Week of September 4th, 2017

Immigrants drawn by jobs at the local meat-packing plant are making their mark in business and politics.

The deal on the debt ceiling and the budget also begs the question if there will be more bipartisanship in the future.

The genre allows him to discuss controversial topics in a non-threatening way, he says.

We’re digging into how the digital world is changing the physical one this week. With hurricanes, flooding and earthquakes all over the headlines, we look at a few digital steps that make a big difference in disaster preparation. Then, how Instagram is pushing restaurant design to new places. Plus, what the end of a federal immigration program means for one person’s business life and the most expensive place in the country to give birth.

As Hurricane Irma bears down on Florida, it seems possible that in the worst-case scenario this storm could top $1 trillion in damage, to say nothing of the lives at risk. We’ll look at what insurers are watching and how it compares to Harvey, plus the way private companies mobilize to provide disaster relief. Then: Everything you need to know about the massive data breach at Equifax. Finally, as we do every week, we’ll wrap up a very odd five days of news.

His advice: Have your proof of ownership ready.

During a disaster, digital records, messaging, even social media are all pretty handy.

(Markets Edition) Hackers have stolen sensitive information, including Social Security and credit card numbers, from 143 million Equifax customers. But it turns out a lot of Americans probably already have their identities compromised. On today’s show, we’ll look at some other massive U.S. data breaches, along with what you can do to protect your information. Afterwards, we’ll look at Florida’s struggle to get gas to the pump with Hurricane Irma nearing landfall. Then finally, we’ll chat with economist Ruth Lea from Arbuthnot Banking Group about what Britain’s trade relationship will look like with the EU in the aftermath of Brexit.

On the verge of opening his own cafe, Anthoa Munoz's future now teeters on the brink of the unknown.

The nation's food supply chain could collapse without immigrant labor.

(U.S. Edition) The credit reporting firm Equifax has revealed that hackers got access to the data of 143 million customers, including their Social Security numbers and credit card numbers. We’ll look at how this creates the perfect identity-theft package, and how senior execs sold some of their stock following the company’s knowledge of the breach. Afterwards, we’ll visit the English city of Coventry, whose voting preferences suggest that economics and class don’t explain everything. Despite its rich connections to Europe, the region voted for Brexit.

Wes Highfield witnessed last week’s flood in real time from his home in Friendswood, Texas, about 20 miles south of downtown Houston. “I do this kind of research for a living,” said Highfield, who teaches about flood loss and mitigation strategy at Texas A&M, Galveston. “This is the first time I’ve watched it unfold before […]

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … as Hurricane Irma barrels toward Florida, we’ll tell you about some airlines that are already providing aid to areas battered by the storm. Afterwards, the dramatic slowdown in global trade has economists puzzled and voters blaming globalization for job losses and inequality. We’ll chat with Nobel Prize-winning economist Angus Deaton who explains the advantages of globalization. Then, we’ll take you to Australia where Chinese students are flocking to learn the secrets to good winemaking.

High-resolution satellite images are critical tools for meteorologists, but proposed cuts to the weather service could put them at risk.

Hurricane Irma is a Category 5 storm that made landfall in the Caribbean this week and may hit Florida this weekend. The National Weather Service uses National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite images to get a sense of how strong the storm is and where it’s going. However, the Trump administration is proposing budget cuts to those agencies. We discuss the critical images NOAA is capturing and what would happen if meteorologists received degraded satellite imagery.

But with tax incentives and other perks, competition is expected to be stiff among cities.

When the storm has passed, local agencies step in to help survivors rebuild.

Fees can rack up for parents-to-be.

The luxury brand's eponymous founder is also selling a lifestyle, carefully crafted with her brother and partner, Uri.

You could look at the deal President Donald Trump made with leading congressional Democrats yesterday as a sort of butterfly effect situation — a seemingly trivial act that massively alters the country’s future. As we broadcast today, a bill just passed the Senate with both the first dose of Hurricane Harvey relief money and government funding for the next three months while raising the debt limit. Those last two were going to suck up a lot of energy later this month. The House still has to vote on it, but it’s a big deal, and congressional Republicans are left trying to figure out what it all means for their economic agenda. Then: With the Gulf Coast picking up the pieces after Harvey, and Hurricane Irma bearing down on millions more, we’ll take a look at the years-long recovery process after a natural disaster. Plus: What city will land Amazon’s second headquarters?

(Markets Edition) The European Central Bank may start scaling back its bond-buying program. Jasper Lawler, an analyst with London Capital Group, stopped by to explain its connection to the dollar and U.S. treasury yields, and what this decision says about Europe’s economic health. Afterwards, we’ll chat with the BBC’s Phil Mercer about Australia’s 25-year milestone of being recession-less. Can it keep the record going?

Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, is out of the running.

Looking good pays off.

(U.S. Edition) There were talks that President Trump had been considering Gary Cohn, his top economic adviser, for the position of Federal Reserve Chair. But he’s reportedly soured on him following Cohn’s criticism of his comments on the violent clashes in Charlottesville. We’ll look at the degree of influence this position has and why presidents usually end up re-nominating the current chair. Afterwards, we’ll look at the damage that Hurricane Harvey has caused to cotton crops — and the further damage that Hurricane Irma could cause. And finally, we’ll discuss a potential brain drain from Britain amid Brexit talks.

Venture capital touches all of us in some way, from our retirement portfolios to inventions we use. Yet many of us don’t really know how venture capital works. So on Marketplace Tech, we’re going to look into that, starting at Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. It’s a quiet little office park where hundreds of millions of dollars change hands each year. Venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson has an office there. He has been working in the industry for more than 20 years and is one of the founding partners of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. We talk with him about the ins and outs of Silicon Valley investing. 

The investments VCs make impact industries beyond Silicon Valley.

There's a whole vocabulary to learn.

The venture capitalist talks about the industry's mechanics and diversity problems.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … central banks are in the spotlight as the European Central Bank meets and Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer announces he will step down from his post at the Federal Reserve. We’ll find out what it all means for global monetary policy. Afterwards, we’ll tell you about Facebook’s admission that unknown entities in Russia spent at least $100,000 over two years on divisive social and political messages. Then, we’ll take you to Nigeria’s first ever plus-size fashion show. 

President Trump made a big tax speech in North Dakota today. A key feature in his plan: Cutting the corporate tax rate, which currently sits at 35 percent. It’s not clear how much Trump will be able to cut, however: Every percentage point cut in the corporate tax rate would cost the U.S. Treasury an estimated $100 billion over a decade. We’ll talk about it, plus the latest departure from the Federal Reserve. Then: We’re continuing our series “Trade Off” with a look at retraining. When people lose their jobs to globalization, government programs are meant to get them ready for new jobs. But reinvention is hard. Plus: Why is “‘Star Wars’ movie director” seemingly one of the highest-turnover jobs in the country?

Darryl Fears discusses his piece for the Washington Post, "Tampa's Coming Storm."

Joy O'Brien is a nurse practitioner who wants children, but with $2,100 a month in student debt, she can't afford to adopt.

Every percentage point cut in the corporate tax rate would cost the U.S. Treasury an estimated $100 billion over a decade.

Government programs are meant to help those workers get new jobs. But reinvention is hard.

Directors need to be creative but also be able to make a movie in the style that is already established.

Large hospital systems gobbled up independent OB/GYN practices. As competition went down, prices have gone up.

(Markets Edition) Residents from Caribbean islands through coastal Florida are bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Irma. One of the areas the storm’s expected to hit: Puerto Rico. On today’s show, we’ll look at how its electric grid is especially vulnerable to this powerful storm. Afterwards, we’ll talk with economist Adolfo Laurenti about his optimism for the U.S. economy. With an uptick in investments and corporate spending, he says we’re achieving growth in a way that’s “organic.” And finally, we’ll look at how retirees in rural England are bridging the urban-rural digital divide by building their own internet network.

Medicare Advantage was once in jeopardy, too. But then Congress stepped in.

(U.S. Edition) The House of Representatives is set to vote on a nearly $8 billion funding package for Hurricane Harvey relief. But there are some obstacles in its way. We’ll look at how the Trump White House is trying to tie its approval to the U.S. debt ceiling limit. Afterwards, we’ll discuss news that the economies of Nigeria and South Africa are starting to grow again. Then, we’ll talk about a new London train line that could not only improve the city’s transportation system, but serve as a symbol for Britain’s future post-Brexit. 

Linking the two could make raising the debt limit more palatable to Congress, but it puts off a painful conversation about spending cuts.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…Australia hasn’t had a recession in 26 years. We’ll tell  you what’s powering the “wonder down under.” Afterwards, we’ll tell you why nearly half of McDonald’s restaurants in India are closing today. Then, we’ll chat with retirees in England who are building their own broadband network in England because big telecom companies aren’t bringing the infrastructure to individual homes due to cost. 

One topic we’re going to be examining on this show is who has access to life-changing technology — and who doesn’t. We’re calling this series “Evenly Distributed.” That’s from a quote by the legendary science fiction writer William Gibson, the author of books including “Neuromancer” and “The Peripheral.”  The quote is: “The future is already here. It’s just not very evenly distributed.” To kick off the series, we talk with William Gibson about the intersection of tech, money and access. 

We chatted with legendary science fiction author, William Gibson, on the consequences of technology not being evenly distributed.

Because two minutes is too short a time to spend with the man who came up with the term "cyberspace."

A lot of business leaders are speaking out against Trump's decision to end DACA, but what do PR and donations actually do? Let's follow the money.

Justin Bachman, who wrote about "The Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat" for Bloomberg, stopped by to talk to Kai Ryssdal.

Past pressure from business leaders hasn't changed Trump's mind, a Wharton School professor notes.

There's a whole lot of misinformation out there about how taxes are figured.

Folk musician Dar Williams talks about her new book, "What I Found in a Thousand Towns."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced President Donald Trump’s decision today to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era rule protecting undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Sessions argued, without evidence, that the 800,000 or so Dreamers harmed the labor force. We’ll start the show today looking into that claim. Then: Congress is back to work, and topping its long list of priorities is disaster relief. The House is taking up the first bit tomorrow, and we’ll talk about what that $7.8 billion will buy. Plus: We hear a lot about tax brackets, but what do you really know about them? We’re here to help.

(Markets Edition) The markets aren’t moving much, despite a North Korean nuclear test and flood cleanup here in the U.S. Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management joined us to discuss whether things will shift, and shared his take on the overall state of the world economy. Afterwards, we’ll look at the infrastructure London has in place to protect itself in the event of a flood.

(U.S. Edition) In the aftermath of Harvey, more than half of U.S. ethylene production is now offline. Ethylene is key to the things that surround you — everything from what you’re wearing to household cleaners. On today’s show, we’ll look at the ripple effect this will have on consumer goods. Afterwards, we’ll discuss what London’s anti-flood infrastructure can teach us about tackling natural disasters in the U.S., and then talk about United Technologies’ plan to merge with Rockwell Collins in a $30 billion deal.

The central question of the net neutrality debate: how much regulation should there be over how providers of internet service deliver the stuff we consume online? And what rules should there be to make sure they don’t  slow down or charge more to deliver that stuff?  The man at the center of the free internet controversy is Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. On today’s show, new Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood asks Chairman Pai about whether it’s time for  Congress to come up with a solution. 

The FCC chairman wants to see Congress, not individual administrations, take control of the issue long term.

In our full interview with Ajit Pai, he talks about broadband deployment, net neutrality and coffee.

The barely touched audio, for when you want to go straight to the source.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service, welcome to our inaugural show — a global look at business that’s part BBC, part Marketplace! Today, a South Korean commander said Pyongyang’s forces would be “buried at sea” if there’s more provocation … but will further sanctions actually work? Afterwards, a British public relations firm may collapse after it was accused of running a “hateful and divisive campaign” in South Africa. Then, what are global cities doing to prepare for future, more frequent flooding? We head down the street to the Thames Barrier to find out.

Joseph DeThomas, a former US ambassador and now professor at Penn State, explains.

North Korea has ratcheted up tensions again by testing what it called a hydrogen bomb on Sunday. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he’s working on plans to further sanction the country and, potentially, one of the United States’ biggest trade partners: China. We’ll talk with former U.S. ambassador Joe DeThomas about how that might play out. Then: Efforts to boost the minimum wage have gotten a lot of attention lately and proponents have scored some major victories. But workers rights advocates are now asking: What good is a wage boost if workers don’t know how many hours they’re working every week? Oregon is the first state to legislate predicable work schedules, and the movement is gaining traction. Plus: this Labor Day weekend, the summer movie season limped to a close with no new wide releases. So what happened? 

Worker rights advocates say unpredictable schedules, and dreaded "clopenings," take a toll on employees.

Pamela McClintock, senior film writer at The Hollywood Reporter, discusses the lackluster ticket sales at movie theaters this summer.

It's almost the end of summer, time maybe to get one last camping trip in before school starts. But if your favorite state park campground is booked, you now have another option –to reserve your own personal site on someone's private land.

There are a few reasons why restaurants keep the shell on the tails of shrimp.

There's expected to be a six-month delay, according to reports.

Vendors serve up dishes like ramen tacos and chicken skin nachos at 626 Night Market, where 100,000 people converge on summer weekends.

Millennials, who had a hard time finding jobs during the recession, are the least likely to take days off, a travel survey says.

In response to North Korea’s latest nuclear test, Trump tweeted that the U.S. is considering stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea. We’ll look at how many countries actually have ties to the area, and how likely it’d be for China — one of North Korea’s biggest trading partners — to sever its relationship with the country. Afterwards, we’ll discuss why home improvement retailers are succeeding right now, and then talk about the financial struggles NFL players may face after they leave the field.

Around 15 percent of professional football players file for bankruptcy a dozen years after retirement.

It’s the last day Ben Johnson will be hosting Marketplace Tech, and to celebrate his time on the show, we’re going to look back at some key moments. From conversations with Neil deGrasse Tyson about alien life to reporting about the visibility of minorities in the tech industry, take a listen to what we’ve tackled over the past few years. Plus: Starting tomorrow, Molly Wood will take over as the new voice of Marketplace Tech. Check back here for the latest episodes.