University of Southern California
Assistant Research Professor in History at the University of Southern California and director of the Aerospace History Project at the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West; co-author of The World in the Curl: An Unconventional History of Surfing; editor of Blue Sky Metropolis: The Aerospace Century in Southern California
SoCal's Aerospace Influence Southern California was once synonymous with aerospace. And the region has a long history in aviation going back to the early 1900s. So what happened?
A Totally Rad History of Surfing Did Christian missionaries really try to stop Hawaiians from surfing? A new book provides at some interesting facts and dispels some myths about the history of that ancient sport. The jacket of this new book has a picture of two middle-aged guys in wetsuits floating on surfboards. They're professors at UC Santa Barbara and their book is The World in the Curl : An Unconventional History of Surfing. One is Peter Neushul and the other is Peter Westwick, who joins us here in our studio.
Private Enterprise in Low Earth Orbit PayPal billionaire Elon Musk admits, "There's a lot that can go wrong." But his Dragon space capsule could be the first private mission to reach the International Space Station as soon as next week. Launch is scheduled for Saturday from the Air Force Station at Cape Canaveral.
Last Space Shuttle Flight Leaves a Southern California Legacy In the 1950's black and white sit-com The Life of Reilly, Reilly and his buddy, Gillis, drove on something called a freeway to get to their jobs in an airplane factory. It was there, where eventually Howard Hughes built his Spruce Goose. Those bits of news were just the tip of the iceberg. One could make the case that Southern California wouldn't really exist without aerospace. Now, consolidation, outsourcing and other factors have shrunk the local industry to a shell of its former self. Tomorrow, the Space Shuttle Atlantis will blast off for the final time. We look back at the central role played by aerospace industry in the growth of Southern California, and examine its potential resurrection.
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.