Today on AirTalk, we check in on the latest from the attempted coup in Venezuela and zoom out on the political context that brought us here. We also remember John Singleton’s career as a filmmaker and the impact that his work and life had on Hollywood; and more.
‘Operation Freedom’: the latest from the attempted coup in Venezuela
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky attempt to lead a military uprising and oust socialist leader Nicolas Maduro.
The early-morning rebellion seems to have only limited military support. But it was by far the most-serious challenge yet to Maduro’s rule since Guaidó, with the backing of the U.S., declared himself the country’s interim president in January in rejection of a government he accused of “usurping” power.
The dramatic events began early Tuesday when Guaidó, flanked by a few dozen national guardsmen and some armored vehicles, released a three-minute video filmed near a Caracas air base in which he called on civilians and others in the armed forces to join a final push to topple Maduro.
We check in on the latest and zoom out on the political context that brought us here.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Nick Casey, Andes Bureau Chief at The New York Times, where he covers most countries in South America including Venezuela; he tweets
Miguel Tinker Salas, professor of Latin American History and Chicano Latino studies at Pomona College; his expertise includes culture and politics in Venezuela; author of three books on Venezuela, including, “Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know” (Oxford University Press, 2015); he tweets
Brace for impact: What JPL scientists are learning from a simulation of an asteroid crashing into the planet
Michael Bay’s 1998 film “Armageddon,” about humanity’s attempt to save itself from an asteroid the size of Texas that’s on a collision course with Earth, might have seemed like a far-fetched concept to some, but for the attendees of the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference in College Park, Maryland this week, a massive asteroid strike on our planet is anything but a Hollywood plot device.
Every other year since 2013, the conference held by The International Academy of Astronautics has held a hypothetical near-earth object (NEO) impact event. This time, experts will pretend that an asteroid from 300 to 1,000 feet across was spotted about 35 million miles away from earth and has about a 1 percent chance of striking our planet in 2027.
Though NEO experts say an event like this is very unlikely, and though the eight years until the potential strike might seem like a long time to prepare, they add that the timeline does present a challenge, as NASA would likely want to conduct several missions to the pretend asteroid to gather data. They would also have to make choices regarding whether the asteroid could potentially be redirected by a spacecraft or destroyed with a nuclear weapon, and if not, how to get as many people as possible in the strike zone to safety.
What exactly goes into preparation for an asteroid impact? What will experts be studying as they conduct the drill? Is the Earth in danger of being in the path of an asteroid strike any time soon? Is there anything the humble people of Earth can do to prepare for a catastrophic event such as this?
Guests:
Marina Brozovic, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who works on radar observations of near-Earth objects (NEOs); she co-chaired a session on near-earth objects this morning at the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference in College Park, Maryland
Davide Farnocchia, an astronomer at JPL's Center for Near Earth Objects Studies (CNEOS), who co-chaired a session on near-earth objects this morning at the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference in College Park, Maryland
Number of female electricians, plumbers and mechanics reaches 25 year high
Women are increasingly taking jobs in the blue-collar fields that have long been male-dominated.
More and more women are being employed as construction laborers, truck drivers, police officers, security guards and more. According to the Labor Department, 43% more women worked in transportation and material moving last year than in 2000. Women employed in construction increased 23% and the amount of women working in protective service jobs increased to more than 40% since 2000.
So why are more women showing up in the blue-collar workforce? Two economy reporters at the Wall Street Journal say this trend is being driven by broadened recruitment efforts, more women on the job and better wages, among other factors.
If you’re a woman working a blue-collar job, what’s your experience been like? What about the job appealed to you? And have you noticed any obstacles? Weigh in and call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Sarah Chaney, economy reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who wrote the piece “Women Wanted: Blue-Collar Fields Find New Workforce”; she tweets
Gad Levanon, chief economist at The Conference Board, the nonprofit research firm that contributed data to the WSJ piece; his research focuses on the economy and trends in U.S.
‘Boyz n the Hood’ director John Singleton, first African-American nominated for a directing Oscar, passes away at 51
Director John Singleton passed away on Monday after his family removed him from life support following a stroke that he suffered in mid-April.
The 51-year-old was the first African-American to earn an Oscar nomination for best director, which he received in 1991 for his film “Boyz n the Hood.” At age 24, he was also the youngest to ever earn an Oscar nomination for directing.
Singleton grew up in South-Central Los Angeles and attended film school at USC, where he parlayed his student thesis into the screenplay that would eventually become “Boyz n the Hood.” Singleton also directed the 1993 film “Poetic Justice, the 2000 remake of “Shaft” starring Samuel L. Jackson, and the second installment of the Fast and Furious series “2 Fast 2 Furious.” He had originally signed on to direct the Tupac Shakur biopic “All Eyez on Me,” but ended up leaving the project due to creative differences. Singleton was also a champion for black filmmakers, and spoke publicly about the need for more inclusion of directors of color.
Today on AirTalk, we remember John Singleton’s career as a filmmaker and the impact that his work and life had on Hollywood and the millions who loved his work.
Guests:
Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com; he tweets
Craig Brewer, director of “Hustle & Flow” and “Black Snake Moan”; both films were produced by Singleton; he tweets
Steve Nicolaides, film producer and longtime friend of John Singleton; he produced several of Singleton’s films, including “Boyz N the Hood,” “Poetic Justice,” and “Shaft”
Why some nations might recover from trauma more than others, and where America fits in
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and UCLA professor Jared Diamond has a final book for his trilogy on the rise and fall of civilizations: “Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis.”
Following “Guns, Germs, and Steel” and “Collapse,” Diamond reveals a new theory on how some countries were able to recover from widespread trauma while others did not. He explains that successful nations may have overcome crises through a process of “selective change” — a coping mechanism more commonly associated with personal trauma.
From Chile’s democratic downfall towards dictatorship, to the Soviet invasion of Finland, Diamond adds a psychological dimension to his historical research, along with a forecast of where the United States might be heading.
Host Larry Mantle speaks with Diamond about the making of his book and the most pressing global issues he sees in our world.
Jared Diamond will discuss his new book, “Upheaval” on Thursday, May 16 at 8pm, at the Aratani Theatre of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Downtown LA. For info, click here
Guest:
Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of many books including his latest, “Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis”