The Indicator from Planet Money - A baby bonds bonanza

Baby bond fever is catching on. In recent years, states like Connecticut have been experimenting with giving newborns government-seeded accounts that grow tax-free until they are 18. Now, President Trump's signature tax and spending bill will give a thousand dollars to every U.S.-born baby through 2028. On today's show, what are baby bonds and could they help tackle wealth inequality?

Related:
Baby bonds, proportional representation, and no left turns
Could cash payments ease recessions?
Building generational wealth in rural America

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Audio Mises Wire - Human Reason as the Foundation of Civilization

Human reason, wrote Ludwig von Mises, is the basis for civilization itself. Western civilization, he said, was built upon economic progress that sprang from reason. However, he also warned that if the West abandoned sound economics, it would trigger its demise.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/human-reason-foundation-civilization

More or Less: Behind the Stats - Does a single AI query use a bottle of water?

We’re living through boom-times for Artificial Intelligence, with more and more of us using AI assistants like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Grok and Copilot to do basic research and writing tasks.

But what is the environmental impact of these technologies?

Many listeners have got in touch with More or Less to ask us to investigate various claims about the energy and water use of AI.

One claim in particular has caught your attention - the idea that the equivalent of a small bottle of drinking water is consumed by computer processors every time you ask an AI a question, or get it to write a simple email.

So, where does that claim come from, and is it true?

Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Donald McDonald Editor: Richard Vadon

Audio Mises Wire - How Psychology Is Catching Up with the Reality of Human Action

Modern psychology has been at odds with the praxeology of the Austrian School, as psychologists have tended to see humans as passive and reactive, while Austrians view human action as purposeful. Recent developments in the field might change that narrative.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/how-psychology-catching-reality-human-action