Which way, L.A. Coliseum? Should killing and eating a mountain lion cost Fish and Game head his job? Should Democrats take a stand on same-sex marriage? Will the new iPad replace sliced bread? The Man in the Empty Boat.
Which way, L.A. Coliseum?
You may not give a lot of thought to LA's Memorial Coliseum, but there may be a big change coming.
The Coliseum Commission, which includes a number of governmental entities, is negotiating with the University of Southern California to take over operation of the taxpayer-owned Coliseum. So far, the Commisison has failed to provide the money necessary to made upgrades promised in a recent lease agreement between the two entities.
The agency and USC are working on new lease agreement that would to allow the University to take over and refurbish the property, but critics of the process, including Councilman Bernard Parks, say numerous closed-door meetings are violating the Brown Act (the Ralph M. Brown Act), which allows public bodies to secretly deliberate but only certain monetary matters, such as price and payment terms.
"I'm critical of the process that has gone forward and not having public hearings about this whole giveaway to USC," said Councilman Bernard Parks. "My concern is that if you're going to take a facility that means this much to the community, and particularly that its in my district, I would have expected more outreach in the sense of bringing the public in."
Assistant County Counsel Thomas J. Faughnan, the panel’s attorney, said Wednesday that the Brown Act permits private deliberations to protect the negotiation positions of government agencies. However, Terry Francke, an authority on the law, said the commission’s process appears to be in conflict state Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris’s December opinion limiting material that can be kept confidential under the Brown Act.
"Councilman Parks never registered that complaint with the commission and he has been involved in every one of the meetings that we've had and in fact he has supported the framework of the lease every time is has come up for a vote," countered Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. "We should not have our negotiating strategy sessions in public for our negotiating adversary, I don't want to call SC an adversary, necessarily, but they are on the other side of the negotiating table."
Should the ownership of the Coliseum be turned over to USC and if so what should LA County receive in exchange for such a valuable asset? And are the negotiations between the Coliseum Commission and the University transparent enough?
Guests:
Bernard Parks, Councilman, Eighth District, City of Los Angeles
Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the Third District
Kristina E. Raspe, Vice President, Real Estate Development and Asset Management for USC
Should killing and eating a mountain lion cost Fish and Game head his job?
In January, the president of California’s Fish and Game Commission, Dan Richards shot, killed and ate a mountain lion while on a hunting trip to the Flying B Ranch in Kamiah, Idaho. About a month ago a picture of Richards, standing in the snow with his gun and his kill, appeared on a hunting website, sparking an uproar.
Soon 40 members of the California state legislature as well as the Sierra Club and the Humane Society were calling for Richard’s ouster. According to a letter from Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom Richards’ actions don’t “reflect the values of the people of California.”
Hunters, fisherman and gun rights advocates shot back pointing out that though hunting mountain lions is illegal in California and has been for 40 years, it’s perfectly legal in Idaho and Richards did nothing wrong.
According to the California Rifle and Pistol Association the members of the legislature that want to fire Richards are using the legally killed mountain lion as an way of ridding themselves of a lifelong hunter whose agenda differs from theirs.
Yesterday the regular monthly meeting of the Fish and Game Commission in Riverside was packed, mostly with people supportive of Richards. Only a few animal rights activists came to protest.
So, is Richards out of step with California’s values? Should legally killing an animal in one state preclude you from holding a particular job in another? Is California’s legislature using the mountain lion as an excuse to kill the career of a person who doesn’t share their environmental aims?
Guests:
Amy Rodrigues, Outreach Coordinator, the Mountain Lion Foundation
Bill Gaines, President, California Outdoor Heritage Alliance
Should Democrats take a stand on same-sex marriage?
Gay rights activists want the Democratic Party to include a pro-gay marriage plank in the party’s platform. So does Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who’s chairing the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Villaraigosa publicly announced on Wednesday that he backs the national party taking on gay marriage, an issue he has long supported. Top Dems like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold are on board too. But President Obama doesn’t support legalizing same-sex marriage, even though he has said his position is “evolving.”
It’s a fine line for the President to walk anytime, but especially so during a re-election campaign. Republicans have certainly grabbed headlines by embracing controversial social issues like contraception, immigration and same-sex marriage.
Some say the GOP’s tough rhetoric has helped galvanize their base. But critics argue their policies don’t reflect mainstream American values and could backfire in 2012.
WEIGH IN:
In an election year that’s supposed to be more about the economy than social issues, why are Dems going to that well?
Strategically, would backing same-sex marriage be beneficial or detrimental to the party?
Is gay marriage such an important moral issue for some voters that it’s worth the political risk?
If Dems want to be the party of the future, is gay marriage the litmus test for success?
Will the new iPad replace sliced bread?
Probably not, but industry watchers have been predicting that Apple's much-anticipated new iPad may be the death of the personal computer, or PC.
The newest version of the popular tablet was unveiled with fanfare on Wednesday in San Francisco. With news vans and satellite trucks lining the streets outside, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage to extoll the nifty new iPad features, including sophisticated photo and video editing, powerful gaming graphics and other things usually associated with desk-bound PCs.
Tablet competitors Samsung, HTC, LG and others are already having trouble keeping up with the iPad, and the new version seems designed to take over the flattened PC market as well. HP saw its profits plunge 44 percent in the first quarter of 2012, while Dell’s profit dropped by 18 percent. Meanwhile, consumers can’t wait to get their hands on the newest tech toy.
Analysts say those who have been drooling for the new iPad won’t be buying a new PC anytime soon.
Will Apple kill the PC market for good? Are you a PC lover who’s considering switching teams? Or do you plan to stay loyal to your PC?
Guest:
Jon Phillips, senior editor, Gadget Lab, for Wired.com
Author Mark Salzman finds himself adrift
Born into an anxiety ridden family author Mark Salzman has always had anxiety in his life. When he was young, martial arts, meditation, tai chi, and a rigorous writing schedule brought him solace and calmed his nerves. But in midlife, a crippling case of writer’s block and a sudden family tragedy threw Salzman’s life into chaos.
Suddenly he was overwhelmed by terrifying panic attacks and began to search for meaning when his life no longer made sense. A lover of Eastern spiritualism and martial arts, Salzman tried but failed to embrace the Taoist notion of emptiness but nothing seemed to take away the depression and despair. In an unlikely moment sitting quietly in solitude with his dog, Salzman had a cathartic mind cleansing experience that cleared away the debris of his existential confusion.
The account of his crises and his epiphany from a most unexpected source is contained in “The Man in the Empty Boat,” an ebook and paperback which is the author’s first work since 2003. The author is best known for his 1986 memoir Iron & Silk, which describes his experiences living in China as an English teacher in the early 1980s. Salzman wrote the screenplay and starred as himself in the film.
Guest:
Mark Salzman, author of “The Man in the Empty Boat” (Open Road Media)
Salzman has been added to the Library Foundation of Los Angeles's ALOUD series on Thursday March 22, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. The event will take place in the Mark Taper Auditorium. For reservations, click here.