Lead and other harmful substances detected in soil after Eaton and Palisades fires raise concerns
Preliminary results from a soil analysis, conducted in and around the sites of the Eaton and Palisades fires, are in–and they’re not great. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health layed out the preliminary findings this morning. Soil samples revealed the presence of harmful substances like lead, at higher levels than the health-based screening threshold. While some amount of lead is to be expected in the soil, the Department of Health mentioned that more testing was necessary to determine how much of the lead came from the January wildfires. Joining us this morning on AirTalk is Jacob Margolis, LAist science reporter and host of The Big Burn podcast and Josh West, professor of earth science and environmental studies at USC. He’s also co-founder of the CLEAN project, which has been collecting and testing for lead in areas impacted by the recent fires. Do you have questions for our guests? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Can people really change their personality? Surely science has the answer
When Atlantic writer Olga Khazan found herself not liking the person she was, she set out on a year-long experiment to change up her personality. But she didn't want to just give it the old college try — she wanted to lean on the best available data to do the job right. She wrote an article on her experience and recently released a full book on the experiment, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change. There's been debate after debate about whether or not someone can truly change, and today on AirTalk we're reviving this discussion once more. Olga joins Austin Cross to talk about her personality makeover, and to field your questions and comments! Have you tried to change your personality? Do you want to try? Do you think it's improbable, nay, impossible for people to change? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or email us your thoughts at atcomments@laist.com.
A new iteration of the all-American diner just came to Santa Ana
The all-American diner may seem like a beloved vestige of the past. Shiny chrome exteriors, red topped bar stools, wrap around booths. Where someone can get a good patty melt and a no frills cup of coffee. While diners may have taken a back seat in recent years when it comes to LA's celebrated food scene, the allure of the classic diner soon calls to everyone. For chef Daniel Castillo, that call has been answered with the opening of Le Hut Dinette, a new retro diner in Santa Ana. Joining us to talk about diner culture and how Le Hut is bringing a modern twist to nostalgic diner staples is owner Daniel Castillo and executive chef Ryan Garlitos.
FilmWeek: Warfare‘,’ ‘The Amateur,’ ‘Neil Young: Costal,’ And More
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein, Charles Solomon, and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
- Warfare Wide Release
- The Amateur Wide Release
- King of Kings In Select Theaters
- One to One: John & Yoko In Select Theaters | Expands April 18th
- Neil Young: Costal In Select Theaters April 17 [One-Day Only]
- Pets Streaming on Disney+
- Kaiju No. 8 Mission Recon In Select Theaters [Three-Day Event: April 13, 14 and 16]
- Not Just A Goof Streaming on Disney+
‘Warfare’ directors Alex Garland & Ray Mendoza discuss realist filming approach to their new feature
In their second project together, writer-directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare strikes a much different tone than last year’s Civil War. Garland’s solo writing and directing project, with Mendoza on as a military supervisor, served as a thematic look at the political divide found in the United States— Warfare, despite using similar thematic elements, takes a much more realist filming approach to the war in Iraq. Warfare follows a platoon of Navy SEALs in 2006 Iraq, going through the process of scouting insurgent territory, and eventually finding themselves in a gunfight with people they often identify as MAMs (military-age males). Told using the memories of those involved in this real event, the film isn’t focused on making a political statement on the war itself as much as it is putting together a chain of events that helps viewers understand one story a part of the greater picture of the war in Iraq. The film takes these stories and uses an ensemble cast of up-and-coming actors to help put together a linear story, with D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai notably portraying Mendoza, who was one of the Navy SEAL team members involved. Joining us, to discuss their directorial partnership and the work that went into telling this story as truthfully as possible, are Warfare writer-directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland.
‘Warfare’ is out now in Wide Release
