7/25/02

LC020725

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS ABOUT TO GET A BRAND NEW RAIL LINE AND IT COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR DAILY COMMUTE.

MICHAEL DIEDEN>> I THINK THAT THERE'S A SIZABLE 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.

VAL>> CALIFORNIA HAS ALREADY LEGALIZED MEDICAL MARIJUANA, BUT NOW SOME CITIES MAY TAKE THINGS A STEP FURTHER. SAN FRANCISCO SAYS IT MAY START GROWING POT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND ONE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CITY MAY ALSO FOLLOW SUIT.

JESS>> PATT MORRISON IS FOLLOWING THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL GIRL.

PATT MORRISON>> BARBIE LOSES IN COURT, BUT I'M SURE SHE'S GOT THE PERFECT OUTFIT TO FILE AN APPEAL -- ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> IT'S A TIME-HONORED THEME FOR THE MOVIES, BUT COULD IT HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE? SCIENTISTS HAVE JUST SPOTTED AN ASTEROID HURLING OUR WAY ACROSS THE GALAXY. TONIGHT WE'LL FIND OUT IF IT'S TIME TO DUCK AND COVER.

JESS>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON 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 THE 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 SIZABLE 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 TRACK, SO TO SPEAK, THE NEW METRO GOLD LINE SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING BY JULY 2003, ONE YEAR FROM NOW.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, WE'VE SEEN THE CALLS FOR JUSTICE IN THE WAKE OF THE INGLEWOOD POLICE BEATING. NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM SOME VETERAN LAWMEN WHO SAY THE STREETS ARE NO PLACE TO SETTLE THIS CASE.

>> IT'S A FINE LINE, EVEN WITHIN MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WHEN EVENTS OCCUR, I TRY TO GIVE BOTH PERSPECTIVES AND, PRETTY SOON, I GET BEAT UP PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE I'M SUPPORTING THE POLICE IN THEIR ESTIMATION.

JESS>> SAN FRANCISCO COULD BECOME THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO GROW ITS OWN MARIJUANA. IT'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA, OF COURSE, BUT IT WOULD STILL DEFY FEDERAL LAW AND NOW OTHER CITIES, WEST HOLLYWOOD FOR ONE, ARE CONTEMPLATING THE SAME ACTION.

VAL>> CALIFORNIA STATE LAW ALLOWS DOCTORS TO PRESCRIBE THE USE OF MARIJUANA FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES, BUT FEDERAL AUTHORITIES RESPONDED BY CRACKING DOWN ON CLUBS THAT GROW AND DISTRIBUTE POT. JOINING US NOW ARE WEST HOLLYWOOD CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, STEVE MARTIN, AND USC RESEARCHER, MITCH EARLEYWINE. WELCOME, BOTH OF YOU. MR. EARLEYWINE IS AUTHOR OF A BOOK ENTITLED "UNDERSTANDING MARIJUANA". THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

STEVE MARTIN>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

JESS>> YOU'RE ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMPLE?

STEVE MARTIN>> RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING AT OUR AUGUST COUNCIL MEETING FOLLOWING SAN FRANCISCO'S LEAD. YOU KNOW, WHEN --

JESS>> -- THEY'RE JUST ASKING FOR A STUDY, NOT REALLY FOR LEGALIZING IT, AREN'T THEY?

STEVE MARTIN>> WELL, ACTUALLY, UNDER PROP 215, IT IS LEGAL. BUT WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE FEDS UNDER THE DEA CAME IN AND CLOSED DOWN WEST HOLLYWOOD'S CANNABIS CLUB WHICH IS PROVIDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN WEST HOLLYWOOD AND HUNDREDS MORE OUTSIDE WEST HOLLYWOOD.

JESS>> SO THE ISSUE IS WHETHER YOU GROW IT OR NOT? THE CITY GROWS IT?

STEVE MARTIN>> WELL, IF WE DON'T GROW IT, YOU'RE FORCING OUR CANNABIS CLUBS AND PEOPLE WHO NEED MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO GO TO ILLEGAL SOURCES AND WE DON'T WANT TO FORCE THEM TO BECOME CRIMINALS.

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> THAT'S CONNECTED FOLKS TO DOING HARDER DRUGS, IN FACT, IN OTHER COUNTRIES, IN THE NETHERLANDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

VAL>> WELL, CURRENTLY, COULDN'T AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A PRESCRIPTION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA GROW IT IN HIS OR HER BACK YARD?

STEVE MARTIN>> IF YOU HAVE A BACK YARD. THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY SICK AND IF YOU'VE GOT AIDS-WASTING SYNDROME OR ADVANCED STAGES OF CANCER, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE OUT WATERING YOUR PLANTS AND MOVING THEM OFF YOUR BALCONY. THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES OF WHETHER YOU COULD SAFELY DO IT, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO BE BURGLARIZED OR HARASSED BY THE POLICE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS OF PROVIDING SAFE AND SANE MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO PEOPLE IN NEED AND A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE IN THE VERY LAST STAGES OF THEIR LIVES. THIS IS REALLY COMPASSIONATE USE.

JESS>> LET'S ASK MITCH EARLEYWINE WHOSE BOOK IS "UNDERSTANDING MARIJUANA", DO YOU AGREE WITH WHAT HE'S SAYING?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THIS IS MEDICALLY SUPPORTED. THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE AIDS-RELATED WASTING OR ARE SUFFERING FROM CANCER OR CANCER ILLNESS RELATED TO THE CHEMOTHERAPY REALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS MEDICATION A LOT MORE THAN FROM, SAY, MARINOL OR OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT MAY BE MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS USEFUL.

JESS>> DO YOU SEE ANY DOWN SIDE TO THIS?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> NOTHING COMES TO MIND, REALLY, OTHER THAN KEEPING TRACK OF WHO'S IN CHARGE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT.

VAL>> BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WEST HOLLYWOOD IS CONSIDERING. ARE YOU CONSIDERING, OR WILL YOU BE CONSIDERING, ACTUALLY DESIGNATING PUBLIC PROPERTY TO GROW POT AND THEN YOU WOULD SELL THE POT TO THOSE WHO HAVE PERMISSION TO USE IT?

STEVE MARTIN>> WE WOULD PROBABLY USE SOME OF OUR EXISTING RESOURCES WITHIN THE CITY THROUGH OUR CURRENTLY CLOSED CANNABIS CLUB. I MEAN, WE HAVE THE RESOURCES. WE WOULD RAISE THE --

VAL>> -- OH, THE CLUB THAT'S CURRENTLY CLOSED, YOU WOULD TAKE OVER?

STEVE MARTIN>> RIGHT. WE COULD RAISE THE MARIJUANA INSIDE IT AS IT'S BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND USE A SIMILAR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET PEOPLE BACK ON TRACK, GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE REALLY ILL AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA YOURSELF, YOU'RE SENDING OUT FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES INTO HARM'S WAY AND THEY'RE BUYING YOUR MARIJUANA FOR YOU AND YOU GET BUSTED BY THE SHERIFF, THEY'RE NOT TAKING THAT EXCUSE.

JESS>> SAN FRANCISCO IS CONSIDERING ACTUALLY GROWING IT IN PUBLIC PARKS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF IN YOUR FACE, ISN'T IT?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY GOING TO WORK AS WELL AS THEY MIGHT HOPE. GROWING MARIJUANA IS NOT THE SAME AS JUST TOSSING OUT A FEW SEEDS AND HOPING THINGS WILL TURN OUT WELL, SO IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE INDUSTRIOUSNESS.

VAL>> NOW WHAT MIGHT BE THE FEDERAL LEGAL REACTION IF, SAY, SAN FRANCISCO OR WEST HOLLYWOOD WOULD ACTUALLY START BEING THE GROWER AND THE DISTRIBUTOR THEMSELVES, A MUNICIPAL AGENCY?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> FEDERAL LAWS AGAINST MARIJUANA ARE STILL THERE, SO I'M AFRAID THE DEA IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE A CRACKDOWN ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I THINK WEST HOLLYWOOD IS BEING VERY BRAVE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS MEDICATION IS NEEDED AND THAT, OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE FEDS MAY SAY, WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE THIS AVAILABLE TO OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING.

JESS>> BUT GIVEN THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON AND THE DEA'S ATTITUDE IN THE PAST, ARE THEY BEING BRAVE OR FOOLHARDY?

STEVE MARTIN>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A WHOLE ISSUE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION ABOUT STATE'S RIGHTS. YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, WE'VE SEEN THE WHOLE ISSUE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA'S EFFECTIVENESS HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY SQUASHED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY DON'T WANT TO DO STUDIES AND, FRANKLY, IT'S BEEN REALLY UNFAIR. HOPEFULLY, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WILL BE CONDUCTING ITS OWN STUDY AND, FRANKLY, WE REALLY WANT TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO A HEAD. SOMETIMES IT'S PERHAPS EASIER FOR MUNICIPALITIES TO CONFRONT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN A HANDFUL OF BRAVE AND SOMETIMES FOOLHARDY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO ORGANIZE ON THEIR OWN.

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> THAT'S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING FOR RESEARCHERS. THERE ARE SOME COMPELLING CASES TO SUGGEST THAT MARIJUANA MAY BE HELPFUL FOR MIGRAINE HEADACHE, BUT NO ONE CAN SEEM TO BE ABLE TO GET APPROVAL TO ACTUALLY DO THE STUDIES, SO WE MAY NEVER KNOW.

VAL>> NOW WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY, HOLD ON, WAIT A MINUTE, BACK UP, THIS IS CRAZY. NO CITY SHOULD BE IN THE POT BUSINESS AND BE DISTRIBUTING IT TO PEOPLE, EVEN IF THEY'RE IN MEDICAL NEED. I MEAN, AFTER ALL, NO CITY IS DISTRIBUTING OTHER PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR OTHER KINDS OF DISEASES OR ILLNESS.

STEVE MARTIN>> WELL, WE WOULDN'T NEED TO IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD ALLOW PROP 215 TO TAKE EFFECT. UNFORTUNATELY, PROP 215 HAS REALLY BEEN FRUSTRATED BY ESSENTIALLY ARBITRARY ACTS BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

VAL>> SO YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO MARKETPLACE THAT WILL SUPPLY?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO GET IT. THE CLUBS ARE CLOSED DOWN.

JESS>> OTHER THAN ON THE STREET.

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> EXACTLY.

STEVE MARTIN>> AND, OF COURSE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS RAISING MARIJUANA FOR A LONG TIME FOR RESEARCH AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY MUNICIPAL AGENCIES OR STATE AGENCIES COULDN'T DO IT. YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CITY OF SANTA CRUZ, WE WOULD PROBABLY ALL BE JUST AS HAPPY IF GOVERNOR DAVIS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND SAID THAT THE STATE WOULD RAISE MARIJUANA ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA WHO HAVE A MEDICAL NEED.

VAL>> OR IF THE FEDS JUST ALLOWED CLUBS TO SUPPLY IT.

JESS>> ISN'T IT COUNTER TO VAL'S QUESTION ABOUT CITIES GETTING INVOLVED IN THE DISTRIBUTION -- ISN'T THE ANSWER TO THAT, LOOK AT THE STATES THAT HAVE STATE LIQUOR STORES ONLY? STATES CONTROL EVERY SALE OF LIQUOR.

STEVE MARTIN>> THAT'S TRUE.

VAL>> AND THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT DO GROW AND DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> IN THE NETHERLANDS, THEY DON'T GROW IT AND DISTRIBUTE IT, BUT YOU CAN GET MARIJUANA WITHOUT FEAR OF PROSECUTION IF IT'S IN A SMALL AMOUNT AND THEY DON'T --

JESS>> -- WHETHER IT'S FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES OR NOT?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> OR NOT. AND THEY DON'T HAVE HIGHER RATES OF MARIJUANA USE THAN WE DO HERE AND PARTICULARLY NOT THEIR TEENS, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE SO CONCERNED ABOUT. TWELVE TO SEVENTEEN YEAR OLDS IN THE NETHERLANDS DON'T USE MARIJUANA ANY MORE OFTEN THAN TWELVE TO SEVENTEEN YEAR OLDS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

STEVE MARTIN>> AND I THINK THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE HAD CANNABIS CLUBS, THEY'VE BEEN VERY, VERY RESPONSIBLE. YOU DON'T SEE THE CLUBS -- IT'S NOT AN ISSUE OF RECREATION. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE CLUB MEMBERS, YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE WHO ARE MANY TIMES INCREDIBLY DESPERATE. THESE CLUBS ARE A PLACE OF LAST RESORT AND PROVIDING HOPE FOR, IF NOT A BETTER TOMORROW, AT LEAST A CERTAIN END OF YOUR TIME HERE ON EARTH WITH DIGNITY.

JESS>> IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF A MOVE TOWARD LEGALIZING MARIJUANA?

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT, OH, THIS IS JUST A RED HERRING, THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO DO THAT. BUT THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. THIS IS PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY SUFFERING, WHO ARE DOWN TO 98 POUNDS AND NAUSEATED SO THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN EAT. THIS ISN'T A BUNCH OF KIDS SITTING AROUND.

STEVE MARTIN>> AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD LIFE EXPERIENCES WITH PEOPLE WITH AIDS OR CANCER, ONCE YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THAT AND GONE THROUGH THAT AND IF YOU'VE HAD A FRIEND WHO HAS USED MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND YOU SEE HOW IT HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEIR LIVES, THEN YOU BECOME A BELIEVER. THAT'S CUTTING ACROSS ALL POLITICAL LINES AND GENERATIONS.

VAL>> AND REAL QUICKLY, STEVE, DO YOU PREDICT PASSAGE OF THE PROPOSAL IN WEST HOLLYWOOD?

STEVE MARTIN>> I THINK WEST HOLLYWOOD IS GOING TO GO FORWARD AND JOIN SAN FRANCISCO.

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE MARTIN, FROM THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, AND USC RESEARCHER, MITCH EARLEYWINE. THE NAME OF YOUR BOOK, AGAIN, IS "UNDERSTANDING MARIJUANA". THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

MITCH EARLEYWINE>> THANK YOU.

STEVE MARTIN>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

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JESS> SHE MAY BE BARELY A FOOT TALL, BUT SHE'S GOT A LOT OF CLOUT. SO WHEN BARBIE LOST HER ROUND IN COURT, IT WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE PATT MORRISON SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE. HERE'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> THE BARBIE DOLL IS MORE THAN FORTY YEARS OLD AND, EVEN THOUGH HER MAKER IS MATTEL, NOT GOD, SHE'S BEING TREATED LIKE A REAL MEDIA-SENSITIVE CELEBRITY, NOT A FEW OUNCES OF PLASTIC. THE SAME FEDERAL APPEALS COURT THAT RULED ON THE WEIGHTY CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE HAS DECLARED THAT A POP SONG CALLED "BARBIE GIRL", SAMPLE LYRIC "I'M A BLONDE BIMBO GIRL IN A FANTASY WORLD", IS A PARODY, NOT A COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT THAT SULLIES BARBIE'S VIRTUE AND IS THUS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

MATTEL IS FIGHTING ITS OWN SUCCESS HERE. THE BARBIE DOLL HAS BECOME SO FAMILIAR THAT SHE'S FAIR GAME FOR ANYTHING. AS FEDERAL JUDGE ALEX KOSINSKI WROTE, "MATTEL CREATED NOT JUST A TOY, BUT A CULTURAL ICON." WITH FAME OFTEN COMES UNWANTED ATTENTION. AND THE EXCHANGES IN THE LAWSUIT GOT SO NASTY THAT KOSINSKI WROTE IN CALIFORNIA-SPEAK THAT "BOTH PARTIES ARE ADVISED TO CHILL."

THIS IS FAR FROM THE FIRST TIME THAT BARBIE'S HANDLERS HAVE GONE TO COURT TO PROTECT THEIR PREPOSTEROUSLY ENGINEERED DOLL. LAST YEAR, A UTAH JUDGE DECIDED THAT AN ARTIST WAS WITHIN HIS RIGHTS TO CREATE FOOD CHAIN, BARBIE IN A TORTILLA, BARBIE IN A BLENDER, BARBIE'S HEAD ON A FONDUE FORK. BEFORE THAT, IT WAS BACKLASH BARBIE, THE TRAILER TRASH MODEL WITH DARK ROOTS AND CIGARETTES.

LIKE TWEETY BIRD, ELVIS AND GEORGE WASHINGTON, BARBIE HAS BEEN ON POSTAGE STAMPS. SHE'S MODELED SCALED-DOWN INAUGURAL GOWNS AT THE NIXON LIBRARY. SHE IS THE PERFECT BLANK CANVAS FOR SEX, RACE, CULTURE AND THE BOTTOMLESS PIT OF MARKETING, THE PASSIVE CLOTHES HORSE FOR PRINCE CHARMING. ASTRONAUT BARBIE AND LAWYER BARBIE DIDN'T FOOL ANYONE. AT MY HOUSE, WE HAD LOADS OF FUN WITH MARIE ANTOINETTE BARBIE -- OFF WITH HER HEAD -- AND WITH JOAN OF ARC BARBIE WHICH, ALAS, WAS ONLY GOOD FOR ONE PLAY AND TENDED TO ALARM THE BABYSITTER. FAME -- IT'S A BITCH.

VAL>> ASTRONOMERS HAVE SPOTTED A MASSIVE ASTEROID ON A DIRECT COLLISION COURSE WITH EARTH, BUT DON'T PANIC YET. THE CHANCES OF THIS BEING THE END OF THE WORLD ARE LESS THAN ONE IN A MILLION.

JESS>> THAT HASN'T STOPPED HOLLYWOOD FROM DEPICTING SUCH A DISASTER IN SEVERAL FILMS, BUT EVEN THOUGH THIS ASTEROID PROBABLY WILL MISS US, MIGHT THERE BE ANOTHER ONE IN OUR FUTURE?

VAL>> HERE TO TELL US MORE IS ED KRUPP, DIRECTOR OF THE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY. ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

ED KRUPP>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> IN FACT, THERE IS ANOTHER ONE IN OUR FUTURE, ISN'T THERE?

ED KRUPP>> THERE ARE LOTS OF THEM IN OUR FUTURE AND THE ONES WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT ARE THOSE THAT MIGHT IN FACT HIT THE EARTH. EARTH HAS BEEN HIT IN THE PAST. IT'S GOING TO GET HIT IN THE FUTURE. WE JUST WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

JESS>> AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT?

ED KRUPP>> WE'RE AT THE TIME OF THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET WHEN THERE'S ACTUALLY A SPECIES AROUND THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THAT'S OURSELVES.

VAL>> BUT TELL US ABOUT THIS ONE THAT THEY'VE DISCOVERED.

ED KRUPP>> IT'S A LITTLE BIGGER THAN A MILE IN DIAMETER AND IT WAS JUST DISCOVERED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THE INITIAL OBSERVATION SUGGESTS THAT IT MIGHT HIT THE EARTH ON THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY 2019. BUT THESE ARE CALCULATIONS BASED ON A VERY TINY AMOUNT OF DATA AND, TYPICALLY, YOU GET MORE OBSERVATIONS AND YOU DISCOVER, WAIT A MINUTE, WE KNOW THE ORBIT BETTER, IT'S GOING TO MISS, IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE RIGHT NOW.

VAL>> WHAT ARE THE CHANCES, YOU THINK, IT WOULD ACTUALLY --

ED KRUPP>> -- THE ESTIMATES OF THESE CHANCES ARE LIKE ONE IN A MILLION, ONE IN TWO MILLION, AND THAT'S NOT A SCIENTIFIC BUSINESS REALLY EITHER, ESTIMATING. THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS ONE IS THAT WE'VE SEEN IT AT ALL, THAT WE'VE NOTICED IT, WE'VE CATALOGED IT, WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF IT. BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER, THE EARTH IS GOING TO GET HIT AGAIN. MAYBE NOT IN ANYTHING LIKE THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT WE OUGHT TO BE WATCHING.

VAL>> AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ACTUAL ASTEROIDS DO HIT THE EARTH BECAUSE THERE IS EVIDENCE OF THAT AND, I GUESS, CRATERS. WHAT ARE WE SEEING HERE? WHAT IS THIS HERE?

ED KRUPP>> THAT LOOKS LIKE AN ASTEROID JUST ROLLING THROUGH SPACE HEADING WHEREVER IT'S BOUND TO GO. THESE ARE ALL RESPONSIVE TO GRAVITY. THEY'RE JUST GOING AROUND THE SUN, IN ORBITS AROUND THE SUN JUST LIKE THE PLANETS.

VAL>> NOW WHEN YOU SAY THE ONE THAT'S HEADING TOWARD US IS A MILE LONG, IS THAT CONSIDERED MODERATE, SMALL, BIG FOR AN ASTEROID?

ED KRUPP>> THAT'S PRETTY BIG. SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN HUNDREDS OF MILES, BUT THEY'RE MUCH MORE WELL-BEHAVED. IT'S THESE OTHER ONES THAT ARE MAYBE BETWEEN TEN MILES AND A MILE ACROSS THAT ARE REALLY DESTRUCTIVE IF THEY HIT A PLANET AND CAN CAUSE GLOBAL EXTINCTION ON THE EARTH, FOR EXAMPLE. THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED WAS PROBABLY SIXTY-FIVE MILLION YEARS AGO.

JESS>> THERE ARE THOSE AMONG US WHO HAD THOUGHT THAT SCIENCE WAS SO ADVANCED THAT WE SAW EVERY ASTEROID THAT WE COULD BE FULLY PREPARED FOR AND THEN, WHAT, JUST A FEW WEEKS, WE DISCOVERED ONE AFTER THE FACT.

ED KRUPP>> YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS A LITTLE SPOOKY TO CATCH THESE AFTER THEY'VE GONE BY, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY PRETTY TYPICAL. IT'S ACTUALLY UNREASONABLE TO THINK WE COULD KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THESE. I MEAN, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS OF PARTICLES, REALLY, OUT THERE.

JESS>> WELL, WE'LL KEEP TRACK OF THEM AS THEY GET CLOSE TO US, WON'T WE?

ED KRUPP>> WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE BIG ONES, THE ONES THAT CAUSE TROUBLE, CATALOGING THEM. BUT REMEMBER, TWENTY YEARS AGO, WE WEREN'T EVEN DOING THAT. THIS IS A STEP FORWARD. WE FIND OUT WHERE THESE ARE, WE KEEP TRACK OF THEM AND THEN WE DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.

VAL>> I DO HAVE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT. THE NAME OF THIS ASTEROID IS 2002 NT7. NOW COME ON, WHERE'S THE IMAGINATION? YOU KNOW, ASTRONOMERS HAVE SUCH GREAT IMAGINATIONS. WHY DID THEY COME UP WITH SUCH A BORING NAME?

ED KRUPP>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A PROVISIONAL NAME. YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP HAVING HOPE. OVER TIME, ASTRONOMERS RENAME THESE OBJECTS. THEY SORT OF KEEP THEM IN A BIN AND THEN, WHEN THERE'S A GOOD EXCUSE TO GIVE IT A NAME LIKE CLEO OR SOMETHING, OUT IT COMES AND THERE IT GOES.

VAL>> WE COULD HAVE A CONTEST. YOU KNOW, HAVE PEOPLE NAME THE ASTEROID --

ED KRUPP>> -- LIFE AND TIMES WOULD BE --

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) COLLID0R, CRATER MAKER, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

JESS>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR SUGGESTION THAT WE ARE THE ONE SPECIES THAT MAY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. WE CAN BLOW OURSELVES UP. COULD WE ALSO BLOW UP AN ASTEROID?

ED KRUPP>> YOU COULD CERTAINLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'D BLOW UP AN ASTEROID, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE A GOOD IDEA.

JESS>> BUT DO YOU WANT TO? (LAUGHTER)

ED KRUPP>> ALL YOU DO IS MAKE MORE ASTEROIDS THEN AND MORE PLACES WHERE IT CAN HIT. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS JUST NUDGE IT A LITTLE BIT. JUST CHANGE ITS TRAJECTORY A TINY AMOUNT TO GET IT TO GO OFF-COURSE NOT COMING OUR WAY.

JESS>> HAVE WE THE CAPABILITY OF DOING THAT NOW?

ED KRUPP>> WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT CAPABILITY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE IN THAT TERRITORY WHERE WE COULD DEVELOP THAT. IT'S AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM, BUT IT'S NOT INSURMOUNTABLE. IT'S A CASE OF RECOGNIZING THE THREAT, INVESTING IN IT AND JUST CARRYING IT FORWARD.

JESS>> ARE WE TALKING STAR WARS AGAIN? (LAUGHTER)

ED KRUPP>> (LAUGHTER) NO, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING REAL BASIC ENGINEERING. YOU KNOW, GET THE THING UP THERE, GIVE A LITTLE NUDGE AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE.

VAL>> IN THE MEANTIME, YOU HAD A POLITICAL SOLUTION. WHAT WAS YOUR PROPOSAL?

ED KRUPP>> OH, YEAH. GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY HAS IN FACT DECLARED LOS ANGELES AN ASTEROID IMPACT-FREE ZONE AND I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE ABOUT THAT (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) AS A MATTER OF FACT, GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN HIT BY AN ASTEROID RIGHT NOW.

ED KRUPP>> YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES. WE'VE DISMANTLED INSIDE IN ANTICIPATION OF CONSTRUCTION AND GETTING READY FOR ALL OF THE GOOD WORK THAT'S GOT TO GO THERE, BUT IT'S HEARTBREAKER ON THE WAY. YOU KNOW, TO SEE THE PLANETARIUM THEATER DISMANTLED, ALL THE SEATS ARE DOWN, IT LOOKS LIKE A CROP CIRCLE INSIDE THERE. BUT IN TIME, WE'LL COME OUT OF IT BRIGHTER AND SHINIER THAN EVER.

VAL>> ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THE ASTEROID. YOU SAY IT'S ABOUT A MILE WIDE. IT SEEMS TO ME IF A ROCK A MILE WIDE LANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN, NO PROBLEM. I MEAN, THE OCEAN COULD ABSORB IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE A BIG --

JESS>> -- UNLESS YOU LIKE TIDAL WAVES (LAUGHTER).

ED KRUPP>> (LAUGHTER) THE PROBLEM IS NOT SO MUCH JUST THE WATER THAT GETS DISPLACED AT THAT SPOT. YOU THINK ABOUT THE SPEEDS THESE THINGS ARE COMING IN. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES PER HOUR. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY TRANSFORMED WHEN THAT IMPACT OCCURS AND THAT GOES INTO PLACES LIKE VAPORIZING NOT ONLY THE WATER, BUT THE ROCK BELOW IT. THAT WATER DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT'S GOTTEN HIT. IT'S GONE. IT'S JUST EVAPORATED. SOME OF IT THAT SPLASHES OUT, OF COURSE, CAUSES THE TSUNAMIS, THE TIDAL WAVES, THAT JUST SWAMP CITIES. NO, YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

VAL>> SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY A MILE, IT'S THE SPEED, NOT THE SIZE.

ED KRUPP>> YEAH. THE ENERGY THESE THINGS ARE CARRYING. SOMETHING THE SIZE OF, SAY, A FOOTBALL FIELD WOULD DEVASTATE A CITY. SOMETHING ABOUT A MILE OR SO ACROSS IS GOING TO HAVE MAJOR IMPACT ON A CONTINENT. SOMETHING THAT'S FIVE TO TEN MILES ACROSS IS GOING TO HAVE BIG-TIME GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS.

JESS>> WHAT'S THE RISK OF THE EARTH BEING KNOCKED OUT OF ITS ORBIT?

ED KRUPP>> THE EARTH REALLY CAN'T GET KNOCKED OUT OF ITS ORBIT BY OBJECTS THIS SMALL. IT DWARFS THESE THINGS. NO, THE EARTH ACTUALLY DOESN'T CARE. WE'RE THE ONES THAT CARE.

VAL>> SO THE WATCH WORD IS COVER YOUR ASTEROIDS (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> OH, YES (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> ED KRUPP, IT'S ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ED KRUPP>> AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR EYE OUT THERE FOR YOU.

VAL>> AND WHEN DOES GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY OPEN AGAIN?

ED KRUPP>> NOT UNTIL 2005.

JESS>> JUST IN TIME TO CAPTURE THE LATEST PICTURES OF THIS ASTEROID. IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS NEWEST ASTEROID, YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR NASA'S NEAR-EARTH OBJECT PROGRAM.

VAL>> THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. YOU CAN LISTEN TO RECENT PROGRAMS OF LIFE AND TIMES OR FIND TRANSCRIPTS BY GOING TO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG.

JESS>> THANKS FOR WATCHING. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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