In this week’s episode of Past Present, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, the disappearing teen summer job, and the politics of gerrymandering.
Amazon & Whole Foods
We debated Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods for nearly $14 billion and what this means for the grocery industry. We previously discussed Whole Foods in Episode 31.
Summer Jobs
According to a recent article in the Atlantic, teenagers have stopped getting summer jobs. We talked about shifting patterns in teenage work habits, including the rise of internships. Natalia recommended Ross Perlin’s book Intern Nation, and commented on Sen. Ben Sasse’s new book, The Vanishing American Adult.
Gerrymandering
The Supreme Court has accepted a gerrymandering case from Wisconsin for its next session. Natalia explained the word gerrymander was first used in 1812 to describe the redrawing of Massachusetts election districts under the supervision of Gov. Elbridge Gerry. One district looked like a salamander, so the portmanteau gerrymander was made out of the governor’s name and the legendary creature.
What’s Making History
- Natalia commented on Judith Newman’s New York Times article, “Creating a Stylish World for Children with Autism.”
- Neil discussed Kat Chow’s NPR article, “How the White Establishment Waged a ‘War’ on Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.”
- Niki talked about the New York Times article, “Putin-Era Taboo: Why Some Soviets Aided Nazis.”
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