Week of March 25th, 2013

What role do your emotions play when it comes to making financial decisions? In a special collaboration with the New York Times, we examine how our feelings influence our personal finances — from the choices we make about the pets we care for to deciding who we spend the rest of our lives with. We look at why a realtor is sometimes a homebuyer’s emotional partner, why some rich folks are giving away their wealth, and how some seniors are piling on debt to help their families. Plus, Kai Ryssdal examines what happens when chasing your dream doesn’t work out. Tune in this weekend to hear our special broadcast.

What do a $155 million Picasso purchase, a $60 million Hamptons home purchase, a $600 million fine and a trader in handcuffs have in common? The answer: a momentous week for high-profile hedge-fund titan Stephen A. Cohen. Plus, oil companies say new EPA rules on sulfur levels in gas will increase prices several cents a gallon, but higher refining costs could play out many ways: People could drive less or they could buy cars with higher mileage.

My Little Pony has a sizable cult fan base of men 18 – 40. Yes, they're called Bronies.

An SAC Capital trader was charged today with securities fraud, allegedly short-selling stocks based on inside information

How emotional are you when it comes to making money decisions? Explore our special grid to find out. Plus, get tips and learn more about how emotions influence your personal finances.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has dumped over 100,000 complaints, in 11 computer languages, for “civic hacking.” Banks complain that it’s not filtered for accurate complaints.

Turmoil at 'Today' show could spell big trouble for NBC. America's tallest structure could generate clean energy.

Remember the “barefoot homeless guy” from when an NYPD officer bought him shoes? Well, he’s back in the news this week after being seen recently counting a “huge wad of bills.”

Oil companies say new EPA rules on sulfur levels in gas will increase prices several cents a gallon, but higher refining costs could play out many ways.

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to propose a new rule today that will require refiners to cut the amount of sulfur in gasoline by two thirds.

Automobile Magazine's New York editor Jamie Kitman joins Marketplace from the floor of the New York Auto Show to discuss the car market and how relaxed credit terms have customers buying again.

The Egyptian Navy says it caught three men trying to cut a big Internet cable that runs under the Mediterranean causing slow downs in the country and as far away as Pakistan.

Banks are open for the second day in Cyprus after two weeks of closure. From the outside, things appear to be calm. The President of Cyprus said this morning that the country will not leave the euro.

NBC's 'Today' show has ceded its long-held number one position in the ratings to Good Morning America amid a high profile, unsuccessful tryout of Ann Curry as co-host.

A Maryland energy company wants to build the world's third-tallest structure to generate downdraft power in the Arizona desert.

Banks are open for the second day in Cyprus after two weeks of closure. From the outside, things appear to be going okay. The president of Cyprus said this morning that the country will not leave the euro. An energy company wants to build the U.S.’s tallest structure. It’s not an office building, but a giant tower aimed at producing clean energy. And how should the FDA regulate medical smartphone apps?

This afternoon, a federal judge in New York dismissed a big chunk of the lawsuits against banks involved in the LIBOR scandal.

In the digital world, an Easter egg is a hidden message snuck into a computer program, video game, or website where it shouldn’t be.

We feel compelled to do a story today about digital Easter eggs. They’re about finding hidden things in the digital world and don’t actually have to be egg-shaped. The Egyptian Navy says it caught three men trying to cut a big undersea Internet cable running into the Mediterranean. A military spokesman says the cable belonged to Telecom Egypt, the major phone and Internet company there.  No motive was suggested.  Experts say there have been Internet slowdowns recently in Egypt, and have noticed some network congestion as far away as Pakistan that could be connected.

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Co-founder of Warby Parker launches a shaving company using the successful eyeglass company's business model.

With a quarterly profit and one million Z10 phones sold, BlackBerry could be making a comeback.

As Cyprus puts limits on how much money people can spend or withdraw from banks, we look at how such restrictions would affect American businesses and individuals if imposed here. Also, Wal-Mart is reportedly considering using customers at its brick-and-mortar stores to deliver orders to online customers in an effort to compete with Amazon. And finally, how the company that makes those Peeps easter candies has built on the peepularity of marshmallow bunnies to renew and expand an old candy company.

Walmart is reportedly considering using customers at its brick-and-mortar stores to deliver packages to online customers.

As Cyprus reopens banks but attaches capital and cash limits, we look at how such restrictions would affect American businesses and individuals if imposed here.

How does a company based on a seasonal product expand? Send Peeps to invade more seasons.

President Obama is scheduled to meet with the leaders of four African nations at the White House. On the agenda: Democracy and opportunities to expand trade and investment.

BlackBerry is back in the black. Banks in Cyprus re-open today to long lines and eager customers. And President Obama meets with leaders of four African countries.

BlackBerry posted a surprise profit for the quarter today. The Canadian company’s been struggling to stay relevant in the smartphone market but while the news is hopeful, it’s still too early to declare a turnaround.

Diane Swonk, chief economist with Mesirow Financial, joins Marketplace Morning Report host Jeremy Hobson to discuss whether the crisis in Cyprus will spread and how the U.S. economy is faring.

Marketplace Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell joins Morning Report host Jeremy Hobson to discuss the state of infrastructure in the U.S. and whether the country can afford to improve it.

Made in the USA is coming back into fashion in Silicon Valley. Today, the buzz is that Google is planning to make its long-awaited 'Google Glass' in California.

Strict controls on the level of withdrawals have prevented a bank run in Cyprus. But the restrictions are raising fresh doubts about the future of the euro.

Banks in Cyprus have just re-opened for the first time in two weeks. Although there are tough restrictions on just how much cash customers can withdraw and what they can do with that money once they have it.

Hedge fund billionaire Steven Cohen has just bought himself another painting — this time a Picasso — for $155 million.

Michigan's new 'right-to-work' law goes into effect, stripping unions in the state of many protections and privileges.

Does Uber properly share the bounty with drivers and does it operate in accordance with rules that govern taxis and limos in various cities?

If you found your Internet surfing coming up slow in recent days, it's possibly because of one of the biggest cyberattacks experts have ever seen.

A hedge fund investor makes headlines with a $155 million Picasso purchase. Banks in Cyprus have just re-opened for the first time in two weeks. Although there are tough restrictions on just how much cash customers can withdraw and what they can do with that money once they have it. Today Michigan officially becomes the nation’s 24th right-to-work state. Under the new law, workers can opt out of paying union dues and still retain benefits.

The Food and Drug Administration is putting together clearer guidelines for medical apps that need to be approved.

They had just finished restoring the vintage vehicle.

If you found your Internet surfing coming up empty in recent days, it’s possibly part of one of the biggest cyberattacks experts have seen. A non-profit that fights junk email has been getting clobbered for days. Spamhaus had blacklisted a web hosting company in the Netherlands for allegedly helping to spread spam. The Dutch company called Cyberbunker didn’t like getting blacklisted and the result is clogging things all around the Internet.

In the midst of a national urbanization campaign, more and more young urban professionals in China are quitting their jobs and starting over in the pollution and stress-free environment of rural mountainous Western China.

Today’s Supreme Court case on gay marriage focuses on the inheritance tax, which impacts only a fraction of Americans. But there are hundreds, if not thousands, of financial benefits for married couples, so we look at some that are below the radar and available to many Americans. Also, the Cyprus financial system remains frozen with banks planning to open, in limited fashion, tomorrow. One of the things that regulators are worried about is money launderers removing their capital from Cypriot banks. But where does that money go then? Whers are the places that money launderers store their cash?

Why a site that rents space to just about anyone is attacking vulnerabilities in the basic architecture of the Internet.

Dodger Stadium is in the midst of a $100 million remodel. Janet Marie Smith, the architect who designed it, took us on a tour less than a week before opening day.

The recent crisis in Cyprus threw the spotlight on its reputation as a haven for money launderers. Now, some dodgy investors with money its banks have taken a hit. Where can they turn now to shelter their ill-gotten goods?

Like any new couple, the American-US Airways merged airline will eventually have to decide things like, which new planes to buy — and that can get complicated.

The toy industry has gradually made inroads on Easter, one of the least commercial holidays. But Santa Claus shouldn't feel threatened quite yet.

Internet users around the world have been noticing sluggish responses from even sophisticated computer systems such as Netflix after what's being called the 'world's largest cyberattack.'

Electronic tolls at the Golden Gate Bridge. Three reasons why Rhode Island's economy is down. And will Boeing or Airbus come out on top in the US Airways-American merger?

Julia Coronado, chief economist with the investment bank BNP Paribas, joins Marketplace Morning Report host Jeremy Hobson to explain how Cyprus is guarding itself against a bank run.

What does the origin of the LCD flat-screen have to do with a hidden identity and the British military?

A robot snake — just like the name suggests — is a long, segmented metal rig. When you toss it, it automatically wraps around whatever it hits.

Rhode Island is tied for the highest unemployment rate in the nation. What's got this state down while its neighbors are looking up?

Leaders of the BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — are wrapping up a summit today. They have a new plan to create a bank to fuel economic growth in the developing world.

A group of European software developers is complaining that Microsoft uses a feature to block alternate operating systems on machines bought with Windows 8.

After building a new stadium with the help of tax-payer money, the owner of the Miami Marlins trades high-priced players at the expense of fan loyalty.

San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is going electronic today. It’s the first time in 76-years, that the iconic bridge will be without a human toll taker.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development chooses total shutdown over furloughs.

Lawyers who defend the poor in federal court say sequester cuts could jeopardize the fairness of the criminal justice system. Leaders of the BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — are wrapping up a summit today with a plan to create a new bank to fuel economic growth in the developing world. And is Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria the most hated man in baseball?

All right, you struggling screenwriters. We’re about to hand you a plot. It will start in an unlikely place: The fact that it’s been 40-years since research was published that led to the development of LCD flat screens, which revolutionized computers and TV. British Chemist George Gray came up with a way to make liquid crystals that worked — here was the trick — at room temperature. Mark Lorch wrote about this in The Guardian. Lorch is also a chemist at Britain’s University of Hull, and he tells the story of a faked death and the British military. 

Our reporter learns to fly on a trapeze — and gets a crash course in safety nets, both real and metaphoric.

Call it "churning," or "feather bedding." A suit against the world's largest law firm reveals blatant efforts to juice up legal bills.

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As Washington eyes deficit reduction, cherished tax breaks are in the crosshairs.

The Federal Aviation Administration could, by July, recommend new rules about stowing your iPad and Kindle during takeoff.

What’s the cost of an iPhone? $200, if you pay for the rest of it through a two-year wireless contract. Now T-Mobile plans to upend the business model, asking customers to pay the true cost of the phone, and probably lower monthly wireless bills. Will their plan work with customers?

Music streaming hasn’t turned out to be the big money maker Spotify hoped for. So now the question for Spotify is what else it could stream. Videos are a proven way to get people paying for content.

Struggling to compete against its bigger rivals like AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobile has made an announcement that it is canceling new phone contracts that lock you in for wireless services. The practice is common among small companies, like MetroPCS, but T-Mobile would be the carrier with the largest footprint to make the switch. Also, our Wealth & Poverty Desk begins a new series about the “safety net” that we rely on to take risks and sometimes make ends meet. And finally, how hard is it to make the perfect “hoodie” sweatshirt? 

Slate columnist Farhad Manjoo loves his hoodie from American Giant. But after he reviewed it online, all the sweatshirts sold out. And the company was forced to scale up before it was ready.

Home prices rise, but can they boost the job market? Pro-gay marriage PAC's lure moderate Republicans. And one woman tells us what her safety net looks like.

Home prices rise, but can they boost the job market?

T-mobile is ditching two-year contract plans and phone subsidies. Consumers will have to pay for the phone upfront or enter a payment plan.

Fears of capital flight keep banks closed in Cyprus until Thursday. How are local businesses and individuals reacting to the shutdown?

A Waffle House restaurant in a rough Atlanta neighborhood adds a surcharge for a security guard.

One woman's definition of a safety net: Something that lets you take risks, from going to school to flying from a trapeze.

Video game years are kind of like dog years, and that makes the game EverQuest, which turned 14-years-old this month, positively ancient.

Apple has just acquired an indoor mapping company. How will indoor mapping be used and should we be concerned about our privacy?

Banks in Cyprus are on lockdown and many ATMs are out of cash. We give you a look at the Cyprus crisis from the inside. St. Louis residents tell us what it means to be wealthy. And want a side of security with your waffle? Below the streets of downtown Atlanta, a Waffle House restaurant adds a 20 percent surcharge for a security guard.

A ski resort in Sochi, Russia — site of the 2014 Winter Olympics — is worried about having enough snow on the ground when the games begin in February.

Video game years are kind of like dog years. And that makes the game Everquest, which turned 14-years-old this month, positively ancient. Everquest was one of the first big games to be an MMO — Massively Multiplayer Online — lots of people play against each other by Internet. Dave Georgesen of Sony Online Entertainment has watched these kinds of games spread using the so-called “free to play” model, where you can start without buying it. And, a new academic study shows it’s quite easy to identify someone by tracking their movements digitally. Researchers writing in Scientific Reports conclude all they need is four pieces of location data to figure out who most people are. Among the implications: When companies gather location data without names and addresses that doesn’t necessarily protect privacy.

However the Supreme Court decides two cases on same-sex marriage, some Republican PAC's are prepared to back candidates who support gay marriage.

Odds were pretty high some kind of deal on Cyprus was going to get worked out this weekend. But, economic life in Cyprus will likely get worse before it gets better.

Just getting a petition before the Supreme Court can cost a quarter-million in legal fees. If accepted, cases that have taken years of strategizing, while working their way through lower courts, can cost millions.

Buy high and sell low is a sad truth for a reason. Time and again we let panic or euphoria drive our actions in the market and wind up making big, expensive mistakes.

Banks are back at it — giving out home loans with no down payments. But this time, it’s wealthy buyers taking out those high-interest loans. A shortage of doctors means increased opportunities for nurses and others in health care. Apple’s latest acquisition could change things for consumers and marketers alike in the world of indoor mapping. Soccer star David Beckham visited China last week to root out corruption from Chinese soccer, but he’s already made a slip-up. We look at the economic industry of the U.S. Supreme Court. And NYU professor Adam Alter talks about the subconscious influences on our decision-making.

No down payment mortgages died in a wave of foreclosures — for nearly all Americans. But now they’re crawling out of the grave, for the wealthy, at least.

A new book explores how our environment — everything from colors to music to weather — affects our decision-making.