Thursday, May 31, 2012

Patt Morrison for Friday, June 1, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, June 1, 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 – 1:18  - OPEN

 

 

1:23 – 1:30

A Los Angeles map from 1942 causes a big stir in 2012
Joseph Jacinto Mora was an illustrator and cartoonist who came west from the Boston area to Carmel in Central California in 1920 to work on the Father Serra Cenotaph in the chapel at El Camelo Mission. But Mora’s main notoriety came from a series of illustrated maps he created of California locales. Mora called them ‘cartes’ – and they were sought after, full of character and expensive. But lately, Arty Angelenos have been abuzz with the recent news that a set of 250 posters of Mora’s exquisite map of Los Angeles will be available for $45… far less than the $4,000 that original prints have fetched. Mora’s L.A. carte features many historically accurate landmarks and some oddball details like a mysterious ostrich near Lincoln Heights and a lion farm in Alhambra. Glen Creason, the map rock star behind the book “Los Angeles in Maps” called Jo Mora’s Los Angeles carte his “favorite map of all.” How can Los Angeles’ history inform its future? Does making posters of a rare map make the image less unique?

 

Guest: TBA

 

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

Ina May Gaskin on birthing the home birth movement

In the 1970s, Ina May Gaskin led a caravan of her friends to a rural patch of land in Tennessee that they called The Farm. There, they grew their own food, built their own houses, and delivered their own babies. As the social experiment spread, it emerged as a model of health care for women and their babies that altered a generation’s approach to childbirth. Her work is now credited with reforming the way America gives birth, shifting it away from the isolated hospital room where fathers were not allowed and forceps were mandatory. Guest host Alex Cohen talks with Ina May about her life work and the upcoming documentary about the movement she started and how it changed the way we live. What’s your birth story?

 

Guests:

Mary Wigmore, Co-Director of “Birth Story – Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives”

IN STUDIO

 

Sara Lamm, Co-Director of “Birth Story – Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives”

 

Ina May Gaskin, the preeminent advocate for, and expert on modern midwifery

 

 

 

2:06 - 2:30 - OPEN

 

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Quitting Facebook – how some people are cutting the cord

Facebook’s stock price continues to tumble in the aftermath of their much ballyhooed IPO two weeks ago, but the social media giant still worth billions, and still the biggest social media game in town.  But there is a growing trend of people choosing to ‘de-friend’ the ubiquitous social networking website. Millions check their Facebook account obsessively, but there are people out there who have opted to make their private lives, well, private. These people don’t wish to reconnect with high school boyfriends, post pictures of their cat or even share the fact that they ‘like’ the latest American Idol contestants’ pages. Perish the thought! At what point would you be willing to give up Facebook? How has it become everyone’s favorite - and some people’s least favorite online destination so quickly?

 

Guest: TBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Producer - Patt Morrison
89.3 KPCC - Southern California Public Radio
213.290.4201 – mobile/SMS
626-583-5171  – office
474 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA  91105
jarmstrong@kpcc.org

 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Patt Morrison for Thursday, May 31, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 31, 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 – 1:18  - OPEN

 

1:21 – 1:39

P. Diddy’s son earns merit scholarship to UCLA, and criticism for accepting it

Justin Combs is a lucky man – he’s graduating high school with a 3.75 GPA and a full ride to UCLA for his skills as a defensive cornerback. He’s also the son of multimillionaire recording artist Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, which has a lot of people grumbling that Combs, who received a $300,000 car on his 16th birthday, doesn’t deserve a $54,000 scholarship, despite the fact that it’s merit, not need-based. UCLA spokesman Ricardo Vazquez went on record with LA Weekly about the school’s offer, emphasizing that the funding does not come from taxpayers, but from private donations. Vazquez also stressed that over 42% percent of UCLA students have their full tuition covered through need-based funding, while only 285 merit-based sports scholarships exist. Why do you think there’s been such an outcry over a merit-based scholarship? Should students whose parents make over a certain income be out of the running for all higher education scholarships? Should they refuse to accept them?

 

Guest:

Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and Fastweb.com; he’s a member of the board of directors of the National Scholarship Providers Association

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

Oxnard school district bans epithet that divides Mexicans

The Oxnard school district this week passed a resolution banning the words “Oaxaquita” (little Oaxacan) and “indito” (little Indian) from district campuses. The ban comes after months of lobbying from the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project’s “No me llames Oaxaquita,” or “Don’t’ call me little Oaxacan” campaign. The project claims the names are racial epithets, often used by Mexicans to put down indigenous Mexicans, of which there are about 20,000 in Ventura County, where many work in the strawberry industry. Researchers say the treatment links back to a legacy of discrimination against indigenous people in Mexico. Patt talks about the meaning of the names and diversity within the Mexican community that is not often recognized by outsiders.

 

Guests: TBD

 

 

2:06 – 2:19  - OPEN

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

Former head of ABC News David Westin offers his ‘Exit Interview’

The television news business was changing significantly in 1997 when Bob Iger, president of ABC at the time, tapped a lawyer named David Westin to lead the network’s news division. The Big Three networks were losing profits, 24-hour cable news channels such as CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC were gaining prominence, and The Walt Disney Company had just purchased ABC. Many of Westin’s peers were surprised by Iger’s decision to appoint Westin, but for the next 14 years, Westin kept the news division profitable, scored some programming successes, and even cut costs. Westin struggled to smoothly transition the division into the digital Internet news age, according to some industry insiders, but he did reinvigorate ABC’s morning news program, “Good Morning America,” by partnering Diane Sawyer with Charles Gibson as the show’s anchors. Westin’s new memoir, “Exit Interview, documents his experience as head of ABC News. He joins Patt on the show today to trade news biz war stories.

 

David Westin, president and CEO of NewsRight and the former president of ABC News

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Bob Balaban, from ‘Midnight Cowboy’ to ‘Moonrise Kingdom’

“When the movie starts you can feel Wes [Anderson] taking over everything, like a great king does in a kingdom, everyone is doing well, there’s no unemployment and everyone is well read.” Is this a KPCC listener’s utopia, you wonder? Nope. It’s Academy Award nominee Bob Balaban, talking about his latest role as the narrator of “Moonrise Kingdom,” Anderson’s opening-night movie at the Cannes International Film Festival earlier this month. Balaban joins Patt to talk about his experience working with Wes Anderson, narrating a movie that he claims will someday be a book, and telling the story of a pair of young lovers running away from summer camp.

 

Guest:

Bob Balaban, actor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Producer - Patt Morrison
89.3 KPCC - Southern California Public Radio
213.290.4201 – mobile/SMS
626-583-5171  – office
474 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA  91105
jarmstrong@kpcc.org

 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

RE: Patt Morrison for Wednesday, May 30, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, May 30, 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 - 1:40
High school freshman creates breakthrough test for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose and often goes undetected until it reaches the most advanced stages. However, because of advances in medical science established by 15-year-old Maryland high school student Jack Andraka, the disease can now be found before it spreads. Andraka earned the grand prize at the 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for creating a test that can detect early-stage pancreatic cancer with 90 percent accuracy and at a faster and cheaper rate than other tests. Andraka won $75,000 in prize money, which he plans to put toward college. Listen in as Patt discusses this award-winning creation with Jack Andraka himself.

Guests:
Jack Andraka, 15-year-old cancer researcher; freshman at North County High School in Glen Burnie, Maryland; winner, Gordon E. Moore Award of $75,000 at 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair





1:40 - 2:00
Deciding who has the right to vote in Florida
Elections are decided vote by vote, and in the aftermath of Barack Obama's win in the 2008 election, Republicans in hotly contested states like Florida have been waging a campaign to remove voters from the voting rolls. Florida's legislature enacted a new voting law in 2011 that makes it harder for organizations like the League of Women Voters and Rock the Vote to register new voters. After all, the groups these kinds of organizations tend to lean left or independent and conservatives have figured out that the best way to get more votes is to prevent voters on the other side from being able to vote at all. Florida's Republican governor, Rick Scott, has also been working with Secretary of State Ken Detzner to purge Florida's voting rolls of suspected noncitizens. In Miami-Dade County alone 1,638 people were flagged by the state as 'noncitizens,' and would be removed from voting rolls if they did not present proof of citizenship within 30 days. With the presidential race tightening up - and Florida's history of election controversy - every vote may count in November. Are these tactics just or effective? How will they have an effect on this year's election?



Guests:

TBD



2:06 - 3:00
Education Special
There is the ongoing contentious debate brewing in education over linking teachers' job security to their students' academic performance. Many teachers complain that the emphasis on measuring their performance based on student performance, as well as the general stress on test scores, creates a temptation to forego creative, challenging lesson plans and instead "teach to the test." Some are struggling against the trend, arguing that it can inflict long-term damage if students graduate without learning comprehensive reading and critical thinking skills. During this special hour, we check-in on a program called Humanitas at Grant High School in the San Fernando Valley that is employing an innovative approach to teaching - one that seems to be successful, though not without its challenges. As the Humanitas program tries to go beyond "teaching to the test," its teachers confront a host of challenges: How do they reach kids who have made it to high school without ever reading a book and have limited study skills? How do they assign compelling and contemporary reading material when there aren't enough textbooks and the school's copy machines don't work? How do they make kids feel valued when they don't have enough desks or even janitors to sweep the floors? How do they get parents, many of whom are immigrants and either unfamiliar with the school system or too busy working long hours, to participate in their kids' education? How do they get the resources and support they need to implement the program to its fullest potential?



Live Guests:

Brock Cohen, teacher, Humanitas program, Grant High School



UNCONFIRMED

Katie Cohen, former teacher, Hunatias program, Grant High School

Friday, May 25, 2012

Patt Morrison for Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Tuesday, May 29, 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 - 1:39 - OPEN



1:41:30 - 1:58:30

Sing along with Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright III sprung onto the scene in the late 1960s with a song about a squashed skunk ('Dead Skunk'), and he hasn't stopped creating since. Witty, satirical, incisive and emotionally powerful, Wainwright's music has fueled multiple generations, including (most recently) several Judd Apatow soundtracks. Wainwright describes his newest album, 'Older Than My Old Man Now,' as a memoir, and his expansive musical family is present in every song, from guest performances by Rufus and Martha (Wainwright's children), to heroes and peers like Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Chris Smither. One track - 'The Days That We Die' - even includes a recitation written by Wainwright's father, Loudon Wainwright, Jr., the former Life magazine columnist and editor. Wainwright III has his show on the road this summer, with two stops in Santa Monica. We were lucky enough to get him to agree to bring his guitar to our studio.



Guests:

Loudon Wainwright III, musician, singer and songwriter

IN -STUDIO



2:06 - 2:39 - OPEN



2:41:30 - 2:58:30

Buzz Bissinger reflects on raising his sons in new memoir, "Father's
Day"
H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger is a Pulitzer-prize winning author of four books - including the New York Times best-seller "Friday Night Lights," which has gone on to become a film and critically-acclaimed television show -
but his most difficult accomplishment might be raising his twin sons.Bissinger's sons were born three-and-a-half months premature in 1983. Gerry weighed one pound and 14 ounces, Zach weighed one pound and 11 ounces. They were the youngest male twins ever to survive at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia at that time.
The older twin, Gerry, is a graduate student from the University of Penn, and is preparing to become a teacher. But, younger brother Zach is a mentally-disabled savant - he's spent his life attending special schools and self contained classrooms. As Bissinger says, "he'll never drive a car, or kiss a girl, or live by himself. [He's] challenged by serious intellectual deficits but also blessed with rare talents: an astonishing memory, a dazzling knack for navigation, and a reflexive honesty which can make him both socially awkward and surprisingly wise." "Father's Day" follows Buzz and Zach on a road trip as they revisit all the places they've lived together in Zach's 24 years, but also revisit a father-son relationship that Buzz never felt was as strong as he should have had with his son Zach.


<https://mail.scpr.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.youtube.com/embed/pDczwT4ykOs> http://www.youtube.com/embed/pDczwT4ykOs



Guest:
Buzz Buzzinger will be visiting Vroman's in Pasadena, tonight
(May 29) at 7:00 p.m.











Lauren Osen
Southern California Public Radio | 89.3 KPCC-FM
474 Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-583-5173 - desk | 626-483-5278 - mobile
losen@kpcc.org | losen@scpr.org | www.scpr.org

Patt Morrison for Monday, May 28, 2012 - ON TAPE

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, May 28, 2012

1-3 p.m.



MEMORIAL DAY SCHEDULE - ON TAPE



1:06 - 1:19

Military families and their private front lines

This portrait of the Kahlors family comes from the Backdraft project, which critically explores the domestic consequences of America's armed forces endeavors on military veterans and their families. Military families face so many challenges, many amplified by the unknown: finding and keeping a good job, caring for children, staying connected while separated by thousands of miles, helping a loved one who has returned from the war with wounds to the body or brain. Every family has a story; we would like to hear yours.



Guests:

Tom Tarantino, senior legislative associate of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; retired Army Captain and veteran of tours in Iraq & Bosnia



Tim Kahlor, father of Ryan Kahlor, an Army sergeant who served two deployments - 26 months, in Anbar province, Iraq, working with both the Army and the Marines. He left for basic training on March 18, 2003, the first day of the Iraqi invasion. He was 19 years old at the time. Ryan returned with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, hearing loss, nerve damage in both arms, a detached retina, and back and neck injuries



Debbie Nichols, took care of her two grandchildren while her daughter Erin, who was a single parent, was deployed to Afghanistan. She has written a book called Deployed Grandparents being Parents, providing military families positive tools for all stages of deployment and reintegration, and helped her granddaughters write their own book, Deployed Kids.



Alejandra Rishton, who, with her husband Jeremiah, joined the Army in 2004. Jeremiah was deployed to Iraq in 2007 while Alejandra stayed at home; they had two children at the time and she was pregnant with their third.



1:41:30 - 1:58:30

Dan Rather pulls no punches

Dan Rather served as the anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years, and the divorce wasn't pretty. As a correspondent, he reported on some of the biggest news stories of the 1960s like the Civil Rights movement and President Kennedy's assassination. But his career at CBS came to a screeching halt in September 2004 when he did a 60 Minutes II report about President George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard. The story led to his dismissal from CBS; he later sued for breach of contract, but the case was dismissed before it could go to trial. Once the face of CBS, what does Rather think of his old network? How has the internet and the 24 hour news cycle changed the way that networks look at news? And what does he really think about Katie Couric?



Guests:

Dan Rather, managing editor, host, Dan Rather Reports, HD Net; former veteran anchor, CBS Evening News



2:06 - 2:19

The Presidents Club: Inside the world's most exclusive fraternity

Skull and Bones, Freemasons, Bohemian Grove, the California Club-you always hear that this or that is the world's most exclusive club. This one really is: former U.S. presidents, whether they liked each other or not, are bound together by the Oval Office. Now, a new tell-all book reveals the secrets of the Presidents Club, like how John F. Kennedy disliked Dwight Eisenhower, and how Jerry Ford and Jimmy Carter feuded and made up. From Hoover and Truman to Obama and Bush 1 and 2, the backroom deals, secret alliances, and bitter rivalries among America's current and former presidents have helped shape U.S. politics and history.



Guest:

Nancy Gibbs, coauthor, "The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity"

Michael Duffy, TIME's Washington bureau chief and co-author of The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity

2:21:30 - 2:39

Soldiers' remains return from Tarawa 69 years after the battle
Leon Cooper was a young Navy seaman who piloted a Higgins landing craft during the first Marine amphibious assault of the Pacific Theater in World War II on the island of Tarawa. In three days of fighting, nearly 6,000 soldiers - both American and Japanese - died in the battle for the small atoll, earning the name "Bloody Tarawa." Cooper was fortunate enough to survive, and was outraged to learn decades later that the beaches where so many of his fellow soldiers, seamen and Marines died were littered with trash. So, in 2008 Cooper mounted a self-financed campaign to return to Tarawa to clean up the beaches. When he arrived, he discovered something even more disturbing... that the remains of as many as 500 Americans who died in the battle might still be buried on the tiny island. A filmmaker, Steven Barber, accompanied Cooper's journey and the story was made into a documentary, "Return to Tarawa." Four years later, Cooper and Barber have returned with a follow up documentary, "Until They Are Home," which tells the story of the U.S. Government's involvement in the retrieval and repatriation of the remains of American military personal who died on Tarawa. Do soldiers ever recover from the scars of battle? What is the legacy of the brave men who fought in places like Tarawa?

Guests:
Leon Cooper, World War II Navy veteran of the Battle of Tarawa; spearheaded the cleanup of Tarawa and the search for remains of American military personnel who died in the battle

Steven Barber, documentary filmmaker; directed both "Return to Tarawa" and "Until They Are Home"




2:41:30 - 2:58:30

Will America's military dogs get a promotion?

Dogs have been stalwart human companions for thousands of years - they share our joys, sorrows, homes and lives, and increasingly, they've been following us into battle as well.

The story of Cairo, the Belgian Malinois who joined the U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden in May, 2011 is now world famous. But Cairo is just one of the roughly 2,700 military dogs deployed around the globe - 600 of which serve in combat zones. America's military dogs sniff out bombs, rappel from helicopters and provide much-needed companionship for soldiers in harsh circumstances... and the story of these valiant dogs is also the story of their handlers, who pair with a specific dog for their tandem tour of duty. Former USA Today journalist Maria Goodavage was already the author of three previous dog-oriented books when she decided that the story of these four-legged warriors needed to be told. The result of her boots and paws-on-the-ground research is "Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes." There is a different kind of battle going on in congress over the classification of America's soldier dogs, as lawmakers debate to decide whether or not to promote these dogs' classification from "equipment" to "Canine Members of the Armed Forces."



Guests:

Maria Goodavage, author, "Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes"








Lauren Osen
Southern California Public Radio | 89.3 KPCC-FM
474 Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-583-5173 - desk | 626-483-5278 - mobile
losen@kpcc.org | losen@scpr.org | www.scpr.org

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Patt Morrison for Friday, May 25, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, May 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

How do wrongful convictions happen?

26 year-old Brian Banks served 5 years and 2 months in prison for a kidnap and rape he did not commit. He was exonerated yesterday, after his accuser was videotaped by a private investigator admitting to falsely accusing him. His accuser initially contacted him through Facebook last year, wanting to reconnect and, in her words, “let bygones be bygones." How do false convictions happen? What’s the interrogation and plea bargain process like, and why do individuals admit to crimes they did not commit? Patt checks in with an expert in the field and we look into whether Banks’ accuser will be charged with perjury.

 

Guests:

Dan Simon, professor of law and psychology, USC; he is author of “In Doubt: The Psychology of the Criminal Justice Process,” and an expert on exonerations, false convictions, interrogation, and why individuals admit to crimes they did not commit

IN STUDIO

 

1:30 – 1:58:30

My 64,000 + member book club…on Twitter

It’s always difficult for book clubs to choose their next subject, but it’s especially difficult for Jeff Howe, who runs a book club with over 64,000 members…on Twitter. How does it work? What do they read? And with the world’s great books all tweeted in 140 characters, is it really worth it? Howe explains that it’s not only the format of books that is changing, but the entire reading experience. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Howe thinks Twitter could be the most social reading experience yet. Still, it’s left others wondering: Is the book dying, or getting a social life? Patt checks in with Howe and with Twitter’s first novelist.

 

Guests:

Jeff Howe, assistant professor at Northeastern University, where he teaches multimedia journalism; he’s the author of "Crowdsourcing: How the Power of Crowds is Driving the Future of Business," and he runs a 64,000 + member book club via Twitter

 

Nick Belardes (@nickbelardes), wrote the first literary Twitter novel, "Small Places" (@smallplaces) between 2008 and 2010; he’s currently in talks with the New York Times about a follow-up twitter novel, "Bumble Square"

 

2:06 – 2:30

West Hollywood Abbey bans bachelorette parties in wake of NC gay marriage ban

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may not get married until same-sex couples can, too. Now The Abbey, a gay nightclub in West Hollywood is banning bachelorette parties to protest the recent vote to ban same-sex marriage in North Carolina. "Every Friday and Saturday night, we're flooded with requests from straight girls in penis hats who want to ogle our gogos, dance with the gays and celebrate their pending nuptials. They are completely unaware that the people around them are legally prohibited from getting married," David Cooley, the founder of The Abbey said in a statement. Gay bars in cities like Chicago have taken similar stands and individuals have made their own personal protest – some even refusing to attend the weddings of their heterosexual friends until gay marriage is made legal. Do you think this is this an effective means of protest? Why or why not?

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

TBD, The Abbey nightclub in West Hollywood

 

Dan Savage, syndicated columnist, “Savage Love,” and the editor of The Stranger, Seattle’s weekly newspaper; His latest book is It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

A people’s guide to Los Angeles sheds light on less-frequented but important sites in LA

Tourists who come to Los Angeles tend to visit the same places: Venice Beach, Disneyland, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood... The slightly more adventurous might strike out for the Garment District, Topanga Canyon, or the Walt Disney Concert Hall, but what about neighborhoods to the south and east of those attractions? Places like the Los Angeles River? Or ‘the Ink Well’ (a two hundred-square foot beach) and Oakwood (a residential neighborhood) – two of the only Westside locations open to African-Americans during the first few decades of the twentieth century? Where’s the guidebook that focuses on Los Angeles’ complex history when it comes to activism, class- and race-relations, and the fight for gay rights? Coming soon to a bookstore near you, apparently. “A People’s Guide to the Los Angeles” focuses on 115 little-known Los Angeles sites with big histories. Join Patt as she asks co-author Wendy Cheng to share some of her finds. Maybe you’ll even discover something new to do for Memorial Day.

 

PATT: Wendy Cheng is co-author along with Laura Barraclough and Laura Pulido, who were not available.  There is a book reading and signing at Vroman’s on June 7th at 7pm.

 

Guest:

Wendy Cheng, photographer and an assistant professor of Asian Pacific American Studies and Justice & Social Inquiry at Arizona State University.

IN-STUDIO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Patt Morrison for Thursday, May 24, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 24, 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

Are Google’s search results protected by the First Amendment?

Do you consider Internet search engines like Google to be publications that fall into the same category as newspapers and magazines or do you consider them to be utilities that provide services like gas or electric companies? This question lies at the heart of a growing debate over how search engines like Google should be regulated. If search engines are determined to be private publications, then they are protected by First Amendment free speech rights; however, if they are determined to simply be public service providers, then Google may be found guilty of providing biased services to consumers by unfairly using search algorithms to render “cooked” search results that favor Google and undercut competing firms. Lower court decisions in two cases, Search King, Inc. v. Google Technology, Inc. and Christopher Langdon v. Google Inc., have found Google to be protected under the First Amendment, but critics argue that Google is using its dominance as a search engine to monopolize other industries and crush its competitors in those markets. Should Google be free to manipulate search results or does the company have a responsibility to consumers to provide fair access to all businesses through its dominant search engine?

 

Guests:

Eugene Volokh, professor of law at the UCLA School of Law where he teaches free speech law, criminal law and tort law

UNCONFIRMED:

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

Meet the meeting killers (and how to run a good meeting)

We all hate meetings, right? Make fun of them and make up excuses to dodge them? So why still have them? Are they just an excuse for donuts? According to a British study, officer workers spend an average of 4 hours per week in meetings, and they think half of that time is wasted. The Wall Street Journal recently profiled the personality types most likely to drag those on – the jokester, the dominator, the naysayer, and the rambler, complete with advice on how to cut down time spent in meetings, like setting a “no devices” rule or scheduling “tech breaks.” We’ve all been in meetings – what works, and what doesn’t?

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

Eli Broad, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder of two Fortune 500 companies, KB Home and SunAmerica; Author of “The Art of Being Unreasonable: Lessons in Unconventional Thinking”

Jonah Lehrer, author of “How We Decide” and “Imagine: How Creativity Works”

Sue Shellenbarger, columnist, Wall Street Journal and author of “Meet the Meeting Killers: In the Office, They Strangle Ideas, Poison Progress; How to Fight Back”

 

2:30 – 2:39

The winner of “L.A.’s Next Sex Symbol” artwork contest will be seen by a lot of lucky people
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health wants to know what image of the City of Angels gets you in the mood. The artwork of ten lucky Angelenos will be chosen to appear on 1 million and one condom wrappers in the Health Department’s new “L.A.’s Next Sex Symbol” contest - with the goal of promoting safe sex and reducing new incidences of HIV in the Southland. Images of sports teams and city landmarks like the Hollywood Sign are prohibited… but who wants to see a picture of The Staples Center in the heat of the moment, anyway? What image might you submit to appear on a condom wrapper?

UNCONFIRMED:
Guest: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health representative

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

‘Lizz Free or die’: we choose Lizz

Lizz Winstead’s introduction to the power of comedy cemented itself in 1984, when her dress got caught in a screen and was pulled up over her head as she hosted an air guitar final in Minneapolis. Winstead had nothing on underneath, and learned right then and there that the audience is either laughing with you or at you. “That night, so very early in my career, I developed a sense of confidence that an entire lifetime may not have taught me. I took a horrible moment and defined it in my terms.  And I defined it as funny.” Winstead, who eventually co-created Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, took that point of view and ran with it, deciding sometime around Desert Storm that media deserved the same satirical eye she so often turned on herself. In fact, you could say that without air guitar, The Daily Show would not have been born. Lizz joins Patt in-studio, make sure to call in with your own most embarrassing moments and questions!

 

Guests:

Lizz Winstead, co-founder of the Daily Show and author of Lizz Free or die”

IN STUDIO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Patt Morrison for Wednesday, May 23, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, May 23, 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

Congressional speech proven to be sophomoric

What does it take for a politician to communicate with the American public? Apparently, speaking like a tenth grader. Using the Flesch-Kincaid test, which equates longer words and sentences with more complex ideas, a nonprofit called the Sunlight Foundation has analyzed the speeches of our representatives and senators over the course of the last year. Their discovery? That our current Congress speaks at a 10.6 grade level – down from the 11.5 grade level lawmakers earned seven years ago. Before you get too critical, the majority of Americans only read at an eighth- or ninth-grade level, so supposedly most of our representatives still speak over our heads. Other correlations made include moderates speaking at a higher level than extremists (no matter what the party), Democrats speaking at a higher level than Republicans (but only since 2005), and the more that someone speaks, the simpler his or her speech tends to be. Representative Mick Mulvaney, who was ranked lowest in the study, told CNN that he is intentionally plainspoken.  “If you want someone to understand your message, you speak clearly and concisely.” President Obama most likely feels the same – his State of the Union speech has been at an eighth grade level for the last three years. Is there something to be said for speaking simply? Do tests like the Flesch-Kincaid undervalue conciseness? What do you think of the level of dialogue in Congress?

Guests: TBA

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

How much would you pay for some Reagan DNA?

A British auction website has listed quite the unusual item - a medical vial  purportedly containing the residue of late President Ronald Reagan’s blood. The listing alleges the vial once contained a blood sample taken at the hospital when President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981. But the authenticity of the item still remains in question. Michael Reagan said in an interview that the claim is ‘bogus,’ and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library has said if it is a legitimate claim, they won’t stand for its sale. The seller contends it’s the real deal even claiming that he did contact the  Reagan Foundation previously and declined to simply donate the vial per their request. Also included in the sale are a lab report with more information and a letter of provenance from the current owner. Thus far, the bidding has reached nearly $15,000. So which is it, a legitimate claim or just another circus trip? And if the seller’s claim is true, should he be able to sell such a thing? The sale of body parts, or anything containing DNA is prohibited eBay.

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED

Kevin Conway, owner of Conway’s Vintage Treasures, a Providence, Rhode Island-based online store that specializes in vintage memorabilia like autographs

 

2:30 – 2:39 - OPEN

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

My 64,000 + member book club…on Twitter

It’s always difficult for book clubs to choose their next subject, but it’s especially difficult for Jeff Howe, who runs a book club with over 64,000 members…on Twitter. How does it work? What do they read? And with the world’s great books all tweeted in 140 characters, is it really worth it? Howe explains that it’s not only the format of books that is changing, but the entire reading experience. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Howe thinks Twitter could be the most social reading experience yet. Still, it’s left others wondering: Is the book dying, or getting a social life?

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

Jeff Howe, assistant professor at Northeastern University, where he teaches multimedia journalism; he’s the author of "Crowdsourcing: How the Power of Crowds is Driving the Future of Business," and he runs a 64,000 + member book club via Twitter

 

 

 

Producer - Patt Morrison
89.3 KPCC - Southern California Public Radio
213.290.4201 – mobile/SMS
626-583-5171  – office
474 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA  91105
jarmstrong@kpcc.org

 

Monday, May 21, 2012

Patt Morrison for Tuesday, May 22, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Tuesday, May 22, 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

POM  (not so) Wonderful? How to navigate the world of false advertising

A federal judge has ordered POM Wonderful to halt all claims of health benefits for its pomegranate juice after expert witnesses testified in court that the juice is not proven to treat or prevent the diseases mentioned in POM's advertising, such as heart disease and prostate cancer. Just last week, the shoe company Sketchers agreed to pay $40 million to consumers who purchased its Shape-Up shoes under the mistaken belief that they would give you a body like Kim Kardashian. What can and can’t advertisers say? You’ve seen the advertising – how do you navigate the world of false claims and the promise of a healthier, more beautiful you?

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

TBD, Truth in Advertising, a consumer advocacy group based in Connecticut

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

Should it be legal to videotape the police?
When Christopher Sharp used his cell phone camera to document a police beating of his friend at Maryland’s Pimlico horse racing track at the 2010 Preakness he wound up thrusting himself into the middle of a growing debate between civil rights and police policy. After taping the incident, police officers seized his cell phone and destroyed all videos on it before returning it to him. Sharp sued for damages and injunctive relief to force authorities to create a clearer policy on videotaping. Last week, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) declared that citizens have a constitutional right to videotape police activity in order to provide a level of accountability. But many police officers feel that being videotaped jeopardizes their safety. The Baltimore Police Department recently issued clarification on the right to shoot video of police activity, but the DOJ says the new policy doesn’t go far enough. How far do First Amendment rights go when it comes to videotaping police action? How far is too far when it comes to privacy at work?  

Guests:
NOT CONFIRMED
ACLU representative


NOT CONFIRMED
Police representative

 

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Travel writer Paul Theroux on the clash of ideals and reality in sub-Saharan Africa

If you’ve ever dreamt of dropping everything and moving to an exotic location to start a new life or to find a new purpose, you’ll probably be interested in the story put forth in award-winning author Paul Theroux’s new book “The Lower River.” In his latest novel, Theroux, who is probably best known for writing “The Mosquito Coast,” tells the story of protagonist Ellis Hock, the manager of a Massachusetts men’s clothing store who years ago lived and worked in a remote Malawi village as a member of the Peace Corps. After his marriage falls apart, Hock decides to uproot himself and return to that same village. Upon his return, Hock is shocked to discover the lower river community that he fondly remembers in a desperate condition. Listen in as Patt interviews Paul Theroux about his book and the clash between ideals and reality in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Guests:

Paul Theroux, travel writer, author of “The Mosquito Coast;” his new novel is “The Lower River”

 

 

 

 

 

Producer - Patt Morrison
89.3 KPCC - Southern California Public Radio
213.290.4201 – mobile/SMS
626-583-5171  – office
474 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA  91105
jarmstrong@kpcc.org

 

Friday, May 18, 2012

Patt Morrison for Monday, May 21, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, May 21, 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 – 1:39

Clifton’s Cafeteria may boast oldest neon in the world

Renovators of Clifton’s Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles have uncovered what they think is the oldest neon light bulb in the world. Patt checks in on the renovation and its findings.

 

Guest,

TBD

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

How bad is hyper partisanship in U.S. government?

Of the two major political parties in the United States, which one is more “scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of legitimacy of its political opposition?” If you guessed the Republican Party, Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein would say you are correct. In their book It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism, from the left and the right, Mann and Ornstein explain how our existing political system is operating in a state of adversarial culture wars that threatens the very fabric of our society. The authors also put forth a plan to reform what they deem to be a deadlocked and dysfunctional government, which necessitates reeling in extreme Republicans in order to balance out the two major parties. Has political hyper partisanship brought the U.S. to the brink of institutional collapse? How fair is it for Mann and Ornstein to place more blame on Republicans for the nation’s increasingly extreme adversarial political culture? Are Democrats genuinely more willing to compromise than Republicans?

 

Guest:

Thomas Mann, senior fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution and co-author with Norman Ornstein, It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism

 

2:06 – 2:30

Keeping cocaine for personal use could be classified a misdemeanor, not a felony

Will reducing the personal possession of drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine from a felony to a misdemeanor help California’s budget woes? Senator Mark Leno (D-California) thinks so. Leno’s bill, SB 1506, is due for a vote within the next three weeks, and if it passes, SB 1506 would set the maximum penalty for personal possession to one year in a county jail, instead of three years in a state prison. Leno estimates this will result in a $159 million savings for California counties and $64 million for the state. The senator stresses that “the legislation will not change the penalties for sale, possession for sale, or manufacture.” The California District Attorneys’ Association, along with several other professional organizations, has come out against the bill, arguing that both the California Penal Code and Proposition 36 already allow for plenty of opportunity for rehabilitation, that SB 1506 will unfairly shift the financial and maintenance burden of facilitating such prisoners entirely to the counties, and that the shift in enforcement would cause an increase in crimes associated with substance addiction, such as property theft. Do you support the bill? Would you like to see fewer tax dollars spent on prisons?

 

Guests:

Senator Mark Leno, D-3rd District (San Francisco); author of SB-1506 and chair of the Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee

NOT CONFIRMED:

Lisa Green, District Attorney, Kern County

 

 

2:30 – 2:39

It was supposed to be the end of the world as we know it –but it wasn’t

It was exactly a year ago today that local preacher and Family Radio founder Harold Camping predicted the world was going to end.  His billboards advertising the rapture were all over Southern California: “Save the date! Jesus is coming on May 21!” He paid for 5,500 across the country. Camping had previously predicted the rapture would arrive on May 21, 1994, but said he made a few miscalculations in his Biblical translation. After the world didn’t end last year, he recalculated that it was coming on October 21st, 2011. Camping passed away in January of this year, but we check in on his following one year later and look at the other looming apocryphal prediction – the Mayan Calendar. A team of archeologists recently discovered a room covered in 1200 year-old astronomical records of Mayan scribes that seem to be 600 years older than the more famous Mayan calendar. That could mean the calendar doesn’t end in 2012. With all these failed predictions, will people keep trying to find an exact date?

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

Tom Bartlett, science reporter for the Chronicle of Higher Education; his latest piece is A Year After the Non-Apocalypse: Where Are They Now? in ReligiousDispatches.com

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

The legacy of former California Governor Pat Brown lives on in granddaughter’s documentary

Former California Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown, who passed away in 1996, left behind a biological legacy in his son and two-time California Governor Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr., but he also left behind a legacy as a synergistic political leader who oversaw the development of the state’s infrastructure, education system, and cultural evolution during most of the 1960s. Now, Pat Brown’s granddaughter has captured her grandfather’s legacy in a new documentary that examines the impact Brown’s legacy has had on the state and how it has influenced the contemporary challenges California faces today. What do you remember about former Governor Pat Brown? How much has California benefitted from his leadership?

 

Guests:

Sascha Rice, Pat Brown’s granddaughter and the writer, director and co-producer of California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown,” which will air on PBS SoCal tonight [Monday, May 21] at 10 p.m.

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Patt Morrison for Friday, May 18, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, May 18, 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

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid fights to bust filibusters

It’s not often that you hear high-profile politicians openly admit they were wrong, but that is exactly what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) did last week on the Senate floor as he apologized to senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) for squelching their 2010 quest to reform the Senate’s longstanding filibuster rule. “They were right,” confessed Reid, “and the rest of us were wrong.” The majority leader now demands reformation of the filibuster. “If there were anything that ever needed changing in this body, it’s the filibuster rule, because it’s been abused, abused and abused,” said Reid on the Senate floor. Reid’s push for filibuster reform comes after Republicans refused to take up and pass a noncontroversial bill aimed at reauthorizing the Export-Import bank. Changing the rule would normally require an unlikely two-thirds vote of the senate, but Reid has said he plans on altering the rule in January when a new Congress convenes and only a simple majority is required. Both Republicans and Democrats have used the filibuster rule to their advantage, but have they truly “abused” it? Is Congress far too gridlocked? Is it really time to reform the rule?

 

Guests:

Ken Rudin, political editor, NPR

 

Erwin Chemerinsky, founding dean of University of California, Irvine’s law school; he specializes in constitutional law, federal practice, as well as civil rights and civil liberties

 

 

 

2:06 – 2: 30

Raising children with your smartphone

Children know when they don’t have their parent’s undivided attention. And research shows they act out more when they don’t get it, which increasingly concerns child behaviorists as they observe the first generation of children raised alongside their parents’ smart phones. It’s common to see children trying to get their parent’s attention while they’re glued to a BlackBerry and just as common to see parents use the phone as a babysitter to distract their children. Some researchers think this is a big shift in the way parents relate to their children and are already seeing what they think is a direct result in relationship issues and attention-deficit problems. Others researchers, however, disagree and see new technology as just another distraction in a long history of distracted parenting. Do you set guidelines with your children? Could you unplug from your digital life?

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

Sherry Turkle, Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT; founder and current director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self

 

 

 

2:30 – 2:39
Don’ look up! But be sure to check out this evening’s solar eclipse

The western United States is primed for a fairly rare celestial event this evening – the first annular eclipse since 1994. Around sunset, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, partially obscuring the sun from our view. If you feel like traveling to Redding, California, Reno, Nevada or Albuquerque, New Mexico, you’ll be in for a rare event indeed; lucky skywatchers in those areas will see a ring of fire in the sky as the Moon blocks the middle portion of the Sun. This striking visage will take place courtesy of the Moon at apogee (the farthest point from Earth in its orbit) where it will be too small to completely block out the sun. Staring directly at the sun can be extremely damaging to your eyes, so be sure to use any number of clever tricks astronomers suggest  - shadow boxes, makeup mirrors and binoculars on the ground - to observe the eclipse. Do you keep up with celestial events? Are you hosting an eclipse party?

Guest:
Phil Plait, astronomer and blogger for Discover magazine; author of Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End…

 

[BREAK]

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Will America’s military dogs get a promotion?
Dogs have been stalwart human companions for thousands of years - they share our joys, sorrows, homes and lives, and increasingly, they’ve been following us into battle as well. The story of Cairo, the Belgian Malinois who joined the U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden in May, 2011 is now world famous. But Cairo is just one of the roughly 2,700 military dogs deployed around the globe – 600 of which serve in combat zones. America’s military dogs sniff out bombs, rappel from helicopters and provide much-needed companionship for soldiers in harsh circumstances… and the story of these valiant dogs is also the story of their handlers, who pair with a specific dog for their tandem tour of duty. Former USA Today journalist Maria Goodavage was already the author of three previous dog-oriented books when she decided that the story of these four-legged warriors needed to be told. The result of her boots and paws-on-the-ground research is “Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes.” There is a different kind of battle going on in congress over the classification of America’s soldier dogs… as lawmakers debate to decide whether or not to promote these dogs’ classification from “equipment” to "Canine Members of the Armed Forces." Should our military dogs receive benefits for their service? How do dogs help human soldiers cope with the stress of war?

Guest:
Maria Goodavage (good-AH-vuj), news editor and writer for Dogster.com and author of Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes” (Dutton 2012)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Producer - Patt Morrison
89.3 KPCC - Southern California Public Radio
213.290.4201 – mobile/SMS
626-583-7121  – office
474 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA  91105
jarmstrong@kpcc.org

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Patt Morrison for Thursday, May 17, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 17, 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 – 1:19 - OPEN

 

1:21:30 – 1:39

Roseanne Barr for president

California voters will see a familiar household name on the June ballot for the state presidential primary – Roseanne Barr – according to state election officials. Barr, better known as a comedian than a political candidate, is hoping to win the Green party nomination. Seizing the nomination will not be easy for Barr, however, who in a four-way race will face tough competition from rival Green party candidate Jill Stein, who won the Green Party of Ohio endorsement earlier this year by a landslide. Scott McLarty, a national media coordinator for the Green Party, said some officials were impressed by Barr’s platform, which includes establishing a European style single-payer healthcare system and legalizing marijuana. The party’s nominee will be announced at the Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention in July. In the past two presidential races, the party failed to get 1 percent of the national vote. Would you vote for Roseanne Barr for president? Does Barr accurately represent the political views of the Greens?

 

Guest:

Roseanne Barr, Green party candidate running for President of the United States

IN STUDIO

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30 - OPEN

 

2:06 – 2:19

What is the definition of ‘assistance’ when it comes to assisted suicide?

Alan Purdy did not kill his wife Margaret. But he watched her die. The 84-year-old Margaret committed suicide on March 20, 2012, and Purdy’s story is yet another example of the extremely grey legal and ethical questions surrounding assisted suicide. Margaret had suffered from pancreatitis, three fractured vertebrae that refused to heal, and Sjogren’s syndrome, an auto-immune disease in which the body’s white blood cells attack its moisture-producing glands, causing everything from mild discomfort to severe pain. According to Purdy, Margaret had managed to live with Sjogren’s, but the pain became unbearable when combined with her other ailments, even with prescribed pain medications. In February, Margaret called her family together to say farewell, and on March 20, Purdy sat beside her as she died. “I wanted her to know that I loved her,” he told the Los Angeles Times. No one in Purdy’s family holds him responsible or wishes to see him prosecuted, but assisting a suicide is a felony in California. And if the district attorney decides not prosecute, what about next time, when there might be financial gain involved, or the deceased was not terminally ill? The police arrested Purdy on March 20, and at his arraignment on March 28, the prosecutors told the judge that the case was under review. Should family members who sit by and do nothing when their loved ones commit suicide be prosecuted? Should patients in chronic pain be allowed to choose when to end their lives?

 

*We reached out the San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who is unavailable to comment on the open case

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED:

Justin Brooks, a criminal defense attorney and director of the California Innocence Project at California Western School of Law

Herbert Weston, Alan Purdy’s defense attorney

TBD, Californians Against Assisted Suicide Coalition  

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Has “Institutional Christianity” helped or hurt the U.S.?

Is it religion’s dearth or presence that contributes to the country’s political gridlock? Or could it be possible that the answer is neither of the above? In his new book, “Bad Religion,” guest Ross Douthat argues the latter – that both the liberal and conservative views of religion have moved too far away from the “institutional Christianity” that served as a moral anchor during the Civil Rights movement, and that today’s religions serve as “dividers,” not “uniters.” Douthat has been criticized for being overly idyllic and not doing his due diligence when it comes to comparing and contrasting the U.S. to nations like Canada, which has never had a religious culture as unifying as 1950s America and yet maintains high social welfare standards, but does he have a point? Is the problem with religion in America not the tool itself but those who wield it?

 

Guest:

Russ Douthat, New York Times columnist and author of the book, “Bad Religion”

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison