Patt Morrison for Wednesday, January 25, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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

What’s in a First Lady?

First Ladies, like Vice Presidents, become an issue in a presidential campaign only when they’re somehow controversial. Yet Americans size up that potential first spouse, too. There’s Mitt Romney’s decades-long marriage to one woman, Newt Gingrich’s three wives, and where is the Mrs. Ron Paul? Patt talks with an historian of first wives about the increasingly prominent role of the first spouse and how the current potential front runners have impacted their candidates’ campaigns. 

 

Guest:

Carl Sferazza Anthony, First Ladies and presidential families historian, author & screenwriter

 

2:06 – 2:19

Can Uncle Sam tax your frequent flier miles? Citibank says yes

Are frequent flier miles taxable? Citibank says so. The bank has begun sending its customers tax forms that document the total dollar amount of miles as miscellaneous income. For those tallying the cost, Citibank is valuing each mile at 2.5 cents. This practice is unheard of by most tax experts and the IRS hasn’t said those miles are taxable…yet, but the uncertainty surrounding the tax issue could potentially affect millions of people and make them more vulnerable to audits. What’s the final word on miles? The answer may make you think twice next time you opt to receive “bonus” frequent flier miles as a perk for using your credit card or opening a new bank account.

 

Guest:

David Lazarus, business columnist, Los Angeles Times

 

2:30 – 2:39: OPEN

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

For the sake of an apostrophe! Navigating grammar in the digital age

A few weeks ago, UK-based Waterstone’s Booksellers did something shocking: they dropped their apostrophe, claiming that there is no use for the tiny little mark in the digital age. More accurately, their managing director stated that “Waterstones” is just straight-up more versatile when it comes to a world full of html code, URLs, and email addresses. You may also have noticed that some of your favorite online websites fail to italicize, and instead use double quotes around things like book and movie title – also a product of the collision between punctuation and digital media. Plenty has been said about the effects of texting and email on spelling and vocabulary, but where does punctuation stand in the 21^st century? What should be preserved, what should stay, and how do we make the decisions – or are they already in process?

 

Guests:

Lane Greene, founder and blogger for Johnson, the Economist’s language blog; Economist business correspondent; author, “You Are What You Speak”

 

John Richards, founder and Chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society, based in the UK

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison