Housing Market Comes Back?, President Obama's Mexico Trip, The End Of An Era, Tax Day Tea Party, As They See 'Em
Housing Market Comes Back?
Are we approaching the bottom of the housing slump? Home prices in Southern California held steady for the third straight month in March, a signal that the housing market is beginning to stabilize. The median sale price stayed at $250,000, which is less than half of what it was at the market's peak in 2007. The report from MDA DataQuick could also be a greater indicator of recovery from the economic recession. But tighter credit or higher interest rates could also affect the rate of recovery. Larry Mantle looks at what the findings suggest about the economy with John Karevoll of DataQuick and Richard Greene, Director of USC's Lusk Center for Real Estate.
President Obama's Mexico Trip
For President Obama's visit to Mexico, the issue of greatest concern is the country's escalating drug war that's spilling over into the United States. Other issues include immigration reform and trade policy. Larry Mantle discusses the highlights of President Obama's agenda with Sam Quinones of the L.A. Times.
The End Of An Era
After 18 seasons, Esa-Pekka Salonen will conclude his tenure as the conductor and Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Born in Helsinki in 1958, Salonen studied at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. He made his conducting debut with the Finish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1979. In 2003 Salonen and the LA Philharmonic opened Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. In his time with the LA Philharmonic Salonen has premiered works by John Adams, Franco Donatoni, Ander Hillborg, and William Kraft as well as many of his own works. Larry looks back with Esa-Pekka Salonen on an illustrious career with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and what the future holds.
Tax Day Tea Party
What's been brewing in the nation? Yesterday at the "Tax Day Tea Parties," Americans witnessed throngs of people steaming at the thought of all the taxes they owe the government. But the tea party seemed to have been more than just an April 15 protest, with many experts saying that it is a conservative grassroots movement to show their disdain for the economic mess. Larry talks with NPR political editor Ken Rudin about the Tax Day Tea Party and its conservative significance nationwide.
As They See 'Em
"For it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the old ballgame." We are all familiar with that final line of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," but we might not be so familiar with the people who make those important calls that determine the outcome of the ballgame. Author and former baseball umpire Bruce Weber takes readers through his personal journey into one of the more underappreciated and sometimes controversial aspects of professional sports. His book examines such topics as George Brett's pine tar incident and the botched Jeffrey Maier call. Larry talks with Weber about his new book.