|
November 27 - December 1, 2006
Monday, Nov. 27
School Uniforms - Do they Work?
(Listen)
In a recent interview with the Spanish language newspaper La Opinion, the new LAUSD Superintendent, David Brewer, stated that school uniforms are effective for some public schools and
are useful in creating discipline in the academic atmosphere. But can a change in dress code really alter the educational environment in Los Angeles' schools or even more important, improve student performance? Guest host Luis Torres finds out.
Mars Global Surveyor: What Happened?
(Listen)
After launching over a decade ago and outlasting expectations at NASA and JPL, the Mars Global Surveyor may have finally reached its end. Officials have been trying to communicate with the orbiter since they last lost contact on November 2 and are currently looking into explanations for its silence. Since its launch, the spacecraft has served the longest and was the most productive of any mission sent to Mars, garnering more than 240,000 images of the red planet. We take a look at what happened to the Global Surveyor and gets an update on the other Mars missions.
Bebe Moore Campbell Dies at 56
(Listen)
Local author Bebe Moore Campbell, who penned several best-sellers including Brothers and Sisters and What You Owe Me as well as articles for The New York Times and The Washington Post, died today. She was 56. Her books, most of which were fiction based on real-life stories, touched on racial and social divides while including the perspective of many ethnic groups. We look back at the writing and the influence of Campbell.
Tuesday, Nov. 28
Global Warming Has Its Day in Court
(Listen)
A fight over carbon-dioxide regulation has found its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, creating some interesting bedfellows. The case known as Massachusetts vs. EPA centers on whether the Environmental Protection Agency has authority to control CO2 for the purposes of curbing global climate change. The EPA - along with car manufacturers and several industrial states - says no. Environmental groups and non-carbon-emitting energy companies say yes. The result of the case could mean big changes for American business and future environmental policy.
- Ilsa Setziol, KPCC environmental reporter
- Jeff Holmstead, EPA's former assistant administrator for Air and Radiation who is now a lawyer at Bracewell & Giuliani
- John Dernbach, environmental law professor at Widener University
DA will not Charge Officers Involved in Pena Shooting
(Listen)
The district attorney's office determined that Police SWAT officers who accidentally killed 19-month-old Suzie Pena during a gunbattle with her father last year acted lawfully in defense of themselves and others. KPCC reporter Patricia Nazario joins guest host Luis Torres with the latest from the DA's office. Also expected today is a decision by the Los Angeles Police Commission regarding any disciplinary action to be taken against the officers involved in the shooting.
- Patricia Nazario, KPCC reporter
South Gate's Former Treasurer Sentenced
(Listen)
Former South Gate city treasurer Albert Robles was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison today and ordered to pay back more than $600,000 to South Gate, a city located about seven miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. He had been convicted by a grand jury two years ago on 39 counts of money laundering, wire fraud, bribery and public corruption for allegedly funneling money for city projects to himself, family and friends. KPCC reporter Adolfo Guzman Lopez joins us after attending the sentencing today.
- Adolfo Guzman Lopez, KPCC reporter
Wednesday, Nov. 29
Boycott the word?
(Listen)
An outburst by comedian and actor Michael Richards stunned people a week ago when he called a group of black men in his audience "niggers." Now, performers and public officials are calling for a boycott of the word. How can this word be used? Is an all out ban going too far? We open the debate and ask for your calls.
Thursday, Nov. 30
Politics of Global Warming
(Listen)
As a scientific consensus grows around the facts of climate change, there has been a gulf between researchers and the politicians who can make policy changes in the United States. Is there a growing political consensus about climate change? What are the attitudes of those in Washington and how does California's aggressive stance on some environmental issues affect this? Did November's election change anything? We'll handicap the chances for more change.
Going Green at the LA Auto Show
(Listen)
Steve Parker, Car Nut blogger and automotive journalist, takes us on a colorful preview of the cars premiering at the LA Auto Show this weekend. As GM announces development plans for a new hybrid power system to be rolled out in a Saturn Vue SUV, Mercedes enters a sports car with a biodegradable body, and Hummer reveals a new oxygen-emitting SUV in the show's Design Challenge, one thing has become clear this year - going green with Southern California style has become the adage for international manufacturers in Los Angeles.
- Steve Parker, Car Nut Blogger and automotive journalist for 30 years
- Dave Barthmuss, Manager of the General Motors Public Policy, Environment, and Energy Team for North America
Friday, Dec. 1
Bamattre to Retire
(Listen)
The city's fire chief announced his retirement Friday amid a racially charged furor involving a black firefighter who was served spaghetti mixed with dog food. In a letter to the mayor and a separate statement, Chief William Bamattre gave no reason for his departure and did not directly address the controversy. He said he'd step down Jan. 1.
Power Officially Changes Hands in Mexico
(Listen)
Felipe Calderon becomes Mexico's new president Friday. But this week has been marked by more protests and even a fistfight in Congress, spurred on by the man who narrowly lost July's vote. Calderon has promised to build a coalition government, respectful of the differences in the country's electorate. But his cabinet appointments this week have come from party insiders and done little to mollify his opponents. What is the outlook for our neighbor under a new president?
Celebrating Castro's 80th
(Listen)
Fidel Castro has outlasted nine U.S. presidents, numerous assassination attempts, the fall of the Soviet Union, as well as the Elian Gonzalez fiasco in 2000. Until turning power over to his brother Raul in July of this year, he was the only leader Cuba had known for more than 45 years. Cuba Confidential: Love and Vengence in Miami and Havana (Random House), explores the events, individuals, and dynamics since the Cuban Revolution, along with the role of Cuban exiles in Miami shaping U.S. policy. And on December 2, Cubans will celebrate Castro's 80th birthday along with the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the revolution that put him in power.
- Ann Louise Bardach, Author of Cuba Confidential: Love and Vengeance in Miami and Havana. She has also written articles on Cuba for several newspapers and magazines.
Reel Justice
(Listen)
Hollywood has depicted life in the courtroom in dramas such as A Few Good Men, or Kramer vs. Kramer, as well as in comedies such as Legally Blonde or Liar, Liar. But how accurate are these movies in portraying what really happens during court trials? Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies (Andrews McMeel Publishing) looks at some of the most popular of courtroom films with wit, humor, and professional expertise. Written by two UCLA law professors, Reel Justice provides legal analysis in language you don't need a law degree to understand.
|
