|
June 12 - 16, 2006
Monday, June 12
Trouble at the Gringo Gazette
(Listen)
Thinking about investing in real estate south of the border? Be sure to read the Gringo Gazette first. Nancy Conroy, USC graduate and publisher of the twice-monthly newspaper, has been writing a series of investigative articles detailing the shady business practices of developers in Mexico - flimsy contracts, stolen deposits and other hazards that have endangered Americans racing to grab a piece of heaven. Developers are fighting back. Condon faces up to 2 years in prison and civil damages of as much as $20 million. She calls their actions a move to silence the press. Patt takes a look at the two issues this case brings up - just how safe is it for Americans to buy property in Mexico and what is the state of press freedom in that country? Also joining the conversation is Patrick Osio, Jr., columnist for the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine and Luis Botello, Director of the Latin America Programs for the International Center for Journalists.
Upcoming Mexican Elections
(Listen)
Early next month Mexicans will head the polls to choose a new president. This will be the first election since Vicente Fox's historic victory six years ago symbolizing a turning point in Mexican politics and an end to one party rule. Chris Hawley, Mexico City Correspondent for Arizona Republic, joins Patt with the latest from the capitol along with Adrian Maldonado, Founder and Treasurer, Federacion Nacional e Internacional de Nayaritas en USA
, and Carol Wise, Professor of International Relations at University of Southern California.
Tuesday, June 13
South Central Farmers Evicted
(Listen)
LA Country Sheriff's deputies have arrested dozens of farmers and supporters from the South Central Farm today, enforcing an eviction order issued by a court at the request of the property owner. The Trust for Public Land has been trying to raise the $16.3 million needed to buy the land from the owner. Patt hears the background of the farm and the latest on the eviction from KPCC reporters John Rabe and Frank Stolze. Also joining the conversation is Dan Stormer, lawyer for the farmers, as well as Kerri Webb from the LA County Sheriffs Department to talk about the aftermath of today's eviction.
Antidepressants Linked to Suicide Risk or Not?
(Listen)
Medication is the most popular treatment for depression disorders which affect millions of Americans during their lifetime. In 2005, American doctors wrote an astounding 29.6 million prescriptions for Zoloft, the highest-selling antidepressant. More than a handful of people should therefore be taking note of the latest research published by UCLA, suggesting that the link between another popular antidepressant, Prozac, and suicide is not alarming as many studies to date have found. Dr. Julio Licinio joins Patt to talk about the study he led. Dr. Syed Naqvi, Director of Pediatric Psychopharmacology clinic at Cedars Sinai, talks about some of the caution society should take with this form of medication.
Wednesday, June 14
Access to Guantanamo Denied
(Listen)
In the aftermath of three suicides at Guantanamo prison in Cuba, reporters from the Los Angeles Times and the Miami Herald were ordered by the office of Donald Rumsfeld to leave the island today. Carol Williams, the LA Times reporter who traveled on military transport from Gitmo to the U.S. this morning, joins Patt from her office in Miami with the story behind their removal.
Farm Update
(Listen)
More than 40 protesters were arrested yesterday as LA County sheriffs shut down the 14-acre South Central Farm. What might happen next? KPCC reporter Frank Stoltze joins Patt with an update on the latest developments.
Steinbeck Kin Win Rights to Books
(Listen)
A federal judge ruled in favor of a son and a granddaughter of author John Steinbeck in a legal battle over the rights to some of his first books. The ruling stated that copyright laws were written with the flexibility to accommodate authors such as Steinbeck, who couldn't have predicted when he wrote his first book in 1929 how valuable his works would become. According to the judge, the law permits authors or their heirs to terminate contracts and renegotiate deals. Patt speaks with the Mark Lee, attorney for Thomas Steinbeck and Blake Smyle, and Jonathan Kirsch, publishing and intellectual property attorney here in Los Angeles, about the case.
35th Anniversary of the Pentagon Papers
(Listen)
Thirty-five years ago, the New York Times published the Pentagon papers. With a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court sharply limiting the rights of whistleblowers, Daniel Ellsberg, the man who leaked the Pentagon papers, joins Patt to talk about whistleblowers and civil liberties in this day and age.
World Cup Fever
(Listen)
Even as soccer moms are gaining clout as a political force, the sport has yet to catch on as a commercial interest in this country. With a strong U.S. team at the World Cup (despite their first loss), will the sport ever have the same commercial success stateside as football and basketball? Sports commentator Ron Rapaport joins Patt to discuss what success soccer has made in the U.S. and where it has fallen short. Also joining the conversation is Steven Cohen, co-host of the radio show World Soccer Weekly.
Thursday, June 15
The Mayor Gets a Call
(Listen)
Mayor Villaraigosa's ambitious plan to take control of the Los Angeles Unified School District is in danger of collapsing in the Legislature, warned Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez in a phone call to him today. The proposed takeover's future is so shaky that the plan will fall apart unless the mayor makes a lobbying trip to Sacramento next week to personally pressure legislators and interest groups. Steve Maviglio, deputy chief of staff for Speaker Nunez, joins us from Sacramento.
Delgadillo Files Suit Against Property Owners
(Listen)
The LA City Attorney has accused landlords of pushing out rent-control tenants so that their units could be upgraded and rented at much higher rates. The suit comes as city officials are dealing with fallout from gentrification that is spreading through neighborhoods across the city. Patt is joined in discussion of the issues by Rocky Delgadillo, City Attorney; Harold Greenberg, attorney and past president of the Apartment Association of Greater LA; and Raphael Bostic, professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
The Disposable American
(Listen)
As thousands of jobs are lured off American shores to countries with more attractive labor costs, corporate America is becoming increasingly accustomed to large scale layoffs. Economics reporter for The New York Times, Louis Uchitelle joins Patt to talk about the reality of these bottom line decisions. In his new book, The Disposable American (Knopf), Uchitelle uses examples such as the Connecticut-based tool company Stanley Works to discuss the effects on American companies and workforce from drastic cost-cutting, and wonders if we aren't all becoming indifferent to this trend.
The Loh Life
(Listen)
Commentator Sandra Tsing Loh chats about the ALPHA, BETA, and ZETA moms who anchor her theory of human organizations and how they tick.
Friday, June 16
Spotlight on Representative Jerry Lewis
(Listen)
A federal grand jury investigation into a Washington lobbying firm is extending beyond the beltway and into municipalities in the Inland Empire. The investigation focuses on the cozy relationship between the lobbying firm Copeland, Lowery, Jacquez, Denton & White; Rep. Jerry Lewis, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee; and many cities throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties who contract with the high-powered lobbying firm. The investigation gets at the heart of the debate over earmarks in Congress. Duane Gang, who has been covering the story for the Press Enterprise, and Tom Hamburger, at the Los Angeles Times Washington D.C. Bureau join Patt.
American Prophet- The Life and Work of Carey McWilliams
(Listen)
Before leaving California to become editor of The Nation from 1952-1975, Carey McWilliams' writings and editorials in various publications touched upon many of the state's most provocative issues such as race/ethnic relations, labor exploitation, environmental degradation, housing shortages, anti-communist purges, and immigration policy. During his editorship at The Nation, the periodical published memorable exposes on the FBI and the CIA. Peter Richardson, author of the biography American Prophet, joins Patt to discuss McWilliams' legacy and impact on journalism in California and the rest of the country.
Rooting for the Underdog
(Listen)
We're a nation that loves winners but we have a soft spot for the underdog, evidence the cheering for the Jamaica's Olympic bobsled team and Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup soccer team. We bring you the Irrelevant awards, where no one is a loser. Melanie Fitch, "CEO" of Irrelevant Week, and Frank DeFord, sports commentator for NPR, join Patt.
|
