L.A. Times runs shocking photos from Afghanistan. Garbage collector. Is the fate of Hillary Clinton’s legacy tied to that of Afghan women? LAUSD considers lowering the bar to avoid flood of dropouts. The glory days for L.A.’s Boys in Blue.
Shocking photos from Afghanistan surface in the L.A. Times
Times readers were greeted with a disturbing image on this morning’s front page: a U.S. soldier posing with the severed hand of a dead Afghan insurgent, with more body parts strewn in the background. Things got more macabre on page 4: a group of soldiers, along with Afghan police, grin and mug for the camera while holding up the severed limbs of a suicide bomber.
The photos, taken in 2010, were two of 18 delivered to the Times by an anonymous member of the 82nd Airborne Division, which had been tasked with identifying the remains. After obtaining fingerprints, they began posing for pictures with the severed hands, legs and other body parts of the dead Afghan.
The soldier who gave the pictures to a Times reporter told him that he wanted the world to see the decline in leadership and discipline in U.S. military that, he feels, threatens the safety of our troops. Despite a request from the Pentagon not to run them, Times Editor Davan Marajan said that “after careful consideration,” publishing the photos “would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan.” The Pentagon has pledged to launch a full investigation into the incident, which comes on the heels of another such embarrassment: a video released several months ago of U.S. soldiers urinating on the corpses of Taliban soldiers.
News outlets in other countries are traditionally less squeamish than Americans about running horrific war images. But depicting soldiers showing a blatant disrespect for the dead adds another dimension to the conflict.
WEIGH IN:
Did the Times go too far in publishing the photos? Do you agree that, disturbing as they are, such pictures are necessary to our understanding of the story? As a reader, how do these horrific images sit with you?
Can our garbage be used for good?
Climate change, peak oil, high energy costs, straining budgets – these are just some of the global problems tied to our collective approach to trash. Each of us can potentially produce 102 tons of garbage in our lifetime; over seven pounds a day, every day.
Here in Los Angeles, we’re home to a garbage pile taller than many of our high-rises, known as the “Disneyland of Dumps.” But is wastefulness a choice or an inevitability? In his new book, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ed Humes writes that it’s one of the few societal, economic and environmental problems over which we as individuals can exert control.
According to Humes, more energy could be generated from America’s trash than all current renewable energy sources combined. Homemakers, artists, entrepeneurs, even whole countries, such as Denmark, have found innovative ways to conquer the mountains of trash that consume our lives and planet on a daily basis.
How have they done it? How much trash do you make? What could you save by reducing your output?
Guest:
Edward Humes, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and Author of “Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash” (Avery Books); his previous books include Force of Nature, Eco Barons, and the PEN Award–winning No Matter How Loud I Shout
Is the fate of Hillary Clinton’s legacy tied to that of Afghan women?
As many as 150 schoolgirls in Afghanistan were sickened by poisoning at their high school yesterday, Reuters reports. The attack is being blamed on radicals opposed to women's rights and education. It's a stark reminder that after more than a decade long hearts-and-minds campaign, human rights is not a welcome ideal by all.
At the center of that campaign stands Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She made women's rights there a priority even before 2001 and long before she could wield power as head of the U.S. State Department. But with the American troop withdrawal hastening toward her, any gains for the women of Afghanistan are threatened severely.
Just last month, a leading group of clerics issued an edict that's been described as a "greenlight for Talibanization," according to The Guardian. It said women are subordinate to men, should not mingle with them in the workplace or schools, and cannot travel without a male chaperone. Afghani President Hamid Karzai's office detailed the edict in a statement without comment. Critics of Karzai call that tacit approval. Still, Afghanistan and its leadership want a continuing partnership – and money – from the United States.
A formal pact is expected to be signed between the two countries at a NATO conference in Chicago next month. Will women leaders have a seat at the table there? Speaking to the U.S.-Afghan women's Council in Washington this month, Clinton said, "Any peace that is attempted to be made by excluding more than half the population is no peace at all."
Can U.S. aid be tied to progress for women? How would that progress be measured? More than two million girls and women are in Afghanistan schools – is there enough public will in the country to keep them there? Will Clinton's legacy be damaged otherwise?
Guests:
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, set in Afghanistan
Caroline Wadhams, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, focusing on Afghanistan, Pakistan, terrorism issues, and U.S. national security; former legislative assistant on foreign policy issues for Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI); U.S. election observer in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections in September 2010.
LAUSD considers lowering the bar to avoid flood of dropouts
A proposal to lower graduation requirements has been put forward by the Los Angeles Board of Education. This runs counter to a plan announced eight years ago that comes into force this fall, that requires all LAUSD students to take and pass a series of college-prep courses in order to graduate. At present, students need 230 credits to graduate. The new proposal would lower this to 170 credits, the minimum set by the California Department of Education. LAUSD officials say this change of course will give students flexibility to focus on the more advanced courses, and will reduce the number of kids who dropout before graduation. The plan will go before the full board next month.
WEIGH IN:
Should the graduation requirement be lowered? How will lowering the requirement impact on students in the long run? As a student, do you agree with reducing the number of credits you need to graduate? Or would you prefer to be rigorously tested ahead of college?
Guest:
Adolfo Guzman Lopez, Education Reporter, KPCC
The glory days of the Dodgers, LA’s Boys in Blue
With all the turmoil that has surrounded the Dodgers this past year, many fans who bleed blue are looking back to remind themselves of better times for the storied franchise.
Amongst those fans is writer, producer, and lifelong Dodgers fan Paul Haddad. In Haddad’s new book, “High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania,” he focuses on the “glory years” of his childhood team, which spans from 1977 to 1981. During this time period, the Boys in Blue made it to the World Series three times, all against the Yankees. The capper was in 1981, when they finally defeated the Yankees after two ugly losses in 1977 and 1978.
Haddad explores this point in sports history of one of America’s most important teams the way only a true fan can. Haddad draws upon radio and TV transcripts of Vin Scully’s live coverage, his own childhood memories, and a trove of lists, trivia and statistics to provide a more than thorough examination of these four years for the Dodgers.
What’s so special about these seasons? What role did ownership play in the team’s success at the time? Who was your favorite player from the period? What moments stand out to you?
Guest:
Paul Haddad, author of “High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania: A Fan’s History of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Glory Years 1977-1981,” television writer and producer
Haddad's personal recordings of notable Dodgers games:
Dodgers vs. Phillies, in Philadelphia at old Veterans Stadium. Ross Porter behind the mic. Top of the 9th inning. The recording starts off with the Dodgers leading, 6-4, with runners on second and third base and one out. The Phillies’ Tug McGraw is ordered to walk batter Joe Ferguson intentionally to load the bases and set up a double-play possibility. But Ferguson does something unexpected – he swings at one of the intentional balls -- it got too close to home plate -- and slaps a single to right field! Two runs score to make it 8-4. I call this “The Kelly Leak Play” in my book, a reference to the Jackie Earle Haley character in “The Bad News Bears,” who does the same thing. But that was a work of fiction! I’ve only seen this type of play one other time in Major League Baseball in the 32 years since Fergie did it.
But it gets better… McGraw, embarrassed at being shown up by Ferguson, plunks the next batter, Bill Russell. Russell was a mild-mannered ballplayer, but he surprises everyone by charging the mound. A crazy melee ensues, and Ross Porter calls the fight like a boxing match, sparing us no details. Poor Ross Porter had to endure 28 years working in Vin Scully’s very long shadow, never really getting his due. But I find his descriptions of these two wacky events to be entertaining and well-drawn – my favorite call of the 1980 season.
Dodgers vs. Phillies, at Dodger Stadium. The Phillies are the World Champions and have taken the first two games of this homestand in two very tough games. Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is on the mound for the Phillies, looking for the sweep. The Phils lead 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning. The Dodgers have one on and no outs, and Ron Cey steps up. “The Penguin” launches a high drive to right field. Right Fielder Lonnie Smith leaps in the air and makes an unbelievable catch… or did he?
Manager Tommy Lasorda runs out to argue with umpire John Kibler. Tommy claims the ball hit the wall before it went into Lonnie’s glove, and therefore the play should have been ruled a hit, not an out. Kibler disagrees, and this only raises Tommy’s ire, to the point where Kibler tosses him out of the game. Then, Tommy really explodes, and Vin gives us a imaginative interpretation of what Tommy is actually saying…without actually saying it.
Once Tommy disappears into the clubhouse, order is restored. The Dodgers are still losing 1-0. But this was 1981 – the year everything went right for the Dodgers, for once. The next batter is Pedro Guerrero. He crushes a homer to center field, putting the Dodgers ahead, 2-1, with a classic Vin home run call. They would go on to win the game, 3-2, in extra innings, and win the World Series that year, stealing the championship away from the Phillies.
One of Vin's more famous calls. Fernando was in his rookie season and looking to go 8-0 to start the season, which would tie the major league record. He was cruising along against the Montreal Expos, but with two outs in the 9th inning, he gave up a game-tying homer to Andre Dawson. You could hear the air go right out of Dodger Stadium. It was so demoralizing.
But in the bottom of the 9th inning, the first batter was Pedro Guerrero. He smacked a home run to win the game for Fernando and the Dodgers, 2-1. Vin's call is a classic, as he invokes Fernando's name during it. Not to showboat, but because we were all pulling for Fernando, and it was like Vin spoke for all of us. Vin lets the crowd go on for 47 seconds, but I think this version I gave you is slightly edited down.
I awarded this one my "True Blue Ribbon" Mic Award for 1981 -- in a year that the Dodgers won the World Series, no less, this game early in the season was Vin Scully at the peak of his form. This is when Fernandomania was reaching a fever pitch in L.A. Vin puts on a clinic for how to build drama -- he trots out all the tools in his arsenal. He establishes an amazing, poetic rhythm, talks about baseball's timelessness, gives us the date, even utters a couple phrases in Spanish! ("Zurdo" is one of them - it means "southpaw," a reference to Fernando being left-handed.) The fact it's all extemporaneous makes it even more impressive. Still gives me goosebumps. If you wanted to bottle Fernandomania for someone, this comes closest to what it was like.