New details may explain why U.S. officials were so confident in blaming North Korea for the Sony hack. How Evangelical churches are changing their thoughts toward gay marriage. Plus, new photos give us a fresh look at the dwarf planet, Ceres.
Why the US continues to claim that North Korea is behind the Sony hack
Many computer security experts have called into question the United States's claim that North Korea was behind the Sony hack in November.
But new details may explain why U.S. officials have been so steadfast in blaming the Asian country.
"This attack was notable because it actually destroyed hard drives and servers at Sony," said David Sanger, the New York Times national security correspondent, who has been writing about the hack. He is also the author of Confront and Conceal: Obama's Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power.
The U.S. has been exploring North Korea's cyber program since 2010, Sanger says, a program that itself dates back to the early 1990s.
"At some point North Korean generals came to the conclusion, after sending some of their younger hackers off to China, that this could also be used as a weapon, and so they began to do what the United States, Russia, China and Iran have done, which is develop a pretty good-sized cyber arsenal," said Sanger.
More churches opening their pews for LGBT people
While the Supreme Court will once again take up the question of whether gay marriage is legal, it's just the latest chapter in how rapidly the whole country is changing its attitudes to LGBT people.
That cultural shift is playing out in religion, too.
Just a few years ago, many evangelical churches might have dismissed and excommunicated their LGBT congregants.
However Time magazine's Elizabeth Dias reports that more communities of faith are moving to accept LGBT people in their ranks.
Tuesday Reviewsday: Jazmine Sullivan, N.E.R.D. and more
Music supervisor
and
from Soul-Sides join Alex Cohen in the studio this week for Tuesday Reviewsday our weekly new music segment.
Morgan Rhodes
Artist:
Album: "Reality Show"
Songs: "#HoodLove," "Forever Don't Last"
Notes: As reconnaissance missions go, R&B/soul is batting two for two at the moment. We have found D'Angelo and Jazmine Sullivan has returned. Her brand new album (her third) is just what her fans were waiting for. It's been four years since she tweeted her intention to step away from her career for a while, but she is back and has brought that beautiful voice with her. The word that comes to mind is RANGE. She can hover in an upper register and give you husky alto and move up and down that scale effortlessly. In gospel circles they call that "flat footed singing" - means you don't need gimmicks or anything - you just stand still and blow. The daughter of a former backup singer for Philadelphia International sound, she was signed to a record label at 15 because of a prodigious talent, recorded with Missy and Timbaland, had some breakout singles, most notably "Lion Tigers Bears" and "I'm in Love With Another Man." This album is consistent lyrically - as most of her songs are about relationships - complicated relationships, turbulent relationships. Where she signs is in her acoustic performances. Google Jazmine Sullivan and you'll find a number of those. She is extraordinarily gifted.
Artist:
Album: "Yesterday's Tomorrow"
Songs: "Take A Chance," "End Of The Night"
Notes: Whether you think of them as a band or a rap group, there are elements of jazz and rap in a lot of what they do, but they are certainly experimental. This East Coast group has built a small following over the last two or three years on the strength of three projects. But it was a song called, "If I was A Chair" that led me to them. Heretofore their releases have had a very live recording sound - this release is a bit of departure from that sonically and stylistically. This is very N.E.R.D. - "Perfect Defect" and it works. Introspective and mature, I like it.
Artist: The Pluto Moons
Album: "E$pooky"
Song: "$pooky"
Notes: Punk, soul and ska converge on this trio from New York by way of Boston. They're a recent band camp discovery of mine.
Oliver Wang
Artist: N.E.R.D.
Album: " Spongebob Square Pants OST"
Song: "Squeeze Me"
Notes: While we've all been living through the era of Pharrell's uber-dominance, it's been a long time since we've heard him working with his Neptunes partner Chad Hugo and finally, they're back together for this new song off the Spongebob Square Pants soundtrack. Admittedly, "Squeeze Me," feels really disposable; I mean, it makes "Happy" sound like something off of Revolver by comparison, BUT it does feature some classic Neptunes-style production in terms of those big synth chords. Especially as Pharrell's been on some disco-revival tip for the last couple of years, I like hearing him and Chad Hugo revisiting the kind of sound that put those two guys on the map to begin with, back in the early '00s. I hope this isn't a one-off thing.
Artist: Meghan Trainor
Album: "Title"
Songs: "Close Your Eyes," "Bang Dem Sticks"
Notes: I think it's fascinating how early '60s R&B never seems too far from the pop present. Obviously, in 2014, you saw that with Meghan Trainor's "All About that Bass," and now that her new album, just titled, um, "Title", is out, her and her producer Kevin Kadish have clearly double downed with a particular retro-formula. That's not across the entire album but a few key songs definitely riff on Motown and Phil Spector-era girl group styles, perhaps none more so than the ballad "Close Your Eyes." It opens like a country song before slipping into a familiar, finger-snapping groove. All this needs is some background singers singing "shoobeedoowwop." This all said, Title sounds like a hodgepodge of any number of big pop motifs, from Nashville concert halls to Hollywood night clubs. Trainer was one of the big breakout acts of 2014 but personally, I think she has yet to fit a clear identity for who she is. Right now, it just feels like she's interchangeable with any number of other pop acts, from Taylor Swift to Ariana Grande. (Cue Bang Dem Sticks if we have time)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLbqQSrOS7c
Artist:
w/ Kendrick Lamar
Song: "Heaven Help Dem"
Notes: Just in the past week, L.A. rapper Kendrick Lamar has been widely criticized for a series of underbaked comments he made regarding the death of Ferguson's Michael Brown. And as if by magic, here we have an unambiguously anti-police brutality song being released by Montreal's Jonathan Emile featuring a guest verse by … Kendrick Lamar. I'm sure it's just a coincidence in timing but it's notable nonetheless. While that backstory may threaten to overshadow Emile's song, it may also help boost his profile. I don't know how many people remember that this Canadian rapper/singer was nominated for a "Best Rap Album" grammy in 2011 so whatever controversy there is around Kendrick might prove the old adage of "all publicity is good publicity."
Rural Mexicans build DIY cell networks out of scrap
As connected as we are in Los Angeles, there are plenty of places in the world without things like cellphone reception. Take, for example, rural parts of Oaxaca, Mexico, where not having cell reception is a reality.
But some entrepreneurs are trying to change that. They're installing their own cell networks in places that have been ignored by telecom companies. Lizzie Wade recently wrote about this for Wired and she joins A Martinez with more from Mexico City.
Working women find US maternity leave system sorely lacking
In his State of the Union address tonight, President Obama will call on Congress, states and cities to pass measures requiring paid sick leave for parents and other employees.
Last week he signed a presidential memorandum directing government agencies to give federal workers up to six weeks of advance paid sick leave to care for a new child. But for the rest of us, paid parental leave doesn't exist in the United States except for in a handful of states.
Reporter Claire Suddath investigates the state of the U.S. maternity leave system in the current issue of Bloomberg Businessweek and joins Take Two to discuss.
NASA releases new Ceres photo, animation
NASA has released a new image of the mysterious dwarf planet, Ceres.
The photo and animation come from Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Dawn spacecraft on its final approach of a historic exploration over seven years in the making.
Dr. Marc Rayman, Dawn's chief engineer and mission director at JPL, has more on this mission.
OR-7 is a lone wolf no more, may have new competition
OR-7 became famous as a lone wolf, with scientists tracking him across Oregon and California as he wandered thousands of miles.
Now, he's got a mate, and he's a father of pups. The former lone wolf is now the leader of his own pack.
He may also have some new competition: A new wolf has been spotted in OR-7's territory.
For more on all of these developments, we turn to John Stephenson, a biologist who focuses on wolves for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oregon.
Do we still need a State of the Union address?
President Obama will head to Capitol Hill to give his State of the Union address tonight and lay out his proposals for the home stretch of his presidency.
But the White House has been releasing information about the President's proposals for weeks now, including free community college, tax hikes for the wealthy and paid sick leave.
So do we even need a State of the Union address anymore?
Washington Post political reporter Philip Bump joins Take Two to discuss the history of the State of the Union address, whether it's outgrown its original purpose, and why the tradition continues.
Ryan Bingham on his new album 'Fear and Saturday Night'
These days there is a whole lot competing for our attention. The constant draw of text messages, emails, social media. To help focus a bit more clearly on his music, singer and songwriter Ryan Bingham decided to get away from it all. He stole away in an airstream trailer in the mountains of California with no phone, no friends, no electricity even.
The result?
A new album titled, "Fear and Saturday Night."
Ryan Bingham joins Alex Cohen in studio to talk about the new album, how dark family experiences helped shape his music and the importance of quiet reflection and getting away from it all.
In addition to the conversation, Ryan also takes the time to perform two new songs off his album, "Broken Heart Tattoos" and "Gun Fightin Man," and the first song that he ever learned on guitar, a traditional mariachi song titled, "La Malaguena." Check those out on the left hand side of the page.