literacy education

A report finds that two-thirds of American children fail to read at a proficient level. We talk to education experts and a U.S. Senator about the dangers of illiteracy and what can be done to reverse course. Get the facts first on Morning Wire.

Hollywood’s double strike of writers and actors might just be the start of a hot labor summer. We’ll talk about the next group of workers who may soon join the picket lines and what’s at stake (inflation, anyone?). Plus, what the Federal Trade Commission has to do with Trump’s plans to expand presidential power. And, concrete, yes, concrete is making us smile as newly discovered secrets from ancient Roman times could help us build more environmentally friendly cities.

Here’s everything we talked about:

• • “Annual Cost of SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA Contracts Estimated by Moody’s“ from The Hollywood Reporter

• • “Teamsters president says he’s asked the White House not to intervene if UPS workers go on strike” from The Associated Press

• • “Trump Plans to Expand Presidential Power Over Agencies in 2025” from The New York Times

• • “From Jack the Ripper to ‘Gilgo Beach’ cold case, violence against sex workers is common” from USA Today

• • “We Finally Know Why Ancient Roman Concrete Stood The Test of Time” from Science Alert

• • “A Positive Covid Milestone” from The New York Times

We want to hear what you’re reading this summer. If you’ve got a reading recommendation you’d like to share with fellow Smarties, email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

China dominates the market for electric vehicle batteries, but it didn’t have to be that way. We’ll talk about a story of wasted potential: how a failed U.S. startup made headway on lithium battery tech a bit too early and got caught in the throes of American capitalism. Also, a declassified report shows how the U.S. government has been skirting the need for warrants by buying data about Americans. Plus, if you’ve noticed companies have been quieter about social and environmental issues, it’s not in your head. Mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion and other social initiatives in companies’ earnings calls have fallen recently. We’ll talk about why that is.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “The US Is Openly Stockpiling Dirt on All Its Citizens” from Wired

• • “Companies Quiet Diversity and Sustainability Talk Amid Culture War Boycotts” from The Wall Street Journal

• • “I-95 Collapse in Philadelphia to Upend Travel, Shipping for Months” from Bloomberg

• • “America’s Long, Tortured Journey to Build EV Batteries” from Bloomberg

• • “Surfers at Amazon’s mouth ride some of world’s longest-lasting waves” from AP News

• • “Jeff Bezos Has Gained $10 on Mystery Purchase of One Amazon Share” from Bloomberg

• • “Remember Jeff Bezos’ One-Off Amazon Stock Buy In Late May? Here’s How Much The Billionaire Made From The Purchase” from Benzinga

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

There’s inflation, and then there’s hyperinflation. That’s what’s happening in Argentina, and it’s changing the way people do business and behave in the economy. We’ll talk about how Argentina is dealing with it and how it relates to the “sticky” inflation situation in the U.S. economy. Then, why reaching a compromise on the debt crisis may be harder than we thought. Plus, kids who love to read are making us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “How a 12-year-old playbook is shaping the battle over the debt limit” from Politico

• • “The messy money reality at the center of the debt ceiling fight” from Marketplace

• • Biden-Harris administration proposal to protect Colorado River basin from U.S. Department of Interior

• • “Three states agree to reduce water usage so the Colorado river doesn’t go dry” from NBC

• • “TikTok Sues Montana Over State’s Ban of Its Service” from The Wall Street Journal

• • “TikTok sues Montana over its new law banning the app” from NPR

• • “Argentina Introduces 2,000 Peso Banknote. It’s Worth About $4” from Bloomberg

• • “Highest-denomination bill in Argentina is now the 2,000-peso note, worth $4” from The Guardian

• • “A tweet about a Pentagon explosion was fake. It still went viral.” from The Washington Post

• • “Fake Pentagon attack hoax shows perils of Twitter’s paid verification” from TechCrunch

• • TikTok from @casualgeographic on the unproblematic nature of the capybara

• • “Kids’ reading scores have soared in Deep South states” from AP

• • “Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong” from APM Reports

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Today we’re talking about the weapon we seem to talk about after every mass shooting in the United States: the AR-15.

The AR-15 is the most popular rifle on the consumer market. An estimated 1 in 20 American adults owns at least one.

But, it wasn’t always this way. In fact, the AR-15’s rise in popularity is pretty recent, and when the gun first became available to consumers, it was something of a black sheep.

On the show today, Washington Post reporter Todd Frankel walks us through how the AR-15 went from military weapon to consumer product, the marketing that boosted its appeal and what the AR-15 signifies to a country plagued by gun violence.

In the News Fix: Finland is the newest member of NATO. We’ll get into what that means for Russia’s war in Ukraine. And, some news you can use: There are significant delays for passport processing at the State Department. If you’re planning an international trip, renew your passport ASAP!

Later, one listener shares a piece of trivia about cherry blossom trees in Tokyo. Plus, another listener sent us a stunning photo of cherry blossoms in Seattle. And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the Artemis II mission to the moon.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “How the AR-15 became a powerful political, cultural symbol in America” from The Washington Post

• • “Analysis | Decades of marketing reinvented the AR-15 into a top-selling firearm” from The Washington Post

• • “Nashville attack renews calls for assault weapons ban – data shows there were fewer mass shooting deaths during an earlier 10-year prohibition” from The Conversation

• • “The Rifle That Ruined America” from The Atlantic

• • “Hoping to Travel Abroad? Don’t Put Off Your Passport Application.” from The New York Times

• • “Passport Processing Times Just Increased Due to Summer Travel Demand” from Thrillist

• • “Finland joins NATO in major blow to Russia over Ukraine war” from AP News

• • “Why did Sanna Marin lose Finland’s election?” from The Guardian

What have you been wrong about lately? We want to hear it. Leave us a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART, and your submission may be featured in a future episode.

A network of mothers is trying to change the way reading is taught.