Week of May 20th, 2013

Federal Reserve's Ben Bernanke is cautiously optimistic.

Don't worry, engineers at Netflix made sure you got all the awkward jokes you wanted this weekend.

Target gets into the wedding business with an online collection of very low-priced wedding and bridesmaid dresses.

A.G. Lafley’s return to P&G is just the latest example of a former CEO being brought back for a new tour of duty.

In a week when markets have cringed at the mention of a retreat from the Fed's quantitative easing, or QE, we take a look at the history of the measure some have called a Jedi mind trick…with a little help from 'Star Wars.'

It’s Friday, which means two things: 1) thanks to sequestration,  roughly 115,000 federal workers get an unpaid holiday and 2) it’s time for the Weekly Wrap. In other news, brides may be walking down the aisle wearing…Target. Will anyone buy the budget wedding dresses? And our Safety Net series continues, this time with a different kind of bank: The Bank of Frank.

Nearly 70,000 bridges across the U.S. are in need of some serious repairs but the political will, and the money, just aren't there.

In a tight financial spot? Or maybe you'd like ideas on smarter ways to spend your hard-earned money? Then perhaps it's time for you to seek professional help and hire a financial planner. But before you do, take a look at our tips on how to find the perfect planner for your personal finances.

It’s time to take control of your finances — and take control of your life. This week we talk with a young man looking for a way to get out of his parents’ house and explore the financial burden parents face when their adult children live at home. And meet a listener who has finally found a job after six years of unemployment, but needs help handling her paycheck. Also, if you have questions about money — as so many of you do — it could be time to seek professional help. We answer all of your questions about hiring a certified financial planner. Plus, we check in on Moore, Okla., to see how the town is doing after it was devastated by a tornado and explore how difficult it could be for residents to navigate the insurance claims process and start rebuilding.

"Does Someone Have To Go?" is a new reality show on the Fox network. It allows office mates the authority to fire their co-workers in an attempt to repair the workplace environment. A cruel concept or a smart way to weed out unproductive employees?

Thanks to sequestration, roughly 115,000 federal workers at the IRS, EPA, HUD and OMB get an unpaid holiday. Does anybody really notice that the offices are closed on the first day of the long Memorial Day weekend?

A lot of parents are finding their living spaces crowded by adult children who have moved back in — or never moved out. When is it time to give your kids a gentle nudge to take control of their own finances and go it alone?

Residents in Moore, Okla., are banding together to rebuild their community following a devastating tornado that claimed lives and caused massive property damage. How difficult will the insurance claims process be for these victims?

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Delta's CEO on passenger fees, mergers, and why subsidies are bad for business. And, the week interest rates popped upward

Chances are the Dow could end up with a loss for the week. But the big story may be bonds.

After a disappointing first quarter, CEO Bob McDonald says he will leave Procter & Gamble at the end of next month.

Government programs aren't the only safety nets that people fall back on. In the first of our "Safety Net Confessionals" we hear from Frank Paiano and one of the cousins he helped financially.

Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel discusses his visit to Google's X Lab. He says the labs are a place where scientists can think big ideas, with a lot of freedom.

Twitter is launching a new extra layer of security, but will it stop hackers?

The President has confirmed that drone strikes have killed Americans abroad. But he strongly defends the U.S. drone program, saying its use has been important to the war against terrorism.

Hannah Robertson showed up at the McDonald's shareholder meeting with her mother yesterday, and lined up at the mic during Q&A time.

As a result of sequester, the IRS, HUD, the EPA and Office of Management and Budget become part of the biggest wave of government office closures since 1995.

It sounds like something out of a comic book, and until recently, Google’s X Lab was kind of a secret compound — or at least a place that wasn’t broadcasting its experiments to the public. But that is changing. Google Glass, the company’s web streaming spectacles, were born there. The Bay Area facility was recently visited by Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel. Tyrangiel says the labs are a place where scientists can think big ideas with a lot of freedom.

Delta’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Anderson, discusses the industry, mergers, passenger fees, and why Delta thinks its about to have its most profitable year ever.

A big chunk of private-sector infrastructure opens at New York’s JFK airport today. It’s the new Delta Airlines terminal, with its $1.6 billion worth of lounge area, gates, and services. Delta’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Anderson, joins Marketplace Morning Report to discuss the industry, mergers, passenger fees, and why Delta thinks its about to have its most profitable year ever. And California has unveiled the prices of health insurance to be sold on a state-run exchange starting next year. The exchange is designed to give more people access to insurance, but there’s still an affordability issue.   

After six years of unemployment, Maria once again has a steady paycheck. She is ready to budget responsibly and save for the future, but how should she factor in spending money on her wants as well as her needs?

Two years after a tornado ripped through Joplin, Mo., the town is rebuilding its infrastructure and community.

For one woman, $50,000 on a new technology to freeze her eggs was worth the expense.

The FAA hasn't green-lighted much civilian use of drones yet but when they do, one university is ready with graduates to pilot them.

Fewer choices might speed up service and put the 'fast' back into 'fast food', and it just might help you enjoy your burger more.

Twitter has joined the likes of Facebook Apple and other tech giants in offering two-factor authentication. Should we call it “the death of the password?” Maybe.  Also in tech desctruction, iPhone users have spent billions repairing their damaged and cracked screens since 2007. Repair costs aren’t getting any cheaper either. Better protect your screens carefully. Plus, President Barack Obama spoke about drones today. Just how big is the domestic drone industry and will it be a boon or bust for jobs?

President Barack Obama reeled out some numbers about Gitmo today. We reel out some more.

California is the biggest state to unveil details of health-insurance plans to be sold on a state-run exchange. The policies provide a first look at the affordability — and future — of the Affordable Care Act.

iPhone users have reportedly spent $6 billion since 2007 to repair or replace their damaged phones, and repair costs are only getting more expensive.

Drones are a hot topic these days and the industry is heating up to potentially become big. What's the payoff and what other industries might suffer for it?

Trades like plumbing, welding, and metal work are in heavy demand as the construction industry recovers from the recession.

Finally, there could be an end to the agony of having to remember dozens of passwords as Twitter offers two-factor authentication.

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A deal sweetener from SoftBank. Japan's markets plunge. And is it more money, more problems for professional athletes?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Japan-based SoftBank will allow the U.S. government to pick a member of Sprint's board if the deal goes through.

Domestic migration, when you move from one place in the country to another, plunged in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Now things are looking up.

According to Marketwatch, cicadas may serve as decent market forecasters.

Teenagers are less into Facebook and more into Twitter these days, according to a new report from the Pew Internet and American Life project.

BitTorrent, a site best known as a way for people to illegally share and download content, says it serves over five billion ads a month. But will advertisers flock to such a dicey marketplace?

After an electrifying run over the past several weeks, stock markets around the world are down this morning.

Ford Motor Company is calling it quits in Australia, after a nearly 90-year run. The U.S. automaker says it will shut down its two factories down under and halt production in 2016.

The sports network is expanding and profitable, but hundreds of staff have been laid off.

A new report says that used car prices are coming down after hitting record highs. Why?

After an electrifying run over the past several weeks, stock markets around the world are down this morning. Ford Motor Company is calling it quits in Australia. The U.S. automaker says it will shut down its two factories down under and halt production in 2016. And for pro athletes, sometimes the biggest challenge is financial success and the family pressure that comes with it.

Scientists may be fretting over global climate change or when the next asteroid will strike Earth's surface. But a catastrophic event doesn't necessarily spell the end for civilization.

Scientists may be fretting over global climate change or when the next asteroid will strike Earth’s surface, and the threat of mass extinction such events would bring. But a catastrophic event doesn’t necessarily spell the end for civilization. In fact, Annalee Newitz, author of the new book Scatter, Adapt and Remember, says that with the right mindset and proper preparation, humans have the capacity to thrive in a post-mass extinction world.

Beneath Cannes, far less prestigious films are bought and sold at a different conference.

France's government wants to allow English to be used more in French universities. This would attract more foreign students and give French students more opportunities overseas. Purists, however, see the move as another assault on the French language.

How much data are you leaking? Lots of business are selling your data to others to help them all track you. How can you opt out? We find out. In the business of sports, golf and basketball and making rules changes, like raising the hoop to make it harder to dunk. What’s the economic cost? Also, we take a trip to the tax-shelter island otherwise known as Manhattan to tell you about how some of Apple’s untaxable billions aren’t actually overseas.

A lot of businesses are buying so-called third party data to add to what they’re already collecting on you. Of course, they all say, “you can always opt out.”

Gaydawn Magee's hearing aid business was leveled by the Moore tornado. But after a quick trip west, she'll be back.

Golf plans to disallow anchored putts, and the NFL is tinkering with ways to keep football players safer. How do you change the rules in sports without hurting popularity and profits?

We're hosting a live chat on our investigative series on predatory lending to soldiers and their families.

As more people buy guns for self-defense, gun training courses grow.

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German business software company SAP has announced a push to hire autistic people. SAP says autistic employees raised company productivity and engagement.

Beijing has announced it will add 50 miles of subway track by the end of next year, making the city's subway system bigger than New York's. But will the new additions alleviate the city's notorious traffic and pollution?

The value of autistic employees. Could the country's largest public power utility really become private? And who is Daniel Werfel?

Today Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives his latest economic report to Congress. His testimony comes on the same day that Japan's central bank is indicating its intention to continue stimulus measures.

After a disaster many people want to help, but there tends to be confusion about what is needed.

German business software company SAP has announced a push to hire autistic people. SAP says it's hoping other companies follow its lead.

President Obama floated the idea of selling the Tennessee Valley Authority in his budget, released last month. He started receiving pushback almost immediately.

The latest American Customer Satisfaction Index is out, and one industry in an unfortunate spot when it comes to customer satisfaction: Internet service providers.

Caitria O'Neill, CEO of tech company Recovers, explains the digital challenges of natural disasters and recovery.

Daniel Werfel starts Wednesday as the new acting administrator of the Internal Revenue Service, succeeding Steven T. Miller, who resigned under pressure last week.

Allan Sloan, senior editor at large for Fortune magazine, explains why he voted to allow Jamie Dimon to keep his dual role as CEO and Chairman of JPMorgan Chase.

The prescription drug plan has created millions of senior customers for the pharmaceutical industry over ten years.

Beijing is adding more than 50 miles of subway track by the end of next year, but will it really combat traffic, carbon dioxide and other pollution? After 10 years, how has Medicare Part D impacted the pharmaceutical industry? And, the country’s most powerful banker gets to stay on as both CEO and Chairman at JPMorgan Chase. We talk to a shareholder that cast a vote.

Part of the promise of new technology is that it can help protect us when things go terribly wrong — through prevention and appropriate reaction. San Francisco-based company Recovers is sending a group of employees to Moore, Oklahoma in the wake of Monday’s tornado. They’ll use tech skills and experience from other disasters to help.

Businesses are moving away from individual offices and high-walled cubicles to more open environments. Fitting more workers into a smaller space also slashes rent costs.

Senator Carl Levin says big companies are abusing tax loopholes. Apple's Tim Cook says they uphold the spirit of the law.

Recovery begins for those in the tornado's wake in Moore, Okla.

After yesterday’s tornado in Moore, Okla. — where residents got about 15 minutes of warning — we ask if tornado prediction has gotten better, and how it can continue to improve. What would it have taken to get more than 15 minutes? In tech-ish news, Apple’s tax issue comes to the Hill with Tim Cook. But Apple isn’t the only company that has funds beyond the reach of the IRS. Also, before you order dinner, news is out that Grubhub and Seamless, two online delivery services, are merging. Just how do these services make money and what about the restaurants?

Prediction for tornadoes like the one in Moore, Okla., has gotten pretty good. Building thousands of new radar stations would make it better.

Apple’s $100 billion in overseas cash is just part of the nearly $2 trillion in U.S. corporate funds that are beyond the reach of the IRS. What difference could that money make if it was brought home?

Two of the biggest restaurant takeout services, Grubhub and Seamless, will merge. A look at exactly how their business works, and how individual restaurants factor in.

Dutch scientists will shortly unveil a burger that uses meat grown at great expense in a laboratory. Growing meat is more efficient in the long-term, but people may not take to it.

It appears anyone can get a Twitter account these days, even a massive government document.

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Shareholders allow Jamie Dimon to keep his dual role as CEO and Chairman of JPMorgan. And what percentage of Americans own stocks?

Mike Mayo, banking analyst with CLSA, joined Marketplace Morning Report prior to today's shareholder meeting to discuss.

JPMorgan Chase shareholders have voted to maintain Jamie Dimon's role as both CEO and chairman of the bank.

Nutella-maker Ferrero called for an end to the day celebrating the chocolate hazelnut treat, then backed off.

Stock markets are up in the U.S., but how many Americans actually stand to benefit?

'Spear phishing', a form of targeted hacking, is drawing a lot of attention. How can you protect yourself?

Before 9/11, many local TV broadcasters transmitted from the World Trade Center. Now, they are being wooed back, but there's competition from other skyscrapers.

The new Xbox merely has to catch up with the past eight years of digital devices.

Apple CEO Tim Cook tries to answer the $1.7 trillion question: How does the U.S. get corporations to repatriate their overseas profits?