by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi on (#6SRR7)
Windell Curole spent decades working to protect his community in southern Louisiana from the destructive flooding caused by hurricanes. His local office in South Lafourche partnered with the federal government's Army Corps of Engineers to build a massive ring of earthen mounds - also known as levees - to keep the floodwaters at bay.But after Hurricane Katrina called into question the integrity of those levees, Windell decided to take a gamble that put him at odds with his partners in the Army Corps. He decided that the best thing he could do to protect his community was to go rogue and build his levees as tall as possible as quickly as possible, without federal permission.On today's show, what the story of Windell's levee can teach us about how the federal government calculates and manages the risk of natural disasters, and how those calculations can look a lot different to the people staring straight into the eye of the storm.This episode was hosted by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi and Mary Childs. It was produced by Emma Peaslee and edited by Jess Jiang. It was fact checked by Sierra Juarez and engineered by Valentine Rodriguez Sanchez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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Copyright | Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only |
Updated | 2024-12-08 06:15 |
by Darian Woods on (#6SRE8)
Many men in America don't feel like they're doing as well as their fathers. But what does the data say? Today on the show, we speak to Richard Reeves from the American Institute for Boys and Men about what's really going on with men's wages and what potential solutions could look like. Related episodes: Jobs Friday: Why apprenticeships could make a comeback Getting more men into so-called pink-collar jobs For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Regina G. Barber on (#6SQ9J)
SpaceX is capping off a busy 2024, with more than 100 rocket launches, including its vaunted Starship. NPR Science Correspondent Geoff Brumfiel attended the November launch of Starship alongside SpaceX founder Elon Musk and president-elect Donald Trump. He spoke with NPR's Short Wave about the environmental impact of these launches in south Texas - and what a second Trump administration could mean for the company. Related episode: Elon's giant rocket For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Keith Romer on (#6SPCG)
As people learn more about Donald Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, one story comes up over and over: a legendary trade that he played a small part in while he worked at George Soros' hedge fund in the 1990s. In 1992, Soros' fund set its sights on the British pound, betting that some time in the fall of that year, the pound would plummet in value. Opposing them in this trade was the Bank of England, which was determined to keep its currency stable. The financial battle that followed was intense and proved to be a watershed moment in the balance of power between markets and governments.On today's show, we speak to Robert Johnson, a former managing director at Soros' fund, for a blow-by-blow account of those fateful days in 1992. This episode was hosted by Keith Romer and Alex Goldmark. It was produced by Willa Rubin and edited by Martina Castro. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
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by Stephan Bisaha on (#6SPCH)
From retail to fast food to nursing, one-day strikes have been a growing trend over the last decade. But what makes one-day strikes more or less effective than longer strikes? Do they achieve the same goals? On today's show, what do short strikes say about union power in the US and what can you accomplish with only 24 hours on the picket line.Related Episodes:What the data reveal about U.S. labor unrest The Indicator Quiz: Labor Edition The never-ending strikeFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6SNJ2)
Boeing continues to struggle. Safety concerns, a door blowing off mid-flight, a labor strike, impending layoffs ... and that's just the past year. What's gone wrong at Boeing? For many observers, the mistake was shifting focus from engineering to financial engineering.Today on the show we explain what financial engineering is and why this cultural change at Boeing may have led to the company's current problems.Related Episodes: Help Wanted at Boeing Boeing's woes, Bilt jilts, and the Indicator's stock rallyFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Kyla Scanlon on (#6SMQZ)
President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of economic promises on the campaign trail, but none as sweeping as his plan to enact tariffs. Trump believes taxing imports from other countries will help reduce the U.S. trade deficit and raise money for things like tax cuts. Today on the show, how might these tariffs work and will they work? Or is everything about to get more expensive? Find more of Kyla Scanlon's work on YouTube and TikTok. Related episodes: What are Trump's economic plans (Apple / Spotify) Why tariffs are SO back (Apple / Spotify) Trade wars and talent shortages (Apple / Spotify) A brief history of tariffs For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Amanda Aronczyk on (#6SHA4)
You probably own a chair or a table or a sofa. And you probably think you know why you bought it. Because it was comfy. Or blue. Or the right price. But what if the style, the color, the cost, maybe even whether you would like it, were choices made for you years before you even thought about buying that piece of furniture.Today on the show: The city that makes or breaks the furniture world. We travel to High Point, North Carolina and meet the people who make the bets - on whether or not you'll want that comfy blue couch.This episode was hosted by Amanda Aronczyk and Erika Beras. It was produced by James Sneed with help from Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jiang, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Greg Rosalsky on (#6SGG1)
The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first significant crackdown on immigration in American history. We explore the factors that led to the Act and examine what happened to the economy after it passed.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6SGCJ)
Across the U.S., millions of people are feeling the burden of high housing costs. During his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump promised to do something about that. But what exactly is that something? Today on the show, NPR's business correspondent, Laurel Wamsley, explains Trump's ideas for the housing market. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6SFGV)
Housing affordability is a top concern for Americans and a hot political topic. Estimates for the number of needed homes stretch into the millions, but how is this actually counted? Today on the show, we explain the tricky business of quantifying the US housing shortage.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Erika Beras on (#6SEA9)
A couple years ago, Gina Leto, a real estate developer, bought a property with her business partner. The process went like it usually did: Lots of paperwork; a virtual closing. Pretty cut-and-dry. Gina and her partner started building a house on the property.But $800,000 into the construction process, Gina got a troubling call from her lawyer. There was something wrong. At first, Gina thought the house had burned down. It turned out that the situation was... maybe worse.On today's show: Buying land seems pretty secure, right? There's so much paperwork and verification along the way. But a messy system of how titles are sold, transferred and documented makes a perfect entry point for a new kind of criminal: Title Pirates.Today's episode was hosted by Erika Beras and Jeff Guo. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Liza Yeager. Fact-checking by Sarah McClure. Engineering by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez. Planet Money's executive producer is Alex Goldmark.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Paddy Hirsch on (#6SCRB)
As Wall Street investors divine what a second Trump administration might mean for markets, there's talk of a new gang in town: the bond vigilantes. On today's show, where they came from, what they want, and how to tell when they're about to spring into action. Related episodes: Trying to solve the mystery of big bond yields What the 'bonkers' bond market means for you For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6SC7C)
Mass deportations. What would actually happen-economically-if the President-elect follows through on promises to deport millions of people from America.We don't have to guess.Today we have two stories from Planet Money's daily podcast, The Indicator. First, the story from another time the US cracked down on immigration with the expressed intent of helping the economy. We look at how that worked out. And then we distill 20 years of research on immigrants and economic growth. What does immigration do for an economy? What types of immigration help? And who benefits?Our most recent newsletter goes into more depth on some of this. Part one of two here. Subscribe to our newsletter here.This episode is hosted by Adrian Ma, Darian Woods, and Wailin Wong. These episodes of The Indicator were originally produced by Cooper Katz McKim and Julia Ritchey, and engineered by Kwesi Lee and Maggie Luthar. They were fact-checked by Angel Carreras and Sierra Juarez. Kate Concannon is The Indicator's Editor.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Darian Woods on (#6SBT0)
There's been a lot of research showing how third spaces - a place that isn't the home nor the workplace - have brought communities together, even catalyzed revolutions. New research shows that coffee shops in particular could be key to sparking new businesses, too.Today on the show, caffeine-fueled entrepreneurship. We go back a few decades for the story of how Magic Johnson partnered to build Starbucks cafes in Black and Latino neighborhoods, and how new research has shed light on how Magic's plan changed entrepreneurship in those communities. Related Episodes: Oil gluts, Russian bucks, and StarbucksMagic Johnson on basketball, business, and being the face of HIVFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Stephan Bisaha on (#6SAZ2)
Events like the recent dock worker's strike and hurricanes sparked panic buying among American shoppers. Today, a logistics expert helps us craft a shopper's guide for how to navigate a supply chain crisis.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Greg Rosalsky on (#6SAZ3)
Chinese immigrants sacrificed to create America's first transcontinental railroad. Its completion may have contributed to a backlash that led to the first major immigration clampdown in U.S. history.
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by Darian Woods on (#6S9Y2)
There is a LOT of economic news happening at the moment (it all happens, so very much of it, all the time), so we wanted to give you an idea of what we here at The Indicator are keeping tabs on.Today on the show, we look ahead to: countries coughing up money for climate change at COP29, how confident are home builders feeling right now, and ... is US manufacturing REALLY in decline? Related Episodes: A countdown to climate action Why aren't more people taking on the trades? Do polluters pay, or do they get paid? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6S9CB)
Today, we're sharing an episode of a podcast that we've enjoyed, and think you will, too! It's called The Economics of Everyday Things. It's made by the Freakonomics Radio Network and on each of its episodes, host Zachary Crockett uncovers the hidden stories behind ordinary things! Stock photos, girl scout cookies, and cashmere sweaters, you name it. In this episode, you're about to hear Zachary crack the lid open on ... the humble pizza box.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Erika Beras on (#6S8NZ)
Every ten years, a group of German farmers gather in the communal farm fields of the Osing for the Osingverlosung, a ritual dating back centuries. Osing refers to the area. And verlosung means "lottery," as in a land lottery. All of the land in this communal land is randomly reassigned to farmers who commit to farming it for the next decade.Hundreds of years ago, a community in Germany came up with their own, unique solution for how to best allocate scarce resources. For this community, the lottery is a way to try and make the system of land allotment more fair and avoid conflict.Today on the show, we go to the lottery and follow along as every farmer has a shot at getting the perfect piece of land - or the absolute worst piece of land! And we see what we can learn from this living, medieval tradition that tries to balance fairness and efficiency.This episode was hosted by Erika Beras and Emma Peaslee. It was produced by Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Jess Jiang. Reporting help from Sofia Shchukina. It was fact checked by Sierra Juarez. It was engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6S82Y)
On Indicators of the Week, we cover our favorite numbers in the news. On this week's edition we cover Netflix's foray into live sports, the possible psychology behind the post-election cryptocurrency rally, and a struggling DNA company's fight for survival. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Darian Woods on (#6S748)
Nuclear energy hasn't been a growing industry in decades. But now, it seems to be making a comeback. This week, the Biden administration announced a goal to triple nuclear energy capacity in the US by 2050. And over the past few months, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have all made deals to use nuclear energy to power their artificial intelligence appetites. Today on the show, could nuclear energy work differently this time? Related episodes:The debate at the heart of new electricity transmission (Apple / Spotify) Wind boom, wind bust (Two windicators) (Apple / Spotify) How China became solar royalty (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Jeff Guo on (#6S675)
This is the story behind one of the most valuable - and perhaps, most improbable - technologies humanity has ever created. It's a breakthrough called extreme ultraviolet lithography, and it's how the most advanced microchips in the world are made. The kind of chips powering the latest AI models. The kind of chips that the U.S. is desperately trying to keep out of the hands of China.For years, few thought this technology was even possible. It still sounds like science fiction: A laser strong enough to blast holes in a bank vault hits a droplet of molten tin. The droplet explodes into a burst of extreme ultraviolet light. That precious light is funneled onto a wafer of silicon, where it etches circuits as fine as a strand of DNA. Only one company in the world that can make these advanced microchip etching machines: a Dutch firm called ASML.Today on the show, how this breakthrough in advanced chipmaking happened - and how it almost didn't. How the long-shot idea was incubated in U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories and nurtured by U.S. tech giants. And, why a Dutch company now controls it.This episode was hosted by Jeff Guo and Sally Helm. It was produced by Willa Rubin and edited by Jess Jiang. It was fact-checked by Dania Suleman, and engineered by Patrick Murray. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Paddy Hirsch on (#6S676)
Major flooding events are increasingly common across the U.S., but homeowners looking for flood insurance will find few choices. The main providers of flood insurance is the U.S. government through the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. But even though the NFIP is one of the only flood insurance games in town, it's drowning in debt. On today's episode, the NFIP's struggle to stay afloat. Related listening: Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify) When insurers can't get insurance Flood money For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Darian Woods on (#6S5AR)
In a first-best world, we'd all save enough money and there'd be no scammers. In a second-best world, we'd all know how to protect ourselves. That's what Sheila Bair thought, too. As former chair of the FDIC, she noticed many kids and adults weren't quite getting the education they needed. So, she decided to do something about it.Today on the show: What Sheila Bair has learned about American capitalism as one of its top regulators and how she's trying - one book at a time - to help new generations from falling into its traps.We learned about Sheila Bair's kids books from listener Erin Vetter. If you've come across anything that makes finance fun, email us! We're at indicator@npr.org. Related Episodes: Mailbag: Children EditionBeach reads with a side of economics For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6S4HZ)
The federal government has been tracking the weather for more than 150 years. Yet over the last few decades, the rise of the Internet and big tech have made weather forecasting a more crowded space. Today on the show: the value of an accurate forecast and the debate over who should control the data. Related stories:Hazard maps: The curse of knowledge (Apple / Spotify) Should we invest more in weather forecasting? After a year of deadly weather, cities look to private forecasters to save lives For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Jeff Guo on (#6S451)
On the day after the election, Wall Street responded in a dramatic way. Some stocks went way up, others went way down. By reading those signals - by breaking down what people were buying and what they were selling - you can learn a lot about where the economy might be headed. Or at least, where people are willing to bet the economy is headed.On today's show, we decode what Wall Street thinks about the next Trump presidency - what it means for different parts of the economy, and what it means for everyone. Does the wisdom of the market think President Trump will actually impose new tariffs and lift regulations? What about taxes and spending? And will inflation ultimately go up or down?What markets bet President Trump will do. That's today's episode.This episode was hosted by Jeff Guo, Sally Helm, Erika Beras, and Keith Romer. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler and Willa Rubin. It was edited by Martina Castro and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Engineering by Gilly Moon. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Darian Woods on (#6S37C)
It's ... Indicators of the Week! It's that time of week when we look at the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: Election aftermath. Stocks jump, the temperamental Mexican peso, and which states are raising minimum wage.Related Episodes:Should We Raise The Minimum Wage?America's economy is the envy of the world. Will it stay that way?
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by Darian Woods on (#6S2EX)
This week, a powerful hurricane hit Cuba, causing nationwide electricity outages - right after a string of power failures that have plagued the country in recent months. These power outages are a low point for a country that has struggled economically for years and is experiencing mass emigration. Today on the show, we explain why Cuba is struggling to keep the lights on and investigate the root causes of the Caribbean nation's dramatic fall. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6S1EF)
Donald Trump's victory in this year's election had a lot to do with how many Americans feel about the US economy (surprise: not good). But Simon Rabinovitch, US Economics Editor for The Economist, argues that, despite the turmoil of the past few years, America's economy remains the envy of the world. Today on the show, Simon explains why that is, but also why he believes a Trump presidency puts America's 'economic exceptionalism' at risk. The envy of the World - The EconomistRelated episodes:How much do Presidents ACTUALLY influence the economy? (Apple / Spotify) Why are some nations richer? (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Karen Duffin on (#6S1EG)
Back in the 90s, the federal government ran a bold experiment, giving people vouchers to move out of high-poverty neighborhoods into low-poverty ones. They wanted to test if housing policy could be hope - whether an address change alone could improve jobs, earnings and education.The answer to that seems obvious. But it did not at all turn out as they expected.Years later, when new researchers went back to the data on this experiment, they stumbled on something big. Something that is changing housing policy across the country today.Today's episode was originally hosted by Karen Duffin, produced by Aviva DeKornfeld, and edited by Bryant Urstadt. The update was hosted by Amanda Aronczyk, produced by Sean Saldana and fact checked by Sierra Juarez. Our supervising executive producer is Alex Goldmark.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Robert Smith on (#6S0KK)
It's the most important day of the year for the country ... The Beigie Awards! The Beigie Awards are back to recognize the regional Federal Reserve Bank with the best Beige Book entry. This time, we shine a spotlight on one entry that speaks to a logistics problem affecting farms in the midwest.Related episodes:Using anecdotes to predict recessions (Apple / Spotify)The Beigie Awards: Why banks are going on a "loan diet" (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Alan Jinich on (#6RZJ7)
For the second year in a row, the U.S. government is buying the largest quantity of apples in its history because there are not enough consumers and processors who want to buy them. Today on the show, an abundance of apples and why some apple growers are getting out of the game altogether. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Alan Jinich on (#6S095)
For the second year in a row, the U.S. government is buying the largest quantity of apples in its history because there are not enough consumers and processors who want to buy them. Today on the show, an abundance of apples and why some apple growers are getting out of the game altogether. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Kenny Malone on (#6RXVH)
Ray and Becky Queen live in rural Oklahoma with their kids (and chickens). The Queens were able to buy that home with a VA loan because of Ray's service in the Army. During COVID, the Queens - like millions of other Americans - needed help from emergency forbearance. They were told they could pause home payments for up to a year and then pick up again making affordable mortgage payments with no problems.That's what happened for most American homeowners who took forbearance. But not for tens of thousands of military veterans like Ray Queen.On today's show, we follow two reporters' journey to figure out what went wrong with the VA's loan forbearance program. How did something meant to help vets keep their houses during COVID end up stranding tens of thousands of them on the brink of foreclosure? And, once the error was spotted, did the government do enough to make things right?Today's episode was produced by James Sneed. It was edited by Meg Cramer. And fact-checked by Dania Suleman. Engineering by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6RXS7)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.1% and 12,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy during October. It's a lower-than-expected jobs number, from a period that saw two significant hurricanes in the southeast and a strike from workers at Boeing. Today on the show, we explain the complexities of calculating the monthly job numbers, and why the Bureau of Labor Statistics can be trusted.Related episodes: Behind the scenes of Jobs Friday (Apple / Spotify / NPR) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6RWY6)
In 1880, the Chinese were the biggest group of immigrants in the western U.S. But Sinophobic sentiments crystallized into racist policies and eventually the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The rationale was that banning Chinese laborers would boost job opportunities for U.S.-born workers. Today, an economist explains how the Chinese exclusion laws affected the economies of western states and what it says about our current debate over immigration and jobs.Read the working paper co-authored by Nancy Qian.A digital scan of the photo album in the California Historical Society's collections is available here.For more on this period of history, check out At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943 by Erika Lee.Related episodes:What's missing in the immigration debate (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Amanda Aronczyk on (#6RW6N)
If you... exist in the world, it's likely that you have gotten a letter or email at some point informing you that your data was stolen. This happened recently to potentially hundreds of millions of people in a hack that targeted companies like Ticketmaster, AT&T, Advance Auto Parts and others that use the data cloud company Snowflake.On today's show, we try to figure out where that stolen data ended up, how worried we should be about it, and what we're supposed to do when bad actors take our personal and private information. And: How our information is being bought, sold, and stolen.This episode was hosted by Amanda Aronczyk and Keith Romer. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler and edited by Meg Cramer. It was engineered by Ko Takasugi-Czernowin with an assist from Kwesi Lee, and fact-checked by Dania Suleman. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6RW2M)
Immigration is a top concern among U.S. voters this election cycle. But Zeke Hernandez, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies immigration,thinks politicians and the media aren't giving the public the full story. Too often, he argues, they paint immigrants as objects of pity or fear, when the reality is much more complex - and positive. Today on the show, we look beyond the binary and explore the less talked about ways documented and undocumented immigrants shape the U.S. economy. Zeke's book is called The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers. Related listening: Is the border crisis really a labor market crisis? (Apple / Spotify) Do immigrants really take jobs and lower wages? (Apple / Spotify) Welcome to the USA! Now get to work (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Darian Woods on (#6RV76)
Social Security has thus far been self-sustaining-payroll taxes go into this big fund, which then pays out monthly checks. But the problem we have now is the money coming into that fund is not keeping up with the money going out. The election hasn't been great for people concerned about the government's finances. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Donald Trump's election proposals will speed up the rundown in the Social Security fund by a few years. So, when Social Security runs out of money as it's projected to do ... could we just borrow more money? And if so, what would that mean for the already rising government's debt?Today on the show, how worried should we be about Social Security and the federal debt? We explain a fresh indicator to assess whether or not America's getting too far in the red.Related Episodes: What does the next era of Social Security look like?Iceberg ahead for Social Security For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6RT5F)
The Maldives is a small island nation struggling with a heavy debt load. Its borrowing includes $500 million worth of something called sukuk. These are bond-like investments that don't pay interest, to be in line with Islamic law. Today on the show, we explain how sukuk works, how it fits into the larger world of Islamic finance and what might happen if the Maldives can't pay back its debt.For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Sally Helm on (#6RRFV)
There's something strange going on in hospitals. Cheap, common drugs that nurses use every day seem to be constantly hit by shortages. These are often generic drugs that don't seem super complicated to make, things like dextrose and saline (aka sugar water and salt water).So what's going on? The answer, as with anything in healthcare, is complicated.On today's show: why hospitals keep running out of generic drugs. The story behind these shortages tells us a lot about how these drugs are made, bought and sold-and, it shows us how these markets can falter without the proper care.This episode was hosted by Sally Helm and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi. It was produced by Willa Rubin, with help from James Sneed and Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Martina Castro. Fact-checking by Dania Suleman. Planet Money's executive producer is Alex Goldmark.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6RR94)
We ask economists for their expertise all the time on The Indicator, so why not their tips on love? On our final installment of Love Week, we ask economist Tim Harford to answer listeners' relationship quandaries, from paying for a first date to alternatives to saying, 'I love you.' Thanks to Grant-Lee Phillps for composing our Love Week theme song and Kaitlin Brito for artwork. Related episodes: Trying to fix the dating app backlash (Apple / Spotify)How American heiresses became Dollar Princesses (Apple / Spotify) Why the publishing industry is hot (and bothered) for romance (Apple / Spotify) It's Love Week! How the TV holiday rom-com got so successful (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6RQGK)
Unanswered messages. Endless swiping. An opaque algorithm. The backlash to online dating feels like it's reached a fever pitch recently. For today's Love Week episode, why people are unhappy with online dating and what Hinge's CEO is trying to do about it. Also, a Nobel Prize economist delivers a little tough love. Related listening:How American heiresses became Dollar Princesses (Apple / Spotify)Why the publishing industry is hot (and bothered) for romance (Apple / Spotify) It's Love Week! How the TV holiday rom-com got so successful (Apple / Spotify) Hinge: Justin McLeod (How I Built This) The dating app paradox The economics behind sorority rush Special thanks to Grant-Lee Phillips for our Love Week theme song and Kaitlin Brito for episode artwork. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Erika Beras on (#6RPMN)
On today's show, we have two stories from The Indicator, Planet Money's daily podcast. They just launched Love Week, a weeklong series exploring the business and economic side of romance.First, hosts Wailin Wong and Adrian Ma fire up the gas logs and pour a mug of cocoa to discuss the made-for-TV rom-com machine, and how television executives learned to mass produce seasonal romance.Then, Wailin and host Darian Woods discuss another romance medium: the romance novel. Once relegated to supermarket aisles, these books are now mainstream. And authors, an often-maligned group within publishing, have found greater commercial success than many writers in other genres. We find out how romance novelists rode the e-book wave and networked with each other to achieve their happily-for-now status in the industry.This episode is hosted by Erika Beras, Wailin Wong, Adrian Ma, and Darian Woods. These episodes of The Indicator were originally produced by Julia Ritchey and engineered by Kwesi Lee. They were fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Kate Concannon is The Indicator's Editor.You can listen to the rest of the series at The Indicator's feed, or at npr.org/loveHelp support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Wailin Wong on (#6RPHT)
In the late 19th century, British aristocrats had a big problem. They were short on cash to fund their lifestyles and maintain their vast country estates. In our third installment of Love Week, we look at the economic forces that drove some British men of the time to marry American heiresses, dubbed "Dollar Princesses," forming a union of money, status and, sometimes, love. For more on Dollar Princesses, Mark Taylor's research paper is published here. Kristen Richardson's book is called The Season: A Social History of the Debutante. Related episodes: Why the publishing industry is hot (and bothered) for romance (Apple / Spotify) It's Love Week! How the TV holiday rom-com got so successful (Apple / Spotify)
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by Wailin Wong on (#6RNK1)
Once relegated to supermarket aisles, romance books are now mainstream. And authors, an often-maligned group within publishing, have found greater commercial success than many writers in other genres. On today's episode of Love Week, our series on the business of romance, we find out how romance novelists rode the e-book wave and networked with each other to achieve their happily-for-now status in the industry. Read more by Christine Larson, Priscilla Oliveras and Natalie Cana. Thanks to Grant-Lee Phillips for our theme song and Kaitlin Brito for artwork. Related listening: It's Love Week! How the TV holiday rom-com got so successful (Apple / Spotify) Rufaro Faith's 'Let the Games Begin' is a rom-com set in the Olympic village
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by Wailin Wong on (#6RMNB)
Welcome to Love Week on the Indicator, our weeklong series exploring the business and economic side of romance. On today's show, we fire up the gas logs and pour a mug of cocoa to discuss the made-for-TV rom-com machine, and how television executives learned to mass produce seasonal romance. Special thanks to Grant-Lee Phillips for our Love Week theme song and Kaitlin Brito for episode artwork. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi on (#6RK0S)
Over the past two decades, there's been a sort of tectonic economic shift happening under our feet. More and more companies have switched from selling goods one by one to selling services, available as a subscription. These days everything from razor blades to meal kits to car washes have become subscriptions. But all that convenience has also come with a dark side - some companies have designed their offerings to be as easy as possible to sign up for and also as difficult as possible to cancel. Many consumers are now paying for way more subscriptions than they even know about.On today's show, we discover how we all fell into this subscription trap - who is winning and who is losing in this brave new subscription based world - and what both the government and the free market are doing to try and fix it.This episode was hosted by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi and Jeff Guo. It was produced by James Sneed. It was edited by Jess Jiang, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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by Adrian Ma on (#6RK0T)
It's ... Indicators of the Week! It's that time of week where we look at the most intriguing indicators from this last week of economic and business news. On today's episode: NHPR's Nate Hegyi, host of the podcast Outside/In, joins us to talk natural disaster loans, election prediction markets and ... potato chips?Related Episodes: What's with all the tiny soda cans? And other grocery store mysteries, solved.A market to bet on the futureFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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