The NewsWorthy - Critical Data at Risk?, Fake Shooter Alerts & Swift Says Yes – Wednesday, August 27, 2025

The news to know for Wednesday, August 27, 2025!

What to know about what could be the biggest Social Security leak ever—all at the hands of the federal government.

Also, the fake active-shooter warnings that have caused real panic at American universities this week.

Plus: we’re talking about a dramatic display of nature that played out over Arizona, how Cracker Barrel changed its logo again, and—could this be America’s version of the royal wedding? We’ll tell you about Taylor Swift’s engagement.

 

Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes! 

 

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What A Day - Three Signs Of The Trumpification Of The Economy

In the federal government’s latest excursion into the private sector, the US announced last week that it took a 10% stake in Intel. The move comes after the Defense Department became the biggest shareholder in a mining company, and the Trump administration made deals with AI chipmakers. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is continuing to direct his ire at the Federal Reserve— this time specifically on Fed Governor Lisa Cook, whom he tried to fire on Monday. So for more on state-sponsored capitalism and the seemingly never-ending Federal Reserve fight, we spoke with Scott Lincicome. He’s the vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute.

And in headlines: President Trump makes a lengthy television appearance with his Cabinet, a whistleblower says the Department of Government Efficiency put Social Security data at risk, and a federal judge dismisses a Department of Justice lawsuit against Maryland's entire federal bench.

Show Notes:

The Best One Yet - PART 2 🏰 Disneyland: The Fantasy that Almost Flopped

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Who wouldn’t want to visit the happiest place on Earth? Well — at the start of the 1950s, it seemed like no one did, at least not when Walt Disney pitched the idea. Sure, Walt had revolutionized animation with Steamboat Willie. And he'd had critical successes with classics like Snow White and Bambi. But his studio was nearly bibbidi-bobbidi-bankrupt,. Even so, Walt just wouldn't Let It Go. 

Then, after Cinderella (another of Walt’s “crazy” ideas) hit the bigtime at the box office, Walt had the creative capital to strike a groundbreaking TV deal to fund his park’s construction.

Thanks to Walt's epic vision, relentless eye for detail, and a build-it-in-no-time sprint, Disneyland rose from orange grove backwater to a live-televised opening day spectacle (90 million viewers) — and straight into one of the most chaotic debuts in history. From plumbing problems to gas leaks, this is the story of how the theme park went from Goofy idea to the lynchpin in the Disney empire — and why Disneyland is the best idea yet.

Walt’s brilliant flywheel strategy diagram: https://www.businessinsider.com/1957-drawing-walt-disney-brilliant-strategy-2015-7&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1754403374186600&usg=AOvVaw12ZvO8lMD-GgiyJ1AlbZq9

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Native America Calling - Wednesday, August 27, 2025 – Native Bookshelf: ‘Nothing More Of This Land’ by Joseph Lee

Aquinnah Wampanoag journalist Joseph Lee investigates the difficult subject of Indigenous identity in his new book, “Nothing More Of This Land“. He uses his own family’s story as a jumping off point, exploring the reality of the people who once greeted the Mayflower. The original Wampanoag homeland includes Martha’s Vineyard, the haven for wealthy elites that has become so expensive that at least three quarters of tribal members can no longer afford to live there. Lee branches out from there to find parallels among the Native people and places he’s covered — from Alaska to the halls of the United Nations. We’ll talk with Lee about his new book, journalism, and what it means to be Native in modern America.

 

 

Planet Money - Summer School 8: Graduation LIVE!

Get your own personalized summer school diploma here

Today on our final episode of Summer School 2025, we will test your knowledge. We will salute the unsung heroes of government service. And we will pick our valedictorian from among you of the class of 2025. 

Editorial Note:

President Trump attempted to fire Lisa Cook, a Biden appointee to the Federal Reserve Board. Our daily podcast, The Indicator, has coverage on their feed. We’ll have an episode in the Planet Money feed soon, in the meantime, here’s some background listening on why this is so important. 

Years before she joined the Fed, we profiled the work of Lisa Cook. Listen here.

Also these: 

The series is hosted by Robert Smith and produced by Eric Mennel. Our project manager is Devin Mellor. This episode was edited by Planet Money Executive Producer Alex Goldmark and fact-checked by Emily Crawford.

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - What the John Bolton Raid Means

John Bolton isn’t exactly beloved by the right or the left. But sending the FBI to raid his house fits a pattern: Either tell the president what he wants to hear, or face the consequences. 

Guest: Shane Harris, staff writer covering national security and intelligence for The Atlantic.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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NPR's Book of the Day - In the novel ‘Loved One,’ an ambiguous friendship is further complicated by loss

Aisha Muharrar’s debut novel Loved One is about a woman’s effort to understand her relationship with a friend who’s recently died. Julia had been friends with Gabe for nearly a decade after the two briefly dated – but their relationship became complicated right before his death. In today’s episode, Muharrar joins NPR’s Juana Summers for a conversation about ambiguous loss, uncertainty, and how the author hoped to write a book about grief that wouldn’t depress people.


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Short Wave - A Lock of Hair Could Rewrite Knowledge Of The Inca Empire

The Inca Empire in South America was one of the most powerful pre-Columbian societies. It was known for the architecture of Machu Picchu, an extensive road network and a system of terraces for agriculture. The society also kept records known as khipu, which involved a system of tying knots to encode sophisticated information.

Literacy in this form of writing was assumed to be something that only the highest levels of Inca society could do. But NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce shares how a new analysis of a cord made out of human hair may change that assumption. 


Curious about science history? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.


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What Could Go Right? - Godfather of the New Right with Sam Tanenhaus

What can we learn from the history of the American Right? Zachary and Emma welcome Sam Tanenhaus, historian and author, whose most recent work is his biography Buckley: The Life and Revolution That Changed America. Sam shares insights from his deep dive into the career of conservative icon William F. Buckley, the country’s “first intellectual entertainer.” He discusses how Buckley’s blend of intellect and charisma set the stage for the modern conservative movement, the influence of media in shaping political discourse, and the ways in which Buckley’s legacy continues to shape the Right.


What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.
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Ologies with Alie Ward - Lutrinology (OTTERS) Encore with Chris J. Law

YOU’RE NOT READY. But it’s time. Otters. Sea otters. River otters. Big beefy otters. Tiny otters. Giant river otters. Otters chasing you down the street. Dr. Chris J. Law, a professional Lutrinologist, shares tales about coastal vs. inland otters, otter terrorism, magical teeth, lustrous fur, rock pockets, kelp naps, otter terrorism, cautionary motherhood, toxic relationships, hand holding and why otters make you trust them, despite the fact that you should perhaps not trust an otter.  

Visit Dr. Law's website and follow him on Bluesky and Instagram

A donation was made to SeaOtterSavvy.org

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