Week of June 18th, 2018

Bourbon, retaliation and … more bourbon.

Seattle rowing team Seize the Oar creates community for athletes with disabilities.

Three people open up about asking — or not — for accommodations on the job.

A reading list from the informational to the literary.

One look at the challenges people with disabilities face.

It's the most important civil rights law protecting people with disabilities.

For the first time, schools are legally required to make special education meaningful. But they've been given no additional money to make it happen.

Getting the right health care once you outgrow your pediatrician can be tricky if you have a disability.

But one person's vending cart is a brick-and-mortar shop's competition.

The front-runner in Mexico's presidential election, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has called for more energy privatization.

(Markets Edition) OPEC is set to pump a lot more oil, which should bring down its price. But it turns out it’s soaring — the benchmark for crude in New York is up. We’ll hear from Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial, about some possible explanations. Afterwards, we’ll look at the government’s plan to privatize the mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and then we’ll discuss how people with disabilities are finding more work in a tight labor market. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Carbonite (Carbonite.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Pitney Bowes (PB.com/morning) (06/22/2018).

Roughly one in five Americans has a disability. Those numbers increase with age and vary across race and gender.

Unemployment for workers with disabilities has fallen by nearly half since 2011.

(U.S. Edition) Europe is charging a penalty fee on a suite of U.S.-made goods, which include cranberries, peanut butter and orange juice. We’ll look at when the tariffs will hit consumers and producers. Afterwards, we’ll discuss AT&T’s new streaming video service, WatchTV, which costs $15 a month, and then we’ll chat with Spencer Dale — chief economist at BP — about his company’s latest review of world energy use. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Carbonite (Carbonite.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Pitney Bowes (PB.com/morning) (06/22/2018).

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Aviation giant Airbus has issued a dire warning to the UK government this morning saying a no-deal Brexit scenario could be “catastrophic” for the company. Then, voters in Turkey head to the polls on Sunday after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved up elections by a year and a half. But with increased focus on the country’s rapid inflation and devalued currency…the outcome is looking more uncertain by the day.  Afterwards, is your boss’s bark worse than his bite? We explore one solution that’s growing in popularity to combat work-related stress. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Carbonite (Carbonite.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Pitney Bowes (PB.com/morning) (06/22/2018).

Many are unhappy with how the site pays them.

YouTube has had a bad year. One of its biggest stars, Logan Paul, filmed the body of a suicide victim. Advertisers boycotted over inappropriate content, and parents panicked over violent and sexual videos showing up in the site’s kids’ channel. Competition is also growing. Facebook is building a system to connect influencers with brands. And Instagram launched new video tools on Wednesday. So on Thursday, YouTube’s chief product officer, Neal Mohan, announced new ways for YouTube creators to make money. Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood asked Mohan if this was a response to creators being unhappy with their options lately. (06/22/2018)

A fluid border was key to a Texas town's economy, until it wasn't.

Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen are proposing to end tariffs on U.S.-imported cars.

More and more women have been willing to speak out about harassment and assault in the workplace since the #MeToo movement began last fall. And employers want to ensure they have no reason to do so – mainly for liability reasons. That’s why they’ve begun to feel more wary about hiring, as Corinne Jones can […]

This could mean higher online prices for consumers.

(Markets Edition) Stocks are down right now for several German car companies, including Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen. The likely cause: tariff threats. Diane Swonk, chief economist at the consulting and accounting firm Grant Thornton, explains how these tariff decisions aren’t accounting for our global supply chain. Afterwards, we’ll look at how several corporations are pushing back against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors), Carbonite (Carbonite.com), and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/21/2018)  

Elected officials have a lot of work to do by the end of the year.

(U.S. Edition) Reps from oil-producing countries are meeting for the bi-annual OPEC summit, and it has the potential to turn sour. We’ll look at the varying goals these nations have and the geopolitical factors that could complicate this meeting. Afterwards, we’ll discuss reports that the Trump administration is planning to combine the U.S. departments of Education and Labor, and then we’ll talk to federal budget watcher Stan Collender about the possibility of another government shutdown. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors), Carbonite (Carbonite.com), and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/21/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … New retaliatory measures are aimed at the U.S., this time from India in response to steel and aluminium tariffs. Then, it’s a big day for Greece as its creditors are expected to unveil an economic road map for the country’s third bailout. Afterwards, roads, railways, and bridges were supposed to form the foundations of a prosperous economy in Zambia. But the country has borrowed too much too quickly and now it’s in trouble. We’ll take you there and talk to residents who are worried about the effects ballooning borrowing costs will have on their businesses. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income (retireyourrisk.org/advisors), Carbonite (Carbonite.com), and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/21/2018)

A look at the tangled investment web that’s fueling so-called micro-mobility.

Venture capitalists have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in scooters — electric scooters, specifically. On a sunny day in San Francisco, they’re clogging every sidewalk. Lime and Bird are the two best-known options. They also operate in Santa Monica, California; Washington, D.C.; Austin, Texas; and Atlanta. You use an app to check out a scooter, GPS tracks your location and you just drop it anywhere when you’re done with it. There’s speculation that Uber or Lyft will buy one of the bigger companies since both have invested in electric bikes. Paul Kedrosky, with SK Ventures, spoke with Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood about how the scooter investment craze goes back to Segway. (06/21/2018)

The government welcomes foreign firms, but its tax regime draws criticism.

CEO Spencer Rascoff talks surviving the recession to end up in a booming housing market.

A conversation with Spencer Rascoff about housing, data and the financial crisis.

(Markets Edition) From a markets perspective, we’re in a lull right now. No data releases, no big announcements from the Fed. But they will be looking out for soundbites, especially around trade, according to Westwood Holdings Group’s Susan Schmidt. We’ll hear from her about how all this tariff talk could *eventually* cause concern to creep into the markets. Afterwards, we’ll discuss a new technology that’ll help preserve avocados, and then we’ll chat with the Economist’s Natasha Loder about why automation doesn’t necessarily spell doom for radiologists. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Carbonite (carbonite.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org). (06/20/2018)

(U.S. Edition) We’re looking into who’s getting paid to carry out the Trump administration’s policy of separating children at the U.S. border. One of the principal firms: Southwest Key. Afterwards, we’ll discuss what to expect from today’s Senate testimony with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who’s likely to get an earful on tariffs, and then we’ll talk about a new “life-extending” coating for avocados. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Carbonite (carbonite.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org). (06/20/2018)

We take a closer look at the firm Southwest Key.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Higher tariffs on goods for the U.S. and China might be theoretical at this point, but the escalating threats are already having a real effect on financial markets. So how are emerging-market currencies – already under pressure from local political turmoil – feeling the heat? Then, there’s a vote by the International Monetary Fund today on a record-breaking aid package for Argentina. But what is the country doing to help give international investors more confidence in the economy? Afterwards, water has been more expensive than fuel in India for years, but even in the Himalayas, cities are now running out of water. We’ll take you there and explain what’s going on.  Today’s podcast is sponsored by Carbonite (carbonite.com), Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace), and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (planetm.michiganbusiness.org). (06/20/2018)

Here's how mobile virtual network operators work.

This week, we get smart about the immigration crisis and the Trump administration's controversial policy of separating parents and children.

Ask us all your questions about getting your vacation time and using it well.

The pace at which we are inventing things in this economy is accelerating rapidly.

Guanyun County produces three out of five of the lacy undergarments ordered online in the country.

They're (practically) impossible to kill and easy to photograph, making them a big hit with online retailers and Instagrammers alike.

(Markets Edition) The back and forth between the U.S. and China over trade continues. Trump says he might slap tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, which has prompted China to issue its own threats. We’ll look at how trade tensions are affecting the markets and whether traders are starting to panic. Afterwards, we’ll hear from Marketplace reporter Andy Uhler about his experience visiting a detention center and a court on the Texas border. What he found: a system that isn’t sure about the locations of some of the children it’s detained. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Pitney Bowes (PB.com/morning) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/19/2018)

In March, the Trump administration ordered prosecutors to charge every person illegally crossing the border and separate children traveling with their parents. The children are kept at detention centers.

The general election is scheduled for July 1.

(U.S. Edition) If China decides to fight back against the Trump administration’s $50 billion tariffs, the president is threatening to up that to another $200 billion in goods. We’ll look at the countermeasures China might put in place, and what this conflict means for U.S. businesses that operate there. Afterwards, we’ll talk to Jorge Castañeda, a former Mexico Secretary of Foreign Affairs, about economic growth in Mexico and how citizens there perceive the North American Free Trade Agreement. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Pitney Bowes (PB.com/morning) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/19/2018)

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … There are more tariff threats against China from the White House, so are we in a trade war yet? And what needs to happen to de-escalate the growing tensions between the two nations? Then, shares of the Hong Kong–listed Chinese telecom ZTE plunged more than 20 percent to a two-year low. It wasn’t President Trump, but the U.S. Congress that sparked fresh concerns. Afterwards, growing alongside the rise of online sales is the rise of fake reviews. But how far is too far, and to what end are companies going to avoid bad publicity from people who have never tried their goods and services? Today’s podcast is sponsored by Pitney Bowes (PB.com/morning) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/19/2018)

It's become a cautionary tale for biotech investors. Are they heeding it?

The blood-testing startup Theranos is now firmly in disgrace. Founder Elizabeth Holmes was indicted Friday on federal wire fraud charges and has resigned as the company’s CEO. But whatever happens with Holmes and Theranos, the episode has changed the conversation around biotech investing. Michael Greeley is general partner of Flare Capital Partners in Boston, which specializes in funding health care technology companies. He spoke with Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood about what the Theranos downfall means to the industry overall. (06/19/2018)

At this week's annual SelectUSA Summit, cities and towns will try to convince foreign investors that the U.S. is still a good place to put their money.

The definition is squishy, but most economists would probably agree we're not there yet.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z released their first joint record over weekend. What's special about this project?

Will insurance companies cover it?

But the data doesn't paint the whole picture.

(Markets Edition) The World Health Organization has released a new list of official medical conditions, which includes “gaming disorder,” where people obsessively play video and computer games. We’ll take a look at what exactly the disorder entails and why insurance companies might be able to cover it now. Afterwards, we’ll discuss the nationwide increase in suicides, and how funding to address the issue is lagging behind. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/18/2018)     

(U.S. Edition) President Trump has nominated a permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Kathy Kraninger, a federal budget official. We’ll take a look at her experience and why the White House says it chose her. Next, we’ll discuss how the French government isn’t very happy with General Electric’s job creation progress in France. Before GE was allowed to buy the energy generation part of the French conglomerate Alsthom, it had a mandate to create a thousand jobs in the country. Then finally, we’ll talk to Washington Post columnist Allan Sloan about how U.S. stocks and bonds may be overvalued. Today’s podcast is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/18/2018) 

As people mourn the recent deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, researchers say the growing public health crisis deserves more attention.

U.S. stocks and bonds might be overvalued.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…Ongoing disagreement in Germany over asylum seekers is threatening Chancellor Angela Merkel’s leadership and could put her political future in jeopardy. How can the country’s government balance its own immigration challenges with broader policies across the European Union?  Then, the agriculture industry is challenged in northern Chile as people there struggle with a persistently dry climate amid years of drought. But innovative farmers have learned to harness the power of fog to help relieve their struggle. We’ll take you there and explain.  Today’s podcast is sponsored by Battelle (Battelle.org/QI) and Indeed (Indeed.com/marketplace). (06/18/2018)

Emoji have sort of become the language of our lives but are they a business?

More than 150 new emoji have been approved by the emoji standards body called Unicode. A redheaded person, a llama, toilet paper and bagels are just some of the new symbols. It’s a big deal if you happen to be a redheaded llama farmer, but also because the release of new emoji is a carefully coordinated situation that requires approval from an emoji standards body called Unicode. And a design process that’s specific to every operating system and, at least so far, no money changing hands. Jeremy Burge is Chief Emoji Officer for Emojipedia— which is kind of like Merriam-Webster for emoji. Burge spoke with Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood about whether anybody makes money off emoji. (06/18/2018)

One formerly-homeless barista describes working while living out of her car.