Week of June 15th, 2015

Connecticut is trying microgrids that keep going when the main utility fails.

Welding classes and Freud helped ex-convict be a better parent.

Airing on Friday, June 19, 2015: Apple’s effort to get into the streaming business as a latecomer is creating tension between Apple and the musicians it has long relationships with. The company is playing hardball because the stakes are so high. Next: as part of our series on infrastructure and choke points, “The Weak Link,” we bring you the second of two stories on the power grid. We last left you with the Connecticut power grid problem. So how to make it better? Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports.

Linette Lopez and Sudeep Reddy join Adriene Hill to recap the week in business and finance.

The consumption of fermented foods is connected to lower levels of anxiety, study says.

The company's effort to get into streaming has created tensions with musicians.

The annual conference isn't quite as dominated by men as it used to be.

The events are helping new shows stand out in a deluge of programming.

Financial planner Jill Schlesinger crunches the numbers.

The lavish affairs, with hundreds of guests, can last days and top six figures.

Florists, caterers, venues and dressmakers have big days, too.

For a themed service or a whim, Great Officiants is open 24 hours.

On this episode of Marketplace Weekend, we talk unions — as in weddings. David Wood, president of the Association of Bridal Consultants,  speaks with Lizzie about the wedding industry. We hear from listeners about how much their weddings cost and how much it costs to attend someone else’s big day. We explore the business of bringing Indian weddings to American hotels, hear a story of a play on an old Bulgarian wedding tradition and discuss unique elopements. Plus, a conversation about the marriage equality case before the Supreme Court and a look at how online registries have changed gift-giving. 

Greek resolution, and getting off the power grid.

Testing service will be offering admissions exams in the island nation.

Airing on Friday, June 19, 2015: Just in case, Greeks are increasingly taking money out of the bank. We check in with Marketplace’s Stephen Beard on the $3 billion that has pulled out of banks there this week alone. Plus, the online marketplace Etsy has been trying to win back the favor of investors — its stock has fallen by about half since its IPO in April. Now the company is trying a new crowdfunding system where Etsy users can put up money to help promising businesses get off the ground. Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson joins us to talk about where the company started and where it is headed next.

Conference will cover safety and conservation issues.

Airing on Friday, June 19, 2015: First up on the show, we’ll talk with Adrienne LaFrance, Senior Technology Editor at The Atlantic, about how the NFL’s “Rooney Rule” could be applied to Silicon Valley hiring practices to bring in more diverse candidates. 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 Simon Doonan, the Creative Ambassador-at-Large for Barneys New York. He’s also the author of “The Asylum: True Tales of Madness From a Life in Fashion.”

Bridgeport, Conn., is taking measures to rely more on locally made power.

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

Etsy's CEO Chad Dickerson is optimistic about the state of the company.

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

The pope offers a moral interpretation of the global economy.

Airing on Thursday, June 18, 2015: If you had to grade our nation’s electricity infrastructure (that is, the power grid) what grade would you give it? One top engineering organization has handed down a D+.  That’s right; our system of power plants, poles and wires is aging and unreliable. As a part of our series “The Weak Link,” Marketplace sustainability desk reporter Scott Tong examines the power grid. Next: Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal talks to Stephanie Savage, the woman who brought the book “The Astronaut Wives Club” to ABC as a summer mini-series. You might remember Stephanie from her previous shows “Gossip Girl” and “The O.C.” 

Marketplace's Stephen Beard talks to people in Greece about the economic crisis.

Share prices surged early Thursday after the fitness tracker hit the floor.

As part of its Hot Wheels brand, Mattel is coming out with a miniature Tesla Model S.

Three storms in Connecticut knocked out some residents' power for more than a week

The Fed pays attention to your shopping habits; a new face on the $10 bill; and the controversy surrounding an observatory in Hawaii.

Airing on Thursday, June 18, 2015: European finance ministers are meeting today to what to do about the situation in Greece. We’ll talk about what action, if any, can be expected out of this meeting. And bird flu is sending the price of eggs higher, but oddly enough, it’s sending chicken prices lower. We’ll talk about why. Plus, what happens when most of your city workers can’t afford to live in the city? We take a closer look at Marin County in California, where the high median home price forces many workers to commute from elsewhere.  

What are the economics of film festivals, and why are there so many of them?

Airing on Thursday, June 18, 2015: First up, we’ll talk with Adriene Hill, Marketplace’s Entertainment correspondent, about highlights from the E3 gaming conference in Los Angeles. We’ll also speak with Ryan Calo, Assistant Law Professor at the University of Washington and an affiliate scholar at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society, about face recognition technology and Back to the Future: Part II.

Native Hawaiians say mountaintop site for new observatory is sacred ground.

Farms that produce chickens for meat are seeing exports drop, pushing prices down.

The original campaign was for a woman on the $20 bill, but the $10 bill won out.

What happens when most of your county's workers can’t afford to live in the county?

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

The Japanese-made pipes don't pull apart at the joints when the earth moves.

Airing on Wednesday, June 17, 2015:  In our installment of “The Weak Link,” Marketplace explores the 710 gap — a five-mile stretch of highway in LA  that has been fought over for almost 60 years. Issues surrounding the highway include NIMBY-ism, bureaucratic tangles, haves vs. have nots, regional politics and lots and lots of money. Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal explains. Plus: as a part of “The Weak Link” series, we also take a look at the aging cast iron water pipes under the streets of Los Angeles. Many are corroding and they’re dangerously vulnerable in big earthquakes. Turns out they’re installing earthquake-resistant pipes just a couple blocks from our studios here. Quake-prone Japan has been manufacturing and installing them for 40 years now but they’re rare in the U.S.  The L.A. Department of Water and Power is now trying them out as part of a pilot project. Reporter Sarah Gardner walked over to the installation site to see what all the fuss is about.     

The labor commission ruling could substantially affect Uber's business model.

The 10-year Treasury note didn't care much about the Fed's statement.

First up: No interest rate hike, for now.

Vets offer a price range for treatments. Can we ask our doctors for the same?

Stanford economics professor's formula has helped save a lot of lives.

2006 was a very different time… but not too different.

Interest rates, undocumented workers in the Dominican Republic, and Fitbit's IPO.

Airing on Wednesday, June 17, 2015: We know that words matters, especially in the case of words on the way from the Federal Reserve. For more, we talk to Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Stiefel Nicolaus. Plus, are we experiencing a baby bounce? While the great recession slowed down the birth rate in America, the numbers are coming back up. We’ll also talk about the Port of New Jersey, where the roadways around it are so congested that picking up one shipping container and trucking it five miles can take all day.  

Is the wearable sector poised for long-term growth?

The company is looking to expand in Europe by acquiring a Dutch delivery firm.

Airing on Wednesday, June 17, 2015: On today’s show, we’ll talk to Marketplace Sustainability Desk reporter Scott Tong about updating the power grid and mining it for information about how we use energy. It’s part of our series on infrastructure — the pipes, roads, and power lines that make our lives possible, and our economy strong — called The Weak Link. Problem is, nobody wants to pay when infrastructure gets old and broken.  

Truckers wait for hours to pick up containers at Port Newark-Elizabeth.

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

A major quake could rupture the city's aging system of 7,000 miles of water pipes.

House's vote puts worker-retraining program in jeopardy.

Airing on Tuesday, June, 16, 2015: Amid the confusing welter of deadlines, institutions, egos and last-minute talks, we look at where we stand in the Greek debt crisis. It’s an issue that never seems to leave the headlines or come any closer to resolution. Next: everybody knows Californian is going through one of its worst droughts and how it emphasizes the state’s reliance on imported water. What’s less apparent is how vulnerable the aging water infrastructure is, especially in Southern California. As part of our series “Weak Link,” sustainability reporter Sarah Gardner has a different kind of California water story — one that just might “shake” you. 

How to calculate a prince's worth? Start by thinking like a billionaire.

Investigators are looking at whether the baseball team hacked the Houston Astros.

The institution ventures into online lending. Why have banks been so slow?

We take a look at what the peak market means for farmers and the industry.

Time and options are running out for the nation, whose payments are due soon.

The Pope's opinions on climate change; Humvees and the military; and tuxedo rentals take a tumble.

Three contractors are bidding to build a lighter, faster replacement vehicle.

Airing on Tuesday, June 16, 2015: Goldman Sachs gets into business with … normal humans. Plus, in recent undercover tests, the Transportation Security Administration failed to detect weapons and explosives in 95 percent of trials. The TSA’s acting boss was immediately reassigned. We look at what it would take to improve the TSA. Next: In our series “Weak Link: The state of infrastructure,” seismologist Lucy Jones explains why it’s important for scientists to learn how to tell stories and to engage the public in difficult but critical subjects like infrastructure.

As lawmakers examine how it vets workers, critics call for a culture shift.

Airing on Tuesday, June 16, 2015: First up, we’ll talk to Lindsey Turrentine, Editor-in-chief at CNET.com, about why Belgium is suing Facebook. Then, Melvin Backman, finance and markets reporter for Quartz, joins us to talk about why neighborhood branches still matter in the age of mobile banking. Plus, we’ll talk about about sexism and the gaming community with Shannon Sun-Higginson, director of ‘GTFO’.

In a papal letter, Francis says wealthier countries need to help poorer ones.

The seismologist explains how using narratives can get your message across.

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

Even after rehab, New Jersey's Pulaski Skyway will be functionally obsolete.

Airing on Monday, June 15, 2015: As more schools invest in technology, a new sort of digital divide has emerged. Kids may have access to the internet and the latest devices in class, but almost a third of families don’t have broadband access at home. Marketplace’s Amy Scott returns to Oyler School in Cincinnati, where kids are getting a taste of what they’ve been missing. Next: if you’ve watched “The Sopranos,” you’ve seen the Pulaski Skyway in the opening credits. The New Jersey bridge, the country’s first “superhighway,” is falling apart. And when a $1.2 billion rehab is complete, the skyway will still be obsolete. As part of our series “Weak Link,” we explore.       

The deal will give customers access to more drugs, services — and shopping.

The action film's opening sets an international record.

Bush announced his presidential bid … and apparent obsession with 'Die Hard.'

Hank Greenberg 'wins the battle but loses the war.'

An Italian magazine publishes a 192-page draft that calls for 'urgent action.'

In a collaboration with crowdsourced navigation app Waze, we're looking at weak links in transportation.

A victory for labor unions; a look at the E3 conference; and reclaiming vacation time.

The FDA needs to 'nail the coffin shut,' consumer group says.

Airing on Monday, June 15, 2015: With debt talks in Greece at an apparent impasse, interest rates there rise dangerously high. More on that. Plus, an FDA ban on trans fats is expected as soon as next week. Companies have already greatly reduced their use, even while maintaining that they’re safe. We look at how much of a financial and logistical burden it would be to eliminate them altogether. Next: The average American leaves five vacation days on the table every year. We look at the reasons why we aren’t using all of our paid vacation time.

Airing on Monday, June 15, 2015: Will this be the year that virtual reality takes it place in gaming? We’ll see when the E3 conference kicks off. More on that. Plus, it’s been three days since the FCC’s Net Neutrality rules officially took effect. We’ll talk to Brian Fung, technology reporter for the Washington Post, about what that means. And with 4 million current and former government employees receiving notifications that their personal information has been hacked, we take a look at why the fix is not as simple as issuing new social security numbers. ESET researcher Stephen Cobb tells us more.

VR is poised to meet the masses in mobile technology.

The average American leaves five vacation days on the table every year.

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