Week of July 2nd, 2012

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How do today's workers take lunch? Does your office encourage eating alone at your desk or going out with colleagues?

Next week on the show we’ll hear from another group of people finding it hard to hold down a job these days: Seniors. Here on Marketplace Money we believe we’ve got a lot to learn from our elders. We want to know what financial wisdom you’ve received from grandparents over the years. Let us know […]

While Wall Street had been bogged down by regulations and scandal, London took the crown for leading global financial center. Now, with the Barclays and LIBOR-rigging investigation, the British city could find itself being regulated as well.

The Barclays LIBOR scandal seems like just another example of banks behaving badly, but in London, many are worried it has tarnished the city’s reputation as the world’s financial center. Here in the U.S., we look at alternative economic indicators to the otherwise drab June jobs report. One small South Texas town is struggling to deal with its oil boom. A new company aims to help people get much-needed loans and build their credit rating at the same time. And Sarah Gardner talks to Eric Klinenberg about the 1995 Chicago heatwave that killed over 700 people, and what we’ve done to prepare for heatwaves since then.

Three fast food chains are promoting breakfast deals that include drinks like a 28-ounce soda — starting at six o'clock in the morning.

Go on vacation, get sick, get a make-up vacation? Only in Europe, folks, where the high court says vacations are for fun, not fevers. But who’s gonna pay for it all? And, homelessness. It’s a chain reaction. We’ll hear from three people surviving the streets of San Francisco. Plus, when “sightseeing” takes on a whole new meaning.

An owner of a travel agency for the blind shares his experiences traveling around the world.

In the city by the bay, homeless citizens share how easy it is to lose the roof over your head.

Several small towns in Texas are growing because of new oil and gas drilling. But can the boom last?

There's been talk of a nurse shortage for years, but why are many nursing grads still struggling to find a job?

Several big financial firms, including Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, are pulling back from money market funds because interest rates have made the investment unprofitable.

Eight percent is considered the "magic" return rate, but in today's economy, trying to hit that number may be dangerous.

Reviewing the week's headlines on Wall Street. This week: The sluggish growth in the U.S. jobs market.

Credit cards can make you feel like anything's possible — until you get the bill.

Even in times of financial insecurity, Americans shouldn't avoid risk altogether.

German's seem to be the responsible, hard working sibling in the European Union, but they know when to relax.

In Europe, high courts have upheld workers' right to reclaim vacation days marred by illness or injury.

Progreso Financiero lends money to Latino borrowers who might otherwise not qualify for credit.

Three days of extreme heat in Chicago in 1995 caused over 700 deaths. New York University professor Eric Klinenberg talks about what we've learned from that catastrophe.

On the first Friday of each month the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its monthly jobs report. But don't pay too much attention to the number of jobs added or lost; it will be revised and revised again.

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So as this unemployment report continues to show stagnant growth, many politicians, experts, armchair economists are chiming in on the best way to solve the unemployment problem in the U.S. One idea being floated is inspired by Germany: working fewer hours.

The June employment report from the Labor Department comes out today. But while today's numbers offer us a snapshot they won't give us the long-term trends — one of which is shaped like a "U." Following last week's big Supreme Court ruling on health care, states like Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina have said they won't expand Medicaid programs. And Cyndi Lauper explains how she hopes to end LGBT youth homelessness.

The economy added 80,000 non-farm jobs in June and the unemployment rate remained at 8.2 percent. Alan Krueger, chairman of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, puts the latest numbers in perspective.

The U.S. Labor Department has released its monthly jobs report. Employers added just 80,000 jobs last month, while unemployment stayed stagnant at 8.2 percent.

U.S. markets are down slightly this morning on the latest jobs data from the Labor Department which said that just 80,000 jobs were added in the U.S. last month and unemployment remained at 8.2 percent.

The British Parliament has started investigating the ethics of London's financial center. This follows that big scandal involving the British bank Barclays, which was fined a half billion dollars for rigging a key interest rate called LIBOR.

The other day on its website Vanity Fair previewed an article about life at Microsoft. And it details a particular human resource practice that drove employees up the wall: something called "stack rating." What exactly is it?

Many economists are expecting fewer than 100,000 new jobs created, and unemployment to hold at 8.2% for the month of June.

Rumor has it Apple is getting ready to unveil a new iPad that’s smaller and cheaper than existing models. As Google and Microsoft come out with their own smaller models, Apple could be looking to snuff out challenges from these other significant rivals. Plus, researchers at Google X have built an artificial brain made up of 16,000 connected processors. And according to a recent study, one in four women intentionally post unflattering photos of other females on Facebook.

The June employment report from the Labor Department comes out today. But while today’s numbers offer us a snapshot they won’t give us the long-term trends — one of which is shaped like a “U.” Following last week’s big Supreme Court ruling on health care, states like Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina have said they won’t expand Medicaid programs. And Cyndi Lauper explains how she hopes to end LGBT youth homelessness.

Economists call it "U-shaped" as jobs in the middle grow fewer.

The singer-songwriter discusses her motivations behind trying to help LGBT homeless youth with her True Colors Fund.

Apple looks to compete with Microsoft's and Google's smaller tablet models. Also, Google builds a robot brain that becomes keen on cat videos, and women post unflattering pictures of each other on Facebook.

They stand to gain big if states expand Medicaid. But it's going to be a battle, and states like Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina have already said they don't want to expand the program.

The home lender Countrywide gave preferential treatment to members of Congress, their staffs and employees of Fannie Mae in order to win influence in government, according to a long-awaited review by a House committee.

A new report shows that renting might actually be a safer alternative to buying in today’s economy. President Obama kicked off his two-day ‘Betting on America’ bus tour today — Sarah Gardner talks to linguist Ben Zimmer about the psychology behind the name. A review from the House reveals home lender Countrywide gave preferential treatment to members of Congress, their staffs and employees of Fannie Mae in order to win influence in government. Gallup’s Frank Newport discusses consumer attitudes towards summer spending. Taco Bell rolls out its new ‘gourmet menu’ today. And some companies are choosing to advertise directly on people’s bodies.

As President Obama's "Betting on America" tour gets underway, we ask a linguist: What does it mean to "bet" on the country?

Tattoo giveaways are cropping up as the latest trend in brand marketing. Unlike free T-shirts or hats with brand images, in this case the logo stays — forever.

Call it “the Chipotle effect,” but more and more fast food joints are going upscale.

The Senate's version of the Farm Bill eliminates some key funding for farmers, especially those who make more than $750,000 a year.

Amidst glimpses of positive economic indicators, dismal consumer confidence continues as retail sales figures are down for chain stores in June.

What are the spending habits of Americans this summer: Spending or saving? And what days of the year do Americans think of as the happiest? Gallup reveals its latest data on U.S. opinion.

In recent years, sales at airports and other travel venues have risen far more quickly than at regular stores for many chains, prompting luxury retailers to focus on the travel market.

Apartment buildings are fuller than they’ve been in a decade. Rents are at record highs. Houses are relatively cheap, but loans are elusive.

The Department of Defense, a huge consumer of petroleum, is trying to develop biofuels on a large scale as an alternative. Republicans in Congress have voted the program out of an authorization bill, saying oil and even coal can meet the military's needs.

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Today central banks in Europe and China announced new monetary stimulus measures to spur economic growth. How will the global stimulus measures impact the U.S. economy and unemployment?

Forget fourth meal — now Taco Bell is serving up new menu items that seemingly aim to compete with Chipotle. Will the strategy really work?

It's been exactly a week since the Supreme Court announced that President Obama's healthcare overhaul is constitutional. Have Americans shifted their view of the law?

Today's job numbers are good, but economists still think tomorrow's will be mediocre.

And you thought the SATs were exhausting.

South Korea asks the International Whaling Commission, currently meeting in Panama, to allow limited whaling for scientific reasons in its waters.

Ahead of tomorrow's June jobs report, data today shows the number of planned job cuts at U.S. companies has dropped to the lowest level in 13 months.

A lot of people tend to say there's the Hispanic market, or politically, there are Hispanic voters. But it really does vary on whether the respondent is an immigrant, their parents came here, or both them and their parents were born in the U.S.

A Japanese government report on the Fukushima nuclear crisis puts the blame squarely on culture — namely, a cozy relationship between politicians, regulators and the nuclear power industry. It goes so far as to suggest the accident might have occurred even without an earthquake and tsunami.

As you recover from yesterday's beach trips and barbeques, we take a look back at economic independence throughout American history with Marketplace economics correspondent Chris Farrell.

Europe's tallest skyscraper is opening today on the south bank of the Thames River. It's called the Shard — as in a shard of glass — and it's more than a thousand feet tall. But the real challenge wasn't just building it; they also need to find a way to fill it up.

The latest focus for Congressional Republicans is what they call the “onerous burdens” of Wall Street reform, as in the Dodd Frank regulatory overhaul of the financial sector. They say the new regulations are hurting small community banks far from Wall Street. Europe’s tallest skyscraper, the Shard, is opening today on the south bank of the Thames River. And as we all recover from a long day of beaches, barbeques and fireworks, Marketplace economics correspondent Chris Farrell gives us a snapshot of American economic dependence through the years.

When you’re running around town and want to check email on your smartphone, you connect to a data network through a nearby tower run by your carrier. But what if we connected with each other instead? My phone was your tower, your phone was someone else’s? That’s the idea of mesh networks, and it could catch on soon, especially in the case of emergencies. Plus, public shaming online through WeKnowWhatYoureDoing.com and @NeedADebitCard.

Community bankers worried about regulation burden despite exemptions.

Despite being the biggest country in the world, China is having something of a labor shortage. So it's importing tens of thousands of North Koreans to work in low-wage jobs in factories.

Mesh networking might come in handy during times of disaster.

Diamond testified before a committee of the British parliament today about charges Barclays manipulated a key interest rate called the LIBOR. The bank's already been fined over $450 million, but it could be just the beginning of the fallout.

For Americans abroad, this 4th of July is spent talking about Barclays and David Beckham — all while knocking back a few at the pub.

Former Barclays CEO Bob Diamond testified to British lawmakers today. Sarah Gardner talks to two American ex-pats in Europe about what they are seeing and hearing on the streets of their adopted homes. The FDA in U.S. has approved distribution for the first ever over-the-counter rapid HIV test. Is produce from the farmers market really what’s best for our health and the environment? Hard cider sales have increased more than 20 percent nationwide, while beer sales have dropped.  And reporter Mitchell Hartman looks into what a songs need in order to become a summer hit.

Commentator Pierre Desrochers offers the contrarian view that buying food locally is good for your health and the environment.

Even beermakers like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors are ramping up hard cider production.

But some worry the cost could scare away people most at risk of infection.

Public pension funds are resorting to riskier investments in a bid to score returns high enough to give retirees their guaranteed payments.

Yesterday Bob Diamond resigned as CEO of Barclays Bank, and this hour he's sitting before a Parliamentary committee in London. Parliament is investigating the possible manipulation of interest rates by Barclays and other banks.

Tomorrow, The Shard will officially open in London. It's the tallest building in Europe at over a thousand feet high. Meanwhile, Britain's economy isn't looking so good.

An up-tempo pop dance beat can't hurt, and neither can a star's viral video.

With forecasts of excessive heat, rainstorms, and fire danger, a number of communities are calling off their fireworks celebrations this year. And of course local government budgets have also been under strain lately.

George Washington's ancestral home in England, Washington Old Hall, is an historic estate which might be the only place in the U.K. that throws a party for our Independence Day.

Today the freshly resigned CEO of Barclays Bank goes before a parliamentary committee in London. Parliament is investigating the possible manipulation of interest rates by Barclays and other banks.

Thanks to corporate sponsors, Coral Gables, Fla., gets its fireworks show back after budget woes axed it six years ago.

Mexico announces the official results of its presidential election today. Preliminary results showed Enrique Peña Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party won the election, but the runner up is demanding a recount.

In Australia, Aussies are getting used to the first week under a new carbon tax. The country's biggest polluters are paying a steep $24 per ton of carbon emitted — that's more than twice the cost of carbon permits in the EU.

If you ever use Microsoft Word, you know that when you want to save a document, you can click on the little floppy disc icon. That’s weird. When’s the last time you used one of those discs? Ten years ago? Twelve? We take a look into antiquated metaphors we use in modern technologies, and why we use them. Plus, Ben Kuchera of Penny Arcade on the new video game “Spec Ops.”