Make Me Smart

Marketplace

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

read less

Our Editor's Take

The Make Me Smart podcast does what its title says. It is an easy-to-understand news program. And it tries to make its listeners more knowledgeable. This program comes from the people behind Marketplace. That's the public media show that explains economics in a friendly way. This podcast does a similar thing, but with news and pop culture.

The soothing voice of Marketplace voice Kai Ryssdal joins bubbly cohost Kimberly Adams each weekday on Make Me Smart. Podcast episodes explore what's happening in the news today. If USA Today, The New York Times, or The Washington Post report it, so will Make Me Smart. This podcast helps the world make sense.

The Make Me Smart podcast follows a standard weekday format. Monday and Thursday have segments called the "News Fix." It gives news based on the Marketplace morning report. Topics range from globalization to marketplace tech, climate change, and opioid use. Lighthearted facts break up serious news.

Tuesday's podcasts examine a single topic. Past episodes feature topics like "The Moral Hazard of Solar Geoengineering," for example. Episodes like "How Sci-Fi Can Make Us Smart" explore significant issues. In this case, it's whether the genre can teach people about problem-solving in the real world. Modern thinking meets science fiction in this particular episode.

"What Do You Want to Know Wednesday" is the listener's chance to have their questions answered. Kai and Kimberly cohost, often with the help of industry experts such as Molly Wood. From hybrid workplaces to Republican policies to the war in Ukraine, topics are open. Following prior research, the most suitable experts share their thoughts.

Bringing fun into economics is "Happy Hour Friday," also known as "Economics on Tap." The hosts converse over a drink and discuss the insurance industry, crypto, FTX, the WTO, and what's happening on Wall Street. To make it more personal, they describe what they are drinking that day.

The Make Me Smart podcast talks about big problems and talks to experts about solutions. Listeners can learn more about what's trending in the marketplace. Most episodes are under 30 minutes long.

read less

BusinessBusiness

Start Here

Whaddya wanna know about key inflation measures?

Whaddya wanna know about key inflation measures?

Inflation isn’t going anywhere, and listeners wanna know what’s up with two of the government’s inflation measures. Today, we’re answering some nerdy econ questions about the consumer price index and personal consumption expenditures price index. We’ll also answer questions about how the Supreme Court gets funded and the ins and outs of joint fundraising committees. Got a question you’d like us to answer? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice mail at 508-U-B-SMART! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How does the government measure inflation?” from Brookings “Why the PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation” from Marketplace “What is the Core PCE price index?” from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis “Courts, Programs, and Other Items Funded by Congressional Appropriations for the Federal Judiciary” from the Congressional Research Service “US judiciary set to receive modest spending boost from Congress” from Reuters “Judicial Compensation” from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts “Inside the Rent Inflation Measure That Economics Nerds Love to Hate” from The New York Times “A guide to political money: campaigns, PACs, super PACs” from Associated Press “Joint fundraising: A campaign strategy to increase contributions” from Marketplace “Fundraising for Super PACs by federal candidates” from the Federal Election Commission 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 and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

Episodes

Whaddya wanna know about key inflation measures?

Whaddya wanna know about key inflation measures?

Inflation isn’t going anywhere, and listeners wanna know what’s up with two of the government’s inflation measures. Today, we’re answering some nerdy econ questions about the consumer price index and personal consumption expenditures price index. We’ll also answer questions about how the Supreme Court gets funded and the ins and outs of joint fundraising committees. Got a question you’d like us to answer? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice mail at 508-U-B-SMART! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How does the government measure inflation?” from Brookings “Why the PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation” from Marketplace “What is the Core PCE price index?” from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis “Courts, Programs, and Other Items Funded by Congressional Appropriations for the Federal Judiciary” from the Congressional Research Service “US judiciary set to receive modest spending boost from Congress” from Reuters “Judicial Compensation” from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts “Inside the Rent Inflation Measure That Economics Nerds Love to Hate” from The New York Times “A guide to political money: campaigns, PACs, super PACs” from Associated Press “Joint fundraising: A campaign strategy to increase contributions” from Marketplace “Fundraising for Super PACs by federal candidates” from the Federal Election Commission 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 and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

The great Bumble fumble

The great Bumble fumble

Today, we’re diving into Bumble’s controversial anti-celibacy ad campaign, what it says about the state of dating apps and why some women are joining the anti-patriarchy movement. It’s time for a Kimberly rant. Plus, more updates on the Baltimore bridge collapse. Later, we’ll get queasy about cicadas and smiley about puppies! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Bumble’s billboard ads sneered at celibacy as an alternative to dating — and the company got stung” from The Associated Press“The Controversy Around Bumble’s Anti-Celibacy Billboards” from The Cut“Singles done with dating apps opt for speed-dating, matchmaking” from MarketplaceApology from Bumble on Instagram“What the 4B movement and boycotting men tells American women about where we are” from USA TodayPreliminary Report on Baltimore Bridge Collapse from The National Transportation Safety Board“It’s on (for now): Biden and Trump agree to 2 debates” from Politico“Cicadas Are Here in St. Louis, and Here’s What You Need to Know” from The Riverfront Times“We tried to pet all 200 breeds at the Westminster dog show” from The Washington Post We want to hear your cicada stories! Share them with us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

From “Million Bazillion”: What are labor unions?

From “Million Bazillion”: What are labor unions?

With the big push to unionize auto workers in the South, it looks like it might be another hot labor summer. And if you and your little ones have questions, this episode is for you! Today, we’re bringing you a special episode from Marketplace’s kids podcast, “Million Bazillion,” all about the history of labor unions, collective bargaining and how unions changed the way we work. Plus, how many hours a day should a person work? Kids have thoughts! The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Joe Rush in Florida. Give now and double your impact: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

The value of “third places”

The value of “third places”

A “third place” is where people hang out when they’re not at home or work, and they’re becoming increasingly important for building community and connection. Guest host Reema Khrais explains why we’re hearing a lot more about them these days and shares the story behind her own third place. But first, we’ll discuss the knock-on effects of falling birth rates across the globe, why some cities are lowering speed limits, and why we don’t recommend throwing darts at stock listings. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Suddenly There Aren’t Enough Babies. The Whole World Is Alarmed.” from The Wall Street Journal“Why New York City is lowering its speed limit” from Vox“Why accidents aren’t accidental” from The Gray Area with Sean Illing “The Random Path to Stock-Market Riches” from The Wall Street Journal“If you want to belong, find a third place” from Vox We want to hear about your third place! Tell us about it at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART. The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Joe Rush in Florida. Give now and double your impact: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

What grocery aisle gossip can tell us about the economy

What grocery aisle gossip can tell us about the economy

The latest survey data from the University of Michigan shows consumer sentiment in the U.S. is at a six-month low. We’ll unpack the numbers and get into what they can and can’t tell us about what’s really going on in the economy. And, a plan to split up U.S. Cellular between T-Mobile and Verizon is in the works. It’s part of a larger fiasco brewing at the Federal Communications Commission. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: Consumer Sentiment Index from the University of Michigan “T-Mobile, Verizon in Talks to Carve Up U.S. Cellular” from The Wall Street Journal “A solar storm could produce northern lights in US” from AP News “Apple is revamping Siri with generative AI to catch up with chatbot competitors, report says” from Business Insider “Millions more Americans travel to bird-watch. Texas businesses are cashing in.” from Marketplace “McDonald’s Will Offer a $5 Meal Deal to Lure Customers Back Into Stores” from Yahoo Finance “Bluey Is Back! Disney Announces Collection of New ‘Minisodes’ Are Coming Soon” from People 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. Plus, support our nonprofit newsroom today and pick up a fun thank-you gift like our new Shrinkflation mini tote bag or the fan favorite KaiPA pint glass!

The lowdown on joint fundraising committees

The lowdown on joint fundraising committees

Joint fundraising committees allow aligned political campaigns to raise more money faster. We’ll break down how these operations work and how they’re affecting the cost of elections. Then, guest host Sabri Ben-Achour explains why China’s electric vehicle industry may not be at “overcapacity,” as U.S. and European officials have argued. Plus, artists’ fears summed up in one controversial iPad Pro commercial. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Joint fundraising: A campaign strategy to increase contributions” from Marketplace “U.S., Europe vexed by China’s ‘overcapacity’ of clean-energy goods” from Marketplace “OpenAI’s Brad Lightcap on new content tool, copyright claims and AI outlook” from CNBC “OpenAI says it’s building a tool to let content creators ‘opt out’ of AI training” from TechCrunch “Watch Apple Trash-Compact Human Culture” from The Atlantic “Apple’s new iPad ad has struck a nerve online. Here’s why” from AP News Shrinkflation tote bags, mini pencils, maybe even some KaiPA glasses — check out our May fundraiser thank-you gifts and make your donation to support our newsroom today: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

A phantom debt menace

A phantom debt menace

Increasingly popular buy now, pay later services allow shoppers to split their purchases into smaller, recurring payments. We’ll get into why these loans are blurring economists’ understanding of today’s consumer debt landscape. We’ll also discuss President Joe Biden’s climate and infrastructure spending spree, and the knock-on effects of parents dying from drug overdoses. Plus, singer Tyla’s sandy Met Gala look, and forgotten 100-year-old love letters make us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “More than 320000 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011-2021” from Axios “Playbook: Biden’s race to Trump-proof his legacy” from Politico “Biden’s biggest challenge: How do you even spend $1.6 trillion?” from Politico “‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Has Americans Racking Up Phantom Debt” from Bloomberg “Video: See moment Tyla is carried up Met Gala steps” from CNN “Tyla’s sand-covered Met Gala 2024 gown was chopped in half after the red carpet” from Page Six “When to use buy now, pay later services” from Marketplace “Hidden love letters spark historical mystery in Baltimore” from The Baltimore Banner 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.

The power of college endowments

The power of college endowments

College endowment funds are at the center of student protester’s calls for their schools to divest from Israel. Charlie Eaton, a sociology professor at the University of California, Merced, and author of “Bankers in the Ivory Tower,” said the size of these funds have created a moral dilemma for the wealthiest universities. On the show today, Eaton explains how college endowments work, why most universities don’t disclose how those funds are invested, and how colleges could manage their endowments to better align with their values. Then, we’ll check-in on the youths. And, Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop, the puppet, answer the Make Me Smart question. Plus, a tribute to Jasper. Here’s everything we talked about today: “University endowments show few signs of direct Israel, defense holdings” from The Washington Post “If the divestment movement succeeds, will it have an economic impact?” from Marketplace “Gaza protests: Divestment from Israel becomes focus of student demands” from The Washington Post “Students protest Gaza war: The history of divestment protests” from Marketplace “Top companies are on students’ divest list. But does it really work?” from NPR “Gen Z Sinks Deeper Into Debt” from The Wall Street Journal “Abortion bans drive away up to half of young talent, new CNBC/Generation Lab youth survey finds” from CNBC “Businesses are speaking out against anti-LGBTQ laws” from Marketplace Want more “Make Me Smart” in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

Private equity is coming for pet care

Private equity is coming for pet care

Private equity plays a major role in lots of sectors across the U.S. economy, and now it’s getting into the veterinary business. Today, Kimberly discusses the rise of these big outside investors in pet care and the financial and emotional decisions we make in caring for our beloved pets. Plus, we bid Jasper goodbye. But first, Amy breaks down a pair of cases involving the popular housing site Redfin and what they mean for how homes are bought and sold. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Redfin to pay $9.25M to settle commission lawsuits” from Inman“Redfin settles commission lawsuits for $9.25 million” from HousingWire“When Buying a Home Is Treated as a National Security Threat” from The New York Times“Vets fret as private equity snaps up clinics, pet care companies” from Stateline“Why Your Vet Bill Is So High” from The Atlantic“Workday Has Become the Most-Hated Workplace, Business Software” from Business Insider 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.

Europe’s new economic engines

Europe’s new economic engines

Southern European economies, including Greece, are growing faster than some of Europe’s longtime powerhouses, like Germany. We’ll get into how Greece pulled off an economic turnaround after the devastating 2012 financial crisis. And, Halle Berry’s shouts from the steps of the Capitol are calling attention to the need for more menopause research. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Europe’s Economic Laggards Have Become Its Leaders” from The New York Times “Halle Berry shouts from the Capitol, ‘I’m in menopause’ as she seeks to end a stigma and win funding” from AP News “Dave & Buster’s to let adult customers bet on arcade games” from Marketplace “As work communication migrates to mobile devices, desk phones hang up for good” from Marketplace “Pop-up coworking events are uniting lonely workers” from Marketplace “The conspiracy theory behind Florida’s lab-grown meat ban” from The Verge “Unfrosted Review: Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts Comedy Is Painfully Stale” from IndieWire Want more “Make Me Smart” in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

No “stag” no “flation”

No “stag” no “flation”

“Spotting tech-driven disinformation isn’t getting easier” from Marketplace 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 and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty. It’s time to rewind and revisit some of the big business stories of the week. First up, stagflation. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell isn’t seeing signs of it, and neither is Kai Ryssdal. We’ll explain why. Plus, what Walmart’s decision to shut down all of its health clinics says about the U.S. health care system. Also, we’ll break down the latest efforts to restructure the American economy through the CHIPS Act. And, a singer’s plea to protect artists from AI-generated deepfakes. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Fed Holds Rates Steady, Noting Lack of Progress on Inflation” from The New York Times “GDP growth slowed to a 1.6% rate in the first quarter, well below expectations” from CNBC “Walmart to close its 51 health centers and virtual care service” from Associated Press “Walmart shuttering health units, including telehealth and 51 clinics” from Yahoo Finance “Walmart Health Is Closing” from Walmart “Breaking Ground: A visit to the “Silicon Desert” from Marketplace ”Senate Hearing on Digital Replicas and Artificial Intelligence Concerns” from C-SPAN “FKA Twigs Reveals She Developed Her Own Deepfake in Congressional Testimony on AI Regulation With Warner Music CEO” from Variety “Spotting tech-driven disinformation isn’t getting easier” from Marketplace 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 and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

The rising pressure on poll workers

The rising pressure on poll workers

With the presidential election less than six months away, election workers are raising concerns about their safety. We’ll get into the rising threats to election offices and how that might affect staffing ahead of November. Also, how Tesla’s disbanding of its Supercharger team could impact the Biden’s administration push to expand electric vehicle use. Plus, how a pest control professional saved a baseball game from a swarm of bees. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Nearly Two-Thirds Of Election Officials Worry Politicians Will Interfere With Their Work: Poll” from HuffPost“Local Election Officials Survey” from the Brennan Center for Justice“They staffed the Jan. 6 committee. Threats still follow them” from Roll Call“Musk Undercuts Tesla Chargers That Biden Lauded as ‘a Big Deal’” from Bloomberg“Pest control ace clears Dodgers-Diamondbacks bee swarm, throws first pitch” from United Press International 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.

The trade-offs of the trade deficit

The trade-offs of the trade deficit

Today we’re talking about the trade deficit at the request of some of our curious listeners. Since the mid-’70s, the U.S. has persistently been importing more goods than it exports. Is that such a bad thing? We’ll hear from Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, about why the U.S. has a trade deficit, whether it’s a good or bad thing, and why a country’s overall trade deficit matters more than deficits with specific countries. Then, we’ll get into how online political donations are fueling election campaigns this year. Plus, the malleable idea of “old age” and the wonders of happy sheep in a solar field. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trade deficits aren’t good or bad, just weird” from Marketplace “The U.S. Trade Deficit: How Much Does It Matter?” from the Council on Foreign Relations Historical U.S. Trade Deficits from the St. Louis Fed “Chinese Exports Are Threatening Biden’s Industrial Agenda” from The New York Times “Trump promised to rebalance trade in North America. The US trade deficit keeps climbing.” from Politico “How online donations are fueling the election” from Politico Polling in 2024 from Reuters Opinion | “What Departing Lawmakers Think About Congress” from The New York Times “Young US adults reach key milestones later in life than in the past like marriage, full-time job, financial independence” from Pew Research Center Want more “Make Me Smart” in your life? Sigh up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

Biden’s regulation rush

Biden’s regulation rush

Nope. It’s not just your imagination. The Biden administration has been on a roll to finalize several regulations — from changes at nursing homes and updates to Title IX to health care protections for transgender people. Kimberly explains what’s really behind the mad dash. Also, Kai is back with a reminder: Don’t sleep on the foreign exchange market, folks! And we’ll smile about the tales of two cats. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden administration strengthens health care protections for LGBTQ+ Americans” from The 19th News“Congressional Review Act Threat Looms Over Biden Administration Rulemakings” from Inside Privacy“A Strong U.S. Dollar Weighs on the World”from The New York Times“Japan Intervenes After Yen Slides Against the Dollar” from The Wall Street Journal“Nebraska’s “Capitol Cat” brings paw-sitivity to politics” from USA Today“Stowaway Cat Gets From Utah to California in Amazon Returns Package” 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.

College campus protests and the value of a degree

College campus protests and the value of a degree

Protests over Israel’s war in Gaza have erupted at universities across the United States. We’ll discuss what the sweeping protests and other high-profile political battles at colleges could mean for the economics of higher education. And, what the Federal Reserve might look like under a second Donald Trump presidency. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Protests Threaten College Graduations, Denying Seniors Second Chance at Normalcy” from The New York Times “What students say about the protests rocking their campuses” from The Washington Post “Americans are falling out of love with the idea of college” from Noahpinion “Americans Are Losing Faith in College Education, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds” from The Wall Street Journal “Trump Allies Draw Up Plans to Blunt Fed’s Independence” from The Wall Street Journal “Job trend ‘resenteeism’ has employees coasting through workdays and hanging on, rather than quitting” from Fox Business “How science could disrupt the gin industry” from Marketplace “Celebs head to DC for correspondents’ dinner: Here’s who’s coming” from The Hill “California lawmakers are tired of Clear’s airport line-cutters — but airlines are not” from Fast Company “Christopher Bess, 5-year-old basketball coach, goes viral” from Marketplace Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

A stock pop and a stock flop

A stock pop and a stock flop

“Boeing failures are a case study of America’s manufacturing “dark age” from Marketplace“How science could disrupt the gin industry” from Marketplace 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 and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty. It was a big week for tech earnings calls. Guest host Nova Safo unpacks how they went down for Tesla and Meta, and why the stock market reacted so differently to what their CEOs had to say. Plus, what Boeing’s troubles say about the state of U.S. manufacturing. And, would you try an AI-generated gin cocktail? Here’s everything we talked about today: Tesla, Inc. Q1 2024 Financial Results and Q&A Webcast “Elon Musk Would Like to Talk About AI” from Heatmap News Meta Q1’24 Earnings Presentation “Boeing failures are a case study of America’s manufacturing “dark age” from Marketplace“How science could disrupt the gin industry” from Marketplace 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 and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.

To ban or not to ban

To ban or not to ban

Today, we’re talking about two different kinds of bans. As expected, President Joe Biden signed the TikTok sell-or-ban bill. But first, guest host Meghan McCarty Carino breaks down the Federal Trade Commission’s decision to ban noncompete agreements and their impact on workers and innovation. Plus, we’ll smile about Emily Dickinson and her newfound love of exclamation points!!! And how “old” is “old”? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Business Groups Race to Block FTC’s Ban on Noncompete Agreements” from The Wall Street Journal“FTC Bans Noncompete Agreements That Restrict Job Switching” from The Wall Street Journal“Did California’s Noncompete Ban Fuel Silicon Valley Innovation?” from Bloomberg Law“Banning Noncompetes Is Good for Innovation” from Harvard Business Review“TikTok may be banned in the US. Here’s what happened when India did it” from The Associated Press“U.S. Approves Sale of Dating App Whose Owners Were Probed by National Security Officials” from The Wall Street Journal“Grindr sold by Chinese owner after US raised national security concerns” from TechCrunch“People think ‘old age’ starts later than it used to, study finds” from the American Psychological Association“Eternity Only Will Answer” from Poetry Foundation Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

The dollar store dilemma

The dollar store dilemma

Several American dollar store chains have been down bad these days. Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only have all recently announced store closures. On the other hand, Dollar General is poised to expand. This has us wondering: What’s going on with the dollar store business model? Has today’s inflationary economy broken it? On the show today, Sandro Steinbach, professor of agribusiness and applied economics at North Dakota State University, explains the economics behind dollar stores, how they keep prices so low, and the impact they have on different communities. Then, we’ll discuss privacy risks while using popular dating apps. And, what the Australian kids’ show “Bluey” can teach us about the economy. Here’s everything we talked about: Video: “How can dollar stores still sell things for a dollar?” from Marketplace “Why are discounters like 99 Cents Only Stores in dire straits?” from Marketplace “Here’s How Dollar General Keeps Its Prices at Rock-Bottom” from Business Insider “The Dollar-Store Showdown Comes Down to Real Estate” from The Wall Street Journal “Dollar store expansion and independent grocery retailer contraction” from Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy “The American dollar store has fallen on hard times” from CNBC “Dating apps are collecting more of your information than you think” from The Washington Post “Justice Department Reaches Civil Settlement with Hundreds of Victims Abused by Lawrence Nassar” from the Department of Justice “Justice Department settles with Larry Nassar victims for $138.7 million” from The Washington Post “Historical U.S. Trade Deficits” from The St. Louis Fed Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sigh up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

Big change coming to nursing homes

Big change coming to nursing homes

Today, the Biden administration announced plans to implement strict staffing requirements at nursing homes. Kimberly Adams unpacks what this rule may mean for care and the nursing home business model. Plus, guest host Nova Safo returns to discuss the United Auto Workers’ historic victory in the South and the latest troubles at Tesla. And, high-speed rail is finally coming to the U.S. Here’s everything we talked about today: “UAW wins big in historic union vote at Volkswagen Tennessee factory” from Reuters“Tesla shares tumble on price cuts in run-up to earnings” from Reuters“Biden administration finalizes controversial minimum staffing mandate at nursing homes” from CNN“Nursing homes must hit minimum staffing levels under new federal rule” from The Hill“Long Term Care Insurance Costs by State and Region” from New York Life“How much does long-term care insurance cost?” from CBS News“I’m 68 and My Long-Term Care Insurance Now Costs $600 Per Month. Is This Too Much?” from Yahoo Finance“Nine practices from Native American culture that could help the environment” from The Washington Post“From Sin City to the City of Angels, building starts on high-speed rail line” 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.

A revamp for Title IX

A revamp for Title IX

The Joe Biden administration announced highly anticipated updates to Title IX. The new rule expands protections for LGBTQ+ students and sexual assault survivors. But it stops short of addressing the rights of trans athletes. Then, we’ll get into the outrageous hoops rich people jump through to get out of paying state taxes. Plus, we’ll weigh in on swapping seats on airplanes and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How to Avoid State Taxes? New York Rich Use Private Jets” from Bloomberg “New Title IX rules protect LGBTQ+ students, avoids trans athletes” from AP News “New Title IX rules offer ‘comprehensive coverage’ for LGBTQ+ students and sexual violence survivors” from The 19th “As drive-thrus get bigger, some cities aren’t lovin’ it” from Marketplace “Make robots like Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas hairy” from The Verge “Washington, D.C., is a test case for phasing out the tipped minimum wage” from Marketplace “Pringles Crocs: New shoes, ankle holster and crisp flavor unveiled” from Axios “The Four Most Divisive Words on a Flight: Will You Swap Seats?” from 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.