The Daily Dive

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WEEKEND EDITION- American Rescue Plan at Fault for Some of Inflation, Quantum Internet Research, More First-Time Marriages in 40s and 50s Oct 16, 2022

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nury Martinez Resigns From LA City Council Oct 14, 2022

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After tons of anger and outcry from the entire city of Los Angeles, former City Council President Nury Martinez has resigned her city council seat. This comes after leaked audio surfaced in which you can hear Martinez and two other councilmembers make crude and racist remarks. The scandal has outraged residents who shut down council meetings demanding more resignations. In the wake of the leaked audio, the CA attorney general has also said they will investigate the L.A. redistricting process and then there is the mystery yet to be solved of who recorded and leaked the audio. Gustavo Arellano, columnist at the LA Times, joins us for how it's all playing out.

Next, the inflation rate cooled slightly to 8.2% but is still battering Americans with record high prices. 18 months after President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, the consensus is that it helped the economy recover quickly from the pandemic lows, but also contributed to the inflation we face today. On the high end, estimates say that about half, 4% of current inflation can be attributed to the rescue plan. High product demand and other factors also contributed, but within days of signing the plan, some prices began to rise. David Lynch, global economics reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for what to know.

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American Universities Falter in World Rankings as China Is on the Rise Oct 13, 2022

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This year’s rankings of universities around the world has fewer U.S. universities ranking in the top 100 and China stepping up with more high impact research. A higher percentage of China’s research is being cited globally and is focused on materials science, chemistry, and engineering while the U.S. is focusing on clinical medicine and physics. Doug Belkin, higher education reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how China’s universities are on the rise.

Next, Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled Meta’s new virtual reality headset called the Quest Pro saying it’s the next major step for VR and a milestone to building the Metaverse. The only problem is that it’s going to cost you. The new headset is about $1,500, which puts it out of reach for casual users and most gamers. Shirin Ghaffary, tech reporter at Recode by Vox, joins us for what to know.

Finally, robotic engineers have been taking cues from the insect world to create machines that could aid in search and rescue ops, sniff out gas leaks and more. As sensors and battery tech keeps getting better and smaller, they are outfitting Madagascar hissing cockroaches with 3D-printed sensors or creating fully robotic machines inspired by how insects move and fly. Pranshu Verma, tech reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for the cyborg cockroaches.

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The Future of the Quantum Internet Is Being Tested in the Basement of Chicago Scientists Oct 12, 2022

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The effort to create a more secure and powerful internet, one that could potentially be unbackable lies in quantum research going on at the University of Chicago, more specifically in a basement closet at the lab there. In this closet they are firing off quantum particles into a fiber-optic network with the hopes of eventually connecting a network of supercomputers. Jeanne Whalen, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for how the technology works and what the future of the internet could look like.

Next, as the labor market continues to be tight and employers still face a shortage of workers, many are turning to so-called second chance hiring… recruiting employees with a criminal record. It has long been a challenge for people who have been convicted of crimes to get jobs and face an employment rate of over 27% from the last numbers we have. Allison Prang, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how more companies are looking to hire from this untapped talent pool.

Finally, while most people feel comfortable with communicating through text, the new method that is catching on is sending voice messages. It serves as a happy medium between a call which can be too urgent and a text. The problem is that not everyone is on board with these audio messages yet and there is some etiquette to follow when sending them. Magdalene Taylor, contributor to the WSJ, joins us for the year of the voice message.

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L.A. City Council Members Caught Making Racist Remarks in Leaked Audio Oct 11, 2022

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Leaked audio has led to a scandal at the Los Angeles City Council. City Council President Nury Martinez, Councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Gill Cedillo, and LA County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera were all caught in a conversation from last year where they were talking about redistricting and Latino political power and how they could sway it their way, but the conversation quickly devolved into racist remarks made by Martinez about the Black son of one of their fellow councilmembers saying he seemed like a “little monkey.” Martinez even disparaged other Latino groups. Gustavo Arellano, columnist for the LA Times, joins us for all the fallout, Martinez has resigned from her position, but not from the city council.

Next, the holiday travel season will be upon us soon and you’re already hearing about how you should start planning and buying those flights now as they are expected to get more expensive. The other thing to be aware of is surprise rental-car fees that can catch you off guard. Sneaky refueling fees that pop up on receipts, cancellation fees for pre-paid reservations, and “convenience fees” for riding in toll lanes. Dawn Gilbertson, travel columnist for the WSJ, joins us for what to watch out for.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How the Politics of President Biden’s Pardon of Simple Marijuana Possession Is Playing Out Oct 10, 2022

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Last week President Biden announced an expedited review of how marijuana is scheduled under federal law and that he would pardon individuals charged with simple marijuana possession on a federal level. This action will clear thousands of people but will not clear state convictions or decriminalize the drug. Julia Manchester, national political reporter at the Hill, joins us for the politics of the pardon and how the abortion issue is playing out before the midterms.

Next, more American are getting married for the first time in their 40s and 50s. For women, the rates of first marriages in midlife has increased by 74% between 1999 and 2019. For men, it has increased by 49%. Many say they didn’t marry sooner because they were pursuing education and careers and some just say they weren’t interested in marrying earlier. Clare Ansberry, Turning Points columnist at the WSJ, joins us for what to know.

Finally, sales of energy drinks are up 56% since summer of 2019 and the rise has been partially driven by options that claim to be healthier. New drinks on the market are touting vitamins, electrolytes, less sugar, and better taste. Doctors are still not totally convinced and warn of not drinking too much, but that hasn’t stopped big beverage companies from investing in the market. Rachel Wolfe, consumer trends reporter at the WSJ, joins us for why everyone is slamming down energy drinks.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Parents Who Get Stoned, Sticky High Prices, Uber Drug Mules Oct 09, 2022

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WEEKEND EDITION- Rise in Gun Confiscations at Schools, Police Departments Offering Huge Signing Bonuses, Difficult to Forecast Hurricane Ian Oct 08, 2022

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools Beef up Security in Light of Increased Gun Confiscations Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

Parents, students, and educators have been alarmed recently with the increase of gun confiscations and shootings at school campuses, but also with an increase of swatting events, hoax 911 calls about active shooters. In response, school districts are beefing up security with new metal detectors, random searches, and anonymous tip lines. Scott Calvert, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how gun and student behavioral problems are on the rise.

Next, as prices continue to remain high due to inflation, the big question is when will they come down? Unfortunately, for some goods and services, when prices go up, they tend to stay that way. These items are referred to as being “sticky” and can include things like the cost of a haircut, household furnishings, baby clothes, alcohol, and medical care. Julia Carpenter, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what to know about sticky prices.

Finally, why do pets do the quirky things they do? A lot of their actions tend to have evolutionary roots or are based on bonds they have created with you. Some researchers think dogs circle before they poop to align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field and paw the ground after to deposit scents and mark territory. Cats on the other hand bury their waste to cover their tracks. Marlene Cimons, contributor to The Washington Post, joins us for more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk Wants to Buy Twitter After All, We’ll Tell You What Could Change at the Company Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Elon Musk has done an about-face and offered to close his deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. If both parties agree, they can avert a trial set for later in the month. Should the deal go through, many expect a lot of changes in the company such as layoffs, lighter content moderation, and adding more functionality. Musk has said he wants to build a “super app” with offerings similar to WeChat. Jeremy Owens, SF Bureau Chief and tech editor at MarketWatch, joins us for what to know.

Next, as high inflation continues to batter Americans, the effects are starting to weigh more and more. A recent report said that 60% of Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck and even high-income earners are feeling the strain. Of those earning more than six figures, 45% of them are in the same boat. At the same time people are feeling a recession fatigue and finding it hard to stay disciplined. Jessica Dickler, personal finance reporter at CNBC, joins us for more.

Finally, a new survey from Morning Consult is identifying the brands that Gen Z loves the most. They are crazy for tech and junk food! YouTube, Google and Netflix are among their favorite corporate brands and then there is M&Ms, Doritos, and KitKat. Jennifer Kingson, chief correspondent at Axios, joins us for Gen Z’s favorites as they mature into more spending power.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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