Which Way, L.A.?
State Money Troubles Lead to Release of Prisoners
Governor Schwarzenegger's budget plan and California's stimulus money. Are parole violators getting early release? Also, Is the "LA Noir" of crime fiction and Hollywood movies rooted in history? On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, the President's $800 billion stimulus package hasn't been fully rolled out yet, but the US economy is already almost seven million jobs in the hole.
By Warren Olney • • 51m ListenIs California at risk of losing its stimulus money? Are parole violators being released early to cut costs? Also, is the "LA Noir" of crime fiction and Hollywood movies rooted in history? On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, the President's $800 billion stimulus package hasn't been fully rolled out yet, but the US economy is already almost seven million jobs in the hole. Who's able to find work and who's not? Is more stimulus money needed?
In this episode
4 storiesWith Unemployment at 9.5 Percent, Is the Stimulus Working?
President Obama's $800 billion stimulus package is under fire because it has failed to meet expectations. National unemployment has risen to 9.5 percent, higher than the 8 percent peak predicted by the Obama administration when it was selling the package to Congress.
Read the story26 minGovernor's Budget Plan Threatens Stimulus Funds
Robert Reich, former President Clinton's Secretary of Labor, says "states are actively erasing half of the federal stimulus" by reducing services. Governor Schwarzenegger's plan to fix the budget may put $10 billion at risk. That's according to Matthew Yi, who reports from Sacramento for the San Francisco Chronicle .
Read the story12 minState Money Troubles Lead to Release of Prisoners
In California, criminals who violate the conditions of parole are often sent back to prison to serve the rest of their sentences.
Read the story12 minWhite and Clark, the Light and Dark Behind LA Noir
"LA Noir" is a Hollywood movie genre that goes back to Double Indemnity and includes Chinatown and LA Confidential. It's all about "a city of big dreams and cruelly inevitable disappointments." Those are the words of Richard Rayner, who says "noir" has roots not just in the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, but also in the…
Read the story9 min
