69. Highway Signs

<p>The market for gustatory pain is surprisingly competitive. Zachary Crockett feels the burn.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/pages/our-roots">Ed Currie</a>, founder and president of the PuckerButt Pepper Company.< ... Show More

<p>How much does it cost to design and build a mini-golf course? And what’s it like to run one? Zachary Crockett putts things in perspective.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyn-conaboy-350136b1/">Katie Conaboy</a>, CEO ... Show More

<p>How do flavorists capture the essence of a fruit and put it in a can of sparkling water, or a tub of yogurt? Zachary Crockett takes a bite.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrymiesle/">Terry Miesle</a>, master flavorist ... Show More

<p>Incarcerated people grow crops, fight wildfires, and manufacture everything from prescription glasses to highway signs — often for pennies an hour. Zachary Crockett takes the next exit, in this special episode of <i>The Economics of Everyday Things</i>.</p><p> </p><ul><li><str ... Show More

This is the surprising story of how Texas – rich in oil and gas – became America's biggest producer of wind energy. For our first episode, Ryan and Anjali talk with Pat Wood, once George W. Bush’s right hand man and head of Texas's Public Utility Commission, to uncover the innova ... Show More

From South Carolina, to Appalachia, to Wisconsin, Professor Willy Shih set out across the country to understand the plight of older workers coping with the changing nature of jobs. His conclusion: the challenges are enormous, but finally, a grassroots movement is taking shape to ... Show More

<p>Wildfires have forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate their homes in the Los Angeles area, and killed at least 24 people. In what will likely be the most costly disaster in U.S. history, thousands of homes and businesses have been lost. In a special edition of Rapid Respo ... Show More

<p>For our July episode, co-hosts <a href='https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/ted-stank/'>Ted Stank</a> and <a href='https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/thomas-goldsby/'>Tom Goldsby</a> speak with <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehclark/'>Dave Clark,</a> former CEO o ... Show More

Ed opens the show by discussing Trump’s tariffs, xAI’s purchase of X, and OpenAI’s record-breaking funding round. Then Tim Higgins, Wall Street Journal columnist covering the automobile industry, joins the show to break down how the auto tariffs will impact the car industry and t ... Show More

For the first time in nearly seven years, federal operations have been drastically curtailed as the US government shuts down. As it enters a second week, we look in detail at how the collapse in funding for government services is affecting America at large - from the Federal work ... Show More

<p>For our May episode, co-hosts <a href='https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/ted-stank/'>Ted Stank</a> and <a href='https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/thomas-goldsby/'>Tom Goldsby</a> speak with Martha Buffington, chief procurement officer for SC Johnson, about all aspects ... Show More

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a force in 19th century America, playing a pivotal role in transitioning the U.S. economy from rural mercantilism to industrial corporate capitalism. Vanderbilt didn't just compete—he dominated; and didn’t just dominate one industry—he conquered three: fe ... Show More