Week of June 3rd, 2013

The economic downtown that followed Egypt's uprising continues to make difficult circumstances even worse for the country's poor.

As teenagers head out in search of summer jobs in a tough market, Youth Radio explores whether any job is a good job.

PRISM is no longer about rainbows any more. The government is listening, at least somewhat. We look at what we can do as consumers to pressure internet and telecommunications companies to fight back against government surveillance of personal  data. Plus, Grumpy Cat has taken the Internet by storm. So much so that the frowny kitty has a movie deal. We talk to the feline agent who represents Grumpy.

The headlines make it seem revolutionary, but it's not.

Does your home state prefer the companionship of canines or cats?

Retirement is on our minds. Is it on yours? It’s never too early to think about retirement, as we offer advice to some of our younger listeners about saving for their future. Also, new research from Pew shows that retirement accounts are making a comeback. Has yours fully recovered to pre-recession levels? And retiring doesn’t necessarily mean that your work life is over. Some retirees are getting a second-act… career. Plus, a chat with Wall Street analyst Meredith Whitney about an economic power shift in the U.S., a preview of the new movie “The Internship,” and a look at life in Jefferson County, Ala., which reached a deal this week to avoid bankruptcy.

Can consumers really do anything to force Internet and telecommunications companies to fight back against government tracking of personal data?

Chances are, Ben Lashes is the marketing brains behind your favorite viral feline.

The May jobs report showed increased hiring, but with a few caveats.

New revelations show the federal government’s spying program isn’t contained to just telecommunications giant Verizon.

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Alan Krueger, chairman of the president's council of economic advisers, discusses the latest jobs report and what it means for the recovery.

Jobs report is same old, same old, but consumer confidence is up. Qatar draws is foreign spending spree to a close. And is the government tracking text messages? Should they?

Not everyone can afford — or even wants — to retire these days. But there are ways to profit during semi-retirement.

Investment analyst and author Meredith Whitney says the new geography of American prosperity is changing.

President Obama is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping today in California. The leaders' first meeting will likely cover topics ranging from North Korea to cybersecurity and trade. Also on the docket? Getting to know each other.

The world's richest country has been splurging on international acquisitions. Now that it's landed the 2022 World Cup, the tiny Arab nation has started to focus more on spending at home.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the economy added 175,000 jobs last month, edging out analyst expectations. The unemployment rate ticked up to 7.6 percent.

Economists see an improvement in consumer confidence, partly driven by the stock market and rising home prices.

Microsoft worked with law enforcement this week to shutdown a massive network of computers being used by criminals called a botnet. What is a botnet? And could you be part of one?

It's never too soon to get your finances ready for a comfortable retirement. Personal finance expert Jill Schlesinger offers advice to listeners in a variety of career stages.

Government tracking of Verizon telephone records raises the question of just how valuable phone information really is. Would it be more useful to track text message records?

The National Security agency is tapping the servers of nine large U.S. tech companies, including Google, Apple, Yahoo, and Facebook, according to new reports.

Jefferson County, Ala., has reached a deal to get out of bankruptcy. But what does that mean for the county and its citizens?

Two world leaders — China President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama — beset by cyber-controversies, have a summit in the desert. The world’s richest country, Qatar, has been splurging on international acquisitions. Now that it’s landed the 2022 World Cup, the tiny Arab nation is starting to focus more on spending at home. And happy jobs day! The Labor Department will release its latest unemployment estimate this morning.

Surveillance of Americans by the National Security Agency and the FBI apparently goes beyond phone records. The Washington Post is reporting that these federal government agencies are also tapping the servers of nine large U.S. tech companies. And what the government learns from that data is being delivered to the president on an increasingly regular basis. It’s part of a large scale secret program called PRISM — the logo of which, incidentally, may look familiar.

The markets are faring well and hitting record highs. Does that mean retirement accounts have fully recovered?

A new comedy opens at the box office this weekend. It's called "The Internship," and its a hilarious take on starting over in the workforce.

For cattle rancher Ken Lenox, the higher price of beef at the store isn't leading to bigger profits.

The rumor bubbles on a Sodastream sale are going flat.

The Monterrey Bay Aquarium just released a new report on all the sea junk they've discovered over the past 22 years of underwater surveys.

Today we head to a graduation, but not just any graduation. It’s Oyler School’s graduation — the school we’ve been following for a year. In the news, Verizon is handing over telephone data, but for what? And how is the government going about finding its needles on the digital haystack? Plus, all of the junk in the ocean, documented. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has been doing so for 23 years. Our story is on the cost of the junk: what we paid to get it and what we’ll pay to get rid of it.

Expensive conferences are falling out of favor with federal agencies.

Stars in the NBA Finals means extra dollars in ABC's bank account. What's the price-tag for advertisers with LeBron in the Finals?

The NSA order for Verizon's customer data highlights how much the private sector knows about their customers, and the restrictions on how they use it.

Verizon is reportedly handing the National Security Agency data on every customer's calls. So how does the government go about finding needles on the digital haystack?

The new Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson movie, “The Internship” opens Friday, but one of the stars of the film isn't an actor, it's a propeller hat all new Google employees wear.

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Turkey has now joined the list of countries where questions about government, religion, and yes, social media have made for large scale protests.

When it comes to pleading the fifth, the digital age is making things complicated.

Breaking down 'Fed Dread.' And catching up on the scoop of the day: Government surveillance of phone records.

Who doesn't want their government to bring in new businesses? We take a look at the ups and downs of courting companies.

Uncertainty over the Federal Reserve's next move is throwing investors for a loop and unsettling markets. Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial, explains what the 'Fed Dread' is all about.

Overall layoffs have decreased since last year, but some industries in particular are cutting back.

The National Security Agency has reportedly been collecting phone records of not the few, but the many.

RealtyTrac has released its list of the top cities for fixer-upper houses. At the top of the list: Detroit and other Rust Belt cities.

A trade spat between China and the EU threatens the exports of solar panels and wine. As the IRS comes under fire for its expensive team building conferences, we take a look at how common these events are these days. And how far should states go to lure businesses?

Tens of thousands of people in Turkey are protesting against the government. Many are calling for the resignation of Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Meanwhile Erdogan is calling the likes of Facebook the worst menace threatening society. This week 25 people were arrested in Turkey for what police called spreading misinformation on Twitter. Because of this, downloads of software that help obscure the identity and activities of online users are skyrocketing.

Did the government of Tajikistan ban YouTube over an embarrassing karaoke performance?

A day after the EU Trade Commission placed anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panels, the Chinese government has launched an investigation into doing the same on EU wine exports to China.

Major League Baseball is reportedly on the verge of slapping long suspensions on some start players. How would that impact the finances of America's pastime?

The Susan B. Komen for the Cure breast cancer charity announced this morning that it is cancelling fundraising walks in seven cities in 2014. How much do they actually make from similar walks?

Team-building isn’t just for the IRS. How big is the workplace teambuilding business, and is it a scam or a smart way to create an engaged and productive workforce? In the private sector, the NHTSA asked for a recall on 2.7 million Jeeps. Chrysler Group said, “No.”  How much of a risk is that? Plus, we talk to the CEO of Whole Foods about plans to expand into Detroit.

A nondescript office building in Basel, Switzerland, houses one of the most powerful commercial banks in the world. But only central bankers are allowed to pass.

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Walter Robb, CEO of high-end grocer Whole Foods, talks to Marketplace about why his company is opening its latest store in the Midtown neighborhood of Detroit.

Just in time for interview season, a writer takes a look at one of the classic job interview questions.

Government regulators asked for a Jeep recall, but Chrysler said "No." Will negative public reaction outweigh the cost of an actual recall?

How does Oscar Meyer spell Father's Day? B-A-C-O-N

Trash and lipstick tell the story of the economy. What else?

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Can a fallen drug be resurrected? The housing market is up and so are home decor magazines. And rising interest rates are challenging the old adage that bonds and bond funds are always a safe bet.

Payroll processing company ADP reports 135,000 private sector jobs were added last month, falling below analyst expectations. Will the weak numbers cause the Federal Reserve to stick to stimulus?

The U.S. International Trade Commission has banned the import of some of Apple's older devices — the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 3G. Some experts argue courts are unlikely to uphold the ban.

Stocks are risky, but bonds are safe — or so goes the stereotype. But what about bond mutual funds?

Microsoft may be on the verge of a massive restructuring. The company has had an interesting year — neither Windows 8 nor the company's new Surface tablet have been home runs.

According to Reuters, Amazon is on the verge of bringing online grocery delivery to cities across the country.

Upscale grocer Whole Foods is opening a location in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood. The area is mostly poor, but many residents are excited to gain access to high-quality foods. Others aren't convinced that the store is catering to them.

The FDA is expected to take another look at controversial diabetes drug Avandia after researchers at Duke have concluded the drug doesn't increase the risk of cardiovascular death as previously reported.

Despite the crisis, there are still benefits of being a member of the eurozone club.

Shelter magazines are on the rebound as the housing industry bounces back. What other lateral signs are there out there?

Carry-on baggage could cost you up to $100 on Frontier Airlines. We check in with the company's CEO to get a handle on the new fee.

Here’s a story that sounds like a Steven Spielberg movie — and it is about a Steven Spielberg movie, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial. Atari created a video game based on the hit film, which is still called the worst video game ever. But here’s where it gets weird: Atari reportedly attempted to bury the game — literally — in the desert, in New Mexico. 30 years later, Canadian gaming company Fuel Entertainment is trying to find out if the stories are true, and if so, dig it up.

Latvia is set to become the newest member of the eurozone. But with all the region’s crises, why would a country still want to join? Last year, for the first time in a decade, Denver-based Frontier Airlines turned a profit — and it’s on track to do the same this year. We check in with the company’s CEO. And Ikea gets a new chairman.

A Canadian gaming company is trying to uncover the 30-year mystery of Atari's E.T. video game and its alleged desert disappearance.

It'll be President Obama's first visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he took power in March. China Correspondent Rob Schmitz breaks down what's working — and not working — between the world's two biggest economies.

In her new book, "Fate of the States," Meredith Whitney says the middle of the country will see the most economic opportunity.

Today marks the anniversary of the Chinese government's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.

Somehow, Jamie Dimon and company are winning in the story of a mess of sewer bonds.

Social media gaming company Zynga laid off around 500 employees, but recruiters are already on the prowl. What's the afterlife of a Zynga employee?

What does the ongoing IRS scandal mean for the IRS brand and what, if anything, can be done to shore it up?

That ad said what? Today, we look at the rise of swearing in advertisements, despite FCC fines. Why are those four-letter words worth it? Also, a profile of a patent troll. You may be surprised to hear that some of America’s biggest companies are part of the crowd. Plus, over 500 Zynga employees were let go yesterday as the mobile gaming company struggles. Don’t worry, recruiters are already on the prowl.

The two cities, long divided by a border fence, are now marketing themselves as a unified economic region.

He won a in Pulitzer in 1982, but didn't stop there. Chicago's legendary photojournalist John H. White reflects on the power of pictures days after he was laid off along with the Sun-Times' entire photo department.

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Rindfleischetikettierungsueberwachungsaufgabenuebertragungsgesetz. The longest German word is no more. Now that its gone, we teach you how to say it.

The White House accuses some patent-holders, known as 'patent trolls,' of abusive lawsuits.

Stock markets were up this morning, though data from a variety of sources indicate a only tepid economy. Juli Niemann, analyst with Smith Moore & Company, says it's precisely this bad news that is making the market rally.

Bad news is good news for the markets. Would-be first-time homebuyers delay their purchase. And New York introduces new rating systems for teachers.

Three luxury high-rise apartment towers are luring the ultra-wealthy to an area of Midtown Manhattan better known for offices and stores.

New York is going to start evaluating teachers in all subject fields, and test results will be part of their performance evaluations. This week, the teachers start getting trained in the new grading system.

Alaskans are worried that a cut to oil taxes could ruin the state budget. BP credits the tax break for spurring new investments in the North Slope oil field.