11/11/02

LC021111

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> YOU COULD BE RIDING THE RAILS INSTEAD OF STUCK IN TRAFFIC. TONIGHT A LOOK AT MTA’S NEW GOLD LINE. WILL IT BECOME THE CROWN JEWEL OF LOCAL TRANSPORTATION?

MICHAEL DIEDEN>> I THINK THAT THERE’S A SIZEABLE POPULATION THAT LOOKS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE AUTO-DRIVEN CULTURE THAT WE HAVE AND WANTS TO LIVE NEXT TO TRANSIT AND NEXT TO A PEDESTRIAN-ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO USE THE TRAIN TO COMMUTE TO WORK AND FOR OTHER TRIPS.

VAL>> IT’S BEEN CALLED AMERICA’S PRIME TIME WAR. DURING THE FIGHTING IN VIETNAM, AMERICAN JOURNALISTS HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT. SOME OF THEM WERE WOMEN AND TONIGHT ONE WHO WAS THERE TELLS HER STORIES FROM THE FRONT LINES.

JESS>> PLUS, WE’LL GLANCE BACK INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S PAST.

[FILM CLIP]>> “IT’S A MILLION DOLLAR DEPOT FOR LOS ANGELES, SO NO WONDER THE FLAGS ARE FLYING.”

JESS>> WE’LL VIEW SOME OLD NEWS CLIPS FROM THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WAS NEWSWORTHY BACK IN THE 30’S.

VAL>> THEN THE FOCUS ON THE FUTURE AS CALIFORNIA SCIENTISTS UNLOCK THE MYSTERIES OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. TONIGHT WE’LL LOOK AT A MARS MISSION THAT’S BEEN A MAJOR PART OF THAT EFFORT AND WE’LL SEE WHAT LIES AHEAD IN OUR EXPLORATION OF EARTH’S NEIGHBOR.

JESS>> THOSE STORIES STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I’M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I’M JESS MARLOW. L.A.’S MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM IS ABOUT TO GET A MAJOR NEW LINK. THE METRO GOLD LINE RUNNING FROM PASADENA TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES COULD HELP TO ELIMINATE GRIDLOCK ON EASTSIDE FREEWAYS, BUT THERE’S MORE AT STAKE HERE THAN JUST THE DAILY COMMUTE.

VAL>> THE GOLD LINE IS ALSO INSPIRING DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOUSING AND SHOPPING CENTERS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE TRAIN. AS GAY YEE REPORTS, THAT MAY NOT BE A NEW CONCEPT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, BUT IT’S A MAJOR CHANGE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

GAY YEE>> JUMP ON THE PASADENA FREEWAY TO DOWNTOWN L.A. ON ANY WEEKDAY MORNING AROUND EIGHT AND BE PREPARED TO SIT. THE FREEWAY WILL LIKELY BE STOP AND GO MOST OF THE WAY. BUT NEXT SUMMER, MOTORISTS WILL HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE. LIGHT RAIL IS COMING TO PASADENA IN THE FORM OF THE METRO GOLD LINE. IT WILL START AT UNION STATION, TRAVEL ON AN ELEVATED LINE TO A STOP IN CHINATOWN, THEN PASS THROUGH LINCOLN HEIGHTS, HIGHLAND PARK, MT. WASHINGTON, SOUTH PASADENA AND, AT THE END OF THE LINE ALONG THE 210 FREEWAY IN PASADENA, THERE WILL BE PARKING FOR ONE THOUSAND CARS. RICK THORPE IS THE MAN IN CHARGE OF BUILDING THE GOLD LINE. HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS FOR OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.

RICK THORPE>> PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY? I THINK IT'S RIGHT HERE IN LOS ANGELES. THE LONG BEACH BLUE LINE CARRIES OVER 65,000 OR 70,000 PEOPLE A DAY. I THINK THE PASADENA, THE GOLD LINE, WILL BE EQUALLY POPULAR AND I THINK OUR PROJECTION OF 33,000 A DAY WILL BE SURPASSED QUITE QUICKLY.

GAY YEE>> THE WORK ALONG THE GOLD LINE IS NOT CONFINED TO THE RAIL ITSELF. MAJOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE UNDERWAY AT SEVERAL STOPS ALONG THE WAY. THE DELMAR STATION NEAR OLD TOWN PASADENA WILL HAVE A COMPLEX WITH 350 APARTMENTS, ALONG WITH STORES, OFFICES AND PUBLIC PLAZAS. TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE ANALYST, GLORIA OHLAND, SAYS THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN MISSING UP TO NOW IN THE REGION'S EFFORTS TO BATTLE OUR CROWDED HIGHWAYS.

GLORIA OHLAND>> THE WAY L.A. IS BUILT RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT CONVENIENT FOR ANYONE TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT. BUT IF YOU BRING PEOPLE TO THE RAIL LINE, IF YOU BUILD THE CITY UP AROUND THE RAIL LINE, IT WORKS VERY WELL AND IT'S A VERY ECONOMICAL WAY OF MOVING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZING LAND USE.

GAY YEE>> FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE HAS RANKED LOS ANGELES NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION IN TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

GLORIA OHLAND>> TRANSIT IS PART OF THE SOLUTION. BUSES ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION. RAIL LINES ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION. BUT THE PART OF THE SOLUTION THAT L.A. HASN'T EXPERIMENTED WITH YET IS TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

MICHAEL DIEDEN>> THESE ARE THE TWO HOUSES THAT WE'RE GOING TO RELOCATE AROUND THE CORNER....

GAY YEE>> DEVELOPER, MICHAEL DIEDEN, IS READY TO CREATE A VILLAGE NEXT TO THE GOLD LINE STATION IN SOUTH PASADENA. HE SAYS HE'S OFFERING PEOPLE A DIFFERENT WAY TO LIVE.

MICHAEL DIEDEN>> I THINK THAT THERE'S A SIZEABLE POPULATION THAT LOOKS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE AUTO-DRIVEN CULTURE THAT WE HAVE AND WANTS TO LIVE NEXT TO TRANSIT AND NEXT TO A PEDESTRIAN-ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO USE THE TRAIN TO COMMUTE TO WORK AND FOR THEIR OTHER TRIPS.

GAY YEE>> DIEDEN WILL SOON BREAK GROUND ON SIXTY-SEVEN COURTYARD CONDOS, ALONG WITH ARTIST LOFTS, RETAIL SPACE FOR A CAFÉ AND MARKET, AND PARKING FOR GOLD LINE RIDERS.

MICHAEL DIEDEN>> SOUTH PASADENA IS A SMALL TOWN. IT'S 25,000 POPULATION. WE'VE WORKED HERE FOR FOUR YEARS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE CITY IN ORDER TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE WITH THE COMING OF THE NEW GOLD LINE AND WITH A PROJECT SUCH AS OURS WHICH DOES HAVE A HIGHER DENSITY LEVEL THAN WHAT IS THE NORM AROUND HERE.

GAY YEE>> MOST OF THE GOLD LINE WILL RUN ALONG THE OLD SANTA FE RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY, SO ACQUIRING LAND FOR THE SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN THE FIGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. TALK TO FOLKS ALONG THE GOLD LINE. SOME KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT. OTHERS, LIKE SOUTH PASADENA ANTIQUE STORE OWNER, JOHN TURK, ARE CAUTIOUS.

JOHN TURK>> AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE OUTCOME WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER WITH, BUT NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY GET THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

GAY YEE>> AND STILL OTHERS ARE EXCITED.

>> I HAVE FAMILY IN PASADENA AND THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR ME BECAUSE I CAN VISIT THEM.

GAY YEE>> BUT THERE'S ONE PASADENA GROUP THAT'S BEEN FIGHTING TO FORCE THE GOLD LINE TO RUN UNDERGROUND RATHER THAN AT ROAD LEVEL OVER THREE BUSY STREETS.

KAREN CUTTS>> PUTTING A TRAIN THERE GOING TWO HUNDRED TIMES A DAY AND BISECTING THE CITY IS GOING TO REALLY CHANGE THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE IN PASADENA AND I THINK WE REALLY WON'T FEEL THAT UNTIL THE TRAIN ACTUALLY STARTS TO RUN.

GAY YEE>> KAREN CUTTS IS CO-CHAIR OF A GROUP THAT TOOK ITS BATTLE TO SACRAMENTO HOPING TO FORCE THE GOLD LINE BELOW GRADE, BUT THEY LOST IN A TIGHT THREE TO TWO VOTE BY THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

KAREN CUTTS>> OUR MAJOR CONCERNS ARE TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL BLIGHT AND THOSE CONCERNS WILL BE WITH THIS CITY, WE BELIEVE, FOR THE NEXT FIFTY YEARS AND GROWING.

GAY YEE>> RICK THORPE COUNTERS THAT THE GOLD LINE WON'T AFFECT TRAFFIC AND WILL BE SAFE. HE SAYS THE SAN DIEGO LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM HAS ONE HUNDRED STREET-LEVEL CROSSINGS AND A RECORD OF ONLY ONE ACCIDENT FOR EVERY 400,000 MILES TRAVELED.

RICK THORPE>> COMPARE THAT TO ANY FREEWAY OR STREET. SHOULD WE NOT BUILD FREEWAYS? SHOULD WE NOT BUILD ANY MORE STREETS? FAR MORE ACCIDENTS OCCUR ON STREETS AND HIGHWAYS THAN THEY DO ON LIGHT RAIL. IN FACT, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE SAFEST MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

JESS>> AND IF THE PROJECT STAYS ON SCHEDULE, THE METRO GOLD LINE SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING SOMETIME NEXT SUMMER. THE TARGET DATE FOR OPENING IS JULY 2003.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, OUR FIRST LIVE INTERVIEW WITH L.A.’S NEW TOP COP. WE’LL FIND OUT HOW CHIEF WILLIAM BRATTON PLANS TO CRACK DOWN ON CRIME, AND WE’LL ASK HIM HOW IT FEELS TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE EVERYONE EXCEPT HIM HAS A STRANGE ACCENT. A LIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> IF THIS NATION GOES INTO WAR WITH IRAQ, DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE MANY STORIES FROM THE FRONT LINES. THE PENTAGON, SOME HAVE SAID, LEARNED ITS LESSONS ABOUT WAR AND JOURNALISM WITH VIETNAM. BACK THEN, THE MILITARY GAVE NEWS REPORTERS EXTRAORDINARY ACCESS TO COMBAT AND AMERICA’S SOLDIERS. AS A RESULT, VIETNAM WAS THE FIRST TELEVISED WAR AND REPORTERS BROUGHT ALL THE HORRORS INTO THE NATION’S LIVING ROOMS.

VAL>> A FEW OF THOSE COMBAT JOURNALISTS WERE WOMEN AND THEY’VE COLLECTED SOME OF THEIR BEST WAR STORIES IN A NEW BOOK CALLED “WAR TORN”. ONE OF THE AUTHORS IS JURATE KAZICKAS WHO SERVED AS A FREELANCED CORRESPONDENT BACK IN 1967. RECENTLY SHE SHARED SOME OF HER EXPERIENCES WITH JESS AND ME.

JESS>> FIRST OF ALL, HOW DID THIS BOOK COME ABOUT?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> WELL, OVER THE YEARS, WE’VE BEEN APPROACHED BY STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO DO, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEW US FOR THEIR THESES ON WOMEN REPORTERS IN VIETNAM. ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS GREW UP AND APPROACHED US AND I SAID NOW I’M GOING TO GO TO A PUBLISHER WHO’D LIKE TO DO IT. I THINK, BASICALLY, THE ONLY THING YOU OWN IS YOUR OWN LIFE STORY AND, AS WRITERS, WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD BE THE BEST ONES TO TELL OUR OWN STORIES OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A WOMAN REPORTER COVERING VIETNAM.

JESS>> AND YOU WERE ONE OF THE NINE?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> ONE OF THE NINE IN THIS BOOK, “WAR TORN”, YES.

VAL>> SO YOU WERE IN VIETNAM IN 1967 AND YOU WENT OUT WITH A SQUADRON OF MEN WHO WERE ON A VERY DANGEROUS MISSION OR FORAY. TELL US ABOUT THAT. HOW LONG WERE YOU WITH THEM AND WHAT HAPPENED?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> WELL, I LIKED TO WRITE ABOUT THE FIGHTING SOLDIER. I WENT TO VIETNAM TO COVER COMBAT AND I LIKED TO GO OUT AND SPEND SEVERAL DAYS ON PATROL, GETTING TO KNOW THE MEN, WRITING THEIR STORIES. THIS PARTICULAR PATROL, WE WERE HEADED TOWARD AN AREA THAT WAS KNOWN TO BE POPULATED BY NORTH VIETNAMESE, BUT BECAUSE MY ESCORT COLLAPSED, I HAD TO BE EVACUATED WITH HIM EVEN THOUGH I PROTESTED SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHY DO I HAVE TO LEAVE JUST BECAUSE MY ESCORT COULDN’T DO IT?

THE COMPANY COMMANDER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY KILLED. I WRITE IN THE CHAPTER THAT I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DEATH INADVERTENTLY BECAUSE IT WAS A SECRET MISSION AND, WHEN THE HELICOPTER HAD TO COME IN IN ADVANCE OF THE TIME, IT MIGHT HAVE GIVEN OUR POSITION AWAY TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE. BUT I FOUND OUT THIRTY-FIVE YEARS LATER WHEN I WAS DOING THE BOOK THAT INDEED HE WAS KILLED A FEW DAYS AFTER ON AN ANOTHER MISSION.

JESS>> AND THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR CHAPTER IS INVOLVED IN FINALLY DISCOVERING HOW HE DIED?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY. A LITTLE BIT OF THE AMBIVALENCE WE FELT AS WOMEN THERE, IT WAS NOT EASY BEING A WOMAN COVERING THE WAR IN VIETNAM. IT WAS --

JESS>> -- EVEN A WOMAN THEY CALLED SAM? (LAUGHTER) WHY DID THEY CALL YOU SAM?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, BECAUSE I'M SIX FEET TALL AND MY NAME IS JURATE AND THEY COULDN'T PRONOUNCE IT --

JESS>> -- SAM'S EASIER (LAUGHTER).

JURATE KAZICKAS>> THEY SAID, BOY, IF WE GET INTO ANY TROUBLE, I'M GOING TO SAY WHAT'S-HER-NAME, WHAT'S-HER-NAME, SO THEY CALLED ME SAM.

VAL>> NOW HERE YOU ARE. YOU WERE WITH HOW MANY MEN AT ANY GIVEN TIME? YOU WERE THE ONLY WOMAN THERE IN VIETNAM?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> WELL, A COMPANY WAS ABOUT 250 MEN. THIS IS AT A FIRE BASE. THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE COMPANY THERE.

VAL>> NOW YOU TALKED VERY OPENLY ABOUT BEING THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THESE MEN.

JURATE KAZICKAS>> YES.

VAL>> SOME OF THEM, YOU ADMIT, QUITE ATTRACTIVE.

JURATE KAZICKAS>> YES.

VAL>> HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> WELL, AS I WRITE IN MY CHAPTER, I MEAN, YOU WERE A WOMAN SURROUNDED BY MEN AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A STRANGE EXPERIENCE, BUT --

JESS>> -- DID ANY OF THEM RESENT YOUR BEING THERE?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> NO, NOT AT ALL, NOT AT ALL. YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A --

JESS>> -- YOU WRITE THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT YOU THERE AT ONE POINT AND THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE DYING.

JURATE KAZICKAS>> WELL, THE OFFICERS VERY OFTEN HAD TROUBLE DEALING WITH A WOMAN ON PATROL, BUT THE GRUNTS LIKED IT. I MEAN, THEY JUST FELT THAT, IF YOU WERE CRAZY ENOUGH TO SHOW UP, THAT WAS FINE WITH THEM. BUT I THINK, AGAIN, IT WAS SO UNUSUAL AT THAT TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE MAN DID SAY TO ME, "I DON'T WANT A WOMAN TO SEE ME DIE THIS WAY" BECAUSE OF THE HORRIBLE DEVASTATION OF WAR AND THERE'S NOTHING PRETTY ABOUT WAR. I THINK THE BOOK IS QUITE TIMELY THESE DAYS BECAUSE WE ARE FACING THE THREAT OF WAR AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN THROUGH IT NEVER WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER ONE AGAIN. IT HAS TO BE THE LAST RESORT.

JESS>> DID THOSE MEN YOU SAW DIE DIE IN VAIN?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION AND I ASKED A MINISTER IN VIETNAM THAT QUESTION. HE SAID EVEN THOUGH HE HIMSELF FELT, AS MANY DID, THAT THE WAR WAS WRONG, THESE MEN DIED FOR EACH OTHER. THEY SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR BUDDIES AND THAT DEATH IS HEROIC AND NOBLE. I THINK AS VETERANS DAY APPROACHES AND WE REMEMBER THE SACRIFICES OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN THE MILITARY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HONOR THEM FOR THAT.

VAL>> WHY DID YOU WANT TO DO IT? TO GO INTO A WAR ZONE AND PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> WELL, IT WAS THE BIGGEST STORY OF MY GENERATION. IT WAS MY GENERATION THAT WAS FIGHTING IT AND I WANTED TO COVER THAT STORY. IT DOMINATED THE HEADLINES AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE GOING ON THOSE DAYS IN 1967 AND 1968. IT WAS THAT KIND OF POWER OF A STORY.

VAL>> AND YOU HAD TO GO AS A FREELANCER BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A REGULAR STAFF JOB WITH A JOURNAL?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> EXACTLY. NOBODY WANTED TO SEND ME. I HAD TO PAY MY OWN WAY.

VAL>> YOUR PARENTS WERE AGAINST IT BECAUSE, IN YOUR BACKGROUND, THEY HAD ESCAPED FROM WAR.

JURATE KAZICKAS>> YES. MY MOTHER SAID MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN TAKING YOU AWAY FROM WAR. WE FLED FROM LITHUANIA WHEN THE COMMUNISTS WERE APPROACHING AND THEY SAW THE TAIL END OF WORLD WAR II. I WAS JUST A BABY AT THE TIME. BUT I THINK THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS A CAREER THAT I WAS CHOOSING AND I HAD TO DO IT.

JESS>> IF, PERISH THE THOUGHT, WE GO TO WAR IN IRAQ, WILL YOU GO?

JURATE KAZICKAS>> NO. I DON'T WANT EVER TO SEE ANOTHER WAR AGAIN AND I DON'T WISH IT ON ANYBODY. I THINK IT WILL BE A VERY DIFFERENT WAR. WE HAD AMAZING ACCESS. I MEAN, I WAS WITH THE SPECIAL FORCES, WE WENT ON BOMBING MISSIONS, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS. THERE WASN'T ANYTHING A JOURNALIST IN VIETNAM COULD NOT SEE. NOW IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN SOME HOTEL IN TURKEY GETTING BRIEFINGS. I THINK WE FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REPORT EVERYTHING THAT WE SAW AND TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT VIETNAM.

VAL>> AMAZING EXPERIENCE. JURATE KAZICKAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. AGAIN, THE TITLE OF THE BOOK IS "WAR TORN: STORIES OF WAR FROM THE WOMEN REPORTERS WHO COVERED VIETNAM".

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VAL>> ALL YOU LOCAL HISTORY BUFFS, GET READY FOR A RARE TREAT. WE'RE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU SOME GREAT OLD FILM CLIPS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S NOT-SO-DISTANT PAST AND YOU WILL DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE PLACES.

JESS>> THE FILMS COME FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THEY WERE ALL SHOT DURING THE LATE 1930'S AND EARLY 1940'S AND WE'LL START WITH A LOOK AT A DISPLAY OF AMERICAN AIR POWER GOING INTO WORLD WAR II.

[FILM CLIP]>> "THE ARMY LIKES THE NEW BOMBERS AND SO DOES THE MOVIETONE CAMERAMAN. THE AIR CORPS HAS ORDERED 177 OF THESE AND THE PICTURES SAY OKAY."

JESS>> THE AUTO CLUB MADE THE NEWSREELS TO RECORD WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE DAYS BEFORE TELEVISION AND HERE TO SHARE SOME MORE OLD FILMS IS THE AUTO CLUB'S HISTORIAN, MATT ROTH. MATT, WELCOME.

MATT ROTH>> NICE TO BE BACK.

VAL>> THAT'S PRETTY FUNNY, WHAT WE JUST SAW. WHAT DID THEY SAY? OKAY? (LAUGHTER)

MATT ROTH>> OKAY, YEAH. WELL, YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT THEY SHOWED AVIATION WAS, FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS NOVEL AND IT WAS NEW. BUT ALSO IT WAS VERY MUCH IDENTIFIED WITH THIS REGION. THAT'S WHAT THESE NEWSREELS -- THE AUTO CLUB WAS COLLECTING THESE AT THE TIME AS PART OF A REGIONAL PROMOTION EFFORT.

VAL>> SO IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE CARS. THEY JUST SAID, LOOK, YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW CALIFORNIA AND ALL THOSE INNOVATIVE THINGS, AND LET'S SHOW AIRPLANES.

JESS>> WELL, YOU EVEN DEALT WITH TRAINS TOO, DIDN'T YOU?

MATT ROTH>> WELL, YEAH, THAT'S THE CLIP THAT'S COMING UP. THE UNION STATION OPENING, SURE.

VAL>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

MATT ROTH>> OKAY.

[FILM CLIP]>> "IT'S A MILLION DOLLAR DEPOT FOR LOS ANGELES, SO NO WONDER THE FLAGS ARE FLYING. THERE ARE EX-GOVERNOR AL SMITH OF NEW YORK AND GOVERNOR OLSON. THEY WITNESS A PAGEANT OF PROGRESS. ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND HIS WIFE RIDE IN A CONVEYANCE OF THEIR TIME AND HERE COMES AN OLD-TIME HORSE CAR. EX-GOVERNOR SMITH MAKES COMMENTS AS A BIG GUN PASSES. IT SURE IS BIG AND IT PASSES AND PASSES. THERE SEEMS NO END TO IT."

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) THIS IS SUCH A KICK.

MATT ROTH>> YOU KNOW, WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME, WE CAN SEE HOW THE REGION WAS BEING PROMOTED AS THIS COMBINATION OF NOSTALGIA AND FORWARD-LOOKING, INNOVATIVE THINKING.

VAL>> BUT IT'S VERY BOOSTERISH.

MATT ROTH>> EXTREMELY. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THE AUTO CLUB WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN AT THAT TIME. I MEAN, THE DEPRESSION HURT THE AUTO CLUB AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION.

JESS>> AND THE REFURBISHED UNION STATION LOOKS ABOUT THE SAME TODAY.

MATT ROTH>> WELL, THE DESIGN --

JESS>> -- MINUS THE CROWDS.

MATT ROTH>> WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE TIME OF DAY. I MEAN, UNION STATION IS A COMBINATION OF MISSION REVIVAL WHICH IS KIND OF A NOSTALGIC AESTHETIC AND THE STREAMLINED MODERN, WHICH IS PRESENTING THINGS AS BEING VERY UP TO DATE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S THIS CONSTANT AMBIGUITY IN THE WAY THE REGION IS BEING DEPICTED. YOU KNOW, IT'S BOTH TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE. I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, CONSCIOUS OF THIS AMBIGUITY AT THE TIME. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PASSAGE OF TIME ALLOWS US TO SEE.

JESS>> IT SURE DREW A CROWD AND A LOT OF VIPS. THAT WAS A BIG MOMENT IN LOS ANGELES HISTORY.

MATT ROTH>> I THINK THEY ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO LIKE A GOLDEN SPIKE CEREMONY AND HAVING AL SMITH FROM NEW YORK WAS KIND OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONTINENTAL REACH THAT WOULD THEN BE ACHIEVED.

VAL>> THAT'S RIGHT. AND JUST TO PROVE THAT THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB WAS QUITE WIDE-RANGING, HERE IS SOME FILM OF SYNCHRONIZED DIVING.

MATT ROTH>> (LAUGHTER) YEAH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY BEING --

VAL>> -- WHERE WAS THIS TAKING PLACE?

MATT ROTH>> OH, YOU'VE GOT ME THERE. IT'S JUST EAST OF THE CITY.

JESS>> I WOULD BET IT'S AT THE ROSE BOWL.

MATT ROTH>> IT'S ACTUALLY EAST OF THE CITY. IT'S NOT RIGHT IN TOWN.

VAL>> I'LL BET YOU ONE OF OUR VIEWERS KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THIS IS. MAYBE THEY'LL E-MAIL US AND SAY THAT'S AT SUCH-AND-SUCH A PLACE.

MATT ROTH>> I'M SURE.

VAL>> DID THEY DO THIS BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS AN OLYMPIC SPORT OR IT MIGHT BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT?

MATT ROTH>> YES, AND ALSO BECAUSE, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW ABOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROMOTE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITHOUT MENTIONING THE CLIMATE? SO IT WAS A WAY TO SHOW SNOWBOUND PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE SWIMMING HERE.

VAL>> AND SLOW MOTION TOO. THAT'S WAS PROBABLY --

MATT ROTH>> -- I DON'T THINK IT EVER MADE IT INTO THE OLYMPICS.

VAL>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

JESS>> SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING DID, ALTHOUGH I'LL NEVER KNOW WHY (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> NOW DOES THIS FILM HAVE A MONETARY VALUE? I MEAN, ARE THESE CONSIDERED SORT OF RARE OR IS THERE ANY KIND OF VALUE PUT ON THEM?

MATT ROTH>> THAT'S HARD TO SAY. I MEAN, IF SOMEONE WANTS IT, IT HAS VALUE, I GUESS.

VAL>> AND WHAT DOES THE AUTO CLUB DO WITH ALL OF THIS?

MATT ROTH>> WELL, AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE INVOLVED IN A BIG PRESERVATION PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT SURVIVES AND SOME OF IT IS GETTING DUBBED OVER TO BETA LIKE THE ONE THAT WE JUST SAW. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE RECORD. FILM IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, DENSE MEDIUM IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT IT COMMUNICATES, SO IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY RECORD OF THE TIME. IT'S VERY VALUABLE HISTORICALLY.

IN TERMS OF ITS MONETARY VALUE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF INSURANCE, OF COURSE. I SUPPOSE THERE'S A LOT OF -- YOU KNOW, IF A PRODUCTION COMPANY THAT WAS MAKING A FILM TODAY, LIKE A FEATURE FILM, AND THEY WANTED TO HAVE SOME ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE THAT THEY WOULD USE FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD GO TO STOCK HOUSES AND BUY OLD FOOTAGE OR RENT IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE DON'T REALLY DO THAT.

JESS>> WE HAD AN EARLIER GUEST WHO TALKED ABOUT VIETNAM. THAT WAS THE WAR THAT TELEVISION COVERED, BUT IN WORLD WAR II, MOST OF US GOT MUCH OF OUR INFORMATION FROM NEWSREELS.

MATT ROTH>> NEWSREELS, RADIO.

VAL>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE FILM OF PLANES AT MARCH FIELD FROM 1939?

MATT ROTH>> YES.

VAL>> OKAY, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THESE? FIGHTING FALCONS?

MATT ROTH>> YEAH. THESE ARE THE BOEING P38'S WHICH WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL FIGHTER AT THE TIME. WELL, THEY CALLED THEM PURSUIT PLANES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD PICK UP THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN COCKPIT.

VAL>> REALLY?

MATT ROTH>> THEY WERE SUPERSEDED. I THINK THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT UNDER 150 OF THEM EVER MADE.

JESS>> THAT'S TERRIFIC, MATT.

VAL>> MATT ROTH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

MATT ROTH>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> WE SOMETIMES FORGET ABOUT THE LOFTY MISSIONS OF THOSE ROCKET SCIENTISTS OVER AT THE JET PROPULSION LAB NEAR PASADENA, BUT TONIGHT, WITH THEM IN MIND, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE NOTE OF A SPECIAL DATE AND THAT'S THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR. IT'S BEEN MAPPING THE RED PLANET SINCE THE FALL OF 1997 AND, UNLIKE MANY OTHER SPACE MACHINES, THIS ONE IS STILL WORKING.

DR. DAN MCCLEESE>> ONCE YOU'RE OUT THERE ON YOUR WAY TO A PLANET, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. MARS HAS CONSUMED ABOUT FIFTY PERCENT OF THE VEHICLES THAT HUMANS HAVE SENT TO THE PLANET FOR EXPLORATION. IT'S INCREDIBLY HARD TO EXPLORE AND THE SURFACE IS DOUBLY SO.

[FILM CLIP]

DR. STEVE SQUYRES>> SCARY, YOU KNOW? WHEN YOU DO ONE OF THESE PROJECTS, YOU PUT YEARS OF YOUR LIFE, MANY YEARS OF YOUR LIFE, YOUR HEART, YOUR SOUL, YOUR PASSION, EVERYTHING THAT YOU CARE ABOUT INTO IT. WHEN THEY SUCCEED, IT'S THE GREATEST FEELING IN THE WORLD, BUT WHEN THEY FAIL, IT'S JUST ONE OF THE WORST FEELINGS IN THE WORLD.

DR. DAN MCCLEESE>> WE ARE SENDING A BRAND NEW SPACECRAFT TO THE PLANET EVERY TWENTY-SIX MONTHS. EACH OF THOSE SPACECRAFT IS FINELY TUNED TO STUDYING AN ASPECT OF THE PLANET, SO IT IS THE ADVANCEMENT OF EACH MISSION OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND THE TAILORING OF FUTURE MISSIONS BASED ON WHAT WE LEARN TODAY THAT MAKES MARS UNIQUE.

DR. STEVE SQUYRES>> WE HAVE COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT MARS WAS ONCE WARMER, WAS ONCE WETTER, WAS ONCE MORE EARTHLIKE THAN IT IS TODAY, WE THINK. WE SEE FROM ORBIT STUFF THAT MAKES US THINK THAT. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS UNDERSTAND HOW WARM, HOW WET, WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS REALLY LIKE. WERE THEY THE KIND OF CONDITIONS THAT COULD HAVE SUPPORTED LIFE? SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, WE'RE SENDING TWO ROBOTIC FIELD GEOLOGISTS TO THE TWO MOST INTERESTING PLACES THAT WE CAN FIND THAT ARE SAFE ENOUGH FOR US TO LAND. BY INTERESTING, I MEAN PLACES WHERE THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT WATER WAS THERE.

ROB MANNING>> OUR LANDER IS WITH WHEELS. IT WILL STAND UP AND WALK OFF AND EXPLORE, DRIVE OFF TOWARDS THE HORIZON AND EXPLORE PLACES AND SCENES THAT NO HUMAN HAS EVER SEEN BEFORE. WE'RE LOADED WITH CAMERAS. WE HAVE CAMERAS IN THE FRONT ROVER, WE HAVE CAMERAS IN THE BACK AND WE HAVE CAMERAS SITTING UP ON THE MAST THAT ALLOWS IT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE SCENES AROUND IT MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT A HUMAN BEING WOULD SEE THEM STANDING THERE ON MARS.

DR. STEVE SQUYRES>> THESE MACHINES DO OUR EXPLORING FOR US. THEY BECOME EXTENSIONS OF OURSELVES. WE BUILD THEM WITH BRAINS. WE BUILD THEM WITH EYES. THE MER ROVER HAS AN ARM THAT'S EXACTLY THE SAME DIMENSIONS AS MY ARM. SAME LENGTH, ELBOW, WRIST, SHOULDER. WE BUILD THEM TO DO OUR WORK FOR US AND YOU CAN'T -- YOU SIMPLY -- IF YOU'VE GOT A HEART BEATING IN YOUR CHEST, YOU CANNOT POUR THE ENERGY INTO THESE VEHICLES THAT WE DO AND NOT BECOME ATTACHED TO THEM EMOTIONALLY. I MEAN, I CAN'T HELP IT. I CANNOT AVOID THAT. I DON'T TRY TO, OKAY? I MEAN, I LOVE THOSE ROBOTS.

VAL>> OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY AND ESPECIALLY BLAINE BAGGETT FOR PROVIDING THAT FEATURE FOR US. AND IF YOU'D LIKE A PREVIEW OF UPCOMING STORIES, WE INVITE YOU TO LOG ONTO KCET.ORG WHERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO RECENT PROGRAMS THROUGH STREAMING AUDIO ON THE WEB.

JESS>> AND THAT'S TONIGHT'S PROGRAM. THANKS FOR JOINING US AND GOODNIGHT FROM ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT’S PROGRAM.