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November 3 - 7, 2003
Monday, Nov. 3
Strike and Fire Updates
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Weekend showers have helped firefighters battle the southern California blazes. On the strike front, however, little movement has been made. Kitty Felde speaks with the director of UCLAÕs Center for Labor Resource and Education, Kent Wong, about the strikes, and Josie Williams about the fires.
Touch Screen Voting SystemsÑDo We Need a Paper Trail?
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California needs to stop using punch card ballot by the March 2004 elections. Counties are looking to use touch screen machines and optical scanners as options, but critics still contend that there are problems. The latest debate is over whether or not the touch screen machines should keep a paper trail or audit of the votes. The 9th circuit court of appeals recently confirmed a lower courts ruling that even without a paper trail, the machines are reliable, but critics are still skeptical. Then there is the matter of the machines themselves and their possibility for vote manipulation. Kitty Felde speaks with Stanford Professor of Computer Science, David Dill; Riverside County Registrar Recorder, Michelle Townsend; and Wired Magazine reporter, Kim Zetter.
Robert Benton: The Human Stain
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Director Robert Benton joins Kitty for a discussion of his latest film, The Human Stain, adapted from Philip RothÕs novel of the same name. The filmÕs all-star cast is lead by Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins.
Bark Beetles
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Why are bark beetles targeting the San Bernardino Mountains in unprecedented numbers and how much are they to blame for the wild fires of the last week? Kitty speaks with UC Berkeley professor Dr. David Wood.
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Governor Davis and Senator Tom McClintock
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What role do candidates who lose elections play in democracy? Kitty Felde talks about the recent special election for the California GovernorÕs seat. She asks this question and more of outgoing California Governor Gray Davis and former gubernatorial candidate Senator Tom McClintock.
The Role of Losers in Democracy
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As part of our weeklong look at democracy in America, Kitty turns the spotlight on those who are seldom seen after election dayÑthe losers. Political scientist Shaun Bowler has made a study of political losers and the very important role they play in democracy once they have lost and beyond. She speaks with political scientist at UC Riverside Shaun Bowler. His forthcoming book is LosersÕ Consent: Elections and Democratic Legitimacy (Oxford) co-authored with four others: Christopher Anderson, Andre Blais, Todd Donovan, and Ola Listhaug.
Twyla Tharp
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Kitty Felde shares her conversation with innovative choreographer Twyla Tharp. They talk about how the creativity is a result of good work habits. Kitty spoke with her at the Beverly Hills Library. Her new book is The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (Simon & Schuster).
Losers
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Dan Kennedy has literally written the book on failure. We can benefit from both his miserable failure and the fact that he took notes in his latest book, Loser Goes First (Crown). He joins Kitty to muse on the role of political losers.
Wednesday, Nov. 5
Democracy: Winners
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In our continuing look at the role of democracy on KPCC, Kitty Felde speaks with some of the winners from yesterdayÕs election.
Reagan Miniseries Canceled
Under pressure from Republicans and conservative groups, CBS will not air its unflattering portrait of former president Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. What are their specific concerns? And why did the network cave to their protests? Kitty speaks with longtime Reagan biographer Anne Edwards who recently published a non fiction account of the Reagan marriage.
Lou Cannon on Ronald Reagan as Governor
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Veteran journalist and biographer joins Kitty Felde in discussion. They explore the legacy of Governor Ronald Reagan. Lou Cannon's book is Governor Reagan: His Rise to Power (Public Affairs).
Real Estate Values and Disaster
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After the dust settles, what are the repercussions of disaster on real estate values? Will potential homebuyers chose ÒsaferÓ regions? In the case of the wildfires, will decimated neighborhoods retain their value? And what about the impact of the victims displaced by the fires on the housing market? Kitty Felde asks these questions and more of California Association of RealtorsÕ chief economist, Leslie Appleton-Young, and USCÕs associate professor director of USCÕs Casden Real Estate Economics Forecast Lusk Center for Real Estate, Raphael Bostic.
They Might Be Bedtime Storytellers
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John Flansburgh and John Linnell, the partners in the indie rock duo They Might Be Giants, have released nine albums in sixteen years and been the subject of a documentary exploring their universal appeal and nearly unparalleled musical range from rock to Grammy-winning TV theme songs. On the occasion of the launch of their latest venture, a childrenÕs book and Òbedtime CDÓ entitled BED, BED, BED (Simon and Schuster) they join Kitty in studio to ruminate on their childhood bedtimes.
TMBG will have a musical performance and book signing tonight at VromanÕs in Pasadena beginning at 7:00PM.
Thursday, Nov. 6
Neighborhood Councils: An Experiment in Democracy - Part One
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What makes LAÕs nascent system of neighborhood councils unique? Kitty speaks with a researcher who has been following the establishment and growth of neighborhood councils in Los Angeles since 1996. Juliet Musso, co-Principal investigator of the USC Neighborhood Participation Project, is uniquely qualified to explore LAÕs relatively young system as a democratic phenomenon.
Charter Schools & the New California Administration
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As the Davis administration prepares to leave the Capitol on November 17th, they take with them their lack of enthusiasm towards charter schools. The incoming governor was more supportive of charter schools in his campaigning. WhatÕs in the future for charter schools? And what do the schools hope to gain with Schwartzenegger in office? Kitty Felde speaks with Founder and Chief Executive of Green Dot Public Schools, Steve Barr, and President and CEO of California Charter Schools Association, Caprice Young.
Ry Cooder and Chavez Ravine
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The twisted tale of how Chavez Ravine went from a hopeful low-income housing experiment to an income generating stadium provides the narrative. Ry Cooder provides the soundtrack and Don Normark provides the stark photos that are all that is left to remind Angelinos of what was once there. With the help of narrator Cheech Marin these elements have come together to create the short documentary: Chavez Ravine.
This documentary is part of the AFI Fest 2003 at the ArcLight Theater (6360 W Sunset Blvd) in Hollywood. Chavez Ravine screens on:
Sunday the 9th @ 8:30PM
Monday the 10th @ 4:00PM
Cricket Turns 30!
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CricketÕs founder and editor-in-chief Marianne Carus is touring six American cities on the occasion of the childrenÕs magazineÕs 30th anniversary. She joins Kitty in studio to discuss how childrenÕs literature has succeeded and failed in shaping young minds over the past three decades.
Tonight at the Beverly Hills Public Library at 7:00PM (444 North Rexford Drive), Marianne Carus speaks with Michael Cart, recipient of the Grolier Foundation Award for his service in the stimulation and guidance of reading by young people.
Friday, Nov. 7
Neighborhood Councils-Part 2: Is Grassroots Democracy Working in LA?
Kitty convenes a panel of neighborhood council members and administrators from two of the most successful systems in the country along with those from Los Angeles to compare and contrast their experiences. St. Paul, MN and Portland, OR have long standing neighborhood councils that have weathered the challenges that LA still has to face. Los Angeles today gets advice and ideas from these two cities on the doÕs and donÕts of building civic culture.
Thomas Jefferson SpeaksÉ.
Well, Clay Jenkinson, Thomas Jefferson impersonator, does. He speaks with Kitty Felde about what the Founding Father had in mind for the United States.
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