AirTalk brings you the latest on the Thomas fire, the biggest of many wildfires raging across Southern California this week. We also debate whether the infamous cryptocurrency Bitcoin is a good investment or a bubble waiting to burst as prices continue to rise; review this week’s new releases on FilmWeek; and more.
Update on Thomas fire: Over 130,000 acres burned, 10 percent contained
The Thomas Fire raging in Ventura County grew to 132,000 acres overnight, prompting new evacuations.
Mandatory evacuations were added late Thursday for parts of Fillmore, Carpinteria and Summerland, along with several unincorporated parts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Read the full article here.
Guests:
Stephanie O’Neill, Ojai resident who's been covering the Thomas fire at various outlets; she is a former KPCC reporter and lives in Ojai; she tweets
Amita Sharma, investigative reporter at KPBS; she has been following the Lilac fire; she tweets
Home Grown: When pot gets in the way of your relationship
No matter how much you love them, every significant other, family member or roommate likely comes with a habit or two you wish they would break.
When the issue is something as small as forgetting to put the toilet seat down or leaving their shoes all over the house, it could be overlooked – but what happens when the problem is their pot habit?
As 2018 approaches, California is putting the final touches on regulating the state’s newly legalized recreational marijuana industry. LA’s City Council approved a set of rules for the new businesses Wednesday, including how shops applying for licenses will be inspected and where they will be able to open within city limits. Regardless of your personal views on recreational marijuana, usage is going to become much easier and more normalized.
Have you ever been in a close relationship with someone who didn’t share your views on recreational marijuana? How did you to make your relationship work – or were your diverging opinions too much to bear?
Call us at 866.893.5722 to weigh in.
Bitcoin value has gone through the roof. Is it a good investment or a bubble waiting to burst?
The infamous cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has exploded into mainstream.
Recent market estimates value the digital currency at $16,000 – which is about $1,000 higher than it was last year.
Additionally, websites like Expedia.com – and even Microsoft – have begun accepting Bitcoin as a method of payment.
Even still, some continue to hold on to their reservations and say they expect the “Bitcoin bubble” to burst. Given its recent success, do you consider Bitcoin to be a good investment opportunity? Why or why not?
Guests:
Meltem Demirors, director of Digital Currency Group, an investment firm based in New York
John Authers, senior investment commentator at the Financial Times
FilmWeek: ‘The Shape of Water,’ ‘I, Tonya,’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig, Peter Rainer, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases.
"The Shape of Water" at ArcLight Hollywood & The Landmark
"I, Tonya" at ArcLight Hollywood & The Landmark
"The Rape of Recy Taylor" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
"Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story" at Nuart Theatre
"Foxtrot" at Laemmle's Royal
"Arthur Miller: Writer" at Laemmle's Town Center
"The Tribes of Palos Verdes" at Laemmle's Royal
"Along for the Ride" at TCL Chinese Theatre & Laemmle's NoHo
Critics' Hits
Claudia: "The Rape of Recy Taylor"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyC7yHeFVZY
Peter: "The Shape of Water"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA
Charles: "Animation Show of Shows"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQH9zrb6V9Q
Mixed Feelings
Claudia: "I, Tonya"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXZQ5DfSAAc
Peter: "Foxtrot"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTHQhMW5iIE
Charles: "Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIP-4mmzGhg
Misses
Claudia & Peter: "The Tribes of Palos Verdes"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpHUuNKN2pk
Guests:
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association; she tweets
Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and the Christian Science Monitor
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine
Actors, how do you hone your chops?
Independent acting schools and studios were once a main pipeline for talented student actors to enter the public forum, but as the film industry has evolved it has become less common for big name actors to have graduated from one of these programs.
Why have these studios’ popularity declined? And what will happen to theses acting schools and their instructors if they begin to shut down?
A recent article in the New York Times takes an in-depth look at how acting studios in New York City are struggling to compete with the rising cost of rent, increasingly prestigious acting programs at the college level, and the glut of actors who would prefer to spend what little time and money they have on audition classes rather than a studio. As one New York acting teacher put it, “My creative soul was crumbling” after she had to give up her studio space.
Though the article examines professional acting schools in New York, we can't help but wonder if a similar trend is occurring in Los Angeles. If you’re an actor who takes classes, where do you see the state of acting education? If you’re an acting teacher, how are you keeping enrollment up?
Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
David Warshofsky, director of the MFA acting program at USC and associate professor of theatre practice at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts