The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

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Classified documents found: just how much trouble could Biden, Trump, and Pence be in? Feb 09, 2023

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It seems like every few weeks, we hear about another high-ranking U.S. government leader who, knowingly or not, left office with classified documents. Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Mike Pence - all three are currently under investigation. But is this really that big of a deal? Or, is it just something else for politicians to make noise about? Villanova University Professor of Political Science Dr. David Barrett takes a look at past precedent in similar situations, and whether Biden, Trump, or Pence could ultimately face charges.

Is the Supreme Court preparing to gut workers' rights? Feb 07, 2023

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A union went on strike. Its company sued for damages. Now, with the case having made its way across the country from Washington state to the Supreme Court, power dynamics hang in the balance. But is the court really ready to break with nearly 65 years of precedent and upend federal labor laws? Dr. Susan Liebell and Dr. Laura Bucci, Professor and Assistant Professor of Political Science at Saint Joseph's University, respectively, think not only is it likely, but will probably happen. And that would be bad news for the rights of individual workers and their ability to unionize and participate in collective action.

One year of war between Russia and Ukraine - where are we now? Feb 02, 2023

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In February 2022, after years of threats, Russia invaded Ukraine. A war that some people never thought would happen is still going on a year later. What has changed? Is there an end to this in sight, or could things escalate even further? Where does Ukraine stand in terms of international support? We bring back two experts from St. Joseph’s University who have helped us understand this crisis throughout the past year - Dr. Lisa Baglione, Professor of Political Science and member of the International Relations Program, and Dr. Melissa Chakars, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of History.

The FTC wants to ban non-compete clauses. How much power do they really have? Jan 31, 2023

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It’s fairly common for a contract or work agreement to include a non-compete clause, saying the worker can’t go to a competing company for a certain amount of time after leaving their job. But that might not be the case for long - the Federal Trade Commission has put forth a proposal that would ban non-compete agreements. What would that mean for workers and for businesses? The FTC makes rules to prevent unfair competition, but they’re not laws - do they really have the power to make a ban this big? Natalie Pedersen, Associate Professor of Legal Studies at Drexel's LeBow College of Business, helps us explain what’s at stake here and how it could play out.

Why ‘Dry January’ might not do as much good as you think. Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

The holidays have come and gone. You’re feeling bloated. You need a cleanse. Enter ‘Dry January.’ Over the last couple years, this initiative has really caught on, to the point where restaurants and bars even design special menus for the month. But does it work? Is going cold turkey, only to resume indulgent behaviors a month later, the best way to lead a healthy life? Dr. Mariana Lazo, Associate Research Professor at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health, looks at the pros and cons of ‘Dry January.’

To tip or not to tip, and other questions about subsidizing the service industry Jan 24, 2023

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Tipping at a restaurant. Rounding up at the grocery store for a charitable donation. Using the self-checkout line without getting a break on the final bill. The more you think about it, the more you realize just how much consumers are asked to subsidize certain parts of the service industry. Is this ok? What are we actually getting in return? Temple University Associate Professor of Travel and Tourism Dr. Benjamin Altschuler examines these questions, and discusses whether traditional expectations in the service industry are overdue for a change.

Is there any hope for a broken immigration system? Jan 19, 2023

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Everyone likes to say America is a nation of immigrants, right? But here’s the thing: the country’s history also reveals that the United States has contributed to its own immigration problem. With immigration such a hot button political issue these days, Sarah Paoletti, the Director of the Transnational Legal Clinic and Practice Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School, cuts through the noise and explains what’s really happening, while also analyzing the factors that got the country to this point.

Problems in the teaching pipeline: how to change recruitment & retention trends Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

Lots of factors are working against teachers these days. Among the biggest? Pay, politicization of their profession, and the ripple effects of the pandemic. But recruiting new educators to enter the field is only part of the problem. Keeping the ones who have been around the longest is an issue, too. LaTanya Pattillo is the Director of Policy and Advocacy at the non-profit group NWEA, which supports students and educators. She shares her thoughts on some possible solutions.

Meta, Crocs, and cream cheese - the fastest growing brands of 2022 Jan 12, 2023

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Every year, Morning Consult releases a report on the fastest growing brands based on consumer polls. In 2022, Crocs made a comeback, Major League Baseball was big (in a year when the Phillies played in the World Series…coincidence?), and for some reason, people were really into Great Value cream cheese. Joanna Piacenza, Head of Industry Intelligence for Morning Consult, joins us to take a deeper look at this list and what it says about certain brands and the economy overall.

Recession or revival? Predictions for the 2023 economy. Jan 10, 2023

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In 2022, inflation was the big economic buzzword. Interest rates kept going up, as did gas prices, but the job market started to turn around. Where do we stand now to kick off 2023? We check in with our go-to economist, David Fiorenza, to talk about the economic new year - where do we stand now and what does he think is ahead?

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