Today on AirTalk we'll listen to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comments about Mitt Romney's tax returns, examine why teen pregnancy rates are dropping nationally, prepare for the landing of the Curiosity Mars rover on Sunday, review this week's new movies on FilmWeek, and look back at Marilyn Monroe's life and career in light of the 50th anniversary of her death.
Reid vs. Romney: should the Senator wage this battle of the tax returns?
The discussion over presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s refusal to release his tax returns heated up after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid accused Romney of not paying any taxes for the past ten years. After receiving criticism for his initial remarks, Reid stood by his words by making the accusation official on the Senate floor.
Reid claims the source of his information is an anonymous but credible Bain Capital investor. In addition, Reid issued a written statement citing Romney’s “secret, overseas accounts” saying, “It’s clear Romney is hiding something, and the American people deserve to know what it is.”
Romney responded during an interview with Sean Hannity saying Reid needs to “put up or shut up,” because the allegations are “untrue, dishonest, and inaccurate.” It seems clear Reid isn’t backing down, but should he? Why would he risk the political backlash to put pressure on Romney?
Guests:
Niels Lesniewski, Staff Writer, Roll Call, a Washington DC publication covering Capitol Hill
Darry A. Sragow, Attorney and long-time democratic strategist
Teen pregnancy rates are dropping, but not for the reasons you might think
Though the popularity of shows like Teen Mom might suggest otherwise, teen pregnancy rates have dropped nationwide. In fact, they’re down by 40% since 1990. So what accounts for the three-decade low?
Better sex education can be ruled out. The drops were found across the country, even in states without comprehensive sex education programs, like Texas and New Mexico. Part of the reason could be that teens are waiting to have sex. The number of teenage girls who are virgins has risen markedly in the last ten years. However the bulk of the drop can be attributed to contraception use, but not the numbers - teen birth control use has remained at the same level for the last 20 years.
It’s the type of birth control that has changed. More and more teens are moving away from condoms and towards the pill. However, the pill still poses a problem - many teens and adult women forget to take it every day, increasing the risk of pregnancy. A recent study found an even more effective method: long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants. For the study, women were given their choice of free contraception.
Those who chose the pill had a much higher risk of contraceptive failure than those who picked IUDs. The problem is that IUDs aren’t readily available to most women. Though Medicaid covers them, it may not cover later checkups often needed for use of IUDs.
Vermont, the state with the lowest teen pregnancy rate, teamed up with Planned Parenthood to create federal payment schemes that makes IUDs, and subsequent checkups, easier to obtain. Should other states follow Vermont’s lead? Will wider access to LARCs really make that big of a difference?
Guests:
Bill Albert, Chief Program Officer, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
Gina Secura Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Washington University School of Medicine; Project
Director
Curiosity landing on Sunday
This Sunday night at 10:31 pm, the “Curiosity” Mars rover will land on the “Red Planet.” The research project, which has been in the works since April of 2004, marks one of the most sophisticated attempts at learning about our red planetary neighbor.
The instruments which comprise the Curiosity rover are the most advanced we've seen yet, and there are a lot of them. In fact, the rover is equipped with so many instruments that it literally weighs a ton. Never dealing with a rover of this size before, the project team at Jet Propulsion Laboratory had to devise a completely new and unique landing system for Curiosity, which we will finally get to see unveiled in all of its glory on Sunday night.
Scientists hope to use the abundance of data coming back to Earth to determine Mars’ habitability, learn about the planet’s climate and geography, and serve as a precursor to a manned mission sometime in the future.
Will you be staying up this weekend to watch the footage of the landing? How much time and effort went into getting this project off the ground (and back on it again)?
Guest:
John Grotzinger, Project Scientist on the Curiosity team of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror
Experts at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ) share the challenges of Curiosity's rover final 7 minutes to landing on the surface of Mars on the 5th of August,2012
FilmWeek: Total Recall, Celeste and Jesse Forever, 360, Killer Joe, The Imposter and more
Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Wade Major and Claudia Puig to review this week’s new movies, including Total Recall, Celeste and Jesse Forever, 360, Killer Joe, The Imposter and more. TGI-FilmWeek!
Guests:
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and boxoffice.com
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today
Trailer for Total Recall
Trailer for Celeste and Jesse Forever
Gentlemen still prefer blondes: a look at Marilyn Monroe’s movies 50 years after her death
This Sunday marks the 50 year anniversary of the death of Norma Jeane Mortenson, more commonly known as Marilyn Monroe.
She legally changed her name in 1956, officially becoming the iconic actress we know and love. The original blonde bombshell has fascinated fans for decades. Her memory is still very much alive. Her affairs are still speculated upon. Her glamour and fashion sense often considered unparalleled. But her greatest accomplishment was her tragically short career.
Though she was often typecast as the wide-eyed, breathy-voiced vixen, Monroe still managed to captivate audiences and critics alike with her performances. Her most famous on screen moments include the musical number “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from “Gentlemen prefer Blondes” and the always iconic subway grate scene in “The Seven Year Itch.”
She was able to show off her impeccable comic timing in “Some Like It Hot,” holding her own against talented actors Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. In Arthur Miller’s “The Misfits,” Monroe took on the meatier role of divorcee Roslyn, a darker and more troubled character than any she had portrayed before. Miller wrote the role for her, hoping it could launch her career as a more serious actress, though “The Misfits” ended up being the last film she completed before her death.
Our critics weigh in on Marilyn Monroe’s career, her best performances and worst flops. What’s your favorite Marilyn Monroe movie or moment?
Guests:
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and boxoffice.com
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today