If you've got tariff whiplash, you're not alone.

The Trump administration's on-again, off-again tariffs are meant to protect domestic businesses and bring industry back to the US. So tariffs should be good for the iconic local industries we're so proud of here in the Pacific Northwest...right?

On today's episode we'll dig into three of these Northwest industries: salmon, craft breweries, and aerospace parts, to see how they could be affected by rising tariffs.

In today's economy, is anything really local anymore?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Do you have a question about the economy that you want us to answer? Or an idea for a future episode? Email us at booming@kuow.org.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producer is Lucy Soucek. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Support the show: https://kuow.org/donate

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When it comes to the white-collar workforce, alarm bells are starting to go off. The tech industry is seeing widespread layoffs, and a lot of those laid off workers are struggling to find new gigs. Some experts speculate that these are early signs of AI moving into the workforce and replacing jobs.

Microsoft is one company at the center of this debate, so Monica sat down with its president Brad Smith to ask: is AI already taking our jobs? And if so, what can we do about it?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Do you have a question about the economy that you want us to answer? Or an idea for a future episode? Email us at booming@kuow.org.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producer is Lucy Soucek. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Support the show: https://kuow.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts say kids are spinning out online. Can Washington lawmakers help by putting seatbelts on social media?

Parents, tech workers and even kids are asking for social media regulation, and there’s a bill moving through the Washington State Legislature that could make it happen. Senate Bill 5708 would block apps like Instagram and Snapchat from using addictive algorithms to keep kids scrolling. It would also require apps to stop sending push notifications late at night and during school hours.

Monica talked to social psychologist Ravi Iyer from the University of Southern California about what these regulations might mean - not just for kids, but parents and the companies themselves.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.

Do you have a question about the economy that you want us to answer? Or an idea for a future episode? Email us at booming@kuow.org.

Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producer is Lucy Soucek. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Support the show: https://kuow.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.