Week of August 28th, 2017

We’re handing off the show to Scott Tong and Sarah Gardner for their special coverage of globalization. The idea of more open, global trade has been sold as necessary for economic success. Despite that, we hear calls to “build a wall” and countries like the U.K. make moves to step back from global trading partners. How’d we get here? And can globalization last? We’ll also bring you our initial coverage or Hurricane Harvey with stories of what it’s like to have water creeping up to your door and where your donated dollar really goes.

Corporations stand to gain, but what about workers?

"Everyone becomes on edge when you hear any type of heavy rainfall," a Louisiana homeowner says.

The free market is cold blooded. Under normal circumstances, prices will balance out for supply and demand. Consumers adjust and the economy goes on its way. But what’s going on in Houston is not normal, and price gouging is rampant. Economists will tell you those prices make sense, but making business sense is another matter. Then: The Department of Health and Human Services is cutting Obamacare advertising by $90 million. Critics say Trump is trying to sabotage his predecessor’s signature legislation, but the administration insists the ads just didn’t work. Speaking of ads: TV is starting to take cues from social media, with six-second ads aimed at short attention spans. Finally: Global trade always has winners and losers, and this country has always struggled with thinking about the latter. That’s the focus of today’s installment of our series Trade Off.

High prices limit hording and increase supply. But that's bad for business, one expert argues.

The programs for workers displaced by globalization are a half-hearted attempt to help.

Local congregations know the neighborhoods and have a built-in system for collecting and distributing donations.

There's a journey between your pocket and the people in need — and a few pit stops along the way.

Average hourly pay has increased by just 2.5 percent year-over-year.

This year, districts must have formal policies for handling unpaid bills.

Sometimes your smart speaker might mishear your command and offer up something decidedly…inappropriate. Which is why Amazon is introducing a layer of parental control on its Echo. On today’s show, we’ll talk with Oren Jacob, the CEO of the computer conversation startup PullString, about what this announcement means for companies like his. Afterwards, host Ben Johnson plays his final Silicon Tally — the game where we try to stump each other with numbers from the week’s news — with Tobin Low, a former Marketplacer and the co-host of the LGBTQ podcast Nancy.

Tropical storm Harvey has shut down some of the country’s biggest refineries, meaning that the pipelines that they feed can’t flow. One critical for serving the east coast: The Colonial Pipeline, which has also shut down. We’ll take a look at how all this is starting to affect gas prices. Afterwards, we’ll discuss Harvey’s impact on global markets, and then talk about the new policies that school districts are starting to implement to address lunch shaming.

700,000 of 800,000 recipients nationwide are legally working, experts say. Repealing the program would exacerbate labor shortages.

A refrigerated storage container at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, exploded this morning. Well, the sheriff calls it a chemical reaction indirectly caused by flooding, which killed the power and backup power that was keeping the container cool. At any rate, it was bad, and eight more could go off. We’ll start today’s show by looking at the electrical grid: a piece of critical infrastructure that’s very vulnerable to storms like Harvey. Then: We talked yesterday about the White House’s tax plan, which, right now, doesn’t exist. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin talked about it on CNBC today, and we’ll break down his remarks. What you need to know about Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, before Trump potentially overturns it.

Nicolás Lopez used his "Chile-wood" to make "Hazlo Como Hombre" for less than a million dollars.

“I’m just worrying about what we’re gonna be breathing,” one local resident told us.

Majority of women small business owners surveyed believe that the gender wage gap will be closed over the next 20 years.

With more options for giving, donors are urged to do their research.

Explosions at a chemical plant near Houston have hospitalized at least 10 people. On today’s show, we’ll discuss the growing number of industrial and infrastructure problems resulting from this storm. Afterwards, we’ll talk about the process of finding housing for Texas’ flood victims, and then look at New York’s decision to stop cracking down on subway-fare evasion.

First-year medical residents can now work up to 28-hour shifts, which some say can lead to fatigue and mistakes. But senior doctors argue that limiting the length of a shift would compromise resident education and patient care.

"Most offenders aren’t looking to beat the system," a Legal Aid Society defender says.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly approached Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella about a partnership between their two voice assistants. This could be great for consumers, but what’s in it for the two tech giants? James McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester James, explains how each has what the other wants. Afterwards, we’ll discuss the app Zello — a social radio app that’s being used in evacuation efforts — with CEO Bill Moore.

President Trump laid out his tax plan during a speech in Springfield, Missouri, today. Except, well, the White House has more of a sheet of bullet points than a plan. There are no details, although the president laid out four principles of tax reform, which we’ll talk through at the top of the show. Then: According to FEMA, 40 percent of businesses that close during a disaster never reopen. And of those that do, nearly a quarter fail within a year. There are any number of reasons for that, but when it comes to floods, there’s a certain structural problem that has to do with the National Flood Insurance Program. Plus: Will electric cars put mechanics out of business?

The show has been revamped with a new host and a new mission. Buckle your seat belts!

James Surowiecki talks about why we don't need to fear the "Robopocalypse."

No more changing our oil. Fewer service needs could mean more competition for what's left.

Chronicle Books want you to happen upon their titles in stores like Sur La Table and Urban Outfitters. Which makes declining retail sales a tricky proposition for them.

Only a handful of texts were sent to 911.

From distributing supplies to coordinating volunteers, a look at how companies are helping with relief efforts on the ground.

More than 120 school districts remain closed as a result of the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. On today’s show, we’ll look at the accommodations some schools are making for students. Afterwards, we’ll check in on how Texas utilities are coping with the hurricane’s aftermath, and then discuss the catastrophic effects of heavy rains in South Asia.

In the event of a natural disaster, sometimes a text can be one of the best ways to reach out for help. On today’s show, we’ll chat with Trey Forgety from the National Emergency Number Association about the future of emergency dispatch technology. Afterwards, The Verge’s Adi Robertson joins us to discuss Google’s new ARCore platform, which will allow you to build augmented reality apps and experiences into smartphones without the need to use extra hardware. 

It’s still raining in Houston and all along the Gulf Coast. We don’t quite know what it’s going to look like when the water recedes, so we called Craig Fugate. He ran FEMA under President Obama and talked to us about what happens next and how displaced people can start putting their lives back together. Then: We’ll look how undocumented immigrants are seeking (or even avoiding) help in Harvey’s wake. Plus: Why does it seem like Congress does the same debt ceiling dance every couple years?

We check in with the sixth largest port in the United States.

Harvey’s damage taxes an already debt-ridden program.

“For flood recovery, that's an important group of people for sure,” a university professor says.

Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate talks about what recovery from a flooding event of this size looks like.

It has everything to do with politics and very little to do with debt.

Ticketmaster has made buying seats for the Boss's Broadway run very complicated.

Along with donations and an outpouring of help come the cons and rumors.

Houston doesn't drain well.

Some clinics claim to use stem cells to treat diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Louisville, Kentucky, is providing compassion training in public schools and the city’s jail.

It’s Netflix’s 20th birthday today. With about 100 million subscribers around the world, the streaming giant has come a long way from the days of mailing DVDs to customers. Gina Keating, author of “Netflixed: The Epic Battle for America’s Eyeballs,” joined us to talk about the company’s original business model and whether it’ll be able to compete with Disney’s new streaming service. Afterwards, we’ll talk with Greta Byrum — director of the Resilient Communities program at New America — about what happens to our communications networks during natural disasters.    

North Korea filed a missile over Japan today, rattling markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. The U.S. dollar is often seen as a safe haven during international incidents, but it’s the euro that’s actually up this morning. We’ll talk to the BBC’s Andrew Walker about the rising strength of this currency. Afterwards, we’ll look at how the federal government got involved in the business of flood insurance, and then discuss the economic benefits of compassion. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and officials in Texas don't want to use massive structures to house people, but sometimes that is the best option.

Louisiana, another critical area for oil plants, is watching Harvey's path.

Every expert she's talked to says regulations for building in the city's flood plains are insufficient, says Texas-based reporter Neena Satija.

A policy reversal from the government could mean grenade launchers, bayonets and night-vision goggles for law enforcement.

England's repeal of tariffs on grain imports in the 19th century kicked off a free trade explosion.

The thing about Hurricane Harvey is that other than there’s gonna be more rain in and around Houston, there’s a whole lot we don’t know. We’ll start with oil. Some of the biggest oil refineries in the country, not to mention the Port of Houston, are shut down right now, and it’s not clear when any of that will open back up. Then we’ll talk about the empty posts at key agencies responding to Harvey and the shelter strategy for people whose homes are underwater. Plus, we’ll look at why Houston is especially susceptible to flooding. Believe it or not, there’s other news to talk about today, too, including the Trump administration’s restoration of a program that gives military gear to police and Uber’s new CEO. 

The president has threatened to let government funding run out if he doesn't get money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. But that could leave out funds for storm aid.

“Our research is not uncovering racial bias,” the lead author at Stanford says.

This Wednesday marks the end of a public comment period that allows people to tell the Federal Communications Commissions exactly how they feel about net neutrality. On today’s show, we’ll revisit our conversation with former FCC Commissioner Tom Wheeler about the current commissioner, Ajit Pai. (Hint: The relationship was dicey.) Then we’ll chat with Brett Glass, founder of the world’s first wireless internet provider, about how net neutrality could affect his business. 

Hurricane Harvey has caused many refineries and port facilities in Texas to temporarily shut down. We’ll chat with Energy Intelligence analyst Barbara Shook about the preparations they made prior to the event, and what’s going to happen to the prices of crude oil and gasoline. Afterwards, we’ll discuss news that Uber has chosen the head of Expedia, Dara Khosrowshahi, to be its new CEO, and then look at why St. Louis, Missouri is decreasing the city’s minimum wage from $10 an hour to $7.70.

He comes amid a time when several factions of Uber's board are suing each other.