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Small Talk

Small talk: Apple site, pork test, women

Marketplace Contributor May 7, 2010
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Small Talk

Small talk: Apple site, pork test, women

Marketplace Contributor May 7, 2010
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TEXT OF INTERVIEW

Kai Ryssdal: A final note to bring the week to a close. A chance to get away from oil spills and market crashes and talk about the lesser-known news of the week. Brought to you by Brendan Newnam, Rico Gagliano and the rest of the Marketplace staff.


Brendan Newnam: Betsy Streisand, senior editor for Marketplace. What’s your story this weekend?

Betsy Streisand: I’m going to be talking about this new kind of genetic engineering. If it works, it will produce a whole new generation of people wanting to buy iPads, iPods, i-Everything.

Newnam: OK. Tell me more.

Streisand: It’s a dating site for Apple lovers. Yep.

Newnam: So it’s like “Woman seeking male. Must have black mock turtleneck and great design sense”?

Streisand: Yeah, that would do it. Then when you meet the Steve Jobs of your dreams…

Newnam: You create the next generation of users?

Streisand: Yeah, iKids.

Newnam: Don’t leave your iKids at a bar.

Rico Gagliano: Dalasie Michaelis, Web guy at Marketplace. What story are you going to be talking about this weekend?

Dalasie Michaelis: Well, scientists in Kazakhstan have developed an instant test to detect if food has pork in it.

Gagliano: Why would they do that?

Michaelis: Well, Kazakhstan is a largely Muslim country, and Islam prohibits the eating of pork.

Gagliano: Can’t they just not order pork?

Michaelis: Well, a lot of people mix the pork in with the beef to make it cheaper.

Gagliano: Ooooh. I hope they don’t test this on McRib, because I’m afraid it’ll come up negative.

Michaelis: Yeah, politicians are pretty scared too, because anyone can just take it and apply it to a bill.

Newnam: Stacey Vanek-Smith, senior reporter for Marketplace. What’s your story this weekend?

Stacey Vanek-Smith: Brendan, beautiful women can kill you.

Newnam: I’ve been on a suicide mission my whole life.

Vanek-Smith: But it’s true, actually. They did a study where for men being around attractive women can raise their stress levels and that can lead to all kinds of things, like heart disease and diabetes and hypertension.

Newnam: I can live with that.

Ryssdal: That’s just a taste of what Rico and Brendan can do. You can get the full serving on their podcast. It’s called “The Dinner Party Download.”

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