Week of February 9th, 2015

A look at the battle between Hollywood and Silicon Valley

Listeners of a certain age will remember viewfinders, those binocular-like things you hold up and look through with the circular discs of slides that flip around. Yeah, well, could you be more old fashioned? Mattel and Google are coming out with an update, including virtual reality and augmented reality. Also, there’ll be a slot where you can […]

Highlights from the week, on the air and online.

NECCO has been selling those candy hearts for more than 100 years.

"An Internet power: Tell the world that the Chinese dream is uplifting China."

The president confronts tech companies on the tension between security and privacy

"Hits" premieres on BitTorrent, the service known for piracy.

Fake skeleton at London museum to be replaced by an actual one of a whale.

Greece's finance minister studied game theory, but we all sort of practice it.

Airing on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015: European leaders are meeting to work out the thorny problem that is the Greek debt. Greece Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis is an economist who specialized in game theory, so we look at what game theory is and whether Varoufakis is indeed using it in his ongoing negotiations.  

A lie you got away with, shortcuts you take, backs you dream of stabbing?

Can a good preschool education lead to higher wages?

This sums it up: The German word for debt – "schuld" – can also mean "guilt."

In a new study, researchers look at how improving educational achievement of lower classes would boost the economy.

An accident that changed Jay Cramer's mobility also changed his finances.

This weekend, we’re talking about mobility and the American Dream. As the first part of a collaborative series, “Six Routes to Riches” with the BBC, we examine what it takes to succeed in the German economy. Plus, guest host Barbara Bogaev speaks with Marketplace’s Amy Scott about how early education impacts future economic mobility. We also hear a personal story from Jay Cramer about how losing his physical mobility changed his finances.

The average family of five uses 500 gallons of water a day. How much do you use?

New jobs vs. low sales, and why more film production is headed to Georgia.

Heads of Google, Yahoo and Facebook will not be in attendance.

Airing on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015: President Barack Obama is in Silicon Valley today for a cybersecurity summit. It’s  part of a White House effort to get more cooperation from tech companies in fighting threats to internet security, including massive data breaches. But some key tech players will be missing. More on that. Plus, BitTorrent is following Netflix and Amazon’s lead and getting into the original content business. Its first series “Children of the Machine” is aimed at its user base – 14-to-25-year-olds – which the company claims is larger that Netflix, Amazon and Hulu combined. Will this mean it’s no longer the face of the illegal download market? And South Florida will have to borrow a lot of money to build its protections against the rising Atlantic. At what point does the region’s risk from the seas start jacking up the cost of its long-term borrowing?  

Airing on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015: The White House is gearing up to introduce new laws on student privacy given the increasing amount of technology used in classrooms. First, we speak with Marketplace’s Adriene Hill about the patchwork of student data laws on the books, and how new, federal legislation might change standards for what companies do with student data. Next up is Brian Kelly, also known as The Points Guy, for this week’s Silicon Tally. 

BitTorrent, the file sharing platform, will create original video content.

Hint: It has to do with income.

Not yet, anyway. It's not built to recognize risks more than a few years away.

Here are the numbers we're reading and watching for Friday.

How well have you kept up with the week in tech news?

What happens when your ship comes in, and there’s no one to unload your goods.

Schoolkids are told not to brush their teeth, and rationing may be on the horizon.

At any one time, 20 billion chickens are alive and squawking on our planet.

Infants and toddlers learn engineering principles at university child-care center.

Barely. Guess it takes a wee bit of money to buy in bulk.

A $17.5 billion IMF package for Ukraine comes with challenging conditions.

Weeks after snapping up Travelocity, Expedia announces a $1.6 billion buyout of Orbitz.

Airing on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015: What happens when your ship comes in, and there’s no one there to unload your goods? We look at the ripple effect of the West Coast port strike. Plus, the choices are shrinking when it comes to online flight and hotel booking services. Weeks after snapping up Travelocity, Expedia announced a $1.6 billion buyout of another competitor, Orbitz, and competing giant Priceline is buying up smaller brands like Kayak. Who’s benefiting from all this? Also, we look at the new $17.5 billion International Monetary Fund loan package given to Ukraine. “It’s a tough program, and it’s not without risk,” says the IMF chief.  

Less than 25 percent of community colleges provide on-campus housing, but the number of schools with dorms is growing.

Adapting the kinky bestseller puts the business of film tie-ins in a 'Grey' area.

Partly because a stronger economy means a stronger bargaining position.

The right time to strike, Radio Shack hands out bonuses, and technology helps seniors work longer.

With more control, Expedia may have more clout with airlines.

Airing on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015: First up, more on a new pile of money from the west for Ukraine as that cease fire is announced. And when you think of the luxury car company Mercedes Benz, how could you not think “New Jersey”? That’s where its U.S. operations has been headquartered: Montvale, New Jersey. But like many a car company, Mercedes is moving South. We travel to Atlanta to look at what’s fueling the trend. Plus, a developer has reached out to Detroit residents to raise money and crowd fund the development of the Old Tiger Stadium in Detroit. We’re at the plate with the story.  

Airing on Thursday, February 12, 2015: First up on today’s show, we’ll talk with Mathhew Nordan, managing partner at MNL Partners an energy and environmental investment firm, on Tesla earnings. Plus, Radio Shack wants to pay up to $3 million in retention bonuses to some key executives and high level staff. How is the bankrupt electronics device retailer justifying this expense and how likely is it that the bankruptcy court will allow it. And Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, adjunct professor at Pratt who specializes in fabric technology, joins us to talk about self-drying jackets as part of our Back to the Future series.

We don't have Marty Mcfly's fly jacket, but we do have some incredible fabrics.

A developer is crowd-sourcing the funds to rebuild the Detroit Tigers' stadium.

Eight executives and thirty senior managers could receive bonuses amid bankruptcy.

Here are the numbers we're reading and watching for Thursday.

They're not as safe and don't haul as much as a common auto with four wheels.

Economist Varoufakis radiates "masculinity you usually find only in Greek statues."

Eggs are bad for you. No wait, now they may be good for you.

A military-led operation against ISIS would require significant civilian support.

American workers really, really dislike meetings.

Airing on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015: New dietary guidelines say cholesterol-rich foods like eggs, lobster and shrimp aren’t necessarily bad for us after all. What kind of ripple effect will these latest guidelines have in the food business? Plus, with Jon Stewart leaving “The Daily Show,” we look at the corporate importance of the program in the Viacom universe. Also, the president wants to commit ground troops to combat ISIS. What does that mean in terms of soldiers and logistical support?  

College completion rates for Americans with the highest family incomes have been rising, but the rates for lower families incomes have not changed.

This winter is one of the snowiest ever. and some are cashing in.

A flood of phony TurboTax filings is raising concerns of identity theft tax fraud.

NBC news' branding problem, and how hacking could lead to tax fraud.

Hitting the snooze button has its problems.

Airing on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015: First up, officials in Greece today are expected to play their opening hand in what they hope is a negotiation over whether the country has to repay all its debt. Greece’s new government has set out to ease years of tough austerity. More on that. And starting next week, millions of students will take the first of two rounds of new tests tied to what are called Common Core education standards. The state tests took years and hundreds of millions dollars to develop. Setting aside, for now, the controversy over whether a Common Core of standards is best for students, listen to what goes into building a new test. Plus, as part of its high-profile campaign to address concussions and other football injuries, the National Football League is hiring the President of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston as its first Chief Medical Officer. What will this consulting role entail and is it a sign that the NFL is becoming proactive versus reactive on player safety issues.

Airing on Wednesday, February 11, 2015: This week, the Obama administration announced that it would create a cybersecurity agency to protect U.S. companies and citizens from hackers and other threats from cyberspace. This agency is expected to gather intelligence from various government agencies and coordinate their efforts. First up is Stephen Cobb, a security researcher at ESET North America, to tell us more about this agency’s mandate. Next, we’ll talk to Molly Wood, Technology Columnist for the New York Times, about at-home networking company Eero. And Richard Macauley, a reporter based in China, joins us to talk about about China’s crackdown on VPNs that bypass the great firewall. 

The extensive, expensive process of developing tests tied to Common Core standards.

Prominent physician, Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, will serve as chief health advisor.

The Obama administration's new cybersecurity agency versus the pre-existing one.

Here are the numbers we're watching for Wednesday.

In his new book, Steve LeVine details what sparks battery innovation.

Even with 60 inches of rain a year, Miami may not have enough to drink.

Pearson makes money, even without results, off America's obsession with academics.

In his defense, Dominique Strauss-Kahn does some interesting math.

Search engine to repackage information on 400 most Googled health conditions.

It now has a pile of cash for things like stock buybacks or to pay off other debt.

The DIY store says it will hire 80,000 temporary workers for its spring retail season.

Airing on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015: Home Depot announces it will hire 80,000 temp workers for its spring season. We take a look at seasonal jobs and ask how many become permanent positions at Home Depot and similar companies. Also, software giant Microsoft completed the largest corporate bond sale of the year yesterday, selling $10.75 billion of its debt to investors. Why would the company do this now and what does the move say about the economy? Plus, since a half-billion online searches a month are for health ailments, Google says it will place the most accurate answers at the top of search results when people appear to be self-diagnosing. How will Google accomplish this? And what is the downside to turning to Google instead of your family doctor?  

The percentage of freshmen who reported socializing for than less than 5 hours a week reached an all-time high last year.

The JOLTS report, vaccinations in college, and popular wallpaper.

Airing Tuesday, February 9, 2015: Who would have thought? News of yet another investigation into a Swiss bank helping Americans hide money. Dr Pepper’s stock is on a tear, while Coke and Pepsi, not so much. Why are the behemoths of the soda business lagging behind the upstart. And South Florida is worrying about the rising ocean flooding much of it and ruining drinking water for what’s left, but you’d never know it from the condo boom in Miami. Why do they keep building like mad? The condos aren’t homes, they’re speculative financial instruments attracting foreign buyers.    

Airing on Tuesday, February 10, 2015: First up on today’s show, we’ll talk with David Katzmaier, editor of CNET’s TV section, about contextually aware devices and Samsung’s privacy policy. We’ll also speak with Amanda Lotz, Associate Professor of Communications Studies at the University of Michigan, about Netflix’s content development strategies. And Chris Danforth, Professor of mathematical, natural and technical sciences at the university of Vermont, joins us to talk about the Hedonometer.

It may be time for a new cost-benefit analysis when it comes to vaccination.

Why the behemoths of the soda business are lagging behind the upstart.

Why fears of rising seas and big storms don't cool the market.

A story of “what’s old is new again.”

Over the past year, more jobs have been created in the middle of the pay scale.

The "hedonometer" is a data-based meter that measures happiness in real time.

Here are the numbers we're watching for Tuesday.

His announcement comes at time when ratings are sliding at the network.

New report says connected autos cars are even more vulnerable to online breaches.

Why are you people filing your returns so early?

The Brian Williams controversy shines a spotlight on the problems of network news.

As the country rejects austerity programs, other members fret about the impact.

A look at economics of testing and new assessments tied to Common Core standards.

Customers often use a rebate to justify buying something they want anyway.

Airing on Monday, Feb. 9, 2015: “NBC Nightly News” took a ratings hit last week amid the Brian Williams controversy. At 36 percent, it was a big dip, but declining viewership for all network evening news shows isn’t, well, news. How relevant is the evening news in the 24/7 information era and do the networks see a good reason to continue their investment? Plus, Greece is at loggerheads with other eurozone nations over the terms of its bailout. The country’s tough-talking  finance minister said that if Greece is forced out, the eurozone could unravel. Is Greece such a cornerstone, and why are other eurozone nations so reluctant to see it go?

The situation in Greece, German Chancellor Merkel's visit with President Obama, and a business that pays for breast milk.

A new app helps the blind by connecting them to sighted volunteers.

Airing Monday, February 9, 2015: A senate report set to be released today says that cars connected to the internet could be a security risk. More on that. Plus, there’s news the average price of gasoline is up 13 cents in the last two weeks. Some are saying the crash for gas prices is coming to an end. We look at the International Energy Agency’s look-ahead for the next five years, set to be released tomorrow. And there was a time not so long ago that American bankers avoided mentioning their occupation. In the U.S., some of that stigma has evaporated. But in the UK, there’s a plan to prosecute senior bankers if things go wrong.    

Airing on Monday, February 9, 2015: The FCC is moving on with its plans to reclassify broadband and wireless data as Title II services. Meanwhile, AT&T has said it will sue the federal government, and some Republicans have vowed to fight the new rules. What will happen if this particular battle winds up in court? We’ll talk with Jonathan Zittrain, co-founder of Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, about the legal backing for the FCC’s plan. Next, we spoke with Eliza Cooper, a social media consultant who’s been blind since childhood, about using the Be My Eyes app. It  matches people who are visually impaired with sighted strangers who help identify things through the smartphone camera.      

A new report says cars equipped with wireless Internet could be a security risk.

Without OPEC ruling the market, analysts look to the International Energy Agency.

Conflicts facing European continent are likely to be at the top of their agenda.

Local non-profit milk banks say shortages are causing them to turn patients away.