Tentative Deal Reached on State Budget; Michael Shermer Celebrates Darwin's 200th Birthday; Phoenix: Kidnapping Capital of the U.S.?
Tentative Deal Reached on State Budget
Governor Schwarzenegger and California legislators have reached a tentative deal on the state budget. However, it comes at the expense of several sectors, with plans to cut back on state investment in schools, higher education, and public transportation. Larry Mantle talks about the news with Kevin Gordon of School Innovations and Advocacy, UTLA President A.J. Duffy, San Diego School Superintendent Randy Ward, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Anthony Wright of Health Access California, and Jeff Wagner of the California Transit Association.
Michael Shermer Celebrates Darwin's 200th Birthday
Michael Shermer, the publisher of Skeptic magazine and the author of "Why Darwin Matters," joins Larry Mantle to talk about the legacy of Charles Darwin and two myths about evolution that persist today: one, that there is a knowing force that guides and moves evolution forward and two, that survival depends entirely on a selfish, ruthless kind of competitive fitness.
Phoenix: Kidnapping Capital of the U.S.?
In a surprising and alarming trend, Phoenix has become the country's abduction capital. More kidnappings happen in Phoenix than in any other town in America with 366 kidnappings last year. And police estimate that twice that number go unreported. Almost every victim is linked to the drug trade, as Phoenix has become the new gateway for Mexican drug gangs. Larry Mantle discusses this worrisome development and efforts to combat it with LA Times staff writer Sam Quinones.