May 26 - 30, 2008
Monday, May 26
Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food
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In his new book Farm Sanctuary, animal rights activist Gene Baur examines the real cost of the meat on our plates, for both humans and animals alike. Baur provides a thought provoking investigation of the ethical questions involved in the production of beef, poultry, pork, milk and eggs - and what people can do to stop the mistreatment of farm animals and promote compassion.
Along the Gold Rush Trail
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In 1849, news of the discovery of gold in California triggered an enormous wave of emigration toward the Pacific. Lured by the promise of great wealth, thousands of settlers left the forests, rain, and fertile soil of the eastern United States behind in favor of the rough-hewn lands of the American West. In his new book Hard Road West, author Keith Meldahl takes readers along the 2,000-mile California Trail.
Developing Your Child's Strengths
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In her book, Your Child's Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them (Viking), Jennifer Fox takes a look at American education and creates a template for helping children excel. She shows parents and teachers how to identify children's strengths based on actions. The idea, she explains, is to help kids feel engaged and valued. Larry talks with Fox about her ideas on education.
Surfwise
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The story of legendary surfer Dr. Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, his wife Juliette, and their nine children is chronicled in the new documentary, Surfwise. The Paskowitz kids were home-schooled on the beaches of Southern California, Hawaii, Mexico and Israel. They surfed every day, and adhered to a strict diet and lifestyle of animals in the wild, by their passionate and demanding, health-conscious father. Larry talks with the film's director and one of the Paskowitz children.
Tuesday, May 27
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Lands
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NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has
successfully landed near Mars' north pole for a 90-day digging
mission. The polygon-cracked terrain under the Phoenix Mars Lander is believed to hold a reservoir of ice beneath. Phoenix joins the twin rovers on the Martian surface, which have
been exploring the equatorial plains since 2004. Larry Mantle talks to Doug Adams, a member of Nasa's entry-landing team.
Sydney Pollack Succumbs to Cancer
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Academy Award-winning director Sydney Pollack died of cancer at the age of 73. Larry Mantle talks to film critics Peter Rainer and Wade Major about his prolific career and about his legacy.
Propositions 98 & 99
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There will only be two propositions on the statewide ballot June 3. Both deal with the issue of eminent domain. Prop. 98 would greatly reduce government's power to seize private property in order to transfer it to a private party and would also phase out rent control. Its rival, Prop. 99, would provide limited restrictions on government's ability to takeover single-family homes, including condos, for transfer to another private party. Larry and his guests discuss the differences between the two measures.
China Update
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Larry talks to Michael Oko from the American Red Cross for latest news on relief efforts to China's earthquake victims.
Student Loan Availability Crisis
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The U.S. Department of Education created a "lender of last resort" program in an attempt to circumvent a student loan crisis. With the credit market in turmoil, even top lender Sallie Mae threatened to cut its student loans. But under the new plan, the federal government will buy loans from lenders and double the number of loans it writes. Larry Mantle talks about the plan with Robert Shireman, Executive Director of The Institute for College Access and Success, and Los Angeles Times business writer Kathy Kristof.
Jazz Vocalist Ernie Andrews
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Larry talks with jazz vocalist Ernie Andrews about his long career and his upcoming appearance at the Playboy Jazz Festival Community Concert this Sunday, June 1st at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills.
Wednesday, May 28
AFTRA Deal
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A tentative 3-year prime-time television contract was reached early this morning between AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The agreement establishes higher fees for downloaded content and residual payments for ad-supported streams and clips. It also preserves the actors' right of consent to online use of clips containing their images or voice. Larry and his guests Roberta Reardon, President of AFTRA, Jesse Hiestand, Spokesman Ror AMPTP, and Richard Verrier, staff writer for the L.A. Times discuss the contract which, if approved by the union's board and membership, will to into effect on July 1st and last through June 2011.
Lead Exposure And Violent Crime
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A new study shows there is a correlation between lead in the blood and a life of crime. In the first study of its kind, Cincinnati researchers tracked before-birth lead levels through adulthood. They found even low levels of lead caused permanent brain damage that was tied to crime, particularly violent crime. Critics of similar research have pointed to myriad outside factors that could contribute to crime, including social and economic surroundings. More than three-hundred-thousand children in the U.S. under the age of five have high levels of lead in their blood. Larry talks with the study's lead author Kim Dietrich, Ph.D.
Harry Reid: In His Own Words
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat from Nevada, joins Larry to talk about his career and new book "The Good Fight: Hard Lessons from Searchlight to Washington." Senator Reid talks about his humble beginnings in Searchlight, Nevada, and his life in DC, as well as the current challenges facing the Democratic Party in this election year.
How Randomness Rules Our Lives
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Do you think you are in charge of your own destiny? Caltech scientist Leonard Mlodinow says our successes and failures are profoundly influenced by chance. Mlodinow talks with Larry about his new book, "The Drunkard's Walk," which describes a new way of looking at the world and how we can make decisions based on a deeper truth.
Thursday, May 29
Against Their Will
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San Diego County is planning to let county officials with moral or religious objections to gay marriage to opt out of performing same-sex marriage ceremonies while the California Supreme Court looked poised to rule that doctors do not have the constitutional right to refuse treatment to gays on the grounds that it would violate their moral or religious beliefs. Larry Mantle opens the phones to hear from listeners on the subject of requiring officials and physicians to provide gays with equal access to marriage and medical procedures.
Solving The Delegate Dilemma
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The DNC's Rules and
Bylaws panel meets Saturday to figure out what to do with the Florida and Michigan delegates to the Democratic Convention. The DNC could decide to send half the delegates to the convention, but how would they decide which half to seat? Another solution is to seat all the delegates with half a vote. But how should those votes be split between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama? Larry takes calls from listeners about how to divide the delegates between the Democratic candidates.
The Risks Of BPA In Plastics
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Most food in supermarkets is packaged in some form of plastic. But recent studies show that the chemical bisphenol-A, or "BPA," which is used in hard plastics, may be dangerous for babies and small children. There is evidence that the chemical can serve as an "endocrine disrupter" possibly causing harm to the reproductive system. Other studies suggest a link between BPA and developmental problems in children, and even cancer. How concerned should parents and consumers be? Larry Mantle talks with L.A. Times Environmental reporter, Marla Cone.
Scott McClellan's Allegations
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Larry Mantle talks with NBC political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe and takes listener calls about former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's new book that alleges that top officials in the Bush Administration deceived the American public.
Diplomacy Lessons Learned In The Israeli Government
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Political writer Gregory Levey has had an unusual vantage point on Israeli politics. At age 25 he stumbled into a job as speechwriter for the Israeli delegation to the UN and found himself among foreign ministers, U.S. senators, and heads of state. His professional life took an even more unexpected path when he was transferred to Jerusalem to write speeches for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Larry talks with Levey about his new memoir, "Shut Up, I'm Talking and Other Diplomacy Lessons I Learned in the Israeli Government," which details his three year journey into the nerve center of Middle Eastern politics at one of the most turbulent times in Israeli history.
Friday, May 30
Prison Health Care On The Line
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For the second time this week, the state Senate on Thursday rejected a $7 billion borrowing plan to provide better health care for prison inmates. J. Clark Kelso, the receiver appointed by a federal court to oversee inmate health care, threatened to take the money directly from the state treasury. Doing so would cut into other state services at a time the state is facing a $15.2 billion budget deficit. The spending proposal fell three votes short of the two-thirds majority it needed to pass. The vote was 24-15. Larry talks with State Sentor Dick Ackerman, State Senator Darrell Steinberg, and Don Specter, Director of the Prison Law Office.
Organ Donation Controversy at UCLA
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UCLA Medical Center provided a liver transplant to a Japanese gang boss, and transplants to three others barred now from entering the U.S. because of their criminal activity. Larry talks with Charles Ornstein, co-author of the Los Angeles Times' investigative report, Tom Mone, chief executive of OneLegacy, the non-profit federally designated Organ Procurement Organization,and ethicist Arthur Caplan from the University of Pennsylvania about this revelation and its affects on organ donation.
Lakers
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Larry talks with Jack McCallum, senior writer with Sports Illustrated about the Lakers big win that sends them to the NBA finals.
Dustin Hoffman
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Larry talks with Academy Award winning actor Dustin Hoffman about his role as Honorary Chairman of The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Silent Film Gala, which takes place tomorrow, May 31st, at 8:00 p.m. at UCLA's Royce Hall, and about his career in Hollywood.
FilmWeek Reviews
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Larry and critics Peter Rainer, of The Christian Science Monitor and Jean Oppenheimer, of Village Voice Media, review some of the week's new feature films including "Sex and the City," "Chop Shop," and "The Edge of Heaven" as well as the documentary "Hollywood Chinese."
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