The Daily Dive

Public health experts are worried about the next crisis that could overwhelm the healthcare system… a wave of cancers that we didn’t catch. The rates of cancer screenings dropped over the pandemic and have not recovered. Many put off regular screenings and may have missed a diagnosis that could save their lives. Dylan Scott, senior correspondent at Vox, joins us for this problem which we might not see the extent of for years.

Next, the search for Dillon the Pickle is on. The costume for the Portland Pickles mascot is missing and police are on the hunt to get it back. After being lost on a plane on a trip back from the Dominican Republic, the duffel bag with the costume was found by the airline and placed on the porch of the team’s general manager, only to have the bag stolen by a man with a mask on. Joseph Pisani, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the hunt for this pickle mascot.

Finally, after leaving their jobs in the Great Resignation what are the jobs that people actually want? According to Google search data, some of the top “How to become” searches last year were real estate agent, flight attendant, therapist and notary. While the search data doesn’t indicate if people actually picked up those jobs, it does track with other pandemic trends. Rani Molla, senior data reporter at Recode, joins us for more on the jobs Americans want.

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The threat of a Russian invasion in Ukraine is still keeping Western officials on high alert. President Biden and Vladimir Putin held an hour-long discussion over the weekend where Biden said there would be "swift and severe" consequences should they attack Ukraine. In the meantime, Russia has other ways of maintaining pressure through a destabilization campaign of cyber attacks, fake bomb threats, and economic disruption. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this and former President Trump's penchant for destroying records.

Next, a woman in San Antonio named Jane became one of the first to undergo surgery for a treatment of Alzheimer's called deep brain stimulation. This is not a treatment to reverse the disease, rather it is aimed at helping people maintain their memories and independence. The surgery involved implanting electrodes in the brain to keep the memory areas stimulated. The process uses a very sophisticated robotic system to make the precise movements needed while the patient is awake. Dr. Alexander Papanastassiou, associate professor of neurosurgery at UT Health San Antonio, was involved in this surgery and joins us for how it all works.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation has crept up to 7.5%, the highest it has been in 40 years. Prices of food, energy and used cars are all up, and in practical terms, the average U.S. household is spending an additional $276 a month. The middle class also continues to be hit harder than other groups. Gwynn Guilford, economics reporter at the WSJ joins us for how much inflation is costing you.

Next, Russia has begun conducting military drills on the Ukraine border worrying Western officials that they are readying for an invasion. In the meantime, President Biden has approved a plan to help Americans flee Ukraine if Russia does invade. Biden has warned Americans in the area to get out because things could go crazy quickly. Nancy Youssef, national security correspondent at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Finally, a New York City couple was arrested Tuesday on charges that they laundered some $4.5 billion that was stolen in a breach of a cryptocurrency exchange. In 2016 almost 120,000 Bitcoin was stolen from crypto exchange Bitfinex. Federal officials wanted to make clear that despite the security of crypto, it is still highly traceable and criminals should beware. Justin Rohrlich, reporter at the Daily Beast, joins us for the largest financial seizure ever by federal officials.

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High inflation is now hitting you in another place you might not expect, your car insurance. Many insurers are raising their rates by 6%-8% and in extreme cases are asking for double digit increases. Rates are going up to offset higher costs for car repairs, replacements and rentals. Leslie Scism, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for these increases coming at a time when traffic and accidents have risen from pandemic lows.

Next, a new attitude is beginning to take shape with the pandemic… people are over it and ready to move on. 64% of the U.S. is fully vaccinated and many have natural immunity from prior infection, Democratic governors are beginning to relax pandemic rules, and cases are dropping at a rapid rate. Lenny Bernstein, health and medicine reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for the shifting attitude toward the pandemic.

Finally, a story about a man who unknowingly left behind almost $230,000 at a Las Vegas slot machine. Robert Taylor hit a jackpot in January, but then the machine malfunctioned. Thinking he didn’t win, he walked away. After the casino fixed the machine, they found he did indeed win the money and then took on the difficult task of tracking him down. Andrea Salcedo, reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

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Mask mandates are beginning to fall in states across the country, particularly when it comes to schools. Democratic governors in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Oregon are lifting statewide rules leaving the final say to school districts on how to proceed. Some still want more guidance from the CDC, but the trend is shifting away from the mandates. Laura Meckler, national education writer at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, the Biden administration wants more students to become butchers. It’s an effort to scale up local and regional meat processing to foster competition in the industry. Training workers would help address labor shortages, but some say it could be a difficult sell getting students into an industry with so much manual labor done mostly by immigrants at the moment. Ximena, Bustillo, reporter at Politico, joins us for more on these agricultural programs.

Finally, some states are putting forth proposals that would accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as acceptable tax payments bringing them closer to the mainstream. Proposals in Wyoming and Arizona are in the early stages and could be a benefit for retailers, but there will most likely be some legal hurdles. Ben Schreckinger, national political correspondent at Politico, joins us for how states are considering accepting digital currency.

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The rollout of the Pfizer’s Covid pills has faced shortages and criticism that state health departments are not prioritizing those at the highest risk of serious illness. The Biden administration has purchased 20 million courses of the treatment but has only been able to release 265,000 courses due to production delays. Benjamin Ryan, contributor to NBC News, joins us for a look inside the U.S. rollout.

Next, Frontier and Spirit Airlines have agreed to a merger worth $6.6 billion that would make them the fifth largest airline in the country. The move will see them keep their ultra-low fare business model and cause some worry for other airlines who have not rebounded with business and international travel customers. Leslie Josephs, airline reporter at CNBC, joins us for this deal that could create 10,000 jobs by 2026.

Finally, full-frontal male nudity is going mainstream in Hollywood. With the rise of streaming platforms that are largely free from ratings rules, more men including some big stars are becoming more comfortable with baring it all. Be warned however, it may not be the real thing as many times prosthetics are used. Ellen Gamerman, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what it takes to make a nude scene happen.

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The situation in Ukraine remains tense as Russia has assembled at least 70% of the forces they would need to launch a full scale invasion. Officials worry that there could be a huge amount of casualties and the Ukraine capital could fall quickly. With the Winter Olympics as a backdrop, Russia and China have expressed support for each other. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this, criticism of the Covid protocols at the Games and the RNC censuring Rep. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.

Next, the condiment business is hyper competitive and one of the major players in the spice game, McCormick, has been making acquisitions to take over the world of hot sauce. They recently bought Frank's Red Hot and Cholula in deals worth millions of dollars each. The pandemic proved to be beneficial for McCormick as many people stayed in and cooked more at home, but they were not immune to supply chain issues that affected the industry. Austin Carr, features writer at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, joins us for the fight for hot sauce supremacy.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.