If you drive the Harbor Freeway, you've seen Julie Gigante, the LA Chamber Orchestra violinist. You can't miss her. She's eight stories high. She's one of the most prominent LACO members depicted in Kent Twitchell's mural, "Harbor Freeway Overture," which was begun twenty years ago. Gigante is still with LACO, and until just the other day when she talked with Off-Ramp host John Rabe, hadn't stood at the foot on the mural. Rabe also talked with Twitchell, who is still proud of his monument to the musical artists.

Last week's windstorm his the Los Angeles Country Arboretum harder than anyone expected. Off-Ramp producer Kevin Ferguson went to the Arboretum and talked with staff.

Which is the ugliest fish of all? Which is the cutest? Why would kids have freaked out if marine biologist Milton Love had written the screenplay for Finding Nemo? These and many more questions are answered in Off-Ramp host John Rabe's in-depth interview with Love, who is also an Off-Ramp commentator. Love has just published "Certainly More Than You Want to Know About the Fishes of the Pacific Coast."

December 15th marks the centennial of one of the seminal figures of jazz, Stan Kenton, who died in 1979. Kenton, who was born in Wichita and raised in Bell, was a ceaseless innovator who was once acclaimed "Modern America's Man of Music." Jazz historian Steven Harris, who hosted a Kenton tribute show on KPCC in the 1980s and is the author of "The Kenton Kronicles," looks back at this legendary figure whose theme song said it all: “Artistry in Rhythm”

Every year, Lake Superior State University in Soo MI banishes words and phrases from the English language. Stuff like "de-plane" (1981), "dawg" (2006), "giving 110%" (1998), and "bottom line" (1979 and 1992). This year, LSSU's Tom Pink told KPCC's John Rabe, the nominations include "not gonna lie;" "I know, right?;" "game-changer;" "flash mob;" "Californicate," and "man cave." But there's still room for more, from you. Deadline: Dec 15.

The city of San Fernando may beat Bell for sheer soap opera quality. At a city council meeting, with his wife in the front row, the mayor recently admitted he was dating a councilwoman -- violating his marriage vows and the Brown Act. Off-Ramp host John Rabe spoke with San Fernando Valley Sun editor Diana Martinez, who says the admission is emblematic of much deeper governance problems in the city.

Marilyn Monroe didn't become an icon on her own. She had co-conspirators -- the photographers whose cameras loved her. Taschen has just published a huge new book of Monroe's last portrait sitting, taken for Vogue magazine by Bert Stern just six weeks before she died. Stern and Monroe worked together for three days at the Hotel Bel Air, which is where Tachen unveiled the new book. Bert Stern was the guest of honor and he talked with Off-Ramp host John Rabe.

Heard a song you liked on this week's show? Find out what it was here!