Ventura County And Citrus Wildfire Updates; Hugo Chavez Re-Elected President Of Venezuela; Iraq, Afghanistan And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Russian Intrigue And The Poisoning Of Litvinenko; The Story Of Hollywood: An Illustrated History
Ventura County And Citrus Wildfire Updates
Larry Mantle talks with guests about two fires burning in Southern California.
Hugo Chavez Re-Elected President Of Venezuela
Larry Mantle discusses the re-election of Hugo Chavez and what that will mean for Venezuela's future, and for U.S.- Venezuelan relations.
Iraq, Afghanistan And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
In a special half-hour investigative report on All Things Considered, award-winning NPR News journalist Daniel Zwerdling reports on the military's treatment of soldiers returning from Iraq who suffer from emotional problems. Soldiers who have come back from war to Fort Carson, Colorado, told Zwerdling that their officers and lower level supervisors have harassed and punished them and in some cases discharged them for seeking help for what they believe to be emotional problems triggered by their service in Iraq. Zwerdling also interviewed some of the soldiers' supervisors, most of them Sergeants at the base, who admit to the treatment, telling Zwerdling that it's true, that they are giving these soldiers a hard time, and explain the reasons why. Larry talks to Zwerdling about his findings and invites calls from returning vets.
Russian Intrigue And The Poisoning Of Litvinenko
Many Londoners and other Europeans spent a frightening weekend wondering if they too might have been exposed to the deadly radioactive toxin Polonium-210. This comes after several British Airways flights and several locations in central London showed signs of radioactivity. The poison was apparently smuggled to London where it was used to kill former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. His death came as he was investigating the death of Anna Politkovskaya, journalist and critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, on Thursday Irish authorities launched an inquiry into the sudden and violent illness of former Russian Prime Minister Yegor T. Gaidar, whose aides said he might also have been the victim of poisoning. The Polonium, meanwhile, has been traced to a Russian nuclear power plant. As this plot of intrigue and murder thickens, Larry asks what is going on in Russia? Is the Putin government ordering hits on its opponents? Or is there a rogue element in Russia's secret service? And how does this tie into Russia's dark history of offing political opponents. Larry talks with Robert English, Professor of International Relations at USC who specializes in Russia and Eastern Europe.
The Story Of Hollywood: An Illustrated History
Author Gregory Paul Williams chronicles some of the lesser known details of the history of Hollywood's development, fall into decay, and current renewal. The book contains over 800 vintage photographs. It starts with information about the Indians who originally settled in what would become Hollywood. Then it follows the first Spanish explorers. Later Hollywood was farmland, famous as an area where almost anything would grow. In the early 1900s all of that changed, of course, as studios opened up and it became the movie capital of the world. Larry talks to writer Gregory Paul Williams about his book and the fascinating history that is Hollywood.