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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

UCLA Protests Commencement Speaker

Remember the movie The Graduate? Benjamin Braddock was given one word of advice for his future career: “plastics.” Well, UCLA’s class of 2015 may be hearing another word: patents. That’s because the school’s commencement speaker is Nathan Myhrvold, an entrepreneur who’s been called “patent troll public enemy number one.”

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    By Madeleine Brand • May 6, 2015 • 1 min read

    Remember the movie The Graduate? Benjamin Braddock was given one word of advice for his future career: “plastics.” Well, UCLA’s class of 2015 may be hearing another word: patents. That’s because the school’s commencement speaker is Nathan Myhrvold, an entrepreneur who’s been called “patent troll public enemy number one.” A patent troll is someone who acquires thousands of tech patents without any desire to invent something new, and then sues other companies for infringement. It’s a practice that is controversial to say the least. We hear about why students are protesting, and career background on Myhrvold.

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jolie Myers

      Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

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      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Ara Shirinian

      Daily Bruin

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      Josh Lowensohn

      The Verge

      News
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand