Guest host David Lazarus discusses Obama's new nuclear weapons strategy. What age is too young to climb Mt. Everest or sail solo around the world? The pope names a successor for Cardinal Roger Mahony. Could LA go broke by the end of June? And getting organized in the Google era.
Obama goes nuclear
The Obama administration has announced new guidelines for limiting the use of nuclear weapons. Outlined in a nuclear posture review released today, the policy states that the main role of nuclear weapons is to deter or respond to a nuclear attack, and that the U.S. will not use such weapons against non-nuclear states that are in compliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. On Thursday, President Obama and Russian President Demitry Medvedev are expected to sign a new START treaty to reduce their countries' nuclear arsenals. What does this strategy mean for national defense and international relations?
Guest:
David Hoffman, contributing editor to Foreign Policy magazine, formerly of The Washington Post. He is author of The Dead Hand, a book about the nuclear arms race
Jim Walsh, International security expert at the Security Studies Program at M.I.T.
Lieutenant General Dirk Jameson, Retired US Army
Should kids climb Mt. Everest?
Yesterday, 13-year-old Jordon Romero of Big Bear Lake set off to become the youngest person to summit Mt. Everest. Last week, 16-year-old Abby Sunderland from Thousand Oaks rounded Cape Horn. She hopes to edge out an Australian girl who’s just five months older to claim the title of youngest to sail solo nonstop and unassisted around the world. Should parents let their kids risk life and limb to break world records? What age is too young for these endeavors?
Guest:
Bruce Barcott, Outside Magazine Contributor, author of Into Teen Air in the current issue of the magazine
Zac Sunderland, was, for some six weeks, the youngest person to sail solo around the world. He completed his trip on July 16, 2009 at age 17 after 13 months and 2 days at sea, when he sailed back in to his port of origin, Marina del Rey, California
Pope chooses Jose Gomez as LA's next archbishop
The Pope has appointed Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio, Texas to succeed LA Cardinal Roger Mahony. Gomez would become the highest ranking Latino in the American Catholic Church and the first Latino Cardinal in the U.S.—leading an archdiocese that is 70% Hispanic. Archbishop Gomez was ordained under the Prelature of Opus Dei, signaling the Pope’s desire to promote conservative strains of Catholic thought in the American Church. What does Gomez’ affiliation with Opus Dei suggest about his interpretation of scripture? How will Gomez address allegations of abuse by priests? And, are Catholic Angelenos seeking more traditional Church leadership?
Guests:
Frank Stoltze, KPCC Reporter, (covering today’s news conference at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, in downtown Los Angeles, introducing Archbishop Jose Gomez)
John Allen, Jr, Senior Correspondent for The National Catholic Reporter and author of Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church (Doubleday).
LA could go broke by May 5, Wendy Greuel warns
Citing an “urgent financial crisis,” City Controller Wendy Greuel has said Los Angeles could run out of money in as few as four weeks. Will the City Council and Mayor Villaraigosa release $90 million in reserve funds to keep the City operating until June 30? Are layoffs imminent? DWP rate hikes? How will the City resolve the budget crisis?
Update: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has announced a plan to close non-revenue generating city agencies two days a week, effective April 12. More here.
Guest:
Wendy Greuel, Los Angeles City Controller
Getting organized, Google style
No one is capable of multitasking. You might expect to hear such an admonition from your grandmother, but from a Google exec? That’s exactly the message former Chief Information Officer and cognitive scientist Douglas Merrill imparts in his book Getting Organized in the Google Era. What’s the most efficient and effective way to manage information? Sit back, relax and see if you catch Merrill’s cloud as you drive, drink coffee and hold a phone conversation at the same time.
Guest:
Douglas Merrill, co-author, Getting Organized in the Google Era: How to Get Stuff out of Your Head, Find It When You Need It, and Get It Done Right (Broadway Books). He is the former Chief Information Officer of Google