Friday, August 31, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE - LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE for Monday, September 3, 2012

10-11 am PT/1-2 pm ET
1-2 pm PT/4-5 pm ET

Contact in Charlotte: Lauren Osen - 626-483-5278  

Contact in Pasadena: Joe Armstrong - 773-263-7337

 



1:06 – 1:19
RNC wrap-up

Guest:
Ryan Lizza



1:21 – 1:30
Charlotte opens its arms to the DNC
Charlotte, North Carolina was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who became the wife of England’s King George III the year before the city was founded. To this very day, Charlotte retains the nickname the ‘Crown City’, although Charlotte is also known as ‘The Hornet’s Nest,’ a second nickname derived from a statement made by British Revolutionary War General Cornwallis whose forces were ousted from the city by hostile residents. More than two centuries later, the 2012 Democratic National Convention starts in earnest tomorrow and no hurricanes are currently threatening to upend the procedural nomination of incumbent Democrat president Barack Obama. Following on the heels of last week’s Republican National Convention in Tampa, the Democrats chose Charlotte early in 2012 knowing full well that North Carolina’s 15 Electoral College votes went to Obama in 2008 by a narrow margin and that the state would be hotly contested in this year’s election. Many Democrats called for the convention to be moved after voters approved in May an amendment to the North Carolina State constitution that bans gay marriage in the state, but the show will go on with Los Angeles’ Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa swinging the gavel as the Democratic Convention Chair. What will the Democrats accomplish at their 2012 National Convention? How will the week of speeches and balloons affect the final two months in the race for the White House?

Guests:
Tom Hanchett, staff historian at the Levine Museum of the New South



1:30 – 1:50
Michael Grunwald’s ‘New New Deal’ reveals story behind Obama’s economic stimulus
As the Democratic National Party prepares to once again officially name Barack Obama as its nominee for president of the United States, Americans on both ends of the political spectrum are voicing their opinions of Obama’s performance over the last four years in office. What defines a presidency in the context of history? President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal fundamentally shaped his era as Commander in Chief, but it remains to be seen what the first African-American president’s legacy will be. One defining endeavor is most certainly the $800 billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. Journalist Michael Grunwald, in his book “The New New Deal,” examines the stimulus which he says was as ambitious as FDR’s New Deal and also the most extensive infrastructure investment since President Eisenhower’s interstate highway system. How do you think the economic stimulus implemented by the Obama administration will be remembered in the long run? Did it truly help prevent a depression?

Guest:
Michael Grunwald, author, “The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era”



1:50 – 1:58:30
Comedy Congress: Live from the 2012 Democratic National Convention
Patt Morrison takes Comedy Congress on the road to the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, where she and Comedy Congress’ stalwart funny man Ben Gleib will help figure out what makes Democrats so funny. Gleib will be on gaffe patrol in the southern city and he’ll bring it all to listeners live without a net. Which speech or politico will have the funniest moments at the 2012 DNC?
What will keep us talking and guffawing through the home stretch of the election season?
Guests:
Ben Gleib,
roundtable regular on Chelsea Lately, host of the podcast "Last Week on Earth with Ben Gleib"; he's also on the new SyFy series 'Insane or Inspired' and next month can be heard in the movie "Ice Age 4," hitting theaters everywhere in 3D



4:06 – 4:30 - OPEN



4:30-4:39
North Carolina liquor laws kick off the DNC in a ‘dry spell’
Local alcohol laws and restrictions might be alien concepts to outsiders, but they’re simply a way of life in some American cities like Charlotte, North Carolina. With thousands of thirsty Democratic conventioneers descending on the southern city this week, these differences in the specific times and days that allow thirsty patrons to purchase libations are enough to cause one to drink. In North Carolina, all spirits – distillates other than beer and wine – can only be bought at state-run Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) stores, and all ABC stores are closed every Sunday and on holidays like Labor Day. This means that many Democrats also may be looking for a martini or margarita to go with their votes when they arrive on Sunday or Monday. State officials tried to pass a bill that would temporarily exclude from the liquor restrictions Mecklenburg County, which includes the convention host town of Charlotte, but the measure stalled in a Senate Committee leaving convention revelers high and dry. Restaurants and bars can still serve liquor but to keep up with increased demand, they’ll have to stock up before the two-day lockdown begins. With 6,000 delegates, 15,000 journalists, and tens of thousands more politicians, lobbyists volunteers and other attendees and onlookers arriving in a matter of days demand for tippling will be high. Can the DNC get going in style without proper social lubricants? Will you raise a glass to the DNC from California?

Guest:
UNCONFIRMED
Susan Stabley, Staff Writer for the Charlotte Business Journal



4:41:30 – 4:58:30
Peter Dreier ranks the 100 greatest Americans of the 20th Century
America has undoubtedly changed during the course of the 20th century and, according to professor of politics Peter Dreier, one such change has been towards becoming a more humane, inclusive, and democratic country. Throughout the century, countless distinguished Americans have influenced the trajectory of the nation and pioneered to achieve greatness, but how do Americans define genuine greatness in the context of history? What characteristics make some Americans greater than others? Dreier attempts to answer these and other questions in a new book “The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame.” The Occidental College professor hopes to provoke and inspire readers to think hard about what truly makes certain individuals great and also what our choices of who qualifies as ‘the greatest’ says about us as a society. Ranging from women's suffrage to the civil rights movement and beyond, which influential Americans do you rank as some of the greatest of the 20th Century and why? What do your selections say about you as a person and as an American citizen?

Guests:
Peter Dreier, E. P. Clapp Distinguished professor of Politics, and director of Urban and Environmental Policy Program at Occidental College; author of “The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame” (Nation Books 2012)

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Thursday, August 30, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE for Friday, August 31, 2012

Patt Morrison will be on-air in its normally scheduled time slot from 1pm-3pm.


1:21 – 11:40

California has some of the worst response times for veterans’ benefit claims

Disabled United States veterans in metropolitan areas face some of the longest response times in the country for decisions on war-related disability claims. An investigation by The Bay Citizen and the Center for Investigative Reporting recently revealed that while the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs takes an average of eight months nationally to respond to a claim, in cities like New York, most veterans wait a year or longer. Here in California, wait time averages more than nine months, with the administrations in San Diego and Los Angeles vying for the title of ‘longest to respond.’ For comparison, it takes the V.A. in South Dakota an average of less than six months to respond to a claim. Since 2012, the V.A. has seen the number of new claims filed annually increase by 48%, but the number of claims representatives has only increased by five percent.

 

Guest:

Aaron Glantz, reporter at the Center for Investigative Reporting

 

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

NPR programming VP reveals disturbed childhood in ‘Giving Up the Ghost’

Many teenagers feel like outcasts, pariahs and misfits, but in his book “Giving up the Ghost,” NPR’s vice president for programming’s Eric Nuzum reveals that his teen years were so disturbingly disenfranchising that he found himself on the brink of suicide. The subtitle of Nuzum’s book concisely sums up the contents: “A Story About Friendship, ‘80s Rock, A Lost Scrap of Paper, and What It Means to Be Haunted.” Nuzum credits his friend Laura with giving him a reason to not end his own life during his tumultuous formative years and is also thankful to his mother for insisting he check himself into a mental hospital. In his account of his younger years, Nuzum also describes how his very real emotional struggles manifested in the hauntingly surreal form of a ghost who visited his dreams. Listen in as Nuzum recalls his demons and explains how he made it out alive. 

 

Guests:

Eric Nuzum [NOO-zum], vice-president for programming at NPR; author of the memoir “Giving Up The Ghost: A Story About Friendship, 80s Rock, a Lost Scrap of Paper, and What It Means to Be Haunted”


 

 

2:06 – 2:19

Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech

The stakes were high last night as Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney finally took the podium to deliver his speech accepting the party’s nomination. Was he able to deliver the clear and concise vision for America’s future that many analysts and voters have said he lacks? Patt checks in on the contents of Romney’s speech, as well as his delivery.

 

Guest:

Dr. Jack Brown, physician and Body Language Expert; he writes the blog

bodylanguagesuccess.com.

 

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

New law makes DIY food legal to sell (PENDING APPROVAL ON FRIDAY)
If you’ve every baked or eaten a homemade brownie so good you’d be willing to pay for it, you’re in luck.  A new bill moving its way through the California legislature would make it legal for do-it-yourself bakers to sell home-cooked foods. Current laws prevent food prepared in anyplace other than a commercial kitchen to be sold, except in the venerable fundraising bake sale. Home cooked food is a huge industry in the more than 30 others states that already have ‘Bakers Bills’ on their books – to the tune of annual sales of $100 million in West Virginia alone. In trying economic times, the ability for people to sell their home-cooked foods directly to consumers has provided a much needed source of extra income for people who know their way around a cookie sheet or bread oven. California’s bill would still come with regulations, however; permits would still be required, foods would have to be labeled as homemade, ingredients could not include meat or cream and would have to be listed, and gross yearly sales could not exceed $35,000, although that ceiling would rise to $50,000 in 2015. Anyone selling directly to consumers would also have to register with local health departments and take courses in food handling. Food safety experts are less optimistic and cite concerns about the kinds of conditions and possible contaminants in home kitchens. Would you eat a blueberry scone cooked in a kitchen in a home with a sick child or unruly pet? Should Californians be able to sell brownies make at home? Would you buy them?”

Guests:

Michael Gatto, (GAHT-oh), Assemblyman for the 43rd Assembly District (representing the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and parts of Los Angeles, including Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Silver Lake, Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, and Van Nuys); co-sponsor of AB1616, California’s proposed ‘baker bill’

Mark Stambler, home baker who was making as many as 50 loaves of bread a week before the Los Angeles County Health Department ordered him to stop

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Guest:

Jason Alexander, actor, director, producer, writer, singer, and comedian; best known for his role as George Costanza on Seinfeld, appearing from 1989 to 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, August 29, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE for Thursday, August 30, 2012

11:06 – 11:19

OPEN

 

 

11:23 – 11:39

Why Millennials need to start getting it on

The recession impacted the life of Americans far and wide, but perhaps no group was hurt harder than the Millennial generation. Generation Y has entered a job economy that’s forced them to postpone marriage, and delay purchasing homes and cars, but their lack of economic growth has also led a decline of birthrates compared to past generations. The Great Recession essentially led to a pause button on adulthood for Millennials, according to The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson, and has led to declines of purchases on everything from diapers to pregnancy kits, child care and education.

 

Guests:

UNCONFIRMED

Steve Williams, reporter for Bloomberg

 

Wolfgang Lutz , Founding Director of the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital

 

 

11:41:30 – 11:58:30

Is fat the new gay?

Are they born that way? Is it a lifestyle choice? These are common questions surrounding the cultural acceptance of homosexuality, an acceptance that has evolved significantly in the last half-century. But they also apply to another cultural phenomenon that touches us all: the obesity epidemic. With the appearance – and ridicule – of obese New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at the GOP Convention this week, the obesity question is now front and center: Do we as a society accept people as obese? Do we wish to enact laws – societal priorities – to “cure” the obese as was once thought acceptable for homosexuals? Would we ever accept an obese person as a national leader, a position that has required a telegenic and photogenic aesthetic since the dawn of mass media?

Guests:

Paul Campos, professor and contributor to Salon

 

UNCONFIRMED
James Rainey, LA Times Reporter

 

 

2:06 – 2:19

OPEN

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

How much money will California really lose due to pot dispensary closures?          

Two days ago the Huffington Post issued the following headline: “Obama’s War on Weed in California: Cannabis Crackdown Has Dire Economic Consequences.” But how dire are the circumstances? Is marijuana really an under-utilized cash cow in a debt-ridden state? Over the last few years, with the legalization of medical marijuana and the opening of thousands of dispensaries statewide, California has had the opportunity to test this theory. What are the results? That depends on what side you talk to: millions of dollars in taxes, or rising crime and the bills that come along with policing that crime. For some, the Obama administration’s recent decision to crack down on California is driving a lucrative business with plenty of legal employees out of state, including out of the city of Los Angeles, where the L.A. City Council voted that all dispensaries be shut down by September 6th. But is the medical marijuana industry responsible for bringing in as much as proponents claim? How much potential revenue does California really stand to lose?

 

Guests:

Mark Lacter, contributing writer for Los Angeles Magazine and writes the business blog at LA Observed.com

 

UNCONFIRMED

Betty Yee, board member, California State Board of Equalization

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Lisa Bloom fights for our sons’ futures

Lisa Bloom investigates why young men in the U.S. are medicated, suspended and expelled from schools at quadruple the rate of girls, incarcerated more than any other male group in human history and how parents can combat these problems in her new book,Swagger: 10 Urgent Rules for Raising Boys in an Era of Failing Schools, Mass Joblessness, and Thug Culture”

 

Guest:

Lisa Bloom, a National TV legal analyst and the New York Times bestselling author of “Swagger”

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE for Wednesday, August 29, 2012

11:06 – 11:19 - OPEN

 

 

 

11:23 – 11:39

Is California really losing money due to pot dispensary closures?          

In the battle to legalize marijuana in California, one of the most common “pro” arguments rests on the notion of marijuana as a cash cow, with the potential to bring in millions of dollars. Over the last few years, with the legalization of medical marijuana and opening of thousands of dispensaries statewide, California has had some opportunity to test that argument. For some, then, the Obama administration’s recent decision to crackdown on California’s medical marijuana industry has thrown a wrench in the wheel, and is driving a lucrative business with plenty of legal employees out of state, including out of the city of Los Angeles, where the L.A. City Council voted that all dispensaries be shut down by September 6th. But is the medical marijuana industry responsible for bringing in as much as proponents claim? How much potential revenue would does California really stand to lose?

 

Guests:

TBD

 

 

 

11:41:30 – 11:58:30
Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ warns about not teaching evolution

Bill Nye is most widely known for being “The Science Guy,” a TV personality that made science fun and accessible in one hundred episodes of “Bill Nye the Science Guy” that ran from 1993 to 1998. Last weekend, Nye kicked the Creationism vs. evolution hornet’s nest with statements made in a video posted to the Big Think website. In the video, Nye advocated for evolution, cautioned that the teaching of evolution would make future generations less intelligent and took some potshots at Creationists, saying "It's very much analogous in trying to do geology without believing in tectonic plates. You're just not going to get the right answer. Your whole world is going to be a mystery instead of an exciting place." With these comments, advocates for both viewpoints lined up in their usual battle lines and a war of words ensued. How would not teaching evolution change the teaching of science?

 

Guests: TBD

 

 

 

2:06 – 2:39

Ask the Chief

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 several internal LAPD investigations, including whether members of its SWAT unit took advantage of their positions to buy and then resell specially-made handguns. Chief Beck will also speak about the investigation into the use of overly-harsh physical methods by officers at a ‘military-style’ boot camp for youth and what the LAPD has done in to beef up public security in the wake of the Aurora and Wisconsin shootings. Plus, your questions.

 

Guest:

Chief Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department

 

 

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

What your taste in music says about you
The results from personality tests like Myers-Briggs can tell you a lot about a person, but if you really want to get a peek inside someone’s soul take a look at their music collection. A quick spin through their iPod or stacks of vinyl records can provide insight into a person’s temperament, disposition and may give you an idea of whether or not you’ll likely get along. Granted, music taste is subjective, but an informal poll of Patt Morrison’s team revealed that you may be being judged by your favorite tunes. To wit: do you like the indie band Deerhoof (artsy), pop songsmith Aimee Mann (contemplative), country crooner Taylor Swift (vapid) or grizzled troubadour Tom Waits (experimental and peculiar)? The world of sports can be especially revelatory when it comes to music tastes… the L.A. Dodgers organization plays songs selected by specific players when they step up to the plate or onto the pitcher’s mound, allowing thousands of people to groove to… or suffer through an athlete’s preference for Young Jeezy. What do your music tastes say about you? Do you judge people by their music?

 

Guests:
Marah Eakin (MAHR-ah EE-kihn), music editor for The A.V. Club

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, August 27, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE for Tuesday, August 28, 2012 (11 a.m - Noon, 2-3 pm)

 

11:06 – 11:19  - OPEN

 

 

 

11:23 – 11:39

This year’s presidential ticket is sporting something it never had before: a candidate from Generation X
Representative Paul Ryan’s ascension as the presumptive vice presidential nominee is the first time Generation X - those born between the mid-1960s to the early 1980s - has had a shot at a seat at the big table. The public perception of Gen Xers is that they are apathetic, confused, self-loathing, and fatalistic – hardly the kind of image of the socially conservative and fiscally grounded fitness nut that Paul Ryan exhibits. Could Paul Ryan be a new symbol for a generation that has suffered through a severe recession during its prime wage-earning years? Or does Ryan represent another aspect of the misunderstood generation that has simply been biding its time?

Guest: TBD

 

 

 

11:41:30 – 11:58:30

Rising number of Afghan forces turn their guns on NATO

Though most deaths during the war in Afghanistan have come during NATO and Afghan National forces facing off against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, a rising number of NATO soldiers have been killed from Afghan soldiers turning their guns against, seemingly, ‘their own team.’ According to Newsweek, members of Afghanistan’s security forces have killed 40 soldiers this year, which has surpassed last year’s total of 35. The “green-on-blue killings” have increased since the onset of the war. According to the Long War Project, insider killings have accounted for 13 percent of NATO casualties in 2012, 6 percent in 2010 and 2011, 3 perecent in 2009, and less than 1 percent in 2008.Reasons for the increase of shootings are unclear. According to the Long War Journal, US commanders have insisted that attacks are due to “cultural differences between Afghan and Western troops.” Of note is also the Taliban influence in Afghanistan, who have infiltrated members of the Afghan National army and posed as members. According to CNN, A Department of Defense report in April stated that " a large majority of green-on-blue attacks are not attributable to insurgent infiltration of the ANSF [Afghan National Security Forces] but are due to isolated personal grievances against coalition personnel."

 

 

Guests:

Unconfirmed

Andrew Exum, Senior Fellow with the Center for a New American Security, former U.S. Army soldier in Afghanistan, author of “This Man's Army: A Soldier's Story from the Front Lines

 

 

 

2:06 – 2:19 - OPEN

 

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

How did hurricane Katrina change America?
Seven years ago today, the residents of New Orleans were in the midst of the last day before The Storm, as hurricane Katrina has come to be known by locals in its aftermath. The following day, on August 29th, 2005, the storm would make landfall as a Category 3 story with winds reaching 74 to 130 miles per hour and the gulf coast was hit hard.  Levies were breached in New Orleans and over 1,800 people lost their lives in the storm and ensuing flooding. At an estimated $81 billion, Katrina would be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Katrina changed the city of New Orleans forever, but the disaster changed our larger culture on many levels. Criticism of the Bush administration’s response to the storm prompts different responses to disasters by political leaders today; a generation of young people learned about volunteering by moving to New Orleans to help rebuild the city; and racial and economic inequality in America was laid bare by the wind, water and aftermath. How is America different in a post-Katrina reality? Will the lessons learned continue to be heeded as time passes?

 

Guests: TBD

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Ayn Rand in Hollywood

Before John Galt, there was Jesus. Ayn Rand, the writer responsible for “The Fountainhead,” “Atlas Shrugged,” and (allegedly) Paul Ryan’s worldview, started – like many writers – at the low rung of the Hollywood totem pole. In 1926, the new-to-the-country Russian Ć©migrĆ© found herself working as a junior screenwriter for Cecil B. DeMille on “The King of Kings,” an epic “part-Gospel, part-Technicolor” re-telling of the Passion of Christ. For $25 a week, Rand toiled away for no credit, until she eventually left for New York, returning to Hollywood on her own terms in the mid-1940s, when she would see her own novels turned into films, including “The Fountainhead,” which starred Gary Cooper. What is the connection between Ayn Rand’s early years in the movie-making machine and her later magna opera, and were the films that followed any good?

 

Guests:

UNCONFIRMED:

Anne C. Heller, author of “Ayn Rand and the World She Made”

Michael Phillips, film critic for the Chicago Tribune

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, August 24, 2012

RE: Patt Morrison schedule for Monday, August 27, 2012

HOURS REVISED DUE TO RNC COVERAGE

 

HOUR ONE

 

11:06 – 11:40 OPEN

 

11:41:30 – 11:58:30

Who gives more to charity – Democrats or Republicans?
The ongoing calls for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to issue additional years of his tax returns haven’t ceased. Romney has faced criticism for his reasoning - that doing so would violate his religious freedom because it would reveal exactly how much money he has tithed to his Mormon church. Democrats continue to press the issue, but should they be so vocal about taking a look at charitable contributions? According to philanthropy.com, a website that tracks charitable giving state-by-state, Utah tops the list of giving, with residents donating 10.2 percent of their discretionary income to charities. Utah is a solidly red state and went for John McCain 62 percent to 24 percent in 2008 and it has a large Mormon contingent. Blue state New Hampshire is bringing up the rear with residents of the ‘The Granite State’ donating only 2.5 percent of their discretionary income to philanthropic organizations. But if you tweak the numbers to remove donations to religious charities the giving evens out. So why the disparity? Do liberals not put their money where their bleeding hearts are or is there something wrong with the math?

Guests:
Dem political strategist
- TBA

Arnold Steinberg,
political strategist and analyst; a libertarian-conservative long associated with Republican campaigns

HOUR TWO

2:06 – 2:30

Mike Birbiglia and Ira Glass talk sleepwalking and movies

In “Sleepwalk with Me,” comedian Mike Birbiglia’s alter-ego Mike Pandamiglio has two loves: comedy and his girlfriend, Abby. Unfortunately, he has arrived at a point in his life where dedicating himself to one means he is unable to give the other an appropriate amount of attention. Pandamiglio-Birbiglia’s struggle towards a decision unwinds against a developing sleeping disorder: sleepwalking. It’s more violent than it sounds, and fans of “This American Life” and “The Moth” will recognize some of the scenarios Pandamiglio finds himself in, including throwing himself out a hotel window. Comedian Mike Birbiglia and producer Ira Glass stop by to talk to Patt about the film, which screens in LA at the Landmark theatre this weekend.

 

Guests:

Ira Glass, host and producer of “This American Life”; produced “Sleepwalk with Me”

 

Mike Birbiglia, comedian; he wrote, directed and starred in “Sleepwalk with Me”

 

2:40 – 3:00 OPEN

 

 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Friday, August 24, 2012

1:06 – 1:39 - OPEN

 

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

Real crime in real time in 140 characters or less

Following police activity on radio scanners is a hobby with a long tradition. There are groups around the country devoted to this time-consuming hobby that allows residents of a community learn just what kind of untoward activity is happening in their neighborhoods. But the hobby has entered a new age with the arrival of social media websites like Twitter. Scanner enthusiasts now don’t just sit and wait for the hiss of the radio to bleat out a robbery or assault – when police activity occurs, they report, tweet and re-tweet what they’ve heard, in essence giving real time, real crime updates. The Los Angeles area alone has at least three active monitoring organizations on Twitter and a web based group called the Southern California Monitoring Association ties the whole thing together. Their motto: “In God We Trust – All Others We Monitor.” How can Twitter change the way people learn about crime? How can up-to-the second, crowdsourced crime reporting become a deterrent?

 

Guests: TBD

 

 

 

2:06 – 2:19

Predicting what lies ahead for Tropical Storm Isaac

Weather science has improved by leaps and bounds, but without the ability to see the future, it’s impossible to pinpoint where a hurricane will hit and with how much force. Current projections for Tropical Storm Isaac look bleak, with the possibility that the storm will hit a vulnerable and still earthquake-ravaged Haiti at hurricane strength and then move on towards Tampa, Florida, where the Republic National Convention is due to be held next week. Patt checks in on the path of the storm and the preparations being taken.

 

Guests: TBD

 

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:58:30 - OPEN

 

 

 

 

CANCELLED:
Consumers are ‘Overdressed’ for pennies on the high fashion dollar

Elizabeth Cline was your typical clothing consumer lured in by fashion trends, but sold on low prices. Cline was buying a new article of clothing every week until she realized how many tops, hoodies, and pants she had that she barely ever wore. It wasn’t until Elizabeth caught herself bringing home seven pairs of identical canvas flats at seven bucks a pair when she realized she had a real problem on her hands. In her book, “Overdressed,” Cline examines the accession of the cheap fashion market along with the decline of independent retailers, why we just can’t say no to the good old deal and steal, and how consumers can break away from the buy and toss cycle.

 

Guest:

Elizabeth L. Cline, author, “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion;” she has also contributed to New York Magazine, Popular Science, The New Republic and The Village Voice

 

 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Thursday, August 23, 2012

1:06 – 1:39  - OPEN

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

[PLACEHOLDER BLURB]
Author Bob Spitz writes about the enduring and endearing influence of Julia Child

It’s rare for someone to emerge in America who can change our attitudes, our beliefs, and our very culture. It’s even rarer when that someone is a middle-aged, six-foot three-inch woman whose first exposure to an unsuspecting public is cooking an omelet on a hot plate on a local TV station.  And yet, that’s exactly what Julia Child did.  The warble-voiced doyenne of television cookery became an iconic cult figure and joyous rule-breaker as she touched off the food revolution that has gripped America for more than fifty years. Now, in Bob Spitz’s definitive, wonderfully affectionate biography, the Julia we know and love comes vividly — and surprisingly — to life.  In Dearie, Spitz employs the same skill he brought to his best-selling, critically acclaimed book The Beatles, providing a clear-eyed portrait of one of the most fascinating and influential Americans of our time — a woman known to all, yet known by only a few.

 

Guests:
Bob Spitz, author of “Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child”


2:06 – 2:39 - OPEN

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Country music superstar returns with a new album, “Three Pears”
Dwight Yoakam is best known as a country artist, and his credentials back this up. With his boots and signature cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes, he scored numerous number one albums, played countless shows and sold more than 25 million albums. But Yoakam is far from a one trick pony. After finding it hard to break through in with his traditionalist honky-tonk in Nashville’s ‘urban cowboy’ early 80s period, he headed west to Los Angeles and starting sharing bills with punk bands. This unorthodox career move eventually led him to stardom with his debut album, “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc,. Etc.” Since then Yoakam’s ability to endear himself to country music listeners as well as appeal to fans of rock and roll has made brought him near-legendary status. Cinema fans have also seen his work as an actor in films like “Slingblade,” “Panic Room,” and 2000’s “South of Heaven, West of Hell,” which he also co-wrote and produced. Yoakam’s newest album, “3 Pears” arrives on September 18th and on it he collaborates with genre-hopping performer Beck and rock star Kid Rock. What are your favorite Dwight Yoakam songs or movie roles? How do artists like Yoakam maintain such high artistic standards in an industry where selling out seems to be the norm?

 

Guests:
Dwight Yoakam, musician, songwriter, actor, writer and producer; Yoakam’s new album, “3 Pears” will be released on September 18th, 2012
IN STUDIO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, August 21, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Wednesday, August 22, 2012

1:06 – 1:39

OPEN

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

Cell phones know where you’re going before you do
Was your 3 p.m. appointment in downtown L.A. or near the beach? Maybe your phone can remind you. A group of computer scientists from the University of Birmingham in England have developed a formula that, through analyzing cell phone data of a person and their closest friends, could predict where a person would be in the next 24 hours within 60 feet. Though attempts to predict locations based on individual’s cell phone in the past were not very accurate, by including data from friends, results markedly improved. That way, if two people were driving towards a coffee shop where they frequently met, the formula would be able to predict they were heading there. The better ability to track an individual could lead to advertising opportunities to track customers and efforts by law enforcement to track criminals, but privacy concerns are also a large part of the issue.

Guest:
Mirco Musolesi, computer science researcher at the University of Birmingham

 

2:06 – 2:39

OPEN

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

The Chinatown war that shaped LA

Seeking prosperity and wealth, Chinese immigrants poured into California in the early part of the 19th century. Los Angeles’ Chinatown was one of the communities that grew from the influx of immigration, but racial tension soon erupted in the area. Patt talks with historian Scott Zesch about what life was like in that part of town and the violence that eventually erupted in the tragic Massacre of 1871.

 

Guests:

Scott Zesch, author, THE CHINATOWN WAR: Chinese Los Angeles and the Massacre of 1871

 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Tuesday, August 21, 2012

1:06 – 1:19

OPEN

 

1:21 – 1:39

Cell phones know where you’re going before you do

Did you forget which restaurant your 3 p.m. appointment is at? Maybe your phone can remind you. A group of computer scientists from the University of Birmingham in England have developed a formula that, through analyzing cell phone data of a person and their closest friends, could predict where a person would be at any given time within 60 feet. Though attempts to predict locations based on individual’s cell phone in the past were not very accurate, by including data from friends, results markedly improved. That way, if two people were driving towards a coffee shop they frequently met at, the formula would be able to predict they were heading there. The ability to track an individual could lead to advertising opportunities to track customers and efforts by law enforcement to track criminals, but privacy concerns are also a large part of the issue.

 

Guest:

UNCONFIRMED

Mirco Musolesi, computer science researcher at the University of Birmingham

 

 

1:41 – 1:59

Why are former MLB players dying earlier than their NFL counterparts?

When it comes to the effects of athletics on life-spans, most would expect physical sports like football or mixed martial arts could lead to shorter lives. Despite the rigorous athletic training and proper nutrition these sports require, the substantial hits athletes take in these sports could theoretically mean a shorter life after retirement compared to less physical sports. But in a recent story by Grantland, Bill Barnwell found that athletes who had played in the MLB were more likely to die than their NFL counterparts. 

 

Guests:

Daniel Engberg, columnist for Slate

 

UNCONFIRMED

Bill Barnwell, contributor to Grantland

 

2:06 – 2:39

OPEN

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

The prevalence of misquoting: what we think they said isn’t what they really said
In the classic movie Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart’s character never says “Play it again, Sam.” Really.  Look it up. What Bogey’s American expatriate, Rick Blaine, really said is "If she can stand it, I can. Play it."  The latter may be correct, but the former sounds better to our ears and therefore has been repeated in our society until it sounds right. The human brain’s penchant for order and consonance is also to blame, so it is not uncommon for famous quotes such as these to get tweaked over time. The information superhighway doesn’t discriminate; incorrect information can travel just as far and as fast as the truth on the Internet. Oft quoted sources like Shakespeare, Mark Twain, political figures, books, songs and countless movies all fall victim to our collective selective memories. So, why do misquotes become real quotes when released into the wild? How can we help ourselves from perpetuating something someone never said or wrote?

 

Guests:

TBD

 

 

Friday, August 17, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Monday, August 20, 2012

GUEST HOST IS ALEX COHEN


1:06 – 1:30 - OPEN



1:30 – 1:50

Propublica investigates

EMBARGOED UNTIL SUNDAY AFTER MIDNIGHT

Propublica investigates how dark money nonprofits actually operate. What do they tell the IRS & FEC they’re doing and what do they actually do? 

 

Guest:

UNCONFIRMED

Kim Barker, reporter, ProPublica

 

 

 

1:50 - 1:58:30

Bryshon Nellum’s unorthodox path to an Olympic medal

After sprinter Bryshon Nellum was shot three times in the legs while leaving a restaurant near the University of Southern California in October ‘08, doctors told the sophomore his athletics career was likely over. Police found the incident was likely a case of mistaken identity by a gang, and Nellum not only lost his ability to continue sprinting, but almost lost his life as well. After three surgeries to fully recover, Nellum continued training, despite the unlikelihood of regaining his past ability. On August 9, Bryshon won a silver medal in the London Olympic Games as part of the U.S. 4x400 meter relay team, and was selected by his fellow U.S. Olympians as a flag bearer during Olympic closing ceremonies.

 

Guests:

Bryshon Nellum, Olympic medalist

 

 

2:06 – 2:19 - OPEN

 

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

New findings from the old Stanford marshmallow experiment: delayed gratification is linked to weighing less

Between 1968 and 1974, researchers from Stanford University studied delayed gratification in 650 four-year-olds by offering them a single marshmallow. Once given the marshmallow, the children were told they could eat it immediately or wait a few minutes and receive two instead. Then they were left alone in the room. On average, most children didn’t wait for more than three minutes, but close to 30 percent managed to wait 15 minutes for the researcher to return with their second marshmallow. As the children have grown up, follow up studies have been conducted yielding some interesting results: the children who were able to delay gratification when they were four generally scored higher on the SAT, exhibited more social competence, and were better at planning and handling stress. But the latest research, conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, has found that the children who waited are less likely to be overweight or obese as adults. For each minute the subjects delayed gratification as children, there was a 0.2 point decrease in their body mass index. While the difference was not astonishingly large, University of Wisconsin researchers said the presence of such a correlation after so many years should be noted. Other research has also indicated that delayed gratification can be taught, meaning children can actually learn to have more willpower. How can these lessons be applied to children today? Does this means there’s light at the end of the tunnel that is America’s obesity epidemic?

 

Guest:

Tanya Schlam, Ph.D., Assistant Scientist at the Unviersity of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention; co-researcher on the Stanford marshmallow follow up study, “Preschoolers’ Delay of Gratification Predicts their Body Mass Index 30 Years Later”

 

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30
“Hello goodbye hello” stitches together 101 meetings into one clever story

Imagine a game of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon that winds through a series of interlinked connections between hundreds of historical figures and you start to get a picture of Craig Brown’s clever new book “Hello Goodbye Hello: A Circle of 101 Remarkable Meetings.” Brown’s premise references a series of actual meetings between people in which the second person in the meeting is the first in the next, creating an interconnected circle of encounters that skips around decades and across continents. Along the way all manner of intrapersonal connections are made and every meeting has a story; songwriter Leonard Cohen shares an intimate moment with Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley meets Richard Nixon at The White House and Marilyn Monroe meets Frank Lloyd Wright to convince the famed architect to design a mansion that never gets built. To add another element of inspired literary prowess, Brown wrote every chapter to fit into a neat numerological pattern – the circle begins with Adolf Hitler, progresses through 101 meetings, with each chapter composed of exactly 1001 words that winds its way back to Adolf Hitler to close the circle 101,101 words later. Have you ever wondered how many degrees you are from your heroes?

Guest:
Craig Brown, author of “Hello Goodbye Hello: A Circle of 101 Remarkable Meetings”

 

 

 

 

 




 

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

 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Friday, August 17, 2012

GUEST HOST IS DAVID LAZARUS FROM THE L.A. TIMES


1:06 – 1:39 - OPEN

 

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

The state that made film and TV great continues to hemorrhage production jobs

How long will it take before the Hollywood exodus is complete?  Los Angeles has been losing film industry jobs for years, but recent data about the number of television dramas produced in the city has raised new concerns. According to the Los Angeles Times, only two of the twenty-three new shows this fall will be shot in Los Angeles County, which means a loss of approximately 20,000 jobs and hundreds of thousands of dollars in income. In 2005, 80% of network dramas were based in L.A.; this year, only 10%. While plenty of half-hour comedies and reality shows are still shot here, it’s hour-long dramas that industry insiders consider the real prize, due to their bigger budgets, crews, and eight- to nine-month shooting schedules. Is there something city officials can do to help the hemorrhaging? What are the potential long-term effects on the city and the state if the business is lost permanently? And what do we lose culturally when the state that made film and TV great no longer has any influence?


Guests:

Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 13th district

 

Kevin Klowden, director of the California Center at the Milken Institute

 

 

 

2:06 – 2:30
In God we trust? Atheism in America has increased fivefold in seven years
The belief in God, or gods, is changing over time and some new research show the practice in decline. According to a new poll by WIN-Gallup International the percentage of Americans who identify as “religious” dropped 13 points - from 73 to 60 percent since 2005. The number of Americans who identify as atheists jumped from one percent to five percent in the same period. The poll posed the same question to 50,000 people in 57 countries and five continents: “Irrespective of whether you attend a place of worship or not, would you say you are a religious person, not a religious person, or a convinced atheist?” Critics of the study say that the changes took place too rapidly to be taken seriously; for example, Ireland saw a decline of 22 percent in just seven years – the second biggest drop and only a point behind Vietnam’s 23-point dip.  Although 60 percent of Americans still consider themselves to be religious atheism has been getting a lot of headlines since the last time the poll was conducted 2005. Authors like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens have sold a lot of books that indicted religion’s benevolence and a ‘Reason Rally’ in Washington D.C. drew thousands of nonbelievers to the National Mall on a rainy Saturday in late March. So what accounts for the shift? Are human beings losing their need for God or have they just lost their way?

Guests:
Daniel C. Dennett, professor of philosophy and co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University

Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based organization that promotes the constitutional principle of separation of state and church and to educates the public on matters relating to nontheism



2:30 – 2:39 - OPEN

 

 

 

2:30 – 3:00

Do we brag more because of social media?

Why does it always seem like all of your Facebook friends are doing something more interesting than you are? Social networking was supposed to allow us to stay connected to our loved ones, but more recently it seems like the online trend is less about connecting and more about... bragging? It might not be social media’s fault, however - a difficult economy, a competitive job market and the daily pressures to excel make it clear that people must do well and show others their success. But at what point does demonstrating success become braggadocio? Does the freedom of the Internet make it easier to fall into the showboating pattern?

 

Guest:

Elizabeth Bernstein, writer of the Bonds column for the Wall Street Journal, where she explores human interactions at home, at work, and among friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, August 14, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Wednesday, August 15, 2012

 

1:06 – 1:30  - OPEN

 

 

1:30 – 1:39
Officials have proof that there is a mountain lion in Griffith Park
Los Angeles’ unique topography with mountains, oceans and deserts can bring residents into close proximity with nature, and that is most certainly the case for P-22, a 3-year old male mountain lion who is currently residing in Griffith Park. Residents near the park have long told stories of big cats in the area but until a remote-controlled camera got a picture of P-22 in February there was no definitive proof. National Park Service biologists suspected that to get to Griffith Park, the 140-pound cat would had to have crossed freeways and traversed populated areas. Recently, officials trapped the big cat, placed a radio collar on him and ran preliminary genetic analysis that determined that he is related to big cats in the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. P-22 is still young and experts believe that Griffith Park’s eight square miles do not provide a large enough habitat for an animal of his size and that he will likely try to leave the park in search of better hunting and mating opportunities. To leave, P-22 will have to cross more freeways, putting him in danger of being hit by traffic. How should the Park Service deal with wildlife like mountain lions in our urban environment? 

Guest:
Joanne Moriarty,
biologist for the National Park Service

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30 – OPEN


 

2:06 – 2:19
Expensive cars aren’t faring well in crash tests

Some of the fanciest cars on the market are flunking a new crash test. BWM, Mercedes, and Lexus received poor marks on a new type of safety test, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Only three of the 11 2012 luxury brand models tested passed the new test, which is designed to simulate an off-center, head-on collision with an object such as a pole or a tree. Some experts think that if luxury cars perform poorly, the more modestly priced models are also likely to suffer from bad results. Is your high-end car not the safety investment you thought it was when you signed on the dotted line? With over 10,000 reported deaths from head-on collisions each year, does this new test expose a safety flaw in cars that could ultimately result in thousands of lives saved?

PENDING GUESTS:
Dan Neil,
automotive columnist for the Wall Street Journal

 

 

 

2:21:30 – 2:39  – OPEN

 

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

‘The Honest Truth’ about why we lie

Does the chance of getting caught affect how likely we are to cheat? Under what conditions are you most likely to cheat? Does working with others make us more or less honest?  These are questions that behavioral economist Daniel Ariely dove into with over 30,000 people. He learned that most of us think of ourselves as honest, but in fact, we all cheat. With his research he also disproved the general assumption that cheating, like most other decisions, is tied to some rational cost-benefit analysis. According to Ariely’s findings, it's actually much more dependent on irrational forces—like whether we’re tired or hungry, or we’re suffering from “ego depletion”—that often determine whether we behave ethically or not. He also found that once we start cheating, it’s more difficult to stop. 

 

Guests:

Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University; his latest book is “The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone-Especially Ourselves”

 

 

 

 

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, August 10, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Monday, August 13, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, August 13, 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

 

1:00 – 1:20 OPEN

 

1:20 – 1:40

Sexual harassment claims by men on the rise

Reports of Washington, D.C.-based sexual harassment scandals aren’t hard to come by, but the lawsuit filed last week against Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano flips many stereotypes associated with such suits on their heads. The complainant in this case is male; the supposed perpetrators, female. Surprisingly, the number of discrimination and harassment lawsuits men filed post-2008 are on the rise. According to a Wall Street Journal article, while in the past male victims of harassment might have “voted with their feet,” the same option doesn’t fly in today’s economy. Regardless of whether the accusations against Napolitano are true, what does this lawsuit mean when it comes to perceptions surrounding sexual discrimination? Are men finding it easier to come forward when they’re harassed by women, or other men?

 

Guests:

 

UNCONFIRMED

 

Justine Lisser, a senior attorney and adviser at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

 

1:40 – 2:00 OPEN

 

Guests:

 

Patt: We’re finished here, but the conversation continues on the Patt Morrison page at KPCC-dot-org and on our Facebook page. You’re listening to 89.3 KPCC – Southern California Public Radio. When we come back …


 

2:00 – 2:40 OPEN

 

 

2:40 – 3:00

Oxford Dictonaries Online adds bibimbap, jeggins, and whatevs

Affogato, doughnut hole, and bibimbap: just three new words to enter the Oxford Dictionaries Online. The ODO adds new words every three months; this last batch took place in May, and, for culture watchers, is mostly significant because it confirms our obsession with food, including where it comes from (both locavore and frankenfood also made the cut). Don’t worry, there’s also fodder for those of you ready to bemoan the degrading quality of the English language. Whatevs, obvs, and jeggins are now legal Scrabble options, provided you play with the ODO as your dictionary of choice. How are these decisions made?

 

Guests:

 

UNCONFIRMED

 

TBD, Oxford Dictionaries Online

 

John McWhorter, linguist and political commentator

 

 

Patt: We’re finished here, but the conversation continues on the Patt Morrison page at KPCC-dot-org and you can follow us on Twitter. You’re listening to 89.3 KPCC – Southern California Public Radio.

 

FROM THE MOHN BROADCAST CENTER, I’M PATT MORRISON

 

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Friday, August 10, 2012

GUEST HOST IS KPCC’S ALEX COHEN – PATT MORRISON RETURNS MONDAY, AUGUST 13TH

 

1:06 – 1:30 - OPEN

 

 

1:30 – 1:39

Slate Explainer Brian Palmer ponders why famous killers have three names

America’s past is littered with infamous killers like Lee Harvey Oswald, John Wilkes Booth, John Wayne Gacy, and most recently, Wade Michael Page, who committed a mass shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Slate’s Brian Palmer, no middle name, looked at why history’s notorious murderers often become known by three names.

 

Guest:

Brian Palmer, writer for Slate and the Washington Post

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30

Airline luggage – lost and found

Airlines are losing your luggage at the lowest rates since statistics have been kept. According to SITA, the airline-owned entity that tracks baggage handling mishaps, better than 99 percent of all passengers received their bags in the right place at the right time in 2005. That’s an error rate of nine lost bags per thousand, down from the high in 2005 of 18 per thousand. Are you buying the statistics? Is this merely a reflection of fewer checked bags since it costs more to check bags now than it used to?

Guests:

Brett Snyder, “The Cranky Flier” at Crankyflier.com



UNCONFIRMED
Patrick Smith, author of commercial pilot, industry expert


 

2:06 – 2:19

Does separating boys and girls help them learn better?
One of the ongoing and growing controversies in the new academic reality in the aftermath of the No Child Left Behind reforms is the proliferation of single sex public education. Proponents believe that separating boys and girls for certain classes in mixed gender schools allows the curricula to be catered to the way they believe each gender learns. Dr. Leonard Sax, founder of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education believes that with proper teacher training for single-sex educational environments, girls are more likely to take classes in math and science and boys are more interested in subjects like music, drama and foreign languages. But the opt-in practice has its detractors as well; including the American Civil Liberties Union, which has launched a national campaign called Teach Kids, Not Stereotypes and sent cease-and-desist letters to schools in five states that are implementing the practice. Critics say that schools that are currently implementing single-sex public education are doing so in a way that violates both the U.S. Constitution and Title IX, a federal statute that protects against sex discrimination in schools. Parents and school officials want the best for kids, but how can putting boys and girls in separate classes improve their education? Would you opt to put your kids in single-sex classes? Why?


Guests:
Amy Katz
, cooperating attorney with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project


Leonard Sax, founder and director of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education

Edward ColaciĆ³n, principal of Central Los Angeles Middle School #3, a school with an opt-in single-sex instructional focus



 

2:21:30 – 2:50 - OPEN

 

 

 

2:50 – 2:58:30
Got wishes? Summer’s biggest meteor shower is here

The Perseids meteor shower is our solar system’s annual free August fireworks. The celestial show can have a theoretical peak of 90-100 meteors per hour at locations without light pollution and it brings thousands of sky watchers out to places like The Griffith Park Observatory’s annual viewing event. The Perseids begin slowly every July and build to a peak around every August 12th. So why is 2012 anything special? In 2011, the Perseids fell on the night of a full moon, which meant that most of the ‘shooting stars’ - actually particles of interplanetary dust leftover from the comet 109/P Swift-Tuttle that generate streaks of light as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere - were washed out by the bright light of the moon. But this year the show is ripe for viewing; the 2012 Perseids peak the night of Sunday, August 12th, which falls only a handful of days from the darkness of a new moon. For the best possible show be prepared to drive far from Los Angles’ considerable light pollution, however. Joshua Tree, anyone? Will you bring out your lawn chair and sleeping bag for the Perseids this year?    

Guests: TBD

 

 

 

 

 




 

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, August 8, 2012

Patt Morrison schedule for Thursday, August 9, 2012

1:06 – 1:19

OPEN

 

1:21:30 – 1:39

Women’s boxing knocks out its Olympics debut

Today (Thursday), women’s boxing completes its historic first Olympics. We discuss the winners and their impact on women’s athletics. What other male-dominated sports could soon feature women?

 

Guests:

UNCONFIRMED

Bill Dwyer, LA Times reporter in London

 

UNCONFIRMED

Laila Ali, retired women’s boxer and former champion

 

1:41:30 – 1:59

Diet coke celebrates its 30th birthday

A look at Coca-Cola’s younger, svelter sibling’s impact on pop culture and waistlines in America.

 

Guests:

Katie Baker, writer for Jezebel, contributor for the San Francisco Chronicle and the New York Times

 

2:06 – 2:19

Residents deposit debris at Bank of America to protest neglected foreclosed homes

Customers headed to local Bank of America branches in southeast San Diego Tuesday might have found themselves obstructed by junk furniture such as the old sofa that local protesters dumped in front of one location to protest the banks’ neglect of foreclosed  homes. Members of the Alliance Of Californians For Community Empowerment, a homeowner advocate group, want Bank of America and other property owning banks to clean up and maintain vacant property. The group is even pushing for a city ordinance that would create a registry of foreclosed properties, and fine banks who did not maintain foreclosed homes.

 

Guests:

Paul Habibi, professor at UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, Principal of Habibi Properties, LLC, which owns over 1,600 apartment units in the Los Angeles area, and Managing Member of the Arrowhead Residential Funds, which invest in distressed housing in Kansas City, Missouri

 

UNCONFIRMED

Alliance Of Californians For Community Empowerment representative

Bank of America representative

 

2:21:30 – 2:39

Protecting yourself online: is your personal information secure with Apple, Amazon?

You would probably think that a technology magazine reporter would be an expert at keeping his personal information safe on the Internet; however; this past weekend, Wired Magazine contributor Mat Honan had his digital life kidnapped by hackers. Along with deleting his Google account, hackers also erased all the data on Honan’s MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. And what hacking takeover wouldn’t be complete without breaking into Honan’s Twitter account and posting homophobic and racially insensitive comments in his name. Honan conceded that his penchant for using the same information for each account is what led to the digital domino effect. What was more disconcerting, however, was how easy it was for hackers to attain all of his ID account information with just using his name, address, and email account through Apple and Cloud phone support. The essential piece of information that opened the flood gates for these hackers actually came from Honan’s Amazon account. All it took was for the hackers to call Amazon claiming to be Honan and ask for account setting changes (all of which were emailed to an address of their choosing.) Amazon has not made an official statement regarding Honan’s case in particular, but they claim they have taken care of this security gap. After hearing Honan’s story, do you feel less safe about the security of your digital information?

 

Guest:

Mat Honan, senior writer at WIRED

 

2:41:30 – 2:59

OPEN