The New York Times declared that physical wallets are on the outs. But is digital enough? Felix Salmon Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers discuss! Also: Steve Mnuchin’s heroic $1 billion bailout of New York Community Bank, and new rules requiring public companies to report their carbon emissions. In the Plus segment, a leaked Department of Labor email to a mysterious group of “super users” may reveal why January’s inflation numbers spiked. 

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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In this Money Talks. Felix Salmon chats with former trader Gary Stevenson, author of The Trading Game: A Confession. In the book and conversation, Gary tells how a card game made him Citibank’s youngest trader…and how betting on economic downfall made him its most profitable. Why did he walk away at the top of his game?

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers ponder the future of computers, cars, and…fast food? They discuss why Elon Musk is suing Sam Altman and OpenAI and the altruistic origins of ChatGPT. Also: Wendy’s “surge pricing” gaff had customers crying foul and Apple’s electric car has been scrapped. In the Plus segment: The downfall of Macy’s and the American department store. 

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 Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

Clips in the show:

After segment one: The Thinking Machine - MIT 1961

After segment two: 1975 Wendy’s Commercial

Plus outro: Scene from Miracle on 34th Street

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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers come with 0% interest and no fees! They discuss what the proposed merger between Capital One and Discover would mean for the rest of us and why the government probably won’t let it happen. Also: How long will Nvidia’s chip empire last, and why there are suddenly so many car washes everywhere. In the Plus segment: The gang reveals their all-time favorite kitchen gadgets. 

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

Clips and references in the show:

“‘I’m gonna get totally and utterly X-ed.’: Constructing drunkenness”

1986 Discover ad

“Car Wash” by Rose Royce

Vintage car wash documentary

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Felix Salmon sits down with Carrie Sun, whose book Private Equity: A Memoir recalls her life as the right-hand woman of a billionaire hedge fund manager. Burnt out on corporate life, Carrie wanted a low-key day job while she pursued her writing career. Instead, she found herself in a world of high-octane Wall Street hustle where profit is paramount. She and Felix discuss Wall Street culture, 

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers explain why factories, energy, stimulus money, and immigration have helped the U.S. economy succeed where its rivals struggle. Also: The failed Universal Music deal that silenced Taylor Swift music on TikTok, and why a typo by Lyft was the scourge of after-hours traders. In the Plus segment: Why is chocolate chip ice cream so hard to find?

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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BREAKING NEWS: Felix Salmon paid money to watch the Taylor Swift concert movie, he reveals it in a tell-all chat with Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers. They discuss CEO Bob Iger’s efforts to keep Disney the fairest entertainment company in the land and why New York Community Bank’s financial straits could be a win for ordinary renters. Also, has the backlash against the SAT test been misguided? Dartmouth thinks so. In the Plus segment, the gang explains Superbowl commercial trends.

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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In this Money Talks, Bianca Bosker, author of “Get the Picture,” chats with Felix Salmon about her adventures going undercover in the fine art world. Bianca worked as a museum security guard and gallery assistant, among other gigs, and got an inside peak at the smoke and mirrors of creating, collecting, and curating.

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss why a Delaware judge blocked Tesla’s $55 billion compensation package for Elon Musk and what it means for his Mars dreams. Also: the meteoric rise and catastrophic fall of DNA testing service 23andMe, and Felix gives us a glimpse into the world of Sotheby’s and mega-high-end art auctions. In the Plus segment: News platform The Messenger had $50 million to spend. Why did it fold in less than a year?

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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In an off-week bonus episode of Money Talks, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers chat with Yale finance professor James Choi, who has cross-referenced the advice of more than 50 pop finance books with actual economic theory. How much should you save in your 20s and 30s? Should you put your money in a savings account or the stock market? Is it bad to change your retirement plan? James Choi spills the finance tea!

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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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