Dodger debt: the McCourts in court. Who did you favor after the Boxer-Fiorina debate last night? What is "liberation theology?" Direct peace talks begin between Israelis and Palestinians. Later, has porn hijacked our sexuality?
Boxer and Fiorina spar in heated first debate
In their first debate last night, Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer criticized Republican opponent Carly Fiorina for firing thousands of workers while the chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, while Fiorina accused Boxer of being a tax-and-spend, big government liberal. Who came out stronger in the debate, and with two months until election day, how will this affect the race?
Guest:
Frank Stoltze, KPCC Reporter
Dodger debt: will both McCourts strike out?
Testifying at his divorce trial Wednesday, Frank McCourt maintained his claim that he is the sole owner of the LA Dodgers. His wife Jamie McCourt has submitted documents stating she co-owns the baseball franchise. Yet, financial disclosures filed in court suggest the team is so saddled with debt, that both McCourts may walk away empty handed. What’s next in the marital saga, and what will it take for the Dodgers to attract top talent?
Guests:
E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times staff writer
Molly Knight, reporter for ESPN
Liberation theology
According to Glenn Beck, President Obama is a “liberation theologist.” What exactly is liberation theology? Strictly defined it’s a movement in Christian theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of liberation from poverty and unjust economic, political, or social conditions. It began as a movement within the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America in the 1950s - 1960s as a moral response to the poverty and social injustice in that region. But what does that have to do with President Obama’s political and religious ideology and how does liberation theology fit into the American political and religious landscape?
Guest:
Monica Coleman, Associate Professor of Constructive Theology and African American Religions, Associate Professor of Religion at Claremont School of Theology
The peace talks begin
On Wednesday President Obama began a series of bilateral meetings with the leaders of Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. The president's goal is to kick start a process that will ultimately resolve the big issues in the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict – borders, settlements, refugees, Jerusalem -- so that the implementation of a two-state solution becomes a reality. These are the first direct Middle East peace talks in 20 months and many observers are asking the question. What, if anything, makes this round more hopeful than the last?
Guests:
Jacob Dayan, Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles
Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine. He blogs at Ibishblog.com
Has pornography heightened or hijacked our sexuality?
Today’s vastly growing porn industry, estimated to have a $96 billion global worth, has come a long way since the 1950s Playboy pinups. Over the years, the commercialization of pornography has led to the drastic objectification of women and the dehumanization of sexual relationships, according to anti-porn activist Gail Dines. And, thanks to the internet, accessing adult entertainment becomes easier each year. In her new book Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality, Dines warns that our society’s porn addiction is on the rise. Has the infiltration of porn damaged our sexuality? Or just added a healthy dose of spice?
Guests:
Gail Dines, author of Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked our Sexuality and professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at Wheelock College in Boston.
Shira Tarrant, Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at California State University, Long Beach. She is the author of several books including Men and Feminism and Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power.