The effects of Rupert Murdoch's departure from 21st Century Fox, car buyers and financing, Homer and Marge Simpson separate after 27 years.
What Rupert Murdoch's departure from 21st Century Fox's could mean
News has surfaced that Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as 21st Century Fox CEO, handing the reigns to his son, James.
Gabe Sherman, writer from New York Magazine, spoke about the effects of this transition.
This change is part of a long term succession plan that Rupert Murdoch has to keep the business in the family. This is the capstone of the dream he has, which is to have his children replace him. This is just the latest chapter. It also won't be the last.
When asked if Murdoch's sons are cut of the same cloth:
In some ways yes, but in other ways, they are very different. James is considered center, even left. He believes in climate change and thinks of himself as a new age executive. However, he won't mess with what brings in $1 billion dollars a year, which is the FOX News Channel.
Click on the blue player above to listen to the interview.
New grocery player comes to Los Angeles
Aldi, the German discount grocery chain, has announced today that they would open a swath of new stores in the Southern California area early next year.
The no frills chain, well known in the midwest region of the US, is able to offer staples at a deep discount because they prefer to stock fewer variations of products, typically their own private label merchandise, and have far fewer workers in stores.
We learn more with Burt Flickinger III, managing director of consulting firm Strategic Resource Group.
Why Southern California is 'ground zero' for the new military veterans movement
Nearly 2 million military veterans live in California, including about 244,000 who served in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – a new, and younger generation that's driving a push for change.
"This is really ground zero for the new veterans movement," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, or IAVA, a national advocacy group, during a visit to Los Angeles. "But as we always emphasize, we think veterans are not a charity, they're an investment."
Though progress has been made on key issues – such as housing, employment and health care – much more needs to be done in order to meet the needs of veterans returning from abroad, said Rieckhoff. His group has seen the need for services nearly double in the past five years.
"We need folks to hold people accountable who are running for office and ask them not just to stand next to the American flag and people in uniform, but to provide better oversight of the VA, to push for more homelessness resources and to hold people accountable across government who fail to uphold that sacred trust," he said.
Indie music gets a choral take by the Silver Lake Chorus
What do you get when you get some of the biggest names in indie rock like Ben Gibbard, Aimee Mann and Tegan and Sara to write choral music?
You get the Silver Lake Chorus.
The 24-member music group formed in 2009 with an assortment of people in Los Angeles who loved to sing in this memorable style.
When musician and producer Ben Lee got involved, however, the group took a turn singing covers as well as brand new songs from some of the biggest indie artists like Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd from The Flaming Lips.
Choral director Mikey Wells and soprano Heather Ogilvy tell Take Two that the unique blend of modern rock with choral music resonates in unexpected ways with audiences.
The Silver Lake Chorus also hosts an album release show on Saturday, June 13th at 8pm at Pilgrim Church in Silver Lake. More info here.
State of Affairs: CA economy rebounds, state budget deadline looms
On this week's State of Affairs, California ranks as the 7th largest economy in the world, the deadline looms for the final state budget, and lawmakers propose an overhaul to Proposition 13.
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, USC Professor of the Practice of Public Policy Communication, and Katie Orr, state government reporter for Capital Public Radio, join Take Two.
The Wheel Thing: Car loans get longer and longer and longer
Not long ago, standard auto loans had terms that ran 24 or 36 months. Then finance companies began offering 48 month loans, and they proved popular. So, why not keep going?
According to AAA, fully a third of new car loans made this year have terms of at least 84 months. That's six years of monthly payments.
Why are longer loans popular? The answer is pretty simple: low monthly payments. The longer term loans allow people to buy a more expensive car than they could afford if they have to pay off the loan in two or three years.
But the downside is pretty steep. As with any loan, the longer the financing term, the more you'll pay in total. Unlike a house, which at least has the possibility of appreciating, a car's resale value drops as soon as you drive it off the lot. So, many buyers will be in for a shock if, after two or three years, they want to trade up for a new model. Like homeowners during the housing crash, they'll find themselves underwater, owing more on the car than it is worth. Caveat emptor.
BONUS: Want to get the absolute best price on a new car? Consider buying it at Costco. According to Bloomberg News, the retail "club" sold about 400,000 cars last year, usually well below the lowest price one might be able to wrestle out of a dealer. Like everything else they sell, Costco negotiates with suppliers to lower their cost. And because they have revenue from memberships, they don't need the same profit margin as an auto dealer. Don't worry - Costco won't make you buy six cars all wrapped up together in plastic. Unlike almost everything else they offer, you can buy just one.
'Streets and Beats' digs into conversation about communities, police
Officer-involved shootings have dominated news headlines for months, and each death has forced a conversation about the relationship between law enforcement officers and people of color.
NPR's Michel Martin digs deeper into this discussion on Wednesday June 24 with "Streets and Beats: Personal stories of cops and community from across L.A."
Michel Martin joined the show with more from NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Thanks to the CA drought, a Civil War vet's gravestone is rediscovered
California's drought comes with very few silver linings. But the long dry spell did make for a fascinating discovery in Monterey County.
The drought has significantly shrunk the region's Lake San Antonio, exposing a 128-year-old grave of a Civil War veteran. Journalist Kerry Klein turned detective to track down his story, and she joined the show with more.
D'oh! Homer and Marge Simpson are separating
One of Hollywood's longest and most durable marriages is in trouble: After 27 years, Homer and Marge Simpson are separating.
Megan Garber of The Atlantic wrote about the pending split, and she joined the show with a look at the beloved cartoon marriage.