A new contender has entered the podcast landscape: wait, is that California Governor Gavin Newsom? His show features a surprisingly conservative guest list, including MAGA stars Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk. Kai and Kimberly break down the fourth wall and discuss whether there’s value in platforming guests who hold a different set of values. Plus, more federal layoffs took place this past week, this time in the U.S. Department of Education and its civil rights division. Then, the hosts get smiley about rescue dogs in a sled dog race (thanks, Abigail!) and the birds in Kai’s neighborhood.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “Gavin Newsom Finds Some Surprising Common Ground With Steve Bannon” from The New York Times

• • “Massive Layoffs at the Department of Education Erode Its Civil Rights Division” by ProPublica

• • “U.S. Department of Education Launches “End DEI” Portal” from the U.S. Department of Education

• • “This Iditarod musher is racing with mostly rescue dogs from Alaska shelters” from Alaska Public Media

• • Kai’s been using Merlin Bird ID from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to identify birds in his neighborhood

• • Meanwhile, Kimberly’s uses the Seek app to help her tell the difference between weeds and plants in her garden

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, there have been lockdowns, a recession, two presidential elections and more than a million American lives lost from the disease. In many ways, life feels like it’s back to normal, but David Wallace-Wells, a writer for The New York Times, argues that the pandemic still has a grip on American life, from our faith in public health institutions to the way consumers feel about the economy. On the show today, Wallace-Wells walks us through how Americans neglected to process the seismic impact of the pandemic in the rush to recover from it, and how it’s left us more self-interested and less empathetic. Plus, how this can help explain disgruntled consumers and a growing appetite for risk-taking in the economy.

Then, we’ll get into how responses to public health emergencies have shifted to the realm of the private sector. And, we’ll hear listeners’ reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic, five years on.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Opinion | How Covid Remade Our America, Five Years Later” from The New York Times
• “30 Charts That Show How Covid Changed Everything in March 2020” from The New York Times
• “Gyms, pets and takeout: How the pandemic has shifted daily life” from The Washington Post
• “It’s Not the Economy. It’s the Pandemic.” from The Atlantic
• “Opinion | Covid’s Deadliest Effect Took Five Years to Appear” from The New York Times
• “More Universities Are Choosing to Stay Neutral on the Biggest Issues” from The New York Times

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

On today’s episode, Kai and Kimberly discuss the future of Biden-era clean energy tax credits under Trump 2.0. A group of GOP lawmakers want them to stay. Meanwhile, the administration is rescinding memos that pushed for climate change-resilient infrastructure. Plus, the hosts weigh in on the arrest of a Palestinian activist and Columbia University student by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Is this the first arrest of “many to come?” Finally, we’ll smile as the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., get closer to full bloom.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump Says Columbia Student Arrest Is First of Many to Come” from The Wall Street Journal
• “House Republican support grows for keeping clean energy tax breaks” from Politico
• “Transportation secretary rescinds Biden memos prioritizing infrastructure resilience to climate change” from The Hill
• “2025 Cherry Blossom Peak Bloom Forecasts” from DC Cherry Blossom Watch

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

President Donald Trump’s family business is suing Capital One for closing its bank accounts in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, arguing the bank violated consumer protection laws. Where’s the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau when ya need ’em? Then, Kimberly breaks down two moves by the White House that could have sweeping consequences for law firms who work on cases against the Trump administration. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Trump’s strategic bitcoin reserve and tariff whiplash during a game of Half Full/Half Empty! Oh, and should there be a half-time show at the 2026 World Cup final?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump Organization Sues Capital One for Closing Its Accounts” from The New York Times
• “War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon’s DEI purge” from AP News
• “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ensures the Enforcement of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c)” from the White House
• “Trump directs DOJ to seek security bonds for injunctions” from Law and Crime
• “Trump targets prominent Democratic-linked law firm” from Politico
• “Your tariff questions, answered.” from the Marketplace newsletter
• “Why coffee shops like Dunkin’ are dropping nondairy milk fees” from Marketplace
• “Fed chair signals patience amid Trump’s tariff whiplash” from The Washington Post
• “In a first, the 2026 World Cup final will include a halftime show” from NPR
• “Can an A.I. Travel Bot Plan Your Trip to NYC?” from The New York Times

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Donald Trump administration officials disbanded two expert committees on economic data this week and suggested altering the way the U.S. calculates gross domestic product. It’s not the first time the administration has hinted at fiddling with important numbers, and a listener wrote in to ask how all this might impact businesses and the market. We’ll break it down. Plus, why is nobody talking about the debt limit? And, congrats to Bill in Ohio on scoring a hat trick!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump administration disbands two expert panels on economic data” from Reuters
• “Can the U.S. delete government spending from GDP?” from Marketplace
• “Key House Republican Warns May Debt-Ceiling Breach Possible” from Bloomberg
• “Explainer: Why would the US government shut down?” from Reuters
• “A campus sign said ‘Tell us something good.’ Students delivered.” from The Washington Post

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

On today’s episode, we’re discussing a pair of recent rulings about the Trump administration’s efforts to cut foreign aid and fire federal workers, leaving us with a “Through the Looking-Glass” moment, where the nonsensical is reality. Plus, we’ll explain some ways to catch a breath in the midst of uncertain economic times. And, we’ll smile at a math problem solved through the power of anime fans.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Bid to Freeze Foreign Aid” from The New York Times
• “How to handle the stress of tariff escalation and stock market jitters” from The Washington Post
• “‘He Finally Shot the Hostage’: Trump’s Trade War Is a Brutal Reality Check” from Politico
• “OPM retroactively edits probationary firing guidance to note it did not order probationary firings” from Government Executive
• “How Anime Fans Stumbled upon a Mathematical Proof” from Scientific American
• “Steve Carell tells students affected by wildfires that prom tickets are paid for” from The Washington Post

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The National Women’s Soccer League’s regular season kicks off next week. And thanks in part to a record-breaking media rights agreement and the growth of women’s professional sports across the board, the league is gaining more attention — and investment — than ever. Angel City Football Club became the highest-valued women’s sports team in the world last year when Willow Bay and Bob Iger acquired a controlling stake in the franchise for $250 million. Julie Uhrman, the team’s CEO and co-founder, says Angel City is just the beginning. On the show today, Uhrman explains how she and her co-founders got investors to see their vision, why a game day experience that leaves you with FOMO is key to Angel City’s growth, and how to watch the NWSL’s season.

Later, how proposed funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health could leave a generational impact on the United States’ reputation as a science leader. And Adam Grant, host of the “Re:Thinking” podcast, answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “How Angel City became ‘the most valuable women’s sports team in the world’ with new owners” from The Athletic
• “Ranking new 2025 NWSL team jerseys: Which kits hit?” from ESPN
• “Without the Draft, NWSL Clubs Are Navigating a Changing Landscape in College Recruitment” from Sports Illustrated
• “NWSL announces landmark media partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports” from NWSL
• “National Women’s Soccer League Playoffs Docuseries Gets Premiere Date At Prime Video” from Deadline
• Listen: Adam Grant’s interview with Sabri Ben-Achour on Marketplace Morning Report

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

 

Today, we’re talking about one of Kai’s favorite topics: bonds! The yield on the 10-year Treasury note (the benchmark for mortgages and car loans) is down sharply, which is great for consumers. But it’s happening for not necessarily great reasons. We’ll explain. Plus, why Kimberly is keeping a close eye on one of her go-to government websites. And, she’ll share tales from her trip to Venice’s famed carnival.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Key Interest Rate Falls as Worries About the Economy Rise” from The New York Times
• “RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment on HHS decisions” by STAT
• “RFK Jr. move to kill public comment roils providers” from Axios
• “AP PHOTOS: Venice Carnival opens with biodegradable streamers and an ode to Casanova” by AP News

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

A meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump today dissolved into a heated argument in the Oval Office, flipping the switch of the global economic order. Kai Ryssdal and guest host Nova Safo discuss what they took away from the contentious meeting and what it might mean for American-style capitalism. Plus, we’ll shift gears and play a lively round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump, Vance castigate Zelensky in tense Oval Office meeting” from CNN Politics
• “Microsoft Will Shut Down Skype in Favor of a Free Version of Teams” from The New York Times
• “‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to Leap to Streaming” from The New York Times
• “Why are tech companies investing in quantum computing?” from Marketplace
• “Why some authors and publishers are nixing book blurbs” from Marketplace
• “Lately, the scoop on the bond market is like ice cream roulette” from Marketplace
• “How much impact could a 24-hour “economic blackout” have?” from Marketplace

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

On today’s episode, we make you smarter by answering your pressing questions about this economy: Will cuts to the federal workforce make any difference to the unemployment rate? Also, have we all been totally oblivious to a private sector recession? (Spoiler: No!) We’ll explain. Plus, listeners sound off on smile-worthy moments from their week!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “How Will Shrinking the Federal Workforce Impact the Labor Market?” from Wells Fargo

“How DOGE cuts might show up in the data” by Axios

“Unemployment is still low, but are private sector layoffs accelerating?” from Marketplace

“Many laid-off government workers aren’t eligible for unemployment” from Marketplace

“US Treasury’s Bessent vows to re-privatize an economy that is ‘brittle underneath’” by Reuters

“ADP® National Employment Report” from ADP Research

“Employment by industry, monthly changes” from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

“Governments at all levels are hiring, and that’s boosting the job market” by Marketplace

“The Federal Reserve’s favorite recession indicator is flashing a danger sign again” from CNBC

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Kai has been tracking news about a giant asteroid heading toward Earth. NASA says we’re safe, for now! But first, the hosts discuss troubling trends in the news business and a shift in who gets to exert control over media narratives. And, we’re keeping a close eye on growing fears over possible layoffs.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “US Workers Cite Growing Layoff Fear in Philadelphia Fed Survey” from Bloomberg
• “White House takes control of press pool that covers Trump” by BBC
• “Washington Post opinion editor departs as Bezos pushes to promote ‘personal liberties and free markets’” by The Guardian
• “Costa Rica Is Saving Forest Ecosystems by Listening to Them” from Wired
• “NASA Gives ‘All Clear’ for Asteroid That Seemed to Threaten Earth” by The New York Times

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.