Inside the political fallout from the Keystone XL pipeline; NY's Attorney General investigates whether Exxon Mobil misled the public about the risks of climate change; a new study challenges conventional wisdom that happiness comes with age & TGI-Filmweek!
President Obama pulls the plug on Keystone pipeline
President Barack Obama killed a Canadian energy giant's application to build the Keystone XL pipeline on Friday, declaring the proposed project wouldn't serve U.S. national interests and would have undercut America's global leadership on climate change.
The decision capped a seven-year saga that spiraled into one of the biggest environmental flashpoints of Obama's presidency. Announcing his decision at the White House, Obama said he agreed with Secretary of State John Kerry, whose department recommended rejecting the proposal for a 1,179-mile pipeline crossing the nation's heartland.
He downplayed the claimed economic benefits of the pipeline, arguing it wouldn't have lowered U.S. gas prices, created long-term jobs or reduced U.S. dependency on foreign energy.
Just because President Obama has rejected the proposal doesn't mean it'll stop being an issue in the Presidential race. A Republican President could revive the project. AirTalk parses the pros and cons of Keystone XL.
With files from AP
Guests:
Nicolas Loris, an economist who focuses on energy, environmental and regulatory issues at The Heritage Foundation.
Josh Mogerman, The National Resources Defense Council's national media director who's been involved in the Keystone Project Campaign
Did Exxon Mobil mislead investors on climate change?
Did Exxon Mobil mislead its investors and the public about the risks of climate change?
The question has prompted an investigation by the attorney general for New York State, Eric Schneiderman, whose office has sent a subpoena to Exxon Mobil looking for numerous documents and records. New York’s Martin Act, a securities law designed to protect investors, gives Schneiderman the broad range to do the investigation
A spokesperson for Exxon Mobil says the company rejects any allegations that they hid climate change research and that they are assessing their response to the New York AG’s subpoena.
Environmental groups are touting this as a big win because they have been searching for years for proof that Exxon Mobil has been influencing the climate change debate by withholding research from the public and supporting think tanks and advocacy groups who are skeptics of climate change. Opponents say the investigation is unfounded and a purely political move by Schneiderman.
What evidence is available to support or refute the claim that Exxon Mobil misled the public? What are the laws that allow AG Schneiderman to investigate Exxon? If Exxon is guilty of misleading the public, how should they be punished?
Guests:
Pat Parenteau, a professor of environmental law at Vermont Law School
Jacob S. Frenkel, chair of Securities Enforcement, White-Collar Crime, and Government Investigations Practice at Shulman Rogers, a law firm in Potomac, Maryland. He’s also a former federal prosecutor and SEC enforcement attorney
Happy? New study finds 30-somethings less satisfied than their parents were
A new study is challenging the conventional wisdom that happiness comes with age.
Using data from as far back as the 1970s, San Diego State University professor Jean Twenge and her team found that people in their 30s and up used to be a lot happier than those in their 20s and teens.
But that’s not the case anymore today.
Social Psychological and Personality Science
Guest:
Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University who is the study's lead author. She is also the author of the book, “Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--and More Miserable Than Ever Before” (Free Press, 2006)
FilmWeek: 'Spectre,' 'Spotlight,' 'The Peanuts Movie' and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Amy Nicholson review this week's new releases including the new James Bond movie, "Spectre," the already critically acclaimed flicks "Spotlight" and "Brooklyn," "The Peanuts Movie," and more. TGI-Filmweek!
Guests:
Tim Cogshell, Film Critic for KPCC and Alt-Film Guide; Tim tweets from @
Amy Nicholson, Film Critic for KPCC and Chief Film Critic, LA Weekly; Amy tweets from
Film scholar David Thomson’s guide to the best movie-watching experience
Watching and experiencing a film are two very different things, according to admired film critic David Thomson.
Whether you’re visiting a theatre, popping in a DVD at home or streaming it on the web, we expect a film to evoke emotion –sometimes multiple emotions. This is one of the reasons why people are reluctant to learn how to watch a film. We don’t want our viewing experience compromised.
In his latest book, “How to Watch a Movie,” Thomson explains that critiquing a film can actually heighten a viewing experience. An analysis of “12 Years a Slave,” “Citizen Kane,” “Psycho” and other classic films are included to serve as a guide.
Readers are taught to deeply consider everything from visual components, including actors, dialogue and music, to less obvious factors like whom, where and how we choose to watch a film.
Guest:
David Thomson, Author of “How to Watch a Movie” (Penguin Random House, 2015)
Remembering the Batmobile Creator George Barris
George Barris died on Thursday, he was 89 years old.
His son, Brett Barris, said he passed on peacefully in his sleep.
The "King of Kustomizers" began working on cars at an early age and designed some of the most iconic vehicles, including the original Batmobile, the Munster Koach, the Beverly Hill Billies jalopy.