Media Roundtable

On the next Your Call, it's our Friday Media Roundable. This week, the Washington Post began a series on the secret world of privatized intelligence. What did we learn from their two-year investigation? What was missing? We'll also discuss coverage of the economy, unemployment, and the latest news on the oil disaster. We'll be joined by Tim Shorrock, investigative reporter and author of Spies for Hire, and Andy Kroll, an economics reporter for Mother Jones. Where did you see the best reporting this week? What grabbed your attention? It's Your Call with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Andy Kroll, a reporter in the Washington, DC, bureau of Mother Jones magazine. He's written for The Wall Street Journal, The Nation, and Salon, and is also an associate editor at TomDispatch.com.

Tim Shorrock, investigative journalist and labor activist. He is the author of Spies For Hire: The Secret World of Outsourced Intelligence.

Click to Listen: Media Roundtable

What's life like as a hotel worker today?

What's it like to be a hotel worker? On the next Your Call, hotel workers will tell us what it's like to serve food, make beds, clean bathrooms, and negotiate for fair treatment, pay, and benefits. On the 30th anniversary of the 1980 hotel strike in San Francisco, hotel workers nationwide are marching for better working conditions. What are current labor practices like? What do you want to know about how hotel workers are treated before you make your next reservation? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Riddhi Mehta, research analyst with Unite Here Local 2

Aurolyn Rush, telephone operator at the Grand Hyatt Hotel

Antonio Arenas, room service worker at the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf Hotel

Click to Listen: What's life like as a hotel worker today?

How should we interact with strangers?

Who is that person sitting next to you on the bus? On the next Your Call, we'll talk about how we interact with strangers in public spaces--the grocery store, walking down the street, navigating the internet... Many of us are taught at a young age that "strangers" are not to be trusted. But why? And who exactly is a stranger? Should kids approach them differently than "adults"? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. What cautions should we take as we move through the world? How could we benefit from meeting people outside our normal circles? It's Your Call, with Sandip Roy and you.

Guests:
Barry Korengold, San Francisco cab driver

Melinda Blau, author of Consequential Strangers

Antonie Del Bonta, program coordinator and instructor for KidPower

Click to Listen: How should we interact with strangers?

How can we save our planet's animal species from extinction?

On the next Your Call, we'll talk about which of the world's animals are endangered and why, and whether we can do anything to pull them back from the brink. One in four mammals, one in eight birds, and one third of all amphibians are at risk of extinction. How many animals have we already lost? How is that affecting the food chain, and ultimately, us? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. Are extinctions inevitable? What are we doing to stop them? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Caroline Fraser, author of Rewilding the World: Dispatches from the Conservation Revolution

Noah Greenwald, director of the Endangered Species Program with the Center for Biological Diversity

Click to Listen: How can we save our planet's animal species from extinction?

Should we be afraid of increasing debt?

With the country in financial crisis, is now the time for government to spend money or save it? As part of our Agenda for a New Economy series, we're taking on the deficit: Should we be afraid of increasing debt? Or should we spend our way out of trouble and face the consequences later? We're debating the costs of deficit spending in an economic crisis, and the long-term effects of a growing national debt. Join the conversation live at 11 a.m. or send your questions and comments to feedback@yourcallradio.org. Should a county in financial crisis worry about its deficit? It's Your Call with Rose Aguilar, and you.

Guests:
Dr. Diane Lim Rogers, chief economist at the Concord Coalition and former chief economist for the House Budget Committee.

Mike Konczal, fellow with the Roosevelt Institute where he works on financial reform and budget issues.

Click to Listen: Should we be afraid of increasing debt?

Media Roundtable

On the next Your Call, it's our Friday Media Roundtable. This week, major news outlets were in Haiti marking the six-month anniversary of the devastating earthquake. Who will be there next month? We'll also discuss coverage of the expanding oil disaster in the Gulf and the anti-immigration law in Arizona. We'll be joined by the Miami Herald's Trenton Daniel. He just returned from his fifth trip to Haiti. Independent journalist Dahr Jamal joins us from New Orleans and Valeria Fernandez joins us from Phoenix. Where did you see the best reporting this week? It's Your Call with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Trenton Daniel, Miami Herald staff writer. He's been covering Haiti since 2000.

Dahr Jamail, independent journalist in New Orleans

Valeria Fernandez, independent journalist in Phoenix. She's been covering immigration for almost a decade.

Click to Listen: Media Roundtable

What can we learn from the Gulf oil disaster?

On the next Your Call, we'll have a conversation with Exxon Valdez survivor and marine biologist Riki Ott and Texas shrimper-turned-activist Diane Wilson. They've been helping workers in the Gulf organize to defend the environment, their jobs, and their own health. How has the BP catastrophe changed your view of the environment, our economy, and our democracy? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. Has this oil spill brought us to a crossroads? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Riki Ott, marine biologist and author of Not One Drop: Betrayal and Courage in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Diane Wilson, former Texas shrimp boat captain and author of An Unreasonable Woman: A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters, and the Fight for Seadrift, Texas

Click to Listen: What can we learn from the Gulf oil disaster?

What's on your summer reading list?

On the next Your Call, we'll get suggestions from a librarian and an independent bookstore owner for great summer books -- new releases and old classics. There's nothing like having the perfect book along on a vacation or just to sit with under a tree. What do you think makes for good summer reading? Are you aiming to learn about a subject? Or get lost in a good story? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. Which authors are really exciting you right now? It's Your Call, with Sandip Roy and you.

Guests:
Laura Lent, librarian with the San Francisco Public Library system
Kevin Hunsanger, an owner of Green Apple Books

Click to Listen: What's on your summer reading list?

How do you live a good life in the digital age?

How do you live a good life in the digital age? On the next Your Call, we'll have a conversation with William Powers, author of Hamlet's BlackBerry, and virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget. Do our digital lives leave us with less time to reflect and relax? Is technology affecting our individuality and creativity? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. How do virtual relationships affect how we connect with each other in person? What is your relationship with technology? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
William Powers, author of Hamlet's Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age

Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not A Gadget: A Manifesto

Click to Listen: How do you live a good life in the digital age?

Who is on the debt panel?

On the next Your Call, we'll continue our Agenda for a New Economy series by focusing on President Obama's bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Who's on the Commission and how did they get there? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. What will be on the chopping block when it releases its findings in December? What's the role of the Peter Peterson Foundation and its town halls and how are they shaping the national debate? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
David Lightman, McClatchy's correspondent in Washington DC
Jeff Faux, founder and distinguished fellow, Economic Policy Institute

Click to Listen: Who is on the debt panel?

Media Roundtable

On the next Your Call, it's our Friday Media Roundtable. Former BART officer Johannes Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Oscar Grant. Large crowds gathered in downtown Oakland to protest the verdict and express anger at the inequalities of the criminal justice system. We'll discuss coverage of the verdict, the criminal justice system, race, and police brutality. We'll be joined by Hard Knock Radio's Davey D and New America Media's Earl Ofari Hutchinson. What did you make of the coverage? It's Your Call with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Hard Knock Radio's Davey D

New America Media's Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Click to Listen: Friday Media Roundtable

Must the state provide in-home care for the elderly and disabled?

What's the state's responsibility to care for the elderly and disabled in their homes? On the next Your Call, we'll have a conversation about the potential impact of Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposal to cut state spending on In-Home Supportive Services by 40%. Who will be affected? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. How will their lives change? Who is advocating on their behalf? And what does our commitment or lack thereof to in-home services say about our society's values? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Donna Calame, executive director of San Francisco's In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority

Jovan Agee, the political and legislative director for the United Domestic Workers of America in Sacramento

Kenzi Robi, an IHSS recipient

Click to Listen: Must the state provide in-home care for the elderly and disabled?

What role should the environmental movement play in the Gulf?

In the midst of the greatest environmental disaster in U.S. history, what role should the environmental movement play? On the next Your Call, we'll have a conversation with Carl Pope, former executive director of the Sierra Club. The ongoing oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has created a debate within the environmental movement about policies. So how are groups like the Sierra Club influencing policy? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. And do you think they are applying enough pressure on the White House? It's Your Call with Sandip Roy and you.

Guest:
Carl Pope is the former executive director of the Sierra Club, and currently its executive chairman.

Click to Listen: What role should the environmental movement play in the Gulf?

How do you fight despair and meet the world with a loving heart?

How do you fight despair and learn to meet the world with a loving heart? On the next Your Call, we'll have a conversation with Father Gregory Boyle, author of Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. For more than 20 years, Father Boyle has worked tirelessly to make peace and create opportunities in the Los Angeles neighborhood with the highest concentration of gang violence. What can young people's stories tell us about what's required for real peace in the streets? It's Your Call with me, Rose Aguilar, and you.

Guest:
Father Gregory Boyle, executive director of Homeboy Industries

Click to Listen: How do you fight despair and learn to meet the world with a loving heart?

How is corporate power shaping American science?

How is corporate power shaping American science? On the next Your Call, we'll replay a conversation with Naomi Oreskes, author of Merchants of Doubt. With corporate dollars driving research agendas, are scientists losing their trust among the broader public? How do you assess the independence of scientists? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. Should the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico make us reconsider partnerships like that between BP and UC Berkeley? And how can truly independent science be funded? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar.

Guest:
Naomi Oreskes, professor of History and Science Studies at the University of California-San Diego and an author.

Click to Listen: How is corporate power shaping American science?

Media Roundtable

On the next Your Call, it's our Friday Media Roundtable. This week, we'll discuss coverage of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's confirmation hearings, the aftermath of G20 Summit and the trial of a former BART Police Officer accused of shooting an unarmed BART passenger, Oscar Grant. We'll be joined by Real News Network's Paul Jay, Slate's Dahlia Litwick and independent journalist Thandi Chimurenga. Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. Where did you see the best reporting this week? It's Your Call, with Sandip Roy and you.

Guests:
Dahlia Lithwick, Slate magazine Supreme Court editor

Paul Jay, creator and CEO of The Real News Network

Thandi Chimurenga, an independent journalist covering the trial of former Bart police officer Mehserle for a coalition of independent media including Oakland Local and New America Media

Click to Listen: Media Roundtable

Is it time to put our streets on a diet?

On the next Your Call: how projects that are re-thinking street design not only make them safer for bikes and pedestrians, but can also have a significant positive impact on the local economy. Can rethinking our streets help make our communities better places to live? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. Is there a street near you that's been narrowed, calmed, or shut down to traffic altogether? What stands in the way of changing our streets? It's Your Call, with Sandip Roy and you.

Guests:
Dan Burden, founder of Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, Inc.

Brian Ulaszewski, project design director for Studio 111

Kit Hodge, SF Great Streets campaign coordinator for SF Bicycle Coalition

Andrea Aiello, executive director of the Castro Community Benefits District

Kevin Carroll, executive director of the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District

Click to Listen: Is it time to put our streets on a diet?

What will today's Supreme Court be remembered for?

What will today's Supreme Court be remembered for? On the next Your Call, as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on Elena Kagan's nomination, we'll talk about how decisions facing the Court today will impact society in the long term. Where is the law changing most? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. How are technological and social change challenging interpretations of the Constitution? Is there a recent ruling or an upcoming case you think will make a big difference in the years to come? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Rory Little--UC Hastings Professor of Law
Daniel Farber--UC Berkeley Professor of Law and author of Judgment Calls: Politics and Principle in Constitutional Law

Click to Listen: What will today's Supreme Court be remembered for?

What has No Child Left Behind done to public education?

On the next Your Call, we'll speak with Diane Ravitch, author of The Death and Life of the Great American School System. Ravitch was a prominent advocate for charter schools and high-stakes testing under the first Bush administration, but she recently had what she calls a radical change of heart. How has No Child Left Behind affected the schools in your area? How can we create a quality public education school system? It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar, and you.

Guests:
Diane Ravitch--education professor at NYU and author of The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education

Click to Listen: What has No Child Left Behind done to public education?

Does radical economics matter?

Does radical economics matter? On the next Your Call, we'll have a conversation about the relevance of radical economic analysis today and how radical perspectives could help us understand the global economic crisis. More than 20,000 activists participated in the weeklong U.S. Social Forum in Detroit. What useful tools can activists learn from such gatherings to build alternative models at the grassroots? And as mainstream economics has lost it credibility, have radical economists gained attention? Join us live at 11 or send us an email at feedback@yourcallradio.org. It's Your Call, with Rose Aguilar and you.

Guests:
Costas Panayotakis, associate professor of sociology at the New York City College of Technology at CUNY

Anwar Shaikh, professor of economics at the New School for Social Research

Adrienne Maree Brown, executive director of The Ruckus Society, and National Coordinator of The U.S. Social Forum

Click to Listen: Does radical economics matter?