ronald, thank you very much for joipg us. >> thank you for having me. >>> joining me now for a look atat's coming up on kqed news is scott schaefer. hi, scott. >> hello there. >> a three-judge panel came back thursday and overturned a hearing that blocked the sale of bonds to pay for the train. what did the judges say? >> the judges reversed that lower court ruling, as you said. that judge last year said the state was proceeding with a plan that the voters didn't approve. so he blocked the sale of the bonds. now this three-judge panel ruling 3-0 allowed that to go forward. and it came at a critical time because they're just getting ready to build that first stretch between modesto a& sacramento. not so good for the governor's opponent who has been calling this the gravy train. people are turning to undergroundwater, aquifers, and there's really a lot we don't know about this water. >> there is concern we don't know how much is getting punched out, how quickly, what happens when it runs out, how fast is it being replenished. so there are issues and it not normal in terms of precipitatio

so thank you for joipg us today, david.ask commenting last but certainly not least is melanie mccalister who is head of public affairs, and she's also chair of her department, american studies, at george washington university. melanie is the author of "epic encounters, culture, media and the u.s. interests in the middle east since 1945," and she's also the co-editor with with marie griffith of "religion and politics in the contemporary united states." ira, i know you're watching like a hawk this webcast, along with at least seven other people, so we, i think, are fulfilling not only our obligation to create mentors but to a dream panel for your idea of a manuscript review. so without further ado, i'm going to hand things over to jeff and he can take it away. >> thank you, brian. it's traditional at this particular moment to say how pleased the speaker is to be here, but i have to admit that last night was the nfl draft, and i was fully expecting to be winging my way to a new city at this point, but there is also round 2 and