These midterm elections we are seeing the most diverse group of candidates to ever run for public office. We examine how ethnicity and gender factor into the way people vote. We also discuss a new study that says stress can lead to brain shrinkage and memory loss; review this weekend’s new movie releases; and more.
Diverse candidates and the midterms: Do ethnicity and gender factor into the way people vote?
These midterm elections we are seeing the most diverse group of candidates to ever run for public office.
This diversity can be seen nationwide and across the board, from positions in the House and Senate to city council and school boards. These groups include Asian Americans, Latinos, Muslims, African Americans, among others. Vermont, for instance, could appoint its first openly transgender governor. While Georgia could see its first black woman governor.
Some voters do their homework, read up on candidates and base their decision on policy preference. The assumption is that informed voters are likely to vote for politicians that represent their viewpoint. But does policy and ideology always the major factor that contribute to one's voting decision? We examine how ethnicity and gender factor into the way people vote. We look into how some groups tend to vote for those who share their ethnicity. And does it differ from one generation to the other.
Guest:
Fernando Guerra, professor of Political Science and Chicana/o Latina/o Studies and Director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University
Fernando Guerra is a member of the KPCC Board of Trustees.
Deadly incidents raise concerns over the use of Tasers as alternatives to firearms
In the past 10 months, three men have died when they were Tasered by police officers in San Francisco’s San Mateo County.
Now, the families of two of the men want officials to suspend the use of Tasers until the police department reviews its “non-lethal” weapons policy. Early last month, 36-year-old Chinedu Okobi died after he was Tasered by sheriff’s deputies in the county. Following Okobi’s death, the nonprofit American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a public records request for the county sheriff’s use-of-force and stun gun policies.
The incident is raising concerns over the use of Tasers as alternatives to firearms. Law enforcement officials are now reconsidering the value of the electric-shock weapon. Meanwhile, ACLU argues that these weapons can, in fact, be lethal. Critics argue that officers who believe that these are non-lethal alternatives tend to overuse these weapons. They say the availability of such weapons can encourage officers to use them earlier in a confrontation rather than turning to more peaceful tactics.
Do Tasers help de-escalate a confrontation? What are the risks of using Tasers in comparison to other “non-lethal” weapons? We discuss.
Guests:
Robert Harris, director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the labor union for LAPD officers
Michael Gennaco, principal at the OIR Group that provides consulting services to communities and law enforcement agencies; former chief attorney of the Office of Independent Review for LA County, who provided oversight of the LA County Sheriff’s Department
Take a chill pill, doctor’s orders: Study says stress can lead to brain shrinkage, memory loss
If you need another reminder to chill out and take it easy, here it is.
According to a study published this week in the medical journal “Neurology,” higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol before the age of 50, can lead to memory loss and brain shrinkage. Cortisol is key in the body’s fight or flight response, and it puts the body on high alert by turning off body functions that might be an obstacle to survival. That means long periods of stress can mean bad news for the brain. People who had high cortisol levels in the study also had smaller cerebrums, as well as damage in part of their brains that serve as a highway for information.
We dive into the study with its author, Dr. Sudha Seshadri and Keith Fargo of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Guests:
Sudha Seshadri, M.D., author of the study “Circulating cortisol and cognitive and structural brain measures” which was published in the medical journal “Neurology”; she is a professor of neurology and the founding director of the Institute for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio; she tweets
Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association, a voluntary health association
FilmWeek: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Lael Loewenstein and Justin Chang review this weekend’s new movie releases.
- "Bohemian Rhapsody" in wide release
- "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" in wide release
- "Boy Erased" at the Arclight Hollywood & The Landmark
- The Frame host John Horn interviewed "Boy Erased" writer/director/co-star Joel Edgerton and Garrard Conley author of the memoir on which the film is based. You can listen to that interview here
- "Burning" at Laemmle's Royal Theater & Arclight Hollywood
- "Nobody's Fool" in wide release
- "The Other Side of the Wind" at Laemmle's NoHo & streaming on Netflix
- "They'll Love Me When I'm Dead" at Laemmle's Music Hall & streaming on Netflix
- "Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" at Laemmle's Glendale
- "Monrovia, Indiana" at Laemmle's Music Hall
- "In Search of Greatness" at AMC Century City & Arclight Sherman Oaks
- "Bodied" at AMC Burbank
- "A Private War" at Arclight Hollywood & The Landmark
- "The Grief Of Others" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
- "The Front Runner" at The Landmark
- "Foreign Land" at Laemmle's Town Center
Critics' Hits:
Lael:"Bohemian Rhapsody", "They'll Love Me When I'm Dead", "Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" & "In Search of Greatness"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP0VHJYFOAU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_kOsnGzfYY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjBqgh1N01g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-B9CVCcLrM
Justin: "Burning", "The Other Side of the Wind", "Monrovia, Indiana", "Bodied" & "The Grief of Others"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oihHs2Errwk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMWHBUTHmf0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xddh70XyDTw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUry7CpMpCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRopKdb9YuY
Mixed Feelings:
Lael:"Boy Erased"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B71eyB_Onw
Justin: "The Front Runner"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAOYDcnVx6E
Misses:
Lael: "A Private War"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTf0Lc5YAcc
Justin: "Nutcracker and the Four Realms"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXfxLIuNJvw
Guests:
Lael Loewenstein, KPCC film critic; she tweets
Justin Chang, film critic for KPCC and the Los Angeles Times; he tweets