Week of December 23rd, 2013

I am a mid-twenties PhD student graduating this year with about $60,000 in a money market account and no debt. Since the money is making almost no interest, I am looking for ideas for ways to invest it or otherwise save it. However, because I have been a graduate student, I also have no retirement account yet. What is this best thing to do with these savings I have been accumulating? Although I will be graduating soon, I have a job for at least the following year, so my income should be steady and even increase from $25,000/year currently to around $50,000/year.

Blogger Joe Udo, author of the site RetireByForty.org shares a story of successfully keeping one of his major financial resolutions during a tumultuous year for his family.

This weekend on Marketplace Money, host Carmen Wong Ulrich revisits the year in news with a look at stories from 2013 that affected our wallets. Joining her is Marketplace’s David Gura, David Lazarus of the LA Times and NY Times reporter Tara Siegel Bernard. Plus, we help listeners prepare for the fast-approaching tax season with end-of-year planning tips and Marketplace reporter Stacey Vanek Smith explains why returning your unwanted holiday gifts may be harder this year. Also, blogger Joe Udo of the site RetireByForty.org gives us inspiration for keeping our new year’s financial goals by reflecting on a resolution he made at the start of 2013.

For 1.3 million unemployed Americans, long-term unemployment benefits expire this weekend.  The loss of that spending power may not make a big dent in the economy, but it could make one in local communities. Also, McDonald’s is shutting down McResource, a website that offers tips to employees — like using food stamps to supplement income, and avoiding unhealthy food like fast food burgers and fries.  Last year, Apple was mocked for its “Genius Training Manual.”  Do leaks like this change how companies communicate with, and train, staff in an age where internal materials can easily go viral? And finally, narrative storytelling is gaining popularity and the internet’s taking notice. Will long-form journalism save magazine writing?

The cable channel A&E announced this afternoon Phil Robertson and the whole "Duck Dynasty" gang are coming back.

Despite seemingly shrinking attention-spans, in-depth reporting is making a comeback.

I have four credit cards each with credit limit above $20,000. I use only one of these high-limit cards, along with one or two other credit cards with limits much much lower. My monthly statements are seldom above $400 to $500. My credit rating is above 800. Since I foresee no more need to have such high limit I am thinking of cancelling three of these high limit cards. Is this a good idea? Will this affect my credit rating? Any suggestions?

In which Paris Hilton is a world-class disc jockey.

Marketplace's Lizzie O'Leary and John Carney from CNBC say that the optimism to end this year could help kick-off 2014.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick says cabs without drivers may soon be taking people where they want to go.

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Sales of basketball shoes hit $3.7 billion dollars last year. A look back at two athletes' endorsement deals that changed the industry.

Shrimp prices have soared to a 12-year high since an outbreak of a deadly illness called Early Mortality Syndrome.

The taper pushes up the 10-year. California, Illinois, and Oregon are just three of the states changing their hands-free, cell phone driving rules next year. And, DirecTV has launched its own weather-related TV channel right next to the Weather Channel.

McDonald’s is shutting down McResource, a website that offers tips to employees.

For 1.3 million Americans, long-term federal unemployment benefits expire this weekend.

After being held in Russia for 100 days on charges of hooliganism, 30 Greenpeace activists are free to return to their home countries today

60 million coins, 300 hours and $3.58. Know what those numbers mean? Must be another Silicon Tally!

Twitter's IPO was one of the biggest tech events of 2013. What's in store for 2014?

DirecTV has launched its own weather-related TV channel right next to the Weather Channel.

When an athlete’s profile rises, so does the potential for social media miscues.

California, Illinois, and Oregon are just three of the states changing their hands-free, cell phone driving rules next year.

Twitter’s stock closed yesterday at a level that’s almost triple its IPO price. Twitter’s IPO was one of the biggest tech events of the year, and tt’s been a very hot 12 months for tech all around. We look at what’s on deck for tech in 2014. The 2013 NFL season wraps up this weekend with several teams still in the hunt for a playoff spot. Social media has become a big part of the game for athletes. But there are pitfalls. When a player’s profile rises, so does the potential for miscues. But one rising NFL star is turning his social media habit into a business platform.  

As our regular listeners know, New York is where Marketplace Tech lives. And while the evidence that NYC is a legitimate challenger to Silicon Valley isn’t hard to find, any conversation about a home grown technology industry must still include that comparison. And senior editor of Quartz Zach Seward joins us to play Silicon Tally.

Our journey through the economics of elements checks out mercury.

We're joined by three journalists to talk about some of the biggest news stories of 2013 that affected our wallets.

Certified financial planner Barry Glassman joins host Carmen Wong Ulrich to talk about getting prepared for tax season with tips for planning.

It's been a busy year in the hog market and pork prices are way up.

Robinhood, a new app for smartphones, says its service is about letting everyone fully share in the fruits of capitalism — which means free stock trades.

In which one can start to feel sorry for delivery companies in this day and age.

After a dismal experience in 2012, Shell took this year off from trying to drill in the Arctic Ocean. But drilling will come.

Southwest is hiring hundreds of flight attendants and thousands have applied for the jobs.

That dramatic increase in deliveries this time of year means an increase in the trash from all the packaging.

The UPS delivery debacle raises a lot of questions: People will forgive companies a lot of things, but not screwing up their Christmas.

The UPS delivery debacle raises a lot of questions: People will forgive companies a lot of things, but not screwing up their Christmas. So, how big a scar will this be for UPS (and to a lesser extent FedEx); and do we have the infrastructure to actually handle the shift to online shopping at peak times? Next, that dramatic increase in deliveries this time of year has meant an equal increase in the trash from all the packaging it takes to get goods from Amazon and others to consumers. Finally, Southwest is hiring hundreds of flight attendants (thousands have applied for the jobs) and other airlines are putting up the ‘Help Wanted’ signs too, after a long period of cuts.

Men start up about 97 percent of the tech companies in Silicon Valley.

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Industrial robots are replacing factory workers on the assembly line. Will minimum-wage retail jobs be next?

UPS says the volume of packages exceeded its capacity and many customers didn't receive their deliveries on time. This month marks the third anniversary of the Arab Spring. And, as drivers increasingly take them off the putting green, sales of golf carts are expected to grow to $682 million this year.

Big telecom is following in the footsteps of some tech giants.

Corruption in Mexico was one of the focal points of President Enrique Peña Nieto's election campaign. But Transparency International hasn't given Mexico very high marks

Japan's Nikkei stock index closed about 16,000 for the first time since 2007.

This month marks the third anniversary of the Arab Spring.

As drivers increasingly take them off the putting green, sales of golf carts are expected to grow to $682 million this year.

Americans traditionally head to the mall on the day after Christmas for returns and discounts.

Japan’s stock market is on a tear, with the Nikkei closing above 16,000 for the first time since 2007. The news comes after the Bank of Japan’s campaign of monetary easing, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s aggressive attempts to revive the Japanese economy. Corruption in Mexico was one of the focal points of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s election campaign. But Transparency International hasn’t given Mexico very high marks.  

By now, the tech world is familiar with transparency reports from companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook. The reports detail a number of metrics, like how many law enforcement requests have come in for email data. The takeaway from Google this year was that government snooping is way up. Now, just before 2013 draws to a close, the world is getting a new set of reports from older tech companies like Verizon and AT&T. 

Some UPS customers are unhappy that their deliveries still haven't arrived.

When Christmas falls on a Wednesday–as it does about every seven years–it can be complicated for employees and employers, and difficult for retailers.

Marketplace host David Gura talks to author Christopher Reich about his novel Prince of Risk.

While the possibility of immigration reform raises hope for undocumented immigrants, it has also created a business for scammers who tell clients they can help them get green cards, when they really can’t.

Happy Holidays! Chances are you or someone you know bought something online this year. And, it makes sense, since you can buy everything from electronics to groceries with the click of a button. Many online retailers have policies that make it inexpensive to return what you don’t like, but online buying returns are becoming so frequent, they’re starting to eat into profits. There’s another group of holiday spenders who aren’t watching their pennies quite so closely. A look at how the other half spends Christmas Immigration reform has been in the news a lot this year, and unfortunately, that creates an opening for scam artists. They’ll tell immigrants they can help them get green cards, even when they aren’t eligible under current law. Many Syrians are leaving the war-torn country for Germany, but what’s it like to start a new life in one  of the wealthiest countries in Europe?  

Companies who want to make sure their products are in the right place at the right time to capitalize off of flu season are turning to social media. And, there’s a benefit to charitable giving beyond the warm and fuzzy holiday spirit — such donations can shave a bit off the year’s tax bill.

Alan Turing, the father of computer science, was persecuted for being gay. This week, the British government finally pardoned him.

Author Kevin Kelly on his book, "Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities."

There’s a benefit to charitable giving beyond the warm and fuzzy holiday spirit — such donations can shave a bit off the year’s tax bill.

Mansion owners can spend five figures on Christmas decorations and gifts, without asking, "How much?"

Companies who want to make sure their products are in the right place at the right time to capitalize off of flu season are turning to social media.

An automaker is gambling with major changes to its biggest moneymaker. Bloomberg reports next month, Ford will unveil an F-150 pickup made of aluminum, not steel. A look into the darker side of the numbers opens in theaters today. Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” tells the story of a sleazy, drug-loving broker played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Wall Street greed fuels many Hollywood plot lines. Marketplace’s Mitchell Hartman checks in with some real Wall Street pros to get their take. And, college enrollment is dropping, which makes the already fierce competition for students even tougher. Some schools are trying to reel them in with eye-popping dorms. Marketplace takes you inside a luxury dorm at the University of Kentucky.

The idea of turning a blog into a book is nothing new, but Kevin Kelly, author and former editor of Wired magazine, has gone all out for his new book, Cool Tools. It’s based on the idea of an old catalog, called the Whole Earth Catalog. It’s big, colorful, and it features scannable QR codes attached to many of the nearly 1500 descriptive entries so that you can buy an object you like with a click of the smartphone.

Ford will unveil an F-150 pickup truck made with military-grade aluminum.

Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street' opens today and financial folks won't shy away.

Forget cinder block walls and communal bathrooms, today's student housing features granite countertops, high-end mattresses, and high-tech laundry.

Many stores were open continuously for several days leading up to Christmas.

Toys R Us is staying open for 87 straight hours for last minute shoppers. Also, do people with birthdays on Christmas really get fewer presents? Marketplace’s Adriene Hill went in search of the answer. Plus, it’s been a monster year for companies going public, and that means this holiday season the newly-rich employees of those companies will have to manage their friends and families gift expectations. Finally, Ukraine, one of Europe’s biggest countries, has been courted by east and west – the European Union offered Ukraine an historic free trade deal,  Russia wants Kiev to join ITS economic bloc. 

Things can get a little awkward this time of year for the newly-rich, as certain friends and family members raise their holiday gift expectations.

Regulators said first-class postage stamp prices will increase $0.03 next year.

Are moviegoers ready to laugh with Wall Street five years after the recession?

Instead of a rousing surprise party, and everyone singing for you … you get your neighbors' earnest caroling.

This past weekend, somewhere near 100,000 demonstrators took to the streets of the capital city, Kiev.

Long-term unemployment has not been this high for this long since World War II. And, Netflix comes out with its first original kids' program.

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Applications for home mortgages in the U.S. have dropped to a record low since the Federal Reserve announced its plans to slow its bond-buying program.

Global retailers, labor groups, and the Bangladeshi government have set aside $40 million for victims of the Rana Plaza collapse.

The wine accessory business is flourishing in the U.S. More Americans are drinking wine, especially at home.

Long-term unemployment has not been this high for this long since World War II.

Families of victims of the fire, and survivors, could receive an average of $25,000 from a new compensation fund. How far does that go in Bangladesh?

Cranberry farmers, facing an oversupply, have a plan to create a new market.

Netflix comes out with its first original kids' program.

The latest revelation about government surveillance is that the National Security Agency had a partner in building weakness into security standards: a firm that is supposed to be strengthening them.

There are reports this morning that a deal is close to compensate the victims of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, which killed more than 1,100 garment industry workers last April. Some companies that made clothes there are in talks with the government and labor groups to create a fund to pay victims and their relatives. The New York Times says the settlement could be as much as $40 million. If you’re one of those people who still strings cranberries together to decorate a Christmas tree, you’re in luck. There’s a cranberry surplus. And, wine lovers have something to look forward tonight — Christmas stockings stuffed with aerators, vacuum pumps, and fancy corkscrews.  Wine gadgets are now a multi-million dollar industry. But do any of them actually work?

One of the most respected cyber security firms in the business, RSA, has reportedly accepted money from the National Security Agency to push a flawed security product. This is connected to earlier revelations about the NSA building back doors into encryption to help its surveillance programs. Plus, Netflix’s programming for kids. And, news of a little app that might be helpful to parents by providing video proof, sort of, that Santa was here.

Why have we gone 19 years without a new classic Christmas song?

What does the fast food giant have to say about healthy eating?

Ever since Apple released the iPhone six years ago, it’s been trying to gain access to largest pool of telephone subscribers on the planet. -That would belong to China Mobile, which has 760 million customers. Christmas has arrived early for Apple. The two companies finally reached a deal to sell iPhones to this untapped market.

Last night, Apple and China Mobile signed a long-awaited deal to sell iPhones to this pool of nearly a billion new customers.

The credit card magnetic strip remains prevalent in the U.S, when other countries have moved onto more secure credit and debit cards.

It’s D-day for millions of uninsured who want to get their policies in motion by Jan. 1.

Apple and China Mobile announce a deal that could potentially put the iPhone into the hands of 700 million new Chinese customers. Next, we all know about the big Target hack that compromised the debit cards of millions of Target’s shoppers. What made the company and  makes so many American companies vulnerable to this kind of attack:  the magnetic strip. Why are we still using it when so many other countries have moved onto more secure credit and debit cards? Finally, it’s D-day for millions of uninsured who want to get their policies in motion by Jan. 1.

Marketplace invites you to the party of the year.

There are a lot of Americans working during the holidays. Not all of them do it because they have to.

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Apple and China Mobile, the world's largest cell phone carrier, have stuck a deal that will allow the tech giant to sell iPhones to some 760 million people.

Who are the people who waited until the last minute to sign up for health insurance? Happy 100th birthday, Federal Reserve. And, holiday retail hiring is strong this year, but the vast majority of those jobs will disappear in the New Year.