Press Play with Madeleine Brand
L.A. Teacher Case Back in Court, and Facebook’s New Emojis
How easy should it be to fire bad public school teachers? The question is being considered for the second time today in a California court.
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenHow easy should it be to fire bad public school teachers? The question is being considered for the second time today in a California court.
Meanwhile, L.A. developer Rick Caruso is working on a new shopping mall in Carlsbad, just north of San Diego. Will it be voted down, and what impact has he had on the landscape in this city?
Then, an investigation into the increasingly common arbitration clauses that show up in all kinds of consumer contracts, employment contracts and even housing leases.
Turning to this weekend’s Oscars, KCRW’s Matt Holzman gives Madeleine his take on this year’s Foreign Language nominees.
And finally, in our regular Web news segment, Facebook’s new emojis. Like or no?
Image: Teachers’ union 2014 news conference on Vergara v. California. Photo by Neon Tommy.
In this episode
5 storiesL.A. Teacher Case Goes to Court Again
How easy should it be to fire bad public school teachers? That’s what’s being reconsidered in an appeals court today in the landmark case Vergara v. California. In 2014, a judge sided with the students who brought the case.
Read the story11 minRick Caruso's 'Main Street' Style
L.A. developer Rick Caruso has spent three years and more than $10 million promoting a new luxury shopping mall in Carlsbad, north of San Diego. But local opposition has been fierce, forcing a special election. As of last night, the noes led by 186 votes, but there are still a few thousand mail-in and provisional ballots to be counted.
Read the story9 minRead the Fine Print
Say you want to sue your cell phone provider. You could file a lawsuit ... or could you? If you read the fine print of your contract, there's a good chance you've signed away your day in court. Many consumer contracts these days, from cellphones to hotel rooms to car repairs, say you must take complaints to an arbitrator instead of a judge.
Read the story10 minOscars Foreign Films
It looks like The Revenant, Spotlight and The Big Short are the favorites to win this year's Best Picture Oscar. But there are those who say that the Foreign Language category is where the real action is, cinematically speaking. KCRW's Matt Holzman is one of them.
Read the story9 minWeb Roundup: New Emojis and More
The debate continues to rage over whether Apple should unlock its phones for federal investigators. Meanwhile, the Feds are asking the tech and entertainment industries for help in fighting terrorists online. But in really important news, instead of just liking a post on Facebook, you can now add an emoji. Smiley face emoticon!
Read the story11 min
