The debt limit is the big economic news story of the day, but yes, you *still need to keep an eye on inflation. The personal consumption expenditures price index, a measure of consumer spending, ticked up last month. That’s bad news if you were hoping interest rates, the tool the Federal Reserve uses to fight inflation, might come down soon. And, some musing on the nature of consequences: Three members of the far-right militia known as the Oath Keepers were recently sentenced to prison for their part in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Sedition Sentence for Oath Keepers’ Stewart Rhodes Marks Moment of Accountability” from The New York Times “Jessica Watkins: Oath Keepers member and Army veteran sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for January 6” from CNN Politics “US Inflation (PCE), Consumer Spending Pick Up in Sign of Economic Resilience” from Bloomberg “The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge just heated up — and that could mean another rate hike” from CNN “Atlanta Fed CEO on the debt limit debacle and curbing inflation” from Marketplace “Band-Aid is the most trusted brand in the US, beating out Amazon and Visa” from Business Insider “Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown is here — and it costs $7.99 per month” from The Verge “The Restaurant QR-Code Menu Is Being Shown the Door” from The New York Times “The steel sector is carbon-intensive. “Green steel” could be a game changer.” from Marketplace “Admit it — you miss socializing at the office” from Marketplace It’s the last day of our May fundraiser. Help us reach our goal and keep our newsroom running. Give now. Join us in Seattle for a special live taping of “Make Me Smart” on June 9. You can find ticket information here.

Everyone has bills to pay, and the Treasury Department is no exception. As we get closer to the debt ceiling “X date,” the Treasury finds itself with less and less money to pay for its existing obligations. We talk about how much cash Secretary Janet Yellen has to work with, and the government’s plan to prevent a potential default. And, Tina Turner’s legacy goes beyond rousing music. Plus, in the Make Me Smile department, a discussion on cruises, family vacations and space travel! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Orders surge for trans designer after Target pulls products” from Reuters “Tina Turner Was Open About Her Abuse. Now Her Legacy Is Saving Survivors” from Rolling Stone “Biden Administration Dusts Off Contingency Plan if Debt-Ceiling Deadline Passes” from The Wall Street Journal “US Credit Rating at Risk of Fitch Cut on Debt-Limit Impasse” from Bloomberg “Credit rating agency warns it may downgrade US debt rating, driving up costs” from CNN Tweet from @kaileyleinz on the Treasury cash balance drop “Half-Empty a Year Ago, Cruises Are Now Packed Like Sardines” from The Wall Street Journal “Cruising Is Back in a Major Way” from Travel + Leisure “I Won’t Be Going on Any Cruise Ship With Millennials” from The Wall Street Journal “Hibernation artificially triggered in potential space travel breakthrough” from The Guardian “James Cameron Working on New Terminator Movie, Wants to See How AI Affects the Real World” from MovieWeb There are only two more days for our May fundraiser. We can’t do this without your support!

It seems like people are using chatbots like ChatGPT for everything these days: writing cover letters, coming up with meal plans, you name it. One listener wondered: Are investors using AI to make stock market picks? We’ll get into it and answer more of your questions about why other countries use the U.S. dollar instead of their own currency and the origins of the phrase “knock-on effect.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “How people are using AI for stock market picks” from Marketplace “Battle of the Bots: Which AI is Better at Picking Stocks?” from Investopedia “Dollarization Definition, Impact, Example” from Investopedia “More than two dozen countries and territories use the US dollar as currency” from Business Insider “Understanding the Downfall of Greece’s Economy” from Investopedia “Why Is The Fed Sending Billions Of Dollars All Over The World?” from NPR “‘Knock-on” (effects)” from Not One-Off Britishisms “Anatoly Liberman on the origin of familiar words and phrases” from MPR “This is why alcohol doesn’t come with nutrition facts” from Vox “Why Your Booze Doesn’t Have a Nutrition Label” from EatingWell Got a question for our hosts? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The federal government has lifted the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, and many Americans are eager to move on from the pandemic entirely. But, COVID-19 is unfortunately still here — and so is the threat of a future pandemic. Ed Yong, a science journalist at The Atlantic who wrote about the risk of a deadly pandemic in 2018 and later won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on COVID-19, warns that neglecting the pandemic only leaves us unable to address the problems that led to its devastating impacts in the first place. On the show today, Yong explains how the panic-neglect cycle keeps us vulnerable to COVID-19 flare-ups and new pandemics, why social solutions are just as important as medical ones when it comes to preventing the spread of disease, and why long COVID is misunderstood. Plus, what needs to change to make the United States better prepared for the inevitable next pandemic. In the News Fix: Many retailers (including in the luxury segment) are expecting a drop in sales, and some sellers are starting to limit free return options. These could be signs that consumer spending is finally tightening after the Federal Reserve’s relentless interest rate hikes. Plus, we’ll talk about the benefits of buying secondhand. Later, a listener suggests fun emojis to brighten up a conversation on Slack. And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from Kimberly’s mermaid instructor, Jen Downey. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Pandemic’s Legacy Is Already Clear” from The Atlantic “Track Covid-19 in the U.S.: Latest Data and Maps” from The New York Times “Long COVID Is Being Erased—Again” from The Atlantic “We Need an Operation Warp Speed for Long COVID” from Scientific American “Is America Ready for a Global Pandemic?” from The Atlantic “Retailers Clamp Down on Returns” from The Wall Street Journal “America’s home improvement boom appears to be over” from CNN “Why you should buy everything used” from The Washington Post Your support is critical to helping close our budget gap. Donate before Memorial Day weekend: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

There’s inflation, and then there’s hyperinflation. That’s what’s happening in Argentina, and it’s changing the way people do business and behave in the economy. We’ll talk about how Argentina is dealing with it and how it relates to the “sticky” inflation situation in the U.S. economy. Then, why reaching a compromise on the debt crisis may be harder than we thought. Plus, kids who love to read are making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How a 12-year-old playbook is shaping the battle over the debt limit” from Politico “The messy money reality at the center of the debt ceiling fight” from Marketplace Biden-Harris administration proposal to protect Colorado River basin from U.S. Department of Interior “Three states agree to reduce water usage so the Colorado river doesn’t go dry” from NBC “TikTok Sues Montana Over State’s Ban of Its Service” from The Wall Street Journal “TikTok sues Montana over its new law banning the app” from NPR “Argentina Introduces 2,000 Peso Banknote. It’s Worth About $4” from Bloomberg “Highest-denomination bill in Argentina is now the 2,000-peso note, worth $4” from The Guardian “A tweet about a Pentagon explosion was fake. It still went viral.” from The Washington Post “Fake Pentagon attack hoax shows perils of Twitter’s paid verification” from TechCrunch TikTok from @casualgeographic on the unproblematic nature of the capybara “Kids’ reading scores have soared in Deep South states” from AP “Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong” from APM Reports It’s our May fundraiser. We need to raise $350K to stay on track for this fiscal year, and your gift now can help us reach our goal. Give today.

Just when it seemed like a deal was being teed up, negotiations over the debt ceiling broke off. Then went back on … for the moment, at least. So what happens if the U.S. government defaults? Nobody knows exactly, but we’ll go over potential scenarios, including the biggest bills the federal government may not be able to pay if the money runs out. Then, we look at the broadening field of Republican presidential candidates. Plus, we’ll play a game of Half Full Half Empty that includes an ode to condiments. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Sen. Tim Scott makes it official: He’s a Republican candidate for president” from AP News “Negotiators Resume Debt-Ceiling Talks After Earlier Breakdown’” from The Wall Street Journal “2024 Republican Presidential Nomination” from Real Clear Politics “If the government defaults on the debt, see all the payments at risk” from The Washington Post “Why Montana’s TikTok ban may not work” from CNN Business “You can now hail an Uber without the Uber app. Here’s how it works.” from Business Insider “Uber for teens: the company lifts age restrictions to allow unaccompanied minors for the first time” from The Verge “When’s the best time to buy plane tickets?” from Marketplace “Under project ‘Flagship,’ ESPN preparing to move toward streaming service, per report” from USA Today “Ketchup from the cloud: Kraft Heinz debuts ‘Remix,’ its personalized sauce dispenser” from Yahoo Finance “A Chat With Singer, Songwriter, and Condiment Fan Priska Neely” from The Washington City Paper Video: Ode to Condiments It’s $5 Friday. Start a $5/month donation now and pick up one of our many thank you gifts. Give now.

Today, the Supreme Court ruled on a pair of cases involving a controversial internet law. Section 230 protects tech companies from being held liable for users’ content, but it has been criticized for being out of step with technology. We’ll get into the court’s decision to leave Section 230 alone, and what it means for the future of the internet as AI becomes more popular. And, Disney and Florida’s game of cat and mouse continues. Plus, a doggy breakout makes us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court rules Twitter not liable for ISIS content” from Howe on the Court “Supreme Court hands tech companies a win, and not just about Section 230” from The Washington Post Our deep dive episode on Section 230 “OpenAI launches free ChatGPT app for iOS” from The Verge “Disney Drops Plan to Move Workers to Florida, Closes Hotel” from Bloomberg “Disney cancels plans for $1 billion Florida campus” from NPR Tweet from @GavinNewsom on Disney’s plans in Florida “Democrats fear they’re walking into a permitting trap” from The Washington Post “The social, political and economic forces behind Iran’s protests” from “Make Me Smart” “Titanic Wreckage Visualized in Unique 3-D View” from The Wall Street Journal “Titanic: First ever full-sized scans reveal wreck as never seen before” from BBC “Husky Who Let 2 Dogs Loose At Animal Shelter And Trashed Lobby Finds New Family” from Huffpost It’s our May fundraiser. We need to raise $350K to stay on track for this fiscal year, and your gift now can help us reach our goal. Give today.

It’s Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday, and lots of you wanna know what’s up with the debt ceiling drama. So, we’re dedicating today’s episode to answering your questions about what happens if Congress fails to raise the debt limit before the government runs out of money. We’ll get into how a debt default compares to a government shutdown, why prioritizing payments would be a tricky task for the Treasury and where’s Wall Street been? Here’s everything we talked about today: “What’s the difference between a government shutdown and a failure to raise the debt ceiling?” from the Brookings Institution “Danger and deja vu: what 2011 can tell us about the US debt ceiling crisis” from The Guardian “America’s credit rating could get downgraded even if a default is avoided, Fitch Ratings warns” from CNN Business “We Hit the Debt Limit. What Happens Now?” from The New York Times “Prioritization” from the Bipartisan Policy Center “Congress shouldn’t get paid until debt ceiling is addressed, House Democrat says” from CBS News “The markets are taking debt limit uncertainty in stride — for now” from Marketplace “A group of over 140 CEOs and Wall Street titans including David Solomon just warned stocks will crash if politicians can’t raise the debt ceiling” from Fortune “Small businesses raise alarm over default amid debt limit fight” from CBS News “U.S. Chamber Calls for Urgent Action on Debt Limit” from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce It’s our May fundraiser. We need to raise $350K to stay on track for this fiscal year, and your gift now can help us reach our goal. Give today.

For viewers, streaming has ushered in an era of Peak TV with a seemingly endless amount of shows to binge. But, writers on strike say they’re not experiencing the same golden age when it comes to compensation and job stability. And, some streaming companies are struggling to hang on to subscribers in an ultra-competitive market. This has us wondering: Has streaming broken TV? On the show today, Kate Fortmueller, professor of entertainment and media studies at the University of Georgia, explains how streaming has changed the way film and TV writers make a living, why studios’ priorities have shifted in the streaming age, and what might be ahead for the industry. Plus, why screenwriters are asking for limits on the use of AI. In the News Fix: Looking back at a previous writers strike might hint at the impact of the current strike. And, Home Depot says it expects a drop in annual sales for the first time in over a decade. We’ll get into what that might say about the housing market. Later, a listener shares their experience ordering pizza from an AI bot. Plus, according to another listener, keeping things tidy with young kids is much harder than they had thought. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The 2023 Writers Strike, Explained” from GQ “Why You Should Pay Attention to the Hollywood Writers’ Strike” from The Atlantic “The long game between writers and AI” from Politico “What Is a Mini Room? Writers Guild Contract Negotiation Focus on Them” from Variety “Writers striking worry AI could stymie diversity efforts in Hollywood” from Axios “Opinion | Hollywood writers strike risks a lot as TikTok and YouTube loom” from The Washington Post “Home Depot Projects First Annual Sales Decline Since 2009” from The Wall Street Journal “Home Remodeling Market Projected to Contract by 2024 from the Joint Center for Housing Studies It’s our May fundraiser. We need to raise $350K to stay on track for this fiscal year, and your gift now can help us reach our goal. Give today.

Tax season may be over, but we aren’t done talking about taxes. Will free tax filing ever become a reality? We’ll get into the upcoming fight over free filing along with what taxes have to do with the debt ceiling debate and an unusual political fundraising operation. Plus, the daring plan to rescue a “Great Observatory” in space makes us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tax Prep Company Intuit Ramps Up Lobbying Ahead Of Free File Fight” from Huffpost Debt limit letter from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Tweet from @davidmwessel about Treasury cash balance projections “How to Raise $89 Million in Small Donations, and Make It Disappear” from The New York Times “IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax-prep giants” from The Washington Post “What to Know About TurboTax Before You File Your Taxes This Year” from ProPublica “A private company has an audacious plan to rescue NASA’s last ‘Great Observatory'” from ArsTechnica Mastodon thread from @thomasconnor on the Spitzer telescope “Ahead of next Starship launch, SpaceX hires key NASA human spaceflight head” from TechCrunch Is there something that you want to know about the debt limit? Call us with your questions. We’re at 508-UB-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org. Today is Match Monday! All gifts will be matched up to $20,000, today only. Give now.

As the Title 42 immigration policy ends at the border, a new immigration law that aims to crackdown on employers who hire undocumented workers has been signed in Florida. We get into the economic implications of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new immigration policy. Then, we haven’t hit the debt-ceiling deadline … yet. But we’re already feeling the pain. Plus, a round of Half-Full/Half-Empty, full of appreciation for mothers. Here’s everything we talked about today: “South Florida workers already feeling heat of immigration bill” from CBS “Here’s how Gov. DeSantis’ new immigration policy could impact Florida economy” from ClickOrlando “Italian pasta prices are soaring. Rome is in crisis talks with producers” from CNN “Consequences of the Debt-Ceiling Standoff Are Already Here” from Bloomberg “Debt limit debate, which puts the nation’s credit and trust on the line, endangers already fragile U.S. economic outlook” from NBC “You Can Finally Try Starbucks’ New Olive Oil Coffee in the US—But Why Would You?” from Bon Appétit “Elon Musk has found his replacement as CEO of Twitter” from The Verge “Behind the mission to preserve Black Twitter” from The 19th “3 things you should know about the end of the Covid public health emergency” from Vox “Wendy’s Installing Drive-Thru AI Chatbot That Takes Your Order” from Futurism “Chocolate is a sweet tradition for Mother’s Day” from Marketplace “Customers are being asked to tip even at self check-out” from Insider It’s our May fundraiser. We need to raise $350K to stay on track for this fiscal year, and your gift now can help us reach our goal. Give today.

Pacific Western Bank reported a sharp loss of over 9% of its total deposits last week, trailing the failure of First Republic Bank. We’ll discuss what’s behind the lingering banking problems. And, over 3 million viewers tuned in to watch CNN’s town hall event with former President Donald Trump, proving he’s still a ratings magnet. We’ll get into the ethical dilemma of the network’s decision to put Trump on that stage and what it means for the presidential race ahead. Plus, Saildrones and other superstorm hunting gadgets are giving us a glimpse into uncharted territory. Here’s everything we talked about today: “CNN tops 3 million viewers during Trump Town Hall” from The Hill “CNN’s Trump town hall turns into a Trump rally” from Poynter “Dianne Feinstein returns and Democrats advance Biden judicial nominees that had been stalled in committee” from CNN Politics “PacWest Stock Sinks 23% After Disclosing Fresh Deposit Outflow” from The Wall Street Journal “FDIC proposes big banks pay to recover losses in SVB and Signature failures” from Axios “The Hurricane and the Saildrone” from The New York Times “Turning to drones and other instruments to hunt hurricanes” from Marketplace “New blood donation rules allow more gay men to give in US” from AP News It’s our May fundraiser. We need to raise $350K to stay on track for this fiscal year and your gift now can help us reach our goal. Give today.

Weeks of violence between the Sudanese army and a powerful paramilitary group in Sudan has triggered an urgent humanitarian crisis and devastated the country’s economy. One listener called to ask how the conflict might impact the global economy. We’ll get into it and answer more of your questions about the U.S. treasurer’s job and how Netflix might dispose of its enormous DVD inventory. Plus, why the end of the helium shortage is still up in the air. Here’s everything we talked about today: “As Sudan’s conflict continues into its second week, here’s what to know” from NPR “Sudan conflict deals new blow to stagnant economy” from Reuters “Analysis: UAE, Egypt closer to different sides in Sudan conflict” from Al Jazeera “If Sudan’s Conflict Spreads to Chad, the Whole Sahel Is at Risk” from Foreign Policy “What the new U.S. Treasurer could mean for Indian Country” from Marketplace “History of the Treasury” from the U.S. Department of the Treasury “Um … what’s a DVD again?” from Marketplace “Netflix Will End Its DVD Service, 5.2 Billion Discs Later” from The New York Times “Redbox wants to save Netflix’s DVD business” from The Verge “Helium’s been rising — in price — and it’s bringing businesses down” from Marketplace “Helium shortage 4.0 – Continuing uncertainty in the market” from Gasworld “With helium in short supply, scientists are worried” from Marketplace If you’ve got a question about business, tech or the economy, give us a shout. We’re at 508-U-B-SMART, or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Child poverty levels fell dramatically — nearly in half — in 2021 with the help of pandemic-era government programs and cash assistance. But with those programs gone, poverty in the United States looks pretty much the same as it has for the past 50 years, despite an overall increase in how much we’re spending on welfare. This has us wondering: Why is that? On the show today, sociologist Matthew Desmond, author of “Poverty, by America,” breaks down how the United States became a country with more poverty than other rich democracies, what’s wrong with our welfare system and what really works to reduce poverty. Plus, the role regular Americans play in all of it. In the News Fix: Following the tragic death of Jordan Neely in New York City, we reflect on the responsibility shared by society at large for allowing unjust systems to remain in place. And, a key player in the global wood pulp industry is considering switching to Chinese currency in its business transactions. We’ll get into what that could mean for the future of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Later, we’ll hear about an early depiction of a bathroom in the “Star Wars” universe. Plus, one couple shares their perspective on Kai’s “rants.” And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from the mom of one of our producers. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why Poverty Persists in America” from The New York Times “Child poverty fell by nearly half in 2021, Census Bureau says” from Marketplace “Private opulence, public squalor: How the U.S. helps the rich and hurts the poor” from NPR “How many people are really facing poverty in the U.S.?” from Marketplace “National Poverty in America Awareness Month: January 2023” from the U.S. Census Bureau “The Uncertain Hour” from Marketplace “Opinion | Society’s failures on mental health put Jordan Neely on that F train” from The Washington Post “World’s Biggest Pulp Producer Suzano Considers Trading With China in Yuan” from Bloomberg Mad magazine Issue No. 197, March 1978 from the Internet Archive Do you have an answer to the Make Me Smart question? We want to hear it. Leave us a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART, and your submission may be featured in a future episode.

A new week, a new episode, a new report from the Federal Reserve. This time, the aptly named Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey shows banks are pulling back on lending. We’ll break down the survey’s results and explain why some are getting credit crunch vibes. Plus, government workers are suing over the debt limit. And in the Make Me Smile department, we’re decoding emoji and imagining flinging rockets into space. Here’s everything we talked about today: “California Panel Calls for Billions in Reparations for Black Residents” from The New York Times “California panel calls for billions in reparations for descendants of slaves” from NPR “Fed report shows banks worried about conditions ahead, with focus on slowing economy and deposit outflows” from CNBC “Government employees union sues Yellen, Biden over ‘unconstitutional’ debt limit law” from The Hill “Just 37 members of Congress are mothers with minor children” from The 19th “ChatFished: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People With A.I.” from The New York Times “Why Launch Rockets When You Can Just Fling Them Into Space?” from Bloomberg “Spaceflight Pioneer SpinLaunch Aims for Liftoff—No Rocket Fuel Required” from Gizmodo Have a comment or question about something we talked about? Send it our way! Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or write to makemesmart@marketplace.org.

It’s jobs report Friday, and it’s time to do the numbers. One data point that stands out: Women’s labor force participation, which is “at a rate never seen before.” We’ll get into what the latest jobs report tells us about this economy and what it might mean for the Federal Reserve’s pledge to help traditionally marginalized groups. Then: Could obesity become a marker of poverty? Plus, a round of Half-Full/Half-Empty about big hats and big ideas. Here’s everything we talked about today: “U.S. Job Growth Retains Vigor Despite Economic Worries” from The New York Times “Surprise, not so surprising? Another strong jobs report” from “Marketplace Morning Report” “How Jenny Craig built a weight-loss empire and battled her speech loss” from The Washington Post “Why don’t you fix your teeth?” from “This Is Uncomfortable” “Jenny Craig tells employees it will shut its doors” from NBC “Novo Nordisk limits Wegovy doses for new patients as demand outpaces supply” from CNN “Godfather of AI Quits Google, Fears AI’s Risks and Regrets His Work” from Futurism “How AI true believers are preparing for an economic revolution” from “Marketplace” “E-SUVs may be popular, but are they sustainable?” from “Marketplace Tech” “How brands like Birkenstock and Victoria’s Secret stage a comeback” from Marketplace “Court battle over Ed Sheeran and Marvin Gaye songs could result in ‘less wonderful music’ being made” from “Marketplace Morning Report” King Charles III’s coronation from the Make Me Smart newsletter Are you Half-Full or Half-Empty on something we talked about? Or maybe you have a question you would like to share? Send it our way! Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or write to makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The ethics scandals are piling up on the Supreme Court bench. ProPublica has new revelations on the financial ties between Justice Clarence Thomas and his Republican megadonor friend. We’ll discuss how judicial business is done in the U.S. and whether it’s time to change it up. Also, an addendum to our deep dive on child labor, and we check in on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, 50 years after Secretariat’s glory days, a story about the horse’s daughter makes us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Jury convicts Proud Boys members of seditious conspiracy in US Capitol attack” from Reuters “Clarence Thomas Raised Him. Harlan Crow Paid His Tuition.” from ProPublica “The Supreme Court’s corruption crisis goes beyond Clarence Thomas” from Vox “Covid deaths dropped in 2022, CDC data shows” from The Washington Post “McDonald’s franchisee fined for illegally using workers as young as 10” from AP News “A world away from Kentucky Derby glory, Secretariat’s forgotten daughter found a bright future” from The Athletic “May stargazing guide: Aquarids and a lunar eclipse” from Popular Science “Jedi: Survivor finally takes us inside a Star Wars bathroom” from Polygon The YouTube livestream is coming back! Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap at 3:30 p.m. PT / 6:30 p.m. ET. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

Like cryptocurrency mining, running an artificial intelligence system like ChatGPT requires an enormous amount of energy and natural resources. One listener asks: How do large language models and crypto compare? We’ll get into it and answer more of your questions about why we can’t just print more money to solve the debt limit dilemma and why the United Kingdom can block two U.S. companies from merging. Plus, a familiar Kai-ism explained. Here’s everything we talked about today: “AI’s carbon footprint is growing. Is it worth it?” from Marketplace “Ethereum’s “merge” could help clean crypto’s dirty energy reputation” from Marketplace “Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index” from Digiconomist “Can a platinum coin solve the debt-ceiling standoff?” from Marketplace Janet Yellen Dismisses Minting $1 Trillion Coin to Avoid Default from The Wall Street Journal “Is the Debt Limit Constitutional? Biden Aides Are Debating It.” from The New York Times “A UK regulator has blocked the Microsoft-Activision merger. But don’t blame it on Brexit.” from Marketplace “The UK doesn’t want Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal, so what happens next?” from The Verge “What is Global Compliance and Why Does it Matter?” from Horizons We want to know what you’d put on a Make Me Smart bingo card. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or write to makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s something we didn’t think we’d be talking about in 2023: child labor. But, here we are. Since 2018, there’s been a 69 percent increase in children working illegally, according to the Labor Department and hundreds of child labor cases are under investigation. Recent investigations show that many violations involve migrant children working dangerous jobs. At the same time, some states are rolling back child labor protections. On the show today, The New York Times’ Hannah Dreier explains what child labor looks like today, the multiple forces driving illegal child labor in the United States, and why some states are loosening child labor laws. Plus, how immigration policy changes could help migrant children who depend on the jobs they have. In the News Fix: A new report projects some serious labor market churn due to advancements in technology in the next 5 years. And, looking back at previous debt-limit standoffs can provide a little insight at how the Fed may handle the one that’s going on now. And, who makes the laws in space? Later, we’ll hear how one listener’s employer is dealing with ChatGPT. Plus, a Make Me Smart musical mix-up. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.” from The New York Times “Inside the Lives of Immigrant Teens Working Dangerous Night Shifts in Suburban Factories” from ProPublica “Child labor violations on the rise as some states look to loosen their rules” from NPR “The conservative campaign to rewrite child labor laws” from The Washington Post “12-year-olds can’t buy cigarettes — but they can work in tobacco fields” from NPR “Labour market ‘churn’ ahead with a quarter of jobs changing by 2027, survey shows” from Reuters “The new in-space economy” from “Make Me Smart” “More Companies Head to Space, But No One Can Agree on the Rules Up There” from Bloomberg “Moon bases, space junk need more rules: NASA, US government officials” from Space “Here’s What Treasury, Fed Might Do in a Debt Ceiling Crisis” from The Wall Street Journal Do you have an answer to the Make Me Smart question? We want to hear it. Leave us a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART, and your submission may be featured in a future episode.

The Treasury Department announced today that the U.S. could default on its debt as early as June 1. For the past few months, House Republicans have used the debt limit as a bargaining chip to secure spending cuts. As the new deadline looms over us, we are wondering: Is there a way out? And, an unassuming Supreme Court case could change how a slew of laws are interpreted. Plus, video-chatting parrots make us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Luring Test: AI and the engineering of consumer trust” from the Federal Trade Commission “Supreme Court will consider major case on power of federal regulatory agencies” from SCOTUSblog “U.S. must raise debt limit by as early as June 1 to avoid default, Treasury says” from The Washington Post “The U.S. could hit the debt ceiling by June 1, much sooner than expected, Yellen warns” from NBC “Trump to appear at CNN town hall in New Hampshire” from CNN “NASA’s Perseverance rover loses its hitchhiking ‘pet rock’ after more than a year together on Mars” from Live Science “Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Other—and the Birds Loved It” from Smithsonian magazine Have a comment or question about something we talked about? Send it our way! Leave us a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART or write to makemesmart@marketplace.org.