Latest from Alex Schroeder

• Feb 8, 2019

  What happens when the government just hands people money?

  What happens when you hand struggling people money? A study on Finland’s universal basic income experiment concludes that not much, for the economy at least. We take a look at the mysteriously falling benchmark interest rate. America’s liquefied natural gas industry is growing, but are China’s tariffs on LNG actually hurting it as some predicted? Plus, Johnson & Johnson becomes the first company to put the prices of its products — drugs in this case — in its TV ads. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos  and Indeed.

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• Feb 8, 2019

  Medicare forestalled

  Will Congress be able to pass legislation to sue the international oil cartel OPEC? Walgreens is put on notice for selling tobacco to minors, and in one case, for selling tobacco, period. Plus, as the idea of Medicare-for-all seems to gain traction, doctors, health care industry lobbyists and insurance companies are beginning to round the wagons. Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos  and Indeed.

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• Feb 8, 2019

  Instagram boss bars content promoting self-harm

  From the BBC World Service… There’s been a flurry of attention in the U.K. over how social media platforms regulate content promoting self-harm. We’ll hear from Instagram’s boss about new changes coming to the platform to give more oversight to graphic images. Then, after nine months of negotiations, Lebanon has a government this week. But political paralysis has hit the economy, which ranks as the third most-indebted in the world. Will new reforms aimed at spurring growth be a long-lasting form of change?  Then, do gender and perfume mix? Today’s show is sponsored by Kronos  and Indeed.

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• Feb 7, 2019

  Copper wire worth a pretty penny to thieves

  Video game companies and content creators like Netflix are taking the “L” on the global phenomenon knows as Fortnite. Does the U.S. economy need a new stimulus to fend off a recession? Plus, copper is a valuable commodity readily available to thieves in the form of wire in public electrical lines. The State of Missouri is fighting back. Plus, what would you name the newest, big banking merger? Today’s show is sponsored by Ling Ling Asian Foods, Avery Publishing, the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Indeed.

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• Feb 7, 2019

  A bear in bull’s clothing

  The federal consumer watchdog looks to roll back regulations on payday lenders. How is the American toy industry doing after Toys”R”Us pulled the plug? Plus, financial markets seem to be correcting following a slight downturn late last year, but one expert tells us it might not have been so slight. So, are we actually in a bear market? The thing is, we won’t know until later. Today’s show is sponsored by Ling Ling Asian Foods, Avery Publishing, the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Indeed.

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• Feb 7, 2019

  How British citizens in Spain are preparing for Brexit

  From the BBC World Service… We have the latest developments in Venezuela’s political power struggle. Then, as British Prime Minister Theresa May heads to Brussels today to try and reopen Brexit negotiations with the E.U., we head to Spain to find out how businesses and thousands of expats living on the sunshine coast will be impacted by the U.K.’s departure. Plus, one of the world’s most important film festivals opens to today in Berlin. It’s not as flashy as, say, the Cannes Film Festival, but it draws a big crowd of moviegoers and industry insiders. Today’s show is sponsored by Ling Ling Asian Foods, Avery Publishing, the Alliance for Lifetime Income and Indeed.

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• Feb 6, 2019

  ‘Miracle’ on First St.

  We’re parsing out some of those jobs numbers President Trump dropped during Tuesday’s State of the Union address. What’s the real threat to the president’s touted “economic miracle.” Plus, a new study finds one quarter of Americans in poverty eligible for federal benefits don’t get them. And the president of the European Council says there’s a “special place in hell” for promoters of Brexit who didn’t really think this whole thing through. Today’s show is sponsored by Avery Publishing, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

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• Feb 6, 2019

  The State of the Union and a border state

  The border dominated President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday, in which he said immigration by undocumented people hurts the “working class” in the U.S. We dig into his claim and hear about those whose livelihoods depend on crossing the border daily. Plus, what does the future hold following the U.S. withdrawal from a 30-year-old nuclear arms treaty? Plus, a day after it announced 4,000 layoffs, General Motors said it’s hiring 1,000 workers for a plant in Michigan, and it’s all thanks to America’s re-found love for trucks. Today’s show is sponsored by Avery Publishing, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

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• Feb 6, 2019

  UK consumer watchdog cracks down on hotel-booking sites for misleading consumers

  From the BBC World Service… Entry of international aid coordinated by Venezuela’s opposition has been blocked by the country’s military, which supports President Nicolás Maduro. Then, booking a hotel online is no longer as simple as finding one in your price range and plunking down a credit card. Hidden fees, pressure to book due to demand and dishonest advertising have all led to a crackdown by the U.K. consumer protection regulator. Plus, across the world, Alzheimer’s costs an estimated $1 trillion each year, but as the portion of the elderly population grows, so will the costs. We’ll explore ways countries around the globe are dealing with the change. Today’s show is sponsored by Avery Publishing, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

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• Feb 5, 2019

  Every week is infrastructure week

  President Trump will address the country Tuesday evening, and infrastructure, like last year, is sure to be on top of his list of topics. Will all the rhetoric finally turn into bipartisan action in 2019? The threat of hyperinflation grips Zimbabwe as teachers go on strike. We take a look at the new economic mechanism some European countries are using to bypass U.S. sanctions against Iran. Plus, the Fed chair goes to dinner with the president. Today’s show is sponsored by Pitney Bowes, the United States Postal Service and Indeed.

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