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Protests overtook the country once again as the Supreme Court ruled to strike down Roe v. Wade.  Pro-abortion advocates were enraged and anti-abortion advocates cheered the decision.  Trigger laws set to be enacted if Roe was struck down took effect in some states and quickly limited women’s access in those areas.  The focus now turns political as President Biden called on people to vote in elected officials that would do something about it.  Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for all the fallout and what this decision says about the politicization of the Supreme Court. Next, we’ll tell you how the “Disney adult” became one of the most hated groups on the internet.  Everyone knows a Disney adult, someone who loves the parks and spends insane amounts of money on vacations, getting the latest merch, or limited-edition pins and Mickey ears.  These Disney superfans have been around for a long time, but the term is relatively new and the anti-Disney adult sentiment really took hold during the pandemic as fans were mourning the closures of the parks and online groups were just having none of that.  EJ Dickson, senior writer at Rolling Stone, joins us for more on the adult Disney fandom. 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.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court struck down a centuries-old New York law requiring those that want to carry a concealed weapon for self defense to show a specific need for doing so.  This decision also clears a way for legal challenges to similar laws in other states.  The ruling comes down as the country is grappling with a series of mass shootings and a new gun law making its way through the Senate.  Robert Barnes, Supreme Court reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more. Next, youth mental health has been a growing issue in the country that has only been amplified by the isolation and stress caused by the pandemic.  In collaboration with the award-winning podcast, Force Multiplier, we’ll hear from mental health advocate, digital strategist and content creator, Jorge Alvarez, about today’s challenges with global and mental health access.  He’ll also tell us why representation is a big factor in fighting the cultural stigma around mental health. Finally, it’s the new layaway… Buy now, pay later.  It has been exploding in popularity as more retail stores are offering it and a slew of new apps also getting in on it.  It lets consumers take something home immediately and then pay off purchases in installments.  Payments are usually interest-free making it an enticing option for those trying to avoid credit cards.  Claire Ballentine, personal finance reporter at Bloomberg News, joins us for why some experts are warning of overspending risks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Biden has called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months in an effort to ease prices that have been skyrocketing.  Biden is also calling on states to suspend their gas taxes, but it’s a tough sell as lawmakers and economists are skeptical it will provide enough relief.  He is also pinning the blame on oil and gas companies calling for them to increase oil production. Hans Nichols, reporter at Axios, joins us for what to know. Next, as fears of a recession loom, more companies are announcing layoffs or hiring freezes leaving current employees to think of ways to stand out and stay employed.  The pendulum is swinging back in favor of employers where the Great Resignation had empowered employees to jockey for better pay and benefits.  Ray Smith, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how to keep your job or find a better one should a recession come. Finally, the real estate market has begun to cool ever since mortgage rates have increased, but home prices are still going up.  The spring selling season has been slow, and the lack of supply is keeping prices up.  Rents are even on the rise, on average they are up 26% from before the pandemic.  Emily Peck, markets correspondent at Axios, joins us for more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gas prices may one of the most visible features of how the economy is doing.  We constantly see the rising prices on every street corner, but even as higher prices are a pain it isn’t really the best metric for understanding the broader economy.  It’s not always the case that the economy is falling apart as prices rise and that it speeds ahead if prices are lower.  Gas prices hit everyone differently, but as we see better fuel efficiency and richer households, a better indicator for how much pain is at the pump is how much disposable income people are spending on gas.  Rebecca Leber, senior reporter at Vox, joins us for how that number is still relatively low at the moment. Next, a couple of recent stories about when an animal or even an artificial intelligence can be considered a person have sparked conversations on the evolving thought on who or what is deserving of moral consideration.  First, is Happy the elephant who was not granted legal personhood in a case in New York filed by the Nonhuman Rights Project.  Second, is the story of the Google engineer who believed that an AI language model had become sentient.  Expert consensus said that no, the AI had not gained sentience and the engineer was put on leave.  Kenny Torella, staff writer at Vox, joins us for what this says about us and how these questions will increasingly be raised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rep is a bold, wide-ranging podcast, brought to you by journalist Noor Tagouri. Noor began by examining the misrepresentation of Muslims in US media and how this impacts American culture. She discovered a fuller exploration of the ever-evolving story of America, which challenged the stories we’ve known…and revealed how the stories we tell affect all of us. Rep is a thoughtful investigation of our beliefs and understandings and how they exist within the dynamic of politics, pop culture, and public opinion. This is a story about the stories we tell. Listen here or on the iHeartRadio app.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workers in the U.S. have a very strange relationship with working and not taking time off.  After going through the pandemic, Covid may have done away with the sick day.  Because of the pace of work or fears of getting in trouble, many people continued to log in for meetings and answered emails.  Managers also weren’t good role models as they took to working while sick too, this is coming despite many companies changing sick day policies to allow people more time to heal.  Emma Goldberg, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for why employees can’t seem to take a sick day. Next, we’ll tell you about the anti-cult activism of Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.  She focused on this work after a “deprogramming” she went through after she fell in with a group she considered a cult.  She was involved with an organization called Lifespring which advertised training seminars that could help unlock hidden potential.  The group was accused of breaking participants down mentally and one man reportedly had a psychotic break.  Alex Seitz-Wald, senior politics reporter at NBC News, joins us for how Thomas got out and the controversial world of anti-cult activism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calling all bargain hunters…stores have too much stuff and will be cutting prices soon.  Large shipments of electronics, outdoor furniture, and loungewear that people wanted during the pandemic are finally coming in, two years late.  That means that retailers that can’t hold big items in their inventory will be slashing prices.  Rachel Wolfe, consumer trends reporter at the WSJ, joins us for where and when to look for these deals… just have to wait a little further into summer.   Next, there is a whole swath of young kids that have never known life without Covid.  Their formative years were spent masking and social distancing and the long-term effects remain unknown.  Studies and observations show that some kids are behind in speech, motor and social development and could need counseling, speech therapy and other support to adjust.  There is optimism in the resilience of young kids to adapt now that things are a little more back to normal and in some of the positive effects like spending more time with family.  Anna North, senior correspondent at Vox, joins us for how the pandemic affected the country’s youngest children. 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.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that over a 10-month period, there were nearly 400 car crashes that involved advanced driver-assistance technology.  Think of Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self Driving Mode, and other tech like lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control.  Tesla was responsible for about 70% of the crashes, but they also have more vehicles on the road.  Neal Boudette, reporter for the NY Times, joins us for more. Next, with all the changing economic news, some workers don’t feel as powerful as they used to.  The tight labor market and the Great Resignation led employees to demand remote work and higher salaries, but as inflation continues and fears of a recession loom, people are looking for more security over flexibility and companies are taking note.  Callum Borchers, On the Clock columnist at the WSJ, joins us for this change in attitude. Finally, children are increasingly becoming targets of ID theft and it usually goes unnoticed until they apply for a student loan or first credit card and find their credit scores are in the dumps.  Identity theft affects about 1.25 million kids every year and most of the time these victims know the perpetrators personally, whether it is family member or caregiver.  Tatum Hunter, tech writer at The Washington Post, joins us for how to protect your kids. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.