The Daily Dive

NFTs have taken over the art world and millions of dollars are being spent on these digital artworks, but how much are they really worth? Right now the Institute for Contemporary Art Miami is going through the difficult process to determine the value of a CryptoPunks NFT named Priscilla in case it gets destroyed, but also for tax purposes for the donor. Kevin Dugan, reporter at NY Mag, joins us for more on what determines an NFTs value.

Next, according to a recent survey of mayors across the country, 73% of them believe that voters hold them accountable for handling homelessness in their cities, but many of them don’t feel like they have control over the issue. A third of mayors said they don’t even have staff dedicated to it. Jennifer Kingson, chief correspondent at Axios, joins us for how some mayors feel powerless to reduce homelessness.

Finally, one of the common themes of the pandemic keeps persisting… nurses stretched too thin and looking for help to avoid burnout. The healthcare sector has lost about 500,000 workers since February of 2020. The staffing shortage coupled with medical workers getting sick with Covid themselves is pushing them to the brink. Julie Wernau, health and medicine reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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Next week marks the beginning of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and one thing to watch for will be how the weather behaves. China will be deploying weather modification technology at new levels of scale to make sure the games go off without a hitch. Could-seeding to produce rain and ‘blueskying’ to make sure the skies are beautiful and wiped away of clouds and smog. This is on top of already using millions of gallons of water to create the snow needed for outdoor events. Steven Zeitchik, tech and innovations reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for China’s efforts to control the weather.

Next, in an effort to keep overdoses at a minimum and provide people safe spaces to use drugs without having to be on the street corner, New York has opened two locations where people can use drugs with supervision. If something goes wrong, trained workers can step in with oxygen or other life saving measures. There is opposition where the fear is that these facilities may lessen the incentive for people to enter treatment programs. Meryl Kornfield, reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more on these safe consumption sites that could be on their way soon in other places like Rhode Island and California.

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Recent polls by NBC News don't paint a good picture for people's views about the country or the party in power. Large majorities feel that the country is not going in the right direction, households feel like they are falling behind economically, and that political polarization will continue for some time. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for bad polls and Sen. Joe Manchin ready to negotiate on the Build Back Better plan.

Next, what does it mean to be asymptomatic? As Covid guidelines constantly change around us and infections keep spreading, many don't want to believe a sniffle or scratchy throat could be a symptom. To be clear, being asymptomatic means you feel your best and aren't taking any medications to manage symptoms such as a headache. If anything seems amiss, a Covid test might be a smart choice. Allie Volpe, contributor to Vox, joins us for what to know.

Finally, supply chain issues continue to affect many industries, and for anyone that has been trying to buy furniture, you know the pain all too well. Deliveries on couches and other furniture can be up to seven months in some cases and people are having to get by with bean bags and beach chairs until their orders come. Rachel Wolfe, consumer trends reporter at the WSJ, joins us for why you might be waiting a while for that couch.

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

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

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The CIA has issued an interim report saying that they found no ‘worldwide campaign’ by any foreign power that was behind the mysterious Havana syndrome. While another report has said that a “directed, pulsed radio frequency” could be the cause, the CIA said that most incidents could be attributed to preexisting medical conditions of those affected or environmental factors. Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for more on Havana syndrome.

Next, health experts are warning that nations could be giving up too soon in the fight against the pandemic. Many are looking forward to a time when the virus will be endemic and we can just live with it, and certain policies have already begun to reflect that. Joel Achenbach, science reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for why experts say it’s not time to let your guard down just yet.

Finally, this week we saw Microsoft make a huge deal worth $69 billion to buy videogame company Activision Blizzard. While this will bolster their game catalogue, Microsoft execs also see the acquisition as a pathway to the metaverse. The metaverse is so much bigger than gaming, but it will still need gaming first-adopters to help it take off. Sarah Needleman, tech reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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President Biden has officially been in office for one year and it has definitely been uneasy at best. He started with early successes in passing the Covid relief bill and the vaccine distribution program, but then hit problems with the Delta and Omicron surges, a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and record high inflation. Jonathan Lemire, WH Bureau Chief at Politico and host of ‘Way too Early’ on MSNBC, joins us for more on Biden’s first year.

Next, the 5G rollout from Verizon and AT&T has been hit with delays and caused flight cancellations as we hear about worries from the FAA that the 5G frequencies can possibly interfere with radio altimeters that aircraft use to help land when visibility is low. Rebecca Heilweil, reporter for Recode by Vox, joins us for more.

Finally, we’ll tell you about the hypermilers. People who are trying to get as much fuel efficiency out of their vehicles whether it be gas or electric. Recently, there has been a closer look at EVs, and they found that the sweet spot for making the most of a charge can be very slow… sometimes below 30 mph. Mike Colias, autos reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the hypermilers. 

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Some good news when it comes to jobs and the pandemic. Texas, Arizona, Idaho and Utah have recovered all the jobs they lost since the start of the pandemic and another dozen states could hit that mark by the middle of this year. A lot of this was driven by population growth due to companies and workers shifting away from coastal cities. Bryan Mena, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Next, for those working remotely, the sick day may be gone. As the Omicron variant continues to cause disruptions, some remote workers experiencing mild symptoms are opting to work through it. Some figure that since they are not in the office posing a risk to others, they are taking the posture of, “If I can work, I’ll work.” Kathryn Dill, reporter at the WSJ, joins us Americans complicated relationship with taking time off.

Finally, crime tourists have been targeting wealthy Asian and Middle Eastern residents in the D.C. area. Law enforcement experts say cells of professional burglars are entering the country, targeting residents, and then move on to another city or state to steal more. In once particular case, the burglars were linked to more than 50 thefts stealing more than $2 million. Justin Jouvenal, justice reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for the wave of crime tourists.

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Everyone knows there is money to be made by going viral on TikTok, and it's enough to make some reconsider the line of work they are in. To bolster that idea, you can look to some TikTok stars that are making more money than many of the top CEO's in the country. Charli D'Amelio, who gained notoriety for dancing and spun her fame off into a clothing line made more money last year than the CEO's of Exxon Mobil, Starbucks, and McDonalds. Joseph Pisani, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Next, we have been seeing the effects of climate change on humans, animals and our environment, but one place that has been overlooked are insects. For many they can be seen as pests, but they are an integral part of the ecosystem. Once thought to be very resilient, we are seeing their life cycles change, some on the verge of extinction like bumble bees, and the rise of damaging pests like locusts and mosquitoes. Oliver Milman, reporter for the Guardian, joins us for how the speed of climate change is causing an imbalance in the insect world.

Finally, you might think that marijuana and parenting don’t mix, but there is a growing movement of ‘cannamoms’ who say that consuming weed helps them to calm down, reduce anxieties and be more present in their kids’ lives. They want to fight the stigma around it and also make clear that they aren’t getting blazingly high and consider it low risk, just like a glass of wine. Jesse Staniforth, contributor to the BBC, joins us for more on ‘cannamoms.’

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This week we hit the one year mark for Joe Biden's presidency and it has been one marked with many roadblocks and only incremental agenda achievements. The two main promises of his campaign have eluded him... ending the pandemic and bringing the country together. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News joins us for Biden one year in, the Supreme Court halting vaccine mandates for larger employers, at-home Covid test going out this week, and the Texas synagogue hostage situation.

Next, a grieving family trying to make connections after the death of their son found that his biological father had psychiatric problems. They wish his hospitalization and condition was disclosed on the questionnaire the father filed out when he donated sperm. Turns out Donor 1558 had schizophrenia and later the Gunner family also had to deal with their son Steven when he was also diagnosed with the same disorder and died of an opioid overdose. The Gunner's are now using their story to push for legislation to get better disclosures from sperm donors. Amy Docker Marcus, health and science reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

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