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To Rome with microphone - why are so many local TV news anchors covering the conclave?

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Cardinals gathered in Vatican City on Monday, a day before the papal selection process known as the conclave begins.

Cardinals gathered in Vatican City on Monday, a day before the papal selection process known as the conclave begins. Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Not that anybody needs a good excuse to go to Rome, but this week is an especially crowded one in Vatican City as journalists flock to St. Peter's Square to pontificate on the selection of the next pope.  And as Kevin Roderick noted in LAObserved, local news outlets who tend to give short shrift to Sacramento politics seem to be especially well-represented there.  Channel 2, KCAL 9, NBC 4, KTLA 5 and ABC 7 all have reporters on the scene.  

While waiting for the white smoke they can offer little but local color, speculation and the occasional cardinal sighting.  So why the breathless, minute-to-minute coverage of what is, so far, a non-story?

 Is this the best use of resources for our local news stations?  With plenty of national and international journalists filing pretty much the exact same story, do we really need to see  hometown talking heads in front of the Vatican? Are they ignoring local stories they should be covering instead?

Guests:
Todd Mokhtari, Vice President of News, NBC 4

Kelly McBride, Senior Faculty, Ethics, Reporting & Writing, The Poynter Institute


Should "The Biggest Loser" put struggling kids on national TV?

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Special School Helps Teen Combat Childhood Obesity

Should overweight children be allowed to compete in "The Biggest Loser"? Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Doctors are raising concerns about featuring children on "The Biggest Loser" reality show. It's the first time the popular weight-loss competition has included overweight teenagers. The producers say it will raise awareness of the epidemic of childhood obesity.

Lindsay Bravo, a 13-year old from Fillmore, California, is one of the "Biggest Loser" kids. She said she wants to drop pounds so she can have more friends and stop being bullied. The teens are not being treated the same as adult competitors. They get access to personal trainers, nutritionists and doctors, but will not be subject to elimination as adults are. Still, one doctor was worried by a recent episode showing the 16-year old contestant, Sunny Chandrasekar, celebrating her birthday by eating a mandarin orange instead of any sweets.

Is teaching deprivation the best way to achieve long-term health for overweight kids? Should potentially vulnerable teens go through this process on national television? Will it help parents and kids who are dealing with the same issues?

Guests:
Dave Broome , Executive Producer & Co-creator, “The Biggest Loser” reality show about weigh-loss

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff , Medical Director, Bariatric Medical Institute in Ottawa; Board-Certified Physician by the American Board of Bariatric Medicine; Blogs at weightymatters.ca

Where does a medal for drone warfare rank?

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U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel flies aboard a military helicopter from Kabul to Bagram Air Field

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel awarded a Purple Heart medal to Sergeant Jeremyah Williams (C) of the 426 Brigade Support Battalion at Jalalabad Airfield on March 9, 2013 near the southeast of Jalalabad city, Afghanistan. Where would a medal for drone pilots rank? Credit: Pool/Getty Images

There’s a new military medal and it’s getting a lot of flak. Last month, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta last month approved the new Distinguished Warfare Medal, which is awarded to drone pilots and cyber warfare troops that do not directly engage in ground combat.  It’s the first new military medal of this caliber to be introduced since 1944, and would outrank combat-only medals like the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Veteran organizations and some members of Congress think that’s just not fair. They’ve asked the Pentagon to downgrade the new medal, arguing that it shouldn’t take precedence over traditional combat awards, which a soldier has to risk his or her life in order to qualify for. Department of Defense officials say it’s important to recognize the contributions of soldiers operating in what is surely the wave of the future, cyber warfare. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who has two Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam, has ordered a 30-day review of the medal’s ranking and production has been halted in the interim.

Is the new medal fair, or necessary? Should the Pentagon rethink its designation? Does cyber-warfare carry the same amount of risk as traditional combat?

Guests:
Lieutenant Commander Nathan Christenson, U.S. Navy and Department of Defense Spokesman

Joe Davis, Director of Public Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars

Cyber attacks leapfrog Al-Qaida as threat to national security

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Senate Intelligence Committee Holds Hearing On Current And Projected Threats To U.S.

(L-R) FBI Director Robert Mueller, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Philip Goldberg testify during a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 12, 2013 in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States." Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

We've poured billions of dollars in the war against terror. But according to James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, the country now has a newer, bigger enemy: cyber attacks.

Clapper, appearing before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing yesterday, said he only saw a "remote chance" of such an attack taking place. But if and when it happens, the impact would be great. It could mean "long-term, wide-scale disruption of services, such as a regional power outage," according to Clapper. This is the first time the spy agency has upgraded cyber attacks as a top security concern.

Are cyber-attacks a bigger threat than Al-Qaida? What is the U.S. doing to protect important infrastructure? What can we do to protect ourselves?

Guest:
Dave McIntyre, Director of Homeland Security program at the National Graduate School

How do you feel about serving time on the jury?

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Why Jury Duty Matters: A Citizens Guide to Constitutional Action

Andrew Ferguson's new book “Why Jury Duty Matters: A Citizens Guide to Constitutional Action” explains why jury duty matters
Credit: Andrew Ferguson book cover

To many people, the most disappointing piece of mail that they can find in their mailbox is the one that reads “JURY SUMMONS.”  It can mean taking a day or more off of work, finding a babysitter, and spending hours sitting in uncomfortable chairs in a boring room. But are we as Americans taking the wrong approach to serving on a jury?

It can be easy to forget how important jury duty is in America. In his new book, Andrew Ferguson explains why jury duty matters. It is a shared tradition that connects people from all races, classes, and backgrounds. What most people see as an annoyance is the only right that shows up in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

And not everyone dreads it.  Some find jury service a fascinating peek into the inner workings of our justice system.

Have you ever served on a jury? Did you find it a tedious duty, or an enjoyable experience? What will you do next time you’re called?

Guest:
Andrew Ferguson , author of “Why Jury Duty Matters: A Citizen's Guide To Constitutional Action”

Why Jury Duty Matters: A Citizen's Guide To Constitutional Action

Changing sexual mores in the changing Arab world

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"Sex and the Citadel," by Shireen El Feki

Writer, journalist, and broadcaster Shereen El Feki spent five years exploring how the Arab world is changing, but she does it in the context of sex. El Feki felt sexual politics permeated the Arab world and affected its religion, politics, economics and culture. Although she focuses on Egypt, El Feki set out to understand public opinion on sex. She found religious laws that restrict nudity during sex, a Saudi Arabian man who was beaten and imprisoned for speaking about sex publicly, and young women with mutilated genitals to suppress sexual desire.

The public also disapproves of homosexuality and single mothers, and many believe that husbands may beat their wives if they refuse sex. El Feki wrote her new book, “Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World” from her perspective as a Muslim woman with a Western education. In her book, she wanted to give voices to Arab women through interviews with virgins, housewives, and activists, and El Feki hopes that political change will eliminate sexual taboos.

Are these views concerning sex rooted in history, culture, and religion? Do you think there’s the potential of change? And how does the Arab world’s view of sex compare with the Western world?

Guest:
Shereen El Feki , Author, “Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World;” Journalist; Vice-Chair, United Nations’ Global Commission on HIV & Law; Ph.D. in molecular immunology

Can information obtained under “truth serum” be used in court?

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First Court Hearing Held For Alleged CO Movie Theater Shooter

Accused movie theater shooter James Holmes made his first court appearance at the Arapahoe County on July 23, 2012 in Centennial, Colorado. According to police, Holmes killed 12 people and injured 58 others during a shooting rampage at an opening night screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" July 20, in Aurora, Colorado. Should "truth" serum be used to determine if he was clinically insane at the time of the shooting? Credit: RJ Sangosti-Pool/Getty Images

The idea of using “truth serum” to get a subject to open up and spill the beans goes back to ancient Rome, when people noticed the tongue-loosening effects of wine. But is information obtained under the influence admissible in court? This week, a judge in Colorado ruled that prosecutors could use a “truth serum” – most likely a drug such as sodium amytal – to extract uninhibited testimony from James Holmes.

Holmes is suspected of the shooting spree in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater last July that left 12 dead and 58 injured; his lawyers are expected to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.  The “truth serum” option is being considered as a way to determine whether or not Holmes was indeed insane at the time of the shooting.

But experts question both the legal and the medical validity of the technique.  Starting in the 1920’s, barbiturates such as Pentothal and Amytal were sometimes used by police departments and in courtrooms, but by the 1950’s they had been judged more or less invalid by the scientific community. In 1963 the Supreme Court declared drug-induced confessions unconstitutional and therefore inadmissible.

The Holmes case would mirror the 1959 trial of accused killer Raymond Cartier, with a twist: in that case, truth serum was used by the defense to support their claim that Cartier had been insane at the time of his wife’s murder.

Does the use of barbiturates to elicit a courtroom confession violate the defendant’s 5th Amendment right to remain silent? Can anything said under such conditions be considered valid?  Is there any such thing as a reliable “truth serum,” or is this just the stuff of spy novels?

Guest:
Laurie Levenson, professor of Law, Loyola Law School and a former federal prosecutor

White smoke billows up from the Sistine Chapel. Who is the new pope?

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The Conclave Of Cardinals Have Elected A New Pope To Lead The World's Catholics

Newly elected Pope Francis I appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th Pontiff and will lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. Credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

White smoke billows up from chimney of the Sistine Chapel, the bells of St. Peter's Basilica are ringing, and everyone eagerly awaits the new pope, who will soon emerge from the Vatican's white curtains.  The 115 cardinals have made their selection after just over a day of deliberation.

About an hour later and to the surprise of many, Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio stepped out onto the balcony.  He's taking the name Francis, the first pope to do so. He's also the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, and the first non-European pope in over a thousand years.

What are your reactions to this selection? Why was Bergoglio chosen? Does he appeal to younger and progressive Catholics? What will he bring to the papacy and the Catholic Church?

KPCC's up-to-date coverage

Guests:
Robert Moynihan, Editor of "Inside the Vatican"

Cecil M. Robeck, professor of church history and ecumenics at Fuller and an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God

Charles Reid, Professor of Law, University of St.Thomas, religion writer for Huffington Post

 


Pope Francis takes the pulpit

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Nuns stand on St Peter's square to watch the first mass by Pope Francis on a giant screen on March 14, 2013 at the Vatican. Credit: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images

Ever since Pope Francis was named the new pope yesterday, many are asking, “Who is he?” Pope Francis, formerly known as Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, was almost pope in the last papal conclave, but his name was not whispered around in this one. This decision has been a surprise to many, and the public has been watching the new pope with a critical eye.

When the Pope left his hotel in Rome, media noted that he picked up his luggage and paid the hotel bill himself. Actions such as this one reinforce his public image of being a pope that lives among the people. In Buenos Aires, he criticized Catholic authorities for hypocrisy. Pope Francis himself would take the bus, cook his own meals, and visit the poor. When priests would not baptize babies of single mothers, Pope Francis criticized them for the clericalization the church and separating “the people of God from salvation.”

However, how will Pope Francis deal with the difficult problems in the Catholic church today? He has also been highly criticized for not challenging a dictatorship in Argentina that led to murders and missing babies. During that time, he was accused of being silent about human rights violations in order to maintain the image of the Catholic Church.

Will Pope Francis address the issues of the Catholic Church today? Will his papacy bring in reform or will it just pass by unnoticed in history? How will being a Jesuit and Latin American pope influence the papacy?

Guests:
Father Thomas Rausch, Professor of Catholic Theology at Loyola Marymount University

Cathy Lynn Grossman, reports on religion, spirituality, and ethics for USA Today

Bringing Woody Guthrie’s ‘House of Earth’ to life

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"House of Earth," by Woody Guthrie

When songwriter and folk hero Woody Guthrie died in 1967 at the age of 55, he left behind paintings, sketches, journals, and over 3,000 songs. His autobiography, "Bound For Glory," was published in 1943 and has become somewhat of a cult classic. But almost 50 years after his death, his only known novel has been published.

"House of Earth," a long-lost novel written by Guthrie in 1947, wasn't published until February 5, 2013 by Harper under actor Johnny Depp's publishing imprint, Infinitum Nihil. Guthrie was apparently unable to have the novel published during his lifetime. Johnny Depp and New York Times bestselling author and historian Douglas Brinkley edited and co-wrote the introduction.

Guest:
Douglas Brinkley, author and historian, co-editor (with Johnny Depp) to “House of Earth”

House of Earth Excerpt

Should California bars stay open until 4 a.m.? (POLL)

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king Eddy

Patrons watch television at the bar in the King Eddy Saloon. Should California bars be allowed to serve alcohol until 4 a.m.? Credit: Andres Aguila/KPCC

California Senator Mark Leno has just introduced SB 635, which would expand alcoholic beverage service from 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. throughout the state. Leno says that extended service hours would allow Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco to compete on a more even level for tourism with cities like Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas.

The bill would give local communities the option to expand their alcohol service hours, and individual establishments would go through an approval process for late night service. The late hours would only apply to restaurants, bars, and clubs, not liquor stores. Critics say that ending uniform hours could result in more bar-hopping, potentially putting intoxicated drivers on the road.

Would you welcome the idea of bars in your area staying open until 4 a.m.?Would you welcome the idea of bars in your area staying open until 4 a.m.?

Is extending alcohol service hours a good idea? Would it make California cities more exciting tourism destinations? Could it put a stress on public transportation or cause more drunk driving accidents?

Guests:
Mark Leno, Democratic State Senator, 3rd District (San Francisco)

Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director and CEO, Alcohol Justice, a national advocacy organization that campaigns against the influence of the alcohol industry

AEG sale cancellation leaves the future of L.A. sports in question

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Los Angeles Clippers v Los Angeles Lakers

A view of the arena during the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Philip Anschutz announced today that he has decided not to sell AEG, the entertainment group that controls the Staples Center, L.A. Live, and the L.A. Kings. The bidding war was said to be up to $7 billion, but Anschutz called off the sale, saying that he had always maintained that he wouldn’t sell “unless the right buyer came forward with a transaction on acceptable terms.”  

Instead, Anschutz has chosen to become more involved with AEG. The decision could complicate plans to bring a professional football team to Los Angeles and to build a centrally accessible stadium. 

Following the announcement, it was announced that AEG's longtime chief executive Tim Lieweke would be leaving the company "by mutual agreement."  Lieweke has had a prominent role in negotiating with Los Angeles city leaders over the downtown stadium and a possible NFL deal.

How will the future of AEG affect L.A. sports? What does this mean for plans to bring an NFL team to town?  Should Anschutz go ahead with plans to sell the company?

 

Guest:

 

Sam Farmer, sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times

FilmWeek: The Call, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Spring Breakers, and more

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Premiere Of Tri Star Pictures'

Actors David Otunga, Michael Eklund, Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, director Brad Anderson and actor Morris Chestnut arrive at the premiere of Tri Star Pictures' "The Call" at the Arclight Theatre on March 5, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell, Claudia Puig, and Charles Soloman to review the week’s new film releases including The Call, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Spring Breakers, and more. TGI-FilmWeek!
 

The Call 

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Spring Breakers

From Up On Poppy Hill

Guests:

Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt Film Guide

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today

Charles Solomon, film critic and animation historian for KPCC, author for amazon.com

 

Kickstarter goes mainstream, raising $2 million in 10 hours for a studio film

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Kickstarter Veronica Mars

The Veronica Mars Movie Project set a new Kickstarter record yesterday by receiving $2 million in under 12 hours. As of March 15, 2013, the project has raised over $3 million and still has 28 days to go. Credit: Kickstarter Screenshot

Fans of the TV detective series 'Veronica Mars' have raised $3.3 million and counting to get the show onto the big screen. More than 50,000 people have made donations to the Veronica Mars movie project on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter and Warner Bros. agreed to distribute and market the film.

The show's creator Rob Thomas has been trying to get a movie off the ground since Veronica Mars went off the air in 2007. Warner Bros, which owns the rights, wasn't convinced there was enough interest to warrant a major studio-sized movie and the project never got off the ground. But Thomas got the idea to use Kickstarter and fans put their money where their mouth is.

The 'Veronica Mars' movie campaign was the biggest film campaign in Kickstarter history, and the fastest to reach the $1-million threshold. It represents a milestone in Hollywood moviemaking economics. So far, Kickstarter has successfully funded more than 9,000 films.

To supporters, it demonstrates that devoted fan communities can rally to support projects that mainstream studios might otherwise reject. But there is a lot of grumbling from the independent film community that major studios should not be using Kickstarter donations to fund film already pledged to a major Hollywood studio.

After all, Kickstarter was founded to help circumvent the cautious and risk-averse studio model. Should major studios be involved in crowdfunding? Will donations replace investment?
Already, other fan-loved but low rated shows are looking at this as a potential model. Bryan Fuller, creator of ABC's "Pushing Daisies," immediately emailed his agent to see if he too could use the crowd-funding site to resurrect his fan-loved show about a man who can bring people back to life." 

Shawn Ryan, creator of FX's "The Shield" and the network's short-lived detective drama "Terriers," posted Wednesday on Twitter: "Very interested to see how this Veronica Mars kickstarter [sic.] goes. Could be a model for a 'Terriers' wrap up film."

The project will continue to accept funds through April 12. Kristen Bell currently stars as Jeannie Van Der Hooven on Showtime's "House of Lies"

Guest:

Dawn Chmielewski, Entertainment industry reporter for the Los Angeles Times

 

'The Searchers' and how a John Wayne film redefined how we look back at the Old West

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The Searchers.JPG

The classic American movie inspired Glenn Frankel's book, "The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend." Credit: The Searchers bookcover

The story begins in 1836. A nine-year-old girl, Cynthia Ann Parker, gets kidnapped by the Comanches and then grows up among them for the next 24 years. When a group of Texas Rangers and U.S. Calvary attack her encampment, the blue-eyed Cynthia Ann was not killed and brought back to her Texan family. However, she was unable to adapt back into Western society and died quietly.

In 1954, Alan Le May picked up this story and turned it into a book, inspiring John Ford to make Cynthia Ann Parker’s tale an iconic American story two years later.

Now, Glenn Frankel takes these three elements and made his own book, “The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend.” He tells how this story has transformed to become myth and examines how the public received John Wayne’s character.

What do you think about Ford’s movie? What does it say about how American society views cultural divides? Is this story still relevant to us today?

Guest:
Glenn Frankel, author of “The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend”


'Salt Sugar Fat': the secrets of Big Food

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Salt Sugar Fat

In "Salt Sugar Fat," Michael Moss gives a behind the scenes look at the food industry. Credit: Salt Sugar Fat book cover

In his new book, Michael Moss, of Pulitzer Prize-winning “pink slime” fame, chronicles the many ways big food is harmful to America. Moss’ reporting on the pink slime used in much of the beef found in fast food restaurants did what no amount of gentle chastising and healthy recommendations could.

“Salt Sugar Fat” is not a cut-and-dry expose, but an exploration of the ways big food companies capitalize on pleasure triggers, addiction, and aggressive marketing. Called a “public service” by the New York Times, “Salt Sugar Fat” paints an elaborate picture of what goes on behind the scenes in the food industry. Michael Moss joins Larry to talk about his work and how to eat healthy in a salty, sugary, fatty world.
 

Guest:

 

Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times and author of “Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us” (Random House)

The Freelancer’s Bible

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The Freelancer's Bible

Sara Horowitz, the executive director of the Freelancer’s Union, offers tips on how independent contractors should navigate the world of freelancing in “The Freelancers Bible.” Credit: The Freelancer's Bible book cover

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Government Accountability Office estimate that there are more than 20 million contract workers in the United States. While contractors may have more flexibility than full-time staffers, they are exposed to greater economic vulnerabilities. The Freelancer’s Union based in Brooklyn is working to address contractor’s greatest concerns such as health insurance and other benefits.

In her latest book, “The Freelancers Bible” Sara Horowitz, the executive director of the Freelancer’s Union offers tips on how independent contractors should navigate the world of freelancing.

How do freelancers get health insurance? Should all workers unionize? How should a freelancer schedule her time? How fast is the freelance economy growing?

Guest:
Sara Horowitz, Executive Director of the Freelancer’s Union

Historic Supreme Court arguments on Marriage

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Supreme Court Hears Arguments On California's Prop 8 And Defense Of Marriage Act

Eric Breese (L) of Rochester, New York, joins fellow George Washington University students and hundreds of others to rally outside the Supreme Court during oral arguments in a case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) March 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Supreme Court doesn’t usually release audio recordings and transcripts of hearings on the day they occur, but the court is making an exception for this week’s landmark marriage equality cases.

RELATED: A guide to the Supreme Court arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act (Audio)

Tune in for excerpts and analysis of the arguments in United States v. Windsor as the justices take on the Defense of Marriage act.

Guest:

Lawrence Rosenthal, Professor of Law, Chapman University School of Law in Orange

Report finds state Department of Parks and Recreation mismanaging state parks

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Rancho Sierra Vista

Entrance gate to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area, which is the largest urban national park in the United States. Credit: Rebecca Hill/KPCC

“The old model is obsolete.” So finds the Little Hoover Commission report on California’s State Park lands. 1.5 million acres of land are designated as state park land, and the Little Hoover report says those state parks are in sorry shape, victims of incompetent management from the Department of Parks and Recreation.  

Compounding the issue are economic factors: Tight budgets mean park facilities can’t be upgraded at a time when visitor numbers are falling, further dampening revenue generated by the parks.

What should California do in response to this report? What are the best options for state parks? What other agencies, entities, and grassroots groups could do a better job? What could happen to 1.5 million acres of parkland if poor choices are made at this apparently critical time?

Guests:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director of the Little Hoover Commission

Craig Middleton, Executive Director of the Presidio Trust, a self-proclaimed “new” model of park management. He was interviewed as part of the Little Hoover report

Carolyn Schoff, President of the California League of Parks Association and President of the Friends of Pio Pico State Park

PDF:

    DV.load("//www.documentcloud.org/documents/627490-132281990-beyond-crisis-recapturing-excellence.js", {     sidebar: false,     width: "100%",     height: 690,     text: false,     container: "#DV-viewer-627490-132281990-beyond-crisis-recapturing-excellence"   }); See a map of all of California's state parks, recreation areas and natural preserves.

High Court sets eyes on Defense of Marriage Act

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Same-sex marriage supporters demonstrate in front of the Supreme Court on March 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. The nine justices took up a challenge to the legality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Credit: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

The Supreme Court heard arguments today in the case of United States v. Windsor, which will determine whether the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. DOMA currently restricts more than 1000 federal marriage benefits to opposite sex couples, including many for veterans.

If struck down, the federal government would recognize all legal marriages, regardless of the couples’ genders. How should the Supreme Court handle same-sex marriage? How could the DOMA ruling differ from the Prop. 8 ruling?

Listen to the arguments: Listen to the oral arguments and comment on the parts that affect you or that you found interesting. Just type your thoughts into the box that says "Add your comment" and hit the post button.

Read the transcript and notes: Click the "Document" tab to read the transcript in full. To see highlights, click "Notes."

  DV.load("//www.documentcloud.org/documents/627994-united-states-v-windsor.js", { sidebar: false, width: "100%", height: 690, text: false, container: "#DV-viewer-627994-united-states-v-windsor" });

Guests:
Greg Stohr, Supreme Court reporter, Bloomberg News

John Eastman, professor of law and former dean at Chapman University Law School; Chairman of the Board, National Organization of Marriage that lobbies against same-sex marriage; Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a public interest law firm affiliated with the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy; Eastman authored an amicus brief for the Proposition 8 case and one for the Defense of Marriage Act case.

David Cruz, Professor of law, The Gould School of Law, University of Southern California; Cruz was in Court today for the DOMA hearing; Constitutional law expert focusing on the First Amendment and civil rights.

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