The Journal. - The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Latest Episodes:

How to Build a Metaverse, Part 2: Avatars Behaving Badly Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

When Second Life officially launched in 2003, it had one guiding principle for all new users: Be Nice. But those users showed up with their own ideas about how to behave in a virtual world. In part 2 of How to Build a Metaverse, Linden Lab — the company that created Second Life — wrestles with how to govern its new world.

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The Pros and Cons of a Strong U.S. Dollar Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

The U.S. dollar is dramatically increasing in value. WSJ’s Julia-Ambra Verlaine unpacks what this means for the U.S. and other countries.

Further Reading:

- A Strong Dollar Is Front and Center for Wall Street

- Dollar Strength Lifts Americans’ Relative Spending Power

- Strong U.S. Dollar Extends Pain in Emerging-Markets Currencies

Further Listening:

- The Roots of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis

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The Four-Day School Week Is Here Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

To combat a teacher shortage, some school districts across the country are adopting a four-day week. WSJ’s Ben Chapman explains the pros and cons, and a superintendent in Missouri talks about how parents and teachers are reacting.

Further Reading:

- School Districts Facing Shortages Lure Teachers With Four-Day Weeks

- Teacher, Staff Shortages Reported by About Half of Schools, Survey Finds

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The Republican Push to Flip Latino Voters Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

Ahead of the midterm elections, Republicans are working to rally support among Latinos. Once a solidly Democratic bloc, Latinos are becoming a swing group, as recent contests have shown in states like Nevada. We head to East Las Vegas to speak with voters and politicos about the shifting dynamics.

Further Reading:

- Latino Voters Split Along Economic Lines

- Latina Candidates Test GOP Policies in South Texas House Races

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The Cheating Accusation Rocking Competitive Chess Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

The chess world has been gripped by drama after world champion Magnus Carlsen accused newcomer Hans Moke Niemann of cheating. WSJ’s Andrew Beaton explains how the whole fiasco is threatening to taint the sanctity of the 1,500-year-old game.

Further Reading:

- Chess Is in Chaos Over Suspicion That a Player Cheated Against Magnus Carlsen

- The Question Behind the Magnus Carlsen-Hans Niemann Drama: How to Cheat at Chess?

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How to Build a Metaverse, Part 1: Genesis Sep 23, 2022

Show notes

Nearly two decades before companies like Meta began pouring billions of dollars into the metaverse, a little company called Linden Lab already had one. In part 1 of our series, we meet the programmers who built Second Life -- a 3-D virtual world where users could be and do whatever they could imagine. And we meet the intrepid users who were the pioneers of this brave new world.

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People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

Yesterday, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, three of his children and two other longtime officials at the Trump Organization. The AG’s fraud complaint seeks a list of penalties including $250 million dollars. WSJ’s Corinne Ramey discusses the lawsuit and what it means.

Further Reading:

- Donald Trump, His Company Sued by New York Attorney General on Fraud Allegations

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Puerto Rico's Long Struggle to Keep the Lights On Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

Hurricane Fiona battered Puerto Rico’s shores, causing an island-wide blackout over the weekend. Now, more than a million people are still waiting for the lights to turn back on. WSJ’s Andrew Scurria explains that the company brought in to fix the grid hasn’t made much progress.

Further Reading:

- Hurricane Fiona Intensifies to Category 4 Storm and Is Blamed for Four Deaths

- Puerto Rico Re-Examines Plan to Fix Power Grid as Fiona Cuts Electricity

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The Fed's Plan to Curb Inflation Sep 20, 2022

Show notes

Inflation is at a decades long high and this week the Federal Reserve is expected to approve another rate increase to help curb it. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos discusses the thinking behind the strategy and some of the risks it poses.

Further Reading:

- Jerome Powell’s Inflation Whisperer: Paul Volcker

- Powell Says Fed Must Show Resolve in Fighting Inflation

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The Fight Over Your Credit Card Swipe Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

Each time you use your credit card, businesses pay a fee. Merchants have pushed back for years, and there are now two bills in Congress aiming to limit those fees. WSJ’s AnnaMaria Andriotis explains why companies like Visa and Mastercard set fees in the first place, and what Congress hopes to do about it.

Further Reading:

- Walmart, Target Urge Lawmakers to Pass Bill Taking Aim at Visa, Mastercard Fees

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