The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Latest Episodes:

There was a spike in online test cheating last year. What does it mean? Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

In 2021, breaches in proctored online exams rose by more than 6%. So what does that mean? Are students suddenly cheating in school a lot more than they have, or is something else to blame? And what should be done to address these problems? We asked Louise Krmpotic, Vice President of educational enterprise for DigitalEd, a company that works with colleges and universities around the world to improve digital learning.

"It's a perfect storm and it's pretty bad": what's at stake when election integrity is threatened Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

If we couldn't trust the integrity of our elections, what else would be left for us to believe in when it comes to the American political system? At one point in time, a question like this might have seemed overly dramatic, but these days, the issue is becoming more and more urgent, especially in very tight, competitive races. Dr. Craig Green, a professor of law at Temple University, shares his thoughts on the current state of elections in the United States, and foreshadows how a shift in the Supreme Court could make the legal grounds for challenging election outcomes more fertile.

Putin, Epstein, and shady sources of money in sports Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

It takes a lot of money to buy a sports team. Sure, owners have a lot of money - mostly from business dealings - but where does that money come from? What’s keeping those businesses afloat? Henry Abbott manages the website True Hoop, and he’s been following money in pro sports for years, so it was no surprise to him that when sanctions started coming down on Russian elites in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, some of that money was tied up in pro sports. Henry’s story might start with Vladimir Putin, but as you’ll hear, it doesn’t end there.

Wall Street Bets and Gamestop stock, revisited Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

Remember early last year when stocks like Gamestop and AMC went through the roof, powered by people from the subreddit Wall Street Bets? Meme stocks and retail investors sticking it to hedge funds were the biggest stories in the world for a few months, but what happened when the hype died down? We wanted to revisit what happened, see if it is still happening, and ask if there have been any ripple effects since early 2021, so we called Dr. Samuel Rosen, Assistant Professor of Finance at Temple University's Fox School of Business.

Examples of implicit media bias that should make you stop and think Jun 04, 2022

Show notes

Is the media biased? Allegations of political bias happen every day just about everywhere you look, but there are other examples of bias that are worth a hard look as well -- like how Black and white people are often portrayed in similar crime stories. We wanted to take a closer look at implicit bias, what it looks like, and why it happens, so we called Timothy Welbeck, a civil rights attorney and Director for the Center of Anti-Racism Research at Temple University.

Pandemic economy update: A much needed win for the hospitality industry Jun 04, 2022

Show notes

Hourly earnings are up over 5% from a year ago, payrolls are up nearly 400k in May, and leisure and hospitality are leading the way in jobs added -- more really good news for regular people in this economy. Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza is back to break down the biggest economic stories of the week and what they mean for you and me.

"Is it as gross as it sounds?" Why oil companies continue to profit while consumers feel the squeeze Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

Will it ever end? In a matter of days - sometimes hours, it feels like - gas prices jump. Then they go up again, and again, and again… How long will this surge at the pump last? Buckle in, says Dr. Scott Jackson, a former senior research fellow at DuPont who has spent most of his career in chemical engineering and the oil industry. Despite envisioning a future where gas prices eventually start to taper off, he doesn’t expect to see costs go back to where they were before Russia invaded Ukraine. Jackson, a visiting professor at Villanova University, examines how the war, along with several other key factors, have combined to put the squeeze on consumers, who now might be more ready than ever to embrace electric automobiles.

Three months later: Russia's missteps in Ukraine Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

In the immediate aftermath of Russia invading Ukraine, there were feelings of fear, outrage, and uncertainty around the world. Three months later, are we paying as much attention to the conflict as we should be? Dr. Melissa Chakars chairs the history department at Saint Joseph's University, and is an expert in Eurasian history with a focus on Russia. She explains why we shouldn't look away from what's happening in Ukraine, and does a deep dive on some of the key subplots emerging from the war, including Russia's poor performance, rumors about Vladimir Putin's health, and the troublesome outlook for the Donbas region.

The neuroscience behind freestyle rap with Anthony Veneziale of Freestyle Love Supreme Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

What happens in someone's brain when they're freestyling or doing improv comedy? Anthony Veneziale - a Philadelphia native who started Freestyle Love Supreme with Lin-Manuel Miranda - has actually been studying that, and teaching others how to harness the skills of freestyle for their everyday lives through FLS Academy. He breaks down the neuroscience for us, along with some history of hip-hop, freestyle, and improv, and he gives us a demo. Plus, he tells us how he met Lin-Manuel Miranda, how Freestyle Love Supreme began, and what you can expect to see on stage when the show comes to the Miller Theater from June 7-12.

The secret plan to fight inflation: what happens when interest rates go up? May 31, 2022

Show notes

With apologies to Josh Lyman, the secret plan to fight inflation isn't that secret after all: raise interest rates. The Federal Reserve has already raised interest rates a couple of times this year, and more rate hikes are on the horizon. So what else happens when rates go up? Will the Fed's actions result in any other real impacts on regular Americans? What does it mean for people buying or selling a house? Or for how much interest your bank account accumulates? We had a lot of questions about the impacts and ripple effects of these rate hikes so we caught up with Dr. Elizabeth Cooper, Professor of Finance at La Salle University to break it all down.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected