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Dec 11, 2017

12/11/17: Such a bubblicious economy

We’ve all heard bitcoin is volatile, risky, quite possibly a bubble. So why then the demand for bitcoin futures? We take a look at what happened during yesterday’s bitcoin futures trading launch. And in Saudi Arabia, a ban on movie theaters has been lifted, ushering in what is predicted to be a $24 billion cinema industry to offset the economy’s dependence on oil. Plus, the Environmental Protection Agency adds 21 new Superfund sites, public and private entities alike are scrambling to add more electric charging stations, especially in the American West, and the Trump administration is trying to take credit for killing regulations that are already dead.

In Inner Mongolia, the government banned Bitcoin mining and is planning to control the growth of data centers that use a tremendous amount of energy.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

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Segments From This Episode

China eases limits on foreign interests in financial firms
by Jennifer Pak
Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images
China announced new measures that will give foreign banks and investors more ownership control over their operations in the country.
The number of electrical car charging stations is rising, but does that mean wider adoption of electrical cars will follow?
by Marketplace Contributor
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Charging electric vehicles in 2017 can still be a hassle, and it leads some to rethink their purchase. Here’s how the industry, and even some government entities, are trying to address that.
What would our health care system look like if doctors spoke the same language as engineers?
by Lauren Silverman
Sam Craft, courtesy of Texas A&M Health Science Center
Texas A&M University will start training doctors and nurses to also be engineers.
The Trump administration is killing zombie regulations
by Kai Ryssdal
Andrew Harrer/Getty Images
And counting them as a victory, Alan Levin of Bloomberg says.
Saudi Arabia lifts ban on movie theaters
by Nancy Marshall-Genzer
The announcement, made today, ends a ban that dates back to the 1980s. Saudis will be able to go out to the movies as soon as next year. It’s all part of a push by the Saudi royal family to diversify the economy away from oil.
The EPA adds sites to its Superfund list, but no budget increase for oversight
by Jed Kim
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced 21 new places to be deemed Superfund sites, areas with toxic pollution around the country. Being added to the Superfund list means federal officials oversee the cleanup. Yet the White House budget proposal includes a 30 percent cut for the Superfund program.

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12/11/17: Such a bubblicious economy

Subscribe:

Segments From This Episode

China eases limits on foreign interests in financial firms

The number of electrical car charging stations is rising, but does that mean wider adoption of electrical cars will follow?

What would our health care system look like if doctors spoke the same language as engineers?

The Trump administration is killing zombie regulations

Saudi Arabia lifts ban on movie theaters

The EPA adds sites to its Superfund list, but no budget increase for oversight

Music from the episode