New offshore oil drilling. Parcel tax for public education? Then, is the Inland Empire full of gated ghettos? Later, Speaking of Faith's Krista Tippett shares scientists' religious views. And actor Edward James Olmos remembers famed East L.A. math teacher Jaime Escalante.
Drill, baby, drill?
President Obama has announced plans to open America's coastlines for oil and natural gas drilling. The proposal would end a moratorium on drilling from Delaware to central Florida, expand operations to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and open the north coast of Alaska for exploration. President Obama emphasized that the plan is part of a larger strategy to reduce foreign imports and move toward domestic and clean energy. Is this a sound policy for energy and the environment?
Guests:
Severin Borenstein, Director of the University of California Energy Institute and Professor of Business Administration and Public Policy at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley
Leila Monroe, Staff Attorney with the Oceans Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council
Dan Kish, Senior Vice President for Policy, Institute for Energy Research
SoCal public schools weigh parcel taxes to close budget deficits
Do you think public schools need more money? Okay… how about forking over $100? Property owners in Pasadena may have to do that under Measure CC, a parcel tax from the Pasadena Unified School District. Supporters say it’s what’s needed to maintain the schools. Opponents say the PUSD spends too much already and is squandering funds. Similar debates are going on in LAUSD, Santa Monica-Malibu, and other districts. Where do you stand on paying a parcel tax?
Guests:
Ross S. Selvidge, economist and opponent of the PUSD Parcel Tax
Ed Honowitz, parent of PUSD students, a member of the Yes on CC campaign committee and a member of the PUSD Board of Education
Paradise lost: foreclosures trashing suburbs
Five years ago, for families looking for a house of their own, the answer was to move to one of the many suburban tracts in Riverside County and other outlying areas. But the housing and foreclosure crisis changed all that—in ways economists don’t often consider. Yes, many people can’t pay their mortgages anymore. Many others have decided to walk away from their homes because they’re underwater. But what about people who decided to stick with their homes? Many find themselves in declining neighborhoods full of foreclosures with broken windows and overgrown lawns. Many are in gated communities in which drug dealers and other unsavory types now live within the gates. What is life like for these unfortunately folks, who are watching their suburban paradises turned upside down?
Guest:
Alana Semuels, Staff Writer for the LA Times Business Section, covering the California Economy
Einstein's God: The intersection of science and the human spirit
Some view science and religion as diametrically opposing disciplines. But Krista Tippett believes that the two can inform each other through a rich dialogue that helps people live deeper, more fulfilling lives. Her book Einstein's God collects her conversations about the interplay of science and religion with figures such as physicist Freeman Dyson, Darwin scholar James Moore, and surgeon Mehmet Oz. The host of public radio program Speaking of Faith joins Larry to discuss her exploration of spirituality and intellect.
Guest:
Krista Tippett, author of Einstein’s God: Conversations About Science and the Human Spirit (Penguin). She is a journalist, theologian, and former diplomat who has created, hosted, and produced American Public Media's radio program Speaking of Faith since 2003.
Remembering Jaime Escalante
The East LA math teacher whose story inspired the 1988 film Stand and Deliver has died. Jaime Escalante challenged Garfield High students in one of the Southland’s toughest barrios to excel at math. When 18 of his students passed the Advanced Placement Calculus exam in 1982, examiners were so surprised they accused Garfield students of cheating. As NPR’s Claudio Sanchez reports, the students retook the test, some scoring higher. Bolivian-born Escalante was 79 years old. Were you a student at Garfield High during Escalante’s tenure? How will you remember him?
Guest:
Edward James Olmos, actor who portrayed Jaime Escalante in the film Stand and Deliver