18. “Insurance Is Sexy.” Discuss.

Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors of The World for Sale, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity tr ... Show More

Licensing began with medicine and law; now it extends to 20 percent of the U.S. workforce, including hair stylists and auctioneers. In a new book, the legal scholar Rebecca Allensworth calls licensing boards “a thicket of self-dealing and ineptitude” and says they keep bad worker ... Show More

Adam Moss was the best magazine editor of his generation. When he retired, he took up painting. But he wasn’t very good, and that made him sad. So he wrote a book about how creative people work— and, in the process, he made himself happy again. SOURCE:Adam Moss, magazine editor a ... Show More

In this installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club, the economist Amy Finkelstein explains why insurance markets are broken and how to fix them. Also: why can’t you buy divorce insurance? 

How can public policy improve upon and fix the mess of U.S. health care? In a new book, health economists Amy Finkelstein (MIT) and Liran Einav (Stanford) argue that's the wrong question. Instead, they suggest we ask: What is it that U.S. health policy should try to accomplish?Fi ... Show More

Enjoy the episode? Send us a text!According to government statistics, a large percentage of marriages in America fail. But you don't want yours to fail. So maybe we can learn about how to make a marriage better and last longer, if we understand the primary reasons that a mar ... Show More

The real reason you buy insurance may have as much to do with pleasing your psyche as it does protecting your wallet. Behavioral psychologist Orit Tykocinski explores the connection between insurance and the reality-distorting risks of "magical thinking" that may make you reconsi ... Show More

The bill was supposed to streamline the way that people can apply to change their legal gender. So why has it sparked a constitutional crisis – and become a culture war battleground?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

Homeowners insurance premiums are way up. Today, Nicole explains what gives, and how you can keep your costs low. And renters: don't skip this one! Contrary to popular belief, even if you're not a homeowner, you still need insurance. Nicole explains. 

Money is the number one reason why couples say they get divorced. The country's current financial crisis has resulted in more couples getting buried in a landslide of debt which takes its toll on a marriage. Is your marriage on the rocks because of debt? For more information: htt ... Show More

Why does it take women, on average, more than nine years to be accurately diagnosed for endometriosis, one of the most common medical disorders affecting women? Cristen and Caroline explore what endometriosis is, what causes it and why the uncurable condition is still so misunder ... Show More

What’s the connection between conversations about money and financial literacy? Could the taboo against talking about your salary be fading? And why did Angie’s teenage daughter call Vanguard to learn about I.R.A.s? 

In this practical episode of My Money My Lifestyle, host Maya Fisher-French tackles the often-overlooked details of short-term insurance contracts that can have a big impact on your wallet. Maya shares her personal discovery of significant hikes in her insurance policy when it ca ... Show More