Inmates in a recreation yard at the Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, Calif. ; Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Proposition 47 has passed, which means sentencing reform is set to commence throughout California. In a pendulum swing away from the "tough-on-crime" attitude that was exemplified in bills such as 1994's "Three Strikes Law," many low-level drug and property offenses will now be classified as misdemeanors rather than felonies.

The sentencing reform could affect as many 10,000 inmates, and the savings from keeping the prisoners in jail would be used for anti-recidivism measures. And just as California was one of the first to push the three strikes law, a popular bill that exploded across state legislatures throughout the 1990s, California's enactment of Proposition 47 has the potential to spark new efforts for sentencing reform on both the state and national levels.

While opponents of sentencing reform note that most of its funding has come from wealthy billionaires and foundations like that of George Soros, proponents are succeeding in their strategy of causing grassroots changes in opinion through organized campaigns that include social media and funding for education.

Will the passage of Proposition 47's sentencing reform reduce crime and prison populations?

Guests:

Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles County District Attorney

Barry Krisberg, UC Berkeley Criminologist 

Neel Kashkari, a former U.S. Treasury official, announced that he would run for governor of California during an appearance at the Sacramento Business Review at California State University, Sacramento, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, in Sacramento, Calif.
; Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

The Republican Party staked its claim in the U.S. Senate in Tuesday’s election, setting up what is likely to be a contentious final two years of President Obama’s presidency. However, here in California, the tale of the tape was much different.

Governor Jerry Brown was elected to his fourth term as governor and Democrats managed to hold on to every statewide office. However, the GOP was able to win enough seats to keep Democrats from holding a two-thirds supermajority in the California State Senate and Assembly.

After yesterday’s results, where does the California Republican Party go from here? What does this election mean for the state GOP going forward?

Guests:

Harmeet Dhillon, Vice Chair of the California Republican Party

Tony Krvaric,  chairman of the San Diego County Republican Party

Tim Donnelly, Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing the 33rd district; former candidate for California Governor

Supporters of U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and republican U.S. Senate elect in Arkansas hold American flags during an election night gathering on Nov. 4, 2014 in North Little Rock, Arkansas.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The 2014 midterm election is over, and the results are in! On one front, not much has changed in Los Angeles County: all incumbents to the House of Representatives were re-elected. On the other front, the county will see new faces in long-held seats: Democrat Ted Lieu took retiring Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman’s seat in the 33rd district, and Sheila Kuehl has succeeded Zev Yaroslavsky for LA County’s Board of Supervisors’ Third District. In addition, voters passed Measure P, the special $23 parcel tax to fund parks and elected former Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell to lead the LA County Sheriff’s Department. Voter turnout in LA County was 23.4%.

Moving to the state level, Democrats swept the field: Governor Jerry Brown was re-elected to an historic fourth term, and Democrat Alex Padilla defeated Republican Pete Peterson for Secretary of State in a race that was too close to call until this morning. However, the same could not be said for all of the state’s propositions. Propositions 1 and 2, the Brown-backed ballot issues that tackled water and the state budget, respectively, both passed. Contrastingly, Propositions 45 and 46 regarding insurance rates and medical malpractice did not. The state’s effort at continuing sentencing reform, Proposition 47, succeeded in becoming law whereas Proposition 48 failed to bring another casino to the state. Overall voter turnout for the state of California stood at 29.9%.

What do these results mean for LA County and California? Will these results ripple on a national scale?

Guest:

Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speechwriter for Governor Pete Wilson

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist,  Rodriguez Strategies; former senior Obama advisor in 2008

Linda Feldmann, White House and Politics correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor

Frank Gilliam Jr., Dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and a professor of public policy and political science

Jessica Levinson, Professor at Loyola Law School, where she teaches Campaign Finance,  Former Director of Political Reform at the Center for Governmental Studies

Francine Kiefer, Congressional Correspondent, Christian Science Monitor

Demonstrators gather along West Florissant Avenue to protest the shooting of Michael Brown on Aug. 15, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9. The demonstration again ended with protesters clashing with police followed by more looting.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Aug. 9 shooting death of the 18-year-old Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson sparked months-long protests and unrest in the St. Louis suburb that captured the nation's attention. Attorney General Eric Holder visited Ferguson a little more than a week after the shooting to talk with city leaders and protest organizers.

At the time, he promised a thorough investigation into whether any federal civil rights laws had been violated in the shooting. There's a high legal bar the Justice Department must meet in order to press civil rights charges in the case. Separately, local officials are set to release the results of a grand jury investigation into possible criminal charges.

How are law enforcement agencies in the St. Louis area preparing for the release of these findings?

Guests:

Reverend Willis Johnson, pastor of Wellspring Church in Ferguson, Missouri

Steve Giegerich, reporter at St. Louis Post Dispatch

Actor Bradley Cooper attends the "American Hustle" screening at Ziegfeld Theater on December 8, 2013 in New York City.; Credit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images

From hipsters to Hollywood stars, facial hair is all the rage right now. Whether it’s Bradley Cooper’s distinguished five o’clock shadow, Johnny Depp’s signature mustache/goatee combo, or the shaggy, unkempt beard that Leo DiCaprio has been wearing recently, scruff is in and it’s not going anywhere.

No month during the year gives more love to beards and mustaches than November. The Movember movement aims to raise awareness for men’s health issues like prostate and testicular cancer by encouraging participants to grow a mustache for the month of November and use it to create conversations about men’s health issues. Similarly, No-Shave November is another movement that asks participants to forego shaving for the entire month and donate the money that would have been spent on shaving products to the American Cancer Society.

Yet even outside of these campaigns, it seems more and more men are growing beards and mustaches, just because they can. Maybe some just don’t feel like shaving, but those who are gifted with the ability to sprout a burly beard or manly mustache are doing so with gusto. But this trend is also hurting companies that make shaving products. The Washington Post says the amount of money spent on razors and blades fell last year, for the first time since the recession, to $2.3 billion. This could be due in part to the rise in popularity of beards and mustaches as well as the growing acceptability of whiskers in the workplace.

So what is it that makes facial hair so trendy? Why has this image of a rugged, independent, hairy-faced man become so pervasive in society today?

Guest:

Adam Causgrove, Chief Executive Officer, American Mustache Institute

The Felix Chevrolet Dealership on S. Figueroa Street is one of many iconic signs in Los Angeles. What's yours?

Whether you’re talking about Capitol Records, Bob’s Big Boy, Felix the Cat or the infamous H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D, Southern California is home to some iconic signs. Today we’re talking about your favorite business signs - where are they, what are they and why do you love them - from bright neon, to fun animations, to sheer size.

We want to see pictures of your favorite signs -- you can post them at our website at KPCC dot org, or you can tag them on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag “signsofsocal”

Students at UC Berkeley carry signs as they march through campus during a national day of action against funding cuts and tuition increases March 4, 2010 in Berkeley, California. Students across the country are walking out of classes and holding demonstrations against massive tuition increases and funding cuts to college universities. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

UC President Janet Napolitano is pushing for an end to a tuition freeze, citing growing costs and limited funding throughout the UC system. The proposed plan would end the three year freeze by imposing a 5 percent annual tuition increase. UC leaders support the tuition hike, citing a lack of support from the state, which is giving $460 million less than it did seven years ago. UC tuition and fees have more than doubled in the last decade, to just over $12,000 this year up from $5,700 in 2004, which far outpaces inflation. Senate GOP leader Bob Huff calls this "putting a gun to [the legislature's] head." The Chair of the UC Student Association calls it "putting a gun to students."  

Is there a way for UC to live with the 4-percent state increase and avoid ill will? Are there other alternatives to raising money for the UCs, such as revisiting its policy of enrolling many more foreign and out-of-state students who pay higher tuition?

Guests:

H.D. Palmer, California Department of Finance Spokesman

Bruce Varner, chairman of the Board of Regents, University of California school system

If there’s any question as to the service this shop provides, just examine the leafy, green, neon sign in the window for a clue. Photo by Joshua Barash.; Credit: Photo by WehoCity via Flickr Creative Commons

For the first time, marijuana advocates have gained a foothold on the East Coast, in a place that could force Congress to make pot policy for the nation. Voters in the District of Columbia voted 69-31 percent Tuesday to legalize growing, possessing or sharing up to two ounces of pot - a law that will have to be reviewed by Capitol Hill as is standard for all D.C. legislation.

It's debatable whether Congress will use its authority to quash the wishes of D.C. voters. Either way, Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance says it will be an education because "[m]embers of Congress are literally going to be witness to these changes." He told the Associated Press, "It's a form of educating the members of Congress in a way that some members would not get educated depending on the states they're from."

Oregon and Alaska also approved legalization initiatives on Tuesday - joining the pioneering states of Colorado and Washington. What were the keys to success for these ballot initiatives? How are opponents to legalization reacting? What are the respective campaigns planning for 2016?

Guests:

Robert Capecchi, Deputy Director of State Policies, Marijuana Policy Project - a D.C. based advocacy organization founded in 1995.

Kevin Sabet, President, Smart Approaches to Marijuana - a group opposed to legalization; Director of the Drug Policy Institute at the University of Florida; former Advisor of the National Drug Control Strategy for the Obama Administration.

A woman takes a photo of the new Hollywood earthquake fault map released by the California Geological Survey Wednesday. ; Credit: Mary Plummer/KPCC

Where is the line between growth and safety? Apparently, right on top of a fault. California’s state geologist has concluded that there is an active fault line underneath the location of a planned Hollywood skyscraper project. This new conclusion is set to create a figurative earthquake at City Hall over how to approach the nearly $1 billion endeavor, particularly as private contractors had previously concluded that the location did not lie on top of an active fault.

See a map of the area below. 

Related: Active fault under site of proposed Hollywood skyscrapers, state says

The plans included building 35- and 39-story buildings, which would have created up to a million square feet to house stores, restaurants, offices, and apartments. While City Council voted 13-0 last year to approve the Millenium Project, some councilmembers are concerned as safety issues mount.

At the end of the day, one relatively obscure Department could determine the fate of the project: the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. LADBS has many options in front of it, including approving the project, banning it, forcing additional studies, and replanning. But before any of that happens, those behind the Millenium Project must submit their own geological surveys, which they have not done.

With the context of California’s earthquake history in mind, what is the best way to promote economic growth in areas that may be susceptible to geologic damage? Should the city approve the project? If so, should there be any caveats?

Guests:

John Parrish, Chief of the California Geological Survey and California State Geologist since 2005

Mike Reader, CEO of Group Delta Consultant and geotechnical engineer. The firm consults with several developers, including the Millennium Project in Hollywood

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS 

How did you make the determination that the fault was under one of the buildings?

For the past year we’ve been gathering geological information from historical and academic papers and so forth and there was a lot of information being provided by researchers and consultants and we put all that information together and came out with a preliminary map earlier this year and following up on that with additional data and discussions we have just issued our final map for the area, which adjusts the original fault lines but placed the fault lines through the Millennium project area. There is one line that goes through the project area.

What is the best way to describe the line that goes through that area?

The Hollywood fault is composed of a number of parallel and subparallel fractures and traces. And this is one of the traces of the Hollywood fault zone.

And the concern is that could rupture?

Yes. The Alquist Priolo Act prescribes that we map these zones so that these structures will not be placed across them because of the fear of surface rupture and the destruction of the foundation of the building and that destroys its structural integrity then to withstand earthquake shaking.

What about the recency of activity on the fault? What is the threshold of saying there's a threat or not from a particular fault?

The state mining and geology board considers a fault active if it's moved in the last about 11,000 or 12,000 years. We know from various sites along this particular trace that it moved about 9,000 years ago so that caught our attention as being active. And we've recently gotten some other information from consulting firms and so forth that shows the fault in this area may have been active as late as 4,000 to 4,500 years ago.

That’s a risk number. The hazard is there regardless of the age of the fault. The risk of that hazard being activated is highest when it's been active within the last 11,000 or 12,000 years.

Guest: Mike Reader

What did your investigation of the site show?

Our findings are that there are no active faults at the Millenium site as far down to the bottom of the Holocene (last 10,000 years) as Dr. Parrish described for the age determination. 

So you're seeing different things or seeing the same things and interpreting it differently?

With the map the state's required to put out a fault evaluation report … and they described they believed there's a fault there based on borings, primarily the four or five borings done by a previous studier and they’ve used that to reach the conclusion to draw the segment through the Millenium property. Our data shows that even though there might be a deeper structure, it's demonstrably pre-Holocene and we find unbroken sediments in the Holocene period throughout Hollywood. So there may be a fault there, it's definitely not active in our opinion.

Dr. Parrish, what is your response to Mr. Reader's conclusions?

We used a lot of the information on here and we believe, using some of that same information that Mr. Reader is talking about, we do have an active fault on the south end of the trench that was dug.

We also have information from across the street where we have surface expression and to the west where we have other bore holes done by other agencies and so forth that there is a connection between the dots here that would put that active fault through the south part of the Millenium project area.

Is your determination the final word here or is there an appeals process? What comes next for the developers if they disagree with your conclusion?

We are through with the project now. We have placed our zone that says it's mandatory investigation if one is going to build in the area. So from here on it is up to the city planning commission, the people who issue the permits and the developer to discuss the information that is here and make a decision as to whether they need to alter the footprint design of the building to step away from the projected trace there or they can issue a permit on the area. 

Hollywood EZRIM

Hillary Rodham Clinton arrives to a signing of her book "Hard Choices", Thursday, July 17, 2014, in Ridgewood, N.J. ; Credit: Julio Cortez/AP

A shellacking, a thumping, a drubbing. Call it whatever you want, the midterm election results represent a clear sign of voter discontent in the country today. Analysis abound concerning what President Obama's remaining term would look like going forward. How would this week's results reconfigure the presidential election in two years? Would we see big changes in the list of potential candidates interested in running for the country's top post? Who's gaining momentum?

Guests:

Maggie Haberman, senior political reporter for POLITICO

Scot Lehigh, political columnist for the Boston Globe

Immigration reform protesters march during an immigration rally July 7, 2014 in Washington, DC. Participants condemned "the President's response to the crisis of unaccompanied children and families fleeing violence and to demand administrative relief for all undocumented families". Following the rally, the protesters marched in front of the White House.; Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

It's only been three days since midterm elections wrapped up, and we're already seeing tensions rise on Capitol Hill. In his post-election news conference on Wednesday, President Obama said he planned to move forward with immigration reform on his own before the end of the year, potentially giving amnesty to several million illegal immigrants who are already in the U.S. Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner made it clear that if President Obama does move unilaterally on immigration reform, he would "poison the well" and ruin any chances for cooperation with the new Republican-controlled Congress.

Immigration is an issue that has been the subject of a lot of talk and very little action throughout President Obama's tenure in office.  According to the Wall St. Journal, President Obama and Speaker Boehner had started talking privately about immigration reform after the 2012 election, but that discussion reportedly ended this summer without a solution. The White House is confident the president will act on immigration, but the question that remains is just how sweeping his action will be. If the President does decide to act, it would almost certainly ruin any chances for compromise on other issues where there would have otherwise been common ground.

Do you think President Obama will "poison the well" and ruin any shot at finding common ground on other issues if he acts on immigration? What do you think is the best course of action for the White House now that Speaker Boehner has made his intentions clear?

Guests: 

James Aldrete, a democratic consultant based in Texas. He worked on Obama’s campaign in 2008 and 2012 and is heavily focused on outreach to the Latino community.

Jon Fleischman, Republican strategist, founder and publisher of FlashReport.org, and former vice chairman of the California Republican Party

Chief Creative Officer at Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios and DisneyToon Studios John Lasseter (R) with character Baymax attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Big Hero 6" at El Capitan Theatre on November 4, 2014 in Hollywood, California. ; Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including “Interstellar,” “Big Hero 6,” “The Theory of Everything" and more - TGI Filmweek!

Guests:

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA today

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com

Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC and Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine

American Film Institute Director Jacqueline Lyanga attends the opening night of the 2014 AFI Fest on November 6, 2014.

The AFI Fest brought to LA by the American Film Institute kicked off last night. It opened with the buzzy "A Most Violent Year" -  starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. And it closes with the equally anticipated "Foxcatcher" - starring Steve Carell in a dramatic role alongside Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave and Sienna Miller at the Dolby Theatre on November 13. The Fest is LA's longest running, starting as FILMEX in 1971.

This years' program includes 118 films (73 features, 45 shorts), representing 39 countries. The director, Jacqueline Lyanga, has headed it up for a few years.

The fest runs Nov 6 -13. All tickets are free - at AFI.com

Guest:

Jacqueline Lyanga, Director, American Film Institute Festival

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Marion Cotillard Luc Dardenne attend the UK Premiere of "Two Days, One Night" at Somerset House on August 7, 2014 in London, England. ; Credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images

The new film starring Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night - will have special screenings during the AFI Fest including one tonight at the Egyptian. It's a film by a renowned pair of Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. While the Dardennes are hugely respected and have won the Palme d'Or twice at the Cannes Film Fest,  this their first film to star an international name. Once again, the Dardennes use a starkly realistic and emotional film to reveal working-class struggles using vulnerable, socially conscious characters.  What is the backstory of casting Cotillard? How has the filmmakers extensive experience with documentaries informed their latest work?

Sundance Selects will release the film in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday, December 24, with a national rollout to follow.

Guests:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Director, Writer, Producer, "Two Days, One Night” (“Deux  Jours, Une Nuit”) - Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival

Luc Dardenne, Director, Writer, Producer, "Two Days, One Night” (“Deux  Jours, Une Nuit”) - Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival

A passer by looks at newspaper headlines reporting the death of Osama Bin Laden, in front of the Newseum, on May 2, 2011 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Almost 10 years after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Osama bin Laden was killed by SEAL Team Six in Pakistan. More than three years after the operation, details continue to come to light. This week, the Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden has gone public with his identity. Robert O’Neill, 38, told the Washington Post that he fired the two shots that hit bin Laden.

The Navy is not happy with his disclosure. SEALS do not discuss operation specifics, and they do not seek recognition for their actions. The reasoning behind this modus operandi is to prevent soldiers from acting in ways that benefit themselves more than the mission. By keeping low profiles, soldiers emphasize team cohesion and the vital role of everyone involved. In addition, active SEALS consider it harmful and disrespectful to profit off of one’s previous service, particularly as certain disclosures could damage current and future missions.

To some degree, the killing of Osama bin Laden has been exposed to the public with the movie Zero Dark Thirty and the book No Easy Day. The former was written in close collaboration with senior Pentagon and CIA officials, while the latter was written by Matt Bissonnette (who wrote it under the pseudonym “Mark Owen”), another member of the SEAL Team Six. However, Robert O’Neill is finding special recognition as the man behind those two bullets.

Do you think individuals should gain recognition for missions they completed in secret?

Guests:

Hal Kempfer, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and CEO of KIPP knowledge and intelligence program professionals

Marcus Weisgerber, Global Business Reporter, Defense One, Atlantic Media’s defense and national security publication

A protester against the US Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Healthcare Act, US President Barack Obama's signature healthcare legislation, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, DC; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

The battle over the Affordable Care Act continues as the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new challenge to President Obama's healthcare law. SCOTUS announced Friday that they would decide whether or not it is legal for the government to subsidize health insurance for low and middle-income Americans in about two-thirds of the states.

Those who are challenging the law argue that the subsidies that help people buy health insurance can only be paid in the states that have already set up their own healthcare exchanges. So far, not many states have done this. If the Supreme Court ruled against the law, it would severely undercut this central part of the law and limit the amount of money available to help people buy health insurance.

This will be the second time that an issue involving Obamacare will make it to the Supreme Court. In 2012, SCOTUS upheld the heart of the law, which designated the Affordable Care Act as a tax, not a mandate, with a 5-4 decision.

Do you think this part of the Affordable Care Act should be upheld?

Guests:

Greg Stohr, Supreme Court reporter, Bloomberg News

Lisa McElroy, a supreme court scholar and Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University School of Law

"Worthy Fights" by Leon Panetta with Jim Newton

Leon Panetta started his career as a legislative aid in 1966. Four decades later, he would hold two of the most important posts in protecting the country, first as Director of the Central intelligence Agency (2009 to 2011), and then as Secretary of Defense (2011 to 2013). As Secretary of Defense, Panetta, along with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, certified that the military was prepared to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and that the overturn won't limit its ability to recruit and fight. As the director of the CIA, Panetta oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Guest:

Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense, 2011-2013; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, 2009-2011; author of "Worthy Fights" with Jim Newton (Penguin Press, 2014)

President Obama today urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take up the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality, the principle that says Internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all internet traffic equally.

Learn more at WH.gov/Net-Neutrality.; Credit: The White House (via YouTube)

President Obama on Monday weighed in on the net neutrality debate with the strongest words yet his administration has issued on the topic. In a statement he released, Obama called for internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast to be treated like a public utility, something as essential as phone service and electric companies. 

"I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online," Obama said, while noting that the Federal Communication Commission is an independent agency and that the decision is “theirs alone.”

Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is on the Hill today, apparently meeting with members of Congress to brief them on progress of new net neutrality rules, reports POLITICO.  One proposal the Wall Street Journal says he is entertaining is a hybrid approach, which would split up internet providers into two regulatory parts—one between internet service providers and consumers, the other between internet service providers and net companies such as Google. Under that framework, the latter would be heavily regulated by the FCC. 

Guest:

Gautham Nagesh, reporter for the Wall Street Journal that covers the FCC and tech policy who’s been following the story

A computer screen inbox displaying unsolicited emails known as "spam" in Hong Kong on March 20, 2009. ; Credit: MIKE CLARKE/AFP/Getty Images

Should employees be able to use their employers’ email accounts and networks to fight for union rights? That is the question posed to the National Labor Relations Board, a group of five federal regulators who oversee union elections and workplace disputes.

Despite a 2007 ruling in favor of employers’ right to limit email use by employees, the board is looking at the issue in a new light. Part of this is attributable to the change in the board’s makeup, all of whom have been picked by President Obama. Another part stems from the 2012 failure to organize a union at a Rocklin, California company that provides interpreting services for the deaf and hard of hearing, and the subsequent case filing with the NLRB.

Employers state that changing the ruling would infringe upon their rights, including a company’s First Amendment rights to not send unwanted messages from other people. The union states that employees have the right to use communication hosted by the company if it is related to worker conditions and employee rights. The NLRB could open the door for workers’ use of email for personal reasons during work, although general counsel has recommended certain regulations such as allowing employees to use email for personal purposes during “nonwork time” unless there is a specific need to uphold discipline and production can be shown.

To what extent should employers be able to regulate their email networks? Do workers have a right to use their companies’ emails to unionize?

Guest:

Joel Barras, partner in Reed Smith’s Labor & Employment Group, where he  represents regional and national employers in collective bargaining, labor arbitration, and employment-related litigation

Joe Palca Panel at PopTech 2014 in Camden, Maine; Credit: Asa Mathat

Science correspondent Joe Palca has won numerous awards, co-authored a book and worked at NPR for over 20 years. His ongoing series “Joe’s Big Idea” shies away from the latest science news headlines and focuses on people making new discoveries or inventions. Palca’s project is his way of showing the scientific process where results aren’t always immediate, and at time, there are none at all.

Joe's Big Idea counters what he refers to as the “news treadmill” that constantly spews out the latest scientific study or breakthrough. His series features a chemist who developed an iPhone app that scans for eye cancer to a Southern Californian rocker turned aerospace engineer who who led a team to the surface of Mars. Palca is changing the breaking news equation and telling scientists’ stories differently.

Having worked as a scientist before writing about it, Palca works to make science digestible for all audiences. Where is science headed? What can we glean about new advances in science? What are we gaining, or losing, by the media’s current approach to science reporting?

Guest:

Joe Palca, Science Correspondent, NPR