Israel Pounds Hamas in Gaza; LAUSD Cuts Arts Funding; L.A.'s Parking Meter Rates Rise; Top Foreign Policy Stories of 2008; Bad Gifts
Israel Pounds Hamas in Gaza
Attacks on Gaza stretched into a third day today, continuing a major offensive. Israel called up thousands of reservists, sparking fears that those new soldiers would be used as part of a ground invasion. More than 300 Palestinians are reported dead. Guest host David Lazarus gets the latest from L.A. Times reporter Ashraf Khalil and Steven Cook from the Council on Foreign Relations.
LAUSD Cuts Arts Funding
The Los Angeles Unified School District has suspended an arts partnership as part of a spending freeze. AirTalk guest host David Lazarus talks about the likely impact with Los Angeles Times Staff writer Jason Song and Arts for LA Executive Director Danielle Brazell.
L.A.'s Parking Meter Rates Rise
Los Angeles is hoping to generate an extra $18 million for the city by updating old parking meters with 6,000 new digital machines that take credit cards and cash in addition to coins. The switch to the new parking meters comes as city parking rates increase in 2009 to a $1 per hour minimum, and as high as $4 per hour in popular areas. Supporters argue that the new meters and higher rates will lead to higher turnover in parking spaces and bring greater flow into storefronts. But are higher parking rates a wise move during a recession, and could they deter shoppers? Guest host David Lazarus talks with UCLA urban planning professor David Shoup and Amir Sedadi, Assistant General Manager for Parking Management and Regulations in Los Angeles.
Top Foreign Policy Stories of 2008
Will manufacturing solar panels make global warming worse? Did you know the US is helping India build a missile shield? Or that a US citizen was convicted of torture abroad? Every year, Foreign Policy magazine compiles a list of the top overlooked stories. David Lazarus talks to FP editor Blake Hounshell about the most surprising things you haven't heard about in 2008.
Bad Gifts
What's the worst Christmas gift you've ever received? A used candle? A dustpan? A toilet seat, perhaps? AirTalk guest host David Lazarus talks with etiquette expert Peter Post and with listeners who share their best stories of the worst gifts they've ever received.