최고 Plain English 팟캐스트 (2025)

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Ep. 15 | How Tré Invests — And What Most Investors Get Wrong 1:00:58

2d ago1:00:58

1:00:58

Most Canadians think investing is about picking the right stock, timing the markets, or chasing returns. It’s not. In this episode, Tré breaks down exactly how he manages his own investment portfolio, and why simplicity, tax-efficiency, and a clear philosophy matter far more than hot tips or flashy products. If you're a DIY investor, a skeptical pr…

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Trumponomics Explained, Part 2: The Enshittification of American Power 52:08

2d ago52:08

52:08

In the second of our two-episode series on Donald Trump, economics, and power, we talk to Henry Farrell, a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins. Farrell has written extensively on how the United States has in the last few years weaponized its economic power to force other countries to do its bidding, through sanctions or the freezing of …

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The era of slim clothing is over 14:05

3d ago14:05

14:05

Today's story: Skinny jeans and tight-fitting clothes are out, and loose, oversized fashion is in. The shift is driven by comfort after the pandemic, greater body inclusivity, and a wave of 1990s nostalgia. Designers and retailers alike are embracing relaxed cuts for all genders. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/801 Full lesson: htt…

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What Is Trumponomics? Part 1: How Donald Trump Is Breaking American Capitalism 49:33

4d ago49:33

49:33

Today is the first of two interviews this week trying to answer this question: What is Trumponomics? From the 1980s to the 2010s, it was generally assumed that Republicans and Democrats had settled differences in economic policy. Republicans wanted lower taxes and less spending on welfare. Democrats wanted higher taxes and more social spending. Rea…

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‘Coldplay couple’ in a viral nightmare 14:56

6d ago14:56

14:56

Today's story: A playful concert tradition took a serious turn when Coldplay’s “Jumbotron Song” captured an embrace between a tech CEO and his HR director. The viral video ignited a nationwide scandal, raising questions about workplace relationships and the risks of being caught on camera. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/800 Full l…

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Ep. 14 | Budgeting on $400K+: Why High Income Doesn’t Equal Wealth 41:18

9d ago41:18

41:18

Earning over $400,000 a year puts you in a privileged position, but it also comes with bigger decisions, bigger risks, and bigger tax bills. In this episode, Tré breaks down how high earners can avoid the most common financial pitfalls and finally shift from focusing on income to building lasting wealth. This episode is for professionals, business …

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How prescription drugs get their names [archive episode] 19:22

10d ago19:22

19:22

Xoloft, Ibrance, Zocor, Mounjaro: How do drug companies come up with these names? That's exactly what we explored in this classic episode of Plain English. When a pharmaceutical company develops a new treatment, the company creates both the generic (scientific) name and the brand name. They sound weird, but there's a method behind the madness of na…

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The Healthiest "Super-Agers" Have One Thing in Common, According to a 25-Year Study 41:48

11d ago41:48

41:48

Memory is the glue of life. Without it, our focus softens, our experience of the world blurs, and our identities melt away. But as people age, their memory declines. Many billions of dollars have been spent to understand the biological basis of dementia and to devise a cure. In most cases, they have failed spectacularly. But what if, rather than st…

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What it’s like to stare at a painting for a full hour [archive episode] 10:57

13d ago10:57

10:57

It can be hard to focus on one thing for an extended period of time. An art class at Harvard takes this to the extreme. All students get an assignment during the class. They have to go to a museum and look at a painting for three hours. We didn't do that...but we came close, in this classic episode of Plain English. Here's what it's like to look at…

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Ep. 13 | How to Set Up a Cashflow System That Actually Works 41:02

16d ago41:02

41:02

Most people “budget” by looking backward at what they’ve spent. That's reactive. In this episode, Tré walks through the exact system he and his family use to manage their money proactively — with multiple accounts, a clear spending structure, and zero guilt. Whether you’re a couple or managing solo, this framework gives you total control without ob…

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Egypt’s long-awaited mega-museum nears completion 13:42

17d ago13:42

13:42

Today's story: After years of delays, Cairo’s Grand Egypt Museum is finally nearing completion. The massive museum will house over 100,000 artifacts from Ancient Egypt, including more than 5,000 items from King Tut’s tomb. Although the King Tut galleries are still closed, most of the museum is open to the public — and visitors say it’s stunning. Tr…

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Plain History: How the Transcontinental Railroads Built the Modern World 55:49

18d ago55:49

55:49

Today’s pod is about the economic story of the moment. It’s about new technology that supporters claim will transform the U.S. economy, an infrastructure build-out unlike anything in living memory that demands enormous natural resources, fears that corporate giants are overbuilding something that can never return its investment, an uncomfortable cl…

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The poison mushroom and Australia’s sensational murder trial 14:53

20d ago14:53

14:53

Today's story: Erin Patterson invited her estranged husband’s family to lunch and served them beef wellington. But her guests soon got sick, and doctors discovered the recipe had been made with poisonous death cap mushrooms. Patterson claimed it was all a tragic mistake, but inconsistencies in her story led police to suspect murder. A jury found he…

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Ep. 12 | Why a 100% Equity Portfolio Could Be Your Best Bet 47:48

23d ago47:48

47:48

Investing Simulator: https://buildyourstax.com/ Most people think bonds are “safe” and stocks are “risky.” But what if that’s exactly backward, especially over the long term? In this episode, Tré breaks down the real meaning of asset allocation and why traditional advice like “add more bonds as you age” may be setting you up for failure. Backed by …

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Cities are getting that sinking feeling 13:55

24d ago13:55

13:55

Today's story: Cities around the world are sinking due to a combination of groundwater extraction, rapid urbanization, and the weight of large buildings. This phenomenon, called subsidence, can damage infrastructure, worsen flooding, and, in some places, become irreversible. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/797 Full lesson: https://…

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The Modern World Is Changing America’s Personality For the Worse 47:10

25d ago47:10

47:10

According to analysis by Financial Times writer John Burn-Murdoch, something extraordinary has happened to Americans’ personalities in the last decade. Longitudinal tests indicate that we’ve collectively become less extroverted, less agreeable, and more neurotic. The most significant thing Burn-Murdoch found is that measures of conscientiousness am…

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Microsoft’s ‘Blue Screen of Death’ is going away 14:12

27d ago14:12

14:12

Today's story: For decades, white text on a full blue background has meant one thing to Windows users: the computer has crashed and needs to be restarted. The screen was splashed across display boards in public places during a massive outage in July 2024. But now, Microsoft is redesigning the screen, frowny-face and all. Transcript & Exercises: htt…

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Ep. 11 | Should You Invest or Pay Down Debt? Here's What the Numbers Say 38:40

1M ago38:40

38:40

If you’re torn between paying off your mortgage or investing, you’re not alone, and there’s a lot of bad advice out there. This episode breaks it down with facts, not feelings. Tré uses real planning software to run side-by-side comparisons and shows why—mathematically—investing often comes out ahead. But psychology, discipline, and risk tolerance …

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Alberta flirts with separation from Canada 16:07

1M ago16:07

16:07

Today's story: The western province of Alberta is moving toward a vote of independence from Canada. Polls show that only about 30 percent of residents truly want to break away. However, the growing independence movement reflects the frustration and isolation that many Albertans feel over the energy and environmental policies made at the national le…

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Will AI Usher In the End of Deep Thinking? 58:13

1M ago58:13

58:13

Last week, the Bureau of Economic Analysis published the latest GDP report. It contained a startling detail. Spending on artificial intelligence added more to the U.S. economy than consumer spending last quarter. This is very quickly becoming an AI economy. I’m interested in how AI will change our jobs. But I’m just as curious about how it will cha…

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What citizenship do you get at birth? 12:57

1M ago12:57

12:57

Today's story: 'Birthright citizenship' is the legal concept that grants citizenship to children born within a country's borders, no matter the nationality of their parents. The modern version started in the United States and quickly spread to other countries in the Americas. But the rest of the world (generally speaking) gives citizenship based on…

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Ep. 10 | The Middle-Class Trap — How Households Earning $100K–$200K Fall Behind 41:19

1M ago41:19

41:19

Earning six figures used to mean financial security. Now? That mindset could be a trap. In this episode, Tré tackles the hidden risks for Canadian households earning between $100,000 and $200,000. This range feels comfortable, but it’s where lifestyle inflation, car loans, and poor planning quietly eat away at your financial future. Tré offers a pr…

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The last Blockbuster [archive episode] 17:46

1M ago17:46

17:46

We recently did an episode about how movie titles are translated from their original to other languages. That made us nostalgic for the days of movie rentals, and it called to mind this classic episode of Plain English about the ""last Blockbuster." There were once over 9,000 locations of the video rental store with the eye-catching blue-and-yellow…

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The New Geography of Housing in America 42:23

1M ago42:23

42:23

Subscribe to Derek’s new Substack. In 1991, the median age of first-time homebuyers was 28. Now it’s 38, an all-time high. In 1981, the median age of all homebuyers was 36. Today, it’s 56—another all-time high. This is the hardest time for young people (defined, generously, up to 40!) to buy their first home in modern history. Derek talks about the…

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How to apologize [archive episode] 16:28

1M ago16:28

16:28

It's sometimes said that the two hardest words to say in the English language are, "I'm sorry." Today, we're republishing a classic Plain English episode about how to apologize — not how to say the words, but how to form an apology to repair a relationship after you've done something wrong. Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/lessons/good-apologi…

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Ep. 9 | Tax-Efficient Debt: How the Right Structure Can Save You Thousands 26:32

1M ago26:32

26:32

Most Canadians treat debt as a burden and taxes as a given. But what if you could flip that thinking and turn your debt into a tax advantage? In this episode, Tré breaks down how to structure debt so the interest becomes tax-deductible. He outlines strategies that can save you tens of thousands over time, especially if you’re a business owner, land…

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Country music is growing its mainstream appeal 13:44

2M ago13:44

13:44

Today's story: Country music has long existed in its own space, with a dedicated fanbase and distinct sound. But recent years have seen major pop stars like Beyoncé and Post Malone embrace country elements, helping the genre reach new listeners. Streaming is also opening the door for more diverse artists and fans. Transcript & Exercises: https://pl…

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The Demise of Late-Night TV Is an Omen for American Culture 47:22

2M ago47:22

47:22

Even before the cancellation of 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,' the business of comedy was changing rapidly. Twenty years ago, comedians aspired to be late-night hosts, or to star in movies, or to have their own sitcoms. But in 2025, late-night shows are going extinct, adult comedies in Hollywood are a thing of the past, and popular sitcoms a…

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'Freestyle' chess scrambles the board 14:25

2M ago14:25

14:25

Today's story: A new global chess tour is trying to make the ancient game more exciting—for both players and viewers. Spearheaded by Magnus Carlsen, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour shakes up traditional chess by randomizing the starting position of key pieces. The format reduces the advantage of computer-assisted preparation and rewards raw ski…

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Ep. 8 | High-Income Budgeting: How $200K+ Earners Can Start Building Wealth 46:37

2M ago46:37

46:37

Are you earning over $200,000 but still feeling like your money disappears too fast? In this episode, we dig into budgeting for high-income earners and why earning more doesn’t always mean building wealth. We explore key behavioural differences between natural savers and spenders — and the blind spots both groups have when it comes to money managem…

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Wave of needle stabbings reported in France 14:49

2M ago14:49

14:49

Today's story: Almost 150 people in France reported being stabbed with a needle during a summer music festival in 2025. It's just the latest in several waves of similar attacks around the world. Victims say they feel a sudden pinprick. Some later feel dizzy, nauseous, and tired. But few reported more serious symptoms and toxicology screens show onl…

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If Trump’s Economic Ideas Are So Bad, Why Isn’t the U.S. Economy Doing Much Worse? 52:05

2M ago52:05

52:05

Sign up for Derek's Substack here. Harvard economist Jason Furman returns to the show to answer two big, burning questions. First, if Trump's economic ideas are as bad as most economists say, why isn't the U.S. economy doing much worse? Second, if Trump fires Jerome Powell, would it be the final blow that finally pushes the economy into a recession…

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BONUS | Q2 2025 Review 23:03

2M ago23:03

23:03

What Really Drove Market Gains in Q2? (Hint: It's Not What You Think) Markets bounced back in Q2—but it’s not all good news. In this bonus quarterly review episode, Tre breaks down what’s behind the recent returns and why short-term market moves can be misleading. You’ll learn what drove gains (like multiple expansion and currency), why the April d…

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Fertility Needs a Scientific Revolution 47:14

2M ago47:14

47:14

Couples are having kids much later in their lives. As young people spend more of their 20s and 30s getting established in their careers, and marriage is delayed, and home buying is delayed, the unstoppable force of delay runs up against the immovable object of human anatomy. It is harder for a 40-year-old to get pregnant than for a 20-year-old to d…

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Drone video shows orcas using kelp as a tool 14:21

2M ago14:21

14:21

Today's story: Orcas are the largest type of dolphin, and they're known for their intelligence. A recent study proves they are more clever than previously thought. Researchers captured video of orcas using kelp to groom each other. The behavior shows not only tool use, but also cooperation between individuals—a rare behavior for animals that live i…

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