Press Play with Madeleine Brand
High-Speed Train Breaks Ground, Changes to California Eggs, and New TV
A high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco breaks ground tomorrow. How long before it’s up and running? Also, new regulations for eggs sold in California are upending the farming industry and could lead to higher prices at the grocery store.
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenWe kick off the new year with a look at two big California stories: First, a look at the status of the high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco that breaks ground tomorrow. Then, what do California’s new egg regulations mean for the farming industry and for your brunch bill? Next, in our weekly TV roundup, a slew of new shows are coming to the small screen in 2015. Moving to the big screen, Madeleine speaks with “Birdman” writer-director Alejandro González Iñárritu about the film’s critical and commercial success. And finally, how and why are two rock climbers attempting to scale a sheer, 3,000-foot granite wall in Yosemite National Park?
Banner Image: Chickens in industrial coop (USA)
In this episode
5 storiesA First Step for L.A.-San Francisco High-Speed Rail
Governor Jerry Brown was sworn in for an unprecedented fourth term this morning. One of his pet projects has been a bullet train between L.A. and San Francisco.
Read the story8 minCalifornia Upends Egg Farming
As of January 1, all eggs sold in California must come from chickens that have enough room to spread their wings and move around. California is the country’s biggest egg consumer, and the new regulations are ruffling the feathers of farmers around the country who now have to renovate their coops.
Read the story8 minNew Year, New TV
If your New Year’s resolutions include watching more TV (why not?) then you’re in luck. You have plenty to choose from in 2015. Networks are starting the year with a slew of new shows and returning old favorites. We sift through the options and other small screen news in our weekly TV roundup.
Read the story9 min“Birdman” Takes Flight
The film Birdman tells the story of a washed-up movie superhero named Riggan Thomson trying to resurrect his career by mounting a serious Broadway play.
Read the story13 minYosemite Climbers
Right now, two climbers are, literally, hanging on the sheer face of El Capitan, a rock wall in Yosemite National Park. Their names are Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, and they are attempting one of the most difficult free climbs in the world: The Dawn Wall route up El Capitan. It requires scaling 3,000 feet of smooth granite.
Read the story8 min
