Wikileaks has published what it says are all the Sony Pictures materials taken in last year's massive cyberattack. That's more than 30-thousand documents and more than 173-thousand emails. Also, after 53 years, Univision is cancelling TV’s longest running variety show, ever. Then, the sounds of the English language and the way it is spoken has changed over the last 35 years and will likely change even more over the next 35.
Wikileaks makes Sony hacked files searchable, says data belongs in public domain
Wikileaks has published what it says are all the Sony Pictures materials taken in last year's massive cyberattack.
That's more than 30,000 documents and more than 173,000 emails. They include personal information and communications between employees at all levels of the company. What's been most talked about are the emails of former studio head Amy Pascal, other execs, and producer Scott Rudin. Pascal's since resigned her position.
The Justice Department tied the attack to hackers working for the North Korean government. The alleged motive was Sony's planned release of the comedy, "The Interview." It spoofs North Korean President Kim Jong-Un. The movie's wide release was cancelled and it came out instead on video on demand a smattering of screens in select cities.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said his web portal created the searchable Sony database because the materials are newsworthy and belong in the public domain.
Of course, Sony and the Motion Picture Association of America don't see it that way. A Sony spokesman said yesterday, "We vehemently disagree with Wikileaks' assertion that this material belongs in the public domain and will continue to fight for the safety, security, and privacy of our company and its more than 6-thousand employees."
What do you think? Is it ethical for Wikileaks to publish materials that were illegally obtained? If you support Wikileaks’ decision, do you think all corporations should be targeted for hacks so we can all see how they run their businesses and what their employees say to each other?
Guests:
Anita Busch, Film Editor, Deadline.com, an online publication that covers the entertainment news and the business of Hollywood
Denver Nicks, contributor to Time Magazine, author of the book, “Private: Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks, and the Biggest Exposure of Official Secrets in American History” (Chicago Review Press, 2012)
Eugene Volokh, Professor of Law at UCLA and a First Amendment expert
Remembering Sábado Gigante and what its cancellation says about Latino media trends
After 53 years, Univision is cancelling TV’s longest running variety show, ever.
A staple of many Southern California homes, where multiple generations watch "Sábado Gigante," and its host Don Francisco. We'll take your calls later with your favorite memory of the show.
Read the full story here.
Guest:
Félix Gutiérrez, former Professor of Journalism and Communication in the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism and a Professor of American Studies & Ethnicity
American accents will change by 2050: Take our quiz to ID these speakers
The sounds of the English language and the way it is spoken has changed over the last 35 years and will likely change even more over the next 35.
From colloquialisms and slang all the way down to the way we pronounce vowel sounds, you’ll find a different pattern of linguistic evolution in just about every part of the country. As part of a series on America in 2050, an article in The Week this week explores what Americans will sound like 35 years from now.
How has the English language changed in your lifetime in terms of dialect, construction, and word use? Do you see regional accents becoming more or less prevalent?
Linguists use a text called "The Rainbow Passage" to compare the sounds of different dialects and accents applied to a standard text. We asked some friends and colleagues to read this part of it:
"When the sunlight strikes raindrops in the air, they act as a prism and form a rainbow. The rainbow is a division of white light into many beautiful colors. These take the shape of a long round arch, with its path high above, and its two ends apparently beyond the horizon. There is , according to legend, a boiling pot of gold at one end. People look, but no one ever finds it. When a man looks for something beyond his reach, his friends say he is looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
We recruited some friends and colleagues from different parts of North America to read this portion of the text. Listen to each of the samples and then take our quiz to see if you can identify all four accents.
Now, see if you can pick out where each of the speakers are from:
For more on dialects and accents, and to find the full text of "The Rainbow Passage," you can visit the International Dialects of English Archive. You can also check out the piece KPCC's Take Two did back in 2013 on the California accent.
The New York Times also developed a quiz that pinpoints where you're from based on your regional dialect. Take it here.
Guest:
Charles Boberg, associate professor of linguistics at McGill University whose research focuses on language variation and change and dialectology. He’s also a co-author of the book “The Atlas of North American English.”
Filmweek: 'Child 44,' 'True Story,' 'Unfriended,' and more
Larry Mantle and film critics Henry Sheehan and Justin Change review this week’s releases, including Soviet-era thriller "Child 44," James Franco and Jonah Hill in "True Story," the wide release pictures "Unfriended" and "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2" and more. TGI-Filmweek!
Guests:
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com
Justin Chang, Chief Film Critic for Variety
Entertainment Weekly’s leading man previews the 2015 summer movie season
Blockbuster sequels will abound in the coming months.
First up for the May 1 weekend will be "Avengers: Age of Ultron" featuring the equally blockbuster cast of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and too many more to mention.
After the box office dollars roll in for the Marvel super troupe, the battle for biggest sequel will turn to "Mad Max: Fury Road," then "Jurassic World," followed by "Terminator Genisys," then "Mission Impossible."
If you're not into popcorn fare, keep an eye out for Sundance darlings including "Dope" and "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" in June and the August release of "Sleeping with Other People."
What else are you looking forward to on the silver screen, or VOD for that matter? Vote in our rankings below and add anything we missed!
Guest:
Sean Smith, Executive Editor at Entertainment Weekly; Current issue features the Summer Movie Preview