The New York Times says Chinese hackers broke into its computer systems over a story about a wealthy Chinese leader. Then, will Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's departure open a door to D.C. for outgoing L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa? Plus, the Pentagon is stepping up cyber security efforts, Matt DeBord takes a look at struggling Inland Empire cities, we find out why sticking to a New Year's resolution is so difficult and much more.
NY Times, Wall Street Journal say China hacked papers' computers
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported computer systems in its Beijing bureau had been infiltrated by Chinese hackers. This came a day after The New York Times announced similar cyberattacks.
The intrusion at the Times was detected last fall when the paper began reporting on the personal fortune of China's Prime Minister. Hackers allegedly stole the passwords of reporters and other staff members.
China's Ministry of National Defense has denied involvement in these attacks. For more on this we're joined now is Rob Gifford, China Editor at the economist.
Pentagon expanding cyber security efforts
The Grey Lady isn't the only one hiring additional security experts... The Pentagon is also expanding its cybersecurity forces. Three years ago, the Defense Department created it's Cyber Command, a group tasked with defending critical computer systems as well as launching offensive cyber operations.
The Pentagon recently announced plans to expand this unit over the next few years.
Kenneth Corley wins freedom from prison under Prop 36
Last November, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, the measure that changed California's three strikes law to require that third strike be serious or violent felonies. It also allowed some of the inmates serving life sentences to have those sentences reduced.
We speak with former inmate Kenneth Corley, the first non-violent offenders to be released under the new law.
Struggling Inland Empire cities lead in unemployment and foreclosure rates
Riverside/Ontario area now leads the nationThe in unemployment among large population centers. Riverside and San Bernardino both were at the top of a list of worst run cities, and a once-proud park in downtown San Bernardino has turned into an urban eyesore.
KPCC's Matt DeBord joins us to talk about why the recovery seems to be skirting the Inland Empire.
San Bernardino's bark beetle battle comes to an end
For more than 10 years, the tiny bark beetle has ravaged San Bernardino County, turning vast swaths of forest areas into potentially devastating wildfire spots. But this week, county supervisors voted to end the emergency proclamation they had renewed monthly since September 2002.
More rain and a concerted effort to curb the outbreak on the part of forest management , with the help of federal and state funds, has resulted in healthier trees, which already have a natural defense against the bark-chomping critters.
"The beetle is part of the native ecosystem up in the local mountains, because of a protracted drought we had a lot of trees that became very susceptible to the insect and we went into a major outbreak," said Timothy Paine, professor of entomology at UC Riverside. "As a result, around one-third of the conifers in the San Bernardino mountains were killed by the beetle."
Forest workers were able to identify trees that had become infested and remove them before the beetles had a chance to multiply. While the beetles have been controlled for now, they have not been completely eliminated, nor should they be, according to Paine.
"They're part of a natural cycle and they'll be back, but one of the consequences of removing all of those trees is there are fewer trees in the forest," said Paine. "That may sound like a problem, but in terms of protecting the forest, thats a good thing. There's more water available for the trees that are left, they're not in competition and so they are going to be able to resist the insects."
Why is sticking to a New Year's resolution so difficult?
It's the last day of January. So, how's that New Year's resolution you made while when you were nursing your hangover going? Are you sticking to it?
If you are like most of us, probably not so well. Whether your resolution was to get more exercise, to lose some weight, to read the complete works of Shakespeare, or even just to get more sleep, there's a pretty good chance you made an effort, but didn't follow through. If you actually even ever made an effort to begin with.
Changing behavior, replacing a bad habit with a good one and embracing a new attitude are all challenging for humans, and there are some really good reasons why that's the case.
So, on this last day of January, we decided to call up New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg. He's the author of the best-seller, "The Power of Habit," which looks at the science behind habitual behavior.
RELATED: Have you kept your New Year's resolution?
'King Of Kong' musical comes to the UCB Theater
Tonight at the UCB Theater in Hollywood, a group of TV writers will perform an 8-bit musical version of a "King of Kong," based on the 2007 documentary film about the intense competition to get the highest score in the classic video game, Donkey Kong.
For anyone who has seen the documentary, the idea of turning a magnum opus of video-game nerddom into an upbeat musical seems like a difficult feat, but not for creators Zach Paez, Joe Chandler and Matthew Patrick Davis. According to Davis, the story was ripe with fodder for musical comedy.
"They managed to find a story of Shakespearean proportions with a good guy and a really bad guy, with minions that are trying to thwart the good guy," said Davis. "We thought that would be great for a musical."
Two songs from "King of Kong: The Unauthorized Musical":
This isn't the first movie musically tackled by the team; They've produced musical renditions of "Jurassic Park," "Shining," and "NeverEnding Story." Choosing which films to adapt is a delicate art that must have an element of nostalgia, a collective understanding and the team must have a personal interest in the material.
"It was really easy to pick the first one, which was 'Jurassic Park,' everyone's seen that, and everyone loves it," said Paez. "With this one, not as many people have seen it as 'Jurassic Park,' but we don't care because we love it just as much."
Davis and Paez say that the best crowd reactions come when people recognize memorable lines or scenes from the film. For instance, in the "Jurassic Park" musical, the scene where Muldoon says "clever girl," before being eaten by a crafty velociraptor was turned into a love ballad to Muldoon's beloved dinosaur foe.
They also think the juxtaposition of seriously unfunny subject matter, like the plot of "The Shining," paired with peppy music lends a particular comedic effect:
For more info check out the UCB website.
Will Villaraigosa's traffic track record pass White House muster?
Ray LaHood, President Obama's Secretary of Transportation announced his resignation this week, and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is among those President Obama may be considering as his next secretary of transportation. That idea might seem a little crazy to Southern California drivers, after all, we deal with some of the worst traffic in the nation.
KPCC's Frank Stoltze reports on the mayor's record on one of the most vexing issues that faces the region.
The idea may seem crazy to Southern California drivers who navigate some of the worst traffic in the nation, but L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is among those President Obama may be considering as his next Secretary of Transportation.
The current secretary – Ray LaHood – announced his resignation Tuesday, and President Obama is looking at a Cabinet that includes no Latinos, following the departures of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Activist groups from throughout the country are calling on the President to make sure Latinos are included in his second-term Cabinet.
If Villaraigosa is considered for the transportation post, the vetting process will surely include a look at the mayor’s record on one of the most vexing issues that faces the region.
Anyone who runs for mayor of Los Angeles promises to improve traffic flow. In 2005, Villaraigosa was no different. But the mayor’s early transportation initiatives were like a compact car – kind of small, says LA StreetsBlog Editor Damien Newton.
"The major projects we heard about were 'Tiger Teams’, which were out to ticket parked cars at rush hour to free up road space," Newton recalls.
Newton and other transit advocates say that changed over time.
"The Villaraigosa administration has been a golden age of transit," Joe Reynolds of the Natural Resources Defense Council says.
The turning point came three years into Villaraigosa’s first term when voters approved Measure R – a half-cent sales tax that will double the size of L.A.'s rail system with $40 billion in new transit funding over 30 years.
Newton says the mayor spearheaded the campaign for Measure R, even as many politicians predicted it would fail to obtain the necessary two-thirds support of voters to pass. And Villaraigosa didn’t just work in front of the TV cameras he so loves.
"Publicly, he was the chief cheerleader," Newton says. "But behind the scenes he was the chief fundraiser for it."
As a result of Measure R’s passage, a dozen major mass transit projects are under way in L.A. County, including the Expo Line Phase Two and the Gold Line Extension. The building frenzy is creating thousands of new jobs.
Villaraigosa accelerated funding for those projects too. While he fell short of securing federal support for compressing 30 years of projects into 10 years, he successfully lobbied Congress to dramatically expand federal transportation loans – something that’s benefited other cities as well. The America Fast Forward program is the mayor's brainchild.
While many in L.A. see him as a partisan Democrat, the view of Villaraigosa in the nation’s capital is different, says Newton.
"In Washington, his reputation is that of someone who can reach across the aisle," Newton says. "[He] can work with a John Mica, who’s considered by some to be a Tea Party Republican, as well as Senator [Barbara] Boxer."
Many transit and environmental activists in L.A. Also praise Villaraigosa for his clean trucks program at the port, which has reduced air pollution significantly, and his bicycle plan, which includes building 1,600 miles of new bike paths over 40 years.
"I think that Mayor Villaraigosa’s vision for improving transit in L.A. has changed the way that a lot of mayors are looking at this," says David Cooper of the Washington D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute. "And I think that these types of public investments are exactly the sorts of things that need to be done on a larger scale throughout the country."
But Villaraigosa does have his transportation critics.
"In regards to bus riders, Mayor Villaraigosa’s record is pretty abysmal," says Sunyoung Yang, lead organizer for the Bus Riders Union. She points out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has cut nearly 1 million hours of service in the name of efficiency, but at the expense of working class residents. Yang notes Villaraigosa sits on the board, and appoints three of its 13 members.
"He never really flexed his power enough to protect bus riders from egregious bus service cuts," Yang says.
African-American transit activists also fault him for not using his political capital to ensure a Leimert Park stop on the new Crenshaw Rail Line. And if you’re sitting in traffic on the Westside, you might wonder what Villaraigosa’s done for you.
Reynolds of the Natural Resources Defense Council says the mayor’s transit accomplishments may not be appreciated for a while.
"We have been suffering a mobility crisis in Los Angeles for a very long time, and changing that is a very complex problem," Reynolds says. He predicts people will thank the mayor more as Measure R builds additional transit projects.
Reynolds and Newton of LA StreetsBlog like the idea of President Obama appointing Villaraigosa as transportation secretary. Newton says L.A. may get more federal funds as a result.
"Usually, there is a hometown bump if you have a secretary that’s from your hometown," Newton says.
In addition to Villaraigosa, President Obama’s list of possible transportation secretaries reportedly includes former House Transportation Committee Chair Jim Oberstar, New York City’s transportation chief Janette Sadik-Khan, former Washington Governor Gregoire and former FAA chief Jane Garvey.
City Hall Pass: The race for LA mayor heats up
While Villaraigosa considers a possible future in Washington, we now look at the latest in the fight to replace him as mayor of LA. It's time now for our weekly segment on local politics.
KPCC reporters Frank Stoltze and Alice Walton join us now with the latest news from City Hall.
A look at the San Onofre power plant, one year after closure
One year ago today, a tube burst inside one the newly installed steam generators at the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. A tiny amount of radioactive steam was released, and the plant been closed ever since. Here to explain when and if it will ever re-open is Orange County reporter, Ben Bergman.
RELATED: FAQ: Everything you need to know about the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant
Washington State seeks pot consultant with unique mix of skills
Looking for work? Here's a job description in Washington that piqued our interest:
Wanted: Someone with regulatory experience, a legal degree preferred, a background in statistics, and an intimate knowledge of how to grow and consume marijuana.
Last night, the Washington State Liquor Control Board held a meeting in hopes of finding such a person. The state recently voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and now they need a pot consultant to help develop the rules for this new industry.
Mikhail Carpenter with the state's Liquor Control Board was at the meeting last night. He joins the show with an update.
LA engineering professor to receive National Medal of Science
An engineering professor from our own backyard is heading to the White House. Dr. Solomon Golomb has spent the past 50 years teaching engineering at the University of Southern California. Tomorrow he'll be among 12 people to receive this year's National Medal of Science.
The Dinner Party: Nude museum exhibit, world's largest diamond and more
Every week we get your weekend conversation starters with Rico Gagliano and Brendan Newnam, the hosts of the Dinner Party podcast and radio show.
On tap this week, a museum exhibit in the buff, the world's biggest diamond and the world's best game of tag ever!