USC penalizes its basketball program. An announcement from JPL. Are counter terrorism agencies on speaking terms? And, from founding fathers to techno wizards, author-historian Walter Isaacson discusses the people who shaped American history.
USC self-imposes sanctions on basketball program
In response to allegations that former USC player O.J. Mayo received improper cash and gifts, the school is self-imposing sanctions on its basketball program. The measures include not participating in postseason play this year and forfeiting all of its basketball victories from 2007-2008, the season Mayo played for the team. But similar allegations remain for USC's football program regarding current tailback Joe McKnight and former player Reggie Bush. Are USC's actions fair or too harsh? And is the school trying to avoid harsher punishment by the NCAA?
Guests:
Jason Cole, reporter for Yahoo! Sports
Andrew Zimbalist, Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics, Smith College; author of "Unpaid Professionals: Commercialism and Conflict In Big Time College Sports"
Kepler telescope finds 5 exo-planets
This week, thousands of astronomers will meet in Washington, DC to present the latest findings from telescopes around the planet. It’s the 215th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. So, what’s been showing up in the skies lately? JPL and NASA have just announced the discovery of 5 exo-planets similar in size to Uranus and Jupiter. Are there habitable planets close to us? What are they composed of, and how many more might Kepler find?
Guest:
Jim Fanson, former project manager on the Kepler Telescope mission, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Feds missed the pants bomber out of human error? Or systemic intelligence failure?
Could better communication between federal intelligence agencies have prevented Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from boarding a flight to the United States? John Brennan says, not a chance. The deputy national security adviser to President Obama denies a "smoking gun" in inter-agency communications. How well are agencies cooperating to prevent terrorism?
Guests:
Evan Perez, Justice Department Correspondent for the Wall Street Journal
Loch Johnson, Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia
Great leaders, creative thinkers, and the heroes of a hurricane
Larry talks with author-historian Walter Isaacson about his new book, American Sketches. From the founding fathers to techno wizards, Isaacson profiles individuals who have shaped the course of American history, including Ben Franklin, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Albert Einstein, and Bill Gates.
Guest:
Walter Isaacson, author of "American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, And The Heroes Of A Hurricane" (Simon & Schuster). He is President of The Aspen Institute and has been chairman of CNN and the managing editor of Time magazine.