POLITICO has an interview with labor economist Betsey Stevenson, who warns that the pandemic-era child care crisis will change the economy for decades to come. NPR reports that millions of Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills as moratoriums on payments expire. And Bloomberg explores the implications of a heat wave during the pandemic. Vanity Fair explains the rise of TikTok and the new class of celebrity the app has created. The LA Times describes why some TikTok stars have announced they’re leaving the platform. And the Wall Street Journal has an exclusive on Instagram’s efforts to recruit TikTok creators for its future service Reels. Pop-culture writer Joe Berkowitz at Fast Company has a theory that a shortage of new TV shows could be beneficial.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.