Aug 3, 2023

Bitcoin, election anxiety and second passports

Marco Bello/AFP via Getty Images

A look at why bitcoin investors are lining up for citizenship by investment programs. Plus, rethinking the Federal Reserve's inflation target.

Segments From this episode

Workers are being more productive, a good sign for low-inflation growth

by Justin Ho

Aug 3, 2023

The Labor Department says worker output is up while average hours worked is down. That could help bring down inflation going forward.

Worker output climbed in the second quarter as economic growth picked up.

Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

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Mohamed El-Erian on Fed's inflation target: "There's nothing scientific about 2%"

by Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson

Aug 3, 2023

The investor and college president calls the Fed's stance backward-looking and worries that more rate hikes may lead to a recession.

El-Erian has criticized the Fed's actions through the country's struggle with inflation but says the central bank's final grade is yet to be determined.

Rob Kim/Getty Images

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Visa denials for international students increasing

by Elizabeth Trovall

Aug 3, 2023

The Cato Institute found that the United States denied 35% of international student visas in 2022 — the highest denial percentage in decades.

In 2022, the number of international students was nearly 1 million, according to the Institute of International Education, but many student visas were denied.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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For some bitcoiners, "a second passport is the ultimate hedge"

by Matt Levin

Aug 3, 2023

Instead of buying a new Porsche or a private jet rental, the mega-rich can drop $100,000 on a new citizenship — and the benefits that go with it.

Dominica offers two routes to citizenship: a one-time donation of $100,000 or a real estate investment of $200,000.

Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

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Persistence pays off again for L.A. gelato maker

by Richard Cunningham

Aug 3, 2023

Closing the two brick-and-mortar locations of Uli's Gelato was not an easy call, but networking helped Uli Nasibova create her next chapter.

"When the pandemic first started, your survival instincts kick in," says Uli Nasibova, owner of Uli’s Gelato. "Failure was not an option."

Nina Uemurasachi

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Music from the episode

Melt Kehlani

Still Grimey C-Rayz Walz, Prodigal Sunn, Sean Price, U-God, Wu-Tang Clan

French Letter J-Walk

4/17/1975 Rob Viktum

Goodness Emancipator

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Andie Corban Producer I

Sarah Leeson Producer I

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I

Dylan Miettinen Associate Digital Producer

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