4/1/03

LC030401

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT THE FRENCH. THEY’VE DUG UP SOME BIZARRE NEW DETAILS ABOUT SADDAM HUSSEIN.

NARRATOR>> “THE FIRST THING THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN DOES EVERY MORNING WHEN HE WAKES UP AT FIVE A.M. IS TO HAVE SOME COFFEE. THEN HE TAKES CARE OF HIS PERSONAL HYGIENE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SADDAM PREFERS TO BE GREETED WITH A KISS NEAR THE ARMPIT.”

VAL>> AND THEN THERE’S A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE BATTLEFIELD THAT’S AS NEAR AS YOUR COMPUTER AND A CALIFORNIA COMPANY IS THE REASON WHY.

JESS>> PLUS, PAUL NEWMAN’S DAUGHTER, NELL, AND HER FAMILY RECIPES FOR COOKING UP A HEALTHY LIFE AND A HEALTHY PLANET.

VAL>> IT’S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES 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>> IT’S THE UNTOLD STORY OF SADDAM HUSSEIN.

JESS>> AND YOU CAN BET THE IRAQI DICTATOR NEVER WANTED YOU TO HEAR IT. SOME OF SADDAM’S ODDEST HABITS AND BIGGEST FEARS ARE LAID BARE. THE STORY IS TOLD BY A FRENCH JOURNALIST WHO GAINED EXTRAORDINARY ACCESS TO SADDAM’S INNER CIRCLE. THE JOURNALIST IS JOEL SOLER. YOU’LL MEET HIM IN A MOMENT, BUT FIRST HERE’S A BRIEF LOOK AT HIS VERY UNUSUAL FILM CALLED “UNCLE SADDAM”.

NARRATOR>> “THE FIRST THING THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN DOES EVERY MORNING WHEN HE WAKES UP AT FIVE A.M. IS TO HAVE SOME COFFEE. THEN HE TAKES CARE OF HIS PERSONAL HYGIENE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SADDAM PREFERS TO BE GREETED WITH A KISS NEAR THE ARMPIT.”

AL ATTIA (INTERPRETED)>> “IF YOU WANT TO MEET WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN, THERE ARE MANY PROTOCOLS. THEY PAT YOU DOWN AND CHECK YOUR BODY. YOU HAVE TO CLEAN, TO WASH, BECAUSE SADDAM IS SCARED TO BE CONTAMINATED BY PEOPLE.”

NARRATOR>> “GERMS TERRIFY THE GREAT LEADER. THE SMALLEST CUT IS DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY AND, EVERY WEEK, DOCTORS DETERMINE THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE FOR SADDAM’S OFFICE APPROPRIATE TO HIS CURRENT CONDITION.”

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS THE MAN BEHIND “UNCLE SADDAM”, JOURNALIST JOEL SOLER. BEING FRENCH GAVE YOU AN ADVANTAGE TO GETTING IN, BUT YOU DIDN’T GET IN TO SEE SADDAM HIMSELF.

JOEL SOLER>> NO. YOU KNOW, BEING FRENCH WAS HELPFUL. I GUESS IT HAS TO BE HELPFUL SOMEWHERE. YOU KNOW, I WAS PRETENDING I WAS DOING A MOVIE AGAINST THE EMBARGO AND THEY BASICALLY INVITED ME TO GO TO BAGHDAD. I HAD ACCESS TO SADDAM’S INTERIOR DESIGNER, SADDAM’S COUSIN, SADDAM’S ARCHITECT AND I SPENT LIKE TWO MONTHS WITH HIS ENTOURAGE.

VAL>> SO YOU WERE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT HIM FROM THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM BEST WHO, I GUESS, WARMED UP TO YOU AND TRUSTED YOU AFTER A WHILE?

JOEL SOLER>> YEAH, AND, YOU KNOW, BEFORE I WENT TO BAGHDAD, I DID MEET THE SECRETARY OF SADDAM’S SON. HE IS IN EXILE AND HE GAVE ME ACTUALLY THE CONTACT OF SADDAM’S ENTOURAGE. SO WHEN I ARRIVED IN BAGHDAD, I KNEW WHO TO CONTACT AND HOW TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEM. THAT’S WHY, YOU KNOW, I WAS ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THEM.

JESS>> AND WHERE DID YOU GET THE FILM AND VIDEO OF SADDAM?

JOEL SOLER>> THE FILM AND VIDEO I GOT ABOUT SADDAM I BASICALLY SMUGGLED THIS VIDEO OUT OF IRAQ AND I GOT WHAT WAS VIDEO FROM SOME CAMERAMAN INSIDE IRAQ, SOME CAMERAMAN WORKING WITH SADDAM. IT TOOK ME ACTUALLY THREE MONTHS TO SMUGGLE THAT FOOTAGE OUT OF IRAQ.

VAL>> NOW HERE WE SEE HIM IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT OUTFITS, DIFFERENT HATS, DIFFERENT IMAGES COMPLETELY.

JOEL SOLER>> AND, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE HATS, OF COURSE, ARE BULLETPROOF AND HE HAS A HUGE COLLECTION OF HATS. THIS IS THE PORTRAIT OF SADDAM HUSSEIN YOU SEE EVERYWHERE IN EVERY STREET IN BAGHDAD, LIKE PORTRAITS AND STATUES. FOR HIS BIRTHDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY YEAR THERE IS LIKE A DOZEN STATUES --

VAL>> -- ARE PUT UP FOR HIS BIRTHDAY?

JOEL SOLER>> OH, YEAH. AND HERE YOU SEE SADDAM POSING LIKE A MOVIE STAR, YOU KNOW. EVERY POSE IS DIFFERENT, EVERY PORTRAIT IS DIFFERENT AND, I MUST SAY, IT REALLY SURPRISED ME. IT’S VERY CAMPY WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN BAGHDAD AND SADDAM WANTS TO GIVE THAT LOOK LIKE A VERY FRIENDLY MAN. ACTUALLY, FROM HIS ENTOURAGE, WHAT THEY SAY, HE’S VERY FRIENDLY IF YOU AGREE WITH HIM, BUT DON’T EVEN DARE SAY SOMETHING AGAINST HIM BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE PRICE. YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING AGAINST HIM, IT’S NOT ONLY THEM WHO ARE GOING TO BE KILLED. IT’S THEM PLUS THEIR FAMILY IN SIX GENERATIONS AROUND THE FAMILY. THEY COME WITH BULLDOZERS AND THEY JUST ERASE YOUR HOUSE AND THE HOUSES OF ALL YOUR RELATIVES.

JESS>> WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE WHO COOPERATED WITH YOU THERE TO CREATE THIS FILM?

JOEL SOLER>> YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO WENT TO BAGHDAD ABOUT THE AGENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE I WAS ALL THE TIME SURROUNDED BY AGENTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT THOSE AGENTS WERE SEVERELY PUNISHED FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO --

JESS>> -- TO CONTROL YOU?

JOEL SOLER>> TO CONTROL ME. I THINK THE SADDEST THING IS THAT I GOT A CALL ONE DAY FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND THEY ASKED ME IF I KNEW ASSAN HADURI, SADDAM’S INTERIOR DESIGNER, AND THEY TOLD ME HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH ONE MONTH AFTER THE INTERVIEW, WHICH I DON’T THINK WAS RELATED TO THE MOVIE, BUT I SURELY THINK IS THAT HE WAS VERY OPEN AND HE LET ME FILM SOME SKETCHES OF BUNKERS, HE LET ME FILM SOME PALACES, AND HE WAS VERY OPEN ABOUT SADDAM’S LIFESTYLE.

VAL>> AND YOU MENTIONED SADDAM’S FONDNESS FOR PARTIES AND HE THROWS HIMSELF QUITE A BIRTHDAY PARTY. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK NOW AT WHAT HE DID FOR ONE OF HIS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS.

NARRATOR>> “IN 1998 FOR HIS SIXTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY, HE CREATED HIS OWN ARTIFICIAL LAKE AND, ON ITS SHORE, HE CONSTRUCTED A RESORT TOWN AND THEN BROUGHT IN PEOPLE BY BUSES AND TRAINS TO VIEW IT. THEY WERE AMAZED TO DISCOVER A CITY OF GOLD-DOMED PYRAMIDS LINKED BY BEIGE AND PINK MARBLE ARCHES. THE TOWN IS SURROUNDED BY CHALETS BUILT FOR SADDAM’S CLOSEST SUPPORTERS. SINCE THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR MOST IRAQIS IS THREE DOLLARS A MONTH, MOST OF THEM CANNOT AFFORD TO TRAVEL TO HIS REMOTE LAKE RESORT. THEY MUST MAKE DO WITH A NEW STATUE OF HIMSELF THAT HE ERECTS EVERY YEAR ON HIS BIRTHDAY IN A DIFFERENT LUCKY NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY CAN ALSO VISIT THIS MUSEUM WHERE HE KEEPS AND DISPLAYS ALL OF HIS BIRTHDAY GIFTS.”

VAL>> HE IS AN EXTREME CASE. WERE YOU EVER IN DANGER?

JOEL SOLER>> YOU KNOW, I CAN SAY THEY WANTED TO KILL ME AT THE END AND I --

VAL>> -- WELL, THEN YOU HAD A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE IN AN IRAQI HOSPITAL?

JOEL SOLER>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, AFTER LIKE TWO MONTHS, I WAS STAYING IN BAGHDAD AND THE FIRST MONTH WAS GREAT. I WAS INVITED EVERYWHERE TO PARTY, DISCO, AND GREAT PARTIES. A GREAT CLUB IN BAGHDAD, BELIEVE ME, IF YOU’RE PART OF SADDAM’S ENTOURAGE. BUT YOU KNOW, AFTER LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF, I HAD MY CAMERA CREW WITH ME AND I WAS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT SADDAM AND IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU DO.

ONE NIGHT I WAS AT THE HOUSE OF SADDAM’S INTERIOR DESIGNER AND I WENT TO ONE OF HIS ROOMS AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT SADDAM’S SON. BUT AGENTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT WERE IN THE HOUSE, SO WHAT I DID, I LOCKED THE DOOR AND IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU DO, LOCKING AGENT OUT. SO THE DAY AFTER, THEY TRANSFERRED TO A HOSPITAL AND THEY ASKED ME TO SEE A NURSE WHO CAME TO ME WITH A NEEDLE. THE AGENT TOLD ME WE’RE GOING TO DO A SERIES OF BLOOD TESTS.

JESS>> WHY?

JOEL SOLER>> BELIEVE ME, I DID NOT EVEN ASK WHY. I JUMPED ON A DESK. IT WAS ON MY LEFT. I TOLD THEM I’M JUMPING OUT OF THE WINDOW. YOU’RE NOT TOUCHING ME, AND CALL MY AMBASSADOR RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE I’M FRENCH AND THERE IS A DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP WITH FRANCE, THEY CALLED THE MINISTRY. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN AMERICAN, BELIEVE ME, FORGET IT. SO THEY CALLED SOMEONE AND THEY TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A CHOICE. EITHER HAVE A SERIES OF BLOOD TESTS OR YOU LEAVE RIGHT AWAY AND, OF COURSE, I LEFT RIGHT AWAY.

VAL>> BUT YOU GOT THE FILM AND THE FOOTAGE YOU NEEDED AND YOU’VE PUT IT INTO A MOST UNUSUAL IRREVERENT FILM. WE WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RISK YOU TOOK.

JESS>> WE’RE VIRTUALLY OUT OF TIME, BUT DO YOU THINK HE’S STILL ALIVE?

JOEL SOLER>> OH, BELIEVE ME. I MEAN, SADDAM IS A MASTER OF SURVIVING. HE DID SURVIVE FOR THIRTY YEARS. YOU KNOW, THERE IS TWO THINGS WHERE HIS GREAT ART IS PROPAGANDA AND SURVIVING.

VAL>> JOEL SOLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, A STREET COP WITH A SPECIAL BEAT. INSTEAD OF SENDING THE HOMELESS TO JAIL, HE TRIES TO HELP THEM TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND.

>> IN THESE KIND OF CASES, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SLOW THINGS DOWN, KEEP TALKING TO THE GUY. WE DON’T INSIST ON IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE FROM THESE FOLKS BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY’RE DEALING WITH.

PHILIP BRUCE>> HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF LAST NIGHT'S LIFE AND TIMES "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" POLL. LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG TO WEIGH IN ON THE NEW QUESTIONS TOMORROW.

JESS>> IN THE WORLD OF ACTING, THERE ARE MANY FAMILY DYNASTIES, BUT NONE QUITE LIKE THE ONE STARTED BY ACTOR PAUL NEWMAN. BESIDES HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ON SCREEN, HE'S ALMOST AS WELL-KNOWN FOR HIS PASTA SAUCE AND FOOD PRODUCTS THAT EARN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR CHARITY.

VAL>> HIS DAUGHTER, NELL, HEADS UP THE FAMILY BUSINESS AND SHE HAS HER OWN RECIPE FOR A HEALTHY LIFE AND A HEALTHY WORLD BASED ON ORGANIC LIVING. IT'S ALL IN HER NEW BOOK CALLED "GUIDE TO THE GOOD LIFE: SIMPLE MEASURES THAT BENEFIT YOU AND THE PLACE YOU LIVE". NELL NEWMAN DROPPED BY TO TALK ABOUT IT.

JESS>> SO YOU FOUND THE GUIDE TO THE GOOD LIFE?

NELL NEWMAN>> I DID, AND IT DOESN'T INVOLVE HOLLYWOOD AT ALL.

VAL>> NO, IT DOESN'T.

NELL NEWMAN>> WELL, IT COULD (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> BUT AS FAR AS YOUR LIFE IS CONCERNED, YOU TOOK A DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT ROUTE FROM YOUR FAMOUS FATHER, PAUL NEWMAN, AND JOANNE WOODWARD, YOUR MOM. TELL US WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GO THIS WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

NELL NEWMAN>> I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN NATURE AND I'D ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A BIOLOGIST, SO I WENT TO SCHOOL IN MAINE AND GOT MY DEGREE IN HUMAN ECOLOGY WHICH WAS, OF COURSE, VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT MOM AND DAD WAS DOING. THEN LATER ON AFTER RUNNING A SMALL NONPROFIT, I GOT FRUSTRATED AND DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO START A LITTLE COMPANY THAT WAS GOING TO DONATE ALL THE PROFITS TO CHARITY LIKE DAD AND I WAS GOING TO DO IT WITH ORGANIC INGREDIENTS. THAT'S HOW "NEWMAN'S OWN ORGANICS" GOT STARTED.

JESS>> YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SELL YOUR FATHER ON "NEWMAN'S OWN" BECOMING ALL ORGANIC?

NELL NEWMAN>> OH, THAT'S WHAT OUR PURPOSE WAS.

VAL>> BUT YOU HAD TO TAKE HIM STEP BY STEP. WHAT WAS THE CONVINCING MOMENT WHERE HE DECIDED THAT ORGANIC -- WHAT IS IT? ORGANIC IS NOT ALL ABOUT YEAST GRAVY --

NELL NEWMAN>> -- IT'S NOT ALL WHOLE WHEAT. YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT WAS. WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT, AS A FAMILY COOK, I'D ALWAYS BEEN USING ORGANIC INGREDIENTS. I WAS GOING HOME FOR THANKSGIVING TO MAKE THANKSGIVING DINNER. I MADE HIS USUAL THANKSGIVING DINNER, BUT I USED FREE RANGE ORGANIC TURKEY AND YUKON GOLD POTATOES THAT TASTE LIKE THEY ALREADY HAVE BUTTER ON THEM THAT WERE ORGANIC, AND ORGANIC BUTTER. WHEN HE FINISHED WIPING HIS PLATE CLEAN, I SAID, "HOW'D YOU LIKE YOUR ORGANIC THANKSGIVING DINNER?" AND THAT CONVINCED HIM RIGHT THERE (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) YOU WRITE THAT HE REGARDS ORGANIC FOODS EARLY ON AS BEING "HIPPY-DIPPY DISHES YOUR MOTHER DID LIKE NUT LOAF WITH YEAST GRAVY." (LAUGHTER)

NELL NEWMAN>> (LAUGHTER) THAT WAS SOMETHING MY MOTHER USED TO EXPERIMENT WITH.

JESS>> YOUR REAL MISSION, IT SEEMS TO ME, IN LOOKING AT YOUR BOOK IS TO ALSO WARN AGAINST THE PROBLEMS OF CORPORATE AGRICULTURE, THE PROBLEMS OF BIO-ENGINEERED FOODS. ARE THOSE REAL THREATS?

NELL NEWMAN>> AS A BIOLOGIST, I CONSIDER THEM REAL THREATS BECAUSE I CONSIDER THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WERE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE ALL THIS BIO-ENGINEERED FOOD WAS PUT OUT INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.

JESS>> SO SOME EUROPEAN NATIONS WHO ARE REFUSING TO ACCEPT OUR GRAINS BECAUSE THEY ARE OFTEN FROM BIO-ENGINEERED SEEDS, DO YOU THINK THEY'RE RIGHT?

NELL NEWMAN>> I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT AND I THINK THEIR EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR GOVERNMENT WAS WRONG ABOUT MAD COW EXPERIENCE. SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE EUROPEAN CONSUMER REALIZED THAT MAYBE THEY WEREN'T GOING TO TRUST THEIR GOVERNMENT ON -- THEY SAID MAD COW DISEASE, YOU KNOW, WASN'T GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE.

VAL>> SO IN ADDITION TO RUNNING THE ORGANIC BRANCH OF "NEWMAN'S OWN", YOU'VE ALSO WRITTEN A BOOK. I GUESS IT'S TO GET THE WORD OUT, BUT IT COVERS ALL SORTS OF THINGS. IT'S GOOD, PRACTICAL, SIMPLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO IN ALL SORTS OF AREAS, EVERYTHING FROM INVESTING TO PET CARE, CLEANING THE HOUSE, APPLYING FOR A CREDIT CARD. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A COUPLE THAT I THINK HIT HOME A LOT IN CALIFORNIA. ONE IS JUST GOOD SHOPPING. HERE ARE SOME HINTS TO GIVE PEOPLE.

YOU SAY PATRONIZE FARMERS MARKETS, CHOOSE COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE CAREFULLY, AVOID OVER-PACKAGED ITEMS -- WE ALL KNOW THOSE -- AND BUY ORGANIC WINE AND BEER. MAYBE YOU CAN TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT COFFEE.

JESS>> YEAH, ESPECIALLY THE COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE IT CAREFULLY?

NELL NEWMAN>> WE HAVE A LOT OF ORGANIC COFFEE. WE JUST CAME OUT WITH CERTIFIED ORGANIC AND IT'S ALSO FAIR TRADE, AS IS OUR CHOCOLATE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM AND HOW IT'S GROWN. THAT APPLIES TO REALLY ALL FOODS. YOU KNOW, SOME MAY THINK THAT ORGANIC IS MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT WHAT IS THE EXPENSE TO THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN YOU DON'T? SO PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS JUST SET LITTLE EXAMPLES FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT BEING PREACHY AND BASICALLY PROVIDE A REFERENCE FOR WHERE YOU COULD LOOK WHEN MAYBE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A FARMERS MARKET CLOSE TO YOU AND COULD YOU GO TO A BUYING CLUB THAT MAYBE WOULD BRING IN ORGANIC PRODUCE TO YOU.

VAL>> BUT HOW DO WE KNOW, SAY, IF A WINE IS ORGANIC?

NELL NEWMAN>> IT SAYS CERTIFIED ORGANIC ON THE BACK. THEY NOW HAVE LABELING FOR ALL OF THAT. THE SAME THING IN ORGANIC GRAPES.

JESS>> YOU LIVE IN SANTA CRUZ NEAR THE WINE COUNTRY. INDEED, SOME WINE COUNTRY RIGHT THERE IN SANTA CRUZ. ARE YOU ABLE TO PERSUADE VINTNERS THAT ORGANIC IS THE WAY TO GO?

NELL NEWMAN>> A LOT OF VINTNERS ARE ACTUALLY GROWING GRAPES ORGANICALLY, BUT NOT A LOT OF THEM LABEL IT AS SUCH. MANY DO. FETZER DOES, LOLONIS DOES. THERE'S A COUPLE OF LOCAL ONES IN SANTA CRUZ THAT DO. THE REASON THEY CONVERTED TO IT IS BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING BETTER GRAPES AND THAT WAS THE REAL REASON.

VAL>> NOW ANOTHER THING THAT'S CLOSE TO EVERYBODY'S HEART HERE IN LOS ANGELES IS DRIVING. HERE YOU HAVE SOME ADVICE AND SOME GUIDELINES FOR GOOD DRIVING. STREAMLINE YOUR CARE -- YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT IN A MOMENT -- OBSERVE THE SPEED (LAUGHTER), KEEP IT SMOOTH, IDLE NOT AND CONSIDER A HYBRID CAR. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY STREAMLINING YOUR CAR AND KEEP IT SMOOTH?

NELL NEWMAN>> STREAMLINING YOUR CAR, ANYTHING YOU HAVE ON TOP OF YOUR CAR THAT CREATES MORE DRAG --

JESS>> -- SO THE SKI RACK HAS GOT TO GO, HUH?

NELL NEWMAN>> SKI RACK HAS GOT TO GO WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT, ETC.

VAL>> IT REALLY MAKES THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE?

NELL NEWMAN>> IT REALLY DOES. IT CHANGES THE GAS MILEAGE. SO IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER HAS A PRIUS AND SHE LOVES IT.

VAL>> AND THAT'S A HYBRID.

NELL NEWMAN>> AND THAT'S A HYBRID. THEY REALLY ARE QUITE WONDERFUL FOR AROUND TOWN.

JESS>> IF YOU HAD TROUBLE CONVERTING YOUR FATHER TO ORGANIC FOODS, I SOMEHOW THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTY CONVERTING YOUR FATHER TO YOUR IDEA OF TRANSPORTATION, RACE CAR DRIVER HE IS (LAUGHTER).

NELL NEWMAN>> THAT'S TRUE. MOM HAS THE PRIUS, NOT DAD (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> DO YOU THINK THAT ALL THIS ADVICE IN YOUR BOOK, AS ONE AMONG MANY, ARE WE GOING TO SAVE OURSELVES OR DO YOU THINK WE'VE GONE TOO FAR IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION? WHAT'S YOUR FEEL?

NELL NEWMAN>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. BASICALLY, THE REASON I DID THIS WAS BECAUSE I REALIZED IT MADE ME FEEL BETTER. YOU KNOW, EVERY LITTLE BIT THAT WE DO, I THINK, MAKES A DIFFERENCE AND I THINK PEOPLE DO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW AND SO THIS IS SORT OF A REFERENCE GUIDE SO THAT YOU CAN AND KNOW WHERE TO GO TO LOOK FOR EASY, SIMPLE SOLUTIONS BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.

JESS>> IT'S TERRIFIC, IT'S PROVOCATIVE --

VAL>> -- AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HIPPY-DIPPY (LAUGHTER). NELL NEWMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

NELL NEWMAN>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

TO SEND A COMMENT OR A QUESTION TO OUR PROGRAM, YOU CAN REACH US BY MAIL AT THIS ADDRESS:

LIFE AND TIMES
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90027

YOU CAN ALSO CALL OUR VIEWER COMMENT LINE (323) 953-5555) OR CONTACT US THE FAST WAY BY E-MAIL AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> JOURNALISTS ARE REPORTING LIVE FROM THE BATTLEFIELD IN IRAQ AND, WHILE THAT'S AN AMAZING BIT OF TECHNOLOGY, PATT WONDERS WHETHER WE MIGHT REGRET IT. THAT'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> WHATEVER CATCH PHRASES COME OUT OF THE PRESENT WAR, I THINK WE CAN BEGIN WITH THIS ONE: WAR MAKES FOR STRANGE IMBED FELLOWS. WHATEVER THE PUBLIC CRITICISM, THE PENTAGON SEEMS HAPPY ABOUT HOW THE IMBEDDING OF REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS IS WORKING OUT, AND FOR GOOD REASON. IMBEDDED REPORTERS MUST SIGN CONTRACTS NOT TO GIVE AWAY CONFIDENTIAL MILITARY DETAILS. THIS IS SUPPOSEDLY WHY GERALDO RIVERA GOT KICKED OUT OF IRAQ, BUT YOU FIGURED THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY. IT WAS JUST A QUESTION OF WHO WOULD DO IT FIRST, THE AMERICANS OR THE IRAQIS.

THE PAYOFF OF IMBEDDING IS THAT REPORTERS, LIKE SOLDIERS, IDENTIFY WITH THEIR GROUP. IT'S THE FOXHOLE PHENOMENON AND, AS A RESULT, REPORTERS TALK ABOUT "WE" AND "US", NOT "THEY" AND "THEM". IMBEDS HAVE GIVEN US VIVID MOMENTS, PERHAPS TOO VIVID FOR AN AUDIENCE ACCUSTOMED TO UNCOMPLICATED WAR MOVIES. LIKE THE REPORTER WHO WAS WITH THE UNIT THAT SHOT UP THE CAR FULL OF IRAQI WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHEN IT FAILED TO STOP. HE HEARD CAPTAIN RONNIE JOHNSON SHOUT AT A PLATOON LEADER, "YOU JUST KILLED A FAMILY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T FIRE A WARNING SHOT SOON ENOUGH." AND AFTER A SERGEANT HAD SHOT AN IRAQI SOLDIER AND THE WOMAN STANDING NEAR HIM, HE TOLD A REPORTER, "I'M SORRY, BUT THE CHICK WAS IN THE WAY."

THE PRESS KNOWS THAT THE BAR FOR PATRIOTISM ALWAYS SEEMS HIGHER IN WARTIME. ON THE DAY OF THE OSCARS IN 1943, THE WAR INFORMATION OFFICE'S MAN IN CHARGE OF MOVIES COMPLAINED, JUST AS OFFICIALS DO NOW, THAT "THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD BE HELPED A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT IF THE FILMS WOULD JUST SHOW AMERICA EXACTLY AS IT IS. SOME FILMS HAVE GIVEN ERRONEOUS IMPRESSIONS. ALL WE NEED IS MORE HONEST PICTURES."

WAR HAS ALREADY REVIVED THE LINE "MY COUNTRY, RIGHT OR WRONG", BUT NO ONE EVER FINISHES THE QUOTE. A NINETEENTH CENTURY GENERAL AND U.S. SENATOR ACTUALLY SAID, "OUR COUNTRY, RIGHT OR WRONG. WHEN RIGHT, TO BE KEPT RIGHT. WHEN WRONG, TO BE PUT RIGHT." AND THE NOVELIST, G.K. CHESTERTON, PUT A LITTLE ENGLISH ON THE PHRASE. "MY COUNTRY, RIGHT OR WRONG", HE SAID, "IS A THING THAT NO PATRIOT WOULD THINK OF SAYING EXCEPT IN DESPERATE CASES. IT'S LIKE SAYING, MY MOTHER, SOBER OR DRUNK."

THE NEWEST RECRUITS TO THE PATRIOT RANKS ARE PLAYBOY PLAYMATES. THE MAGAZINE'S PEN PAL PROGRAM PROMISES EVERY E-MAILER ON ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY AN AUTOGRAPHED PHOTO, CLOTHED, AND A MESSAGE FROM A PLAYMATE. THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN THE FIRST GULF WAR WHEN GENERAL NORMAN SCHWARTZKOFF DECLARED THAT THE PLAYMATES WERE "TRUE PATRIOTS". I EXPECT HE'D HAVE PINNED MEDALS ON THEM IF HE COULD HAVE FIGURED OUT WHERE.

JESS>> IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE WAR COVERAGE ON TELEVISION, NO DOUBT YOU HAVE SEEN THOSE HIGH-TECH COMPUTER MAPS THAT SEEM TO TAKE US RIGHT INTO THE HEART OF BAGHDAD.

VAL>> THEY'RE ALL THE RAGE ON CNN AND THE OTHER NEWS CHANNELS. THE MAPS PROVIDE A THREE-D VIEW OF VIRTUALLY ANY PLACE ON EARTH, BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HAS MANY OTHER USES. AND AS DAVID GARCIA REPORTS, ONE OF THE COMPANIES ON THE CUTTING EDGE IS IN THE CITY OF REDLANDS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

DAVID GARCIA>> WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE YOU? BOTH A SIMPLE AND A COMPLICATED QUESTION BECAUSE THE ANSWER ISN'T SIMPLY YOUR ADDRESS. IT'S ALSO WHAT'S AROUND YOU. BIG CITY, SMALL TOWN, MOUNTAINS, FOREST, DESERT. THERE'S A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS RADICALLY CHANGED THE WAY WE CAN LOOK AT OUR PLANET AND WHERE WE FIT. WHETHER WE'RE DECIDING PRECISELY WHERE TO DROP A BOMB IN DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD OR DETERMINING IF WE'RE IN THE PATH OF A CHEMICAL ATTACK OR A MEDICAL VIRUS, WHERE TO PLANT CROPS, HOW MUCH DAMAGE WILL THERE BE FROM AN EARTHQUAKE. THE LIST IS ENDLESS AND THE ANSWERS ARE AT OUR FINGERTIPS FROM G.I.S., GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, A TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED AND PERFECTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE BASED IN REDLANDS.

JOHN CALKIN>> THE SRI IS A COMPANY THAT CREATES AND DEVELOPS THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, OR G.I.S. IT'S A COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY THAT INTEGRATES MAPPING WITH DATABASES, SO WE CAN ESSENTIALLY TAKE ANY INFORMATION ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, EVEN BELOW THE EARTH, AND MAP THAT INTO OUR COMPUTER AND LINK THAT TO ALL KINDS OF INTELLIGENT INFORMATION IN A DATABASE. WE CAN LOOK AT HISTORICAL INFORMATION, WE CAN PREDICT INFORMATION OUT INTO THE FUTURE. SO IT'S THE ABILITY TO BRING IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE, TO HELP SOLVE A VARIETY OF PROBLEMS AROUND THE WORLD.

DAVID GARCIA>> NATURALLY RIGHT NOW, OUR ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE WAR IN IRAQ AND G.I.S. IS A VALUABLE BATTLEFIELD TOOL FOR COMMANDERS TO PINPOINT TARGETS, BUT USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS, G.I.S., CAN ANSWER PRACTICALLY ANY QUESTIONS THAT FORM THE MOSAIC OF OUR EXISTENCE, HOW WE ARE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF THIS PLANET. THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, JACK DANGERMOND, BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER AND DEVELOPED THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE.

JACK DANGERMOND>> AND THE IDEA CAME TO ME AND MANY OTHERS THAT WE COULD OVERLAY DIGITALLY THESE MAPS LIKE PLASTIC OVERLAYS AND SEE THROUGH THEM AND BEGIN TO INTERPRET LANDSCAPE SO THAT WE COULD DESIGN ON IT AND LAY OUT A NEW PARK OR LAY OUT A NEW ROAD, MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AS WE CREATE THINGS.

DAVID GARCIA>> SINCE THE TRAGEDY OF 9/11, ANOTHER ELEMENT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES IS HOMELAND SECURITY AND OUR IMMEDIATE THOUGHT IS TERRORISM. BUT WITH G.I.S., SECURITY INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM MANMADE TO NATURAL. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE FORESTLANDS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THERE IS THE FOOTPRINT OF FIVE YEARS OF DROUGHT, TREES, DEAD AND DYING FROM INFESTATIONS INCLUDING THE BARK BEETLE, AND THE EXPERTS FEAR A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN THIS FIRE SEASON. G.I.S. CAN PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.

RUSS JOHNSON>> G.I.S. IS AN EXCELLENT TOOL TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE ELEMENTS THAT AFFECT FIRE AND FIRE BEHAVIOR, SLOPE AND VEGETATION AND THE ASPECT, WHICH WAY DOES THE SLOPE FACE RELATIVE TO THE SUN, ARE ALL INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS THAT COLLECTIVELY PAINT A PICTURE ABOUT HOW A FIRE WILL BEHAVE. THEN WHEN WE LAYER IN WHERE HOMES RESIDE IN PROXIMITY TO ALL THOSE CRITICAL ELEMENTS, WE CAN PREDICT WELL IN ADVANCE WHAT THE CATASTROPHE MIGHT BE.

DAVID GARCIA>> THOUSANDS OF COMPANIES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE ALREADY G.I.S. TO PLAN THE FUTURESCAPE OF OUR PLANET, ONCE AGAIN ANSWERING THAT SIMPLE YET COMPLICATED QUESTION OF WHERE ARE YOU AND WHERE DO WE ALL FIT AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD.

JACK DANGERMOND>> IT'S SORT OF LIKE DISCOVERING A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN EXISTENCE. GEOGRAPHY. IT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE OF SPACE, IT HELPS ME VISUALIZE THAT, IT HELPS ME ANALYZE IT, IT HELPS ME MAKE DECISIONS LIKE WHERE SHOULD I LIVE OR WHERE SHOULD I NOT LIVE? WHERE SHOULD WE BUILD A NEW CITY? WHERE SHOULD WE NOT? IN THE BATTLE CONTEXT, WHERE SHOULD WE ATTACK OR WHERE SHOULD WE NOT? THIS GEOGRAPHIC STUFF, ORIGINALLY CALLED MAPS, NOW CALLED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS, PROVIDE US THE FRAMEWORK FOR OBSERVING AND MEASURING AND ANALYZING AND MAKING DECISIONS AND ALSO FOR COMMUNICATING. I CAN SAY IT'S OVER HERE, NOT OVER THERE, AND EVERY HUMAN BEING WILL UNDERSTAND THAT.

JESS>> DAVID GARCIA JOINS US NOW. JACK DANGERMOND DIDN'T REALLY PLAN THIS AS A WEAPONS ASSIST SYSTEM.

DAVID GARCIA>> OH, NO. I MEAN, THAT CERTAINLY IS THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE PINPOINT ACCURACY WHICH THEY COULD FIND WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, G.I.S., TO FIND THAT BRIDGE OR THAT CRITICAL ROADWAY OR THE AIRPORT OR WHATEVER. WHATEVER INFRASTRUCTURE THE UNITED STATES MILITARY DECIDES IT WANTS TO DESTROY OR DOES NOT WANT TO DESTROY. IT PROVIDES THAT PINPOINT TARGET THAT YOU WILL OR WILL NOT HIT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

VAL>> NOW I WOULD BE CONCERNED WHETHER THIS INFORMATION IS, NUMBER ONE, SOMEWHAT PUBLIC OR AVAILABLE TO, SAY, A TERRORIST OR SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE WHO MIGHT WANT TO --

DAVID GARCIA>> -- WELL, BUT IT'S AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AND ALSO IT CAN BE --

VAL>> -- ISN'T THERE SOMETHING KIND OF DANGEROUS ABOUT THAT?

DAVID GARCIA>> WELL, BUT IT'S THERE AND THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES HOW DOES ONE WANT TO USE IT? WE DO HAVE TO THINK THAT WE WILL AT SOME POINT GET BEYOND THIS WAR. THE OTHER APPLICATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR G.I.S. ARE ABSOLUTELY BOGGLING TO THE MIND WHEN YOU THINK HOW WE CAN -- IN MY MIND, IT'S A BENCHMARK REALLY IN THE CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF OUR SOCIETY. YOU CAN NEVER LOOK AGAIN AT OUR PLANET IN THE SAME WAY BECAUSE ANY QUESTION, ANY ISSUE, THAT YOU WANT TO BRING TO BEAR, YOU CAN SOLVE THAT QUESTION BY LAYERING INFORMATION OVER WHAT IS THERE. IT'S A DYNAMIC MAP THAT IS EVER-CHANGING, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

FOR A QUICK EXAMPLE, 9/11. HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. AS RESCUE PEOPLE WENT THERE, THEY SAW A PILE OF RUBBLE. I MEAN, TWO TWIN TOWERS COLLAPSED. IT'S JUST A PILE OF RUBBLE. WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS WITH G.I.S., THEY COULD GIVE YOU THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS IT EXISTED. PIPELINE, SEWERS, ELECTRICAL, ETC. EVEN VAULTS WITH MONEY. YOU CAN FIND THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WITH G.I.S.

JESS>> ALL FROM SPACE. ALL RIGHT. THANKS TO DAVID GARCIA, OUR OLD FRIEND. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HAVING BEEN HERE.

DAVID GARCIA>> MY PLEASURE.

VAL>> AND A REMINDER THAT YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OR HEAR AUDIO OF OUR RECENT PROGRAMS ON OUR NEW AND IMPROVED WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE WATCHING THE WAR AND WILL PROVIDE UPDATES THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BBC. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES 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, 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.