Remember credit-default swaps?

As the United States edges closer to the deadline for a debt default, Wall Street speculators are hoping to capitalize on a crisis by trading credit-default swaps (shivers). We’ll talk about what they are and their role in the 2007-2009 Financial Crisis. Then, California passed a landmark zero-emission rule, but electrifying the state will come with some challenges. Plus, a round of Half-Full/Half-Empty that we hope gets us invited to Bluesky.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• • “Bets Offering 2,400% Payout on US Default Lure Growing Crowd” from Bloomberg

• • “California air regulators approve landmark zero-emission rules for trucks and locomotives” from the Los Angeles Times

• • “California moves to phase-out diesel-powered trucks, cut locomotive pollution” from Reuters

• • “Grandchildren of ‘Sound of Music’ Von Trapp Family Form Indie Band” from Rolling Stone

• • “What’s the future of retail shopping? Snap bets on virtual try-on tech.” from Marketplace

• • “The Long Demise of the Stretch Limousine” from The New York Times

• • “People Are Flocking to Jack Dorsey’s New Twitter Alternative” from Futurism

• • “The Glorious Return of a Humble Car Feature” from Slate

• • “The Real Problem With Fake Drake” from Billboard

If you’ve got a question about business, tech or the economy, give us a shout. We’re at 508-U-B-SMART, or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.