The role of the vice president, the American voters who secretly support Donald Trump, children with special needs and education.
VP debate: The understated understudies
The vice presidential candidates head to Longwood University in Virginia, Tuesday night, for their only debate this election cycle.
How Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Tim Kaine perform may offer a glimpse into how they'll approach being in office. But what makes a good vice president, and how has the role changed over the years?
To answer the questions, Take Two spoke with Rachel Van Sickle-Ward, a political scientist at Pitzer College.
To hear the full conversation, click the blue player above
Have 'secret' Trump voters switched their support?
Do you know who your parents, your friends, your co-workers are voting for?
According to a report in The Guardian, there are a number of voters out there who don't feel quite comfortable publicly acknowledging their candidate of choice.
Back in March, The Guardian's Amber Jamieson heard from over 100 voters across the country who said they supported Donald Trump, but weren't quite ready to let everyone know. Recently, she checked back in with many of them and found mixed results. Some said their support for Trump strengthened, others switched to a different candidate. Still more said they continued to support Trump but were not yet comfortable with going public about their choice.
"I think people still struggle with this idea of whether they can be a strong public supporter if they are not from the traditional demographic of the Republican Party or of Donald Trump," said Jamieson.
What to watch for during tonight's US Senate debate
On Wednesday night California voters will get their only chance to see the two candidates for U.S. Senate meet on the debate stage.
Two Democrats, state Attorney General Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, are running to replace retiring U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer.
It's a historic matchup— an intra-party contest for a Senate seat hasn't happened anywhere in the U.S. in more than 100 years, and this seat hasn't been open since 1992.
But voters? They don't seem that interested. Especially die-hard Republicans, who might find it painful to punch a hole next to a Democratic candidate.
In recent weeks, Sanchez has been ramping up her attacks against Harris, and tonight the two will meet in the one and only scheduled debate at Cal State Los Angeles.
Joining Take Two for a preview:
- Dan Schnur, former candidate for California Secretary of State, and current director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC
- Matt Barreto, professor of Political Science and Chicano Studies at UCLA and co-founder of the polling and research firm Latino Decisions
Hollywood adds its voice to the election with #VoteYourFuture
With the presidential election five weeks away, Hollywood is adding its voice to encourage voters to head to the ballot box.
The video, #VoteYourFuture features nearly 100 figures from the world of entertainment, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria, and Samuel L. Jackson, and is directed by Oscar winning and nominated talent: Alejandro G. Iñarritu, David O. Russell, Tom McCarthy, Joss Whedon, and Armando Bo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhYgGudYJQI
Steve Golin, the producer behind the new video joined Take Two to discuss the project.
Click on the blue button to listen to the interview
Parents of kids with disabilities struggle to find the right school
Finding a good school for your children can be an incredibly challenging endeavor for any family.
If your kid has a learning or developmental disability, finding the right school can be an even more complicated and trying process.
It's one that parent Sylvia Youngblood has been through several times. Her four kids each have various learning disabilities, and her three sons are on the autism spectrum.
Her first indication that one of her kids had special needs came with her oldest son, Paris.
As a toddler, he wouldn't respond to his name, and he didn't speak until he was about 7-years- old.
After grasping at straws for a long time, Youngblood says she educated herself about what her children's rights were, and learned that she had the ability to find a school placement that would be appropriate for her kids. She now volunteers her time helping other parents and offered this advice:
Get educated about your rights
I had to educate myself to find out about a Section 504 and an Individualized Education Program (or IEP). Section 504 is part of the Rehabilitation Act which requires a person has access. So when we were told our child with ADHD didn't qualify for special education, he was first given accommodation through Section 504. That meant he was able to take breaks as needed and move around in the classroom.
In terms of special needs, an IEP is put together by a team of individuals, including the parents, teacher, school psychologist and administrators. There's a whole lot goes into it, you really want to get all the information down in that document, and that's how the district makes the offer of FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) for your child. That's when you really sit down and figure out where is the best placement for your child.
Don't compare your child to someone else's child
It's good to listen to others' stories and get information, but keep in mind that's their individual story. Don't let it weigh on you if your child isn't reaching milestones at the same time as other kids. Notice it, and bring it up with your pediatrician, but don't compare your child to someone else's kid. You have to see your child the way you want the school to see your child-- as an individual.
Stay engaged
You have to constantly pay attention and check in. So when you place your child at a new school or in a new environment, write goals within your IEP and request updates. Don't think just because you aren't getting phone calls from the school that everything's okay. They may have been having a great time, but that may have been because they were playing with blocks in the corner. You really have to stay on top of things, and keep checking in.
Next week, Take Two continues the conversation of educating children with special needs. If you would like add your story to the conversation, leave a comment below, or contact us via the Public Insight Network.
If the 'Big One' hit, would your home be earthquake ready?
The recent "swarm" - or a series of back to back small quakes - near the Salton Sea triggered a temporary warning of a potentially larger earthquake to follow. In response, officials in San Bernardino closed their City Hall for the duration of the warning, because the building's not up to code.
While the temporary alert has been lifted and San Bernardino City Hall has reopened, seismologists say there's a good chance a large earthquake will rock California in the coming years.
Californians are left wondering, is my home ready for “The Big One?”
To get the details, Take Two’s A Martinez spoke with an expert in earthquake retrofitting. John Taferner is a licensed contractor and owner of Cal-quake Construction.
Highlights
Is my building earthquake ready?
It depends on when the building was built. If it was built after 1995, there’s a very good chance that - with the adaptive codes - that you’re sitting in a good building. Anything pre-1995, there would be some speculation.
What kind of retrofitting could my home need?
We look at the building and we make an assessment as to the codes from the Angeles Department of Building and Safety We look at that and adapt it to the building.
This would be bolting of the foundation. When we say bolting, it’s a general term for retrofitting which includes bolting your sill plate (bottom, horizontal layer of the house) to the existing foundation.
If you have cripple walls, (bottom vertical layer between the foundation and first floor), you’d have to plywood the inside.
Also, there needs to be an attachment of an angle clip (angled piece of connecting steel) up to the cripple wall or sill plate, up to the rim joist (end of the structural floor) so that the building would all move together.
It would be the same as a “slab on grade” home (foundation is built into the ground.) If there’s no bolts, you’d have to open it up and install those bolts.
What kind of inconvenience should I expect with a retrofit?
As a homeowner it sounds pretty complicated because this would require a lot of specialized tools to do it, like we have. But the good thing about it, is that nobody has to move out and it’s done under the crawl space of the home. The crew crawls underneath and everything is done under the home. The only inconvenience to the homeowner would be the noise for that 1 or 2 days when the work is going on.
Last year, the city of L.A. identified apartment buildings in need of a retrofit. How do I know if my building is on the list?
The city has sent out letters to all of the owners, about 15,000 buildings, and now they’re being followed up with compliance orders. So, if you know that you have parking underneath an apartment building and it is build prior to 1979, you’re going to get the letter.
Go to LADBS.org and go to the soft story ordinance.
How will the city ordered retrofit affect tenants?
An owner has to fill out a Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) where we inform all of the tenants of the work that’s going to be impending, duration of the work and the possible impact when it comes to rents. The rent increase can be up to $38 per month for half the cost of the mitigation.
There may be an inconvenience in parking for a few days, but the majority of the time, it just goes on as if it wasn’t even there.
*Quotes edited for clarity
For the full interview, click the blue arrow above
LAPD releases surveillance video of moments leading up to South LA shooting
Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles Police Department released a security video of the chase leading up to the death of 18-year-old Carnell Snell, Jr.
Snell was fatally shot by police Saturday. Officers tried to pull over a car Snell was in because it had temporary paper license plates that didn't match the year of the vehicle. LAPD reported the officers believed the car might be stolen.
Snell had exited the car by the time the video was recorded.
For more on this, Take Two's Alex Cohen spoke with David Klinger. He's a professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Missouri St. Louis, and a former patrol officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.
To hear the full interview, click the blue play button above.
A buzz that stings: Bee species added to endangered list
Earlier this year, a United Nations study found that nearly 40 percent of pollinator species are currently facing extinction. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated seven species of bees in Hawaii as endangered.
Pollinators like bees play a vital role in the ecology of the global food supply. So, what are the implications of vanishing bees and how does it affect California?
To find out, Take Two's Alex Cohen spoke with Greg Koob. He is the Conservation and Restoration Team Manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Hawaii.
To hear the interview, click the blue arrow above.
Tuesday Reviewsday: Shovels & Rope, Insects vs Robots and Wadada Leo Smith
If you don't have time to keep up with the latest in new music we've got the perfect segment for you: Tuesday Reviewsday. Every week our music experts join our hosts in the studio to talk about their favorite new tunes. This week, music journalist
Artist: Insects vs. Robots
Album: "THEYLLKILLYAA"
Songs: "TheyllKillYaa," "Infection"
A couple of years ago on a fine evening of gallery openings at the Bergamot Station art complex in Santa Monica, a band was playing in the parking lot. They were fascinating, almost a rock-focused variation on the hippie folk-rock-psychedelia of the old English group the Incredible Sting Band. There was some banjo, some violin, some rootsy weirdness. They were called Insects vs. Robots. Fun name.
Went away for a little to see some art, came back 20 minutes later and now there was a band playing some intense jazz-rock, wild improvisations and expert ensemble work that may have been derived from 70s fusioneers Mahavishnu Orchestra. Violin here too, but of a rather different nature, sparring with guitar. They were called…wait! Insects vs. Robots? The same band?
Indeed it was. And all that — and much in between — is found in the course of just the six songs that make up the new album, "THEYLLKILLYAA." There's the multi-stage proggy sweep of the title song leading into the moody alt-rock of "Infection (Time Grows Thin)" leading to the old-timey folk-country-jazz "Become a Crow" leading into the Iberian-tinged acoustic instrumental "Matilda’s Galavant" with some rather ace flamenco-ish guitar runs leading into the horrified dream-impression "Fukushima" leading into the multi-faceted, 10-minute folk-prog fantasia "Ole Lujoke,"
Along the way there are some quirky time signatures and some quirky, well, quirks: the high wordless vocal detours in the title song, a little whistling and some flamenco-ish guitar runs in "Matilda’s Galavant," the tinny piano and Gentle Giant-like prog pointillism of "Fukushima," among many other delightful idiosyncrasies. But also it serves to elevate and illustrate some serious themes, including the title song’s musing on the ultimate price paid by some who have stood up for their beliefs and the "Fukushima" meditation on that city’s earthquake-and-nuclear disaster in Japan ("my 300-year half-life").
Another thing to note is that for all the different aspects to the music, very little of it sounds much like Willie Nelson. Normally that would be a completely random comment, but not so much in this case, as the IvR frontman is one Micah Nelson, son of the Red Headed Stranger himself, joined in the band by violinist Nikita Sorokin, guitarist Milo Gonzalez, bassist Jeff Smith and drummer Tony Peluso. Nelson’s also the brother of Lukas Nelson, and sometimes plays in Lukas rootsy-rock band Promise of the Real, most notably when it has been on the road backing Neil Young for the last couple of years. And his band does’t sound much like that either. This band sounds like, well, Insects vs. Robots. Whatever it sounds like at any given moment.
Artist: Shovels & Rope
Album: "Little Seeds"
Songs: "I Know," "This Ride"
There are so many killer lines on this album that it’s hard to know where to begin. So here’s one from near the end, about endings: "It’s just like ‘Old Yeller’ and ‘Lonesome Dove,’ you hate how it ends but you can’t get enough." That’s from "This Ride," sung by Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, the South Carolina married couple that is Shovels & Rope, whose rattling roots-rock has built considerable buzz in recent years. And it’s a fitting denouement for an album that started a dozen songs before with "I Know" and its opening line, "I know exactly what you think you are."
Let’s sample some other lines that come between: "They botched my execution back in 1996," from, yeah, "Botched Execution." "By the looks of everyone it’s been a long two weeks" at the start of "St. Anne’s Day." "Help me please, I’m lost in myself," opening "Invisible Man." There’s a lot of rueing going on here, a lot of looking inward and lashing outward. But there’s also a lot of embracing of life’s rich pageant, whatever it offers.
That tone-setting knowledge of "I Know" comes from our two-as-one narrator, Hearst and Trent, via the reading of a notebook an apparent intimate/ex-intimate/adversary left on a bar counter. And that knowledge is forged into an emotional weapon, wielded with bitter bite at the inadvertently shared insecurities : "You’re hiding in the locker ‘cause someone took your towel." The response? "Ya know there used to be a day when I would try to help you out," she sings, before the coup de gras: "Call it even, baby. Take a bow." Absolutely withering, all the more for the mix of hurt and snark in her drawl. A dish served icy cold at this diner. (The video takes it another way, that dish served with confident flair.)
Even the less directly personal songs carry the tone. The Civil War tale "Missionary Ridge" is stark and present enough to echo into Iraq today. A plea for folks of all backgrounds to unite ("BWYR," which stands for "black lives, white lives, yellow lives, red") has a dark core: "Let’s all come together and share the bread, let’s all join hands and share the dread."
Dread’s the thread here, shared or tightly guarded. And the music fits it to a tee, still powerful and raw, rock with a rural edge, Hearst still pounding the drums, Trent slashing away on guitar, the pair building the fervor of street-corner preachers. The sound is fuller now than on earlier releases, more layers added (all still from just the two of them), but with no sacrifice of the direct thump of it all. That’s as true on this acoustic closing song as it is on the fully electric approach through most of the album.
But of course that "Old Yeller"/"Lonesome Dove" thing we cited at top gives way to a happy ending, right? Well…. there’s a lot to "This Ride" — the song, the ride of the album. The ride that is life. "It lifts and it give," the pair sings, the couple enjoying life after the birth of their first child. "It shames and it blames," too. "It opens our eyes and it heals." It’s tempting for us to just leave it there, but they don’t, the viewpoint shaped by cases of Alzheimer’s disease robbing several loved ones of their experiences: "It coughs and it slips and it falls and it steals / your memory, your dignity, your husbands and your mothers."
Artist: Wadada Leo Smith
Album: "America’s National Parks"
Songs: "New Orleans," "Yosemite"
Monumental may not seem the right word to describe music of intimate, somber beauty, music often of stillness. But it’s the word that keeps coming to mind regarding much recent work of prolific Mississippi-born, Los Angeles-based trumpeter-composer Wadada Leo Smith, particularly his ambitious series of works portraying American landscapes, both cultural and physical. His 2012 project "Ten Freedom Summers," four and a half hours long and written over the course of more than 30 years, portraying key phases and figures of the civil rights movement, was one of three 2013 Pulitzer Prize music finalists. In 2014, "The Great Lake Suites" took a more pastoral look (and more compact, at 91 minutes) at the titular bodies. And now he combines the approaches with "America’s National Parks," another six-part suite.
Yes, Yellowstone is here, combining the geo-thermal volatility and sweeping vistas, the piece subtitled "The First National Park and the Spirit of America — the Mountains, Super-Volcano Caldera and Its Ecosystem." Sequoia/Kings Canyon ("The Giant Forest, Great Canyons, Cliffs, Peaks, Waterfalls and Cage Systems") and Yosemite ("The Glaciers, the Falls, the Wells and the Valley of Goodwill"), too, each with their respective mix of majesty and tranquility.
Midway through the latter, which closes the suite, Smith’s Golden Quintet fully captures both at once, with Anthony Davis striking bold, sustained chords on piano, Ashley Walters drawing out long, rich notes on cello and Smith playing as if standing atop Half Dome and calling out, shofar-like, to the whole valley to take communion with the great wonders if the surroundings. Though it’s more than that for him. In the liner notes he’s quoted as dismissing the notion floated by Ken Burns in his documentary series "The National Parks: America’s Best Idea," that these locales are like cathedrals. Smith wants us to celebrate the scope of a nation that has made these sites all of ours, open to and belonging to everyone, and for us to become part of them and the grand sweep of this nation’s history and people they represent.
Perhaps needless to say, this is hardly your conventional travelogue of the great outdoors, the tour beginning in a city, New Orleans ("The National Culture Park USA"), where jazz, among other things, spring from the unprecedented confluences, the music in its 20 minutes conjuring the mysterious Buddy Bolden, considered one of the key figures in the creation of modern jazz. The second piece isn’t even about a place, but a person, titled "Eileen Jackson Southern, 1920-2002: A Literary National Park." Jackson presents Southern, who among other things founded the journal "The Black Perspective in Music," worthy of National Park status herself for her sweeping perspective on music and cultures.
The epic centerpiece of the suite, though, is about the Mississippi River ("Dark and Deep Dreams Flow the River — a National Memorial Park"). Each of the pieces titles come with a date of the park’s designation. This one is "c. 5000 BC," and in its 30 minutes, Smith and crew attempt to span not just the geography and cultures linked by the Mississippi, but those millennia of its flow. The music here goes from slow and spare to roiling fury. It is, in a word, monumental.
'Rad Women Worldwide' honors Malala Yousafzai, other awesome females
"Rad American Women" made its debut last year. It's an alphabet book of sorts that highlights the contributions of American women like Angela Davis, Billie Jean King and Carol Burnett.
Now the authors of the book are back with a second collection: "Rad Women Worldwide." It features inpsirational females like Malala Yousafzai, musician Miriam Makeba, and more.
Author
and illustrator
joined host Alex Cohen to tell more about their latest work.
To hear the full interview, click the blue play button above.