Week of January 20th, 2014

When rural families leave to search for better jobs, schools scramble to make cuts — and may even shut down.

Casino buses are only loosely regulated by the federal government, despite a spate of recent crashes

This weekend on Marketplace Money, host Carmen Wong Ulrich provides a crash course on credit with a look at consumer spending, credit reporting and more. Credit expert John Ulzheimer talks about how your credit score may be affected by your use of social media. Plus, relationship coach Andrea Syrtash discusses the etiquette of bringing up money in dating, and when it’s appropriate to ask your love interest to divulge their credit score. Also, personal finance journalist Liz Weston helps answer listeners’ questions about getting into debt by using plastic and we explore the costs of living off the credit grid.

We know that credit goes way beyond the plastic in our wallets — from how much debt we carry to paying it off on time. Now, some credit agencies are looking into using our social media information in our credit reports.

Too much information about body hair

Personal finance columnist Liz Weston joins the show to answer credit questions from our listeners. When should you get a credit card? When is too early to sign up for a credit monitoring program? How do you rebuild credit after a bankruptcy?

Technology is so integrated with all industries these days that tech companies can locate almost anywhere. New Orleans is pushing its advantages.

What awaits Ben Bernanke? A look at his predecessors

Advertisers are ginning up attention for their spots with teasers long before the big game.

What you see on menus might not be all the restaurant has to offer

He's getting one.

Can you afford to say au revoir to your credit card?

It can be stressful to patch together a living from several jobs.

Emerging markets are in turmoil today, but none more so than Argentina. The country’s currency dropped 11 percent against the dollar yesterday, and the country’s economic situation is now so dire that some experts are predicting 30 percent inflation this year alone. Plus, as the Obama considers how to regulate the new legal marijuana business, they are encouraging them to put their money into banks. We ask: If marijuana money isn’t in banks now, where is it? And finally, the FDA is getting ready to overhaul nutrition labels for the first time in 20 years. How does what’s on that little box of numbers drive what food companies make — and what we eat?

The Obama administration is considering regulations that will encourage banks to take legal marijuana business money. What are those businesses doing now, if they can’t deposit into banks?

And that might change the food itself

It's not really a shock that Argentina is in such a perilous state. What's surprising is it too this long for things to go wrong.

Do the non-rich feel comfortable telling people how much money they have?

Last year 28 million people watched the Grammys on TV. But more and more, some of the action and the ads will be happening on the so-called second screen.

A (very scientific) taste test at Marketplace

Qualcomm has bought close to 2,000 patents from Hewlett Packard.

Banks are reluctant — or, in most cases unwilling, — to do business with the marijuana industry. Railroads are shipping less coal, while they're sending packed supply trains to the oil fracking fields of North Dakota. And, less than five months before Brazil's World Cup kicks off, 6 out of 12 venues are still unfinished.

A few items that still require cash to purchase.

The value of the peso had plummeted before stabilizing this morning.

Less than five months before Brazil's World Cup kicks off, 6 out of 12 venues are still unfinished.

Banks are reluctant — in most cases unwilling — to do business with the marijuana industry.

Railroads are shipping less coal, while they're sending packed supply trains to the oil fracking fields of North Dakota.

Even if you never had a Mac, the innovations in computing it introduced 30 years ago have changed your digital experience

How closely have you been following this week's tech news? Take the quiz and put your knowledge to the test.

It’s been a dizzying 24 hours in Argentina. The South American country’s economy currency plummeted 19 percent versus the U.S. It seems to be stabilized this morning at 7.9, down more than 8 percent from a day ago. Few in Argentina will forget the turbulence a little over a decade ago, with the currency swings that came Argentina defaulted on its debts. And at this Sunday’s Grammy Awards, the rich stars can handle the expensive gown and the cost of the glamour squad for hair, make up, limo. But for what you might call an “emerging” artist, there’s added stress of finding the cash to keep up with the established music elite. 

Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of Apple’s Macintosh computer. Plus, today’s game of Silicon Tally is set to level expert. And by that we mean that today’s guest, who host Ben Johnson will try and stump with numbers from the week’s tech news, is Kara Swisher, formerly of All Things D, currently co-executive editor with Walt Mossberg of the new tech news and reviews website Re/Code.

Guess right and you could win a lot of money.

It's just you.

BBC's Ukraine correspondent David Stern says the violence in Kiev ebbs and flows, but the economy continues to stagnate

A new study finds economic mobility for Americans hasn't changed much in the last 20 years.

Some rich folks keep their wealth to themselves – for a number of reasons.

More like payday loan to payday loan.

Does the government live paycheck to paycheck? Actually, it’s worse — payday loan to loan. Next, a monetary flow of another, more reliable sort: The fundraising race for the 2016 presidential election kicked off in earnest today when the largest liberal super PAC – Priorities USA Action – announced that it has already  begun raising money for a presidential run by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She hasn’t even declared yet! Finally, Detroit wants immigrants to help turnaround their faltering economy.  Other cities have used attracting immigrants as a growth strategy: Has it worked?

Under the ACA, folks in rural towns seem to have the fewest healthcare choices. And they cost more to boot.

But employment-based visas aren't divvied up geographically.

Carl Icahn wants eBay to spin off PayPal, separating the online auction site from the digital payment service. And, researchers say that African-Americans who rent out comparable apartments in similar neighborhoods charge less for their listings than white hosts do.

San Francisco protesters are targeting a Google engineer in the latest clash between city residents and tech workers.

A mathematician has written a new book that tells you the secret of OKCupid's algorithms.

Carl Icahn wants eBay to spin off PayPal, separating the online auction site from the digital payment service. eBay’s CEO wants to hang onto PayPal.

In Michoacan, Mexico, vigilante groups are fighting back against drug cartels.

Under the Affordable Care Act, many states have made it easier to get Medicaid, a move that will affect cities, experts say.

And you thought talking about the pre-nup was awkward… try bringing up a credit score on a date.

The company could be moving to the New York Stock Exchange.

The carriers are taking their merger step by step, including the move for each to sell tickets on some flights operated by the other airline.

Right now, the place to buy stock in Fiat-Chrysler is in Milan, Italy. But Bloomberg is reporting that Fiat’s boss is about to ask his board to move its primary stock business to the New York Stock Exchange. American Airlines and US Airways are taking another step towards merging into a single airline. Each will sell tickets on certain flights operated by the other carrier starting today. It’s a practice called codesharing, which makes your partner’s flights look like your own. And, over the last few days, people in Michoacan, in southwestern Mexico, took matters into their own hands and pushed out members of a powerful drug cartel from their community.

Online dating websites use all kinds of technology and calculations to help you find a mate. It could be as simple as giving a thumbs up or thumbs down to a photo, or as complicated as a long list of questions asked, points scored, and intense mathematical algorithms that play digital matchmaker. Mathematician Chris McKinlay was working on his doctorate and his love life at the same time, and found that he was unsatisfied with the calculations made. So he hacked an answer and in the process wrote “Optimal Cupid: Mastering the Hidden Logic of OkCupid.” 

Seventy-five percent of Chinese Internet traffic took a day trip to Cheyenne, Wyo.

Wal-Mart’s been in hot water lately with the National Labor Relations Board. But Wal-Mart’s labor problems don’t stop there. Wal-Mart employees in China are filing lawsuits against the company for similar problems.

Grantland's Wesley Morris says studio execs looking to buy flicks are expecting more these days

Could the social media outrage over Lena Dunhams' retouched Vogue photo-shoot spark the end of Photoshop?

Expedia's travel website has been sent to the back of the line in Google's search results.

Non-fiction author Mary Roach talks about learning about money by example from her parents.

Sears is closing its store in downtown Chicago. We take this occasion to consider what Sears was to consumers in the late 1800s: Amazon.

The fifth anniversary of the markets’ bull run will soon be upon us. On the principle that “all good things come to an end,” is it time to expect a correction? Later: Sears is closing its store in downtown Chicago, and we take this occasion to consider what Sears and its competitor, Montgomery Ward, were to consumers in the late 1800s: Amazon. And finally: Butterfinger’s newest peanut butter-stuffed candy looks – or rather, tastes – familiar. Why would they try to challenge the icon of their industry? We break down this “better” Reese’s.

Why on earth would Butterfinger bring out a new product that takes on Reese's?

The World Economic Forum kicks off today in the Alpine town of Davos, Switzerland. 95 percent of people who enroll in massive open online courses, or MOOCs, drop out. And, a recent study shows one in 10 job applicants have been rejected because something turned up in their credit history.

College courses with a 95 percent dropout rate would trigger alarm bells at most universities, but researchers at Harvard University and MIT says that’s potentially fine, at least in the case of some massive open online courses, or MOOCs.

Netflix announces earnings today, and expectations are high.

A recent study shows one in 10 job applicants have been rejected because something turned up in their credit history.

A group of colleges and universities have launched a campaign on behalf of the liberal arts and the earnings potential of people who major in them.

An exhibition of work by the jeweler JAR at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has one art critic asking if our culture is too dominated by the 0.1 percent.

The World Economic Forum, the winter gathering of the powerful, kicks off today in the Alpine town of Davos, Switzerland.

The World Economic Forum, the winter gathering of the powerful kicks off today in the Alpine town of Davos, Switzerland. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will give the keynote address later today. And, Marketplace Morning Report checks inwith critic Blake Gopnik about intersections between art and the marketplace. And something shiny on display in New York has caught his attention. 

Video streaming company Netflix announces earnings today. The expectations are high among investors. But the company has challenges, like growing the brand abroad. We assess the Netlfix State of the Union. Verizon is buying a live TV and video streaming service a week after a controversial court ruling. And, a look at cloud computing for robots.

Carbon is the ultimate bonder but in some forms, it can be dangerous. Carbon Monoxide can poison you. Carbon Dioxide is blamed by some for global warming.

One commentator ends her love affair with professional football

Think tanks are influential organizations that lure big names. What do those big names lend them in return?

Europeans have been using fraud resistant cards for years

American thirst for oil rises faster than expected, as the nation recovers from recession and chemical makers seize on less expensive domestic supplies.

With mass credit card hacks in the news (looking at you, Target and Nieman Marcus), we take a look at who picks up the tab for fraud. Who’s got a financial interest in credit card safety? Later, oil consumption in the U.S. grew more than in China last year, though thirst remains high in both countries. Finally, as departing Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke weighs where to rest his hat, we look at a likely option: think tanks.

The World Economic Forum opens tomorrow in Davos, Switzerland. The big-name event draws reverent commentary– and "a lot of bloviating"

Try meditating with Goldie Hawn.

The Ukrainian government may be using mobile phone location data to intimidate protesters during ongoing civil unrest.

A new IEA report out Tuesday says global oil demand will rise by 1.3 million barrels per day this year. The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum kicks off this week, in Davos. One of the items on the agenda is inequality. And, the JOBS Act will promote equity investing through crowdfunding.

A new International Energy Agency report out Tuesday says global oil demand will rise by 1.3 million barrels per day this year.

Powerful computers can make hundreds of thousands of trades in milliseconds, making big money off tiny stock price differences. But is it bad for our financial system?

There's a hidden cost to buying goods manufactured in China — pollution in western North America.

Action thriller 'Dhoom 3' has made more than $8 million at the U.S. box office, and it's in Hindi.

Buy a $5 Canadian bill — it's polymer base makes it fun to torture and almost impossible to destroy.

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum kicks off this week, in Davos, Switzerland. This year, one of the items on the agenda is inequality.

The JOBS Act will promote equity investing through crowdfunding. A Washington, D.C. real estate firm has already been trying it out.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says some of that bad air people breath in the American West is imported from China. A lot of the imported pollution has been specifically identified as coming from factories in eastern China that make goods purchased by Americans, which is raising fascinating questions about who is really to blame for the bad air. The annual meeting of The World Economic Forum kicks off tomorrow in Davos, Switzerland. This year, one of the big items on the agenda is inequality. And, around two dozen countries have made the move from paper bills to plastic. But in the U.S., we take our time before messing with our money. 

We continue our Wall Street technology series with a look at high-frequency trading, where powerful computers can make hundreds of thousands of trades in milliseconds, making big money off tiny stock price differences. And password management company SplashData is out with its annual survey of the most common passwords. For the first time, a new terrible password is on top. The most common password is “123456,” beating out the reigning champion, which is just “password.” Either one is a fine invitation to get hacked.

Have $2500 to spare? Might we suggest sitting on the last row at the Super Bowl?

Most people would be happy to get rid of rat problems, but that can lead to effects on other wildlife, too.

Our health reporter Dan Gorenstein looks at why it matters.

Coal may be synonymous with pollution but as coal historian Barbara Freese found, that wasn’t always the case.

Malaysia’s southern state of Johor is starting their weekends a day early; what this could mean for foreign investment.

What happens when some major global markets close for a holiday and others remain open?

How businesses observe Martin Luther King Day has changed over time.