9/06/01

LC010906

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES COULD USE A BOOST, BUT A NEW ENTERTAINMENT ZONE IS NOT GOING TO COME CHEAP.

GAY YEE>> IT COULD BRING A LOT MORE BRIGHT LIGHTS TO THE BIG CITY, BUT CAN L.A. REALLY AFFORD ITS OWN TIME SQUARE, ESPECIALLY IF PRIVATE DEVELOPERS ASK THE CITY TO PAY PART OF THE TAB?

LAURA CHICK>> I AM SAYING THAT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT AND NOBODY HAS PROVEN TO ME THAT IT CAN'T GO FORWARD WITHOUT PUBLIC SUBSIDY.

VAL>> LOCAL JEWISH LEADERS ARE OUTRAGED BY THE WORLD CONFERENCE SEEKING TO BRAND ISRAEL AS A RACIST NATION. TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR FROM THE LEADER OF AN L.A. JEWISH GROUP WHO PULLED OUT OF THE U.N. MEETING IN SOUTH AFRICA. HE'LL EXPLAIN WHY.

JESS>> AND PATT MORRISON COMMENTS ON RECENT NEWS EVENTS THAT COULD ENDANGER ONE COMMUNITY'S REPUTATION.

PATT>> MORE MURDERS, THESE IN ONE OF THE SOUTHLAND'S SAFEST CITIES. SAFEST FOR WHOM AND BY WHO'S DEFINITION? ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> THE LONG BEACH AQUARIUM ISN'T JUST A PLACE FOR FISH. TONIGHT WE'LL LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT FEATURING A LITTLE FEATHERED CREATURE CALLED THE LORIKEET. IT'S BOUND TO ATTRACT SCORES OF NEW VISITORS WHO ARE ALL READY FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

JESS>> THESE STORIES ARE COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

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

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

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 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

IT'S BEING CALLED THE NEW TIMES SQUARE, AN AMBITIOUS NAME FOR A NEW ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT BEING PLANNED IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. BUT BEFORE THE PLAN GETS OFF THE DRAWING BOARDS, SOMEONE HAS TO AGREE TO PAY FOR IT.

VAL>> PRIVATE DEVELOPERS HAVE AGREED TO PICK UP MOST OF THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR TAB, BUT THEY MAY ASK FOR HELP WITH A KEY PART OF THE PLAN, A HUGE HIGH-RISE HOTEL. WILL IT WIND UP COSTING TAXPAYERS MONEY? TONIGHT GAY YEE LOOKS AT WHAT L.A. STANDS TO GAIN AND LOSE WITH THE PROJECT.

GAY>> IT SITS IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN, ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST LIGHTS OF L.A. BUT WHILE THE STAPLES CENTER IS THE CITY'S SHOWPLACE, THE AREA SURROUNDING IT IS PRETTY MUCH A BLACK OPEN SPACE. RIGHT NOW IT'S A JUMBLE OF PARKING LOTS AND DESOLATE OLD BUILDINGS, BUT IN EIGHT YEARS' TIME, DEVELOPERS HOPE TO TRANSFORM THESE 27 ACRES. THEIR VISION INCLUDES A HUGE THEATER THAT COULD HOST THE ACADEMY AWARDS AND AN OPEN AIR PLAZA FOR CONCERTS AND RALLIES, AN ENTERTAINMENT MECCA THAT WOULD RIVAL NEW YORK'S TIME SQUARE.

CHRIS MODRZEJEWSKI>> IN LIVE THEATER, RESTAURANTS, NIGHTCLUBS, RETAIL, HOUSING AND OTHER REGIONAL DESTINATION-TYPE USES, INCLUDING A MAJOR PUBLIC PLAZA. SO THIS IS FIGUEROA, LOOKING NORTHBOUND.

GAY>> THE BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS BACKED BY TWO OF THE WORLD'S RICHEST MEN, MEDIA BARON RUPERT MURDOCH AND DENVER RAILROAD MAGNET PHILIP ANSCHUTZ. BUT THEY STILL WANT THE CITY TO PAY FOR PART OF THE PROJECT'S 45-STORY HOTEL. DEVELOPERS SAY THE NEW HOTEL WILL BE PART OF THE PUBLIC CONVENTION CENTER AND KEY TO DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION. WITHOUT IT, CONVENTION GROUPS WOULD CONTINUE PASSING UP L.A. FOR OTHER MORE ACCOMMODATING CITIES.

CHRIS MODRZEJEWSKI>> THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 10,000 HOTEL ROOMS IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THEIR CONVENTION CENTER. ANAHEIM HAS 7,500 AND IT'S ESTIMATED THAT SAN DIEGO HAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 6,000 HOTEL ROOMS RIGHT NEXT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER. HERE IN LOS ANGELES, WE HAVE 600 ROOMS.

GAY>> THE ARENA LAND COMPANY SAYS IT'S HANDLING THIS PROJECT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE STAPLES CENTER. THIS TIME THEY MADE UNPRECEDENTED CONCESSIONS TO NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND LOCAL LABOR UNIONS, A COMMUNITY BENEFITS PACKAGE THAT WILL PROVIDE NEIGHBORHOOD OPEN SPACE, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND A LIVING WAGE. COUNCILWOMAN JAN PERRY SAYS, IF THE CITY CHIPS IN, IT WILL BE MAKING A GOOD INVESTMENT.

JAN PERRY>> A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL WILL NOT BE BUILT WITHOUT SOME SUPPORT OR ASSISTANCE, BUT THIS TIME WE'VE ALL DONE A BETTER JOB. BECAUSE AS WE RECYCLE THOSE PUBLIC DOLLARS, WE WILL THEN BE CREATING NEW JOBS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY THERE BEFORE.

GAY>> THE PROJECT IS GETTING RAVE REVIEWS HERE IN CITY HALL, INCLUDING THE BIG MAN HIMSELF, MAYOR HAHN. HE SUPPORTS THE IDEA. HE JUST DOESN'T THINK THE CITY OUGHT TO PAY FOR IT. THE MAYOR SENT THIS LETTER TO COUNCIL MEMBERS PRAISING THE PROJECT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, INSISTING THAT IT SHOULD "PAY ITS OWN WAY", A SENTIMENT SHARED BY CITY CONTROLLER, LAURA CHICK.

LAURA CHICK>> AT THIS POINT, I AM SAYING NO SUBSIDY. I AM SAYING THAT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT AND NOBODY HAS PROVEN TO ME THAT IT CAN'T GO FORWARD WITHOUT PUBLIC SUBSIDY.

GAY>> CHICK AGREES A HIGH-RISE HOTEL IS NEEDED TO BOLSTER THE STRUGGLING CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THE CITY NEEDS TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES.

LAURA CHICK>> YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER WE BUILT THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT HAVE NOW, WE HAD A MAJOR ECONOMIC TURNDOWN AND ALL OF THE ROSY PICTURES AND THE THINGS THAT WE BASED OUR DECISIONS ON DID NOT MATERIALIZE. AT THE VERY LEAST, WE NEED TO DO A THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS. WE NEED TO LOOK AT WORST CASE SCENARIOS AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT, IF WE MAKE THIS COMMITMENT AND THINGS DON'T PAN OUT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF HIRING POLICE, TRIMMING TREES, FILLING POTHOLES? THERE'S A RISK INVOLVED WHEN YOU USE PUBLIC DOLLARS.

GAY>> COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY AGREES THE CITY HAS TO BE CAREFUL, BUT SHE THINKS DIGGING IN ITS HEELS ON THIS ISSUE COULD BE A BIG MISTAKE.

JESS>> GAY YEE JOINS US NOW, ALONG WITH ATTORNEY LAWRENCE TEETER. HE REPRESENTS A GROUP THAT IS OPPOSED TO THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

YOU'RE NOT JUST OPPOSED ONLY TO THE HOTEL OR A SUBSIDY FOR THE HOTEL. YOU'RE OPPOSED TO THE ENTIRE PROJECT?

LAWRENCE TEETER>> THAT'S RIGHT. THIS PROJECT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES'S POLICY OF SPONSORING MASSIVE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF THE CITY CAN ACCOMMODATE THE TRAFFIC THAT IS GOING TO BE GENERATED BY THESE PROJECTS.

THE CITY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SUED BY ANOTHER ONE OF MY CLIENTS, THE FEDERATION OF HILLSIDE AND CANYON ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH WON A PUBLISHED APPELLATE COURT JUDGMENT. THE CITY HAS BEEN FORCED TO CANCEL ITS GENERAL PLAN FRAMEWORK. THEY'VE DONE SO. WE'RE TAKING THEM BACK TO COURT IN A LAWSUIT WE PLAN TO FILE TOMORROW, ALONG WITH THE COALITION AGAINST THE PIPELINE BECAUSE --

VAL>> -- MAINLY BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T ALLOWED FOR PROPER TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS?

LAWRENCE TEETER>> THAT'S RIGHT. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS THAT ARE GENERATED BY THE DEVELOPMENTS THEY PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE. THAT VIOLATES STATE LAW. IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE CITY CATERS TO DEVELOPERS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PUBLIC.

JESS>> WILL THEY NOT LOOK AT STAPLES CENTER AND SAY "THEY RAISED THE SAME ARGUMENTS ABOUT STAPLES CENTER, BUT LOOK AT IT"?

LAWRENCE TEETER>> THE STAPLES CENTER PROJECT HAS GENERATED ADVERSE TRAFFIC IMPACTS FOR THE PICO-UNION AREA THAT HAVE NOT BEEN HONESTLY DISCUSSED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT. THAT'S WHY MY CLIENTS IN THAT AREA ARE DISSATISFIED AND ARE STRONGLY CONSIDERING GOING BACK TO COURT ON THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

I THINK ALSO THE WAY IN WHICH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS HAS BEEN HANDLED FOR THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN VERY DISHONEST. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THIS HOTEL-RELATED COMPLEX DID NOT DISCLOSE THE FACT THAT WHAT'S PLANNED IS A MAJOR 250,000-FOOT EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, SO THOSE IMPACTS ARE NOT ANALYZED NOW. WE'RE GOING TO GET A PICTURE OF THAT LATER ON. THEY ANALYZE THE --

GAY>> -- BUT THE CITY DOES SAY THAT THEY WANT TO STUDY THIS, THAT THEY ARE LOOKING THROUGH ALL THE LITTLE CONTROVERSIES TO BE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLETELY SATISFIED. THEY ARE SAYING WE HAVE REZONED THIS AREA, BUT WE WANT TO SEE THE IMPACTS. NUMBER ONE, I THINK THE THING THAT THEY ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT. BUT THEY -- I MUST SAY THAT WE'VE TALKED TO MANY, MANY CITY OFFICIALS AND, AT THIS POINT, THESE ISSUES DO NOT SEEM TO BE DAUNTING TO THEM. THEY DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY CRITICAL. MORE IT'S AN ISSUE OF MONEY AND FINANCES.

JESS>> THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONCEPT UNANIMOUSLY?

GAY>> THEY APPROVED THE CONCEPT, BUT THEY STILL ARE PUTTING OUT TO STUDY HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS AND DO WE HAVE TO PUT IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS?

VAL>> TAXPAYERS.

GAY>> NOW THE DEVELOPER IS SAYING IT IS PART OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH IS PUBLIC LAND, SO YOU SHOULD BE PAYING PART OF IT.

VAL>> I SEE.

JESS>> HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT, MR. TEETER?

LAWRENCE TEETER>> WELL, WE'RE CERTAINLY AGAINST ANY PUBLIC SUBSIDY. IT'S RIDICULOUS. THESE ARE BILLIONAIRES. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THINK THAT SOCIALISM SHOULD APPLY TO BILLIONAIRES. THESE GUYS CAN AFFORD TO BUILD THEIR OWN PROJECT. THERE ARE HOMELESS PEOPLE DOWNTOWN WHO HAVE NO PLACE TO STAY. WE'RE TOLD THAT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM COULD BE IN CRISIS BECAUSE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUTBACKS. THE GENERAL POPULATION IS FORCED TO SUFFER WITHOUT SUBSIDIES. WHY SHOULD THESE GUYS GET SUBSIDIES?

GAY>> BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO MANY OF THE GROUPS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, ESPERANZA HOUSING, AND THEY HAVE SAID THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WHERE WE HAVE ACTUALLY GONE TO THE DEVELOPER AND SAID THIS IS WHAT WE WANT, POINT FOR POINT. WE WANT LOW-INCOME HOUSING IN THIS AREA. WE WANT OPEN SPACE. AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY --

JESS>> -- AND A LIVING WAGE.

VAL>> UM-HUM, THAT'S RIGHT.

GAY>> AND A LIVING WAGE WHEN THE EMPLOYEES COME IN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, IN THE DEFENSE OF THE DEVELOPER, THEY'VE ACTUALLY SAID, PEOPLE LIKE ESPERANZA, THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY COME AND MET US HALFWAY.

VAL>> LAST WORD. HAVE DEVELOPERS BEEN LISTENING MORE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE AREA?

LAWRENCE TEETER>> WELL, I SUPPOSE THEY'VE BEEN LISTENING MORE TO SOME. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN LISTENING TO US. WE PREPARED A TRAFFIC STUDY WITH MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN TO US AS A RESULT OF A SETTLEMENT OF A PRIOR LAWSUIT. THAT STUDY WAS TOTALLY IGNORED. WE'RE NOT INVITED TO THE KIND OF MEETINGS ABOUT TRAFFIC MITIGATION OR PROCEDURES THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO, SO WE'VE BEEN IGNORED.

VAL>> WELL, THERE'S STILL TIME, SO HOPEFULLY THEY WILL, OVER TIME, LISTEN TO YOU. THANK YOU, ATTORNEY LAWRENCE TEETER, FOR JOINING US.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT'S AHEAD FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH IMMIGRATION. THIS WEEK, MEXICO AND THE U.S. OPENED THE DOOR FOR BETTER RELATIONS, BUT DOES THAT MEAN AMNESTY FOR THREE MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS?

PHILIP BRUCE>> IT'S HARD TO DENY THE FACT THAT ILLEGAL WORKERS DO LOTS OF JOBS THAT NO ONE ELSE REALLY WANTS, BUT SHOULD THAT PLAY A ROLE IN AMERICA'S IMMIGRATION POLICY? MEXICO SAYS IT'S TIME FOR THE U.S. TO LIGHTEN UP, BUT WILL THE WHITE HOUSE LISTEN? WE'LL LOOK AT THE PROS AND CONS.

VAL>> THAT'S FRIDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES AT 7:00 P.M.

JESS>> A CONFERENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA THIS WEEK WAS SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH RACISM AROUND THE WORLD, BUT CRITICS SAY IT TOOK ON SUCH AN UGLY TONE THAT IT ENDED UP PRODUCING A RACIST MESSAGE ITSELF.

VAL>> JEWS WERE OUTRAGED AFTER SEVERAL MEMBER NATIONS ATTACKED ISRAEL, CALLING IT A RACIST STATE. THAT PROMPTED THE SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER, AN INTERNATIONAL JEWISH GROUP BASED HERE IN LOS ANGELES, TO WITHDRAW ITS DELEGATES.

JESS>> TONIGHT, FROM THE WIESENTHAL CENTER, IS RABBI MARVIN HIER. HE'S HERE TO SHARE HIS VIEW ON WHAT HAPPENED. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

IN YOUR JUDGMENT, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO SALVAGE THIS CONFERENCE AT ALL?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> I THINK IT WOULD BE A MIRACLE. WE WORKED ON THIS CONFERENCE FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF. WE ATTENDED ALL THE PLENARY SESSIONS AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TEHRAN WHERE WE WERE UNWELCOME BECAUSE THE DELEGATES WERE JEWISH. WE HAD GREAT HOPES FOR THIS CONFERENCE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE HIJACKED BY THE ARAB LEAGUE THAT INSISTED ON BRINGING UP ONE ISSUE AND CRITICIZING IN THE DOCUMENTS ONE NATION OUT OF 189 MEMBER NATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS, AND THAT IS THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

THEY RUINED THE CONFERENCE ON RACISM. THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND THIS IS A FOOLISH STRATEGY. IT MAKES THE UNITED NATIONS LOOK BAD. IT'S A TERRIBLE THING FOR AFRICA, TERRIBLE THING FOR THE ISSUE OF RACISM AND IT'S THE FAULT OF THE ARAB LEAGUE.

JESS>> NOT ONE WORD OF CRITICISM OF IRAN, OF SYRIA, OF --

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> -- NOTHING. NOT IRAN, NOT SYRIA, NOT IRAQ, NOT LIBYA, NOT THE TALIBANS. JUST ISRAEL.

VAL>> EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS HOW THIS ALL STARTED. ORIGINALLY IT WAS INTENDED TO BE A CONFERENCE THAT DEALT WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT RACIAL ISSUES. ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST WAS JUST ONE SLICE OF THE PIE. WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT HAPPENED?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> WELL, THIS WAS A CONFERENCE ON RACISM, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED INTOLERANCE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO REALLY DEAL WITH THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF RACISM AND MANY AFRICAN-AMERICANS AROUND THE WORLD AND COUNTRIES IN AFRICA ARE TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THE ISSUE WAS HARDLY DISCUSSED. THE ONLY THING BROUGHT UP WAS THAT, IN THE OFFICIAL DECLARATION, THEY WANT TO SAY THE STATE OF ISRAEL IS AN APARTHEID STATE, A RACIST STATE THAT COMMITS GENOCIDE, AND ISRAEL IS THE ONLY NATION MENTIONED IN THE DOCUMENT.

VAL>> AND THIS IS WHY YOU PULLED OUT? BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT GO ALONG WITH THIS STATEMENT?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> THAT'S CORRECT, AND THAT'S WHY THE UNITED STATES PULLED OUT. BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES TOOK THE POSITION THAT THIS IS UNFAIR, IN THE 189 NATIONS OF THE WORLD, THAT ONE NATION SHOULD BE CRITICIZED. AND IT'S NOT ONLY CRITICIZED. IF IT WOULD BE CRITICIZING A SPECIFIC POINT, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING, BUT --

VAL>> -- A PARTICULAR POLICY.

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> EXACTLY. BUT BASICALLY, BY SAYING ZIONISM IS RACISM, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT EVERYONE LIVING IN ISRAEL, EVERY CITIZEN OF ISRAEL, IS A RACIST. DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE ON THE LEFT, ON THE RIGHT, IF YOU'RE SCHUMANN PEREZ, IF YOU LIVED THIRTY YEARS AGO AND YOUR NAME WAS GOLDA MEIR AND DAVID BEN-GURION, ALL A BUNCH OF RACISTS. AND IN THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS -- AS MARTIN LUTHER KING ONCE SAID, HE WROTE SOMETHING TO A FRIEND WHO ASKED HIM ABOUT ANTI-ZIONISM. HE SAID THAT ANTI-ZIONISM IS REALLY JUST A EUPHEMISM. WHEN YOU ACCUSE JEWS, ALL JEWS, OF BRINGING RACIST, THAT'S A EUPHEMISM FOR ANTI-SEMITISM. THAT'S ALL THAT IS.

JESS>> THIS VIEW MUST HAVE BEEN TELEGRAPHED IN ADVANCE BECAUSE SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL DID NOT GO, AND FOR THAT SPECIFIC REASON, WASN'T IT?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> THAT'S CORRECT, AND HE WANTED TO GO. AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN, HE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE THIS TRIP.

JESS>> AND HE WAS EXPECTED TO BE THERE BY THE REST OF THE WORLD.

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> THAT'S CORRECT, AND IT WAS THOUGHT THAT REASON WOULD PREVAIL, THAT A COMPROMISE -- NORWAY SUGGESTED A COMPROMISE THAT NO NATION WOULD BE MENTIONED AND YET THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, HE WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THEREFORE, THIS CONFERENCE HAS BEEN TORPEDOED. NOT THE FIRST AND, I'M SORRY TO SAY, I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE THE LAST SO LONG AS THAT IS THEIR AGENDA.

VAL>> HOW WAS THIS CLAUSE ABLE TO SUSTAIN ITSELF? ABLE TO STAY ON THE PROPOSAL, ON THE TABLE?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE ARAB-MUSLIM BLOCK, THAT'S SIXTY NATIONS. ISRAEL IS ONLY ONE STATE. WHEN YOU PUT FORWARD SOMETHING THAT IS BACKED BY SIXTY VOTES AUTOMATICALLY ON ANY ISSUE, IT'S, YOU KNOW --

VAL>> -- HARD TO OVERTURN.

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> ABSOLUTELY HARD TO OVERTURN.

JESS>> BUT THE EUROPEAN NATIONS WERE NOT OF LIKE MIND?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> BUT THE EUROPEAN NATIONS HAVE SAID YESTERDAY AND ALSO TODAY THAT, IF THEY CAN'T BROKER A LAST-MINUTE COMPROMISE, THEY TOO ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED. FRANCE SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO WITHDRAW. I THINK THAT THE RESULTS OF THIS WILL BE THE UNITED NATIONS SUFFERS, THE ISSUE SUFFERS AND THE ARAB WORLD HAS MADE A CLASSIC BLUNDER. AS ABA EBAN USED TO SAY, THEY NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY.

VAL>> SO IT'S A NO-WIN SITUATION. EVERYBODY'S LOST?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> I'M AFRAID THE ISSUE -- LOOK, ALL THE HOURS AND DAYS WENT BY. IT WAS ALL SQUANDERED BY BICKERING OVER THIS ISSUE.

JESS>> BUT EVEN AS WE SPEAK, THEY ARE STILL MEETING TO TRY TO SALVAGE THIS?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> AND MAYBE SOME LAST-MINUTE MIRACLE THAT SOMEBODY WITH THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON CAN PULL THIS OUT.

JESS>> STRIKING THAT PHRASE ALONE WOULD BE ENOUGH?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> OH, NOT CRITICIZING ONE NATION, COMING UP WITH A COMPROMISE MEASURE, AND ALSO THE HOSTILITY IN THE HALL. OUR DELEGATES REPORT THEY HAVE NEVER -- THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE LIVING IN THE 1930'S, THE WAY JEWS WERE TREATED IN THE HALL OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE. NOT ONLY HECKLED, BUT THE SIGNS OF THE SWASTIKA AND UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNITED NATIONS. I KNOW THAT KOFI ANNAN MUST BE TERRIBLY TROUBLED BY THIS BECAUSE HE'S A VERY DECENT PERSON AND A PRINCIPLED PERSON AND HE MUST BE SHOCKED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT HE'S HEAD OF.

VAL>> WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN IN THE END? I MEAN, WHETHER THEY PASS A RESOLUTION IN THIS FORUM OR ANOTHER FORUM, WHAT WEIGHT DOES IT HAVE? IT'S JUST -- DOES IT HAVE ANY TANGIBLE EFFECT ON THE WORLD?

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> WELL, YES, IT DOES. LOOK, THE UNITED NATIONS -- ISRAEL CAME INTO BEING BECAUSE THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARED A JEWISH STATE. THE UNITED NATIONS SHOULD STAND FOR SOMETHING, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE HIJACKED. AND IT'S NOT THAT NATIONS SHOULDN'T BE CRITICIZED WHEN THEY DESERVE TO. NOBODY SAID --

JESS>> -- INCLUDING ISRAEL.

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> INCLUDING ISRAEL, OF COURSE. BUT THAT ISRAEL SHOULD BE THE ONLY COUNTRY CRITICIZED AND GENERALLY CRITICIZED, MEANING THAT ALL JEWS ARE RACISTS AND ZIONISTS, THAT IS BASICALLY VERY UNFAIR AND IT SMACKS OF ANTI-SEMITISM.

VAL>> RABBI MARVIN HIER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR VIEWS AND CLARIFYING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE.

RABBI MARVIN HIER>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU THINK IT HAS BEEN HIJACKED? DO YOU THINK THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE OR HAS EVERYONE LOST? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> SOME STRICTLY VIOLENT CRIMES HAVE MADE HEADLINES RECENTLY IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. PATT MORRISON HAS SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THIS GRIM TREND IN TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> SO ONCE AGAIN THIS WEEK, WE WERE TREATED, TO EMPLOY THE WORD QUITE LOOSELY, TO MORE LIVE TV SHOTS, MORE FOOTAGE FROM SKYCAMS OF A HOUSE WHERE DEATH HAD TAKEN UP RESIDENCE. THIS TIME, IT WAS SIMI VALLEY, RANKED BY THE FBI AS THE SAFEST CITY IN THE NATION. BUT THERE IS ONE KIND OF CRIME THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ON THE STREETS. IT HAPPENS BEHIND THE FRONT DOOR AND IT USUALLY DOESN'T HAVE TO BREAK IN BECAUSE IT HAS A KEY. AND THAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

THE MAN BEING SOUGHT FOR KILLING AN ELDERLY WOMAN AND TWO CHILDREN IS THE EX-BOYFRIEND OF A WOMAN WHO LIVED IN THE HOUSE, A WOMAN WHO WAS AT WORK WHEN HE ALLEGEDLY CAME IN SHOOTING. ON ANY SINGLE DAY IN THE COURTS OF LOS ANGELES, A HALF DOZEN CASES OF SUCH FATAL VIOLENCE ARE IN PROGRESS. A MAN IN ALHAMBRA WHO WOUNDED HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND AND KILLED HER TWELVE-YEAR-OLD BROTHER. A SAN FERNANDO MAN WHO DRAGGED HIS ESTRANGED WIFE OUT OF HER CAR, THEN STABBED AND RAN OVER HER.

THESE CASES, HUSBAND OR EX-HUSBAND KILLS WIFE OR EX-WIFE, BOYFRIEND KILLS GIRLFRIEND OR EX-BOYFRIEND KILLS EX-GIRLFRIEND, ARE SO COMMONPLACE THAT THEY RARELY EVEN MAKE THE NEWS AND CERTAINLY NOT THE FRONT PAGES, A BLIP ON THE NEWS RADAR SCREEN. THEY'RE SO COMMON THAT, IN SOME FEMALE-DOMINATED PROFESSIONS, THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE WORKPLACE IS NOT ACCIDENTS, IT IS HOMICIDE.

THE EXCEPTION IS WHEN THE KILLER IS SOMEONE LIKE THE TEXAS MILLIONAIRE WHO DID IN HIS WIFE OR THE ANAHEIM COP WHO KILLED HIS OR WHEN CHILDREN ARE KILLED TOO, AS HAPPENED IN SIMI VALLEY, AS HAPPENED LATELY WHEN A UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANT KILLED HIS PREGNANT WIFE, HIS RELATIVES AND HIS THREE-YEAR-OLD SON.

SO THE NEXT TIME YOU HEAR ABOUT CRIME RATES AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, THINK OF THE CONTRADICTION IMPLICIT IN "DOMESTIC" AND "VIOLENCE" AND HOW, IN SPITE OF SOME FBI SEAL OF APPROVAL, THE PERILS OF VIOLENCE LIE NOT ONLY BEYOND OUR FRONT DOORS, BUT TOO OFTEN BEHIND THEM.

VAL>> WELL, MOST PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE NOTHING BUT MARINE LIFE WHEN THEY VISIT AN AQUARIUM, BUT THINK AGAIN. THE NEW EXHIBIT AT LONG BEACH'S AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC IS FULL OF FEATHERS INSTEAD OF FINS.

JESS>> IT FEATURES A COLORFUL BIRD KNOWN AS THE LORIKEET. THESE FRIENDLY BIRDS ARE NATIVE TO THE COASTAL LOWLANDS OF AUSTRALIA. THE NEW AVIARY EXHIBIT OFFERS VISITORS A HANDS-ON, OR JUDGING FROM SOME OF THE PICTURES WE'VE SEEN, HEADS-ON EXPERIENCE. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) JOINING WITH MORE IS SANDY TRAUTWEIN. SHE IS CURATOR OF FISH AND INVERTEBRATES AT THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC. WHAT A COOL TITLE.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> THIS IS A SWITCH FOR AN AQUARIUM TO HAVE BIRDS.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, IT CERTAINLY IS.

JESS>> OTHER THAN SEA BIRDS.

VAL>> YEAH. HOW DID THE IDEA COME UP?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> WELL, WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON VERY INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS. WE'RE TRYING TO GO MORE AND MORE IN THAT DIRECTION WITH ALL OF OUR EXHIBITS. THE LORIKEETS ARE JUST A WONDERFUL EXHIBIT, A CHANCE FOR GUESTS TO GET A VERY CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH UNUSUAL ANIMALS.

VAL>> SO THEY'RE PARTICULARLY INTERACTIVE?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, THEY ARE. THEY'RE VERY GREGARIOUS.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO SEE EXAMPLES OF THAT REAL QUICKLY TOO. TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS BIRD. THEY'RE A VERY INTERESTING SPECIES.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> WELL, THEY SPEND SEVENTY PERCENT OF THEIR TIME ACTUALLY DRINKING FLOWERS' NECTARS, FRUITS, BERRIES, ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

VAL>> SEVENTY PERCENT OF THEIR TIME? SO THEY HAVE AMAZING APPETITES.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT THEY DO. YES, AMAZING APPETITES. AND THEY'RE VERY FRIENDLY. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE GUEST ACTUALLY GOES IN WITH --

JESS>> -- ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE GOT FOOD, THEY'RE FRIENDLY.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> (LAUGHTER) RIGHT, RIGHT. WE FEED THEM WHAT WE CALL A SMOOTHIE. IT'S A TYPE OF NECTAR AND IT'S PART OF THEIR NATURAL DIET AND THEY ACTUALLY JUST COME DOWN FROM THE TREES AND PERCH ON YOUR HANDS, YOUR ARMS, YOUR HEAD --

JESS>> -- WOULD THAT BE THE CASE IN THE WILD? ARE THEY FRIENDLY EVEN IN THE WILD?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY COME DOWN LIKE THIS TO PEOPLE, BUT THEY ARE VERY GREGARIOUS AND VERY FRIENDLY ANIMALS.

VAL>> AND YOU SELL THE LITTLE NECTAR FOR A DOLLAR SO, WHEN YOU GO IN, YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF SEEING THEM UP CLOSE.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YEAH, YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF A FLOCK OF BIRDS DESCENDING ON YOU. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC HAS MADE A REAL PROJECT OF INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO FISH LIFE AND TO THE AQUARIUM, AND THIS MUST BE A FAVORITE WITH KIDS.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> OH, IT IS. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN WIDER EYES THAN WHEN THEY COME INTO THE AVIARY AND THE BIRDS START DESCENDING ON THEM. THEY ARE JUST AMAZED WITH IT.

VAL>> HOW MANY ARE THERE NOW? HOW MANY DO YOU HOPE TO HAVE EVENTUALLY?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> WELL, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT SUBSPECIES OF THE RAINBOW LORIKEET, PLUS ANOTHER LORIKEET SPECIES KNOWN AS THE PERFECT LORIKEET. WE HAVE 72 INDIVIDUALS IN THE AVIARY RIGHT NOW. IT'S A FAIRLY LARGE AVIARY, THOUGH, SO WE HOPE TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER TO ABOUT 120 TO 130.

VAL>> ALMOST DOUBLE IT?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YEP.

JESS>> SOME OF THESE BIRDS -- SOME SUBSPECIES ARE ENDANGERED, ARE THEY NOT?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT. THERE ARE ABOUT THIRTEEN SPECIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY ENDANGERED, SO --

VAL>> -- ARE ANY OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES PART OF YOUR EXHIBIT?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> NO, THEY'RE NOT.

VAL>> WHAT KIND OF A REACTION DO YOU GET FROM PEOPLE WHEN THEY WALK IN AND SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, I THOUGHT I WAS COMING TO AN AQUARIUM. WHAT ARE BIRDS DOING HERE? (LAUGHTER)

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> (LAUGHTER) ACTUALLY, THEY LOVE IT. WE'VE GOTTEN VERY FEW COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THE IDEA. ALMOST EVERYONE THAT GOES IN THERE JUST REALLY APPRECIATES THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH SUCH FASCINATING ANIMALS.

VAL>> LAUGHTER

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YEAH, I LOVE THE HEAD THING.

VAL>> AND THEY DON'T BITE YOU? NO ONE'S GOTTEN HURT?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> THEY MIGHT PINCH YOU A LITTLE BIT, BUT, NO, NOT REALLY.

VAL>> NOW THEY'RE FROM AUSTRALIA, SO YOU HAD TO IMPORT THEM ALL?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> NO, WE ACTUALLY GOT THEM FROM BREEDERS. THERE'S BREEDERS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.

VAL>> OKAY, SO YOU DIDN'T GO DOWN AND CLEAN AUSTRALIA OUT OF LORIKEETS. (LAUGHTER)

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> (LAUGHTER) OH, NO, NO, NO.

JESS>> AND THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT EXHIBIT?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> OH, YES, IT IS.

JESS>> OH, IT IS PERMANENT?

VAL>> OH, WONDERFUL.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> ACTUALLY, THIS IS PART OF OUR EXPANSION, OUR "KIDS COVE", WHICH IS A PLAY AREA RIGHT NOW. THIS IS THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW "EXPLORER'S ISLAND" THAT WE'LL BE DOING. IN THE SPRING, WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING A SHARK'S TOUCH POOL WHERE VISITORS WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GET A FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE WITH A SHARK.

VAL>> ARE YOU SERIOUS? EVEN IN THE WAKE OF ALL THE SHARK ATTACKS? (LAUGHTER)

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, YES, YES, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF THE SHARK ATTACKS. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> I DON'T THINK I WANT TO TALK ABOUT "FIRST-HAND" EXPERIENCES. (LAUGHTER)

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> (LAUGHTER) THEY'RE NOT MAN-EATERS, BELIEVE ME.

VAL>> BUT THESE BIRDS ARE INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY EAT SO MUCH AND THEY HAVE, WHAT, ESPECIALLY DEFT TONGUES OR --

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> -- YES, THEY HAVE A SPECIAL TONGUE THAT HAS A U-SHAPED TIP ON IT THAT IS FULL OF LIKE HAIR-LIKE PROJECTIONS CALLED PAPILLA. THAT'S WHAT THEY ACTUALLY USE TO EXTRACT THE NECTAR OUT OF THE FLOWER.

JESS>> THEY EAT SOLIDS AS WELL?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YEAH, THEY EAT FRUITS AND THINGS, BUT MOSTLY THEY LOVE THE NECTAR.

VAL>> I SEE. NOW WILL MOST OF THEM DO VERY WELL INDOORS AND BASICALLY DOMESTICATED? THEY LIVE JUST AS LONG AND THEY'RE TOTALLY ADAPTIVE TO INSIDE LIFE?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, YES. IT'S LIKE MOST ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY, IN CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENTS. THEY ARE FREE FROM PREDATORS, THEY HAVE A GOOD STEADY DIET, THEY'RE WELL-PROTECTED AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, DISEASE-FREE. SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE THREATENING TO THEM IN THE WILD.

JESS>> WILL YOU MAINTAIN A BREEDING PROGRAM?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> OH, YES, YES. WE HOPE TO DO THAT AS WELL.

VAL>> NOW THEY'RE SO PRETTY AND THEY'RE SO FRIENDLY, DO PEOPLE HAVE THEM AS PETS AT HOME?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> SOMETIMES, YES. THEY ARE A POPULAR PET ANIMAL AT HOME. THEY MAKE GREAT PETS ALSO.

VAL>> EXCEPT THAT YOU'D HAVE TO BE FEEDING THEM ALMOST CONSTANTLY.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, I THINK SO. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> MAYBE -- I'M SERIOUS. THAT MIGHT BE WHY BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A CONSTANT FOOD SUPPLY.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, THAT'S TRUE.

VAL>> THAT'S INCREDIBLE. WHAT A METABOLISM THEY MUST HAVE.

JESS>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EXHIBIT.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> WELL, THANK YOU.

VAL>> JUST BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SANDY TRAUTWEIN, FOR COMING IN AND SHARING THIS WITH US.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> SURE.

VAL>> AGAIN, THE LORIKEET AVIARY AT THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC. IT OPENS TOMORROW. YOU CAN CALL THE AQUARIUM OR CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE AT THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC. IT IS WWW.AQUARIUMOFTHEPACIFIC -- ALL ONE WORD -- .ORG, OR CALL THEM AT 562-590-3100 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

JESS>> AND THEY'RE EASY TO FIND IN LONG BEACH. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY, PARTICULARLY --

VAL>> -- OH, YOU'VE BEEN THERE?

JESS>> OH, YES, YES. IT'S A WONDERFUL BUILDING WITH A WAVE-LIKE MOTIF ON THE BUILDING ITSELF.

VAL>> OH, I'VE GOT TO GO. IT LOOKS FANTASTIC.

JESS>> YOU SHOULD.

VAL>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, WE'VE GOT TO FLY. BYE.

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