Patt Morrison Blog
Patt Morrison for Monday, July 21
Guest host David Lazarus interviews John Bovenzi, COO of the FDIC and now Chief Executive of IndyMac Bank; Also, should people who live in fire prone areas pay more for fire protection, or should we all share the risk? And, applying the concept of “quality improvement” used at Toyota to medicine - can it be done?
Also on the program - is there a way for bikes and cars to safely share the roads in LA? Let us know your experiences biking in Los Angeles. Do you foresee a future when cars and bikes live peacefully in LA? Sound off on our blog. We’ll read your comments on the air.
Behind the scenes of the great Patt Morrison program:
What to do when you have two guests for one spot? As is often the case when producing these segments, producers will hedge their bets with getting the right guest, often putting out multiple calls hoping that one person out of three will get back to you for the segment. For today’s segment on “The Bank “Crisis” That Never Was?” David interviewed Bob Hartheimer from Promontory Financial.
Bob was good, but another guest who got back to us a bit later might have been even better. Check out Joseph Mason, a finance professor at Drexel University. Professor Mason makes a seriously impassioned plea for updated, stronger bank regulation—in his words, “it is necessary but few want to go down this road.” According to the good professor, “one big reason investors are skittish is that they have no reliable accurate means by which to evaluate firms and investments”—i.e., banks and investment institutions operate in a shadow world, on which Congress should be casting more light.
We promise to bring you the outspoken Professor Mason soon, but in the meantime for some light reading check out his suggestion for Congressional legislation that would be a start to reregulating the banking industry.
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- July 18, 2008 4:44 PM
- Comments (16)
- Categories: Business/Economy, Environment, Health, Politics/Public Affairs, Science/Technology, Sports/Recreation
16 Comments
Why Did the FDIC agree to insure indymac when in 2005 there mortgage decisions were already causing them problems. People trust the FDIC and should be able to trust the banks they insure. Now tax dollars are paying for this?
Since when has the excuse of "the information is complex, so it's best to not even allow you the option to try and decipher it" an excuse for withholding information from the public?
He says he has the "the best interest of the private sector in mind" but I find it hard to argue against having an informed and educated private sector making coherent decisions with THEIR money.
These are shamefully weak arguments.
Does people who had more then 100k at the bank lose THEIR money or will they eventually be able to get all their money?
The ones who should foot the bill are the developers who are selling these properties. If the cost of firefighting was factored in to these developers costs, maybe they wouldn't be as attractive as investments, leading to less houses in these areas.
David Lazarus is an excellent stand-in for Pat Morrison. He asks intelligent questions and has an agreeable speaking manner. It is, however, a shame that he occasionally let's slip the standard of the English he speaks. On today's show, for example, he said that "there is going to be failures" (or very similar words). The proper use of English is in fast fall and it is considered "hip" in certain circles to use "is" instead of "are", but one expects a reputable journalist not to join that bandwagon.
It's not just about rules of the road, but space ON the road. Its downright scary to bike on roads. We need more open-space paths such as the LA River and San Gabriel River bikeways.
One place to start treating cyclists with more respect is to emphasize the right of cyclists to exist on the roadways during driver education classes.
As for riding a bicycle on the road... I would love it if people would park in parking lots instead on the road in front of businesses as well as park in their DRIVE WAYS instead of on the road in front of their homes. This should help free up enough space for us to share the road and add bike paths to all streets. The most scary part for me is going around parked cars that force me even further into the lane where I'm more prone to get hit.
I bike to work over 10miles each way. I have had many incidents of nearly being hit and at times tailed by cars literally inches of my back wheel and honking their horns. I have been biking in over three major cities in the US, and this has been the worse one so far. I was recently hit by a police officer making a right hand turn into a bike lane. It is a sad day when the law enforcement can't even follow the rules. Please help continue to make it safe for the bicyclists.
The Law should require bikers to get a license to ride their bikes in order for them to be able to exercise the same rights as motorized vehicles... maybe insurance too?
Thank you very much for having this important discussion. Both my husband and myself are active cyclists in Orange County, but we have many of the same problems.
Many times motorists drive in a threatening manner, honking, yelling and even throwing objects at us (eg. a water bottle). I can only conclude, since they never stop to have a conversation, that they don't understand that cyclists have an equal right to the roadways as automobiles. I propose that every auto license renewal require an online or in-office quiz on awareness of cyclist-motorist safety. That would certainly make people notice that they do not have a god-given right to drive like maniacs!
As far as cyclists getting fed up, hell yeah!!! How much damage can I do to your Escalade, or even Civic, with my aluminum bicycle?!?! How much damage can a tiny bump do to me? It can kill me. Please, people--put yourself in the cyclists' shoes!
When motorists get annoyed at cyclists, they should remember to thank the cyclist for being one less car they have to share the freeway with, one less car taking up parking spaces, and one less car polluting the air they breathe.
I have commuted to work 3 days a week, 20 miles one way, in Orange County for 4 years, year round. Yes, I have had a couple of incidents, however, the great bicycle lanes in Tustin and Irvine provide a great space for cycling safely and effectively. I stop at all lights, use hand signals and ride consistently. I guess that I am lucky or fortunate, but I rate the automobile drivers in OC reasonably high. Also, with more cyclists on the road, the awareness of cyclists by the automobile drivers will increase.
I thought the radio program was informative, but I wish Dorothy Le got to speak more. As an organizer for the LACBC, she works with a community that goes to her, first, to talk about the issues they face. I know, since I started bicycling in Los Angeles (going on 5 years now), it's been hard, but having a great community out there, to collectively gripe, reflect, and push for progress, is so rewarding. Rosendhal and Mowery are undoubtedly informed on the state of affairs, but consider that it's Dorothy's job to think of the community's needs.
re: health care. interesting show. One factor not mentioned: pennypinchers cutting back on hospital staffs, e.g., where 12 nurses are needed, 9 or 10 "will do". The extra burden, and hurry-hurry atmosphere this creates, really invites mistakes to be made by otherwise competent practitioners.
I'm surprised your guest didn't mention Canada as the most obvious country with the 'single-payer' health care delivery system. thank you
The best way to make cycling safer is to have more people riding. I appreciate that you're putting cycling for transportation on the air and painting it in a positive light. However, the host was so insistent about the dangers of cycling that he might be discouraging people from getting out there.
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