After failing to agree on and pass a new pandemic relief bill, the U.S. Senate appears to have officially recognized July 2020 as National Blueberry Month. That sounds a least a little productive … until you remember July ends Saturday, and so does the extra $600 weekly unemployment benefit millions of Americans rely on. You know it was a tough day when even “Make Me Smile” makes us cry.

Happy National Blueberry Month, or something?

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

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Management & Marketing

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The latest survey data from the University of Michigan shows consumer sentiment in the U.S. is at a six-month low. We’ll unpack the numbers and get into what they can and can’t tell us about what’s really going on in the economy. And, a plan to split up U.S. Cellular between T-Mobile and Verizon is in the works. It’s part of a larger fiasco brewing at the Federal Communications Commission. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty!
 
Here’s everything we talked about today:

Consumer Sentiment Index from the University of Michigan

 

“T-Mobile, Verizon in Talks to Carve Up U.S. Cellular” from The Wall Street Journal

 

“A solar storm could produce northern lights in US” from AP News

 

“Apple is revamping Siri with generative AI to catch up with chatbot competitors, report says” from Business Insider

 

“Millions more Americans travel to bird-watch. Texas businesses are cashing in.” from Marketplace

 

“McDonald’s Will Offer a $5 Meal Deal to Lure Customers Back Into Stores” from Yahoo Finance

 

“Bluey Is Back! Disney Announces Collection of New ‘Minisodes’ Are Coming Soon” from People


 
We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.


What grocery aisle gossip can tell us about the economy


Joint fundraising committees allow aligned political campaigns to raise more money faster. We’ll break down how these operations work and how they’re affecting the cost of elections. Then, guest host Sabri Ben-Achour explains why China’s electric vehicle industry may not be at “overcapacity,” as U.S. and European officials have argued. Plus, artists’ fears summed up in one controversial iPad Pro commercial.
 
Here’s everything we talked about today:
 



“Joint fundraising: A campaign strategy to increase contributions” from Marketplace



 



“U.S., Europe vexed by China’s ‘overcapacity’ of clean-energy goods” from Marketplace



 



“OpenAI’s Brad Lightcap on new content tool, copyright claims and AI outlook” from CNBC



 



“OpenAI says it’s building a tool to let content creators ‘opt out’ of AI training” from TechCrunch



 



“Watch Apple Trash-Compact Human Culture” from The Atlantic



 



“Apple’s new iPad ad has struck a nerve online. Here’s why” from AP News




 
Shrinkflation tote bags, mini pencils, maybe even some KaiPA glasses — check out our May fundraiser thank-you gifts and make your donation to support our newsroom today: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn


The lowdown on joint fundraising committees


Increasingly popular buy now, pay later services allow shoppers to split their purchases into smaller, recurring payments. We’ll get into why these loans are blurring economists’ understanding of today’s consumer debt landscape. We’ll also discuss President Joe Biden’s climate and infrastructure spending spree, and the knock-on effects of parents dying from drug overdoses. Plus, singer Tyla’s sandy Met Gala look, and forgotten 100-year-old love letters make us smile.
 
Here’s everything we talked about today:
 



“More than 320000 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011-2021” from Axios



 



“Playbook: Biden’s race to Trump-proof his legacy” from Politico



 



“Biden’s biggest challenge: How do you even spend $1.6 trillion?” from Politico



 



“‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Has Americans Racking Up Phantom Debt” from Bloomberg



 



“Video: See moment Tyla is carried up Met Gala steps” from CNN



 



“Tyla’s sand-covered Met Gala 2024 gown was chopped in half after the red carpet” from Page Six



 



“When to use buy now, pay later services” from Marketplace



 



“Hidden love letters spark historical mystery in Baltimore” from The Baltimore Banner




 
We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.


A phantom debt menace

College endowment funds are at the center of student protester’s calls for their schools to divest from Israel. Charlie Eaton, a sociology professor at the University of California, Merced, and author of “Bankers in the Ivory Tower,” said the size of these funds have created a moral dilemma for the wealthiest universities. On the show today, Eaton explains how college endowments work, why most universities don’t disclose how those funds are invested, and how colleges could manage their endowments to better align with their values.
 
Then, we’ll check-in on the youths. And, Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop, the puppet, answer the Make Me Smart question. Plus, a tribute to Jasper.
 

Here’s everything we talked about today:
 



“University endowments show few signs of direct Israel, defense holdings” from The Washington Post



 



“If the divestment movement succeeds, will it have an economic impact?” from Marketplace



 



“Gaza protests: Divestment from Israel becomes focus of student demands” from The Washington Post



 



“Students protest Gaza war: The history of divestment protests” from Marketplace



 



“Top companies are on students’ divest list. But does it really work?” from NPR



 



“Gen Z Sinks Deeper Into Debt” from The Wall Street Journal



 



“Abortion bans drive away up to half of young talent, new CNBC/Generation Lab youth survey finds” from CNBC



 



“Businesses are speaking out against anti-LGBTQ laws” from Marketplace




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The power of college endowments

Private equity plays a major role in lots of sectors across the U.S. economy, and now it’s getting into the veterinary business. Today, Kimberly discusses the rise of these big outside investors in pet care and the financial and emotional decisions we make in caring for our beloved pets. Plus, we bid Jasper goodbye. But first, Amy breaks down a pair of cases involving the popular housing site Redfin and what they mean for how homes are bought and sold.
Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Redfin to pay $9.25M to settle commission lawsuits” from Inman
“Redfin settles commission lawsuits for $9.25 million” from HousingWire
“When Buying a Home Is Treated as a National Security Threat” from The New York Times
“Vets fret as private equity snaps up clinics, pet care companies” from Stateline
“Why Your Vet Bill Is So High” from The Atlantic
“Workday Has Become the Most-Hated Workplace, Business Software” from Business Insider

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Happy National Blueberry Month, or something?

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