The crippled cruise ship "C/V Splendor" is being towed to San Diego aided by the U.S. Navy. How will the states deal with the health care bill in the post-election shift of power towards the GOP? Music legend Quincy Jones talks about his new album, Q: Soul Bossa Nostra. The sins of greenwashing - how good for the earth are eco-friendly products really?
Stranded cruise ship raises concerns about ship safety
Two tug boats are slowly towing the Carnival Splendor cruise ship and her 4,500 passengers towards San Diego today. The 952-foot ship, which left Long Beach on Sunday for the Mexican Riviera, has been adrift since an engine room fire early Monday. Rather than lavish meals, passengers are surviving on Spam, Pop Tarts and canned crabmeat flown in by helicopter. Friends and families of stranded passengers are concerned because communication with their loved ones has been severely limited. It’s expected that the Splendor will arrive in port in San Diego late Thursday. Critics say there are serious safety lapses throughout the cruise industry and this accident was waiting to happen. What’s being done to protect passengers?
Guests:
Kendall Carver, Chairman, International Cruise Victims
Jim Walker, Maritime attorney based in Miami and editor of “Cruise Law News”
What’s the state of the new federal health law…in the states?
President Obama’s health reform package is now the law of the land, but the debate is far from over. With the GOP takeover of the House, newly empowered Republican lawmakers are promising to overturn as many provisions as possible. But many pundits now say the ultimate decision is in the hands of individual states. Governors and legislatures, charged with carrying out crucial parts of the law, will be in a position to push back against the White House. And state judges may be able to invalidate the mandate. Where does this leave healthcare in California? And what battles are coming across the country between individual states and Washington?
Guest:
Shana Alex Lavarreda, Director of Health Insurance Studies, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Quincy Jones’ Q: Soul Bossa Nostra
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, arranger, conductor, record producer and 27-time Grammy winner, is back with his first album in five years. “Q: Soul Bossa Nostra” was recorded as a tribute to Jones and includes reinterpretations of songs associated with him. The new CD features an impressive guest list, combining the talents of some of the top R&B and Hip Hop artists performing today including Usher, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, and many others. Record-man prestige is dwindling these days, but Quincy still commands respect.
Guest:
Quincy Jones, Grammy-winning composer, arranger, conductor, instrumentalist, record producer & executive; Executive Producer of “Q: Soul Bossa Nostra”
Sins of greenwashing – are eco-friendly products better for the world or just more hype?
Supermarkets and drugstores are flooded with products claiming to be “green.” Driven by strong consumer demand, the number of green (or greener) products has risen by 73%. But according to a recent study by Terrachoice, an environmental marketing consulting practice, 95% of products sold in North America make misleading claims about safety and sustainability. Government guidelines for environmental labeling are pretty old school—they haven’t been updated since 1998—a fact that the Federal Trade Commission is trying to fix. Will new regulations help consumers find shampoos and cleaning products that really are healthy and friendly to the earth? Or should this fledgling industry be allowed to self-regulate? As a consumer, how do you decide what to buy?
Guests:
Kevin Tuerff, President of EnviroMedia Social Marketing and CEO of Green Canary Sustainability Consulting
Jacquie Ottman, author,