Week of April 6th, 2015

A discussion of highlights from the week's news.

What actors make for a movie is a complex equation.

The company is returning to its manufacturing roots.

Apps on a smartwatch will provide less information

For $100 you can buy pimento cheese sandwiches and soda for 17 people.

It's one of the NBA's poorest performing teams. Are managers villains or geniuses?

Just in time for spring, we explore new beginnings and fresh starts in our economy at large and our personal lives. Marketplace’s Paddy Hirsch talks about dollar dominance and U.S. currency’s rejuvenation. Javier Chavez tells the story of his new beginning — working for Homeboy Industries after getting out of prison. We hear from a contractor and a homeowner about how to go about home renovations. Plus, it’s wedding season, and a newlywed couple tells their story of joining finances. Guest host David Lazarus gets a plastic surgery consultation as we talk about the price of a new look.

A new bill would cap the hours students spend taking state and district exams.

A couple discusses their financial approach to tying the knot.

Money can't buy you love, but it can score you a new nose.

Airing on Friday, April 10, 2015: General Electric, once a manufacturing titan, made a hard-headed decision to become a financial company and is now going back to manufacturing. Finance is simply too costly and highly regulated. Does General Electric’s move mark a sea change in the American economy — perhaps the end of the dominance of finance?  Next, apps on a smartwatch are going to have to be entirely re-visualized — small screen, viewed at arm’s length. It’s a new platform for any app. We look at the design challenge for app makers. Plus, Florida is placing limits on the high-stakes standardized tests. The Florida Legislature on Thursday passed a bill that caps the time students spend on state-authorized tests to no more than 45 hours a year. Will other states follow?

What to do when your dream home needs sprucing up.

We want to know: what's the fastest money you've ever made?

GE's buyback, LinkedIn's purchase, and Mexico's efforts to get citizens to drink less soda.

Airing on Friday, April 10, 2015:  First up, we talk with Lindsey Turrentine, editor-in-chief of CNET.com, about the Apple Watch showroom, and why the company wants you to shop for a smart watch the same way you shop for new kitchen cabinets. And for this week’s edition of Silicon Tally, we are joined by Jason Scott, the curator of the Internet Arcade.  

Airing on Thursday, April 10, 2015: Stocks in Asia are climbing a mountain of optimism. More on that. Plus, the Summit of the Americas takes place this weekend and is being called ‘historic’ because, for the first time, the presidents of Cuba and the U.S. will both attend. We look at a broader question though – what can the U.S. do, especially in economic terms, to retain influence in a fast-changing region? And Spring has yet to full take hold in many parts of the country and talking more about the dismal science wouldn’t help. So, Marketplace’s senior economics contributor Chris Farrell looked into a part of his beat that we hope is uplifting: the economics of festivals.

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

The professional networking site is purchasing an online video training site.

American foreign policy in the region is shifting.

Mexico is fighting obesity by urging people to drink less soda and more water.

Here are the numbers we are reading and watching on Friday.

LinkedIn to buy Lynda.com in a $1.5 billion deal.

A digital version of deceased Latina singer Selena could be going on tour.

California is imposing new low-flow rules on faucets, toilets and urinals.

Google plans to offer an ad-free version of YouTube, for a monthly fee.

The reviews are in, here's what to expect when it hits stores later this month.

Behind the scenes of WGBH's series on the German higher-education system.

Airing on Thursday, April 9, 2015: Google plans to offer subscriptions on YouTube. We want to look at how this will work, and what’s behind it. The answer to the latter question will take in the fact that YouTube has a profit problem, and explain the landscape that is moving Google in this direction (streaming competition with Netflix, for example). Next, will people in Massachusetts, or Michigan, or anywhere, end up with less satisfying showers because of California’s drought? California is imposing new low-flow rules on faucets, showers and toilets. We look at how its huge new market for low-flow could swing manufacturers and other states in the same direction. Also, the deceased Latina singer Selena has been given a new lease of life. Some of her unreleased songs are being remastered and released, and she is going on tour. Or a hologram of her is, at least. So many questions. How big is the market for holo-acts? 

She transformed the Hollywood Reporter by turning it into a glossy magazine.

Unlike massive leaps in computing technology, batteries are tough to improve.

The reputation for good seafood is back, but the old quantity is not.

A strong dollar, an eBook store, and a growing podcast network.

Airing on Thursday, April 9, 2015: The big book publisher of the world who have battled ferociously with Amazon over issues like e-book pricing might rather you start shopping with another company. Oysterbooks.com is described as the Netflix of books, the subscription e-book service now has a place where you can actually buy e-books. We check whether it can compete with Amazon. Next, we watch the movie Ex Machina, an independent film about artificial intelligence and deadly robots that hits theaters this weekend. For that, we talk to the director and writer Alex Garland on all things sci-fi and AI. 

Airing on Thursday, April 9, 2015: Greece’s government is caught between its promises to ease austerity there and the bills is owes international lenders. But one milestone was just reached.  We talk to Theo Leggett, business reporter from our partner broadcaster the BBC, about the large sum of money that’s due today. Next, Harvard Business School has launched a new program to deal with a persistent imbalance; just 41 percent of its MBA students are women. Its outreach goes like this. For a fee of $500, women can take a peek at the business school by trying it out for a weekend. Finally, you typically measure the economy by counting when dollars change hands. That means dollars spent on bad things—like fixing a car after a crash—count the same as good things. We look at a key alternate measure called the Social Progress Index, which also looks at health, education, safety, access to information, personal freedom and other measures across the globe. 

Harvard Business School is trying to attract the underrepresented group.

Questioning the implications of an autonomous robot with director Alex Garland.

How this company may challenge Amazon's industry standing.

Re-imagining how we answer the question: How are we doing as a country?

Businesses use podcasts to explore the culture around a product, not just sell it.

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

Art director Matilda Kahl changed her life by changing her wardrobe.

Life insurance company John Hancock will offer discounts for Fitbit customers.

Germany's controversial sorting system determines early on who goes to college.

Farmers in the dry Central Valley raise the highest-value crops they can grow

The latest in the Fast and Furious series snagged a $143 million opening weekend.

Shell is teaming up with BP — just one of the many oil and gas mergers in the works. A look at the pressure for the industry to consolidate, and if some sectors are under more pressure than others. Next, Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras is in Moscow today meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Financially-strapped Greece is making slow progress in debt talks with the EU, and some Greeks believe Russia may be able to help the country financially. Also, California’s drought is hitting the agricultural Central Valley hard. Farmers are, of course, business people, and if they only have a certain amount of water, they will invest it in the most lucrative crops. Plus, John Hancock announced today it is the first life insurance company in the nation to offer financial incentives for customers with wearable health technology, who share that data with the company. How will it work, and will other companies follow?

The Russian leader says the Greek PM didn't seek financial aid at their meeting.

Twelve-year-old Sam Holtz just wants his prize already.

Two giants team up for a combo the likes of which hasn't been seen since ExxonMobil.

Beyond the cliché

To get or not to get?

Airing on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015: There’s news this morning that Shell–Royal Dutch Shell–will merge with another huge natural gas and oil company BG group for just under $70 billion in cash and stock. BG provides a lot of the liquified natural gas in America and you know Shell already. Plus, California is experiencing the worst drought in a thousand years. A look at how that is hurting power generation. Finally, The government thinks patients, once released, are coming back to the hospital too soon. So a couple of years ago, the department of Health and Human Services decided to penalize a hospital’s Medicare reimbursements if the number of patients who came back to the hospital within 30 days exceeded the national average. The result…. hospitals are spending lots of money to find ways to keep patients from coming back. 

Airing on Wednesday, April 8, 2015: First up, we chat with actor and comedian Matt Walsh, from HBO’s Veep, about comedy in the age of the internet. Next up, we talk with Dora Kingsley Vertenten, Professor at University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy, about Rand Paul’s website. And finally, we take a look at how Uber is making a profit from business travelers. Its secret? Not only is it often more convenient to get an Uber, the car service has made it easier for companies to handle their billing with Uber Business, which only requires a one-time contract that covers all transactions.  

Health providers want to cut down on readmission rates.

California's drought is affecting its energy.

The actor and comedian talks about how the Internet has changed comedy.

Business travelers don't care much about price. So why are they taking Uber?

Here are the numbers we are reading and watching on Wednesday

The Oscar-winning producer says his success comes asking the right questions.

Germany’s vocational system partners with employers to train students for skilled jobs.

Greece claims Germany owes it billions in reparations from World War II, which Germany denies. How Greece arrived at the claim, and why they are pushing for the money now — heavily in debt and badly in need of Germany’s help. Plus, recent California water restrictions will kick off higher prices to discourage waste. Cities that exceed new rations could end up paying four times as much for the extra water residents use. Also, Microsoft announced plans to hire more people with autism. Is the initiative about altruism and corporate image, creating a more diverse workforce, attracting employees with specific skills, or all of the above?

Greece says Germany owes it about $300 billion in reparations for World War II.

The pullouts by Hanjin and Hapag-Lloyd threaten the port's container business.

New limits on water usage could raise prices to four times their current rate.

The candidate's shop is up and running. Plus, the demographics of the IRS.

The company has launched a pilot program aimed at hiring more people with autism.

National vocabulary scores for 4th and 8th graders rose between 2011 and 2013.

When relocation is a good business move.

After a controversial race campaign, Howard Schultz expands his education initiative.

Airing on Tuesday, April 7, 2015: First up on today’s show, we’ll talk with James McQuivey, Analyst at Forrester, on Hulu’s new GIF search engine and how video clips spread online. Plus, John McDuling, reporter at Quartz, stops by to talk about how high-priced shows like Mad Men drove Netflix to create original programming. We’ll also chat with Rose Scott, reporter from WABE in Georgia, about how big data analytics tipped off state officials about coordinated cheating in Atlanta Public Schools.

Airing on Tuesday, April 7, 2015: First up, more on news that FedExwill acquire TNT Express, a Dutch delivery company. Plus, we’ll talk with Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, about the company’s education initiative, Race Together, and activist CEOs.

It's being called the largest cheating scandal in American history.

The partnerships have an increased share of responsibility with decreased funding.

The aluminium giant is in a heated competition.

The iconic matzo-maker is leaving New York’s Lower East Side this summer.

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

The growth of computerized records has led to a higher rate of stolen information.

Rand Paul may be in, but others hold back to skirt campaign-finance laws.

When both spouses earn similar incomes, married couples may pay more in taxes.

Mixing children and nightclubs leads to a great party — and business venture.

Mapping out how much the United States is worth.

Before it can grow, the country's post-sanction economy must modernize.

The tentative deal with Iran to limit its nuclear activities would also lead to lifted sanctions. Iran has vast reserves of natural gas, zinc, iron and copper, not to mention 80 million consumers and a large, sophisticated middle class. The country could potentially become the largest, most important economy in the Middle East. Plus, tomorrow U.S. Senator Rand Paul is expected to make official what’s been widely speculated for months: he’s running for president. When hopefuls announce can make a big difference, since candidates can’t coordinate with super PACs, but those testing the water can, like Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton. Also, farmers have produced record corn crops the past two years, driving down their own prices by 20 percent. The record number came with converting millions of acres of grassland into marginal farmland — with a carbon footprint equal to 34 coal-powered generating plants.

Plowing more land for corn means a bigger carbon footprint.

Join the club.

Airing on Monday, April 6, 2015: First up, we talk with Jonathan Zittrain, co-founder of Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, about kill switch technology for weapons. Next, We speak with Sonali Kohli, reporter for Quartz, about how scientists apply Google map technology to detail images of the body. And Marketplace’s Nova Sofa reports on Microsoft partnering with a university in Brazil to find out how to predict traffic congestion up to an hour in advance. 

Airing on Monday, April 6, 2015: The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, spent several hours of her Easter Sunday with the finance minister of Greece, who offered assurances that his country will pay what it owes the IMF. Half a billion dollars is due the IMF on Thursday. It’s not clear if Greece has the money, which has to come from somewhere. For that, we turn to John Psaropoulis, an independent reporter based in Athens. Plus, entrepreneurs are supposed to be able to sum up their company and why you should invest in it very quickly. That so-called elevator pitch usually takes place in offices, board rooms, coffee shops, even in elevators. But a business accelerator in Albuquerque, New Mexico came up with a new twist on this tradition: Do it on a ski lift.   

Microsoft is lending cloud computing power to traffic prediction research.

It might be fewer than you think.

A New Mexico business group came up with a new twist on the investment pitch.

So you're out of the tournament. How do you and your teammates get home?

…or a "not kill" switch, rather.

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