What will the new tax plan mean for California? We discuss the local implications and effects. We also dive into new research on heart stents; review the latest movies coming out this weekend on FilmWeek; and more.
Local economists break down impact of GOP tax plan on Southern Californians and LA housing market
The Republican tax plan has significant implications for Californians.
Eliminating the state and local income tax deduction hits hard here. CA is a high tax state. Capping the deduction on mortgage interest also disproportionately affects high cost housing states like ours.
Larry discusses these issues and more with economists Robert Kleinhenz and Jerry Nickelsburg.
Guests:
Robert Kleinhenz, economist and executive director of research at Beacon Economics
Jerry Nickelsburg, director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast and professor of economics
Doctors debate methodology, conclusions reached in new study suggesting stents don’t ease chest pain
A new study published in Lancet raised questions about the efficacy of heart stents to relieve chest pain.
Heart stents are small wire cages used to open blocked arteries. As reported by the New York Times, inserting stents to relieve chest pain is a common procedure, and the study’s findings have caused some in the medical community to rethink their use. Stents can save lives when implemented to open arteries when patients have a heart attack. Worldwide, more than 500,000 people per year have the procedure done.
Larry speaks to two doctors today to find out more about the study’s findings, and what you need to know about heart stents.
Guests:
Dr. Rita Redberg, M.D. professor of medicine and cardiologist at UC San Francisco
Dr. David Maron, M.D., clinical professor of cardiovascular medicine and director of preventive cardiology at Stanford
Bowe Bergdahl sentencing: no prison time, dishonorable discharge
A military judge has found that Bowe Bergdahl should serve no prison time for endangering his comrades by walking off his Afghanistan post.
The judge also gave Bergdahl a dishonorable discharge, reduced his rank to private and said he must forfeit pay equal to $1,000 per month for 10 months. The judge made no other comments.
Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy and had faced up to life in prison. The judge had wide leeway because Bergdahl made no deal with prosecutors to limit his sentence.
Prosecutors had sought stiff punishment because of wounds to service members who searched for Bergdahl after he disappeared in 2009. He was held captive by Taliban allies for five years.
The defense sought to counter that evidence with testimony about Bergdahl's suffering during five years as a captive of Taliban allies, his contributions to military intelligence and survival instruction and his mental health problems.
With files taken from the Associated Press.
Guest:
Rachel VanLandingham, retired lieutenant colonel; former judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force (USAF); she is currently an associate professor of law at Southwestern Law School. She tweets
What can the Las Vegas shooter’s brain tell us about his violent act?
Stephen Paddock’s violent actions remain a mystery, but we might be on the verge of finding out more.
The Las Vegas shooter, who killed 59 people at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival last month, killed himself on the night of the attack. But pathologists at Stanford University are trying to salvage some clues to what biologically could have gone wrong with Paddock. As reported by The Bay Area News Group, Las Vegas-based investigators have an agreement with Stanford to keep the details undisclosed. The university lab studies about 250 brains per year.
Las Vegas authorities so far have not found any warning signs from the shooter leading up to the attack. On a macro level, there haven’t been any signs that could point to Paddock’s behavior. Charles Whitman, the University of Texas shooter, had a malignant brain tumor which was discovered during his autopsy. Whitman climbed the school’s tower in 1966 and killed 13 people with a sawed-off shotgun.
In light of this, scientists are looking at minor changes in Paddock’s brain chemistry by performing microscopic exams. While potential abnormalities would be unable to answer every question, they could inform us about any hereditary traits to look out for, and help create more effective medical therapies.
Larry speaks to forensic experts today to learn more about what Paddock’s brain could reveal.
Guests:
Kate Termini, Psy. D., a neuropsychologist who specializes in forensic neuropsychology at Fifth Avenue Forensics in New York
Judy Ho, associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University; she is also a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist in Manhattan Beach, Calif.; she tweets
FilmWeek: ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ ‘Bad Moms Christmas,’ ‘Last Flag Flying’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig and Justin Chang review this weekend’s new movie releases.
- "Thor: Ragnarok" in wide release
- "A Bad Moms Christmas" in wide release
- Morning Edition host Alex Cohen interviewed actress Kathryn Hahn, which you can listen to here
- "Lady Bird" at ArcLight Hollywood & The Landmark
- The film's director, Greta Gerwig, spoke to KPCC's The Frame this week
- "Last Flag Flying" at The Landmark
- KPCC film critic Claudia Puig will be monitoring a Q&A with the film's director Richard Linklater and actor Laurence Fishburne on Friday, Nov. 3 at the ArcLight Hollywood. She will also host a Q&A with Linklater at The Landmark on Saturday, Nov. 4.
- "BPM" at Laemmle's Royal & AMC Dine-In Sunset
- "11/8/16" at Laemmle's NoHo
- "LBJ" at AMC Atlantic Times Square, AMC Del Amo & ArcLight Sherman Oaks
- "Most Beautiful Island" at Lemmle's Music Hall
Critics' Hits
Claudia: "Lady Bird" & "Last Flag Flying"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNi_HC839Wo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmS4lTZ34uk
Justin: "BPM (Beats Per Minute)" & "Most Beautiful Island"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fhO2A4SL24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urnl7GfsWLY
Mixed Feelings
Claudia: "11/8/16" & "LBJ"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh6LwsfWV-g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrnEp8WLH0g
Justin: "Thor: Ragnarok"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue80QwXMRHg
Misses
Claudia: "A Bad Moms Christmas"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFfxsrFDkHE
Guests:
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association; she tweets
Justin Chang, film critic for KPCC and the Los Angeles Times; he tweets
AFI Fest director on what to watch for in this year’s lineup
The American Film Institute’s AFI Fest comes back to Los Angeles next weekend with a slate of fresh films to be on the lookout for as we head into 2018.
The festival kicks off on Friday, November 9th with a screening of the Netflix film ‘Mudbound,’ directed and co-written by Dee Rees and starring Carey Mulligan and Jason Clarke. It takes place in the American South during World War II and follows two families who work the same plot of Mississippi Delta land but are separated by social hierarchy. Another highly-anticipated film is ‘Molly’s Game,’starring Jessica Chastain Idris Elba in the true story of former Olympic skier Molly Bloom, who ran high-stakes poker games for a decade before she was arrested. Director Guillermo del Toro also makes an appearance this year with his film ‘The Shape of Water,’ starring Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer. Rounding out the festival’s closing day will be ‘All The Money In The World,’ from director Ridley Scott. This adaptation of a true story stars Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams in the story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, scion of the Getty oil dynasty.
AFI Fest is also introducing a new annual feature where they’ll spotlight a filmmaker of global significance, and Robert Altman will get the inaugural honors this year with discussion and screenings of twelve of his films. There will also be a Storytelling Bootcamp offered to high school students and teachers in partnership with LAUSD.
As she enters her seventh year heading up the festival, we’ll talk with AFI Fest director Jacqueline Lyanga about the other films on the docket this year.
Tickets to screenings at AFI Fest are free. You can find them here.
Guest:
Jacqueline Lyanga, festival director of the American Film Institute Festival (AFI Fest); she tweets