San Diego Bob Filner asks the city to pay his legal bills, even while two recall efforts against him launch this week. Then, big-name GOP donors send a letter urging Congress to back immigration bill; Home buyers use aggressive tactics to snag a dream home; California rehab centers commit fraud for state funding; 'Robert Williams Mr. Bitchin': How one low brow artist changed the art world, and much more.
Two recall efforts underway against San Diego Mayor Bob Filner
San Diego and the latest in the ongoing saga of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner.
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has been fighting accusations of sexual harassment made by several of his former colleagues, and now he's asking the city to pick up the tab for his legal fees.
Meanwhile, two separate recall efforts have been launched this week. For the latest we're joined now by Sandyah Dirks, metro reporter for KPBS.
GOP donors send letter urging Congress to back immigration bill
In Washington, efforts to overhaul the country's immigration laws have stalled in the House.
Today, a coalition of high profile GOP donors sent a letter to Republican lawmakers urging them to back immigration reform.
Former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez — who founded the Super PAC "Republicans for Immigration Reform" — is leading the charge. The New York Times reported on it this morning and with more we're joined by their reporter Ashley Parker.
Report: California rehab centers commit fraud for state funding
Rehab centers are supposed to be places where those struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol can get help. A new report from CNN and the Center for Investigative Reporting, however, finds several unsettling instances of fraud at rehab centers.
These centers assign diagnoses for patients that don't actually have any addiction issues, invent 'ghost patients' that don't actually exist yet bring funding to the clinic to treat these 'patients', and lure healthy people to the center while trying to convince the patients that they need treatment even if they do not.
Many of these centers are located in Southern California, and received over $94 million in state funding the last two years. Will Evans of The Center for Investigative Reporting is reporting on the story, and joins the show with more.
Researchers call for change to meaning of 'cancer'
Experts from the National Cancer Institute are calling on doctors across the country to redefine the meaning of the word cancer.
They suggest that some illnesses that include the word carcinoma or tumors previously described as cancerous should be renamed. The hope is that by changing how we label certain illnesses, doctors can keep patients from excessive treatment options.
Dr. Catherine Dang, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the associate director of the Wasserman Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program, joins the show to explain.
Alex Rodriguez facing suspension from MLB, but for how long?
The link between steroids and baseball is reaching a heightened tension, as reports emerge that Major League Baseball is looking to punish New York Yankees slugger Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez for his involvement in a Biogenesis clinic that distributed steroids.
The MLB is seeking to not follow the drug agreement between players and owners in determining Rodriguez's punishment, but instead base it on his alleged violation of baseball's collective bargaining agreement.
Rodriguez still has over $100 million in salary left on his contract, not to mention he has a legitimate chance of overtaking Barry Bonds to become the MLB's all-time leader in home runs. But for now, he and the MLB seem to be playing a game of chicken, with lawyers on both sides ready to spring if a decision is reached.
For more on the ongoing issue we're joined by Kevin Baxter from the Los Angeles Times.
Medical marijuana dispensaries organize opposition to legalizing pot
It's odd. Ironic even. But groups representing medical marijuana businesses are lobbying against laws that would make the recreational use of marijuana legal.
18 states now allow the medical use of marijuana. And it's become a big business, bringing in as much as one billion dollars a year in revenue.
Many medical marijuana operations see legalization as a threat to their livelihood. But legalization fans dispute that.
Byron Tau has been following this story for Politico, and he says dispensary businesses opposing legalization are teaming up with some unlikely political partners.
Tuesday Reviewsday: Rabbit Rabbit, Maracatu New York and Dumpstaphunk
It's time for Tuesday Reviewsday our weekly new music segment. This week we're joined by music critic Steve Hochman
Artist: Rabbit Rabbit
Album: “Radio Vol. 1”
Songs: “The Curious One,” “In the Dead of Night”
Hard to find any one part of Carla Kihlstedt’s career that would be typical. Hard to find any one album. Heck, in the case of Rabbit Rabbit, it’s hard to find even a moment within any song.
She’s been with the eclectic Tin Hat chamber-jazz-classical-pop crossover outfit, odd-rock Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum, played challenging art-music and done sessions ranging from Tom Waits to Tommy Lee. "Rabbit Rabbit" is her and husband Matthias Bossi, who’s been in several projects with her before. This album brings together songs they originally posted monthly via a subscription service on their website.
The first song, “The Curious One” is case in point, the section we played being just one of maybe half a dozen very different approaches that flow together, compellingly. From their web site: “Rabbit Rabbit Radio is independent music in a digital world made smart and sexy for nerds and aficionados like you.”
By the way, Rabbit Rabbit is an old tradition of what you’re supposed to say first thing on the first of each month, so hence the monthly subscription program.
Artist: Maracatu New York
Album: “Baque do Brooklyn”
Song: “Roda Baiana”
Maybe the coolest music trend in trendy Brooklyn in recent years has been an explosion of brass and percussion bands, or parade music. Maracatu is a style of ritual and carnival music from Northeastern Brazil, some of it, such as the song “Roda Baiana,” that kind of brass-and-drums celebration.
Elsewhere on the album there are some other sounds drawing on those traditions, including some with fiddles and plucked rural instruments. The one mis-step is what purports to be a Brazilianized version of Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away,” which really sounds just like a so-so rock band. Too bad they didn’t do that with the full brass ensemble!
Artist: Dumpstaphunk
Album: “Dirty Word”
Songs: “I Know You Know” and “I Wish You Would”
Dumpstaphunk is organist and singer Ivan Neville, son of Aaron. Ivan also played for years in Keith Richards’ sometimes side project the X-Pensive Winos as well as with his dad and uncles in the Neville Brothers.
In its decade, Dumpstaphunk has grown far beyond merely being the Nevilles: the Next Generation of New Orleans music royalty. Yes, the legacy is strong, and New Orleans is definitely a major presence, but they reach beyond to the whole world of funk. You’ll hear things mindful of Sly and the Family Stone, Rufus, and Prince. Ivan’s grown into a forceful leader, and the band added a new power with drummer Nikki Glaspie’s vocals often front and center in the mix.
Is 'house flipping' a boon or a warning sign?
As the economy boomed in the early 2000s, so did the housing market and the buy-low, sell-high trend of house flipping. But after the recession in 2008, the housing market flopped, and some analysts said that house flipping was a sign that the residential market crash was inevitable.
The market might appear to have returned. The number of homes turned around in Southern California this past May almost reached the record high number from 2005.
Is this is a sign of economic recovery, or just a precursor to the market being ruined once again?
Raphael Bostic is a professor of public policy at USC and a former assistant secretary at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and joins Take Two to explain.
Home buyers use aggressive tactics to snag a dream home
The cutthroat housing market has some prospective home-buyers going to great lengths to buy property.
A new Trulia survey shows that more and more would-be buyers are trying to get a leg up on the competition by writing a letter to the homeowner or borrowing money from friends and family — to name a few examples.
In addition, the group found to be more aggressive about home buying are millennials.
'Robert Williams Mr. Bitchin': How one low brow artist changed the art world
You may not have heard of Robert Williams, but you've likely seen his "Low Brow" art aesthetic. He's the man behind the controversial album art that was once supposed to be used by Guns 'N Roses on their "Appetite for Destruction" record.
Williams, who has been making art in southern California for the past 50 years, paints complicated images and explores all sorts of themes, from hot rods and carnival culture to man's greed and the idea of a fifth dimension.
Now Williams is the subject of a documentary called "Robert Williams Mr. Bitchin'" which recently won Best Documentary at Comic-Con.
Robert Williams joins Take Two to talk about his controversial art, his career and what he thinks about the current art scene in California.
Interview Highlights:
Why is California such an epicenter for ground-breaking and new forms of art:
"On an academic level, New York developed a European sophistication after the Second World War. All the large cities over the United States emulated New York for their municipal museums and sophistication. California failed, and created a whole new opportunity for people with imagination. They began developing their art culture in the '50s, and in the interim a lot of sub-arts started developing.
"You had Hot-Rod culture, surfer culture, you had underground comics and rock movie posters. In 1946, the art community had taken up with abstract expressionism and conceptualism and minimalism, which really cut out the ability for draftsmanship and craftsmanship. So you had a lot of talented people who were not comfortable in the art world who wanted to express themselves, so they found these sub-arts to go into."
What is your creative process for making art:
"I sit down and come up with 10 or 15 ideas. Eight of them are useless ideas, but they express some sort of thought. I cull out what seems to be useful in there, and go back to what I did 10 days ago, eight months ago, five years ago, and see if these have any harmony or rhythm with what I just thought up. I go through a lot of stuff that has to be thrown out or segregated or isn't politically correct or doesn't work with the color scheme.
"It's a matter of having a whole lot of notes I've written down, and referencing back over the years to find out what would be poetic. My premise for imagination is to hook the onlooker on looking into the picture, whether he likes it or not. And if he gets his interest stimulated, he'll look for another picture you've done."
On his controversial Guns N' Roses "Appetite for Destruction" album cover:
"Women are beautiful, and the image of women is the foundation of the concept of beauty. Is there questions of nudity in my picture? Yes. There's a cheapness and an expediency in my picture. I'm a fellow who's not big on big breasts, but I render big-breasted women because they're 'easy-read'. Because nincompoops can read them quick.
"I'm doing this in the wrong period of history. I've had so many feminists that disagree with me. I've had death threats out of Minnesota, I could be battered down and caved in, but I've had a large number of women come to my defense about this, so I rest my case."
On the creation of Juxtapoz Magazine:
"In 1994, there were enough artists like myself that me and some friends developed the magazine, because none of the art magazines would show interesting art. All the art magazines were long, drawn-out written theses on art, and they were boring. Art forum, Art News, Art in America, they just were dry. They needed a magazine that had something on the artists, the art featured prominently, and where you could enjoy the art. Within 10 or 12 years, Juxtapoz Magazine was the number-one selling art magazine in the world, so it has an audience and if nothing else, my existence here has been some aid."
On 'low-brow' art today:
"Every art movement started out on the bottom and worked its way to the top. Conceptualism started out 100 years ago as Dada, a sloppy, goofy form of art for psychopaths. Now it dominates the world. The bottom always comes up from the top. The young people have picked up the situation, and water will find its own level... There's always going to be a heavy conservative tone on the arts, but underneath it is a storm. This storm is brewing heavy and fast, and when it busts open, all the people that tried to hold it down are claiming they're a part of it."
Bradley Manning acquitted of 'aiding the enemy' charge
Today, former Private Bradley Manning, who was charged for leaking thousands of pages of government documents to WikiLeaks in 2010, was acquitted of his charger for 'aiding the enemy," generally considered the most serious charge he was facing.
A conviction for the charge would have given the 25-year-old Manning a life sentence in federal prison. Manning was convicted of 19 of the 21 charges brought against him, including five counts of espionage and five counts of theft.
For a look on military judge Colonel Denise Lind's ruling and how the case has shed light on national security policy in the U.S., Loyola Law School professor and former Naval officer David Glazier joins the show.
The historical connection between tech companies and the NSA
When Edward Snowden leaked documents about the National Security Agency (NSA) spying on Americans, it sent shivers through the nation's intelligence community. But there was also more than a little fear and loathing at some very well-known tech firms.
Documents revealed that household names like Microsoft, Facebook and Google regularly cooperated with the NSA, and handed over data to the spy agency.
For many, this was a startling revelation, but as Michael Hirsh reports in the current issue of National Journal, the tech companies have a long history with the NSA and other spy agencies.
Hirsh says there are some very good reasons for tech firms to curry favor with the NSA. One big one is that the agency can give a thumbs up or thumbs down on a companies ability to export certain kinds of technology.
Hirsh says some of the more thoughtful members of the tech and intelligence communities think it may have been a mistake not to be more open with the public about the need for data collection.