In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the inflation currently affecting the U.S. economy.
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
- “Shadow inflation” is affecting many American industries, in which services are being scaled back as prices remain the same or increase. Niki referred to this Vox article about the changes since the inflation of the 1970s.
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
- Natalia discussed the New York Times magazine article, “The Park Bench is an Endangered Species.”
- Neil reflected on the latest film in the 007 franchise, “No Time to Die.”
- Niki shared CNN anchor Jake Tapper’s discussion of the Sacklers’ role in the opioid crisis.

![A lantern slideshows four overlapping illustrations of the Earth depicting its tilt at different time periods in the past, present and future. Dates represented are 13000 BC, 5544 BC, 1921 AD, 2296AD. Handwritten in blue ink at bottom left corner of plate is the text 'G53 CLW [illegible] Aug '22'.](https://i0.wp.com/publicseminar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Wragge_Earth.jpg?fit=768%2C749&ssl=1)










