Week of June 8th, 2015

Before Silicon Valley was Silicon Valley, it was all about Silicon Prairie.

Companies have decided that cyber crime is a fact of life.

Quartz and Marketplace look at how the Cuban economy has changed in the last few years.

Airing on Friday, June 12, 2015: The huge transformers that make high-voltage transmission lines possible are expensive, custom-built, not made in America and vulnerable to terrorism, vandalism and nature. So a group of utilities is creating a strategic transformer reserve. Next: last week’s huge federal hack has cast light on an unspoken truth about cybersecurity: security companies — in fact all companies — have decided that cyber crime is now a fact of life. You can’t stop it, so all you can really do is mitigate. What does that mean for corporations trying to secure their data, and how does it play out in the security business? We explore. 

Nela Richardson and Cardiff Garcia join Molly Wood to recap the week in business and finance.

Most users don't know about programming. Ford wants to fix that.

An act of sabotage has the industry thinking about protection now.

The mammals bring a multi billion-dollar industry with them as they travel.

H-1B visas will be distributed by lottery and will help fill in-demand tech jobs.

What would it take for you to leave your current life?

Guest host David Lazarus explores migration in the global economy, tech, and even underwater. Stanford law professor and immigration policy expert Dan Siciliano discusses H-1B visas in the tech industry, and Marketplace Tech’s Ben Johnson talks data migration. Bio-economist Rashid Sumaila speaks about the migratory patterns of whales and how they impact ecotourism, a multibillion-dollar industry. Plus, we hear stories and advice about moving for money.

It's wedding season … how much are you shelling out?

Trade deals, airline prices, and binge-watching television.

Airing on Friday, June 12, 2015: First up, we’ll talk with tech writer Paul Ford, who wrote ‘What is code?’ for Bloomberg Businessweek’s code issue, about whether or not everyone should understand how computer code works. And how well have you kept up with the week in tech news? It’s time for Silicon Tally! This week, host Ben Johnson takes on Greta Johnsen, co-host of the Nerdette podcast.

Airing on Friday, June 12, 2015: With Twitter’s CEO out, we’ll take a look at the state of the blue bird, and where the company may have gone wrong. And we talk about whether the European financial system is prepared for the possibility of a Greece default. Next: the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment report is out Friday It’s expected to be up modestly. Small business confidence is up as well according to earlier survey data from NFIB. A look at what the report says and why U.S. consumers seem so upbeat. Plus, in June, Brits celebrate the 800th anniversary of King John signing Magna Carta with mead, jousting, archery and banquets. The festivities are clearly designed as a tourist attraction, and lots of American visitors  are expected. We cover the preparations and the American contribution.  

Consumers, heartened by more secure jobs and fatter paychecks, are starting to spend.

The third season of ‘Orange is the New Black’ premieres on Netflix.

Large U.S. air carriers' profits are up, but investors are dumping their stock.

For the 800th Anniversary, American lawyers and tourists are descending on London.

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

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

Dorsey founded two multi-billion dollar businesses … and he isn't 40 yet.

For just $350 extra, a Porsche hybrid will meet you on the tarmac and drive you through a secret tunnel to elude the paparazzi.

President Obama will appoint the 14th Librarian of Congress.

Internet.org Vice President of Product Chris Daniels lays out the the company’s vision.

Airing on Thursday, June 11, 2015: Retail sales numbers out today look encouraging, but with a background of still-sluggish growth, there are good reasons to be skeptical. How good an indicator of America’s economic state are these numbers? We explore. Next: Marketplace is spending some time this week looking at the issue of affordable housing through the lens of Marin County, a region just north of San Francisco where housing is unaffordable for many. Marin resident George Lucas of Star Wars fame just recently announced plans to use $100 million of his own funds to build a couple hundred units of aimed at lower-income residents on a piece of land he owns called Grady Ranch. Yesterday we heard from folks who say it’s exactly what Marin needs. But not everyone has embraced the idea. Marketplace’s Krissy Clark from our Wealth & Poverty desk spent some time with those who oppose the plan. 

Retail sales numbers look good, but there are reasons to be skeptical.

Retail sales, Costco Cars, and the Mexican midterm elections.

Costco earns most of its revenue from member fees for helping members find bargains.

Airing on Thursday, June 11, 2015: On today’s show, we’ll talk about how the outbreak of MERS influenced macroeconomic policy in South Korea. More on that. Plus, the ACA made it illegal to deny someone health insurance based on a preexisting condition. But a recent New England Journal of Medicine reports that insurers are using drug pricing tiers to discriminate against patients with some preexisting conditions.

Walgreens customers will be able to access doctors through a mobile app.

Airing on Thursday, June 11, 2015: First up, we’ll talk with Frank Gillett, Industry Analyst at Forrester Research, about Microsoft’s giant, Surface Hub tablet and why the company is manufacturing it in the U.S. Plus, Walgreens is making medical consultations for non-emergencies available by cellphone, tablet and computer. Just what can these doctors do for you, without you leaving the house? And Bob Wachter, Professor and Associate Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, joins us to talk about Medtronic’s partnership with Glooko to do more with the diabetes data it collects.

It's a practice that's being called "adverse tiering."

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

Airing on Wednesday, June 10, 2015: Big Pharma is the biggest lobbying force on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We explore whether opening up trade will drive prices down or allow pharmaceutical companies to raise costs instead. Next: Marin County in California has some of the nation’s most expensive real estate. That’s why some residents are excited about affordable housing projects like Toussin Senior Apartments. But getting the 13-unit complex built took 19 funding sources, each with its own rules. From Marketplace’s Wealth & Poverty desk, Krissy Clark has the story.     

Drug companies are the biggest lobbying force on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Water restrictions in some cities ban filling new pools with drinkable water.

An improving economy means investors are selling and prices are falling.

The '90s are coming, the '90s are coming!

The clothing company wants to change its controversial image.

Projects like Marin's Toussin Senior Apartments help but are tricky to finance.

'CrackBerry' isn't what it used to be, but don't write its eulogy yet.

The German economy, hospital billing, and Etsy's stock woes.

Airing on Wednesday, June 9, 2015: Senior law enforcement officials from New York and Connecticut are looking into whether Apple’s new music streaming service might have been built on deals that quash competition. More on that. And speaking of Apple streaming music, the service means yet another player in an arena crowded with companies looking for audiences’ attention and artists’ music. Audiences get lots of choices. What do musicians get? We look at the self-promotional benefits and financial drawbacks of streaming music. Plus, lots of low-wage employees work long hours without extra pay because they’ve been classified as managers, and federal rules exempt managers from overtime if they’re paid more than $23,660 a year — a number that was set in 1975. The Labor Department is considering a rule that would raise the exempt level to as much as $52,000, restoring overtime to millions of workers. 

A new study sheds light on how hospitals make their money.

The change would mean workers with higher salaries are eligible for overtime.

Airing on Wednesday, June 10, 2015: First up, we’ll talk with William McGeveran, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Law School, about Apple’s emphasis on consumer privacy at WWDC. Etsy’s shares are tanking, and we look at what’s behind this, after the hype of their recent IPO. Their stock is down 50 percent from the trading price in April, and we look at possible explanations for what’s gone wrong with the Brooklyn-based company.

For musicians, getting heard is the easy part; getting paid is much harder.

…and why a box full of Etsy goods may be to blame.

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

…and how did our third-largest city end up with a junk-bond rating from Moody's?

Airing on June, 9, 2015: Small telecoms companies are merging. But they’re really only creating other relatively small telecom companies. They can’t really compete with the big guys. So why merge at all? We explore. Next: California’s mandatory water cuts have kicked in, which means utilities are passing rules about what Californians can and can’t do. In a state with nearly 40 million people, that’s creating some winning and losing industries. Today we look at one of the winners. KQED’s Lauren Sommer has the story.

Big dreams, small reasons.

A new study shows that kids can learn as much, or more, from Sesame Street as they do from preschool.

More media outlets are blurring the line between journalism and advertising.

San Jose has banned washing cars in your own driveway, but commercial car washes are okay

Marian Sousa's first job was in a WWII shipyard.

Airing on Tuesday, June 9, 2015: First up, from the floor of Apple’s WWDC, we’ll talk with Adrien Sullivan, IT Specialist at the National Science Foundation; Chamara Paul, a software engineer for the shopping site Keep; and Claire Harrison, a mobile web developer for ATB Financial. And Jon-Paul Dyson, Director of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games at The Strong National Museum of Play, joins us to talk about the cultural influence of the video game DOOM.  

The Department of Education will forgive the federal loans many students who attended.

GM and Fiat Chrysler, the latest JOLTS report, and cutting remittance fees.

Airing on Tuesday, June 9, 2015: The U.S. Department of Education has announced that it will forgive the debt of thousands of Corinthian College students—the institution that closed or sold its campuses after the government found evidence of predatory recruiting and falsified placement rates. Plus, amid a huge national push to get more low-income high school graduates to go to college, there’s a growing recognition that, for many students, short-term certifications or trade school may be a better fit. We check in with Oyler School in Cincinnati, where the annual “college day” has adapted to promote other paths to success. And Taobao, a subsidiary of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is sponsoring same-sex couples who will come to the U.S. to wed. We analyze the business strategy at work—what is risked and what is gained by serving a market that is large but marginalized in China.    

A subsidiary of Alibaba is sponsoring same-sex couples coming to the U.S. to wed.

At today's shareholder meeting, investors may learn the fate of the proposal.

How waiving remittance fees to countries like Nepal works as an act of charity.

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

The $220 annual charge raises about $5 billion a year to fund "the Beeb."

The simultaneous streaming and theater debut is a coup for the company.

CalPERS wants to reduce the number of investment managers that it uses.

Airing on Monday, May 8, 2015:  Turns out green cards are for sale. For just a half-million dollars, well-off foreigners can jump to the head of a very long line of people who want to move to the U.S. That half million must be invested in a job-creating project here, so many real estate developers are taking advantage of this federal program. As Julie Satow reports, most of those applying for green cards are from China. Next: Lufthansa’s announcement that it will impose a surcharge on tickets bought through price-comparing sites like Travelocity has the travel industry in a tizzy. The surcharge aims to increase Lufthansa’s profitability, but it might also cost it travelers.

The German airline wants customers to book directly through its own system.

The service will cost $9.99 and include Beats 1, a new radio venture.

The new sci-fi thriller "Apex" explores the drawbacks of a world too connected.

A pension fund shake up, equality for military personnel, and San Francisco takes on McDonalds.

U.S.'s largest public pension fund is expected to cut the number of firms in half.

A weakening of state franchise laws could open car dealerships to consolidation.

The VA can only recognize same-sex marriages in states where it's legal.

Airing on Monday, June 8, 2015: A group of seven leaders are gathered to discuss Russia and Ukraine; tensions over Greece’s financial situation; and as Marketplace’s Tracey Samuelson tells us, trade. And car dealers are fighting Tesla’s efforts to open direct-sale stores, and it’s not just because of Tesla. Weakening state franchise laws could open the door to consolidation of the nation’s fragmented dealerships. More on that. Plus, with issues of racial bias in policing galvanizing protesters and motivating Justice Department investigations, we ask whether having more police officers of color would actually improve policing in minority communities.   

Airing on Monday, June 8, 2015: First up, we’ll talk with Marketplace’s Senior Tech Correspondent Molly Wood about why some new smartphone features look a lot like old smartphone features. We’ll also talk to Robert Knake, Senior Fellow for Cyber Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations and former Director for Cybersecurity Policy at the National Security Council, about how cybersecurity and diplomacy mix when foreign hackers attack the U.S. Government.

The city is putting pressure on McDonald's to help clean up its act.

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