Episodes
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The history of light (classic)
The history of light is a measure of productivity: a Babylonian worker could buy about 10 minutes of light with a day’s wages, compared with roughly 20,000 hours by the 1990s.
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Is this how the great international borrowing spree ends?
Rich countries have moved far beyond the old 60-percent-of-GDP debt benchmark: France is around 120 percent, the United States around 126 percent, the United Kingdom around 102 percent, and Italy around 137 percent.
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Politicians are afraid to fix taxes. So 100 citizens tried.
Not summarized yet
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How surveillance crept up on us
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We try to fix election polling (update)
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Anatomy of a movie market
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Wanna slow down AI? These biologists can help.
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Should we all be getting tariff refunds right now?
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Charles Ponzi's scheme (plus a new scam)
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Where all those weird new drinks are coming from
The explosion of new beverages has three linked causes: better flavor science, new functional drink categories, and lower barriers to small-batch manufacturing.
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Who’s gonna pay for your Social Security?
Not summarized yet
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Middlegarchs are the new Oligarchs
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Is our national debt finally too much? (update)
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The Domino’s Pizza Tracker Theory of Everything
The Domino’s Pizza Tracker revolutionized online consumer experience by making waiting feel more manageable and engaging, a concept now widespread across many industries.
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How investing is getting riskier (Two Indicators)
High levels of margin debt are raising concerns about potential market instability, especially if leveraged investments unwind during downturns.
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The loan at the heart of a new foreclosure crisis
DSCR loans are a new type of mortgage allowing investors to buy multiple properties without proving personal income, making them attractive to private lenders and Wall Street investors.
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Cost-cutting, quiet guilt and the inflation generation
The current economy is highly polarized, benefitting some while severely impacting others.
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Trump drinks Venezuela’s milkshake
Venezuela’s oil industry has a long history of cycles of opening to and shutting out foreign investments, with profound impacts on its economy.
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Love in the time of Palantir
Palantir is a software company that helps organizations analyze their own data, rather than owning or selling data itself.
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Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” the true story behind the anthem (bonus)
The song ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton was more than just a catchy tune; it became an anthem for workplace reform and women's rights.
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