During the Meta earnings call last week, Mark Zuckerberg said something that seemed to perfectly capture the vibe in tech as layoffs continue to climb. The CEO said the company was in a “phase change” and that 2023 will be “a year of efficiency.” For tech workers, it’s a striking contrast to a mythology that had been building for more than a decade: the conspicuously cushy tech job.

Bridget and Ryan go back to school to talk with students for career day about their jobs as podcasters. But when hunger strikes, they get caught up in an underground black market snack operation that gets them into a bit of trouble. Today, we’ll learn all about the black market, what it is, why it exists and why it’s even necessary sometimes.

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This episode is sponsored by Greenlight.  (For a limited time, get $10 when you sign up for a Greenlight account at greenlight.com/MILLION).

The U.S. Constitution requires that presidents give Congress a report on the state of the union. It’s a way to hold the nation’s leader accountable. But critics say the tradition of delivering a speech in front of a joint session of Congress has become a political tool. We’ll debate the value of the SOTU and whether it’s time it goes away. Also, an earthquake in Turkey and Syria could become one of the deadliest this decade.

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Despite the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, the U.S. economy hasn’t soured as much as many forecasters expected. And with falling energy prices, slowing inflation and the waning economic impact of COVID, the global economy’s outlook may be getting sunnier too. Plus, what the Census of Agriculture can tell us, the power of solar and why shows are disappearing from streaming platforms.

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Lab-grown meat could be on its way onto grocery store shelves and restaurant pantries sooner rather than later. One California-based startup, UPSIDE Foods, is seeking USDA approval to distribute its cultivated chicken product by the end of this year. Disney and the state of Florida are continuing their spat over Disney World’s special status in the state. And, economist Julia Coronado gives some insight into why there’s optimism that the U.S. economy might be able to avoid a recession this year.

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Consumers in the U.S. would likely suffer economic pain if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling, warned International Monetary Fund head Kristalina Georgieva. If it happens, she warned that people could be stuck paying higher interest rates on things like mortgages, car loans and credit cards. Amid Netflix customers’ ire at the coming crackdown on password sharing, new research shows that consumers are frustrated by the high number of different streaming services on offer. And, a trip to the Maryland Zoo, which is having to spend millions to update structures constructed in a different time with different sensibilities about animals.

From the BBC World Service: More than 1,000 people have been killed and over 5,000 wounded after one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit the region in decades. It has left aid organisations calling for financial aid and other forms assistance. Plus, it’s another week of strikes in the UK and today marks the biggest in the history of the health service as thousands of nurses and ambulance workers walk out over pay. We look at why no pay deals have been agreed after months of unrest. And, how strong is your coffee? New research has found caffeine levels vary widely among the big brands.

It’s hard to believe it’s been just a year since cryptocurrency ads made a splash in the Super Bowl, because a whole lot has gone down (and down and down) in crypto since then. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino got journalist and book author Jacob Silverman on the line to look back at the ads from eToro, Crypto.com, Coinbase and FTX in the 2022 “Crypto Bowl.” They might not have aged so well.

Finding constant success in life may not always be a good thing. Some psychologists argue that the biggest obstacle to success may be success itself. How do we fix it? Changing an aspect of our lives every 10 years. Also, could states prevent CVS and Walgreens from selling abortion pills by mail? Kimberly Adams and Kai Ryssdal get into it. Plus, a round of Half-Full/Half-Empty filled with coupons and inflation chickens.

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Do you have a burning question that you want to ask us or a comment about something we talked about? Call us at 508-U-B-SMART or email [email protected].

Last year was hard on cryptocurrency, with scandals and plummeting prices rocking the industry. Those losses were particularly keen for Black Americans, who are more likely to get into crypto than their white peers. Today, we’ll explore how targeted marketing and exclusion from traditional investment opportunities helped boost crypto’s appeal for Black investors. Also, the major takeaways from today’s strong jobs report and its impact on bond yields.

Need some Econ 101? Sign up for our Marketplace Crash Course and get weekly lessons to complete at your own pace!