The troubled mind of a would-be assassin. Bird die-offs and conspiracy theorists. Will Jerry Brown's new budget be unfavorable to business? Can you hear me now? - Verizon finally gets the iPhone. The enduring allure of jazz.
Loughner’s troubled past raises questions about how to deal with disturbed people - before they endanger others
Jared Lee Loughner, the man accused of killing six people and shooting 14 others including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson on Saturday, appeared in court for the first time yesterday. While the nation mourns the victims, more details about the alleged shooter and his troubled past are slowly emerging. His parents, Amy and Randy Loughner, are said to be preparing a statement, but haven’t spoken publicly yet. So far, the 22-year old himself hasn’t offered much by way of explanation, leaving outsiders to guess at his motive and state of mind. Benjamin McGahee, a former college professor of Loughner’s, came forward and described Loughner as “mentally disturbed.” Classmates from Pima Community College in Tucson say something was clearly wrong with Loughner. Many who know him say he didn’t seem violent. But others have said he scared them and that his behavior had become increasingly bizarre in recent months. Anyone who has taught has had to deal with disruptive students. It’s extremely common in schools, workplaces and other environments. But is it possible to prove someone’s a threat before they act out violently? What – if anything – could have been done to stop Loughner? How have you dealt with difficult or disturbed people? What works? What doesn’t?
Why do birds suddenly disappear/ every time/ the end is near?
The end is nigh! At least that’s what many would-be internet prophets and media messiahs would have you believe after a recent spate of mass bird, fish and turtle dove die-offs. Scientists have been quick to point out that these strange occurrences are actually common and have logical explanations. But that hasn’t stopped doomsday, conspiracy theorists from postulating about UFO’s, government conspiracies, and all manner of religious end-of-times scenarios. Jumping to these kinds of conclusions is nothing new, but why are people so quick to cry Armageddon? Is seeing THE END around every corner unique to our culture? Or does it transcend cultural and generational boundaries? Finally, is it harmless morbidity, or something more dangerous?
Guest:
Michael Shermer, founding publisher, Skeptic magazine; Executive Director of the Skeptics Society; monthly columnist for Scientific American; host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech; and Adjunct Professor of Economics at Claremont Graduate University.
Brown budget bites businesses
Yesterday, Governor Jerry Brown unveiled new budget proposals designed to close a $25 billion gap in the state’s spending plan. Among those feeling the sting would be California’s businesses: proposed changes include eliminating enterprise zones, overturning legislation that allows corporations to choose their own method of calculating taxes and shifting money from redevelopment agencies to fire protection, water and other city and county services. Some business associations are support of the changes – albeit cautiously – hoping the move toward financial stability will encourage investment in California. Others fear that higher taxes will drive major corporations out of state and stunt growth of new business. The governor’s message is clear: we all have to tighten our belts. But should we do so at the risk of derailing our economic engines?
The wait is over – Verizon gets the iPhone
Can you hear me now? Apple’s iPhone, the most popular mobile phone in America with more than 70 million units sold, is about to be untethered from AT&T, ending a long running exclusivity with the carrier that dates back to the very first iPhone in 2007. Verizon has the largest and most robust wireless network in America and many customers have been waiting for this day in hopes that a new carrier will mean an end to the iPhone’s Achilles heel – the notorious dropped calls. AT&T’s lock on the iPhone has also allowed its main competitor, the Android OS, to gain market share in the hyper-competitive smart phone wars. Is mobile phone deliverance at hand? Will America’s most popular smart phone satisfy users on America’s largest wireless network?
Guest:
Natali Morris, Senior Editor at CNET
Le jazz hot – why not?
Ask any number of self-proclaimed “jazz heads” what the first jazz record is, whether those solos are really improvised or why Louis Armstrong is so important, and you’ll get a cacophony of disparate answers – maybe even start some fistfights. NPR Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead asks and answers these and many other questions in his new book. Even listeners who love the sound of be-bop, avant-garde or West Coast cool may admit to finding jazz bewildering – even daunting. Whitehead unravels the mystery of this arguably most American of musical movements, taking us back to its beginnings and illuminating the contributions of its most influential artists as well as those of lesser-known, but equally vital, performers and innovators.
Guest:
Kevin Whitehead, NPR jazz critic and author of Why Jazz: A Concise Guide