During his official trip to Asia, Rex Tillerson has said all options are on the table in terms of dealing with a nuclear threat from North Korea - how serious is that threat? Why are we unprepared?; ex-convicts want their felonies off job applications; plus, we discuss the latest films and the coming barrage of Disney live-action remakes.
Weighing Tillerson’s N. Korea comments and the reality of the country’s nuclear program
North Korea has emerged as a major issue during Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s first official trip to Asia this week. At a press conference in Seoul, Tillerson said all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with North Korea and its rising nuclear capability, including the use of military force.
"Certainly, we do not want things to get to a military conflict ... but obviously, if North Korea takes actions that threatens the South Korean forces or our own forces, then that would be met with an appropriate response,” Tillerson said in response to a question.
Tillerson also rejected the idea of negotiating with North Korea. The country’s nuclear threats that gained traction during the Obama Administration are coming to the fore. As reported by the New York Times, North Korea successfully launched three medium-range rockets, all in less than a year. And that country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is also boasting final preparations for an intercontinental missile test.
So how prepared is the U.S. to take on a nuclear threat? When testing interceptors in California and Alaska, results came back with a failure rate of 56 percent. So what’s left us so unprepared? And what tactics are in the works to protect the country from North Korea’s growing nuclear power?
Guests:
Sung Yoon Lee, an expert on the Koreas and professor in Korean Studies at Tufts University
William J. Broad, science journalist and senior writer at the New York Times. He co-authored the article, “Trump Inherits a Secret Cyberwar Against North Korean Missiles”
Debating the expansion of ‘ban the box’ to California’s private sector
California is considering whether to completely remove the box on job applications that asks prospective employees whether they’ve been convicted of a felony.
The so-called ‘ban the box’ movement has already been implemented in nine states and 15 cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the proposal from Sacramento Democratic Assemblyman Kevin McCarty would expand that statewide, requiring that employers make a conditional offer before inquiring about a prospective employee’s criminal record.
Supporters argue that more widespread ‘ban the box’ policies will reduce recidivism, because if it’s easier for an ex-con to get work after being released, there’s less of a chance that person will return to crime. Opponents say that there could be unintended consequences from expanded ‘ban the box’ policies, including but not limited to racial discrimination. They also argue it doesn’t do much to assuage employers’ concerns about hiring someone with a conviction on his or her record.
Guests:
Dorsey Nunn, executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, an organization advocating for rights of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated; he’s also the co-founder of its ‘All of Us or None’ campaign, which advocates ‘ban the box’ policies and implementation
Benjamin Hansen, associate professor of economics at the University of Oregon
FilmWeek: ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘The Belko Experiment’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Wade Major and Lael Lowenstein review this weekend’s new movie releases including:
- "Beauty and the Beast" in wide release
- "The Belko Experiment" in wide release
- "T2 Trainspotting" at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark
- "Song to Song" at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark
- "Mean Dreams" at AMC Universal Citywalk Stadium
- "All Nighter" at Sundance Sunset Cinema
- "The Settlers" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
- "The Last Laugh" at Laemmle's Music Hall and Laemmle's Town Center
- "After the Storm" at Laemmle's Playhouse, Laemmle's Royal Theatre and Laemmle's Town Center
- "Suntan" at Laemmle's Royal Theatre
- "Betting on Zero" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center and Downtown Independent Theater
Critics' Hits
Wade: "Song to Song"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9t4SKWryWM
Lael: "T2 Trainspotting"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsozpEE543w
Mixed Feelings
Wade & Lael: "Beauty and the Beast"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Nl_TCQXuw
Misses!
Wade: "The Belko Experiment"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZNfwayNLL0
Lael: "Song to Song"
Guests:
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com
Lael Loewenstein, KPCC film critic
Beyond ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ imagining the limits of live action musicals
Disney's live action adaptation of its animated classic “Beauty and the Beast” opens today.
It’s the latest in a spate of live action musicals cropping up in recent years, from “Into the Woods,” to NBC’s live adaptation and airing of “Peter Pan.” Disney plans similar treatments of “Mulan” and “Mary Poppins,” with the likes of “Hamilton” creator Lin Manuel Miranda.
Adding in this year’s hype of “La La Land” on the silver screen, are we experiencing a renaissance for the live action musical? What have been your favorites? Which ones really missed the mark? Which genres would you like to see live action musical stretch into?
Guests:
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com
Lael Loewenstein, KPCC film critic