Marketplace for Thursday, August 5, 2010

Segments From This Episode

• State aid bill raises budget concerns

  by Nancy Marshall-Genzer

  The Senate passed a bill to help states weather the tough economy. The House will vote on it next week. The $26 billion measure will go toward helping states fund their Medicaid budgets and forestall teacher layoffs. The legislation has its critics, though. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.

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• Jobless claims point to troubling trend

  by Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  We don't usually talk too much about weekly jobless claims. They jump around a lot and it can be dangerous to read too much into them. But they caught our eye this morning. Nearly 480,000 people filed for unemployment benefits last week — that's the highest level since April. Stacey Vanek Smith reports.

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• Got a pharmacist question? Chat online.

  by Gregory Warner

  Walgreens and Rite Aid have unveiled new programs to allow customers to chat online with pharmacist, about, whatever you want. Gregory Warner reports.

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• Sustainable fishing: What’s the catch?

  by Marketplace Staff

  One of the clearest signals that grocery stores are going "green" is the proliferation of products touting "sustainable" credentials. Lately, that label has hooked the West Coast's tuna fishing industry. But what exactly does "sustainable fishing" mean? Rob Manning reports.

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• We ought to bag the plastic bag tax

  by Marketplace Staff

  Some cities have tried to curb the proliferation of what some call "the urban tumbleweed" by charging consumers for plastic bags at the checkout aisle. Commentator Susan Lee says that's not the way to go.

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• Susan G. Komen fights for trademark

  by Janet Babin

  Susan G. Komen For the Cure, the breast cancer charity, has warned several other charities to stay away from its trademarked phrase: "Race for the Cure." And watch out if you use the color pink. Janet Babin reports.

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• Lack of paint may leave roads stripeless

  by Marketplace Staff

  The paint for those yellow and white lines you see on the highway has gotten pretty tough to come by for contractors around the world. Anna Boiko-Weyrauch pulled over on highway 51 in Alabama to check it out.

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• Google, Verizon discuss net neutrality

  by Steve Henn

  Reports say Google and Verizon have been trying to hammer out a shared vision of how the future of the Internet should work. Reporter Steve Henn talks with Kai Ryssdal about how a deal could impact consumers and why we should care.

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