Make Me Smart

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”“When Buying a Home Is Treated as a National Security Threat”“Vets fret as private equity snaps up clinics, pet care companies”“Why Your Vet Bill Is So High”“Workday Has Become the Most-Hated Workplace, Business Software” 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.

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” “Halle Berry shouts from the Capitol, ‘I’m in menopause’ as she seeks to end a stigma and win funding” “Dave & Buster’s to let adult customers bet on arcade games” “As work communication migrates to mobile devices, desk phones hang up for good” “Pop-up coworking events are uniting lonely workers” “The conspiracy theory behind Florida’s lab-grown meat ban” “Unfrosted Review: Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts Comedy Is Painfully Stale” Want more “Make Me Smart” in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

“Spotting tech-driven disinformation isn’t getting easier” 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” “GDP growth slowed to a 1.6% rate in the first quarter, well below expectations “Walmart to close its 51 health centers and virtual care service” “Walmart shuttering health units, including telehealth and 51 clinics” “Walmart Health Is Closing” “Breaking Ground: A visit to the “Silicon Desert” ”Senate Hearing on Digital Replicas and Artificial Intelligence Concerns” “FKA Twigs Reveals She Developed Her Own Deepfake in Congressional Testimony on AI Regulation With Warner Music CEO” “Spotting tech-driven disinformation isn’t getting easier” 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.

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” 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 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” “The U.S. Trade Deficit: How Much Does It Matter?” Historical U.S. Trade Deficits “Chinese Exports Are Threatening Biden’s Industrial Agenda” “Trump promised to rebalance trade in North America. The US trade deficit keeps climbing.” “How online donations are fueling the election” Polling in 2024 Opinion | “What Departing Lawmakers Think About Congress” “Young US adults reach key milestones later in life than in the past like marriage, full-time job, financial independence” Want more “Make Me Smart” in your life? Sigh up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

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.

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” “What students say about the protests rocking their campuses” “Americans are falling out of love with the idea of college” “Americans Are Losing Faith in College Education, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds” “Trump Allies Draw Up Plans to Blunt Fed’s Independence” “Job trend ‘resenteeism’ has employees coasting through workdays and hanging on, rather than quitting” “How science could disrupt the gin industry” “Celebs head to DC for correspondents’ dinner: Here’s who’s coming” “California lawmakers are tired of Clear’s airport line-cutters — but airlines are not” “Christopher Bess, 5-year-old basketball coach, goes viral” Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

“Boeing failures are a case study of America’s manufacturing “dark age”“How science could disrupt the gin industry” 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” Meta Q1’24 Earnings Presentation “Boeing failures are a case study of America’s manufacturing “dark age”“How science could disrupt the gin industry” 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.

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”“Did California’s Noncompete Ban Fuel Silicon Valley Innovation?”“Banning Noncompetes Is Good for Innovation”“TikTok may be banned in the US. Here’s what happened when India did it”“U.S. Approves Sale of Dating App Whose Owners Were Probed by National Security Officials”“Grindr sold by Chinese owner after US raised national security concerns”“People think ‘old age’ starts later than it used to, study finds”“Eternity Only Will Answer” Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

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: “How can dollar stores still sell things for a dollar?” “Why are discounters like 99 Cents Only Stores in dire straits?” “Here’s How Dollar General Keeps Its Prices at Rock-Bottom” “The Dollar-Store Showdown Comes Down to Real Estate” “Dollar store expansion and independent grocery retailer contraction” “The American dollar store has fallen on hard times” “Dating apps are collecting more of your information than you think” “Justice Department Reaches Civil Settlement with Hundreds of Victims Abused by Lawrence Nassar” “Justice Department settles with Larry Nassar victims for $138.7 million” “Historical U.S. Trade Deficits” Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sigh up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter.

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” 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 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” “New Title IX rules protect LGBTQ+ students, avoids trans athletes” “New Title IX rules offer ‘comprehensive coverage’ for LGBTQ+ students and sexual violence survivors” “As drive-thrus get bigger, some cities aren’t lovin’ it” “Make robots like Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas hairy” “Washington, D.C., is a test case for phasing out the tipped minimum wage” “Pringles Crocs: New shoes, ankle holster and crisp flavor unveiled” “The Four Most Divisive Words on a Flight: Will You Swap Seats?” 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 Biden administration is aiming to triple tariffs on Chinese steel to protect U.S. manufacturers. Sound familiar? We’ll explain who is actually paying the price and what raising tariffs would mean for U.S. workers. We’ll also get into why economic data doesn’t always translate into how voters view the economy, especially in an election year. And, what the buzz over the popular animated series “Bluey” is all about. Here’s everything we talked about today: “President Biden Gives Remarks on Labor Unions and Manufacturing Jobs in Pittsburgh” from C-SPAN“Biden vows to shield US steel industry by blocking Japanese merger and seeking new Chinese tariffs” from The Associated Press“Once again: Who pays for tariffs on Chinese steel?” from Marketplace“Fed Chair Powell delivers remarks at the Washington Forum on the Canadian economy” from CNBC“Fed Chair Jerome Powell Dials Back Expectations on Interest-Rate Cuts” from The Wall Street Journal“It’s getting harder to predict the economy’s effect on presidential elections” from Marketplace“Caitlin Clark Selected No. 1 Overall by the Indiana Fever” from ESPN“Wait, Caitlin Clark Is Only Getting Paid $76,000?” from The Wall Street Journal“Hall of Fame college coach Dawn Staley Reflects on the state of women’s basketball.” from NPR“Political advertisers worry about reaching sports fans streaming their games” from MarketplaceBluey “The Sign” Official Trailer“The Non-Parents’ Guide to Bluey” from Vulture“Is “Bluey” ending? “The Sign” explained — and the show’s future.” 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!

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 JournalPentagon press conference moment from Travis Akers on XBilly 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?” “The Phone in the Room” “I Asked 65 Teens How They Feel About Being Online” “What the evidence really says about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health” “UnitedHealth to take up to $1.6 billion hit this year from Change hack” “Change Healthcare stolen patient data leaked by ransomware gang” “IMF Steps Up Its Warning to US Over Spending and Ballooning Debt” 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” “Taxes 2024: I stopped paying taxes a decade ago. The results shocked me.” “‘The 401(k) industry owns Congress’: How lawmakers quietly passed a $300 billion windfall to the wealthy” “Fed Hiking Rates to 6.5% Is ‘Real Risk’ for UBS Strategists” “March retail sales data show the American consumer is still pretty strong” “World’s top cosmologists convene to question conventional view of the universe” 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.” “The rise of the scammy car loan” “Decades later, Bonnie Tyler still finds new fans for her hit song every total eclipse” “Tech is supercharging pre-employment personality tests” “The Dumbphone Boom Is Real” “Broadband ‘nutrition labels’ help you comparison shop for cable” “Brands in Space: What’s behind the rush to advertise in the final frontier?” “‘Companies are starting to realize burnout is an issue’: Meet the lucky workers taking sabbaticals and ‘adult gap years’ to recharge” 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” “US consumer prices heat up in March; seen delaying Fed rate cut” “$6.6 billion TSMC deal in Arizona the latest in the CHIPS Act’s rollout” “TSMC: Biden to give Taiwanese company $6.6 billion to ramp up US chip production” “Biden administration bets an old plant can make new chips” “‘Benefit of the doubt running thin with Boeing’: Capt. Dennis Tajer on whistleblower claims” “Boeing whistleblower says the Dreamliner 787 could ‘break apart’ because of safety flaws, report says” Beyoncé’s YA YA (Clean Version) Video breaking down Beyoncé’s “YA YA” 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” “Insurers Are Spying on Your Home From the Sky” “The Soaring Cost of Homeowners Insurance” “MassMutual is rolling out free genetic testing for members, a dicey area for life insurers” “The scientists learning to speak whale” Solar Grazing Resources 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.