Pacific Time - Los Angeles Times

L.A. Times reporter Alana Semuels asked a group of UCLA economists visiting the L.A. Times offices what it's going to take to launch a sustained recovery.

The clock is ticking down the final 72 hours of the campaign, and we touch base with California politics reporter and editor Cathleen Decker about the polls, plans and prospects of the candidates for governor and senator.

As part of the "America Out of Work" series, which chronicles the U.S. unemployment crisis, The Times' Stuart Pfeifer writes in Sunday's paper about scams targeting job seekers.

Fatima Bhutto Times staff writer Lori Kozlowski recently had a chance to speak with author Fatima Bhutto, the niece of Benazir Bhutto, for an upcoming piece in Books.

Markets columnist Tom Petruno talks about how bond funds performed in the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30. Are they really the safe havens that shelter-seeking investors may think they are? And what should you do if you own them?

We touch base with California politics editor Cathleen Decker for a status update on the gubernatorial and senate races. We also get some insight on recommendations on the governor's race and on Propositions 19 and 23 from Robert Greene, who heads up the endorsement process for the Times' editorial board.

Entertainment reporter Amy Kaufman takes us inside the upcoming movie about the first friends of Facebook, "The Social Network." She spent time with Jesse Eisenberg, who portrays Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg.

Columnist Steve Lopez ponders how likely charges are to stick in the scandal in the city of Bell. And data team editor Megan Garvey gives listeners an audio preview to a feature coming to Latimes.com on Sept. 29

Every so often, the Los Angeles Times revisits stories that have faded like the newsprint that once heralded urgent national headlines. One such story is that of the 1984 disappearance of Laura Bradbury. Reporter Kurt Streeter connects with the Bradbury family and recaptures the heartbreaking emotion and journey the family has undergone over the last 26 years.

This edition of the Pacific Time podcast checks in with state politics editor and writer Cathleen Decker for an update on California's gubernatorial race. She gives a round-up and preview of what's to come before the November election.

As the sunny summer days give way to evenings that stretch ever longer, autumn brings a number of new titles to real and virtual bookshelves to fill them. Times Book Critic David Ulin highlights a few titles he's looking forward to leafing through. Alison Kornberg, assistant editor at LA Los Angeles Times Magazine, is planning a wedding. Actually, you're planning her wedding, from the date to the dress and everything in between. It's "nuptials by committee."

Shortly after President Obama wrapped up his speech Wednesday assailing GOP leaders and outlining the administration's economic proposals to prop up the ailing economy, Doyle McManus, The Times' Washington-based Op-Ed columnist, delivered a quick assessment of the president's remarks, focusing primarily on politics.

As the nation prepares to honor its working population on Monday, the unemployment rate continues to edge upward. Reporter Alana Semuels explores in Sunday's paper the who, why and how to make ends meet and the what next among several people who have been out of work long-term.

We hear from reporters Jason Felch and Jason Song on what data from the LAUSD revealed about teaching success and failure in Los Angeles, why they embarked on the project and how parents can use the database, which will be made public early next week. In Sacramento, there's a flurry of activity as the legislative session comes to a close early next week. Bureau chief Evan Halper talks us through some of what's going on in our state Capitol.

Sacramento bureau chief Evan Halper talks about questions being raised about CalPERS in light of its inaction on exorbitant Bell salaries when the pension system found out about them four years ago. Christopher Goffard offers his account of covering, over the last two years, a Los Angeles County program aimed at helping the 50 most vulnerable people on downtown L.A.'s skid row. And senior photo editor Alan Hagman talks about the role of photojournalism at The Times.