Drought Doubt; Economic Stimulus and Jumbo Loans; Gas Guzzler Tax? Assembly Proposes Clean Car Discount Bill; Otto Preminger; Filmweek Reviews
Drought Doubt
It's wet and it's cold and it's taking a toll on the region, but will it help stave off a drought come spring and summer? From freeway closures to the danger of floods and mudslides, Larry talks with the experts about the rain.
Economic Stimulus and Jumbo Loans
Part of Washington's economic stimulus plan will provide almost a year of cheaper loans for Californians to refinance higher-cost homes. This is designed to deal with the event that started the economy's decline--the fall of the housing market. Larry talks about the jumbo loan portion of the stimulus plan.
Gas Guzzler Tax? Assembly Proposes Clean Car Discount Bill
At the end of the month the California Assembly will vote on the "Clean Car Discount Bill" (AB 493), which would offer rebates for "clean cars" and would impose tax penalties on large, inefficient vehicles. This is in response, say the bill's proponents, to the Bush Administration's efforts to delay the State's attempts to regulate CO2 emissions. Larry talks with advocates and opponents of the Clean Car Discount Bill.
Otto Preminger
Nothing about filmmaker Otto Preminger was small, trivial, or self-denying. In his new biography, "Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would be King" (Knopf), Foster Hirsch gives readers a full account of the controversial, greatly admired, yet often underrated, director/producer who was known as "Otto the Terrible." Larry talks with Hirsch about his book which includes 100 new interviews with Preminger's family and co-workers.
Filmweek Reviews
Larry and critics Claudia Puig, of USA Today, and Henry Sheehan, of henrysheehan.com discuss many of the past two week's new films including the features "Cassandra's Dream," "27 Dresses," "Untraceable," "The Air I Breathe," "Mad Money," "Rambo," and "Cloverfield," and the documentaries "Taxi to the Dark Side," and "The Business of Being Born."