Week of February 13th, 2012

Scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have successfully tested a system to deliver medicine into a patient’s body thought an implanted chip. This means that the patient doesn’t have to worry about filling a prescription or remembering to take medicine at the right time — it’s all done for them. A timer in the chip knows when to release the medicine or can even be set up to sense when the body needs a new dosage. Also, another edition of the Robot Roundup.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally discusses the driving forces behind his company’s turnaround and what makes Michigan unique. From Detroit to down South, where reality TV producers are mining the stories of rural folks. Food companies grapple with higher ingredient costs. Rising gas prices are likely to eat all of the payroll tax break. Britain and France are set to sign a nuclear energy deal. And hidden taxpayer costs in the mortgage settlement are emerging.

Google is once again in the hot seat for its privacy practices. The federal government plans to raise money by auctioning electromagnetic space. Making claims of military bravery may land you a nice date or a better job, but commentator Scott Lyon says lying about it is damaging to real veterans. And the streets of Athens are raging in fury over the new austerity measures and reforms — but while some burn down government buildings, others express their frustration through the arts.

A week ago, the $172 billion Greek bailout seemed signed, sealed and delivered. But it turns out there’s still some heavy lifting to do before this Sisyphusian chapter in European financial history is ready to be closed. The Greek saga’s starting to feel like reading a book on a Kindle…you’re never quite sure if you’re close to the end. Barry Ritholtz, author and head of Equity Research at Fusion IQ, is starting to think the never-ending Greek bailout story is designed to inure us to the drama. And the Daily Pulse is up on news that Italian police seized fake U.S. Treasury bonds worth $6 trillion…yep, with a “T.”

America Saves Week is upon us. So save, save, save, people!!! We’ll look at the history behind why we don’t, and hear from someone who’s sick of doing it. Savers in Greece will likely be losing some of their nest eggs as austerity measures start to kick in. The country hopes a new property tax will get it out of debt, but it’s pushing some citizens to the brink. And it takes hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of dollars to get a pampered canine into the Westminster Dog Show. We visit Madison Square Garden and the madness therein. We also look at pet health insurance and how we make the decisions we do about our pet’s health.

The president of Ford Motor Co. credits good investments as a reason for the company's ability to stay afloat during the recession.

Scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have successfully tested a system to deliver medicine into a patient's body thought an implanted chip.

High commodity prices put big food producers in a tough spot.

Consumer savings from the payroll tax cut, which lawmakers just voted to extend for another year, were erased by higher gasoline prices. The same scenario is likely this year.

The news that didn't quite make the headlines. This week: Girl Scouts get high-tech, that new car smell is toxic and getting to Ecuador if you're a retiree.

Tess talks with David Lazarus of the the Los Angeles Times about how to cope with possible identity theft, the tax implications of airmiles and handling your credit profile when collectors come calling.

Google refutes story

The medical miracles keep on coming

Going over listeners' responses to past broadcasts. This week: Patronizing black businesses, the filthiness of cash and the perks of living alone.

The Federal Trade Commission is urging Apple, Google and other app makers to make children’s privacy a priority. The FTC wants simple, uniform warnings that parents can easily access. This warning comes hot on the heals of disclosures that Path, Twitter, and other apps automatically download an iPhone’s entire address book when their apps are […]

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Twitter pulls in the Mom & Pops

Commentator Zo Webster has been a saver all her life – but recently she's begun to change her tune.

Wireless companies may soon be able to buy more airwaves under a spectrum auction that will help pay for the payroll tax cut extension and other jobless benefits. What's the idea behind the auction?

Economic data indicate our economy is warming up. But how might Europe's problems affect America's recovery?

The Greek government has introduced a new property tax so that it can increase revenue but many Greeks say it's unfair and unwise.

Economist and blogger Barry Ritholtz is getting tired of watching Greece do its Sisyphus impersonation.

The longest-scripted show in TV history will air its 500th episode. Author John Ortved discusses how much "The Simpsons" is worth and the international market for the show.

Parts of the broadcast spectrum will be auctioned off to help cover the costs of the payroll tax cut and extended long-term unemployment benefits. Even a sliver of spectrum could bring a big chunk of cash.

My wife and I are approaching our mid 30s. Up to this point, our lives have been a blur of trying to build a future with two incredible children. Now that we have a house, two rental properties and situated ourselves in our careers, we really need to start planning further ahead for retirement and our children's future. We are really not sure what to do next and feel that we should turn to a financial advisor. At this point, I am completely overwhelmed as I don't even know how to go about finding one. I have started to do some research online but am still struggling with this next step. Any suggestions that could help point us in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Jeff, Ballston Lake, NY

Reality TV is cheap to make and there's a whole lot of it out there. These days, producers are finding characters in the backwoods of Louisiana.

The price of looking after your pet is rising as far and fast as the cost of human healthcare. Gregory Warner reports on why we are willing to pay so much for our animals.

Those manufacturing plants in China where everything is supposed to be pretty horrible and workers are treated horribly while making the electronics us decadent Americans depend on? Turns out they’re FINE, says the Fair Labor Alliance the non-profit group Apple has enlisted to inspect facilities in the wake of a bunch of complaints and worker […]

Reporter Julia Angwin discusses her story in the Wall Street Journal detailing the tracking of Apple iPhone users.

Effort to curb distracted driving

A calculated gamble?

Listen to an extended conversation with Ford CEO Alan Mulally, where he discusses whether consumers will want larger or smaller cars 20 years from now and the importance of emerging markets like China to the carmaker.

Former Marine and commentator Scott Lyon says impostors give Americans a false view of veterans.

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What's the driving force behind Ford's turnaround? CEO Alan Mulally discusses from Detroit. Down South, reality TV is looking for new voices in the backwoods. Prices are rising — for both food ingredients and gas. Britain and France are set to sign a nuclear energy deal. Whitney Houston's estate isn't making much money from all those "I Will Always Love You" plays. We explain why. Plus, what does the spectrum auction mean? And are taxpayers bailing out the banks again?

Reviewing the week's headlines on Wall Street and beyond. This week: the budget, a payroll tax cut deal and the stock market.

As Greece faces yet another deadline to adopt more austerity measures and reforms, some Greeks have turned to satire and song to express their frustration and fury over the country's continued economic misery.

When the news hit the other day of the blockbuster settlement for abuses in the foreclosure process, there may have been one brand you didn’t immediately recognize. Ally has really only been around since 2009, but there are already rumors swirling about its status.

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This time in Germany

It’s tax time! We know everyone does their taxes differently. There’s the goody two-shoes who gets started as soon as the New Year is in. That would be me, Tess Vigeland. And then there are those of you who wait ’til the last minute and then file for an extension. If you have an unusual […]

Whitney Houston's music has been all over radio and TV following her death. But her estate only profits when someone actually goes to iTunes or Amazon or a record store and physically buys her albums.

Yep, that’s trillion with a “T”.

The two European nations are set to strike a deal that will pave the way for new nuclear power plants in the U.K. But why now?

A report says U.S. taxpayers may end up on the losing side of the multi-billion-dollar housing settlement between banks and states. Former TARP Inspector General Neil Barofsky explains how we may be bailing out big banks again.

What do Americans think about President Obama’s budget proposal? Frank Newport, editor-in-chief of Gallup,  offers the data in “Attitude Check,” Marketplace’s partnership with Gallup.  General Motors’ profits were way up last year, but the company’s prospect for 2012 might not be so hot. A small tech company in Asia claims it owns the legal rights to the name “iPad” in China, and it’s seeking to ban all shipments of the new iPad from the country. Kai Ryssdal talks to fashion journalist Kate Betts about the latest fashion trends amid economic recovery.

Today’s teachable moment: stock prices tend to go up when the economy seems more secure. Claims for U.S. jobless benefits unexpectedly fell to a four-year low last week. Experts see that pointing to slightly better times in America. Stephen Wood, the chief market strategist at Russell Investment Group, says it’s now a case of two economies — Europe and the U.S. And the Daily Pulse is down today on this realization: no matter how you spin it, the housing market in America is still broken. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index was at its highest point in 20 years today. So what?

Apple has announced that it will change the policy on apps and will require the app developers to get user permission before grabbing data off the device. That means that an app like Twitter has to get your permission before it looks through your address book to find out which of your friends is also on Twitter. The rules were changed because some apps were exporting the data to servers, where the info could remain for months. Also, the U.S. Senate has introduced a cybersecurity bill aimed at protecting computer networks in the U.S. from attack.

Rupert Murdoch is facing tensions with his staff at The Sun after nine of its journalists were arrested in the last few weeks for alleged corruption. The rental car market in the United States has been dominated by American brands, but that could soon change. Commercial real estate experts are starting to see what will become of the hundreds of Borders store spaces that closed last year.

Company tries to stay alive

Now the apps will have to ask your permission to take your address book.

One year ago, Borders declared bankruptcy and began the process that would lead to the total shutdown of the chain — which in turn made available tons of commercial real estate. Now other retailers are starting to fill up the spaces.

A document leak from the anti-climate crusading Heartland Institute shows many mainstream corporate donors.

Hopefully they won't use one of those fast talking cowboy auctioneers

Facebook is teaming up with mobile phone maker Orange to provide its services to cell phones in Africa — of the non-iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android variety.

Rupert Murdoch is facing tensions with his staff at The Sun after nine of its journalists were arrested in the last few weeks for alleged corruption. The rental car market in the United States has been dominated by American brands, but that could soon change. Commercial real estate experts are starting to see what will become of the hundreds of Borders store spaces that closed last year.

Stay tuned for this one.

For General Motors, the European debt crisis has just piled on the ongoing problem of too much supply, and not enough demand for their cars in Europe.

As the U.S. economy improves measurably, Europe slips into crisis mode.

We may never know why

General Motors is the latest company to post profits that “fell short of analysts’ estimates.” Who sets these expectations and how valid are they?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proposing to add the three major credit bureaus and debt colletion companies to the list of businesses the federal agency can now oversee.

I'm in my early 30s and work in the government sector. I contribute to a 401(a) and a 457 through my employer, and after discussing things with my wife, I have begun to think I may actually contribute TOO MUCH on a monthly basis. I contribute about 31 percent of my pre-tax income, including those two plus another ~5 percent after taxes to the 401(a). We have a mutual fund that had an acceptable return in 2011. Would I be better off lowering what I contribute to my 457 and 401(a) and increasing deposits into the mutual fund instead? I recently got a promotion with a substantial raise, so I thought now would be the time to reconsider where I am parking my money. Dan, Bloomfield Hills, MI

That's about to change.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said today he wants carmakers to come up with devices that would disable gadgets in the car.

More ways to watch our stories?

Regardless of positive spin, the housing picture in the U.S. is less than rosy.

European markets are down this morning after more hitches in plans to rescue Greece from default. There's a sense the Greeks have exhausted the goodwill of other European countries.

GM announced today that it made record profit last year — more than $7.5 billion. That's up more than 60 percent from 2010. But it still wasn't enough to impress analysts.

Not everyone is so sure that the answer is yes.

The carmaker made $7.6 billion in the fourth quarter of last year. Still, auto analysts are disappointed by the numbers.

Small business owners are slightly more upbeat about the economy than they have been recently, which sounds like good news for the job market, considering small businesses do a majority of the hiring in the country.

Rupert Murdoch is expected in London today where he'll face some angry employees. Nine journalists from his U.K. tabloid The Sun have been arrested in the last few weeks after Murdoch's own company — News Corporation — turned them in for alleged corruption.

There is no end in site yet for Greece, who still might not receive the bailout they need to keep their country running.

DARPA, the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency, is a highly innovative office of the Pentagon and its always coming up with these really amazing ways to kill people, spy on people, or spy on people with the intent of killing them later on. But one of its newer projects is all about Internet accessibility for […]

In suburban Detroit, there's a speed limit sign telling drivers to slow down to 25 mph on school days — but it's a little different than the signs you might be used to seeing in your neighborhood.

Black History Month events have celebrated the achievements of African-Americans since the 1920s. But February is also a time of heightened demand for black talent and expertise on the speaking circuit.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proposing that it examine the business of large debt collectors and to closely watch the major credit reporting bureaus. The focus would be on the larger firms. It's a good move.

Fashion journalist and author Kate Betts discusses the two big fashion trends she's seeing at Fashion Week in New York City.

Toyota revs up its sales to U.S. car rental companies in an attempt to overcome years of problems that kept consumers away.

Commentator Megan McArdle says no president has that much control over the economy.

The future of Greece hangs in the balance as it is still uncertain whether they will be able to dig themselves out of their debt hole — with a lot of help from the rest of Europe.

A court in China has ruled that Apple may not call its tablet device an "iPad" within the country. A Chinese company has rights over the name.

Eastman Kodak won a court battle to scrap its sponsorship of Kodak Theater, home of the Oscars. Do expensive naming rights jinxing companies?

And everyone seems to be okay with it!

of nerds.

Do Americans agree with President Obama's latest budget proposal? Gallup's editor-in-chief Frank Newport explains what Americans want the government to cut and spend more money on.

“Linsanity” is everywhere. What is the economic impact of Jeremy Lin off the court? Kellogg’s is buying Pringles from Procter & Gamble for $2.7 billion. Lawmakers agree to extend benefits for the long-term unemployed, but commentator Betsey Stevenson says more unemployment assistance is merely a band-aid. Kai Ryssdal talks to David Wolman, author of “The End of Money,” about why getting rid of physical cash makes economic sense.

Sometimes it seems Wall Street is never satisfied. U.S. factories boosted their output in January, and December’s numbers were revised to reflect the best month of industrial growth since before the big meltdown. Problem is, those numbers still came in below expectations. But the bottom line is still moving in the right direction. We talk to Harvard’s Willy Shih; he says auto sales played a big role in the uptick in output. And the Daily Pulse is up on news that breakfast cereal giant Kellogg announced its purchase of the Pringles for a top-popping $2.695 billion.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is offering a free online class and everyone’s invited and admitted. The class, Circuits and Electronics, is a full-strength MIT course and the first in what is intended to be an ongoing educational effort called MITx. At the end of the program, successful students will get a certificate. Not an engineering degree, mind you, but still something. What does this mean for education? Also, a deeply weird and highly entertaining video game on YouTube.

Congressional negotiators have agreed to a deal that would extend the payroll tax cut through the end of the year. Yesterday, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited the White House and the Pentagon before meeting with American business leaders at the U.S. chamber of commerce. The Westminster Dog Show dropped Pedigree as a sponsor this year, saying its sad ads that promote adoption from animal shelters turned off its audience. And President’s Day is fast approaching, but a lot of Americans don’t take that day, or others, off — and that could be a problem for the economy.

Federal officials have nixed a plan by broadband company LightSquared to build a national wireless network. Politico's Eliza Krigman explains why and discusses what happens next.

The breakfast cereal king takes a shot at owning the between-meal-eating category as well.

The U.S. and European Union have reached a deal on organics: what counts as organic here will count as organic there, and vice versa.

A tentative deal has been reached to extend the payroll tax cut, as well as some unemployment benefits and Medicare payments. As the economy stays sluggish, we're in an era of seemingly endless government stimulus.

A big meeting today in Europe that was supposed to continue talks on the Greek debt crisis has been delayed until next week. Now, leaders will join in a conference call to discuss the problem.