The US-China agreement's impact in California, the pros and cons of empty-nesting, Colin Kaepernick may have some politics lessons to teach.
The US-China climate pact is a big deal, even for environmental leader California
On Saturday, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed on to the Paris climate deal — a pact to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The US and China account for about 40 percent of global greenhouse emissions — a byproduct of manufacturing and consumption of fossil fuels.
It's an agreement that could have a significant impact overseas and even here in California. For more, Take Two spoke to Clayton Dube, director of the USC US-China Institute.
Press the blue play button above to hear the full interview.
What politicians can learn from Colin Kaepernick's protest
Colin Kaepernick thrust himself into the role of political activist last week with his decision to sit out the national anthem before a preseason NFL game. Following that, he held a press conference, where he said he would not "stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppressess black people and people of color."
While it may have been Kaepernick's first public foray into politics, San Francisco Chronicle senior political writer Joe Garofoli says that the quarterback already may have a lesson or two to teach the presidential candidates and some California politicos too.
Hilary Clinton, he says, could stand to hold a press conference to answer questions, just as Kaepernick did. Donald Trump on the other hand could learn to explain things, like his immigration policy, more clearly, like Kaepernick has.
To hear the entire interview, click on the audio embedded at the top of this post.
Soccer's Megan Rapinoe takes a stand (and a knee) with Colin Kaepernick
Over the weekend, Megan Rapinoe, the U.S. women's soccer star, made a silent protest.
Before a Sunday match between her team, the Seattle Reign, and the Chicago Red Stars, Rapinoe stepped forward and dropped to a knee as the national anthem played.
— ❤️NWSL⚽️ (@gbpackfan32)
It was a nod to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who remained seated during the national anthem before a game about two weeks ago as a sign of protest.
To talk more about Rapinoe's statement, A Martinez spoke with Jim Buzinski, co-founder of OutSports.com.
Click the blue audio player to hear the full interview.
The Brood: How parents deal with a newly empty nest
Labor Day is over, fall is on the way, and parents all across the country are dealing with a new reality: the empty nest.
It's a time of transition for parents and kids alike. And it's one that families have gone through for centuries now. But is it any different in a world where many parents wait until later to have kids and where social media proliferates?
Writer, actor and new empty-nester Annabelle Gurwitch and NPR science correspondent
, a father of two sons now in college, talked with Alex Cohen about the modern state of the empty nest.
To hear the full interview, click the blue player above.
For Cambodian refugees, film seeks to 'break the silence'
In Cambodia, the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing a torn countryside. After years in refugee camps in Thailand the Philippines, many settled in California.
Decades later, efforts at justice are still ongoing.
"Growing up, not knowing what happened exactly and not having this dialogue between my mom or my dad or the community, I felt isolated," said Michael Siv, a refugee who fled the country as a child with his mother and whose family was split in the chaos of war.
As a teen growing up in San Francisco, his family's experience was shrouded in mystery for him, he said, as they did their best to recover from the trauma of a war that killed an estimated 2 million people.
"It's something that has to be talked about – not just with myself or my mom – but as a whole, as a community," said Siv.
Siv joined a group of survivors as they returned to Cambodia to participate in the UN-backed tribunals that aims to bring accountability and justice to the perpetrators of crimes during that period. Siv turned that experience into a documentary film, called Daze of Justice.
"I hope this film can start some sort of a dialogue," said Siv. "It's an opportunity to tell a different story. A story about speaking up, a story about breaking silence."
The film shows Tuesday evening in Los Angeles as part of the LA Lift-Off Festival, a five-year-old festival that seeks to celebrate and promote independent filmaking from the U.S. and abroad.
What: Premiere of "Dayz of Justice," at the LA Lift-Off Festival
When: Tuesday 6th September, 7-9.30pm
Where: Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Ave
More info: http://www.lift-off-festivals.com/los-angeles-lift-off-film-festival-2016/
Big changes ahead for how California assesses school performance
For many years in California, The Academic Performance Index was the measure for school performance until it was suspended two years ago. This week, the State Board of Education will begin rolling out a new school accountability system that will drastically change the way schools and districts are evaluated.
Instead of rating a school solely on standardized test scores, the new system intends to provide a more detailed series of metrics to capture a more holistic summary of a school’s performance.
For more on this, Take Two’s Alex Cohen spoke with John Fensterwald, Editor-at-Large for EdSource Today.
To hear the full interview, click the blue arrow above.
What is the 'millennial whoop' and why is it taking over pop music?
When it comes to contemporary pop music, you've no doubt heard this charge before: it all sounds the same.
That might be a bit of an overstatement, but there is a certain sonic sequence that seems to be taking over a lot of pop songs recently.
It's called the "millennial whoop."
You know, that “Wa-oh-wa-oh” line you've heard in so many songs?
If reading it doesn't ring a bell, here are just a few examples:
Katy Perry's California Gurls (at 0:51 and 1:05):
Demi Lovato's "Really Don't Care" (at 1:00):
And Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Good Time" (at :04):
Musician and composer Patrick Metzger coined the term "millennial whoop" on his blog The Patterning. He joined Take Two to explain more about the melodic pattern and why so many pop singers are glomming onto it.
To hear the full interview, click the blue player above.
Tuesday Reviewsday: a tribute to Juan Gabriel
The late Juan Gabriel was a superstar musician beloved around the world, far beyond the borders of his native Mexico.
On Tuesday Reviewsday, music journalist Justino Aguila and Billboard's Leila Cobo share some of Gabriel's best and the best of those who covered him.
"Amor Eterno" (Eternal Love)
Justino: This song is one that Juan Gabriel dedicated to all the mothers that went to see his show and to the mothers that are above in heaven as he would point to the skies during his shows.
The opening lyrics especially critical in this song that really is a composition for his mother who he was separated from the age of 3 to about 14.
Leila: In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Juan Gabriel spoke about spending time with an African-American family in Lake Elsinore when he was young.
"That's where I was first exposed to African American music," Gabriel said. "And I knew then that if there was a God, and if God was listening, he was listening to African-American music.”
That would explain in part his vocal style. You can certainly hear the influence.
"Hasta Que Te Conoci" (Until I Met You), as sung by Marc Anthony
Justino: This song is about being mistreated by a lover; an extremely heart-wrenching song. This Marc Anthony version gives a whole other perspective that works so brilliantly in this version of the that appeared on Marc’s Desde Un Principio.
The song is given new life through his salsa rendition that still packs a strong and emotional punch, but this version also moves in a kind of upbeat way thanks to this arrangement so beautifully performed by Marc.
Abrazame Muy Fuerte (Embrace Me Tight)
Justino: This song comes alive with the backing of a full orchestra. Add to that the lyrics of loving someone so deeply as Juan Gabriel so delicately illustrates in his writing and composition and you get a classic Juan Gabriel song that was his seventh No. 1 single on the Billboard Top Latin Songs chart.
Juan Gabriel also had a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop album for this song, but didn’t take home the prize. In fact, Juan Gabriel never won a Grammy or Latin Grammy, but he was recognized as the Latin Grammy person of the year in 2009 and earlier this year he received the Star Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Leila: In the last two years, Juan Gabriel (real name Alberto Aguilera Valadez) had reached perhaps a new apex in his career:.He had the highest-grossing Latin tour of 2015 and the top-selling album. He was one of Billboard’s top earners of 2015, too, which is a huge accomplishment.
And on September 11, Telemundo will premiere a series based on his life. At 66, Juan Gabriel was living a new wave of popularity.
"Querida/Menina" (Dear) as performed by Bruno e Marrone from Brazil
Justino: This is a very special version of "Querida," which has been beloved and recorded by many, but sung in Portuguese by Brazilian musicians Bruno e Marrone. There was also a version from Colombian singer/songwriter Juanes.
"Se Me Olvido Otra Vez" (I Forgot Again) as performed by Maná
Justino: Go to a Maná concert and this is usually one of their cover songs, which stands out as a Latin rock version of the song by Juan Gabriel. Maná performed this just a few days ago in Monterrey, Mexico, during one of their shows and dedicated it to Juan Gabriel.
"El Noa Noa"
Justino: Juan Gabriel wrote this song in the early ‘80s as an homage to a little bar in Juarez, Mexico. The bar was called El Noa Noa and it really became kind of like the party theme song at this concerts where everyone usually stands up to cheer Juan Gabriel.
Leila: Part of the reason he endures today, beyond his phenomenal shows, is his songs. He has 660 registered compositions with Universal, which have been covered in 25 languages around the world. His music is versatile, and transcends genres and language.