Patt Morrison for Thurs, 1/12/2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, January 12, 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 – 1:30

OPEN

1:30 – 1:39
Porn in prison

More than two million Americans are currently serving time in prison, and the majority of them are men. Jail can be a lonely place, so where can a repressed convict turn for release of a different kind? How about pornography? An inmate in a Michigan jail last summer sued the state for depriving him of his porn while in jail. Although widely assumed to be a prevalent practice, masturbating behind bars is verboten in most prison systems. Only six states allow conjugal visits – the remaining forty four have rules ranging from a sort of "don't look, don't tell" policy to outright bans on self gratification. Prison officials argue that masturbation is a form of sexual harassment, although some sex researchers believe that allowing prisoners a sexual outlet may curb sex crimes and curtail the proliferation of sexually transmitted diseases in the prison population. So, should prisoners have the right to take care of their own business? And should Vivid Video be allowed in the Big House?

Guests:
Brenda Smith, American University law professor and project director for the United States Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections Cooperative Agreement on Addressing Prison Rape

Dr. Marty Klein, licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist for 31 years, and the author of several books, including newly published "Sexual Intelligence: What We Really Want from Sex and How to Get It" (HarperCollins)

2:00 – 2:30
'Born (and retired) to be wiiiiild': Retirement villages for the Woodstock generation

Attention baby boomers, retirement villages are embracing you with open arms, and they're way hipper than any facility your parents lived in. Senior living communities such as Laguna Woods Village in Orange County have been appealing to those of a generation who lived through the 1960s, attended Woodstock and possibly have a penchant for medical marijuana. Laguna Woods Village boasts a Baby Boomers Club, founded in 2008, and dozens of other youthful, counter culture-based clubs. The Concerned Citizens of Laguna Woods Village, according to the village's website, is "an active, interactive group promoting a commitment to peace, social and economic justice, good government, and protection of the environment." According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the first members of the baby boom generation will have reached 65 last year. By 2050, the number of people 65 and older will comprise 20 percent of the total population at that time. As a baby boomer, do these untraditional retirement communities appeal to you, and why? Do they reflect the needs of a more socially progressive older generation?

Guests:
John Pynoos, professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology

David Dearing, retired high school teacher and resident at Laguna Woods Village, a retirement community in Orange County

2:30 – 3:00
Do placebos really work?

If you are merely told that you are getting a good workout every day, even if you aren't, you will lose weight. If you are simply lead to believe that the food you eat is indulgent and filling, even if it isn't, you will feel fuller after eating it. These statements may sound far-fetched, but they are actually proven to be true, according to several medical studies conducted in the last few years on the "placebo effect." In addition to losing weight, research shows placebos have real-world benefits for many health conditions including Parkinson's disease, depression, and irritable bowel syndrome. In some instances, placebos have even been reported to be more effective than actual treatment. Doctors continue to study placebos in order to more effectively use them, but evidence indicates that a patient's mind-set and openness to change really does make a difference. How have you benefitted from taking a placebo or from changing your mind-set? How can medical professionals more effectively utilize placebos?

Guest: Michael Specter, staff writer, The New Yorker; author, "Denialism"

Patt Morrison for Wed, 1/11/2011 L.A. TIMES COLUMNIST DAVID LAZARUS IS GUEST HOST

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, January 11, 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

 

L.A. TIMES COLUMNIST DAVID LAZARUS IS GUEST HOST

 

1:00 – 1:40

OPEN

 

1:40 – 2:00

Supreme Court rules in favor of business seeking to force arbitration with unhappy consumers

In a decision being heralded as a win for business, the Supreme Court this week ruled that disputes between consumers and companies that issue low-rate credit cards to people with bad credit ratings can be handled in “business-friendly” arbitration, an alternative dispute resolution, rather than in federal court. The 8-1 ruling reverses a federal appeals court decision that upheld consumers’ rights to sue such companies in federal court, a right that was established by a 1996 law signed by President Bill Clinton. The ruling follows a recent pattern of high court decisions, all favoring businesses and arbitration over consumers and their right to sue in federal court. Why is arbitration more business-friendly and what does this ruling mean for the consumer? David breaks down the legal issues with a Supreme Court scholar.

 

Guests:

NOT CONFIRMED

Emily Bazelon, Slate senior editor

 

2:00 – 2:40
Ask the Chief
Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck had a busy fall contending with the Occupy LA demonstrations. The situation ended largely without incident, but Los Angeles officials soon had their hands full with an arson wave over the New Year’s holiday. Hundreds of extra firefighters and police officers were involved in the fires, and although the prime suspect is behind bars the investigation into the fires continues. And Chief Beck and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced yesterday the year-end results of the Los Angeles’ Gang Reduction and Youth Development program. Overall gang crime dropped 15% in 2011, which is nearly 850 fewer gang-related crimes than in 2010. The crime numbers reflect declining crime across L.A. County despite the struggling economy. Although crime may be down, a recent study published by the University of North Carolina-Charlotte says that 30.2 percent of young people will be arrested by age 23. And even if there are fewer crimes taking place, Los Angeles police may not know about them due to reports that most of the city’s downtown crime cameras have been non functional and off line for two years. Taking time out of his busy schedule, Chief Beck joins us for our regular Q&A on these issues and more.

 

Guest:

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck

IN STUDIO

 

2:40 – 3:00

Health policy expert Gary Taubes on why we get fat

You exercise, you diet, but you still get fat. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Many of us have heard that over one third of adults in the United States are obese, as documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but many of us do not know exactly why… why do we get fat? In his book “Why We Get Fat” health policy expert and author Gary Taubes answers this question by explaining the scientific causes of obesity. Taubes insists that obesity is widely attributable to a history of misleading nutritional science. The author shatters many conventional myths about human biology, diet, and exercise and explains how misinformation has been detrimental. Taubes emphasizes that our dietary choices are what primarily lead to obesity and that avoidance of weight-gain can be achieved by simply reevaluating how we approach nutritional choices. What method do you employ for losing weight? How successful have you or people in your life been at losing weight and keeping it off? How much do you truly understand about the scientific causes of obesity?

 

Guest:

Gary Taubes

 

 

Patt Morrison for Tuesday, January 10, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Tuesday, January 10, 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
Avatars in advertising – should it be legal to use your pictures to sell products to you?

Imagine walking down the street in 2014… you glance in a store window and there you are, smiling back at yourself from a digital ad in the window of a clothing shop – and in it you’re wearing the store’s latest sweater. Sound like sci-fi Minority Report territory? The technology necessary to use your online pictures to advertise to you isn’t quite here but some of the pieces are in place, and the theoretical practice is already raising a host of privacy concerns. Young people who make up “Generation Z” are largely less concerned about online privacy than older people. Social media sites like Facebook already have access to your photo albums – pictures of you in every conceivable situation from which to snag your visage and insert it into advertisements. And retailers are banking that when consumers see themselves using products in ads, they’ll be more likely to take those products home. Is this an invasion of privacy or a chance to see how you look in the latest fashions? Just who owns those pictures you post online, and should companies be able to use them to convince you to buy products and services?

UNCONFIRMED
Guest: John Abell, New York City bureau chief for Wired Magazine

2:06 – 2:30

Guide to Starting Fresh: How to Leave Financial Hardships Behind and Take Control of Your Financial Life

In the wake of the most devastating economic decline since the Great Depression, millions of homeowners have fallen behind on their mortgages, millions more have lost their homes to foreclosure, and countless Americans have lost employment and income. A reported 1.5 million Americans are filing for bankruptcy each year. Being traumatized by an extreme financial hardship can make life feel hopeless, but author Karen Blumenthal shows that recovery is possible in “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting Fresh: How to Leave Financial Hardships Behind and Take Control of Your Financial Life.” Blumenthal walks readers through the necessary steps to get back on track financially, including establishing a trusted set of advocates, repairing credit records, and budgeting for a sustainable future. What is the most difficult financial hardship that you have ever had to face and how did you deal with it? Call in with your questions.

 

Guest: Karen Blumenthal, writes the Getting Going personal finance column for The Wall Street Journal; author, “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting Your Financial Life” and “Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock,” as well as four nonfiction books for young people. Her latest book is “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting Fresh.”

 

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

Haterade: Does ‘commenting culture’ promote conversation or kill it?

“You are a vile, loathsome, despicable pig. Your stench permeates through the web,” wrote a commenter targeting columnist Meghan Daum. Such comments inspired Daum’s new essay “Haterade,” about how “commenting culture,” as she calls it, “infects the internet, inviting us not to ‘join the conversation’ so much as to join a fight — or at least gawk from the sidelines.” Daum examines the persistent unconstructive counter culture that appears to continuously flood the internet. According to Daum, haters “take the very privilege the internet has afforded all of us— the privilege of equal opportunity, instant expression—and spit on it, making the very notion of ‘speaking your mind’ seem almost like a dirty practice, the national pastime of the lowest common denominator.” Has the internet leveled the playing field so that anyone with access to a computer can join the conversation or has it unleashed an unproductive surge of hatred? How has the anonymity and immediacy of cyberspace influenced how we communicate? And has that blog invitation to ‘’join the conversation’’ become ``join the blog brawl’’?

 

Guests: Meghan Daum, L.A. Times columnist and author of “Haterade”

IN STUDIO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

Patt Morrison schedule for Monday, January 9, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, January 9, 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– 1:30

OPEN

 

1:30 – 2:00

What’s the Economy For, Anyway?

Is the point to have the largest GDP, or a healthy and happy society? What do Americans hold as their most powerful economic ideals—teamwork? Pragmatism? Equality? These are questions economists John de Graaf and David K. Batker set out to answer in their film and new book, What’s the Economy For, Anyway? De Graaf, who writes on overwork and overconsumption issues, and Batker, an environmental economist, challenge the U.S. reliance on the GDP as an indicator of progress, which they argue can run contrary to overall quality of life factors, as it did during the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, according to data analyzed by de Graaf in areas such as quality of life and health outcomes, the U.S. often under-performs, and not just against Western Europe, but poorer nations, too. Do you equate GDP with our national well-being? Are there other factors you consider to be more important?

 

Guest:

David Batker, director of Earth Economics, a non profit that provides ecologically-oriented economic analysis; he’s co-author with John de Graaf of What’s the Economy for Anyway? Why It’s Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness

CALL HIM

 

2:00 – 2:30
How women vote
White males have long been a bellwether when it comes to the perception of how America votes, but toss in the simple twist of gender and the situation becomes much more complicated… and nuanced. Research into the voting habits of women has provided some data that flies in the face of assumptions about voting. In fact, the lauded white male proves to be a far more fickle creature than expected once in the voting booth. Some of the research pins the shift on Ronald Reagan, whose hawkish stance and fiscal policies resonated with much of the white guy demographic, causing them to a shift to the political right while women stayed largely the same. Research has also indicated that when women shift their positions to one party or the other, men tend to follow suit, but in much more dramatically. So who’s moody now? What issues make women vote one way or the other? What can candidates do to court the female vote?

Guest: TBA

 

2:30 – 2:40

OPEN

 

2:40 – 3:00

Mystery in the jungle: Charlie Hood returns in T. Jefferson Parker’s “The Jaguar”

A Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter waits in a crumbling castle deep in a Yucatecan jungle, held hostage by the head of a powerful cartel. His demand? That she write him “the greatest narcocorrido of all time.” This is the plot of “The Jaguar,” the newest Charlie Hood novel from author T. Jefferson Parker and the third in his “Border Quartet.” Parker and his family spent time in Veracruz, Mexico, researching “The Jaguar”, and the novel roots itself in place as much as is the conflict caused by Mexico’s drug trade. Is “The Jaguar” truly “Scheherazade meets ‘No Country for Old Men,’ as Parker claims?  Join Patt as she chats with Parker and finds out.

 

PATT:  On Saturday, January 14^th, Mr. Parker is appearing at noon at Mysteries To Die For in Thousand Oaks  and at 4pm at Vroman’s Bookstore at All Saints Church in Pasadena.

 

Guests:

T. Jefferson Parker

IN STUDIO

Patt Morrison schedule for Friday, January 6, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, January 6, 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

Money, money, money: that’s what it takes to run for office and what many make when they get there

Nearly half of the members of Congress are millionaires. And according to recent articles published in The New York Times and The Washington Post, the median net worth for members of Congress in 2011 ($913,000) is over nine times the median net worth for the average American ($100,000). The New York Times reports that “the median net worth for Congress members jumped 15 percent between 2004 and 2010,” held steady for the richest 10 percent and dropped 8 percent for all other Americans. The wealth gap between members of Congress and the average American has some concerned about their ability to relate to the issues most citizens are grabbling with like unemployment, health care and the cost of education. Congress members make about $175,000, but seem to acquire wealth while in office. How does the office become lucrative for candidates and should it? Are Congress members too focused on their bottom line and not connected enough with the average American’s? Does a potential candidate have to have vast economic resources to run for office? Does our current political system make it impossible for a person of humble means to acquire a position in Congress?

 

Guests:

Daniel Newman, president & co-founder of MapLight; MapLight is a nonpartisan research organization the reveal money's influence on politics

UNCONFIRMED

Representative from the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit research group.

 

2:06 – 2:30

Access to porn in libraries: What’s the line between censorship and free speech?

Back in November, a homeless man at the public library in Laguna Beach was accused of touching himself in a not-so-appropriate way while looking at internet porn at the library. The fact that he even had access to porn in a known public institution focused on tenets of learning, reading and the inclusion of both children and adults came as a shock to some. Yet librarians, aware of protecting free-speech rights, have said they are obligated to provide internet access, even when the patron accesses porn. In the case of porn access at libraries, what constitutes free speech protection, and what constitutes censorship? In 2003, the Supreme Court upheld a law that public libraries receiving certain types of federal funding have the authority to filter out pornography and obscene material considered damaging to minors. Yet privacy filters may block out other content, such as access to websites with the words “breast cancer.” According to the American Library Association, librarians have the authority to intervene when patrons are viewing what may be deemed as inappropriate content by either tapping someone on the shoulder or making that person leave the library outright. Do you think librarians should take a more active role in limiting access to online content, including porn? What about the possible use of privacy screens, or a separate monitored room for adults?

 

Guests:

Eugene Volokh (VAH-luhk), law professor at UCLA School of Law specializing in free speech and criminal law

 

Barbara Jones, director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom

 

 

2:30 – 2:50

Midseason TV heats up this winter

Patt previews the new television offerings of 2012, and it’s an interesting mix, spanning everything from Broadway musicals to prison mysteries “Lost” producer J.J. Abrams, returns with another unusual series called “Alcatraz,” a suspense-filled drama about mysterious events that unfold on the infamous prison island. Dustin Hoffman stars in a new HBO drama called “Luck,” fashioned by “Deadwood” creator David Milch, about the world of horse racing. Fans of the Tom Hanks show “Bosom Buddies” will probably enjoy the new sitcom “Work It,” about two men who dress as women in order to remain employed. “Glee” fans might also appreciate Steven Spielberg’s “Smash,” which follows the cast and crew of a fictional Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe. Other new shows that appear to be gaining traction are “Awake,” “Touch,” and Showtime’s “House of Lies.” What new shows are you most looking forward to watching? How do you rate the 2011-2012 TV season overall?

 

Guests:

Robert Thompson, trustee professor of Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, where he is also the founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture

 

2:50:00 – 2:58:30

“Downton Abbey” returns to PBS for season 2

Although not new, “Downton Abbey,” one of the most critically acclaimed shows on television, returns with its second season premier this Sunday. The PBS British period drama follows the staff and inhabitants of the country house Downton Abbey and has been compared to series like “Upstairs, Downstairs.” Americans kicked out King George III, so why do we love all that lord and lady stuff? PBS is hoping the show will attract new viewers and “re-brand” public television a bit more like the top-tier programming on commercial channels like HBO and Showtime. Why are American audiences so enthralled with shows about class relations and why, with the exception of films like “The Help,” don’t you see more of that in American pop culture?

 

NOT CONFIRMED

Julian Fellowes, creator and writer, “Downton Abbey”

 

or

 

David Schmid, associate professor of English at the University of Buffalo, where he teaches Cultural Studies, Popular Culture, 20th Century and Contemporary British and American Fiction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

Patt Morrison schedule for Thursday, January 5, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, January 5, 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

Ask your Congress member: Rep. Xavier Becerra talks to his constituents

Patt kicks off a mini-series checking in with some of our local congress members before they head back to work in Washington D.C. Today she welcomes Rep. Xavier Becerra, the Democratic Congressman representing California’s 31st District, to the show. Perhaps most recently known as one of six Democrats appointed to the supercommittee on deficit reduction, Patt checks in on what comes next after the committee’s failure to reach a consensus as well as how his party can work more effectively with Republicans. Can a budget deal be worked out where the size and scope of government will be cut back in exchange for higher taxes on rich Americans? And with all the political rancor, lack of bipartisan cooperation, and record-low approval ratings, is it possible to get anything done in Congress during an election year? Has the political gridlock gotten any better? Patt covers everything from the one year anniversary of the shooting of his colleague, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to reports on the widening wealth gap between members of Congress and the people they represent (half of congress members are millionaires). Call in with your questions, too.

 

Guests:

Rep. Xavier Becerra, Democrat representing the 31st Congressional District of California, which includes parts of central and northeast Los Angeles; he’s vice-chair of the House Democratic Caucus and a member of the Ways and Means and Budget committees

2:06 – 2:30

TSA PreCheck comes to Southern California: Faster airport check-in, but at what privacy cost?                                                                                                                 

Imagine sailing through airport check-in with no hassle. Exciting! In return, though, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)is allowed to perform a background check on you and gather personal information. TSA’s PreCheck system is a voluntary passenger pre-screening pilot initiative implemented last October in cooperation with Delta and American Airlines in several airports around the country: Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas, Miami and recently Las Vegas. PreCheck is now expanding to Southern California. Expected to launch in a few weeks, the system will specifically expand to Los Angeles International Airport’s American Airlines hub at Terminal 4. The TSA’s PreCheck background check includes information about the passenger’s flying habits and payment types. Approved PreCheck passengers are able to keep their shoes and belts on during check-in, leave laptops and zip-locked liquids in their carry-on bags and walk through a separate security path. Do you think giving the government detailed personal information is a fair trade off for quick access to a hassle-free experience at the airport? Should this option be available to all flyers or only those who fly frequently? Do you think the current screening system is effective?

 

Guests:

Charlie Leocha, director, Consumer Travel Alliance

 

UNCONFIRMED GUESTS

Nico Melendez, spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration

 

TBA, Representative from ACLU

 

 

2:30 – 2:39 OPEN

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers surprising ancestry of famous Americans

When Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was famously arrested by Sgt. James Crowley in 2009 after allegedly breaking into his own home, no one would have guessed that the two men were actually distant cousins and share a bloodline that dates back to 450 A.D. This surprising fact was discovered after the two men made amends at the so-called “beer summit” President Obama held at The White House and is an example of the type of discoveries uncovered in a new PBS miniseries called “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” The 10-part series, hosted by Gates, explores the surprising ancestry of notable individuals such as Harry Connick, Jr., Barbara Walters and Condoleezza Rice. Gates works closely with leading U.S. historians and genealogists to investigate and analyze the fascinating ancestral history of prominent Americans. How would you react if you discovered that you were related to someone who discriminated against you? How much have race relations improved, if at all, since the “beer summit” and President Obama’s 2008 election? How can we benefit from learning more about our genealogical and ancestral history?

 

Guests:

Henry Louis Gates, Alphonse Fletcher Professor at Harvard University, where he is director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research; He is also the host of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, which airs Sunday, March 28^th at 8 pm

ON TAPE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison

 

Patt Morrison schedule for Wednesday, January 4, 2012

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, January 4, 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

Confused about the new health care law? Comic book explains all

If you can’t figure out what the health care overhaul is all about, there’s a comic book—er, graphic novel—to make it all clear. In a new approach for the masses, Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economics professor who was intimately involved in the crafting of Governor Mitt Romney’s universal health care plan in Massachusetts and again in President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), distills the seemingly complex changes to the health care system into basic comic strip form. Got a question about the health care phased-in mandates, prohibitions on screening for pre-conditions or which standard insurance coverage level to choose? Call and ask, but don't expect any superheroes or villains in this strip. Gruber hopes the straightforward book "Health Care Reform: What It Is, Why It's Necessary, How it Works," will better explain the law—even as repeal efforts continue in the Supreme Court. And who knows, maybe the justices will even read it as they sit in judgment?

Guests:

Jonathan Gruber, MIT Professor and paid consultant to both the Romney and Obama Administrations on health care reform; author of "Health Care Reform: What It Is, Why It's Necessary, How it Works"

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

Stalled economy fosters creative criminality and theft of some strange loot

Crafty criminals are casting a wider net: Farm league criminals may be partial to convenience stores, but the economic downturn has inspired some enterprising thieves to widen the scope of their illegal endeavors… in some cases to actual farms. Items now being targeted by thieves have recently included hogs, dogs, brass and coupons. With pork prices at an all-time high and designer dogs in a lot of backyards, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that these items have turned up missing. Other criminals are casting an even wider net to make some cool cash. Brass rings from inside fire hydrants can fetch $15 a piece at the scrap yard, and thrifty thieves have even resorted to stealing coupon inserts right out of peoples’ mailboxes. Another peculiar item on the list of criminals’ top ten is human hair. (Yuck.) Human hair is frequently imported from Malaysia and India to be used for pricey weaves, wigs and extensions.  The market for hot locks is more lucrative than one would believe – one hair heist netted the perps around $70K to $90K of hair. Are Tony Soprano and Co. diversifying?

 

How do you target criminals when they’re stealing everything? Is anything safe? What can law enforcement about it?

 

Guest:

Brad Tuttle, covers personal finance, travel and parenting, among other topics for TIME’s Moneyland

2:30 – 2:58:30

A Safeway in Arizona: What the Gabrielle Giffords Shooting Tells Us About the Grand Canyon State and Life in America

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was sitting at a table greeting constituents in front of Safeway one year ago, when a man walked up, shot her in the head, and then killed six bystanders, including a federal judge and a little girl. What happened and what’s happened since that shooting at a Safeway? Award-winning author, investigative journalist, and former Giffords campaign staff member Tom Zoellner examines the terrible events that took place and the socio-economic factors that may have perpetuated  the twenty two-year-old shooter Jared Lee Loughner to commit mass murder. Zoellner, a fifth generation Arizonan, reflects on how the political climate and state of affairs in Arizona, including its immigration policies, economic problems, and the accessibility of guns are representative of the problems in greater America. How might the contentious socio-economic environment in Arizona have influenced Loughner’s violent actions? What other issues might have lead to the tragic incident in January of 2011? What more can be done to help people like Loughner before they become violent?

 

Guests:

Tom Zoellner, author of “A Safeway in Arizona: What the Gabrielle Giffords Shooting Tells Us About the Grand Canyon State and Life in America”

Via ISDN

THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY IS THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Osen

Southern California Public Radio - 89.3 KPCC

626-583-5173 / 626-483-5278

losen@scpr.org @Patt_Morrison