Posted by Daryl Paranada

For Marketplace Morning Report, Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Here are today’s top headlines from the Marketplace Morning Report and from around the web.

As the August 2nd default deadline approaches, we look at how Americans are preparing for a possible default and whether U.S. economic dominance is at risk. Plus, companies ordered fewer big ticket items in June — perhaps a sign that the debt ceiling debate has worried companies.

Plus, a couple of stories on the ratings agencies… Congress is looking at their role during and after the financial crisis. And lawmakers are hearing how ratings agencies failed in multiple crises.

In world news, a Chinese bullet train disaster is clouding future sales. In tech news, companies like Google and Apple are in a patent war — going after smartphone patents from defunct tech firms.

We have a second story on Arizona’s Medicaid — how the state’s decision to freeze enrollment in some Medicaid programs is leaving some people with critical medical conditions with few other places to turn.

And finally a story on the latest reality TV trend: fashion and beauty.

Here are the songs we played today:

• I Walked Alone — YachtBuy
• Above the Clouds — Little PeopleBuy
• Animals — Bonobo
• As Serious As Your Life — Four TetBuy