monday, October 1st, 2012

Contact: Producers Karen Fritsche & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Monday, October 1, 2012

 

11:06 –11:30

Topic: TBD

Guest:

 

11:30 -12:00

Topic: Patt Morrison asks the Chief, LAPD’s Charlie Beck: It’s time for Ask the Chief, your monthly

opportunity to put your law and order questions to top cop Chief Charlie Beck. Patt gets the latest on the pot

shop crackdown in L.A., why the Chief ordered the investigation of a man released from jail after 19 years, how

his recovery from a motorcycle accident is going and what the highly-critical jails commission report means

for inmates. Chief Beck will also discuss the effects of prison and jail realignment, the impact of changes on

juvenile sentencing and whether the collection of DNA from suspects invades privacy. Plus, your questions.

 

Guest: Charlie Beck, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department

 

IN STUDIO

 

12:06 – 12:20

Topic: U.S. Supreme Court kicks off new, possibly historic term: At least four controversial issues may be

argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this term. A case about involving affirmative action at the University of

Texas has escalated in light of the fact that universities consider race as a major factor in student admissions in

order to maintain a diverse campus. The constitutionality of same-sex marriage and “equal protection” rights

of gay and lesbian couples to wed, which may come before the court, has become a hotbed issue in many

states. Challenges to meticulous federal oversight of state and local elections and to voter identification laws

are also expected to be argued in front of the high court. Perhaps the most contested topic of all, the legality of

abortion, may be put under the SCOTUS-scope due to contentious state “personhood” laws that say life begins

at conception. Which cases will you be watching for? Which of these controversial issues are most important to

you?

 

Guest: Lisa McElroy, Professor of Law, Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law and writes the Plain

English column on SCOTUSblog.com

 

BY PHONE

 

12:20 – 12:40

Topic: Is it time for online child privacy protection to grow up? In 1998, Apple interim-CEO Steve Jobs

introduced the iMac, Google first filed for incorporation and Internet Explorer surpassed Netscape in the

browser market. The Federal Trade Commission, recognizing that the internet could pose a danger to children,

enacted the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998. COPPA is now well into its tweens,

and a lot has changed, including the introduction of iPads, apps and social networking. Technological advances

now allow children’s websites like Nick.com, CartoonNetwork.com and McDonalds’ HappyMeal.com to

gather e-mails, photographs and other data without parental permission. With more and more tech-savvy kids

commanding their own e-mail accounts, advocacy groups caution, stronger protections are long overdue. Last

week a coalition of privacy and childrens’ rights organizations filed complaints with the FTC against six child-targeted

websites that, they say, are violating COPPA with a number of marketing methods. These include

encouraging youngsters to upload photographs and videos of themselves, which are then publicly available

on their websites, and using “tell-a-friend” strategies aimed at collecting a wider net of e-mail addresses – and

customers. The groups are also asking for an update of COPPA to reflect a changing online world, with ever-more,

ever-younger child involvement. Do you trust the “child-friendly” websites your child visits? Do you

know which ones are tracking his or her online activities? Are more government protections needed, or do you

feel that COPPA can do the job as is?

 

Guest: TBD, the Center for Digital Democracy

 

BY PHONE

 

Guest: TBD, the Interactive Advertising Bureau

 

BY PHONE

 

12:40-1:00

Topic: Legendary artist Herb Alpert is celebrated for a lifetime in the music business: Herb Alpert is that

rare breed of musician who was both a wildly successful performer and an adroit music executive. The genesis

of his namesake act, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, was sparked when a young trumpeter noticed the crowd

response to musical cues from a mariachi band during a bullfight in Tijuana, Mexico. Alpert then adapted his

primary instrument to this new influence and built an unparalleled musical resume that includes five number

one hits, eight Grammy Awards, 14 platinum albums, 15 gold albums and 28 releases that hit the Billboard

charts with worldwide sales of 72 million albums to date. Alpert and music executive Jerry Moss founded

A&M Records in 1962, using their initials to name the new imprint ; the label would become home to artists

like The Carpenters, Quincy Jones, The Police, Bryan Adams, Cat Stevens and Peter Frampton through the

early 1990s. In celebration of his longevity and level of success, Alpert is receiving some big time accolades

this week. First, “The Anniversary Collection” – a compilation triple album comprised of 60 tracks spanning

A&M’s musical legacy – will be released today to mark the label’s 50th birthday. And this weekend, Alpert and

his wife, vocalist Lani Hall, will perform a concert this Saturday to support Fairfax High School as part of the

school’s 2012 Hall of Fame ceremony. Alpert is a well known philanthropist and will participate in the benefit

show in order to give future music and art students similar opportunities to the ones he had. Will the music

business ever see an artist as diverse and successful as Herb Alpert again? How has he balanced such a prolific

career with behind-the-scenes success? How has the music business changed since Alpert started his career?

 

Guest: Herb Alpert, musician and music executive; founder and leader of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass;

co-founder of A&M Records

 

BY PHONE

 

 

Anny Celsi

Producer - AirTalk with Larry Mantle
89.3 KPCC | 89.1 KUOR | 90.3 KVLA
Southern California Public Radio
474 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105

Desk: 626-583-5363| Cell: 323-842-6807
Studio: 866-893-5722

Scpr.org | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

Airtalk for Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Contact: Producers Karen Fritsche & Jasmin Tuffaha

626-583-5100

 

SCHEDULE FOR AIRTALK WITH LARRY MANTLE

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

 
11:06 –11:20
OPEN


11:20 –11:40
Topic: L.A. City Council considers new pension plan that raises retirement age and cuts pension benefits Following Governor Brown’s signing of state pension reform legislation last week, the Los Angeles City Council is considering a plan for cutting pension benefits of newly hired civilian employees, which half a dozen unions will likely oppose. City administrative Officer Miguel Santana, a top budget official at City Hall, released the proposal yesterday (Tuesday) suggesting the normal retirement age be raised from 55 to 65 and that maximum pensions be reduced from 2.16 percent of a worker’s salary, multiplied by the number of years worked, to 2 percent. Santana stated the changes would save up to $70 million within five years and as much as $309 million over a decade. The retirement ages for newly hired police officers and firefighters would not be changed under the proposal. The newly announced plan has already been denounced by Bob Schoonover, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 721, who said his organization was even prepared to go to court to fight it. How fair or unfair is it to require newly hired civilian employees to wait until the age of 65 to retire?

Guest: Bob Schoonover, president of service employees international union local 721
BY PHONE

UNCONFIRMED/REQUESTED
Guest: Mayor Villaraigosa and/or Miguel Santana


11:40 –12:00
Topic: Director Robert Lorenz steps out of Eastwood’s shadow for ‘Trouble with the Curve’: Filmmaker Robert Lorenz’ name has rolled past in the credits at the end of many movies that millions of people have seen. Lorenz is best known for assistant directing and producing movies with his partner, iconic actor and director Clint Eastwood. His partnership with Eastwood has been a fruitful one, yielding such movies as “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “Space Cowboys” and “Gran Torino.” Some of their collaborations have also been recognized by the industry - “Mystic River” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” earned them a pair of Academy Award nominations. Lorenz has been widely regarded as Eastwood’s right-hand man for years, and now, with Eastwood winding down his career, Lorenz has stepped into the director’s chair for the upcoming “Trouble with the Curve.” The new movie stars Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake and the tells the story of an aging baseball scout who is coming to terms with the twilight of his career working in the sport to which he has dedicated his life and reconnecting with is his semi-estranged daughter along the way. What can a first time director learn from an icon like Eastwood? What are other successful Hollywood producing teams?

Guest: Robert Lorenz, director of “Trouble with the Curve”; also worked with Clint Eastwood as a producer and assistant director on “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “Space Cowboys,” “Gran Torino,” “Mystic River,” “Letters from Iwo Jima” and others
ON SITE/ON TAPE       


12:06 – 12:33
Topic: Go to the head of the class - and the visa line:  Legislation sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) would offer 55,000 visas per year to foreign-born graduates of American universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.  These highly-prized “STEM” graduates, says Smith, are an asset to U.S. businesses and innovation and should be prioritized when it comes to green cards, rather than taking their skills and knowledge back to their home countries.  But critics of HR 6429, known as “The STEM Jobs Act,” object to giving some immigrants preference over others who may not have the advantage of an advanced education.  A competing bill, HR 6412, sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-California), would grant STEM visas to the “best and brightest” without cutting back on visas  for others.  Should the U.S. give highly-skilled immigrants a boost to the front of the line?  Or should it keep the playing field level for all education levels?

UNCONFIRMED/REQUESTED:
Guest: Elton Gallegly, Republican congressman from California and chairman of the House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement
Guest: Zoe Lofgren, Democratic congressman from California and ranking member of the House Immigration Policy and Enforcement Subcommittee


12:33-1:00
Topic: Patt Morrison with the Big Man on Campus: LAUSD’s John Deasy: It’s about one month into the new school year, but LAUSD has already come under fire for a variety of issues. In a UCLA study released in April, it was revealed that black male LAUSD students had the highest risk of suspension in the state, with over 20 percent of students being suspended at some point in their LAUSD academic career. LAUSD and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles recently announced a tentative one-year agreement will incorporate student test data as a factor in evaluating principals and assistant principals. Is that an effective way to rate teacher performance? The Miramonte scandal that rocked the school is still ongoing, two lawsuits filed by Miramonte Elementary parents against LAUSD are on hold. Is LAUSD sending too many kids to court for minor offenses? In the last three years, school police issued more than 33,000 tickets for vandalism, tardiness and disrupting the peace. Patt Morrison will chat with LAUSD’s Superintendent John Deasy about all of these issues and your questions.

Guest: John Deasy, LAUSD Superintendent
IN STUDIO           

 

 

Karen X Fritsche
Producer - AirTalk with Larry Mantle
NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles
89.3 KPCC | 89.1 KUOR | 90.3 KVLA
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