Writers Strike Day 2 – What’s Happening At The Picket Line?
If you took a drive past major studios and streaming companies like Paramount Pictures, Amazon, Walt Disney Co. and Netflix yesterday, you likely saw several people with picket signs with the words “Writers Guild of America On Strike." The WGA, the union that supports TV and film writers, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to reach a contractual agreement on Monday night. For the first time in 15 years, Hollywood writers are putting down their pencils for things like more pay; a better share of supplementary compensation, like residuals; and for an expansion of protections for all television writers. Late night TV has already gone dark because of the strike, but there are broader ripple effects when writers walk off the job. Joining to discuss is Josie Huang, reporter for LAist who’s been talking with picketers and businesses. We’d love to hear from you if you’ve been impacted. Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here
Fashion Industry Update: Are Consumers Taking Conscious Approaches To Their Garment Buying?
The fashion industry is reaching some form of a crossroads following many major companies choosing to work their business models on the concept of supplying cheap clothes, in overall cost and material quality. Since its popularization, clothing stores have been able to make money off this, but it also has made a major climate issue given the carbon impact needed to produce things at this scale. A recent piece by Bloomberg not only tackles this but also the lack of serious backlash against this current production method. In a world where more folks feel the need to be ‘climate-conscious,’ are consumers or fashion companies choosing to be more calculated with their approach to clothes and its relationship to carbon emissions? Does age at all impact this?
Today on AirTalk, Austin Cross talks to Bloomberg climate reporter Zahra Hirji and Tracie Tung, Assistant Professor of family & consumer sciences at CSU Northridge, about this current state of fast fashion and whether companies are seriously planning to invest into more sustainable practices.
I Think I’m Falling In Love…Oh, Ick. Nevermind.
Imagine: you’re in love, gloriously in love. Or, at least, gloriously attracted to someone who is exactly your type. You’re floating on cloud nine. Until, in one fateful moment, they shatter the illusion by doing the one thing you absolutely cannot stand. Your rose-colored glasses break, and you’re left staring at an ordinary human, one you wouldn't look twice at if you passed them on the street. These deal-breakers are what TikTok users are calling “the ick,” and users have been sharing theirs on the platform in recent days. Joining us to break down this phenomenon are Madeleine Fugère, professor of social psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University and author of 'The Social Psychology of Attraction and Romantic Relationships' and Liesel Sharabi, assistant professor of communication and director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at Arizona State University. Also, we want to hear from you! What are your “icks”? Give us a call at 866-893-5722, or email at atcomments@laist.com.
The SAT: Are Colleges Taking It Or Leaving It?
Taking the SAT has long been a rite of passage for college bound high school students. However, a growing number of colleges and universities are making the SAT and ACT testing optional for applicants. About 1,230 colleges and universities have made the SAT and ACT optional for admission in the last decade. The University of California stopped requiring the SAT and ACT for college admissions in 2020. The California State University system followed suit last year. In March, Columbia University became the first Ivy League to permanently suspend the SAT requirement for applicants. The Covid-19 pandemic made the future of college entrance exams even more uncertain with the logistics of administering the in-person exam. Joining to discuss is Bob Schaeffer, public education director at FairTest, a nonprofit based in Massachusetts that advocates to reform testing practice; Nathan Kuncel, professor of industrial-organizational psychology at the University of Minnesota who studies predictors of performance in academic and work settings; and Jerry Lucido, professor of education and founder of the USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice.
Proposal Parties, Pre Ceremony Yoga, Goodbye Brunches. Is ‘Wedding Sprawl’ A Good Or Bad Thing?
Wedding festivities seem to be getting longer and longer. At one point in time, a wedding may have consisted of a rehearsal dinner, ceremony and after party. Today, weddings can extend into a multi-day, sometimes week’s long event. There’s the welcome party, the rehearsal, the pre-wedding yoga, the getting ready gathering, the ceremony, the cocktail hour, the reception, the after party, the goodbye breakfast. You get the point. It’s a lot. A recent Atlantic piece from writer Annie Midori Atherton dubs this extension “wedding sprawl.” Today on AirTalk, we dive into the concept, discuss the various factors behind it and hear from listeners about how the sprawl has impacted them. Joining to discuss is Cele Otnes, professor emerita at the Gies College of Business at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Michelle Martinez, creator and host of “The Big Wedding Planning Podcast” and has been a wedding planner in California for 20 years. What are your thoughts? Is wedding sprawl a good or bad thing? What has been your experience as a member of the bridal party or a guest? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.