U.S economy adds 117,000 jobs but fears of a double dip persist. New report on the embattled City of Vernon says more reforms needed. FILM WEEK: KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan and Peter Rainer join Larry to review the week’s new film releases including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Change-Up, The Future and more. A look at the tempestuous life of legendary director Nicholas Ray.
U.S economy adds 117,000 jobs but fears of a double dip persist
After fighting for 3 ½ months over whether to raise the debt ceiling, lawmakers finally managed to strike a deal earlier this week. But that deal has not calmed financial markets or fears that we could be headed towards a double dip recession. Even a better than expected jobs report in July didn’t cut it. President Obama welcomed the report as encouraging, but says it’s not enough to make up for the over 8 million jobs lost in the recession. Yesterday the Dow Jones plummeted more than 500 points. It gained slightly this morning just after the opening bell but quickly lost that ground. Given all this economic instability, what – if anything – can Congress do to stimulate the economy and spur job growth? The President has been pushing some “bipartisan” measures in Congress including extending the payroll tax credit, passing outstanding free trade agreement and investments in infrastructure. Would these measures boost the jobs picture and economy in the U.S.? Is there any chance Congress could come together and pass spending measures? If so, how much might that spending impact the debt?
Guests:
Dean Baker, Economist and Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research
Vincent Reinhart, Economist; Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; former director of the Federal Reserve Board's Division of Monetary Affairs
Peter Coy, Bloomberg Businessweek Economics Editor
New report on the embattled City of Vernon says more reforms needed
According to a much-anticipated watchdog report released this week, the embattled city of Vernon has made some important reforms. But former state Attorney General John Van de Kamp says, “Much more needs to be done.” Van de Kamp was hired by the city of Vernon to look at its policies and procedures. His review, which began in February, is part of Vernon’s attempt to defeat AB 46, a measure being pushed by Democratic State Assembly Speaker John Perez to dissolve the city. Perez says Vernon has no Democratic government and has been controlled by a small group of individuals for decades. Several top officials have been convicted of public corruption. And one former official who pleaded guilty to corruption got a $500,000 payoff, which the city reportedly didn’t challenge. If passed, Perez’s bill would create a process to dis-incorporate any city with less than 150 residents. There’s strong opposition from Vernon’s considerable business community, which says it’s unconstitutional for the legislature to pass a bill intended to get rid of one city. They say instead, Vernon should be reformed. But can it be done? We’ll dig into the new details revealed by the new watchdog report and hear from both sides.
Guests:
Fred McFarlane, Public Information Officer for the City of Vernon
John Van de Kamp, former state Attorney General
John Vigna, Press Secretary, Office of Assembly Speaker John A. Perez
FilmWeek: Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Change-Up, The Future and more
KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan and Peter Rainer join Larry to review the week’s new film releases including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Change-Up, The Future and more. TGI-FilmWeek!
Guests:
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and henrysheehan.com Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and Christian Science Monitor
Live tweeting this week's reviews:
A look at the tempestuous life of legendary director Nicholas Ray
Jean-Luc Godard wrote: “The cinema is Nicholas Ray.” Revered by both the public and his peers, Nicholas Ray changed forever the landscape of American film making. Known for directing such classics movies as Lonely Place or Rebel Without a Cause, Ray was attracted to stories of misfits and social pariahs. In fact, Ray is one of the first directors to explore the anguish of the modern American teenager, starting a long line of movies depicting the struggles of youth. However dramatic Ray’s movie pictures were they were no match for his dark and haunted fate. Biographer Patrick McGilligan takes a deep look into his life in his new book Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of American Director. The author unveils every secret, from the director’s relationship with teenager Natalie Wood, to the story behind his marriage with Gloria Grahame (who ended up marrying Ray’s own son). Before being shunted from the movie industry in the sixties, Ray was the epitome of the famous 50’s Hollywood director. Patrick McGilligan joins Larry to discuss his new biography of a brilliant self-destructive film icon.
Guest:
Patrick McGilligan, author of Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director, Alfred Hitchcock and Oscar Micheaux