KCRW's Which Way, L.A.? Podcasts

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Award-winning moderator Warren Olney leads lively, thoughtful and provocative discussion on the issues Southern Californians care about. Primary Format : Public Radio Language : English Also Listed as: City : Santa Monica State/Province : CA Country : USA Region : NA User Tags: User Votes: RSS Feed Website People found this Podcast Searching for: View this Podcast on a Google Map. Podcast iTunes Link Text Only listing of KCRW's Which Way, L.A.? Podcasts Methings.com listings of KCRW's Which Way, L.A.? Podcasts If you like this podcast, you might also like:

Global Warming, Higher Education in California Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Closing Guantanamo, Opening Up the LAUSD Charlie Beck starts his first term as Chief of the LAPD and the LA School District begins farming out schools to outside operators. On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, to make good on his promise to close Guantanamo Bay, President Obama needs to re-locate more than 200 prisoners. One likely location in northwestern Illinois has set off a political firestorm. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website For Obama, Job One; In Southern California, Art and Pot The LA City Council debates a question other cities answered long ago: how to regulate medical marijuana. Also, Eli Broad's massive collection of contemporary art could mean prestige and money for Beverly Hills or Santa Monica. On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point,in the "jobless recovery," the President says "Job One" is creating jobs. What can he do?  Can he do it before the mid-term elections? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Diplomacy in Asia and Partisan Politics in California Republicans Pounce on Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose press secretary might have broken state law by taping a phone conversation without asking permission from the other party. Also, the brown pelican is off the endangered species list. On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, as President Obama goes to Asia, the US is still in deep trouble while China is riding high. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Iran and Diplomatic Confusion; LA Veterans Home from the Wars In addition to the visible wounds of combat, hundreds of thousands of veterans come home from Iraq and Afghanistan with injuries nobody else can see. What?s happening to those with PTSD and brain damage as they try to adjust to life in LA? On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, political divisions inside Iran appear to be threatening a nuclear deal with the west, even though competing Iranian factions may want it to happen. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Fort Hood Killings; Swine Flu; Political Reform for California There's a shortage of H1N1 vaccine in LA County and a shortage of information about how many people are dying from swine flu. We hear about that and some bad news for efforts to reform government in California. On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, 13 people were gunned down last Thursday at Fort Hood, Texas. Were they victims of terrorism? Could the incident have been prevented? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website It Was 20 Years Ago Today: The Fall of the Berlin Wall There are huge celebrations in Berlin, as world leaders gather to mark an event that changed the face of the world. It was twenty years ago today that the Berlin Wall came down. In this rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, guest hostSara Terryasks whether the past two decades have lived up to the promise of that moment, and how the end of the Cold War era shaped the political and economic realities of today. Also, the Supreme Court considers life sentences for children, and why pro-choice ac ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Global Warming and National Security Nobody doubts that dealing with global warming will be expensive, so supporters of climate change legislation are raising questions of national security.  On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, is that a diversionary tactic or will climate change increase terrorism, force mass migration and destabilize entire regions? Also, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas threatens to retire. On Reporter's Notebook, we ask the man who ran Barak Obama's "perfect" campaign what happened on Tuesday. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Off-year Election Results and Water for California Anthony Villaraigosa talks about his choice for a new chief of the LAPD and the rest of his own term as mayor. Plus, the State Legislature finally passes a water program, including $11 billion in bonds that will have to get voter approval. On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, Republicans took governorships from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey. A Democrat took a congressional seat from the GOP in upstate New York. Maine voters said "no" to same-sex marriage. What messages do "off-year ele ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama and Middle East Peace; Villagraigosa and the LAPD Mayor Villagraigosa has chosen Deputy Chief Charlie Beck to succeed Bill Bratton as Chief of the LAPD. We hear from both men and get reaction from a cross section of city figures. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, Hillary Clinton's having a tough time with Israelis and Arabs, and Congress is about to condemn a UN report on war crimes in Gaza. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Credibility in Afghanistan and Homeless in LA Despite the recession, the number of homeless people in LA County has gone down, or has it? Ethics investigations are underway into two local members of Congress. Latinos are celebrating the Day of the Dead. OnTo the Point, Abdullah Abdullah has dropped out, so there won't be a run-off, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai will get a second term. Will he be "credible" to his own people or to President Obama as he decides whether to send more American soldiers? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The 'Public Option,' TV Sets and the Dodgers in Divorce Court Today's North Hollywood synagogue shooting, greening TV sets, and the Dodgers in divorce court. On our rebroadcast of today?sTo the Point, the "public option" is not dead after all. The House and the Senate will debate two different versions of healthcare reform. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Swine Flu, the Decline of Newspapers and the Chief of the LAPD California newspapers are on the ropes.  As they compete with themselves on the Internet, the New York Times may be covering local news in LA and San Francisco. We hear about that and the three insiders most likely to succeed LA Police Chief Bill Bratton.  On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, mixed messages about swine flu and the availability of H1N1 vaccine have led to confusion and unexpected public anxiety. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website China's Economy and California's Water Wars After years of delay and months of closed-door negotiations, a massive state water plan is finally out in the open. Does that mean it can be voted on this week as legislative leaders predicted?  We hear from Sacramento. On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point,China will soon pass Japan as the world's second largest economy, but it's not easy to cope with such rapid expansion. How long can the growth continue? Can the US and China afford to be adversaries? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Executive Pay on Wall Street and New Digs for the LAPD Parker Center has been replaced as police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Does the new building, so far without a name, represent a new way for the LAPD to protect and serve? On our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, traders and brokers who almost wrecked the economy got bonuses anyway, even as their companies were being saved by taxpayer bailouts. Will Obama Administration pay cuts punish the right people? Will new rules protect against another recession? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Local Politics with National Impact; LAPD's New Home On Reporter's Notebook, the legacy of the first Chief to reshape the LAPD. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, local elections in New Jersey, Virginia and Maine could be important for the President, the Democratic Party and same sex marriage. Also, the Pay Czar cuts executive compensation. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Afghanistan's Run-off Election and Women in America's Workplace Women are half the workforce. Why don't they get the same pay as men for the same job? On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, incompetence, corruption and Afghanistan's presidential election.  Will a run-off produce what the White House calls a "credible partner" deserving of more US troops to fight the Taliban and maintain stability? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Pakistan, Medical Marijuana and the Rights of Reporters The LA City Council gets a proposal to regulate medical marijuana. Will it allow sales for money? Did the LA County Sheriff violate laws protecting reporters' freedoms? On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point,Pakistan's army is finally taking on the Taliban in South Waziristan. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Banks, Medical Marijuana and the LAPD The federal government won't crack down any more on medical marijuana, but local officials are itching to prosecute. Plus, Mayor Villaraigosa says keep the LA Police Department at full force ? whatever it costs. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, even Alan Greenspan saysit's time to break up financial institutions that are "too big tofail." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The President Goes to The Big Easy; Bill Bratton's Leaving LA California's public employees take another hit, a veteran reporter remembers Parker Center and LAPD Chief Bill Bratton talks about politics in Los Angeles. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, President Obama touched down briefly in New Orleans today, and the Big Easy seemed to be saying, "It's about time." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website High-level Talks in Moscow and Immigration Enforcement in LA The Obama Administration's new approach to immigration enforcement. Also, does California's constitution need reform. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, Hillary Clinton's in Moscow to talk about Iran's nuclear program and the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, not to mention Afghanistan. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gays in the Military and Slavery in America There are some 40 to 50,000 slaves in America today, and Los Angeles is a center for human traffic. We hear about the anti-slavery activists being recognized here tonight.  We also talk with KCRW?s Matt Holzman, on a sailing ship above the Arctic Circle.  On our rebroadcast of today?sTo the Point, President Obama has again promised to revoke ?Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell,? but legalizing gays and lesbians in the military will take an act of Congress. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website War and Peace in Afghanistan; Hyperlocal Journalism in LA As mainstream newspapers go out of business, "hyperlocal reporting" could be  the future of journalism. We hear how it's working in Southern California. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, the Taliban, al Qaeda and Afghanistan are some of the issues facing the latest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Change in Hollywood; Another Showdown in Sacramento Governor Schwarzenegger threatens a mass veto to get his way on water policy. We get an update. We also look at how California regulates health insurance. Could the state provide a "public option" if Washington doesn't? On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, technology and economics are working big change on the business of entertainment. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Unemployment and the Cross in the Mojave Desert The separation of church and state in the Mojave Desert and National League Playoffs in Dodger Stadium. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, despite talk about economic "recovery," unemployment's at 9.8% and full employment isn't likely again until 2017. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform and the DWP in Transition Broken water pipes, drought restrictions, increased rates for customers and politics at LA's Department of Water and Power. Plus, a history of Los Angeles during another turbulent era. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, healthcare reform is finally headed toward the floors of the House and the Senate. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Nation's Highest Court, California's Highest Elected Office Arnold Schwarzenegger has yet to fade into California's political history.  But nasty campaigns to succeed him are already shaping up among Democrats and Republicans.  We update next year's primaries and hear how the Chandler family helped to create Los Angeles. Also, tonight's PBC documentary on the Chandler Family. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, Justice Sonia Sotomayor began her first full term on the US Supreme Court today. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website FBI Makes an Arrest in a Case of Domestic Terrorism Najibullah Zazi, a 24-year¬old Afghan entered a plea of ?not guilty? this week to charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, in what's being called one of the most serious terrorist threats since 9/11. His arrest came amidst a number of other terror related cases. Also, the US and its allies talk to Iran about its nuclear program. On Reporter's Notebook, could massive earthquakes thousands of miles apart impact other faults around the globe?Conan Nolanguest hosts this rebro ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website US and Iran, Face-to-Face for the First Time in 30 Years In Geneva tomorrow, the United States will sit down for direct negotiations with Iran for the first time in three decades. The US, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany will push for greater transparency on Iran's nuclear program, and threaten sanctions if President Ahmadinejad refuses to cooperate. What can the West hope to achieve at the talks? Will Russia and China agree to stepping up the pressure on Iran? Also,  earthquakes and tsunamis strike Samoa, and pitching the Olympic ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website After the Station Fire Fires, floods and a new LA gang czar. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, Congress is back after the August recess, faced with the same problems it failed to address in July. We hear about healthcare, global warming, finance reform ? partisan Republicans and divided Democrats. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform 2.0: Obama Prepares to Re-charge the Debate Barack Obama is attempting to regain control of the debate on healthcare reform. His proposals drew criticism from conservatives at a series of town hall meetings in August, and Republican senators, once considered potential partners in bi-partisanship, have openly attacked the plan. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, guest hostSara Terryconsiders the prospects for reform. Also, a look back at Teddy Kennedy -- in his own words, and an update on the cause and destruction of the Stati ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Are Hearts and Minds Being Won or Lost in Afghanistan? The latest US strategy against the Taliban calls for winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. But complaints of election fraud threaten the credibility of President Hamid Karzai, and contractors guarding the US embassy have shocked Afghan sensibilities. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, we update developmentsin what's called "Barack Obama's war."  Also, Pfizer is fined $2.3 billion for illegal marketing of drugs, and grocery chains' efforts to win back shoppers looki ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Fires Raise Big Questions about Money Will budget cuts damage the mutual aid system as fire season burns on? Also, will player trades help the Dodgers get into the playoffs? On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point,  banks that were "too big to fail" were rescued from the consequences of bad decisions with taxpayer money. As they begin to pay it back, they've grown even bigger.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Wildfires Blazing Through Southland This week's fires are threatening lives, homes and a major historic site on Mt. Wilson. Plus, Mayor Villraigosa is overhauling his office.  On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, faced with a possible flu epidemic this fall, the US planning for extreme emergencies. If medical facilities are overwhelmed, who gets access first? Who decides? What can be learned from what happened after Katrina just four years ago? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Concierge Doctors: Primary Care and the Well-to-Do The concierge doctor is a relatively small but growing practice aimed at cutting out the middle man and delivering medicine directly to the patient?for a price. Meanwhile, the number of doctors going into family practice has dropped dramatically, even though healthcare analysts say general practitioners are essential as the backbone of an efficient and accessible national healthcare system. In this rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, guest hostJudy Mullerexamines  the disparity and won ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website LAUSD Votes to Hand Over Schools to Charter Groups Charter school operators say LA Unified has made history; the teachers' union says it's violating the law. We hear a debate. Also, a budget crisis for LA's most successful anti-gang program, and fire seasons opens with a big fire. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, there were massive truck bombs in Baghdad last week, even as Prime Minister al-Maliki claimed to have security well in hand. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Party Time: Money and Politics in Sacramento The California state legislature has fallen to record lows in public approval, but nobody's more popular with special interests than Senators and Assembly members. More than 250 fundraisers have been held this year with almost 37 more today and tomorrow. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, the Inspector General's report describes CIA interrogators menacing suspects with guns and power drills and threatening to rape their wives and kill their children. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website LAUSD Board to Debate Management of New Schools The LA Unified School Board will consider allowing outside operators to run 50 new schools. Can the teachers' union stop it or water it down? We hear from two board members about a showdown expected tomorrow. Also, can LACMA's film program be saved? On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, industrial agriculture produces huge quantities of meat and grain, but are they as cheap as they seem? What about damage to land, water and even health? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website King/Drew Hospital Resuscitated? Will the University of California help LA County re-open a troubled hospital?  Have Republicans begun a catfight over the chance to run against Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer?  On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, the vote count is under way in Afghanistan, where a national election has been held in the midst of bloody fighting. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website LA Mayor Villaraigosa Appears Headed for Re-election Suspected terrorists held for years without charges or trials create a conflict between constitutional rights and national security. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, we hear what Barack Obama's promise to restore American values could mean. Plus, does Mayor Villaraigosa deserve re-election?  Is it safe to run for the City Council in Cudahy? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Los Angeles Elections: City Attorney and City Controller San Francisco's last major newspaper faces big trouble, and LA's facing a city election, though very few people are paying attention. Also, is it time for California to get a new constitution? On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, after weeks of grim predictions, did President Barack Obama lift the nation's mood in his first address to the joint session of Congress? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Shining Sunlight on Measure B: The Solar Panel Initiative Measure B on next week's ballot has set off a debate on the best way to expand solar energy in Los Angeles. Also, Slumdog Millionaire: Hollywood and Bollywood. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, a discussion about the priorities and diplomatic style of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she winds up her visit to Beijing. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Shining Sunlight on Measure B: The Solar Panel Initiative Measure B on next week's ballot has set off a debate on the best way to expand solar energy in Los Angeles. Also, Slumdog Millionaire: Hollywood and Bollywood. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, a discussion about the priorities and diplomatic style of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she winds up her visit to Beijing. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama Crosses the Border; State Legislature Makes a Deal In the wee hours this morning, one final Republican signed off on adeal to stitch up California's $42 billion financial wound. But thestate's a long way from fiscal stability. The state's voters will haveto ratify the deal. We hear what Governor Schwarzenegger will have tocampaign for. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, President Obama talked free trade today in Canada, where the government pays for healthcare. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Budget Update; Foreclosures in Southern California The President says he'll spend $75 billion to help stop foreclosuresand keep home prices from going down. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point,we learn who qualifies for assistance and whether the rescue plan willbe good for the economy. Also, the rescue plan's possible impact inCalifornia, a warning about the budget deadlock and a city electionthat won't bring much change. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What California Might Get from the Federal Stimulus Package Bipartisanship didn't work on Capitol Hill, but the massive stimulus bill passed anyway, as we hear on our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point. Also, what California might get from the federal stimulus package and what Sacramento's budget deal will ask of state voters if and when it ever passes. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Local Talent Flee California's Financial Mess? California's ongoing budget crisis has become an argument for companies with good jobs to pull up and move to Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. We hear the pitch and what's being done to counteract it. On today's rebroadcast ofTo the Point, President Obama wants more troops in Afghanistan, but the US presence is increasingly unpopular. So is a corrupt and ineffective government. We hear about the challenges of shifting the focus on terror from Iraq to South Asia Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Taxes and Spending, from Washington to Sacramento A debate on LA’s solar energy plan. Is Measure B good government or bad politics? Plus, anupdate on the state budget and, on our rebroadcast ofTo the Point, a $789 billion stimulus package is likely to pass the House and Senate. What's in the bill? Did Republicans force enough compromises to tarnish a victory for President Obama? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Tentative Budget Deal Reached Word of a budget deal in Sacramento includes these numbers: $14 billion in new taxes, $16 billion in spending cuts and $10 billion in new debt.We get the details and hear about charges that Republicans are breaking anti-bribery laws. Also, what’s in store for the Motion Picture and Television retirement home?  On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, President Obama wants big money to forestall foreclosures. Is that a sound public investment? Why is homeownership equated with th ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Toxic Conditions in Southern California Wastewater For eight years, lakes, rivers and Santa Monica Bay have been polluted with sewage and industrial waste toxic enough to damage and kill aquatic plants and animals.  Enforcement officials are accused of looking the other way.  The Legislative Analyst says California is headed toward a "colossal" financial disaster. On this rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, Barack Obama began a tough selling job today with an urgent warningabout years of recession if Congress fails to enact his ma ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Hall Has Angelenos Feeding More to the Meter Governor Schwarzenegger strikes back, the City of LA has second thoughts about quadrupling parking fees, and billboard blight and public safety. Plus, on our rebroadcast of Today'sTo the Point, an update on the situation in Gaza and reactions from American Jews on both sides of the issue. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Budget Breakdown in Sacramento The President elect wants $775 billion, but is it enough to move a $15trillion economy?  On thisrebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, we look for answers. California is likely to run out of money next month, but Democrats say Governor Schwarzenegger got "cold feet" just as a deal was about to be cut.  In Orange County, jurors heard closing arguments in former Sheriff Mike Carona's corruption trial. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website California Flexes Its Muscle in DC Israel says the attacks won't end until Hamas stops firing rockets across the border.  Hamas says that won't happen. European leaders work for immediate ceasefire, while the US is thinking long term. On this rebroadcast ofTo the Point, we update the fighting and the diplomacy. Also, onWhich Way, L.A.?, former Congressman Leon Panetta has been named by Barack Obama to head the CIA. We hear about him, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Californians in national jobs. Are they giving the state ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics, the Economy and Lifestyles: Predictions for 2009 A black man won the White House, while a white woman from Alaska wonthe hearts of conservatives. The economy imploded as financial scandalsrocked the headlines, and Americans began to rethink their consumerways. 2008 was definitely one for the history books. On this rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, guest hostSara Terrylooks at what's ahead in 2009. Also, the political pitfalls of fillingfour senate seats, and kicking off the new year on the gridiron. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Israel Continues to Pound the Gaza Strip As Israeli jets continue to fire on the densely-populated Gaza Strip, guest hostSara Terrylooks at the impact in Gaza, the region and around the world. What isIsrael trying to accomplish?  What pressures do the attacks place onArab leaders and the US? Will Israel's actions fuel Islamic militancyaround the world? Also, Barack Obama's rise to the presidency. Areporter looks back at her own coverage of the race. (This program was originally rebroadcast earlier today onTo the Point.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website MOCA Accepts Eli Broad's Rescue Offer Barack Obama says economic recovery won't happen until there's healthcare reform, and a growing consensus says now is the time. On this rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, we hear what's still on the table. OnWhich Way, LA?, new leadership and big money for LA's troubled Museum of Contemporary Art, and a new threat to Southern California's water supply.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Cyber-warfare and Weapons of Mass Annoyance Attacks on the Internet may or not produce blood and gore, but cyber-war is a real threat to the economy and national security. On our rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, we talk about how it works, who should take charge of cyber-defense and how civil liberties can be protected. Also, a local member of Congress reportedly will be named to Barack Obama's cabinet, and his choice of a conservative pastor for his inauguration has outraged gay rights groups. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website California Pulls the Plug on Construction Banks, charities and other sophisticated investors fell victim to Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme; $50 billion may be just the tip of the iceberg. On this rebroadcast of today'sTo the Point, why were so many taken for so much when so many others knew it was fraud? Also, a state agency has shut down almost 2000 construction projects, including highways, schools and levees.  At stake are billions for business and tens of thousands of jobs. It's all about the budget. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Republicans Bring a Hatchet to the Budget Debate Vice President Cheney says he and other top Bush Administrationofficials approved "abusive" interrogation techniques.  Will Barack Obama investigate orleave the recent past to future historians?  We hear a debate.  Also, anew superintendent for LA schools, and more slings and arrows over thestate budget in Sacramento. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will California Crack Down on Plastic Bags. The choice between paper and plastic won---t be free if the toughest such law in the nation passes in Sacramento. The law would impose a ---plastic carryout bag impact fee--- of 25 cents a bag at groceries and pharmacies. On Reporter---s Notebook, another heath director quits LA County after just two years in one of the hardest jobs in the health care industry. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Order 40: Rhetoric and Reality Jamiel Shaw, Jr., a promising student athlete, was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant gang member who---d been arrested before but never deported. That---s led to new calls for repealing the LAPD---s Special Order 40, which prohibits cops from arresting people for violating federal immigration laws. Also tonight, horror stories from the Orange County jail. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Olympic Torch: Now You See It, Now You Don---t Protesters failed to stop the Olympic Torch relay this afternoon, because there was none - at least not the one that drew thousands of people into the streets of San Francisco. Fear of violence drove officials to change the route, bypassing both protesters and spectators who wanted to celebrate the Olympic Games. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Supervisor's Race: LA's Most Powerful Jobs Most People Have Never Heard of One of the rarest events in Los Angeles politics is an actual contest for a seat on the county board of supervisors. But Yvonne Burke's resignation has set the stage for a confrontation between state senator Mark Ridley-Thomas and LA City Councilman Bernard Parks. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Final Four: Old News For the Bruins But Not For the Tigers March Madness has been extended to April, and UCLA---s off to the Final Four this weekend in San Antonio, Texas. The Bruins have been there so many times, that a loss would be disappointing, but hardly a tragedy for Bruin fans. On Reporter---s Notebook, is the FAA too cozy with Southwest and other airlines it---s supposed to regulate. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gun Battle in the US Supreme Court Today the Supreme Court hears arguments in the case of a Washington, DC security guard that could re-define America's relationship to guns. Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell explores whether the Second Amendment grants each of us an absolute individual right to bear arms and how likely it is that the court will find all gun control laws unconstitutional and return the country to an unfettered free market in guns. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Polar Bears, the Endangered Species List and Global Warming The ice packs where polar bears live and hunt during winter are shrinking, and the bears can---t find food on the land. The US Fish and Wildlife Service says they should be put on the Endangered Species List, but that action has been delayed well beyond what the law requires. Also, the City of LA---s new law requiring that dogs and cats be neutered before they---re four months old. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website California---s Republican Party: Does it Have a Future. At the state convention this weekend in San Francisco, the likely GOP nominee for president was nowhere to be seen. Neither was the Republican Governor, re-elected last year despite his complaint that his party is ---dying at the box office.--- On Reporter---s Notebook, another independent bookstore bites the dust. We---ll hear about Dutton---s in Brentwood. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website State Deficit Puts School Funding Back on the Chopping Block School districts around the state say they will increase class sizes, lay off teachers, and even close some of their schools. With a deficit of $16 billion, Governor Schwarzenegger wants to reduce education spending by $4.8 billion over the next two years. LA Unified says it'll be faced with its biggest shortfall in history.  We hear what that could mean and what the alternatives might be. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website California---s Running Out of Both Money and News The State---s budget deficit may be larger than Governor Schwarzenegger thought it was when he proposed cutting parks, education and aid to the aged, blind and disabled. Is it time to get serious about tax breaks and loopholes that favor the rich at the expense of the poor. At the same time, it---s going to be harder to find out what---s going on--because newspapers all over the state are being cut, squeezed and trimmed. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Race for President Comes Down to the Final Four Last night it was the Republicans, tonight it's the Democrats--in California for their last debates before they go almost nationwide next Tuesday. With just two Democrats left and just two Republicans with a real chance, will the debates make a difference. Will either nomination be decided any time soon. Also, a break in an undersea cable cuts Internet services to of Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and record profits for Royal Dutch Shell. What about oil-industry subsidies. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Presidential Politics, the Writers--- Strike and LA---s Economy Forget about the current TV season. Even next year---s season---s in trouble as TV studios cancel sixty-five contracts and threaten to cancel more. With the California primary three weeks away, Clinton---s ahead and four Republicans are all within the margin of error, but those who are undecided could change things in both parties. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Indian Gambling is Back on the Ballot Governor Schwarzenegger is on TV to promote a no vote on four measures that would overturn contracts he made with four Indian tribes. The deals mean that some tribes could build casinos twice the size of the largest ones in Las Vegas. Also, the Sheriff of Orange County resigns from office. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Terminator is Back in Action When he was Governor, Ronald Reagan called on the legislature to ---cut, squeeze and trim,--- but California has never seen anything like the budget reductions proposed today by Arnold Schwarzenegger. On Reporter---s Notebook, Story Corps is still taking reservations.   Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Post Partisanship Still Alive in Sacramento. The New Hampshire primaries crowded Arnold Schwarzenegger out of yesterday---s news coverage. But the Governor might have been glad not to have the limelight. His address on the State of the State of California was a grim litany of problems he and the legislature have failed to resolve---resulting in a 14 billion dollar deficit.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website In Sacramento - It---s D--j-- vu All Over Again Governor Schwarzenegger may be lucky that the New Hampshire primaries will distract attention from tomorrow---s message on the State of the State. Why is there a 14-billion dollar deficit. Also tonight, United Artists makes a deal with the writers. On Reporter---s Notebook, lots of rain but no end to the drought. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Pakistani Opposition Leader Bhutto Assassinated At age 54, Benazir Bhutto---s political career and life came to a bloody end today in Pakistan.  Guest host Lawrence O---Donnell gets the latest developments from Pakistan and considers the life of Bhutto through the memories of a friend. (An extended version of this discussion aired earlier today on To the Point.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Effectiveness of Our Charitable Giving Aristotle said "to give away money is an easy matter---and in any man's power. But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, for what purpose and how, is neither in every man's power nor an easy matter." Many Americans will be making those decisions in the final days of tax year 2007. Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell explores how we can target our charitable giving to be most effective. Also, the tiger attack in the San Francisco Zoo. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is America's Thirst for Imported Oil Fueling Dictators. Oil prices are hovering near $100 a barrel, hurting U.S. consumers but sending hundreds of billions of dollars to unfriendly countries like Venezuela and Iran. How is the U.S. economy coping. Can the U.S. ever cut its oil dependence. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Has the US Lost Influence Over the Crisis in Pakistan. Since Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declared emergency rule two weeks ago, the U.S. has struggled to stabilize this key ally in the war on terror. Can the U.S. cut aid without pushing Pakistan to the brink of chaos.-- Also tonight, Los Angeles County tries to give extra help to the fifty most vulnerable homeless people on downtown---s Skid Row. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Battle Escalates over Reforming Los Angeles Schools Superintendent David Brewer has what he calls a ---final plan--- for underachieving schools.-- A.J. Duffy, head of the teachers--- union, says Brewer---s ---declaring war.----- We---ll hear from both leaders about the increasingly brutal politics of education reform. On Reporter---s Notebook, this weekend---s Walk for the Homeless.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What is Muslim Mapping by the LAPD. Deputy Chief Michael Downing told Congress last month that the LAPD was starting a project to identify communities vulnerable to ---ideologically based extremism.--- That---s come to be called ---Muslim mapping,--- and it---s been denounced as ---racial profiling.--- On Reporter---s Notebook, a new book on the ---Big Daddy--- of California politics.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Changes for Juvenile Justice in California Half the inmates in California---s Juvenile Justice System are about to be sent home, but not because they---ve served out their sentences. We---ll also hear why the cost of re-building will be so much more than it was after the last big fires.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bungled White House Battle against Terrorist Financing. The US government spent 15 years tracking a Middle Eastern charity, the Holy Land Foundation, on suspicions it was financing terrorists. President Bush froze its assets after September 11 and prosecutors filed criminal charges. The case fell apart this week. Also, the President tours a scorched southern California, and Facebook becomes a money machine. Jim Sterngold guest hosts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website LA---s One Million Trees Campaign, and Santa Monica---s Chainsaw Massacre Mayor Villaraigosa wants a million new trees in Los Angeles. But in some neighborhoods, residents say lack of maintenance has branches falling off trees that are already there. Meantime, the City of Santa Monica is trying to chop down ficus trees.-- Tonight we---ll hear about planting, pruning and politics in Southern California---s Urban Forest. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website ICE Cracks Down in Southern California US Immigration and Customs Enforcement promises to continue its crackdown, despite claims that a climate of fear is bad for LA's economy. Also, are LA Sheriff's deputies playing games with the law. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Gang Initiatives and a New 'Gang Czar' in Los Angeles In February's election, Los Angeles voters may be asked to approve a $30 parcel tax on every property in the city. The objective would be $40 million for the fight against gangs.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Private Security Contractors and Public Accountability Blackwater USA was on the carpet today on Capitol Hill. Tonight, are they highly-paid mercenaries out of control or skilled professionals taking on the riskiest of necessary assignments. Also, LA---s most successful gang program re-opens in downtown LA.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Grass Roots Democracy and LA---s Neighborhood Councils Before neighborhood councils came along in 1999, LA city government was remote and resistant to input from taxpaying citizens. It still is, as the councils don---t have any power. Tonight we---ll hear about efforts to make them work.------------------------ Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Bridge Collapse in Minnesota: Could it Happen Here. How safe are the state---s roads, highways.-- How dangerous is it to postpone repairs and replacements.-- On Reporter---s Notebook, with ancient masterpieces on their way back to Italy, what---s next for the Getty. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Price of Oil is Going Up---Why Not the Price of Gasoline. It---s the peak of the summer driving season, and crude oil prices have hit an all-time high - but gasoline prices in California are going down. Also tonight, the budget impasse in Sacramento could be a threat to the aged, blind and disabled.-- On Reporter---s Notebook, the Getty sends 40 prized antiquities back to Italy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Housing Market and Immigration Immigrants, including illegal ones, are good for the housing market. We---ll hear why reducing immigration could be bad for real estate in Encino and Beverly Hills. Also tonight, there---s a lack of healthy food in LA---s inner city because there---s a lack of supermarkets. Can farmers--- markets provide a boost for public health as well as a way to get the obesity epidemic under control.------------ Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Wide, Wide World of Graffiti Cave men drew on the walls. Romans marked up the buildings in conquered countries. Christians defaced ancient Egyptian Temples. Flash forward to modern Los Angeles, where graffiti has been both a plague and an art form, depending on your point of view. On Reporter---s Notebook, the legacy of the late Ingmar Bergman. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Peace at the Grocery Store Today, it appears the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have avoided a strike that had the potential for widespread economic repercussions. More directly important to consumers was last weekend---s deal between Vons, Ralphs, Albertsons and the grocery workers. On Reporter---s Notebook, will Felix the Cat be bad for business in downtown Los Angeles.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Ideology Trumping Science in the White House. Dr. James Holsinger wrote a paper for the Methodist Church more than a decade ago claiming that gay male sex was inherently unsafe. Now he has been nominated to become the country---s leading doctor. What is the proper role of science in making national policy. Jim Sterngold guest hosts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is it Too Dry for Fireworks on the Fourth of July. The City of LA is prepared to cancel any display of fireworks right up to the last minute and one scientist says there should not be any at all. Also, Mayor Villaraigosa makes a public announcement. On Reporter---s Notebook, is Governor Schwarzenegger---s global warming effort in trouble. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Pool---s Full of Water but the Kids Can---t Swim In downtown Los Angeles, LA Unified opened a 160 million dollar complex just nine months ago. However, as the summer heats up, the Olympic-sized swimming pool is closed to the public. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Los Angeles vs. Chicago for the Olympic Games Los Angeles vs. Chicago for the Olympic Games Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Los Angeles vs. Chicago for the Olympic Games Los Angeles vs. Chicago for the Olympic Games Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Governor Schwarzenegger's 'Guiltless Green' With no less than twelve TV news cameras and C-Span in the room today, Governor Schwarzenegger delivered the keynote address at a Washington conference on the environment.-- We hear about going green without guilt. Also, a tent city at Los Angeles City Hall. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website LAUSD School Board Election Pits Mayor against UTLA After March primaries that drew less than 10 percent of the vote, two LA School Board run-off elections are scheduled for the 15th of next month. The current Board has opposed Mayor Villaraigosa's efforts at partial control of public education. Both the candidates he supports must win for him to get a more sympathetic majority. We look at the race in the San Fernando Valley. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gustavo Dudamel to Lead LA Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced today that a 26-year old Venezuelan will be its next music director.-- We hear about him, about his education in Venezuela and about a movement to restore music teaching in California.---- On Reporter's Notebook, making energy out of the sludge from treated wastewater.-- Will Los Angeles lead the way. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gustavo Dudamel to Lead LA Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced today that a 26-year old Venezuelan will be its next music director.-- We hear about him, about his education in Venezuela and about a movement to restore music teaching in California.---- On Reporter's Notebook, making energy out of the sludge from treated wastewater.-- Will Los Angeles lead the way. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Californians Cool to New Primary Date, Term Limit Changes A new poll says there's good news and bad news for California's political leaders. On Reporter's Notebook,a Getty Museum masterpiece goes back to Greece.---- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Californians Cool to New Primary Date, Term Limit Changes A new poll says there's good news and bad news for California's political leaders. On Reporter's Notebook,a Getty Museum masterpiece goes back to Greece.---- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Inland Empire, California's New Frontier The California Dream is in for severe testing as the population moves inland, along with smog and congestion.-- On Reporter's Notebook, test scores at a new low for the LAUSD, as Governor Schwarzenegger plans a year of education reform. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Inland Empire, California's New Frontier The California Dream is in for severe testing as the population moves inland, along with smog and congestion.-- On Reporter's Notebook, test scores at a new low for the LAUSD, as Governor Schwarzenegger plans a year of education reform. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website More Deaths from Contaminated Pet Food The FDA has reported just 14 deaths from contaminated pet food, but there are 11 in LA County alone and a network of veterinarians says there've been more than 100. What goes into pet food. What's the state of regulation. We look for some answers. Also, Orange County gets a new Supervisor--by a 3-vote margin. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website More Deaths from Contaminated Pet Food The FDA has reported just 14 deaths from contaminated pet food, but there are 11 in LA County alone and a network of veterinarians says there've been more than 100. What goes into pet food. What's the state of regulation. We look for some answers. Also, Orange County gets a new Supervisor--by a 3-vote margin. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website An Elected Official Discouraging Tourists. LA City Council President Eric Garcetti has written a letter to former customers telling them to boycott the LAX Hilton.-- The union that's trying to organize workers at the hotel has distributed the letter to 1500 past guests and convention planners. Garcetti warns that labor unrest could disrupt future events, which the Daily News calls an "outrageous" effort to harm a taxpaying employer. We hear from business, labor and Garcetti.-- On Reporter's Notebook, as Washington cuts funds for hou ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Quality of Life in Los Angeles; More Trouble at the Times There's more trouble at the LA Times. Don't look for the special edition of Current on Sunday.-- Did the editorial page editor have a conflict of interest.-- Also, the vanishing middle class as a symptom of the LA County's declining quality of life. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Are Schwarzenegger and Limbaugh Together Again. Governor Schwarzenegger went on the Rush Limbaugh program today. Limbaugh still accused him of compromising Republican principals. Is Schwarzenegger a Republican, a Democrat--or something in between. Is ideology a hindrance to governing.-- Also, the first Persian mayor of an American city, Jimmy Delshad of Beverly Hills. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Term Limits, Career Politicians and Money Campaigning for LA School Board seats in tomorrow---s elections will cost millions of dollars, as Mayor Villaraigosa attempts to take control. Measure L could change the way the Board does business.-- Plus, a look at a City Council race in the San Fernando Valley.-- We---ll hear from Richard Alarc--n, who---s running less than four months after he waselected to the State Assembly, and his major opponent. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website California's Voice in the 2008 Presidential Campaigns. Next week California will see presidential candidates by the handful, including John McCain and Barack Obama, trolling for votes in addition to just raising money.-- Is that already giving the state more clout than it---s had in decades. Also, should insurance companies or the state pay for healthcare. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website