Today on AirTalk, we explore the pros and cons of Uber's new "quiet mode" feature and hear reactions from Uber drivers and frequent users. We also examine how sports teams should handle unconfirmed allegations of domestic violence; discuss the most surprising niche magazines you've ever seen; and more.
As Julio Urias Returns To The Dodgers, How Should Sports Teams Handle Allegations Of Domestic Violence Mid-Investigation?
The Dodgers’ young star pitcher is expected to be reinstated today, after a seven-day administrative leave following his arrest on suspicion of domestic battery.
Witnesses say Urias shoved his girlfriend in the Beverly Center parking lot on May 13. The Los Angeles Times reports that authorities have seen the surveillance footage, but the league hasn’t been able to access video of the incident.
The decision was made by the commissioner’s office in coordination with the MLB players’ union. The commissioner’s office could have suspended Urias, postponed his discipline to a later date or asked for another seven-day leave.
Both the MLB and the LAPD investigations into Urias are ongoing.
Should Urias be allowed to play as the investigations continue? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Dylan Hernandez, sports columnist and former Dodgers beat writer for the Los Angeles Times; he tweets
Steve Albrecht, HR consultant focusing on workplace violence; former domestic violence investigator with the San Diego Police Department; he tweets
Shut Up And Drive: Riders And Drivers React To New Uber Feature That Lets You Pay For A Silent Ride
Ride hailing company Uber has rolled out a suite of new features for its popular mobile app and among them is a new option that users have been requesting for some time: an option to ask that your driver not talk during the ride.
The feature will be available to riders who choose to ride Uber Black or Uber Black SUV, the company’s luxury service tier, and yes, you will have to shell out if you want to ask your driver to be silent during your ride. Now, that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t simply order a regular Uber and ask the driver yourself. But for those who might feel awkward asking the question directly of the driver, the app’s new feature will allow you to choose whether you’d like a silent ride when you are booking the car. You’ll also have options to tell your driver what your optimal car temperature is, whether you have luggage and would like your driver to help load it, and even request an extended pick up window if you think you might be delayed.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of this new feature and hear reactions from Uber drivers and frequent users.
We contacted Uber to request comment but they declined our interview request.
Guests:
Josh Constine, editor-at-large for TechCrunch who has been following the story; he tweets
Jay Cradeur, full-time Uber and Lyft driver with more than 24,000 rides and a contributor to “The Rideshare Guy” blog where he wrote about Uber’s ‘quiet mode’; he also has his own ridesharing site and podcast called “Rideshare Dojo”; he tweets
Prop 64 Legalized Cannabis With The Caveat That Local Governments Would Have Ultimate Control. A New Bill Would Change That
One of the big concessions made in writing California’s Prop 64 was the guarantee of local control -- that even if cannabis was legalized statewide, cities and counties would have the jurisdiction to ban marijuana businesses.
Three years into cannabis legalization, about 75 percent of local governments have banned cannabis related businesses, and the cannabis grey market has not been squashed, which is something that Assemblymember Phil Ting is aiming to address in his new bill.
Assembly Bill 1356 would curtail local control by requiring that cities and counties where at least half of constituents voted to support Prop 64 would be required to make available cannabis retail licenses. The current formula proposed by the bill is one marijuana license for every six liquor licenses in the area, or one marijuana license for every 15,000 residents, depending on which number is lowest. At least one of the licenses would have to be medicinal.
Assemblymember Ting argues that this bill is necessary to instate the will of the voters, who passed Prop 64. Local governments argue that local control was a crucial part of the Prop 64 that was approved by voters, and to undercut local jurisdiction is a bait-and-switch.
We debate the measure, as well as the larger question of local versus statewide jurisdiction over cannabis licensing.
Guests:
Josh Drayton, communications and outreach director of the California Cannabis Industry Association, an association that collectively represents over 500 industry businesses
Cara Martinson, legislative representative for the California State Association of Counties, an advocacy organization that represents county governments at the state level
The Most Surprising Niche Magazines You’ve Ever Seen
Are you a twin, factory crane professional or emu enthusiast? Because, if so, there’s a magazine for you.
Even in the midst of the Internet age, you can find countless magazines with very specific and surprising niches.
There’s a magazine dedicated entirely to hats. Another is called the ‘Potato Review.’ There’s even a trade magazine for chimney sweeps. And if you’ve ever wondered what’s new in the world of elevators, look no further than – you guessed it – ‘Elevator World.’
What is the most surprising niche magazine you’ve ever come across? Are you a dedicated subscriber to one of these publications, or do you know someone who is? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Diana Landau, blog editor for Sacramento-based Niche Media HQ, which puts on educational conferences for niche publishers to help them learn how to drive revenue and maintain readership