Make Me Smart

A union election at Volkswagen is testing the power of the United Auto Workers. As voting gets underway this week, guest host Nova Safo explains what unionization could mean for three big automakers and the labor movement in the South. Plus, how a unanimous Supreme Court ruling expands the scope of workplace bias suits. And, why Billy Joel came up at a Pentagon press briefing. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The South has few unionized auto plants. Workers say this one could be next.” from The Washington Post “Supreme Court makes it easier to sue for job discrimination over forced transfers” from The Associated Press “Hugh Grant says he took ‘enormous sum’ to settle suit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid” from The Associated Press “Conservative Broadcaster OAN Settles Defamation Claims by Voting-Machine Company Smartmatic” from The Wall Street Journal Pentagon press conference moment from Travis Akers on X Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (Official HD Video)  We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

There’s been a lot of debate lately about the potential effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s mental health. Some states like states like Florida and Utah have even tried to ban kids from using social media apps until they reach a certain age. But Mikey Jensen, professor of clinical psychology and director of the Interactions and Relationships Lab at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, said outright bans could do more harm than good. On the show today: How smartphones and social media are reshaping our lives. And why we should focus on the quality of kids’ online time instead of the amount of it.  Then, we’ll get into the cost of a major ransomware attack for a health care company and its clients. And, the mini pencil economy and what a history professor got wrong about ancient Rome. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness?” from Nature “The Phone in the Room” from The New York Times “I Asked 65 Teens How They Feel About Being Online” from The Cut “What the evidence really says about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health” from Vox “UnitedHealth to take up to $1.6 billion hit this year from Change hack” from Reuters “Change Healthcare stolen patient data leaked by ransomware gang” from TechCrunch “IMF Steps Up Its Warning to US Over Spending and Ballooning Debt” from Bloomberg We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

It’s Tax Day! Millions of Americans have already filed their 2023 returns, but today we’re talking about tax protesters and the moral and ethical reasons some refuse to file their taxes or pay what they owe. Plus, the “no landing” scenario has entered the chat. And, what are we getting wrong about the cosmos? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Taxes are due even if you object to government policies or doubt the validity of the 16th Amendment’s ratification” from The Conversation “Taxes 2024: I stopped paying taxes a decade ago. The results shocked me.” from Slate “‘The 401(k) industry owns Congress’: How lawmakers quietly passed a $300 billion windfall to the wealthy” from Politico “Fed Hiking Rates to 6.5% Is ‘Real Risk’ for UBS Strategists” from Bloomberg “March retail sales data show the American consumer is still pretty strong” from Axios “World’s top cosmologists convene to question conventional view of the universe” from The Guardian We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

It’s hard to get around without a car these days. But in the last couple of years, owning one has become very expensive. We’ll explain the deceptive practices happening in the auto lending market. And, we’ll explain how Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s power in the Democratic Party was demonstrated by a campaign contribution. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty and weigh in on “dumbphones” and adult gap years. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Ocasio-Cortez Never Steered Money to a Key Arm of Her Party. Until Now.” from The New York Times “The rise of the scammy car loan” from Vox “Decades later, Bonnie Tyler still finds new fans for her hit song every total eclipse” from CBC Radio “Tech is supercharging pre-employment personality tests” from Marketplace “The Dumbphone Boom Is Real” from The New Yorker “Broadband ‘nutrition labels’ help you comparison shop for cable” from Marketplace “Brands in Space: What’s behind the rush to advertise in the final frontier?” from Marketplace “‘Companies are starting to realize burnout is an issue’: Meet the lucky workers taking sabbaticals and ‘adult gap years’ to recharge” from Fortune We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today, we’re discussing the bond market’s big reaction to the latest inflation news and why you shouldn’t worry about it. Plus, a new Boeing whistleblower comes forward, and Beyoncé calls out the home insurance industry. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Bonds are talking to us after inflation gauge comes in above forecasts” from Marketplace “US consumer prices heat up in March; seen delaying Fed rate cut” from Reuters “$6.6 billion TSMC deal in Arizona the latest in the CHIPS Act’s rollout” from Marketplace “TSMC: Biden to give Taiwanese company $6.6 billion to ramp up US chip production” from CNN “Biden administration bets an old plant can make new chips” from Marketplace “‘Benefit of the doubt running thin with Boeing’: Capt. Dennis Tajer on whistleblower claims” from CNBC “Boeing whistleblower says the Dreamliner 787 could ‘break apart’ because of safety flaws, report says” from NBC Beyoncé’s YA YA (Clean Version) Video breaking down Beyoncé’s “YA YA” from Daryl Fairweather on X Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. We’ll have news, drink, and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

Inflation is coming in hot! Today’s consumer price index shows prices kept rising in March. Kai Ryssdal explains the one thing everybody should be doing right about now in addition to taking a deep breath! Plus, the rising cost of insurance — from homeowners coverage to life insurance — and what companies are doing to dump customers. Also, hear a whale talk to a scientist. Here’s everything we talk about today: “Hot Inflation Report Derails Case for Fed’s June Rate Cut” from The Wall Street Journal “Insurers Are Spying on Your Home From the Sky” from The Wall Street Journal “The Soaring Cost of Homeowners Insurance” from Comstock’s Magazine “MassMutual is rolling out free genetic testing for members, a dicey area for life insurers” from STAT+ “The scientists learning to speak whale” from BBC Solar Grazing Resources from the American Solar Grazing Association We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

There’s a lot of buzz about a slowdown in the electric vehicle market. EV sales, while still growing, are not accelerating at the pace of just a few years ago. At the same time, EV makers from Tesla to General Motors and Ford are pushing back EV plans. So, what gives? On the show today, Robinson Meyer of Heatmap explains what’s really happening with the U.S. EV market, what it’s going to take to rev it back up, competition from China and whether moves by the Biden administration will be enough to help domestic EV producers pull ahead. Then, can robots make the meatpacking industry safer? Plus, in celebration of Monday’s solar eclipse, a planetary scientist answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What happened to EVs?” from Business Insider “Opinion | China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball” from The New York Times “The key to growing EV adoption is cars with lower sticker prices. They may be on their way.” from Marketplace “Here Comes the Flood of Plug-In Hybrids” from Wired “How Americans view electric vehicles” from Pew Research “Tesla’s Sales Drop, a Sign That Its Grip on the E.V. Market Is Slipping” from The New York Times “The U.S. Urgently Needs a Bigger Grid. Here’s a Fast Solution.” from The New York Times “Meet the Robots Slicing Your Barbecue Ribs” from The Wall Street Journal “Dogs can understand the meaning of nouns, new research finds” from The Guardian We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The Biden administration is in a mad dash to address student debt relief ahead of the presidential election. A new plan could benefit tens of millions of Americans. We’ll explain. Plus, a Kai rant about a CEO who gets too much attention. And, there seems to be a market for everything! We’ll tell you about a new fad involving kids and mini pencils. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden announces new student debt relief plan for millions of borrowers” from The Hill “Biden seeks student debt relief for millions” from NPR “Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Might Face Interest-Rate Spike” from The Wall Street Journal “2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA” from NASA “Hot Market for Pencils Help Kids Turn Lead Into Gold” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today, we’re talking earthquakes! First, our East Coast-based hosts react to the shaking on their side of the country. Then, we’ll examine how earthquake preparedness in Taiwan saved lives and prevented a big problem for the global tech economy. Later, we’ll weigh in on restoring blue check marks on X, New York earthquake memes and solar eclipse tourism in a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness saved a lot of lives — and prevented a catastrophe for the global tech economy” from Vox “It’s not just you. Here’s why pollen allergies are worse than ever” from CNN “FDA to Drop Ban on Sperm Donations From Gay and Bisexual Men” from The Wall Street Journal “America has a Black sperm donor shortage. Black women are paying the price.” from The Washington Post “Elon Musk’s X restores free blue check marks. Here’s what it means.” from The Washington Post “Why demand for jeans persists across the decades” from Marketplace “Why multigenerational households are making a comeback in a big way” from Marketplace “X becomes ‘earthquake Twitter’ as users flood site with memes and jokes” from NBC News “How much are you spending for the eclipse? Here’s what Americans are saying” from Fox 10 Phoenix “Countdown to the total solar eclipse: How it will unfold, play by play” from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today, we’re picking guest host Amy Scott’s brain about two major news stories: the Baltimore bridge collapse and the recent Realtors settlement. We have lots of questions for the Baltimore resident and senior Marketplace correspondent covering all things housing! Plus, we’ll celebrate an American teen who made figure skating history. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Key Bridge disaster slows or stops Baltimore port jobs” from Marketplace “Maryland legislators hope to help port workers and others affected by the bridge collapse” from Marketplace “Lina Khan – FTC Chair on Amazon Antitrust Lawsuit & AI Oversight” from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” “Jon Stewart claims Apple wouldn’t let him interview FTC chair on his podcast” from Axios “The U.S. sues Apple, saying it abuses its power to monopolize the smartphone market” from NPR “The Realtors settlement could change how agents work with homebuyers” from Marketplace “Teenager Ilia Malinin lands a record SIX quads to capture world figure skating title” from NBC Sports “Ilia Malinin wins first world figure skating title with historic six quadruple jumps” from NBC Sports Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

General Electric is breaking up! The megacorporation is splintering off into three separate companies. We’ll get into what that means for one of America’s biggest industrial conglomerates. Also, guest host Amy Scott joins us to discuss the dangers of humanitarian work in times of war. And dynamic pricing is coming for checked luggage. We’ll get smart (and angry!) about airline baggage fees. Here’s everything we talked about today: “José Andrés: Let People Eat” from The New York Times “Israel-Hamas war: Aid group halts delivery in Gaza after Israeli strike” from The Associated Press “How José Andrés and World Central Kitchen Became Leaders in Disaster Aid” from The New York Times “We Feed People” documentary from National Geographic  “With GE’s split, the last chapter of the Jack Welch era is over” from Axios “JetBlue’s new checked bag fees now depend on the day” from CNN “Why do airlines charge so much for checked bags? This obscure rule helps explain why” from The Conversation “For families that need the most help, child care costs are about to drop” from The 19th “Column: Disneyland is ditching gas cars at Autopia. It’s a great first step for Tomorrowland” from the Los Angeles Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

It’s spring break for a lot of you. So, today we’re taking you on a little road trip (sort of) to the Southwest. Water is running really low there. As part of the latest season of “How We Survive,” Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast, host Amy Scott traveled across the region to dig into the water tech solutions that are helping communities adapt. So buckle up and get ready to get smart about the water crisis in the West.

Starting today, many fast-food workers in California will be paid $20 an hour under a new minimum-wage law. It’s time for a Kimberly rant! We’ll get into the subsidization of low-wage work, the reals costs behind all the stuff we buy — from burgers to clothes — and who’s picking up the tab. Plus, guest host Reema Khrais reminisces about the early years of Google as the company celebrates 20 years of Gmail. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Fast fashion retailer Shein doubles profits as it awaits IPO approval” from The Guardian “California’s Fast-Food Workers Just Got a Pay Bump” from The New York Times “California’s Crazy ‘Fast Food’ Minimum Wage Takes Effect” from The Wall Street Journal “Your hair looks gorgeous. It cost … what?!” from The Washington Post “Hey, Gen X, Z and millennials: the great wealth transfer could go to health care, not you” from USA Today “Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon” from CNN “Gmail revolutionized email 20 years ago. People thought it was Google’s April Fools’ Day joke” from The Associated Press We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Carmakers are keeping a close eye on the steel industry. A bidding war over U.S. Steel, an iconic American manufacturer, is brewing, and car companies are concerned about antitrust issues and what that could mean for the auto business. We’ll get into it and explain our new theory about why the economy feels so precarious at the moment. Plus, we’ll weigh in on side hustles, raising the retirement age and Beyonce’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” in a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Automakers urge White House to oppose US Steel sale to Cleveland-Cliffs” from Reuters “Powell says Fed wants to see ‘more good inflation readings’ before it can cut rates” from AP News “Fed chair: Focusing solely on inflation is “no longer appropriate'” from Marketplace “Biology is not as hierarchical as most textbooks paint it” from Aeon “Dolly Loves Beyoncé: The Country Legend Is Wowed By The Fiercely Revised ‘Jolene'” from Deadline “LinkedIn moves in on TikTok’s turf with video option” from Axios “Owning a vending machine is an emerging side hustle” from Marketplace “Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald’s” from The Washington Post “Should the U.S. raise the retirement age?” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Even though the economy is going strong, many Americans are still pessimistic about it. We’ll get into how feelings and beliefs about the economy are playing into the 2024 presidential election. Plus, guest host Matt Levin joins us to discuss the latest AI news, including a new state law — known as the ELVIS Act — focused on protecting artists’ voices. And he’ll explain why he has the song “Barbie Girl” (Johnny Cash’s version) stuck in his head. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Bush Campaign Rally” from  C-SPAN “The Media’s Role in Forming Voters’ National Economic Evaluations in 1992” from the American Journal of Political Science “Should politicians know the price of a pint of milk?” from BBC News “The Primary Problem” from Unite America “Johnny Cash Covers Aqua Girl’s ‘Barbie Girl’ Using AI” from Business Insider “New Tennessee law aims to protect musicians from generative AI” from Marketplace “An early look our AI Music experiment” from YouTube Blog “First stop on the road to regulating AI? Finding humans to do the job.” from Marketplace “Every US federal agency must hire a chief AI officer” from The Verge Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

In corporate America, struggling companies often pull a classic move: They promote women to lead them through a crisis. Boeing did just that. We’ll talk about the new boss at Boeing and how the “glass cliff” phenomenon impacts women and people of color moving up the corporate ladder. Also in this episode, a Kai rant about Truth Social and the greater fool theory, why dogs might be even smarter than we think, and is “bazoodaful” a new Kai word? Here’s everything we talked about today: Trump’s Truth Social stock from CNN The greater fool theory from Investopedia “Boeing just pulled a classic corporate America move and promoted a woman to clean up its mess” from Business Insider “Dogs can understand the meaning of nouns, new research finds” from The Guardian “Dogs can understand words for specific objects” from BBC We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today we’re talking about a key voting bloc in this year’s elections: white evangelical Christian voters. In 2016 and 2020, they helped Donald Trump rise to power. NPR’s Sarah McCammon, author of “Exvangelicals,” discusses why evangelicals continue to back Trump, her personal journey leaving evangelicalism and the economic systems built around the evangelical movement. We’ll also talk about the Maryland bridge collapse and the state of U.S. infrastructure. Plus, Neil King Jr., author of the memoir “American Ramble,” answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘You gotta be tough’: White evangelicals remain enthusiastic about Donald Trump” from NPR “How younger voters will impact elections: What is happening to the white evangelical vote?” from Brookings “Why White Evangelicals Stuck with Trump” from the University of Chicago Divinity School “Latinos Will Determine the Future of American Evangelicalism” from The Atlantic “Bridge Collapse in Baltimore Puts an Election Year Spotlight on Infrastructure” from The New York Times “Elon Musk’s Starlink Terminals Are Falling Into the Wrong Hands” from Bloomberg We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

This week, the Supreme Court will hear its first major abortion case since the Dobbs decision. We’ll get into how the use of abortion pills has changed post-Roe and the possible revival of a 150-year-old anti-obscenity law. Plus, an update on the efforts to limit judge shopping. And, the story of a woman who completed an extreme running race. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden’s Trustbuster Draws Unlikely Fans: ‘Khanservative’ Republicans” from The Wall Street Journal “Showdown in Cowtown” from Politico’s Morning Money “Where a Suit Can Proceed: Court Selection and Forum Shopping” from the Congressional Research Service “Use of Abortion Pills Has Risen Significantly Post Roe, Research Shows” from The New York Times “What is the Comstock Act?” from The 19th “Optimist Pollster Finds Americans Are Far More Alike Than Different, With Shared Values Bridging Political Divides” from Good News Network “Jasmin Paris Is First Woman to Finish Barkley Marathons” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Since the Congressional Budget Office last released its long-term outlook for the federal deficit and strength of the U.S. economy, things have become a teeny bit better. Why? The CBO points to increased immigration and last year’s spending deal struck between Congress and President Joe Biden. And, we’ll get into the looming commercial real-estate reckoning. Plus, we’ll weigh in on tote bags, Free Blockbuster libraries and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “PRP Pays $323M For Market Square, D.C.’s Largest Sale In 18 Months” from Bisnow “Budget Office report credits immigration and spending deals with improved outlook despite huge debt” from AP News “The Long-Term Budget Outlook: 2024 to 2054” from the CBO “How the tote bag became the hottest fashion accessory around” from Marketplace “Tired of Streaming? Free Blockbuster Libraries Offer an Alternative.” from The New York Times “Encyclopædia Britannica is eyeing a $1 billion valuation in its IPO, report says” from Quartz “I Pizza A | Voodoo Ranger” from Voodoo Ranger “Walmart Is Luring Wealthy Shoppers With Blazers and Duck Breast” from Bloomberg Help us meet our spring fundraiser goal and get your throwback Marketplace swag today!

Congress is once again in a race against the clock to pass a gargantuan federal spending bill to keep the government up and running past Saturday. We’ll get into it. And, the Joe Biden administration made a groundbreaking investment in Intel’s chip manufacturing business in an effort to spur the domestic semiconductor industry. Plus, Nvidia’s next generation AI chips and Caitlin Clark’s place in the booming world of women’s sports. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Nvidia reveals Blackwell B200 GPU, the ‘world’s most powerful chip’ for AI” from The Verge “CHIPS Act to give Intel $8.5 billion in direct funding, plus loans” from Marketplace “For Women’s Basketball, Caitlin Clark’s Lasting Impact May Be Economic” from The New York Times “NCAA women’s basketball success is about more than Caitlin Clark” from Marketplace Pledge to give monthly to support our newsroom and your donations will be matched for a full year by the Investors Challenge Fund!