Press Play with Madeleine Brand
LAUSD Wants an iPad Refund, Etsy Goes Public, and Farmers Discuss Drought
The Los Angeles Unified School District is demanding a refund from Apple for what it says is bad software on the 43,000 iPads it bought as part of a failed, scandal-ridden tech plan. Who’s to blame for the debacle, and does the district deserve its money back?
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenThe Los Angeles Unified School District is demanding a refund from Apple for what it says is bad software on the 43,000 iPads it bought as part of a failed, scandal-ridden tech plan. Who’s to blame for the debacle, and does the district deserve its money back? The online craft marketplace Etsy is going public and its outlook appears rosy. In our weekly web news roundup, we look at Hillary Clinton’s new campaign video. What are the promises and pitfalls of social media for political candidates? Next, we hear from two Central Valley farmers about the impacts of California’s drought and the state’s new water restrictions. And finally, the delta smelt fish is nearly extinct. Scientists recently found only a single one in the Delta River. What does that mean for the future of the species and the ecosystem it lives in?
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In this episode
5 storiesThe LAUSD's iPad Debacle Drags On With Refund Demand
The Los Angeles Unified School District has an iPad -- or 43,000 -- it would like to sell you. Lawyers for the district have fired off a letter to Apple saying they’re not happy with the product and demanding a refund .
Read the story10 minEtsy Going Public
The website that provides hand-knitted tea cozies to the world went public yesterday and began trading today. The online craft marketplace Etsy was offered at $16 per share, and it’s already going for about twice that. That makes the company worth more than $3 billion. That’s a lot of beaded bracelets.
Read the story8 minWeb Roundup: Hillary Clinton’s Meme and More
Hillary Clinton skipped the soaring speech in front of a historic landmark when she announced her candidacy this week. Instead, she went the chill route with a polished video slipped to the social media masses. Clinton is, of course, no stranger to viral culture. She starred in her very own meme a few years ago: a photo of her texting.
Read the story9 minFarmers Feel the Hardship of Drought
Dawn Birch of Flora Bella Farm We’ve talked a lot lately on this show about the impacts of California’s drought and the state’s new water restrictions. Today, we hear from farmers. Two Central Valley growers discuss how they’ve had to scale back their businesses amid California’s epic drought. One also discusses the state’s new, first-ever…
Read the story13 minDown To a Single Delta Smelt
Tension is growing between California farmers, like Shawn Coburn, who want more water and environmentalists who want to protect endangered species in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta. One of those endangered species is the delta smelt, a pinky-sized fish that’s nearing extinction.
Read the story7 min
