Artist Stuart Semple recounts how all his designs turned black overnight due to Pantone's monopoly on colors. The episode explores Pantone's history and control over the color industry, with insights into their revenue generation and impact on design. It also discusses the power of Pantone's color standard and the challenges faced by competitors, including a recent incident where Adobe lost digital palette rights.

The podcast delves into historical shifts in labor power, from the effects of the Black Death on European workers to the Luddites' rebellion against machines. It explores the rise of workers post-Black Death, resistance to industrialization, and the impact on living standards. The episode offers insights into labor economics, capital-labor substitution, and upcoming topics on finance.

Find out the dark side of rooftop solar panels in the U.S., where some customers feel deceived by expensive panels and poor customer service. Learn how big companies utilized new financing models and aggressive sales tactics, leading to discontent among consumers. Explore the challenges faced by the residential solar industry and the potential future directions for this business model.

Travel back in time to explore the origins of money, from a remote island in the Pacific Ocean to France in 1714. Discover how John Law tried to revolutionize the French economy, leading to the first modern financial collapse. Unravel the evolution of currency from stone discs to modern money, and learn about revolutionary economic concepts that shape our financial systems today.

Explore the evolution of air travel from luxurious experiences to budget-focused models post-deregulation. Learn about the challenges faced by airlines, the rise of budget carriers, and the impact on ticket prices and passenger experience. Discover how economic forces have shaped the industry and the trade-offs between cost and service quality for consumers.

Discover how NVIDIA evolved from gaming graphics cards to AI powerhouse, and how TSMC transformed the industry by manufacturing chips for competitors. Learn about the impact of these two semiconductor companies on technology and global supply chains.

Exploring the impact of immigrants on the labor market, the podcast discusses the Mariel boat lift in Miami, challenging beliefs on immigration's effect on jobs and wages. It highlights disagreements among economists, including David Card and George Borjas, and concludes with experts affirming immigrants' positive economic contributions.

Delving into the historical significance of the first federal wealth tax in the US in 1794, triggered by a tax on horse-drawn carriages. The episode explores the ongoing battle over wealth taxation, with insights on legal challenges, constitutional debates, and proposals like Senator Elizabeth Warren's wealth tax plan.

The podcast explores how Juul entered the market amidst regulatory ambiguity, sparked a crisis on teen vaping, and faced a backlash from regulators. It delves into the White House meeting on e-cigarettes, the rise of disposable vapes post-regulation, and the challenges in regulating illegal vape products flooding the market

Elon Musk faces a high-stakes vote after a judge revokes his massive pay package. The episode explores Musk's impact on Tesla and the corporate world, his incentivized leadership, and the legal battle over his compensation. It also delves into Vanguard's shift on Musk's pay package and Tesla's move to Texas.