Week of March 17th, 2014

To tip or not to tip? Starbucks is trying to make that decision as easy as a text message.

Cardiff Garcia of FT and Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post talk the week's financial news.

Marketplace Datebook for the week of March 24, 2014

Caterpillar is the latest company to come under the scrutiny of the Levin committee looking at tax avoidance by multinationals.

Gentrification is happening in neighborhoods all around the country.

In which the Marketplace team and Vladimir Putin reflect on the past 8 years.

Exxon will issue a report estimating the cost of climate change to its business, including a calculation of the carbon emissions its oil and gas operations give off. It’s the first big energy company to respond to shareholders’ concerns about environmental issues. Next: Caterpillar is the latest company to come under the scrutiny of the Levin committee looking at tax avoidance by multinationals. We look at some of the contortions companies make to avoid paying tax. Finally: UC Irvine announced yesterday that President Obama will deliver its commencement address in June, in front of 8,000 diverse graduates. We explore the economic value of a speech from the President.

Exxon the first big energy company to respond to shareholders’ concerns about the cost of climate change.

The president will deliver the commencement address at UC Irvine

The workplace loan is on the rise

This week, guest host Lizzie O’Leary and personal finance expert Lauren Lyons Cole answer listeners’ questions about money. Plus, we explore the tensions that arise in neighborhoods where gentrification has caused both economic and cultural shifts and discuss how raising the minimum wage would affect the day-to-day lifestyles of families and individuals. Also, who do you tip and why? A new Starbucks app makes it easy to add gratuity to your purchases, but just because it’s convenient, does that mean people will pay?

Remember Mastercard's Priceless ads? This guy pitched those.

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What the minimum wage means for individuals and small businesses

Some U.S. companies avoid American taxes by sending assets abroad

Walmart is putting on a "Black-Friday-like" for gardening and outdoor supplies. And we look at how legalization might affect undocumented workers as part of our series, City of Dreams.

WalMart is launching a “black Friday” for gardening merchandise. We ask whether there really is enough demand for this kind of product at this time of year to create a genuine black Friday effect, and explore what WalMart’s move might do to the gardening retail world. Plus, the economic implications of proposed legislation on Sea World, San Diego’s 10th largest tax payer. Also, as part of our series, City of Dreams, we will be looking at national policy issues through the eyes of local immigrants here in Los Angeles.  

Diana Adams, a tech entrepreneur and consultant who has been on Twitter since it’s early days, joins us to talk about thinking strategically for first tweets. Plus, Marketplace reporter David Gura joins us for this week’s Silicon Tally.

Twitter celebrated its 8th birthday with a tool that allows users to look up their first tweet.

Our regular quiz looking back at the week's tech news.

Princeton University used to be a breeding ground for Wall Street.

Despite “Blackfish,” SeaWorld generated more than $1 billion last year

ESPN says Warren Buffett's $1 billion bet is almost certainly safe.

President Obama has popped up in some unlikely places this month.

Air BnB is going public. The company has been a raging success, but there are risks. Regulators are clamping down on it, the taxman is looking askance, and it’s going up against some entrenched and very powerful lobbies (like the entire hotel business, hello!). Next: President Obama appears on the Ellen show today to plug Obamacare. It appears the President has ditched the bully pulpit and is personally delivering his message to a “connected-but-distracted” generation. Swatting away criticism that it’s “un-presidential”, his advisors say it’s an important demographic to reach, and he’s willing to take an unconventional route to reach them. Finally: A look at the sanctions put in play by Russia and the U.S.   

U.S. announces sanctions on Russia; Russia retaliates.

Obama has gone on more late-night talk shows than any other president

Is there really a Black-Friday-like demand for gardening and outdoor supplies in the spring?

The FAA has been slow to put strict rules in place.

Marketplace Datebook for Friday, March 21, 2014

AirBnB is going public, despite regulatory roadblocks and industry opposition.

As the California drought continues, some homeowners are rethinking their green grass lawns.

Interest rates are up after the new Federal Reserve chair's briefing yesterday. And the Washington monument is reopening, thanks to private money.

Veterans continue to struggle with the challenge of translating their skills to a civilian workplace — unemployment rate in the veterans’ community tends to run two percentage points higher than the general population. Plus, with the hike in the cost of a new Amazon Prime Mebership rising from $79 to $99, will Amazon’s membership flee to Netflix? And with Financier David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group, splitting the $15 million cost of restoring the Washington Monument 50/50 with the U.S. government, we explore the viability of this kind of solution.

How the Amazon Prime price hike may actually increase usage by Amazon customers. Plus, more on the Google Viacom settlement and safe harbor protections for service providers that host user content. Also, Cyrus Farivar, senior business editor at Ars Technica, about the Church Committee and the origins of the FISA court.

Partly it's the challenge of translating their skills to a civilian workplace.

Analysts say Amazon could lose money by making its customers too loyal.

Members of the Church Committee sent President Obama a letter addressing recent NSA surveillance

In states where politicians are dead set against Obamacare, private insurance agents are oh so happy to help.

Qunatitative easing is on its way out, interest rates are still basically zero.  The only thing the Fed has left is words —  specifically, a thing called “Forward Guidance”. Also: News media are going to extreme lengths to cover the mystery of Flight 370 – or at least, get a slice of the audience pie. Extreme lengths – like doing stories like this one.  Finally: The U.S.’s current account deficit is at its lowest point in 14 years. 

She says her job is to "help people think past the sticker price".

With QE on its way out, and interest rates at basically zero, the Fed has to start using its words.

This week on the show, Marketplace Money will be tackling gentrification. Tell us about your experience!

Technology takes jobs from humans, whether it's elevator operators or bank tellers. Will handheld tablets change the service industry?

Why non-basketball fans are buying his jersey.

Marketplace Datebook for Thursday, March 20, 2014

Ganz and Toyota had bad days.

The 'trade gap', more accurately known as the current account deficit, has dropped sharply and is expected to fall more.

News media are going to extreme lengths – like doing stories like this – to get a slice of the audience pie.

The Fed grapples with balancing interest rates and a shrinking unemployment rate.

Michelle Obama meets China's first lady Peng Liyuan this week.

Microsoft has been warning for a long time that it’s going to stop supporting Windows XP. We explore what ATMs – the majority of which still use the system – will do without Microsoft’s support. Plus, as the Fed meets this week, Janet Yellen, a strong proponent of Fed transparency, will be watched to see how she talks about the Fed’s thinking as well as its actions. And how will countries like Turkey with emerging economies fare? After all, at the Fed’s last meeting, countries like Turkey held emergency meetings and raised key interest rates to retain and attract money as the US central bank continue to cut back on its cash injections. Plus, Baton Rouge residents are trying to form a new town, but, it’s not that easy.  

What will ATMs do when Microsoft stops supporting the OS?

Yesterday Google unveiled its operating system for wearable tech like smart watches. It’s called Android Wear. While Pebble, Samsung and other companies have broken the ice with hardware, the entrance of a big player in software is a big step for wearable devices. And as the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 continues, there has been a lot of discussion of crowdsourcing. A digital version of the old fashioned search party can be a powerful tool. So while investigators investigate, lots of people have been scouring satellite images at their desk.

Millions flocked to Tomnod to help find Flight 370

Repairing damage from a 2011 earthquake cost $15 million.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen loves transparency, to a point.

Getting signed up for health insurance or Medicaid is just the first step in getting quality medical care.

However, a study from MIT suggests half of us… will.

Self Magazine has launched a line of frozen foods.

The author of the new book "Haunted Empire: Apple After Steve Jobs" says Apple's best day are behind it.

Customers will be able to trade in old games for store credit, and Wal-Mart will sell the used games.

The U.S. is inching toward the unemployment rate the Fed had set as its goal.

The U.S. is inching toward the 6.5 percent unemployment rate the Fed has set as its target, but as it considers continuing its stimulus program, it has to decide whether this 6.5 percent rate is the 6.5 percent rate it wanted.  Also: Sanctions are on the agenda in the Crimean penninsula. But American companies doing business in Russia may be reluctant to see any further deterioration of relations between Washington and Moscow. Finally: Walmart is getting into the very lucrative used games business — a space many other big retailerse have failed to crack. 

Wal-Mart has entered the booming used game market

After Hurricane Sandy, the state of New Jersey planned to buy 1,300 flood-prone homes and demolish them. What's taking so long?

Marketplace Datebook for Wednesday, March 19, 2014

A recovery in new home construction hit bumps amid winter storms.

Just what we need, right?

Peer pressure works in getting people to use less water

The Republican National Committee launches a huge television ad as live television (and live television ads) are less and less popular with viewers. Are political parties missing the boat by still targeting TV, or do they have so much money to spend, it doesn’t matter how closely targeted their ads are? Plus, housing starts are on the up again after a grim winter. What’s prompting the bump? Also, the convention that is a convention all about conventions. And with the proliferation of social media and data-gathering apps, Oakland, California residents are feeling the peer-pressure to save water because of a frowny face utility statement.

It’s been expected for months, but there’s news this week that Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has chosen the United States for its initial public offering. Analysts say the company is worth some $140 billion. But what exactly is Alibaba, and why launch an IPO in the U.S.? Plus, you may have heard of Oculus Rift, the screen-capable goggles that promise to put you in the game like never before. But is virtual reality the future of gaming?

The Republican National Committee is launching a six-figure ad campaign

The trade show and convention industry has bounced back from the recession.

And now we may never know if he's the one or not.

It's not magic fueling marketplace.org, says the CEO of ICANN.

The new middle class in China has a booming demand for the banned product.

It's a lot more profitable, too.

The Chinese company Alibaba is squaring up to sell its shares to the public here in the U.S. The IPO is expected to be the biggest since Facebook. But what is Alibaba? It’s a lot more (and a lot more profitable) than just a Chinese Amazon.  Plus: Crimeans have voted overwhelmingly for the territory to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. This is a big political victory for Russia’s leaders but some estimate that Russia will need to spend $10 billion each year for the next 5 years to build infrastructure, pay pensions and benefits to the 2 million residents. And finally: If you get the entire NCAA bracket right, you can win $1 billion from Quicken Loans. But the odds are hugely against you: 1 in 9 quintillion. 

Marketplace Datebook for Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Even in the digital age, paper business cards find a way to stand out now and then.

So what is certain about this promotion? That Dan Gilbert, the businessman who owns Quicken Loans, gets several million sales leads by people registering for the game.

China's Alibaba Group says it will list in New York instead of Hong Kong.

New Cold War? What new Cold War?

More on Target’s responsibilities after finding a security breach and whether or not that opens the company up to any liabilities now that so much customer data has been compromised. Plus, a new industry has sprung up in recent years: Websites that post nothing but mugshots. They’re getting popular. Everybody loves a good mugshot right? Except the person in the photo of course. But in Chicago, there’s another person who doesn’t love this new trend. The county sheriff. It seems to be crashing his website.

We ask what deportations have done to sectors of the economy – construction, agriculture, etc. – that have historically relied on undocumented labor. Also, what’s the matter with kids’ stores these days? Urban Outfitters says  it simply blew some fashion decisions, but what’s going on with Aeropostale?

Deportation impacts industries that historically depend on undocumented labor.

An Illinois' sheriff tweaked his site after automated bots brought it down