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It’s been two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, and the U.S. is imposing new sanctions on Russia in an attempt to weaken the Kremlin. But sanctions aren’t proving to be all that effective. We’ll get into some research weighing how well government sanctions work compared to consumer-driven boycotts. And, Instagram is a popular news destination, whether the social media operation likes it or not. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Instagram’s Uneasy Rise as a News Site” from The New York Times “2 Years Into Russia-Ukraine War, U.S. Campaign to Isolate Putin Shows Limits” from The New York Times “Biden announces over 500 new sanctions for Russia’s war in Ukraine and Navalny death” from NPR “A Theory of International Boycotts” from economist Abdoulaye Ndiaye “Google tests removing the News tab from search results” from Nieman Journalism Lab “Diners aren’t going to steakhouses just for the steak anymore” from Marketplace “25 leap year activities to celebrate February’s bonus day” from Today “Review: Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender delivers charm and style” from Vox “Amazon Wants You to Pay With Your Palm. It’s a Sneak Attack on Apple and Google.” from The Wall Street Journal “This economy is feeling like the ’90s” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Nvidia’s fourth quarter results blew past analysts’ expectations with a revenue of $22.1 billion. We’ll get into what sizzling hot demand for the chip maker’s products says about the larger generative AI boom. And, we’ll discuss the threat AI-generated misinformation poses to the 2024 election, and what states are doing to combat it. Plus, experiencing sticker shock at the grocery store lately? Kellogg suggests trying cereal for dinner. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Nvidia Sales Reach New Heights as Company Forecasts Bigger AI Boom” from The Wall Street Journal “Authorities target two Texas firms in probe of AI-generated robocalls before New Hampshire’s primary” from AP News “After the chaos of 2020, states are preparing for election challenges — and threats” from “Marketplace” “‘I think our fear of high inflation is well warranted,’” Minneapolis Fed president says” from “Marketplace” “WK Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick: ‘Cereal for dinner’ is trending for consumers under price pressure” from CNBC “It’s Been 30 Years Since Food Ate Up This Much of Your Income” from The Wall Street Journal Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

Most of the cargo cranes at U.S. ports are made in China, and they could be spying. The Biden administration announced a plan to spend billions of dollars to replace and manufacture the equipment domestically over national security concerns. We’ll explain. Plus, how an Alabama court ruling on embryos may affect fertility treatments in a post-Roe world. And, the story of a man, an astronaut and a homemade antenna. Here’s everything we talked about today: “U.S. to Invest Billions to Replace China-Made Cranes at Nation’s Ports” from The Wall Street Journal “Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are children, imperiling IVF” from  The Washington Post “Alabama health system pauses IVF treatments after court embryo ruling” from The Hill “Man in Backyard Talks to Orbiting Astronaut Using Homemade Antenna” from kottke.org “Florida farmworkers created America’s strongest workplace heat rules” from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

After former President Trump’s recent digs at NATO, officials at a global security conference in Munich over the weekend weighed what European countries would do if Trump were re-elected and abandoned the United States’ treaty commitments. On the show today, Kathleen McInnis, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses the history and future of NATO and why it matters to the global economy. We’ll also share our takeaways from Fani Willis’ testimony. Plus, a former NASA astronaut was wrong about what we (earthlings) gain from going to space. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump said he might ignore NATO’s duty to defend. Here’s what the group does.” from The Washington Post “After Trump’s claims, here’s what to know about NATO member defense spending” from ABC News “NATO’s Article 5 Collective Defense Obligations, Explained” from Brennan Center for Justice “Why Americans Still Need NATO” from Foreign Policy “Trump didn’t quit NATO, but a potential second term alarms allies” from The Washington Post “The life and testimony of Fani Willis’s father, John Floyd III” from The Washington Post “DA Fani Willis testified she paid cash during trips with top prosecutor. One winery host remembers her paying in paper bills” from CNN Politics “How the Freedman’s Bank failure still impacts Black Americans” from Marketplace “Elon Musk’s SpaceX Forges Closer Ties With U.S. Spy and Military Agencies” from The Wall Street Journal We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin, has died in a Russian penal colony. We’ll reflect on Navalny’s impact and what it means to push back against the slow creep of political change. Plus, more evidence that plastic recycling is a myth pushed by the plastics industry. And, we’ll weigh in on the romance novel revival and landline phones in a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘They lied’: plastics producers deceived public about recycling, report reveals” from The Guardian “Tucker Carlson: ‘No decent person would defend’ what happened to Navalny” from The Hill “OpenAI teases ‘Sora,’ its new text-to-video AI model” from NBC News “Best Buy to End DVD, Blu-ray Disc Sales” from Variety “Making beer with the help of AI” from Axios “Steamy, sultry and stigmatized no more: romance novels are having a moment” from Marketplace “The humble landline phone beloved by Gen Z” from Axios We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Joe Biden’s re-election campaign launched a meme-heavy TikTok account in an effort to reach young voters. But considering national security concerns related to the platform, will the move pay off? We’ll get into it. Plus, strikes by Uber and Lyft drivers across the country are once again highlighting the distinction between contractors and employees. And, we’ll get into Bitcoin’s rebound and Beyoncé’s venture into country music. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why Lyft and Uber drivers did their largest strike ever” from Vox “Chicago Uber, Lyft drivers join Valentine’s Day strike with thousands across country” from The Chicago Sun-Times President Biden’s first post on TikTok “Biden campaign joins TikTok in an effort to reach younger voters” from The Washington Post “Bitcoin briefly crosses $52,000 as it recaptures $1 trillion market cap” from CNBC “Crypto ETFs now own 3.5% of all bitcoins in existence after ’10 years of pent-up demand'” from Markets Insider “Beyoncé’s new country songs salute the genre’s Black cultural roots” from The Washington Post “Beyoncé’s new country song features N.C. native Rhiannon Giddens” from Axios Raleigh Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

Israel plans to expand its military offensive into Rafah, a city on the southern tip of the Gaza Strip where many Palestinians are sheltered. On the show today, guest host Reema Khrais reflects on her personal connection to the major conflict and shares some of her reporting on the experience of Palestinians in Gaza right now. Plus, how the Joe Biden administration is grappling with growing pushback against unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel. Then, we’ll smile about lifelong female friendships and AI-generated breakup texts. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Some Palestinians leave Rafah refuge, fearing Israeli assault” from Reuters “A conversation with Baba” from Marketplace’s “This Is Uncomfortable” “My name is Hana” from Marketplace’s “This Is Uncomfortable” “Calls grow in Europe to halt arms exports to Israel as US Senate passes aid package” from CNN “Senators say ‘BFD’ presidential memo will lead to Israeli aid cuts. The White House has a different story” from The Independent “A bill with $14 billion for Israel’s war in Gaza passes the Senate but may falter in the House.” from The New York Times “U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts” from Council on Foreign Relations “How to stay friends for 50 years? Ask the women of Sugar Hill.” from The Washington Post “Can you tell which of these break-up texts are AI-generated? Take our quiz” from The Washington Post “I go to strangers’ weddings for fun. Getting invited is pretty easy, and I’ve made a lot of new friends.” from Business Insider We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

This Valentine’s Day eve, we’re thinking about love and what the economy has to do with it. Coming off the heels of a high-inflation period, is this a good time in our economy to find love? On the show today, Julia Carpenter, a personal finance reporter for The Wall Street Journal, discusses how the economy shapes our relationships, the growing wealth gap between single and married people, and the idea of a “money date.” Then, married people enjoy many legal benefits that aren’t extended to single folks. Is it time to change that? And this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question is all about Swiftynomics! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Couples Embrace the Least Romantic Date Ever: The Money Date” from The Wall Street Journal “It’s Now 40% More Expensive to Be Single and Dating Than It Was a Decade Ago” from Time “‘I’m So in Debt That I’m Afraid to Date’” from The Cut “How the economy shapes our love lives” from Vox “Moving In Together Doesn’t Match the Financial Benefits of Marriage, but Why?” from The Wall Street Journal “Opinion | Marriage has a monopoly on legal benefits. It shouldn’t.” from The Washington Post “Inflation ran hotter than expected in January, complicating the Fed’s rate decision” from CBS News “Swifties vs. NFL fans: What happens when two rabid fanbases collide” from Fast Company We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Former President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would allow Russia to do whatever it wants to NATO allies that don’t pay their bills. We’ll discuss why Trump’s willingness to ignore our treaty obligations hurts Americans’ freedom and standard of living. Plus, why robots aren’t coming for our jobs anytime soon. And, we’ll make you smart on why cats get stuck in trees! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump told S.C. rally that he supports Russian aggression against NATO allies” from NPR “Wealth disparities by race grew during the pandemic, despite income gains, report shows” from The Associated Press “Robot invasion hit a bump in 2023 as North American economy cooled” from Reuters “Yes, cats do get stuck in trees. This climber rescues them for free.” from The Washington Post Travis Kelce yelling at coach becomes Super Bowl meme from Scott Lincicome on X We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics offers a glimpse into the gender and racial makeup of occupations in the U.S. workforce. One takeaway from the data: Many jobs are still highly gendered. Guest hosts Amy Scott and Nova Safo get into it. And, we’ll explain why the chickens may be coming home to roost for banks due to commercial real estate vacancies. Plus, we’ll play a heated round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Yellen: It’s ‘obvious’ that empty office buildings will create banking stress and losses” from CNN Business “Yellen sees more commercial real estate stress, losses, but no systemic banking risk” from Reuters “40% of Lawyers Are Women. 7% Are Black. America’s Workforce in Charts” from The Wall Street Journal “Some colleges are bringing back the SAT and ACT requirement” from Marketplace “The Hottest New Accessory in LA Restaurants? Your Takeout Containers From Home.” from Eater Los Angeles “Coke’s first new permanent flavor in years adds a spicy twist” from CNN “Australia Introduces the ‘Right To Disconnect’ For Workers” from The New York Times “Taylor Swift props: Who will she sit by, what will she wear and 10 more Super Bowl bets” from The Athletic We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that the national deficit will grow by a trillion dollars in the next 10 years. Soaring interest payments on the national debt are one reason why. We’ll explain why that’s a problem for the United States’ fiscal future. And, was the Senate’s high-profile hearing with a spread of Big Tech CEOs all for show? Plus, Disney’s new one-stop-shop sports streaming venture and what Sweethearts’ clever rebrand says about today’s dismal dating culture. Here’s everything we talked about today: “U.S. deficit will soar in the next decade, new CBO projections show” from Axios “Sen. Klobuchar explains what it takes to protect children online” from Marketplace “Disney CEO Bob Iger on new streaming bundle partnership: I’d rather be a disruptor than be disrupted” from CNBC “When it comes to live sports, consumers show streaming services the money” from Marketplace “Super Bowl commercials 2024: Crypto and AI are out, insurance and mayo are in” from CNN “In a first for Uber since becoming a public company, an annual profit.” from AP News Advertisement for Sweethearts Situationships on Instagram Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

Since the pandemic, younger adults have become wealthier than older generations. That’s according to a new analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Guest host Amy Scott joins us to discuss how that happened and what the stock market has to do with it. Plus, why there might be trouble ahead for regional banks. And, a look inside the world of competitive speed puzzling. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Young Americans’ Wealth Growth Outpaces Older Generations Since Pandemic” from Bloomberg “Wealth Inequality by Age in the Post-Pandemic Era” from Liberty Street Economics “Why One Shaky Bank Is Stirring Fears of a Wider Financial Mess from The New York Times “Yellen Says Commercial Property Is a Worry, But Regulators Are on It” from Bloomberg “Polar bear sleeping on iceberg wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year award” from The Washington Post “For top jigsaw puzzlers, 500 pieces in an hour is no problem” from The Washington Post Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.