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Higher fares, crowded airports, cancellations and delays have done little to dampen the appetite for air travel going into the summer months. Airlines say they’ve done a lot to ramp up for the strong demand but are being hampered by a shortage of air traffic controllers. Plus, a pulse check on Houston’s clothing resale market and a new device in Australia to help farmers save livestock during drought.

In this election cycle, campaigns are looking to get your votes — and political contributions — any way they can. The Donald Trump campaign recently announced it will accept campaign contributions in cryptocurrencies, joining independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. But there are nuances and transparency issues that come with such donations. Also on the show: a preview of the economic data-heavy week ahead and an investment in hurricane forecasting.

From the BBC World Service: Paula Vennells was CEO of the government-owned Post Office business from 2012 to 2019, when forensic accountants looked into claims that sub-postmasters had been wrongly prosecuted for errors caused by software. We hear some takeaways from her testimony. Then, the leaders of China, South Korea and Japan have vowed to speed up negotiations to reach a free trade deal. Also: What would persuade more of us to take up electric vehicles?

A team from the University of Glasgow in Scotland is developing a robot guide dog aimed at helping the visually impaired find their way around. They’re calling the AI-powered device the RoboGuide. The BBC’s Shiona McCallum brings us along on her visit with one of the robodogs and its handler, Dr. Wasim Ahmad.

More tariffs from the Joe Biden administration on Chinese goods are on the way, and he gave his blessing to some Trump-era tariffs. We’ll break it down. Plus, why a story about a local public library becoming an adults-only space may be a warning of things to come. Later, we’ll weigh in on Chuck E. Cheese’s animatronic band, whales sinking yachts and “quiet vacationing” during a round of Half Full / Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:


“Biden Extends Tariff Exemptions on Some Imports From China” from Bloomberg
“Donnelly Public Library announces it will become adults-only library, cites Idaho Legislature’s library bill” from KTVB
“Employers can offer a new benefit: Matching student loan payments with 401(k) contributions” from Marketplace
“After Outcry, Chuck E. Cheese Says It Will Keep More Animatronic Bands” from The New York Times
“The Mad Scientist and the Killer Whales” from Rolling Stone
“The restaurant reservation resale game is on the rise in New York City” from Marketplace
“Some younger workers are ‘quiet vacationing’ rather than using PTO” from Marketplace

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Per Bank of America’s annual workplace benefits report, more full-time workers are feeling secure in their jobs compared to last year. But there’s a catch: Those upbeat responses came from men, while the percentage of women who feel financially stable dipped slightly. Plus, the Federal Reserve’s inflation frustration, the SEC’s near-approval of spot ether ETFs and the federal tax code’s post-election future.

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