November 22 - 26, 2004
Monday, Nov. 22
Elections in Iraq
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Twenty nations are meeting right now in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el Sheik to discuss the upcoming Iraqi general election, as well as the ongoing battle against the insurgency in Iraq. The general election in Iraq is scheduled for January 30th. The UN will monitor the election, which is expected to draw increasing violence and boycotts from various political groups. Basam Alhussaini, spokesman of the Iraqi-American Council and coordinator for the future of Iraq group in California, and Hal Kempfer, a military analyst for ABC 7 News and a Reserve Marine Lt. Colonel, join Larry to discuss how the election in Iraq might unfold.
Intelligence Reform Bill Blocked
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Two Republican members of the House, Representatives Duncan Hunter and F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., blocked passage of the Intelligence Reform Bill on Saturday. It’s unclear whether or not the bill will come up again by years end. The bill would have created a single director to manage U.S. intelligence agencies. Patrick Morgan, Professor of Political Science and holder of the Tierney Chair if Peace and Conflict Studies at UC Irvine, joins Larry to discuss what it all means.
Federal Indictments Against Former Southgate Treasurer Albert Robles
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A federal grand jury on Friday charged Albert Robles with thirty-nine counts of money laundering, bribery and more, allegedly costing the City of Southgate $12 million and leaving it in financial straits. Mr. Robles was recalled in 2003. Sam Quinones, reporter with the LA Times and author of True Tales from Another Mexico, Henry Gonzalez, Mayor of Southgate and mentor to Albert Robles, and Hector de la Torre, councilman for the City of Southgate, join Larry to discuss public reaction to the latest turn of events.
Is Iran Next?
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Larry Mantle talks with James Fallows of the Atlantic Monthly about Iran and his cover story this month, “Will Iran Be Next?”
NBA Incident During Friday's Pacer-Piston Game
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Larry Mantle talks with Jack McCallum, senior writer for Sports Illustrated, and Mike Bresnahan, Laker Beat writer for the LA Times, about the most violent incident in NBA history that ended with the Pacer’s Ron Artest being suspended for the rest of the season, and 2 other of his teammates being suspended until January.
Tuesday, Nov. 23
President Bush’s Proposed Guest Worker Program
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President Bush is working towards giving temporary work permits to millions of immigrants who have come to the US seeking work. Bush has made it a priority to pass immigration reform in his second term, committing to his proposed temporary worker plan in a meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox. He will have to deal with Congress, which has varying perspectives on the guest worker idea. Experts Thomas Tancredo, Republican Congressman from Colorado’s sixth congressional district, and Jeff Flake, Republican Congressman for Arizona’s sixth congressional district join Larry to discuss the issue.
The Tax-By-Mile Plan
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The newly appointed Director of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles supports eliminating the gas tax and replacing it with a tax-by-mile program. Such a change could bring in more revenue to the state, but may eliminate an incentive for California drivers to buy fuel-efficient cars. Experts Dan Sperling, Professor of Engineering and Environmental Policy, and Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, and David Forkenbrock, Director of the University of Iowa’s Public Policy Center join Host Larry Mantle to discuss the controversial proposal.
Oil-For-Food Scandal
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A Senate panel has found that the amount of corruption that occurred within the United Nation's oil-for-food program with Iraq was much bigger than originally thought. Over two hundred individuals and groups have been accused of taking kickbacks, including a UN official. This has fueled speculation that the program was corrupt at the core. In an effort to maintain its integrity, the United Nations has begun an internal investigation of the allegations. Edward Mortimer, advisor to Kofi Annan, and Mark Blitz, chair of the Claremont McKenna College Government Department, join host Larry Mantle to discuss the issue.
ESPN: Creating An Empire
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Larry Mantle talks with Stuart Evey, the man responsible for the launch of ESPN in the late 1970s. His new book is called Creating an Empire: The No-Holds Barred Story of Power, Ego, Money, and Vision that Transformed a Culture.
Wednesday, Nov. 24
King/Drew Trauma Unit Closure
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Larry Mantle discusses the vote by the L.A. County Supervisors to close the trauma unit at Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center, with the provision of saving the rest of the hospital now, and reopening the trauma unit later. He is joined by LA County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Yvonne Burke.
Orange County News
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Larry Mantle talks with Orange County journalists Chris Reed, Orange County Register op-ed column editor, Jean Pasco, Los Angeles Times staff writer and Gustavo Arellano, Staff Writer for the OC Weekly, about the latest news events and developments in Orange County.
The Insurgency in Iraq
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Who are the “insurgents” in Iraq, what are their numbers, and how big a threat are they to peace in the region? Larry Mantle talks with Hal Kempfer, Lt. Colonel in the USMC Reserves and a commentator and military analyst for ABC 7 news, and Larry Goodson, PhD., Professor of Middle East Studies at the Army War College, about the nature of Iraq’s insurgency.
John Leland: The History of "Hip"
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Author, pop culture expert and New York Times reporter John Leland joins Larry to talk about his new book, Hip: The History (Ecco/HarperCollins). Leland traces the African origins of the term “hip,” and discusses American hipsters such as Walt Whitman, Al Jolson, Muhammad Ali, Miles Davis, Elvis and even Bugs Bunny.
Thursday, Nov. 25
A Thanksgiving Tradition: The 2004 Third Coast Festival Broadcast
Chosen from more than hundreds of entries from around the world, these programs represent some of the best documentary work being produced today. As part of a new, public radio tradition, many stations air the Third Coast Festival Broadcast on Thanksgiving weekend. The stories, sounds, and voices in the Festival broadcast are a great companion during long holiday weekends, and celebrate the best that public radio has to offer.
This year’s host is five-time Peabody Award-winning producer Jay Allison. In the 2004 TCF Broadcast, Jay Allison will present the festival’s winning work, including the gold award for Best Documentary, Best New Artist, Radio Impact and Lifetime Achievement awards. The program will also feature interviews with the honorees, who will give listeners a peek behind the scenes into the making of their winning work. Other highlights include a retrospective look at the year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner (TBA) and excerpts from the emotion-packed awards ceremony held in Chicago this fall. This two-hour special is produced by Ben Shapiro for the Third Coast Festival and Public Radio International.
Friday, Nov. 26
A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution
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World-renowned biologist Richard Dawkins joins Larry Mantle to discuss his most comprehensive book on evolution yet. The Ancestors Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution (Houghton Mifflin), based loosely on the Canterbury Tales, takes us back in time from today’s vast diversity to the first bacterium, shedding light on the most compelling aspects of evolutionary history and theory.
John James Audubon and the Making of the Birds of America
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John James Audubon, renowned for his knowledge of the American wilderness was equally adept at the quintessential American activity of self-invention. After unsuccessful attempts at various professions, his passion for hunting ---and for making life-size, realistically posed paintings of the animals he shot --- led to the creation of his magnum opus, The Birds of America. Joining Larry Mantle to talk about Audubon’s life and work is William Souder, author of Under a Wild Sky: John James Audubon and the Making of The Birds of America (North Point Press).
FilmWeek
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Larry Mantle and critics
Andy Klein, film editor and chief critic of both
CityBeat and ValleyBeat,
and Scott Foundas of Variety
discuss this week's new film releases, including Alexander, Christmas With the Kranks, A Fond Kiss,
A Very Long Engagement, Straight-Jacket, Easy, and
Guerilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
