The Economics of Everyday Things

The world’s oldest advertising medium has reconfigured itself for the digital age. Zachary Crockett looks up.   * SOURCES: * Anna Bager [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabager/], president and C.E.O. of the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America. * Dan Levi [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danlevi/details/experience/], chief marketing officer at Clear Channel Outdoor.   * RESOURCES: * "Advertising Proves Resilient Amidst Economic Uncertainty, [https://magnaglobal.com/advertising-proves-resilient-amidst-economic-uncertainty/]" (Magna Global, 2025). * "Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Reports Results for the First Quarter of 2025 [https://investor.clearchannel.com/news/detail/529/clear-channel-outdoor-holdings-inc-reports-results-for-the-first-quarter-of-2025]," (Clear Channel Investor Relations, 2025). * "The Bigger, The Bolder: Outdoor Advertising [https://journalofantiques.com/digital-publications/joac-magazine/features/the-bigger-the-bolder-outdoor-advertising/]," by Judy Gonyeau (Journal of Antiques and Collectibles, 2024). * "How Digital Billboards Target Passersby (Hint: It's Cellphone Data) [https://www.npr.org/2020/02/07/803907447/how-digital-billboards-target-passersby-hint-its-cellphone-data]," by Karen Duffin (NPR, 2020). * "The hottest advertising trend of 2018? Billboards. [https://thehustle.co/billboard-advertising]" by Zachary Crockett (The Hustle, 2019). * "Model Legislation for Banning Billboards [https://www.scenic.org/take-action/resources/billboard-resources/model-legislation-for-banning-billboards/]," (Scenic America). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some singles choose to skip the apps and get fixed up the old-fashioned way — but it doesn't come cheap. Zachary Crockett puts himself out there.   * SOURCES: * Maria Avgitidis [https://www.matchmakermaria.com/], C.E.O. of Agape Match and author of Ask a Matchmaker: Matchmaker Maria's No-Nonsense Guide to Finding Love.   * RESOURCES: * "Dating Apps Have Hit a Wall. Can They Turn Things Around? [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/business/dating-apps-tinder-bumble.html]" by J. Edward Moreno (New York Times, 2024). * "Love, (un)automated: Human matchmaking in the era of online dating [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/02654075241264720]," by Liesel Sharabi (Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2024). * "The New Old Dating Trend [https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2023/08/matchmaking-dating-app-era/674989/]," by Faith Hill (The Atlantic, 2023). * "What It’s Like to Work With a Matchmaker [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/style/what-its-like-to-work-with-a-matchmaker.html]," by Alyson Krueger (New York Times, 2021). * "New York State Dating Service Consumer Bill of Rights [https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/dating_service.pdf]."   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

They have thousands of congregants and millions of dollars in income. Zachary Crockett passes the collection plate.   * SOURCES: * Julie Roys [https://julieroys.com/about-the-roys-report/], founder of the Roys Report. * Scott Thumma [https://www.hartfordinternational.edu/faculty/scott-thumma], professor of sociology of religion at Hartford International University, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.   * RESOURCES: * "The faithful see both crisis and opportunity as churches close across the country [https://www.npr.org/2023/05/17/1175452002/church-closings-religious-affiliation]," by Scott Neuman (NPR, 2023). * "Million Dollar Homes Become Status Symbols of Televangelists and Pastors [https://trinityfi.org/lavish-lifestyles/million-dollar-homes-become-status-symbols-of-televangelists-and-pastors/]," by Barry Bowen (Trinity Foundation, 2022). * "Megachurch 2020 [https://hirr.hartfordinternational.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2020_megachurch_report.pdf]," by Scott Thumma and Warren Bird (Hartford Institute for Religion Research, 2020). * Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn from America's Largest Churches [https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Megachurch-Myths-Americas-Churches/dp/0787994677], by Scott Thumma and Dave Travis (2007). * "Ministers' Compensation & Housing Allowance [https://www.irs.gov/faqs/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income/ministers-compensation-housing-allowance/ministers-compensation-housing-allowance]," (IRS). * MinistryWatch [https://ministrywatch.com/].   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pure maple syrup can be five times as expensive as “pancake syrup,” but maple farmers — and breakfast connoisseurs — say it’s worth it. Zachary Crockett pours it on thick.   * SOURCES: * Emma Marvin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-marvin-49226317/], co-C.E.O. of Butternut Mountain Farm. * David Marvin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-marvin-8a798913/], founder of Butternut Mountain Farm.   * RESOURCES: * "Crop Production [https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/tm70mv177/m900qr657/rr173t99g/crop0625.pdf]," by National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA, 2025). * "Why Americans Overwhelmingly Prefer Fake Maple Syrup [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/27/why-americans-overwhelmingly-prefer-fake-maple-syrup/]," by Christopher Ingraham (The Washington Post, 2015). * "History of Maple [https://libraries.uvm.edu/c.php?g=290518&p=1936100]," (UVM Libraries). * Butternut Mountain Farm [https://butternutmountainfarm.com/]. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why did it take so long to invent a longer-lasting bulb? Zachary Crockett finds the answer illuminating.   * SOURCES: * Heather Dillon [https://directory.tacoma.uw.edu/employee/hedillon], mechanical engineering professor at the University of Washington in Tacoma. * Jane Brox [https://janebrox.com/brilliant/], author of the 2010 book Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light. * Markus Krajewski [https://medienwissenschaft.philhist.unibas.ch/en/persons/markus-krajewski/], philosopher and historian of technology at the University of Basel in Switzerland.   * RESOURCES: * "Thomas Edison, tinkerer [https://worksinprogress.co/issue/thomas-edison-tinkerer/]," by Eric Gilliam (Works in Progress, 2023). * "It's Official: Stores Can No Longer Sell Most Incandescent Lights [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/01/climate/incandescent-light-bulb-ban-leds.html]," by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times, 2023). * "The Mystery of the Centennial Bulb: an Incandescent Light Bulb [https://www.centennialbulb.org/docs/centennial%20bulb%20report.pdf]," by Martin Kykta (MAK Electro-Optics, 2021). * "The Great Lightbulb Conspiracy [https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-great-lightbulb-conspiracy]," by Markus Krajewski (IEEE Spectrum, 2014). * "Compact Fluorescent Lighting in America: Lessons Learned on the Way to Market [https://www.energy.gov/eere/ssl/articles/compact-fluorescent-lighting-america-lessons-learned-way-market]," by L.J. Sandahl, T.L. Gilbride, M.R. Ledbetter, H.E. Steward, and C. Calwell (U.S. Department of Energy, 2006).   * EXTRAS: * "Why Do Candles Still Exist? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/why-do-candles-still-exist/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2025). * "The Story of Byron the Bulb [https://www.tildedave.com/byron.html]," by Thomas Pynchon (Gravity's Rainbow, 1973). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.