Category: Series

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The Indicator from Planet Money - Could cash payments ease recessions?

Although we have dodged the bullet for now, the threat of a recession is always a concern for policy makers. The question is: will we be prepared next time? In this episode, we consider an alternative approach to stabilizing the economy during a recession through automatic monthly cash payments. The hope: faster relief, a reduced racial wealth gap and predictable income. Can it work?

Related episodes:
The Sahm Rule with the eponymous economist

Hear us out: We ban left turns and other big ideas (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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More or Less: Behind the Stats - A pocket-size history of the calculator

How was the calculator invented? How did it go from something the size of a table to something that could be carried in your pocket, the must-have gadget of the 1970?s and 80?s?

Tim Harford unpicks the history of the calculator with Keith Houston, author of Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator.

Presenter: Tim Harford Producer: Debbie Richford Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Hal Haines Editor: Richard Vadon

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The Indicator from Planet Money - How local government is propping up the U.S. labor market

The most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the United States economy exceeded expectations by adding 353,000 jobs in January. This continues the labor market's years-long trend of resilience in the face of the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes. However, digging deeper into the numbers reveals figures that economists are keeping a close eye on.

Today, we explain why it's not necessarily ideal for local government jobs to lift up a booming labor 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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The Indicator from Planet Money - Why the FTC is cracking down on location data brokers

It's no secret — your phone knows where you are, and if that data exists, someone else might have it. Back in 2022, we covered the murky market for smartphone location data. Now, the Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on this multi-billion dollar industry. In today's episode, we explain why the agency is trying to ban a data broker from selling information tied to sensitive places like medical facilities.

Related episodes:
Ad targeting gets into your medical file (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.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Curious City - Chicago Is Where Black Cinema Took Root

In 1913 Chicagoan William Foster became the first Black director to make a film with an all Black cast. Yet most people have never heard of him. Join Arionne Nettles as she tells Foster's story, the story of Black filmmaking in Chicago, when our city was the pre-Hollywood movie capital of the world. It's the first of 3 Curious City podcasts in a row celebrating Black History Month 2024!
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Curious City - Chicago Is Where Black Cinema Took Root

In 1913 Chicagoan William Foster became the first Black director to make a film with an all Black cast. Yet most people have never heard of him. Join Arionne Nettles as she tells Foster's story, the story of Black filmmaking in Chicago, when our city was the pre-Hollywood movie capital of the world. It's the first of 3 Curious City podcasts in a row celebrating Black History Month 2024!