KQED Public Broadcasting

The California Report: The California Report Magazine

Fri, 09 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

Moms Deployed Overseas -- In time for Mother's Day weekend, the program takes a look at what it's like for moms who are deployed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. The show also reports on concerns over military recruiters in Southern California high schools, and talks with the author of a new book about architect Cliff May -- the designer whose ranch homes defined California living.

Forum: Donna Foote - Teach for America

Fri, 09 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

Journalist and author Donna Foote joins us for a conversation about her new book, "Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches with Teach for America." The book chronicles the experiences of four Teach for America recruits at Locke Senior High School in South Los Angeles.

Forum: Golden Gate Toll Hike / Distractions on the Road

Fri, 09 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

To begin our show, we discuss a proposed seven dollar Golden Gate Bridge toll. Then, beginning July 1 it will be illegal for teenagers driving in California to use a cell phone. Adults will have to use a hands-free device with their phones. We discuss distracted drivers.

The California Report: The California Report

Fri, 09 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Tejon Ranch. Property Taxes. End Music.

The California Report: Tejon Ranch

Fri, 09 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Ecologists are calling it the Southern California equivalent of the Louisiana Purchase. After years of debate over the fate of the vast Tejon Ranch north of Los Angeles, environmental groups and a developer have agreed on a landmark plan to conserve almost all of it.

The California Report: Property Taxes

Fri, 09 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Foreclosures, a credit crunch and consumer reluctance to buy have all taken a toll on the value of California homes. The median price of a home sold in the state has plummeted, down 26 percent from a year ago. That's not good news for local budgets that depend on property taxes.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Cool as Hell Theater: Off Broadway West: The Ladies of the Camellias

Fri, 09 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Michael Rice interviews Joyce Henderson and Richard Harder, co-founders of the theater company Off Broadway West. They are producing the show The Ladies of the Camellias, a look at a fictional meeting between two 19th-century divas.

KQED Radio News: Solar Power Report

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:30:00 PDT

Solar power has mostly been small scale in the U.S., with panels feeding electricity to a single building or complex. Now, the group Environment California says solar thermal energy could power the entire nation -- using an amount of land slightly larger than what's already been excavated for strip mining of coal for power plants. The group released the report today.

Forum: Richard Zoglin

Thu, 08 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

The 1970s were a heyday for influential comedians like George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman. We talk with Time magazine's Richard Zoglin who examines that era of comedy in his new book, "Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-Up in the 1970s Changed America." Zoglin has covered the entertainment industry for Time for the past 20 years.

Forum: Childhood Obesity

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

A new study suggests that people who become overweight during childhood may find it more difficult to lose the weight later in life, compared to those who get heavier as adults. We look at the news about fat cells.

The California Report: Low Income Banking

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

For most, a trip to the bank or ATM machine is a routine event. For 11 percent of California households it's a foreign experience. Governor Schwarzenegger wants to change that. Tomorrow in Fresno the governor's office will meet with banks and community groups to pitch its plan to move more Californians into the financial mainstream. Bank on California, as its known, is the first such effort by a state -- and it's modeled after a successful program in San Francisco.

The California Report: The California Report

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Stem Cell Grants. Low Income Banking. End Music.

The California Report: Stem Cell Grants

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Four years after Californians voted to fund human embryonic stem cell research, the first specialized laboratories are set to be built. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has awarded $271 million in state grants to 12 California universities and non-profit organizations.

KQED Radio News: Radio News

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:33:00 PDT

KQED Radio News: Vallejo's Bankruptcy

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:33:00 PDT

The Vallejo city council's decision this week to declare bankruptcy marked the end of one process and the beginning of another. City officials were split over whether to file for chapter nine bankruptcy. With that decision behind them, officials are moving on to devising a plan to climb out of the red.

KQED Radio News: Sacramento's Mayoral Race

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:33:00 PDT

The race for mayor of Sacramento is a highly contentious one this spring, pitting a former NBA star against an incumbent. Last night the candidates participated in a televised debate.

Perspectives: Beloved

Thu, 08 May 2008 07:37:00 PDT

Susan Dix Lyons thought she was witnessing a heart operation. But what she really saw was devotion discovered at the edge of peril.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Film Review: Redbelt

Thu, 08 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

The only good thing that can be said about the ridiculous martial arts morality play Redbelt is that writer-director David Mamet avoids self-parody. An exercise in contrivances, con games and hokey honor that looks and sounds like a late-night basic-cable movie, the film never persuades us that anything of actual importance is going on. But Mamet somehow generates enough suspense to keep us from laughing out loud as his ludicrous story reaches its climax. One presumes he had loftier goals.

KQED Radio News: Internet Archive Successfully Fights Feds

Wed, 07 May 2008 17:30:00 PDT

A digital library in San Francisco has successfully fought a federal demand for information about one of its users. Last year, the F.B.I. issued a national security letter to the Internet Archive in San Francisco's Presidio. The agency was demanding records on one of the archive's patrons. Now, Internet Archive says the F.B.I. has settled the lawsuit, and agreed to withdraw the letter and unseal the court case.

Forum: Louise Erdrich - "Plague of Doves"

Wed, 07 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

We talk with Louise Erdrich, author of 12 novels including "Love Medicine," winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her new novel "The Plague of Doves" is a complex mystery set near an Ojibwe reservation in rural North Dakota.

Forum: Indiana and North Carolina Primaries / Medi-Cal Reimbursement Rate Cut

Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

The race for the Democratic nomination just won't die. Last night's election results from Indiana and North Carolina appeared to strengthen Barack Obama, and weaken Hillary Clinton. We discuss the next steps with political insiders in the first half hour. In the second half hour, we examine a lawsuit filed this week by a coalition of health care providers to prevent the scheduled 10 percent cut in Medi-Cal reimbursement rates from taking effect on July 1st.

The California Report: The California Report

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Campus Drug Bust. Deaths in Detention. Nunez Goodbye. End Music.

The California Report: Campus Drug Bust

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Seventy-five students were among those arrested in a major undercover drug bust at San Diego State University. On Tuesday, campus officials said they cooperated in the yearlong investigation that revealed rampant drug dealing in the university's fraternity houses.

The California Report: Deaths in Detention

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

New data released by the government following a New York Times investigation reveal that 66 immigrants have died in federal custody in the past four years, 13 of them in California facilities. The new statistics are once again prompting calls for reform.

The California Report: Nunez Goodbye

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

One of the most powerful politicians in state government is about to leave his post. After just over four years on the job, assembly speaker Fabian Nunez will hand over the reigns of the lower house to democratic assemblywoman Karen Bass early next week. In his final capital press conference as speaker yesterday, Nunez talked about his legacy.

KQED Radio News: Local Aid to Burma

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:33:00 PDT

The Burmese community in the Bay Area is struggling to send aid to their homeland following the devastating cyclone that killed 22,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. International aid is starting to trickle into the country now known as Myanmar.

Perspectives: Merit Pay

Wed, 07 May 2008 07:37:00 PDT

Teacher Matt McDonell warns that merit pay proposals popular on the presidential campaign trail could make the problems of under-performing public schools worse, not better.

KQED: Arts & Culture: The Writers' Block: Operation Water Dump

Wed, 07 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Dan White reads "Operation Water Dump," a chapter from his book, The Cactus Eaters, which revolves around the extremely bad decision that inspired the book's title.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Truly CA Shorts: Howdy Partner

Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 PDT

View Christie Herring's short film, Howdy Partner, a spirited visual meditation on how one slippery word means more -- and, consequently, less -- than we may think.

KQED Radio News: Oakland Loses American Flights

Tue, 06 May 2008 17:30:00 PDT

Passengers at Oakland International Airport may be wondering what airline will go next. American Airlines has announced it's discontinuing three daily non-stop flights between Oakland and Dallas. The airline cited soaring fuel costs as the reason. American joins three bankrupt airlines, ATA, Aloha and Skybus in ending service in and out of Oakland.

Forum: George Shultz and John Shoven

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

Former U.S. secretary of state George Shultz and Stanford economics professor John Shoven join Forum to discuss their market-based prescription for health care and social security reform. Their new book is "Putting Our House in Order."

Forum: Cyclone in Myanmar

Tue, 06 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Myanmar officials have said that at least 22,000 people are dead and hundreds of thousands are homeless after a devastating storm hit Saturday.

The California Report: The California Report

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Formaldehyde in Cribs. Fighting Meth in the Central Valley. End Music.

The California Report: Formaldehyde in Cribs

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

After federal scientists found dangerous levels of formaldehyde in trailers provided to Hurricane Katrina victims, California environmentalists began wondering where else the chemical could be found. It turns out that formaldehyde fumes are in the air in nearly every home -- and they're quite common in baby nurseries.

The California Report: Fighting Meth in the Central Valley

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

The Central Valley is one of the hot spots for methamphetamine labs in California. Drug enforcement teams there have successfully shut down hundreds of meth labs in recent years, pushing a lot of the production to Mexico. Now, rural cops say they fear a resurgence in meth because they're running out of money from a key federal grant.

KQED Radio News: Taking Yahoo's Pulse

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:33:00 PDT

Shareholders and Wall Street analysts are watching Yahoo stock closely today. The Sunnyvale-based Internet giant's shares plunged almost 20 percent during the first hour of trading yesterday, following news that Microsoft has withdrawn its nearly $47.5 billion takeover bid. How has Silicon Valley reacted to the news that Microsoft is out of the picture -- at least for now?

Perspectives: Sprinklers

Tue, 06 May 2008 07:37:00 PDT

With water systems under such stress, Holly Hubbard Preston wonders whether running through sprinklers on a hot day will become a yesteryear story she tells her grandchildren.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Music Review: The Dodos: Visiter

Tue, 06 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

For the past several years, guitarist Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber -- collectively The Dodos -- have been criss-crossing the country, delivering audiences the propulsive folk-rock sound that has made them one of 2008's most acclaimed bands.

KQED Radio News: DNA Database

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:30:00 PDT

Today, Attorney General Jerry Brown presided at the grand opening of an expanded state DNA lab in Richmond. Brown said the $10 million lab expansion will allow the state to double its DNA database to hold the more than 2 million samples expected over the next five years. The attorney general says the lab's expansion was necessary to handle the flood of DNA samples coming in under voter-approved Proposition 69. That measure, passed four years ago, required law enforcement to collect DNA for every adult convicted of a felony. In January of next year, another provision will go into affect requiring DNA for adults arrested for certain felonies.

Forum: Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

What sets the new generation of social entrepreneurs apart? We speak with a sustainable business consultant and three Bay Area entrepreneurs motivated by environmental concerns and social equity.

Forum: Healthcare and Privacy

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

A recent security breach and release of information on over 6,000 UC San Francisco patients is rekindling concerns about the vulnerability of medical data. We discuss the situation with a panel of experts.

The California Report: The California Report

Mon, 05 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Initiative Reform. Music Bridge. Rising Rice Prices. End Music.

The California Report: Initiative Reform

Mon, 05 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is on board for reforming the initiative process in California, and now he's got a 400-page blueprint. From the Center for Governmental Studies, the blueprint tackles everything from campaign spending to constitutional amendments.

The California Report: Rising Rice Prices

Mon, 05 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Some Asian Californians, alarmed by rising rice prices, have been stockpiling. That's spurred wholesalers like Costco and Sam's Club to impose per-person limits -- but agriculture experts say there's no domestic rice shortage. Indeed, farmers in California's Central Valley grow more rice than any other state with the exception of Arkansas.

Perspectives: The Olympics of Politics

Mon, 05 May 2008 07:37:00 PDT

Keeping politics out of our greatest spectacle of sport is a popular refrain, but to Dick Meister the Olympics are inherently political from start to finish.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Book Review: Erick Lyle: On The Lower Frequencies

Mon, 05 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Most Bay Area residents will only ever encounter the underground world of the traveling punk in one way. When visiting San Francisco's Haight Street or Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue, you will likely step over at least one group of unwashed kids in black hoodies, usually with a dog, usually holding up a snarky cardboard sign requesting change for beer or a bus ticket.

KQED: Spark: Spark: Salimpour, Syjuco, and Yi

Sun, 04 May 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Meet a comedic belly dancer, a political crafter, and some amazing acrobats.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Spark: Salimpour, Syjuco, and Yi

Sun, 04 May 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Meet a comedic belly dancer, a political crafter, and some amazing acrobats.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Art Review: Women in the City

Sat, 03 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

"Alienation produces eccentrics or revolutionaries," announced Jenny Holzer on an old marquis in Hollywood. "Please stop texting," begged Barbara Kruger from an LED screen on the side of an art museum.

THIS WEEK in Northern California: THIS WEEK in Northern California 2008-05-02

Fri, 02 May 2008 19:30:00 PDT

* International Workers Day Rallies: David Bacon, Labor Reporter, New America Media
This May Day, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the US to protest the government's immigration policy. In the 2 years since massive rallies were held across the nation in support of immigrant rights, Congress has yet to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Custom Enforcement has stepped up raids at work sites to enforce the nation's current laws and proposed a no-match program based on the Social Securities Administration database which would heavily penalize employers who hire undocumented workers. Activists say the system should be reformed to provide a path to legalize the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country. Also on May Day, ports along the West Coast were closed as dockworkers demonstrated against the Iraq War and students left their classrooms in opposition to California's proposed budget cuts to education.
* Poll Shows California's Top Concerns: Josh Richman, Legal & Political Affairs Reporter, Oakland Tribune
As tax rebate checks were mailed out to stimulate the economy, a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows Californians are worried about their financial future. 36% of Californians say the economy is the state's most important issue, with Education ranked as second. While some Californians are willing to pay higher taxes to support public schools, others are not. A toxic mix of high gas and food prices, rising foreclosures, and falling home values, combined with the state's ever-expanding projected budget deficit, has also caused public opinion of the governor and legislature to fall. 41% of Californians polled approve of the governor's performance, down from 57% just 4 months ago. Only 21% approve of California's legislators.
* Home Values Going Down, Foreclosures Going Up: Carolyn Said, Reporter, SF Chronicle
The cost of a home in the Bay Area fell 17.2% from February '07 to February '08. This reflects a national trend of declining home values sparked by the subprime mortgage meltdown, which has had far reaching economic consequences and caused a record number of foreclosures across the country. Notices of foreclosure rose 277% in California from the first quarter last year and actual foreclosures have quadrupled. The crisis has prompted state and federal lawmakers to propose plans to aid homeowners. Some critics say the government is not acting fast enough, while others question whether the government should be taking action at all.
* Fifteen Years of the Internet: David Spark, Technology Reporter, Green 960
15 years ago this week, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, decided that the technology and program code for the World Wide Web would be free for public use. The decision proved instrumental in broadening use of the internet, which today is used by over a billion people a year for everything from shopping to finding love. E-commerce has changed the lives and fortunes of many, including a number of Silicon Valley companies that grew out of the internet such as eBay, Yahoo! and SF-based Craigslist, all of which are now facing challenges on the ever-changing frontier.

KQED Radio News: Reforming Ballot Initiatives

Fri, 02 May 2008 17:30:00 PDT

California's elections are often a battlefield of clashing ballot measures. The state's version of direct democracy was born a century ago as a way for citizens to rein in cut-throat corporations and arrogant government officials. Today, critics say some of those initiatives are often confusing for voters -- and that they hamstring good government. We talk with one man who's trying to change that.

The California Report: The California Report Magazine

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

Surviving in a Tough Newspaper Market / Maker Faire -- Newspapers across California are bleeding as advertising and profits drop off, but there's one segment of newspapers that's thriving thanks to California's growing immigrant population. The program reports on that development, and looks ahead to this weekend's Maker Faire in the Bay Area.

The California Report: Growth of the Ethnic Press

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

Plummeting circulation and ad revenue is behind a steady drumbeat of staff cuts at California's major newspapers. This week, the Orange County Register announced it will cut as many as 90 jobs. That's five percent of its workforce. But not all newspapers are hurting. Last year, 200,000 foreign-born immigrants moved to California -- and many of them read newspapers in their native languages.

The California Report: Maker Faire

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

For many of us, the county fair conjures up images of carnival rides, the sweet taste of cotton candy and the earthy smells of farm animals. San Mateo County offers a different twist on the tradition. The attractions at this weekend's Maker Faire aren't objects that you'd find on store shelves. The fair is a celebration of creativity and imagination -- and that's why mainstream manufacturers are among those checking it out.

The California Report: Book Review -- Tobias Wolff

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

Since the 1980s, Tobias Wolff has been a leading voice in contemporary literature. He's best known for his award-winning memoir "This Boy's Life" which was turned into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. But what's distinguished the Stanford creative writing professor is his fiction. A new collection of his short stories shows why.

The California Report: More Music Festivals

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

We always like to get feedback about The California Report. Last week, guest host Rachael Myrow highlighted summer rock, country and jazz music festivals with our critics Steve Hochman and Andrew Gilbert. But one of listeners thought we should have included another genre as well.

The California Report: A Look at Homeschooling

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

A California appeals court recently ruled that parents who home school their children need to have a teaching credential. The ruling triggered a public uproar, and the case is being re-heard. All of that attention brought a little secret to light -- home-schoolers in California operate under the radar with few academic requirements and little oversight. As we find out, many of them want to keep it that way.

The California Report: An Irish Music Postcard

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:30:00 PDT

Irish immigrants first brought their music to the U.S. in the 17th century. Passed down from musician to musician, it's evolved over time and continues to draw a devoted following in places like San Francisco's Plough and the Stars pub. We stop in for a listen.

Forum: National Happiness Estimate

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

About half of Americans report that they struggle to be healthy and happy, according to a major survey which purports to be the Dow Jones index of happiness and welfare. We talk with experts about the latest research on happiness.

Forum: The San Francisco Skyline

Fri, 02 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

City planners are proposing an increase in the number and size of high-rise buildings in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood. We talk with San Francisco Chronicle urban design writer John King about the aesthetic, economic and environmental impacts of a changing skyline.

The California Report: The California Report

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Get Ready for Water Rationing. PALCO Bankruptcy Update. May Day. End Music.

The California Report: Get Ready for Water Rationing

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Scientists with the Department of Water Resources have assessed the final snow pack readings of the year and found water content in the Sierra averaging just two thirds of normal. As a result, some California communities could face mandatory water rationing this summer.

The California Report: PALCO Bankruptcy Update

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

There are significant developments in the Pacific Lumber bankruptcy case. The company is now backing a plan that would give control over PALCO's north coast timber operations to another company that promises to log the lands sustainably. Even so, this bankruptcy is far from settled.

The California Report: May Day

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Thousands of immigrants and their supporters turned out in communities across California to call for immigration reform. In contrast to last year's melee in Los Angeles, marches there yesterday were smaller and remained peaceful.

Perspectives: Watch Where You're Going

Fri, 02 May 2008 07:37:00 PDT

Dirt biker Liz McLoughlin knows that to avoid a troublesome rut you look at where you want to go, not at the rut. Life's a lot like that.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Art Review: NIAD: Call & Response

Fri, 02 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

You know what call and response is, right?

If you've ever been to church or attended a rally, you do. Or if you've listened to music -- like James Brown's "Soul Power" -- you know what I'm talking about.

KQED Radio News: Get Ready for Water Rationing

Thu, 01 May 2008 17:30:00 PDT

State officials delivered devastating news today about state water supplies. The Sierra Nevada snowpack has fallen well below normal levels. Scientists with the Department of Water Resources found snowpack water content averaging only 67 percent -- two thirds of normal -- throughout the Sierra. Snow surveyors say heavy snows in early winter melted away in March and April, as California experienced the driest two months on record.

Forum: President Jimmy Carter

Thu, 01 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

Former President Jimmy Carter has just written a book about his mother, known best as Miss Lillian. In this pre-recorded edition of Forum, host Michael Krasny talks with Carter about topics including his upbringing and his recent international diplomacy efforts. President Carter's new book is "A Remarkable Mother." His other books include "Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope" and "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid."

Forum: Politics vs. Public Health at the EPA?

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

A new study from the Government Accountability Office finds that White House policies have been blocking and delaying chemical reviews by the Environmental Protection Agency. We discuss the GAO's findings.

The California Report: The California Report

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

May Day Marches in L.A. The V.A. and Mental Health. End Music.

The California Report: May Day Marches in L.A.

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Marches and rallies are planned throughout California today in support of immigrant rights. Last year's marches in Los Angeles drew large crowds and made international headlines after a melee broke out in the city's Mac Arthur Park. Police officers in riot gear clubbed and fired rubber bullets at immigrant rights marchers and journalists covering the day's events. This year, new police training is expected to prevent further incidents.

The California Report: The V.A. and Mental Health

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:50:00 PDT

A federal trial that could affect mental health services for millions of veterans has concluded after eight days of testimony in San Francisco. Attorneys for veterans presented evidence that the Department of Veterans Affairs neglects mental health so severely that 1,000 vets attempt suicide every month. The V.A. countered with evidence the agency moved as quickly as it could to beef up mental health services, given its unwieldy size.

Perspectives: Horror and Gratitude

Thu, 01 May 2008 07:37:00 PDT

A trip to the former Nazi death camp at Buchenwald introduces high school junior Meredith Johnston to the powerful emotions evoked by the Holocaust.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Making A Feature Film Is Grown-Up Business

Thu, 01 May 2008 07:00:00 PDT

No one has it easy becoming an adult. And most people believe that taking up a pursuit like filmmaking is a surefire way to put off the inevitable. But for David Munro and Xandra Castleton, after nearly six years making their first feature film (fittingly titled Full Grown Men), digging deep into their psyches, building a business together and, oh, getting married and having a child along the way, growing up is exactly what's happened.

KQED Radio News: Perata Investigation

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:30:00 PDT

The F.B.I. is reportedly extending its corruption probe of State Senator Don Perata. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Perata's attorneys approved a request from the U.S. Attorney's office to extend the legal deadline for filing charges. For the past five years, a grand jury has been looking at campaign payments Perata made to family members, and at business dealings by the East Bay legislator.

Forum: SFIFF Honorees Errol Morris / Mike Leigh

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:00 PDT

Honored last night with the San Francisco International Film Festival's Golden Gate Persistence of Vision Award, we talk with filmmaker Errol Morris about his latest film "Standard Operating Procedure." Morris' other films include "Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control," "The Thin Blue Line" and "The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the life of Robert S. McNamara." Then at 10:30, we talk to British director Mike Leigh about his career and his upcoming film, "Happy-Go-Lucky." Leigh is the recipient of the Founder's Directing Award at this year's San Francisco International Film Festival. His other films include "Topsy-Turvy," "Naked" and "Secrets and Lies."

Forum: Stephen Levy - Coping with the Economic Downturn

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Californians are getting hit from multiple directions: rising unemployment, plummeting home prices and higher costs for gas and food -- not to mention the estimated $20 billion state budget deficit. We open the phone lines to find out how listeners are coping with the latest economic developments.

The California Report: The California Report

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

So Cal Fires. Salmon Hatchery. End Music.

The California Report: So Cal Fires

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

After a weekend of close calls, people who live in the Sierra Madre community in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles made it through the year's first major wildfire without major damage. KPCC's Brooke Binkowski visited with residents who say they are grateful they escaped unharmed.

The California Report: Salmon Hatchery

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Federal wildlife managers are desperate to find ways to bolster the sagging numbers of salmon that spawn in the Sacramento River. So this year they're trying again a tactic they haven't taken in years. They're taking their fish on the road.

Perspectives: Dropping Out

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:37:00 PDT

With cuts in community college budgets and student fee increases looming, Youth Radio's Denise Tejada may have to end the dream of parents who brought her here from El Salvador.

KQED: Arts & Culture: The Writers' Block: Sunday School

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Naomi Williams reads "Sunday School," the story of a woman asked to teach a second-grade Sunday school class and the various scenarios that might follow.

KQED Radio News: Rail Security Boost

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:30:00 PDT

Today, California Homeland Security officials announced that they're allocating $15 million to improve rail security around the state. That includes improvements to the popular Capitol Corridor Route linking Sacramento, Oakland and San Jose. The funds come from Proposition 1B, approved by the voters two years ago.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Performance Review: Tourette's Without Regrets

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:00:00 PDT

They don't have a website. They don't have a regular venue. They jerry-rigged this month's show in a dirty, depressing warehouse, and the lights kept going out. I had to wait in line for an hour with a solidly homogeneous collection of twenty-something white hipsters who B-ed YOB.

Forum: Jack Kornfield

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:00:00 PDT

Forum speaks with Marin based spiritual teacher Jack Kornfield about his forthcoming book, "The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology." Kornfield is the founding teacher of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. His previous books include "A Path with a Heart" and "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry."

Forum: Voter Identification Laws / Cokie Roberts

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PDT

With just a week before the Indiana primary, the Supreme Court yesterday upheld Indiana's voter identification law requiring government issued photo identification for voting. Are there implications for California? In the second half-hour, Forum takes a look at American history through the eyes of some of its founding females with the help of Cokie Roberts and her new book, "Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation."

The California Report: The California Report

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Countrywide Hearing. New Indian Gaming Pacts. End Music.

The California Report: Countrywide Hearing

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Bank of America is angling to become the country's largest mortgage lender, with its proposed acquisition of Calabasas based Countrywide Financial. The deal would put Bank of America in charge of a third of all mortgages in the country. As the Federal Reserve held a public hearing on the transaction in Los Angeles yesterday, many questioned whether the acquisition would alleviate the mortgage market meltdown.

The California Report: New Indian Gaming Pacts

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Two weeks ago, we reported on legislation at the state Capitol to put limits on new Indian casinos. That legislation seeks to stop the governor from agreeing to casinos on non-reservation land. On Monday, it became pretty clear where Governor Schwarzenegger stands on the issue -- he announced just such a deal for a new casino in the Central Valley.

Perspectives: Gay Divorce

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:37:00 PDT

If you thought it was hard for gays and lesbians to get married, getting divorced is even more difficult. Clyde Wadsworth comments.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Art Review: The Color of Palo Alto

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Only in Palo Alto could an inventory of real estate be mistaken for a work of art. But that pretty much sums up The Color of Palo Alto, a seven-years-in-the-making quest on the part of artist Samuel Yates to photograph every last one of Palo Alto's 17,725 property parcels and then to use those photographs to determine the peninsula suburb's signature hue, which, until Yates showed up, was something the city had not realized it lacked.

KQED Radio News: Indian Gaming Agreements Go Foward

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:30:00 PDT

Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed formal Indian gaming agreements that would allow a casino to be built on a 300 acre parcel just north of the city of Madera. The governor signed the agreements with two tribes -- the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians near Fresno and the Wiyot Tribe from Humboldt county. What are the implications for possible casino development in the Bay Area?

Forum: Understanding Insomnia

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:00:00 PDT

An estimated 70 million Americans have sleep disorders, yet insomnia remains one of the least understood of afflictions. We speak with author Gayle Greene about her new book "Insomniac," which explores the lives of the chronically sleep deprived and the current state of sleep science. Greene is currently a professor of literature and Women's Studies at Scripps College in Claremont and is also a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a lifelong insomniac.

Forum: Michael Gerson

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:00 PDT

We talk to Michael Gerson, former speechwriter for President Bush, about his new book "Heroic Conservatism: Why Republicans Need To Embrace America's Ideals (And Why They Deserve To Fail If They Don't)." Gerson is currently a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The California Report: The California Report

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

Carbon Forest. End Music.

The California Report: Carbon Forest

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:50:00 PDT

A year ago, Governor Schwarzenegger came under fire for flying around in a private jet promoting the state's green credentials while simultaneously emitting tons of carbon along the way. He silenced the critics by announcing he'd purchase carbon credits from the Van Eck forest in Humboldt County. It's one of two forests certified to sell carbon offsets under new state supported standards.

Perspectives: A Very Rich Man

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:37:00 PDT

Erik King doesn't make a lot of money, but he lives better than kings of old and most anyone alive today.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Music Review: The Blank Tapes: Daydreams

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:00:00 PDT

Sometime new acts blow onto the music scene like an unforecast hurricane, taking the world by storm in a single Force 12 blast of hype and excitement. But not always.

KQED: Spark: Spark: Think Globally

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Discover some local artists under global influence.

KQED: Arts & Culture: Spark: Think Globally

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Discover some local artists under global influence.