John Barnett worked at Boeing for nearly 30 years. Before he left the company, he filed a whistleblower complaint, alleging he was retaliated against for raising safety concerns. Last March, after two days of testimony, he was found dead in his truck. Police ruled his death a suicide. We tell the story of Barnett’s life, and death, as a Boeing whistleblower. 

Further Reading:

- Boeing CEO Apologizes to MAX Crash Families, Calls Culture ‘Far From Perfect’

- The Disarray Inside Boeing’s 737 Factory Before the Door Plug Blowout 

- Can Boeing Be Fixed? Aerospace Leaders Offer a Repair Manual 

Further Listening:

- The Failures Inside Boeing's 737 Factory 

- A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing 

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We’re off for Presidents Day, but we wanted to reshare this episode.

Walmart is offering higher pay, bonuses and more stock options this year to retain and attract managers. WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer spent a day with one manager, Nichole Hart, to understand why the job is commanding such a high salary these days, and why Hart logs about 20,000 steps a day.

This episode was originally published in May 2024.

Further Reading:

-A Day in the Life of a Walmart Manager Who Makes $240,000 a Year 

-Walmart Takes On Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods With New Premium Brand 

Further Listening:

-What Walmart’s Aisles Say About the American Consumer 

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At the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump suspended most U.S. foreign aid, causing vast confusion and concern around the world. One affected program was PEPFAR, the bipartisan initiative that works to fight HIV/AIDS globally. WSJ’s Nicholas Bariyo from Uganda and Michael M. Phillips from Kenya report. And we hear from Karl Hoffman, the CEO of the public health organization HealthX Partners. 

Further Listening:

-Inside USAID as Elon Musk and DOGE Ripped It Apart 

Further Reading:

-Trump Aid Whiplash Hits Refugees, AIDS Patients Worldwide 

-Trump Order Freezing Foreign Aid Halts Programs Worldwide, Prompts Confusion and Rush for Waivers 

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It’s been a busy month in D.C. for Elon Musk. WSJ’s Tim Higgins joins Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball to discuss what Musk’s strategies as a CEO can tell us about his plans for DOGE and the federal government. Plus, we get into Trump’s relationship with the judiciary and take a question from a listener about American expansionism. 

Further Reading:

-Musk Brings His Business Playbook to Washington: Move Fast and Claim Victory 

-DOGE, Musk and Trump—Our Reporters Answered Your Questions 

Further Listening:

-R.I.P. CFPB? 

-Trump 2.0: Less Foreign Aid, More Tariffs 

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Dating app companies are seeing a decline in demand, so they’re looking to recruit a new matchmaker: AI. WSJ’s Belle Lin reports on Grindr’s big bet that its new AI “wingman” will help its users find love. And we talk to someone who tried it. 

Further Reading:

- Grindr Aims to Build the Dating World’s First AI ‘Wingman’ 

Further Listening:

- The Price of Dating Apps  

- ‘Love Is Blind’ Is Back. Not All the Drama Is On-Screen 

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Netflix’s hit reality show “Love is Blind” returns this Friday with its eighth season. But behind the scenes, there is a legal battle brewing over the treatment of cast members looking for love. We spoke to a former participant and others in the industry about how this could change reality TV. 

Further Reading:

-How ‘Love Is Blind’ Helped Netflix Crack the Reality-TV Code 

Further Listening:

-James Bond Is Missing. He's Trapped in a Fight With Amazon. 

-Why 'Yellowstone' Is One of TV's Most Expensive Shows 

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The Trump administration's newly installed acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief Russell Vought is closing the agency and has ordered staff to halt all work. WSJ’s Brian Schwartz explores what the agency does and why it’s become the next target for Trump allies like Vought and Elon Musk.

Further Listening:

- Trump 2.0: Less Foreign Aid, More Tariffs 

- Inside USAID as Elon Musk and DOGE Ripped It Apart 

- Trump’s Tariff Whiplash 

Further Reading:

- CFPB to Close Office After Vought Tells Staff to Halt All Supervision 

- Russell Vought Taking Over as New Acting Head of CFPB 

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Denver was named the winner of a new women’s pro soccer franchise last month, in part because it plans to build one of the first stadiums exclusively for the league. WSJ’s Rachel Bachman explains the seismic shift in women’s sports - and the big money that is coming with it.

Further Reading:

-The Force in Women’s Sports That’s Even More Powerful Than Caitlin Clark 

-No One Wanted to Finance Their Stadium. Now Every Game Is a Sellout. 

Further Listening:

-Can the WNBA Cash in on the Caitlin Clark Effect? 

-The Kiss Rocking Women’s Soccer 

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If you’ve watched any professional sports this year, chances are you’ve seen ad after ad pushing parlay bets. WSJ’s Katherine Sayre explains how parlays became big business for sports betting companies. 

Further Listening:

- How a Psychiatrist Lost $400,000 on Gambling Apps 

- Disney Gets Into Gambling  

Further Reading: 

- America Has Fallen in Love With Long-Shot Sports Bets 

- This Year’s Big NFL Winners: Fans, Not Sportsbooks

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WSJ’s Joel Schectman joins Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball to explore the dismantling of USAID and what it means for America’s future as a global leader. Plus, Trump's tariffs, a Gaza proposal and remaking the CIA.  

Further Listening: 

- Inside USAID as Elon Musk and DOGE Ripped It Apart 

- Trump’s Tariff Whiplash 

Further Reading:

- How Trump Gutted America’s $40 Billion Aid Agency in Two Weeks 

- CIA Offers Buyout to Entire Workforce as Part of Trump Makeover 

- Democrats Have a New Leader but Haven’t Come to Grips With Failure 

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