Make Me Smart Marketplace

The future of beer is here. “How We Survive” host Amy Scott is on the show today to help us taste test beer brewed from recycled water. And we’ll get into George Santos’ expulsion from the House and why his lies and luxurious spending were particularly provoking. Then we’ll weigh in on Walmart’s creative spin on holiday romcoms and more in a game of Half Full / Half Empty.



Here’s everything we talked about:







“Water, water, everywhere” from Marketplace








“Rep. George Santos expelled from House in 311-114 vote” from AP News








“The Undoing of George Santos” from The New York Times








“Why George Santos’ lies are even worse than the usual political lies – a moral philosopher explains” from The Conversation








“New North Carolina bar offers cocktails and college classes” from Marketplace








“Beyoncé, Taylor Swift films mean big business for movie theaters” from Marketplace








“How Mortadella Went From Cold Cut to Hot Item” from The New York Times








“Watch, Shop and Swoon with Walmart’s First Fully Shoppable Series” from Yahoo News








“I’m Serious: Drive to the Airport for the People You Love” from The Wall Street Journal








“Thanksgiving Travel: No One Should Pick You Up at the Airport” from The Wall Street Journal







Got a question for the hosts? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

It’s day one of COP28, the global climate conference, and countries have already agreed on details for a fund to aid developing countries affected by climate disasters. As wealthier nations begin paying for their contributions to the climate crisis, how long will their support last? Plus, we’ll hear a Fed Chair’s divisive turkey analogy for what happens when interest rates are too high for too long. And, why brands are extending those Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.



Here’s everything we talked about:







“COP28 leader Sultan Al Jaber hits back at allegations he used climate talks to strike oil deals” from CNN








“COP28 delivers breakthrough by way of climate disaster fund details” from CNBC








“The long-expected consumer pullback may finally be materializing” from “Marketplace”








“George Santos Says He Won’t Resign Ahead of This Week’s Expulsion Vote” from National Review








“House Ethics Committee report on George Santos finds ‘substantial evidence‘ of wrongdoing” from CBS News








“Johnson says he has ‘real reservations’ over expelling Santos as GOP support grows for ousting New York congressman” from CNN








“Chicago Fed chair on the data versus the economic mood” from “Marketplace:







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.

General Motors is planning higher-octane cash returns for investors in an attempt to restore confidence in its main gig — making vehicles that are not electric. We’ll get into what this could signal for the broader EV industry. And, many of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s regulatory powers are on the line in a current Supreme Court case. We’ll examine what the case has to do with conservative justices’ disdain for the administrative state. Plus, a National Spelling Bee champion’s secret to success.



Here’s everything we talked about today:







“GM Plans $10 Billion Stock Buyback in Bid to Assuage Investors” from The Wall Street Journal








“Supreme Court’s conservatives voice concerns about SEC’s in-house enforcement” from The Hill








“Supreme Court to consider multi-pronged constitutional attack on SEC” from SCOTUSblog








“Major OxyContin case headlines December session” from SCOTUSblog








Opinion | “I won the National Spelling Bee. This is what it takes to master spelling.” from The Washington Post





If you’ve got a question, comment or submission for a state drink, send them our way. We’re at 508-UB-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Americans consume a lot of stuff and in turn produce a lot of waste. The average American generated 46 pounds of just e-waste in 2019. But what if there was a way to design an economy that’s less wasteful and more environmentally friendly? On the show today, Callie Babbitt, professor of sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology, breaks down the circular economy, its role in fighting climate change and the challenges that lie ahead in public policy and manufacturing if we hope to achieve circularity. We’ll also hear from a listener with a smart hack for airport pickups during the holidays, and our beloved intern answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about:







“The right-to-repair movement is just getting started” from The Verge








“What is a Circular Economy?” from the Environmental Protection Agency








“Our prosperity is in peril unless we shift from a wasteful world to a ‘circular economy'” from The Conversation








“World’s Oldest Sealed Terrarium by David Latimer” from Nature of Home








“Investors See Interest-Rate Cuts Coming Soon, Recession or Not” from The Wall Street Journal








“17 top-selling items for Amazon Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2023” from About Amazon







It’s Giving Tuesday! Let’s unlock $100,000 for Marketplace today.

After being banned from talking about artificial intelligence at Thanksgiving, guest host Matt Levin is eager to chime in on the ongoing Sam Altman controversy and news about a powerful artificial intelligence development at OpenAI. Plus, tech tycoons are behaving more and more like foreign dignitaries. And: Doritos’ new crunch-cancellation technology.



Here’s everything we talked about:














“Unpacking the hype around OpenAI’s rumored new Q* model” from MIT Technology Review








“OpenAI researchers warned board of AI breakthrough ahead of CEO ouster, sources say” from Reuters








“Elon Musk Meets With Netanyahu in Israel Amid Backlash Against Social Media Post” from The New York Times








“What’s Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023? Hint: Be true to yourself” from AP News








“The sound of crunching chips is annoying. Doritos has made a silencer.” from The Washington Post











Help us get a head start on our Giving Tuesday challenge to unlock $100K for Marketplace.

This month, at least 12 members of Congress have announced they won’t seek reelection at the end of their terms. We’ll get into the record number of retirements and why the job might not be worth the trouble. Then, we’ll discuss how OpenAI’s leadership turmoil might be a turning point for the artificial intelligence industry. Plus, a St. Louis football team’s failed attempt to become a Thanksgiving game day staple.



Here’s everything we talked about today:







“Larry Summers Is OpenAI’s Surprise Pick to Mend Fences” from The Wall Street Journal








“The Old-School Artillery Shell Is Becoming High Tech” from The Wall Street Journal








“Frustrated lawmakers run for the exits: ‘DC is broken'” from The Hill








“2 more House lawmakers announce exits, marking retirement record” from Politico








“Before Dallas ruled Thanksgiving, the NFL tried St. Louis” from The Washington Post








“Identifying fake news will now be a school requirement in California” from KTLA







If you’ve got a question, comment or submission for a state drink, send them our way. We’re at 508-UB-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.