Week of July 29th, 2013

There is no exact science to figuring a movie's cache of "bomb" versus "bling" in the eyes of theatergoers.

From learning the lingo to paying on time, we've got some guidelines for avoiding common credit card pitfalls.

Advice on how to take advantage of credit card offers without letting credit companies take advantage of you.

Texas and other states face shortages of drugs used in execution. But that demand isn't yielding a new supply.

Once upon a time a little low-budget movie about a tornado and sharks taking over Los Angeles became a hit on Twitter, and grew up to head to a movie theater near you.

Wrapping up the week's news of Fabrice Tourre's securities fraud verdict, the July jobs report and who might take over the Federal Reserve next.

With more American college students heading to China for their summer internships, they're learning that just because it's the world's second largest economy doesn't mean that it's the most developed one. How one group of students got stuck working at a Chinese amusement park.

The economy added 162,000 jobs in July while GDP in the second quarter grew at a 1.7% annual rate. So, what's the relationship between jobs and growth?

From credit cards to credit scores, personal finance expert Louis Barajas answers your questions about getting in and out of debt.

The handheld, sandwich-like pastry is relaunching with healthier, higher-quality ingredients to appeal to millennials.

With the latest jobs report out, a look at how jobs and growth are linked. Three of the world’s biggest oil companies reported smaller quarterly earnings compared to a year ago. What’s going on with the oil industry? Texas is running low on pentobarbital, the state execution drug. Why is it having trouble getting more? Also, a record number of U.S.  students are heading to China to do their summer internships. Not all of ’em work out, though. Plus, “Sharknado” director Anthony Ferrante discusses the phenomenon of his movie. And Hot Pockets is revamping to appeal to foodies. Will the makeover work?

A secured credit card could be the answer to helping transform a weak credit score and history.

For the last three weeks, we’ve gone back to the basics…understanding concepts like banking, savings and investing.  Today, we wrap up our series  with a look at one of the most important money relationships you have.  It takes maintenance, self awareness, and self control.  It’s your life with credit and debt.   How do you build or rebuild a credit history?  How many cards should you have?  And what’s the best card for you?  This week, a guide to credit and debt. 

The SEC has six pending cases against 18 executives accused of misconduct before or during the financial crisis.

The latest jobs numbers are a disappointment. And in Camden, NJ, one small doctor's office tries to make a big gain in holding down costs by moving closer to the sickest seniors.

48-year-old Lisa Darcey has a lot of experience doing the part-time shuffle. Unable to find a full-time position, Darcey works two part-time jobs and is trying to add a third to the mix.

Listeners tell us about their first credit cards.

Unemployment claims are down; economic growth is up, as are car sales and stock prices. But the question remains, will all that add up to more jobs?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the economy added 162,000 jobs last month, falling below analyst expectations. The unemployment rate fell to 7.4 percent.

The controversy over the National Security Agency grabbing our personal data, with the asssistance of Silicon Valley, could make it tough for tech to do business.

Motorola says what makes the phone different is so-called contextual computing, a tech buzz phrase which means the phone can tell when its in your hand versus in your car.

In Camden, NJ, one small doctor's office tries to make a big gain in holding down costs by moving closer to the sickest seniors.

The phone-hacking scandal in Britain may extend far beyond the news media to hundreds of other companies.

But it's tradition here at Marketplace!

Remember the phone hacking by tabloids in Britain: Are other big corporations up to similar things? The latest monthly jobs numbers for July. And in Camden, NJ, one small doctor’s office tries to make a big gain in holding down costs by moving closer to the sickest seniors.

The Edward Snowden affair has shined a spotlight on the relationship between Silicon Valley and the federal government. For decades that relationship has been beneficial to both parties, leading to innovation in both the public and private sectors. But these days, things are getting pretty complicated. And activist investor Carl Icahn has sued Dell and its board to force a shareholder vote by today. Icahn wants that vote to fail.

From Massachusetts to Alabama, sales tax on everything from socks to laptops will be waived. But not every state wants to leave those tax dollars on the table.

A guide to personal finance basics, including tips on savings, strategies on investing, and more.

As the Affordable Care Act unfolds, we zero in on one city to cover the real-life impact of health care reform.

The American Dream is moving away from suburbia. Why?

Major League Baseball is weighing a life-long ban for New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez over using performance-enhancing drugs. What might that mean for baseball's future?

The Postal Service has launched a discount program for marketers who want to send out little samples of things, like detergent and toothpaste. Will it help spur more business?

Manufacturing activity grew last month to its highest level in two years. But is it producing jobs you can raise a family on?

A former Goldman Sachs trader known as “Fabulous Fab” has been found liable in a massive mortgage fraud case.  A look at this historic win for U.S. financial regulators. U.S. manufacturing jobs have risen to their highest level in two years. But do they pay enough for a decent living? Also, the Affordable Care Act has the potential to reshape not just how we live our lives, but also a huge piece of the American economy. We tell the story of reform from Camden, N.J. And stories on a Postal Service program offering discounts on samples, the MLB considering a lifelong ban for Alex Rodriguez, and why Fortune’s Leigh Gallagher says the American Dream is moving out of the suburbs.

Remember these five tips on credit and debt from today's Marketplace Money.

What does your credit score say about what kind of consumer you are?

One farm lets customers build their own credit through the honor system.

The long history of Silicon Valley and the government. And hows the jobs market doing?

The Center for Public Integrity took at look at a handful of senior people at the now defunct investment bank Bear Stearns and found they are now very gainfully employed elsewhere in the financial services industry.

Revelations that the government is collecting vast amounts of our personal data from companies like Facebook and Google, is raising questions about the relationship between the feds and the tech industry.

A joint special project from The Atlantic and Marketplace looking at how the global economy is reshaping small town America.

A judge has ruled the fees banks have been charging retailers for each and every debit-card transaction are too high.

When it comes to helping homeowners struggling with mortgages, is President Obama taking a page out of Mitt Romney's playbook?

From using common sense to minding your p's and q's, eight tips for how to survive in the social media space as well as the workplace.

Newly revealed documents suggest deeper and more widespread NSA surveillance of emails and chat messages. And Oakland, California approves a plan for a new local surveillance center.

What do you do when a family member has their face buried in a gadget during vacation?

Apple and Samsung have been locked in a series of bitter patent disputes. A ruling on one of those battles is expected from the U.S. International Trade Commission today.

Latvians are saying not to boycott Stolichnaya Vodka over Russian gay rights abuses…because Stolichnaya is actually made in their country.

Sony turns a profit thanks to a weaker yen. When it comes to helping homeowners struggling with mortgages, is President Obama taking a page out of Mitt Romney’s playbook? And the state of tipping in 2013.

The U.S. International Trade Commission gets ready to hand down a big decision in the patent war between Apple and Samsung. It’s about tablets and whether Samsung copied Apple’s iPad. And July and August are two of the biggest travel months of the year, with a lot of families spending quality time together. So what do you do when someone has their face buried in a gadget the whole time?

A New York food truck worker who tweeted about a big company not leaving a tip on a big order lost his job over the tweet.

Book picks for your summer reading list.

The Oprah Winfrey Network turned a profit this quarter thanks to two Tyler Perry shows.

The welcome "letter" every intern should read.

The housing industry is rebounding. But will the many construction workers who lost their jobs in the downturn come back?

Southern farmers have largely turned away from planting cotton, because grain crops are more profitable.

A new study finds that America's higher education system perpetuates white advantages.

The political battle over who will succeed Ben Bernanke is heating up — and it could be the most important economic policy decision made this year.

The U.S. economy expanded 1.7 percent in the spring months — but does that mean the recovery is out of the woods?

It should be easy to figure out if the government makes money off of student loans. But it's not.

The political battle over who will become the new chairman of the Federal Reserve has intensified. A look at the dirty tricks, whisper campaigns and crass politicking taking place.  Plus, today’s GPD report shows the economy grew faster than expected. But you should still be scared. What else is scary? Student loan debt. How much does the government really make off that debt? And a new study looks at education inequity. Also, stories on housing workers, why Oprah has a reason to smile, and the state of the cotton industry.

Are tips drying up as Americans trade paper for plastic?

If police want to track your movements using old calls you made on your cellphone, they can get the information from your cellphone company without a warrant.

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The smartphone killed the camera. Is the GPS unit next? Senator Angus King of Maine tells us why wants to make banking boring again. And the latest GDP numbers.

Susan Crawford, who argues high costs are to blame to lack of high-speed Internet, is getting some very fishy-looking reviews on her latest book.

A court ruling is blocking researchers from presenting a tech problem that could lead to car thefts.

The government changes the way it calculates the country's economic growth.

Garmin and other GPS companies are struggling to sell consumer GPS units in an iPhone world.

The social network is getting half of television viewers between 18 and 24 years old during the primetime hours.

Senator Angus King of Maine explains why he supports reintroducing Glass-Steagall and shares his thoughts on the rising costs of higher education.

Should U.S. GDP count ‘The Bachelorette’? The latest GDP estimate is out today and it’s getting a major overhaul. Senator Angus King of Maine tells us why he wants to make banking boring again. A new Ford F-150 is being made to run on natural gas. And why it’s important to remember the names of the people you work with.

Don't worry guys, the Internet has no memory, unless there's a kitten involved or something.

The debate about high speed Internet access and service grows more heated all the time. Susan Crawford, fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, argues big companies are over-charging and under-serving us, and that it’s up to the government to step in and regulate a better way. She’s even got a book on the topic. The reviews of that book on Amazon.com offered a new and strange chapter in the debate this week. And Dutch and English researchers found that Hondas, Volkswagons and Fiats have a technical problem that could lead to easy car thefts. But thanks to a court ruling in England, their research may never be presented to the public.  

Any advice on how to find out whether my interest rate is normal and what I can do to get it lowered?

In the latest in a series about jobs people have that other people hate, a bankruptcy lawyer explains what brings people into his office.

What it's like to live in an advertiser's world of the target-market female, aged 25 to 45 years old.

Some humble advice from a 20-something to 30-year-olds out there.

President Obama has proposed a new plan for jobs and tax reform. Republicans have already expressed their unhappiness with the plan. How do business feel? Plus, the television network CBS was blacked-out for a moment for some Time Warner Cable subscribers last night as the network and cable provider continue their battle over carriage fees. Finally, an Oregon woman has turned the table on the credit rating agencies. A federal jury ordered Equifax to pay her $18.6 million for her two-year fight to correct her credit score.  

Assisted-living facilities have been billed as the better alternative to nursing homes for many elderly. But with little regulation, many patients are ending up hurt, or worse.

Twinkie bakers follow in the footsteps of foundry workers, baggage handlers, and others, as restructured companies hire employees back at lower wages.

Proposed cut in corporate tax rate could cost multinationals more, domestic companies less.

CBS was blacked-out for a moment on the TVs of some Time Warner Cable subscribers as the network and cable provider continue their battle over carriage fees.

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Are Apple's critics accurate? New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg advocates for stairs. And what to expect from this week's GDP revision.

The homeownership rate has now fallen to 65 percent from a high of 69 percent in the mid-2000s.

Closely-watched Case Shiller index shows further jump in home prices in most markets.

In his persistent campaign to make New Yorkers healthier, Mayor Bloomberg wants people to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

The company's $20 billion Gulf oil spill compensation fund is almost empty — and there could be many more claims in the pipeline.

As the web of Internet-connected devices expands, so do the security risks.

The company's long-awaited hybrid has some scratching their heads.

The Urban Institute looks to make counting homeless youth more effective.

An economic snapshot of Chattanooga, Tenn., reveals why President Obama is speaking there.

A brand new Amazon Kindle Single e-book featuring none other than the president.

France's best dad? Laurent Aigon, a waiter in France, has built a giant 737 simulator, complete with the airplane's full cockpit, in his son's bedroom.

The well is running dry at BP — the money well. A new report on Apple’s supply chain is raising questions about the accuracy of Apple’s critics. The housing boom and bust from a realtor’s point of view. And does the cronut need a patent?

You may have seen TV ads talking about the Internet of everything — a network of smart devices, from your car to your kitchen, that you can easily control or even program. Turn down the AC at home from your desk at work, for instance. But as the web of Internet-connected devices expands, so do the security risks.