The Madeleine Brand Show for May 25, 2012
When Fidel Castro waged his rebellion, he initially had only a small band of fighters by his side. But as the rebellion went on, more joined ... including one American, William Alexander Morgan. And Universal Studios Hollywood debuts its new Transformers ride today. Many say that it marks the start of the annual theme park battle for visitors, but are there higher costs? And catch this weekend's must-see events with Weekend Alibi and get the latest tips on dinner party conversation starters with Rico Gagliano and Brendan Newnam, hosts of the Dinner Party Download.
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Recently on The Madeleine Brand Show
The Madeleine Brand Show for May 24, 2012
This Sunday, San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge turns 75. Madeleine talks to 90 year old Mack Collings, who was there to see its opening. In the wake of the presidential elections in Egypt, the country's Coptic Christians are concerned about religious intolerance and discrimination. And, California horse racing is having a successful year, the 3-year-old colt I'll Have Another could be the first horse since 1978 to grab the Triple Crown. But his Santa Monica based trainer is facing scrutiny for allegedly giving his horses performance enhancing drugs. And we get the latest tech news from John Moe, host of the Marketplace Tech Report, and talk sports with Randy and Jason Sklar, hosts of the Sklarbro Country podcast.
The Madeleine Brand Show for May 23, 2012
In the new book, "Anne Frank's Family: The Extraordinary Story of Where She Came From," we learn more about the Frank family. The Rodney Dangerfield of L.A. sports teams finally get some respect — the Kings make it to the Stanley Cup finals. Also, not so many likes for the Facebook IPO. What went wrong? This month, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is showcasing LA hip-hop talent in a new concert series. LACMA is hoping the shows will bring in younger museum patrons. And Luke Burbank stops by for his weekly look at what's awesome and what's not.
The Madeleine Brand Show for May 22, 2012
What's next for the Lakers? A 106-90 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday marked another second-round playoff defeat. Is a major shake-up the cure? The idea of knowing intuitively someone's sexual orientation, commonly called "gaydar," is usually dismissed by most people — but a new report from the University of Washington says it could be real. Joel Tanenbaum made headlines after the Boston University grad student was ordered to pay more than $600,000 for illegally downloading music. Madeleine talks to Joel about the judgement and what will be next. And Ann Powers is back with two debut albums for New Music Tuesday.
The Madeleine Brand Show for May 21, 2012
Yesterday, Orange County law enforcement made a very strange discovery near the coast of Dana Point: large bales of marijuana, and lots of it. Officials report that more than 7,000 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated value of more than $3 million, were just floating in the water, with no explanation as to why. KPCC's Sanden Totten and Josie Huang have the story. Writer Lou Beach has made a name for himself by creating short stories and posting them on his Facebook status updates. But there was one condition, every story must be limited to 420 characters. Plus, the well worn phrase "crazy cat lady" might finally have some scientific validation. Madeleine talks to Kathleen McAuliffe, who wrote about a parasite found in cats that may alters brain circuits ... of humans.
The Madeleine Brand Show for May 18, 2012
Facebook goes public and the frenzy begins. According to CNBC, 82 million shares were traded in the first 30 seconds after a hoodie-wearing Mark Zuckerberg rang the NASDAQ's opening bell. And just a few miles north of Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, a once storied and high-flying start-up is now struggling. Next week Hewlett-Packard is expected to announce massive layoffs. Also, the Dinner Party Download guys are back to discuss chocolate pyramids, America's top book loving cities, and how coffee keeps you alive. Finally, Madeleine talks to Anne-Marie O'Connor, the author of the book "The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, 'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.'"
The Madeleine Brand Show for May 17, 2012
The perjury trial of former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens is going into its fifth week. But while the trial drags on, the jury was recently allowed a rare experience — the presiding judge is allowing them to ask the witnesses questions. And the idea of knowing intuitively someone's sexual orientation, commonly called "gaydar," is usually dismissed by most people. But is it actually real? A new study from the University of Washington sheds some light on the idea. Plus, we talk tech with Dan Ackerman, senior editor at CNET.com, and take on the big sports stories of the day with Randy and Jason Sklar.
