Marketplace All-in-One

Since Elon Musk bought Twitter, over a million people (including Kai and Kimberly) have joined Mastodon, a decentralized social media network.

On the show today, Robert Gehl, professor of communications and media studies at York University in Toronto, explains the ins and outs of Mastodon and decentralized social media and what it means for our public discourse.

In the News Fix, we’ll talk about why mortgage rates are so darn high (it’s not all because of rising interest rates) and the future of self-driving cars — don’t plan to take your hands off the wheel anytime soon.

Later, we’ll hear from a listener about what it takes to run for a local school board in Wisconsin. Plus, the eBay hack you didn’t know you needed.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We want to hear from you. If you’ve joined Mastodon or are staying with Twitter, let us know how it’s going. We’re at 508-U-B-SMART or email [email protected].

Nearly 40% of workers wouldn’t, according to a new survey. The pandemic dramatically shifted people’s relationships to and feelings about work. In this episode, a look at bleak workplace attitudes and what’s driving them. Plus, what surging metal prices mean for the global economy, how a slowing housing market affects city taxes, and why low levels on the Mississippi River are problematic for agricultural supply chains.

The fines come following all the drama about flight delays and cancellations. Drew Matus of Metlife checks in with us regarding today’s market activity. The global pandemic ushered in another level of online shopping, which spelled doom for many malls across the nation – but one mall in Portland has adapted.

The tech giant has to pay millions to settle a lawsuit over how it has been collecting user data. The BBC reports on how frustration over COVID restrictions are starting to boil over in China. The Economist’s climate innovation editor checks in from the – where else – COP27 climate summit in Egypt.

From the BBC World Service: Nine rich countries have pledged at least $20 billion to enable coal-dependent Indonesia to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Residents in the Chinese city of Guangzhou have escaped a coronavirus lockdown and clashed with police. And according to the U.N., the global population is expected to hit 8 billion today.

It’s been a wild ride these past two weeks with Twitter under the ownership of Elon Musk, including Musk showing up at Twitter headquarters with a sink and laying off half of the company’s global staff. Just about every day there’s a new headline about what’s happening in the company and on the platform: leadership changes, verification subscriptions rolled out and pulled back, threats to fire employees if they work remotely. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Alex Heath, a deputy editor at The Verge, who says Musk wants to change just about everything at Twitter, even if it’s messy.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the leaders of the two most powerful countries in the world met face to face, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit today. We’ll talk about why this IRL meeting matters and what the future of U.S.-China relations could mean for the global economy. Plus, there are signs the Federal Reserve is getting ready to slow its roll on interest rate hikes. And, Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams talk missions to the moon, past and present!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you’ve got a question for the hosts or your own answer to the Make Me Smart question, call 508-U-B-SMART and leave us a voicemail. Or email us at [email protected].

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit today. Tariffs and other restrictions have hampered the already complex relationship between the two countries. Today, we outline the economic stakes of their conversation. Plus, a shortage of electrical transformers frustrates utility companies, the failure of FTX provides a painful lesson for cryptocurrency investors and retailers hope for predictability this holiday season.

Now there’s news of a possible hack at the cryptocurrency exchange. Julia Coronado at MacroPolicy Perspectives discusses the yield on the 10-year Treasury and inflation. Then, we have the story of the unionization of the nation’s first Chipotle.

Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping meet up in Bali. Target wants to make its stores bigger. Amy Scott discusses the latest on “How We Survive” with David.