ISRAELI ELECTIONS/ HAMAS APPROVES CABINET; UCLA ANDERSON FORECAST; TALES OF THE CANNED, CANCELED, DOWNSIZED AND DISMISSED
ISRAELI ELECTIONS/ HAMAS APPROVES CABINET
Ehud Olmert, who replaced the ailing Ariel Sharon at the head of the Israeli government, was elected as Prime Minister Tuesday, winning by a smaller margin than expected, but by enough to form a coalition and carry out his plan to withdraw from Palestinian territories. Olmert’s Kadima Party, founded by Sharon four months ago, earned 28 seats, the most won by any Party in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. In stronger-than-expected second place was the left-leaning Labor Party, with which Olmert is likely to seek to form a coalition. As Israelis voted Tuesday, the Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament approved Hamas' proposed Cabinet, The new Palestinian government may be sworn in as early Wednesday, setting the stage for confrontation not only with Israel but also with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Larry and his guests Laura King, Jerusalem Bureau Chief for the Los Angeles Times, Scott Lasensky, Senior Research Associate, Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, with the United States Institute of Peace, and Rafi Dajani, Executive Director of the American Task force on Palestine talk about what the results in the Israeli election and the developments in the Palestinian parliament will mean for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
UCLA ANDERSON FORECAST
The just-released UCLA Anderson Forecast predicts a “meaningful downturn” in the national economy, continued weakness in the housing sector, and job losses in California. Larry Mantle talks with Christopher Thornberg, Senior Economist for the UCLA Anderson Forecast.
TALES OF THE CANNED, CANCELED, DOWNSIZED AND DISMISSED
If you’ve been fired, you’re in good company. Larry Mantle talks with actress and writer Annabelle Gurwitch about her new book Fired! Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized and Dismissed a collection of hilarious but true tales from people who’ve all gotten the ax, the boot, or been canned at some point in their lives. After being fired by her idol Woody Allen, Gurwitch realized that there was a world of people out there waiting to laugh at the experience of being fired, one that virtually everyone shares. Her interviews and inquiries for the book ultimately led her to understand what it means to get fired as an American worker in the global economy. Annabelle will be doing a signing and reading on March 31st at Skylight Books 1818 Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz at 7:30 p.m. Sandra Tsing Loh will be there as well.