As heard on July 23-27, 2001 on AirTalk
Monday, July 23
Steganography
Hidden messages within a message-it's a practice that dates back to ancient Greece and was used in early World War II hiding sensitive information in seemingly innocuous
communication. With the Internet, steganography has advanced light years. Larry Mantle speaks with the Associate Director from the Center for Secure Information Systems at George
Mason University, Dr. Neil Johnson, and FBI Special Agent Ken Maguire about messages hidden in digitized pictures and audio files, their applications, and more.
Gossip
Printed gossip has been popular since the days yellow journalism, but more and more, gossip is becoming a mainstay of the mainstream media-newspapers, and television news often
present the foibles of political figures and stars as top stories of the day. Why do we love to gossip, and is it okay to give in to this very human, but very destructive urge? Larry Mantle
talks with USC evolutionary psychologist Irving Biederman and MSNBC gossip columnist Jeannette Walls.
Tuesday, July 24
The 75th Anniversary Of Route 66
The road of dreamers, ramblers, drifters, and writers is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Larry Mantle talks with Route 66 historians and scholars about the legendary highway that
connects Chicago with Los Angeles. Guests include: Michael Wallis, author of Route 66: The Mother Road (St. Martins Press); David Knudson, President and founder of the National
Historic Route 66 Federation in Tujunga; and Chick Kirk, President of the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville.
Jelly Roll Morton
Larry Mantle discusses the life and work of Jelly Roll Morton with author and Professor Phil Pastras. In his new book,
Dead Man Blues: Jelly Roll Morton Way Out West (University of California Press), Pastras chronicles the time that
Morton spent on the West Coast, as well as Morton's artistic and personal development.
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Wednesday, July 25
Living Organ Donor Transplantation
Larry Mantle talks with two experts in the field of living organ donor transplantation, Dr. Robert Mendez, Professor of
Urology and Surgery at USC School of Medicine and President of National Institute of Transplantation, and Dr. Ronald
Busittil, Dumont Professor of Transplantation and Surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine. They address the latest medical
technology surrounding organ donation, the ethics of live organ donation, and the issues both medical and ethical involved
with the creation of "transgenic" animals, genetically altered to provide organs for humans. Also, they take a look at
global organ donation policies around the world.
Science News
Larry Mantle discusses the latest science news with the editor of Skeptic Magazine and columnist for Scientific American Michael Shermer. Topics include: Stem
Cell Research, Science After the Genome, Alternative Genetic Codes, What Is a Clone?, Global Warming, and the Discovery of a Quasar 25 Billion Light Years Away.
Thursday, July 26
CityBeat With Newtimes L.A. Columnist Jill Stewart
Los Angeles Cable Competion
Early this week, the Los Angeles City Council approved plans by a Denver based cable company to wire the city of Los Angeles. Will the added competition improve Los Angeles' cable
television, high-speed internet access, and telephone service? Larry Mantle poses these questions and more to L.A. City Councilman Alex Padilla, the Southern California Regional Vice
President of Adelphia Communications Bill Rosendahl, and President of Western Integrated Networks Frank Casazza.
Travel
Larry Mantle talks with KPCC travel experts and columnist for Westways magazine Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman Lasley about a variety of travel issues including family travel
trends such as "adventure" vacations with kids, also, a discussion on why we travel, what do people gain from travelling, among others.
Friday, July 27
Statistics and Social Issues
How does one spot faulty statistics? Larry Mantle discusses how statistics shape our thinking about social issues with author of Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from
the Media, Politicians, and Activists (University of California Press) Joel Best. His book highlights many contemporary issues such as abortion, cyberporn, homelessness and the U.S.
census, among others, and the ways to detect the correct or incorrect numbers behind them.
FilmWeek
Larry Mantle together with critics F.X. Feeney of the L.A. Weekly and Jean Oppenheimer of New Times L.A. discuss the week's latest film and video releases. This week's
selections include: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Planet of the Apes, Jackpot, and Greenfingers.
