So you've been scammed, now what?
We are living in a kind of golden age for online fraudsters. As the number of apps and services for storing and sending money hasRead More »So you've been scammed, now what?
The junkyard economist
On today’s episode, we ride through the streets of San Francisco with a long-time junkman, Jon Rolston. Jon has spent the last two decades clearingRead More »The junkyard economist
Anatomy of a layoff
By one estimate, 40 percent of American workers get laid off at least once in their careers. And when that happens, companies will often say,Read More »Anatomy of a layoff
The hack that almost broke the internet
Last month, the world narrowly avoided a cyberattack of stunning ambition. The targets were some of the most important computers on the planet. Computers thatRead More »The hack that almost broke the internet
Why Gold? (Classic)
In the past few months, the price of gold has gone way up – even hitting a new high last month at just over $2,400Read More »Why Gold? (Classic)
Zombie mortgages are coming back to life
Karen McDonough of Quincy, Mass., was enjoying her tea one morning in the dining room when she saw something odd outside her window: a groupRead More »Zombie mortgages are coming back to life
The birth of the modern consumer movement
Today on the show, the story of the modern consumer movement in the U.S. and the person who inspired it: Ralph Nader. How Ralph Nader’sRead More »The birth of the modern consumer movement
Hire Power (Update)
(Note: This episode originally ran in 2021.) Millions of American workers in all sorts of industries have signed some form of noncompete agreement. Their pervasivenessRead More »Hire Power (Update)
The case of the stolen masks
About thirty years ago, Yagya Kumar Pradhan woke up to the news that the temple he and his clan used had been broken into. TheRead More »The case of the stolen masks
How unions are stopped before they start (Update)
(Note: This episode originally ran in 2023.) Union membership in the U.S. has been declining for decades. But, in 2022, support for unions among AmericansRead More »How unions are stopped before they start (Update)
FTX and the Serengeti of bankruptcy
For the last year and a half, the story of FTX has focused largely on the crimes and punishment of Sam Bankman-Fried. But in theRead More »FTX and the Serengeti of bankruptcy
Grocery prices, credit card debt, and your 401K (Two Indicators)
What’s going on with consumers? This is one of the trickiest puzzles of this weird economic moment we’re in. We’ve covered a version of thisRead More »Grocery prices, credit card debt, and your 401K (Two Indicators)