Share Sounds

Share Radio's technology editor Steve Caplin looks at IT problems at Walker's crisps and how supermarkets are trying to hide empty shelves from shoppers. Heinz have apparently worked out how to produce tomatoes on Mars, Twitter is allowing people to edit tweets (at a price) and Curry's has teamed up with Uber for quick home deliveries. If you've a bored dog, then DogTV is here, aimed at the canine viewer, while lab-grown fish could soon be on the menu. And as COP26 draws to a close, there's news of how to power planes with ammonia, how to clean up the oceans in a more sustainable way and how to remove soot particles from wood fires.

Political commentator Mike Indian looks at the issue of MPs having second jobs and how to prevent paid lobbying. Are the rules fit for purpose? He looks at the issue of Northern Ireland, Lord Frost, whether Article 16 might be triggered and what the consequences could be. And he reflects upon COP26 and expresses optimism that the UK can use technology to show the rest of the world how to achieve a zero-carbon future.

Food banks are providing a vital role to help people this winter, and the Trussell Trust supports more than 1,200 throughout the United Kingdom. In this special episode of The Bigger Picture, their Chief Executive Emma Revie briefs supporters about their progress, and their plans for the future. If you would like to support the extraordinary work undertaken by this charity, please visit https://trusselltrust.org

Adam Cox is joined by Gad Liwerant and Markus Kangas, from My True Ancestry, for Family History Month to discuss how DNA can be used to discover an individual's past, and how we can trace back our ancestors using it. They look at what My True Ancestry is and why connecting to our past is so important.

Did the Bank of England bottle raising interest rates or should a rate rise have never been on the cards in the first place? Inflation is mounting but hiking the base rate will do little to tame soaring energy prices, an oil price spike or the supply crunch. On the other hand, the emergency 0.1 per cent base rate arrived at the start of the coronavirus crisis and the economy looks far better now than was expected then. So where should rates be? And did the Bank of England make the wrong decision for the right reason? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert dissect the Steady Eddie move that got the Bank of England labelled an ‘unreliable boyfriend’ again. Plus, our pension agony uncle Sir Steve Webb joins the podcast to discuss state pension delays and what has happened since he and Tanya Jefferies exposed the situation. And finally, it’s time for some council tax rants… just why is the tax so seemingly crazy and in terms of fixing it, should we be careful what we wish for?

Motley Fool Analyst Eric Bleeker joins us with his advice to avoid getting burned when investing in crypto. Bro interviews Bill Schultheis, author of The Coffeehouse Investor's Ground Rules: Save, Invest, and Plan for a Life of Wealth and Happiness. And we answer your question on picking which stocks to sell when you need the cash to buy a home (or whatever, it’s none of our business).

The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all hit new highs after October’s robust jobs report sent the unemployment rate down to 4.6%. Booking Holdings hits a new high as Airbnb posts record revenue. Peloton takes a hatchet to their guidance, so investors take a hatchet to the stock price. Mercadolibre bounces back with a strong 3rd-quarter report. Andy Cross and Ron Gross analyze those stories, discuss the latest with Zillow Group, Pinterest, Square, Under Armour, Etsy, PayPal, and share two stocks on their radar: Axon Enterprise and Titan International. Plus, Motley Fool analyst Asit Sharma talks with futurist Cathy Hackl about the business potential of the metaverse.

The fear of ghosts and the supernatural often starts at childhood, but can endure into adulthood. Vivid imagination of mailicious or sinister motives can alter people's whole outlook on life, and unsettle everyday ations and behaviours. Adam Cox addresses such anxiety by building resilience and confidence: so that, even in a haunted house, you would not find it scary and unsettling. A good episode for those with a fear of ghosts - or who just have difficulty sleeping.

Russ Mould, Investment Director of A J Bell, looks at the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee's decision to take no action on interest rates. He wonders if their "studious inactivity" is likely to prove wise and that all the evidence of mounting inflationary pressure will indeed be transient. Will we get the Goldilocks economy or has the horse already bolted through the open stable door? There must be a tipping point with interest rates in regard to equities, he says, but where will it be?

With Cop26 underway, Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University discusses the way that the culture wars are moving into the realm of science. He also contrasts how the UK public's behaviour has changed in a generation with the polarised politics of the USA. He examines why the NHS has failed to use private hospitals to clear its backlog despite a £10 billion deal. And he pays tribute to Lord Frank Field, looking at his ideas – way ahead of their time – on the provision of unemployment benefit.