Jan 4, 2018

01/04/2018: How big a deal is this chip problem, anyway?

all is possible/visual hunt

Spectre? Meltdown? The security flaws found in CPU chips this week sound pretty bad, and it's true that they affect basically all computing we do. We're kicking off today's show with everything you need to know, and how Intel and other tech giants can avoid these vulnerabilities in the future. Then: Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded an Obama-era policy that helped legal marijuana thrive in parts of the United States. We'll look at what the order could mean for the nascent multibillion-dollar industry. Plus, the latest on earnings from the auto industry, and why some companies could be limiting growth because there just aren't enough people to work.

Segments From this episode

Bottlenecks in economy can mean companies turn away business

by Mitchell Hartman

Jan 4, 2018

With growing labor shortages in some industries, companies may have to limit their growth.

In an increasingly tight labor market, Cup & Saucer Cafe in Portland, Oregon, is always looking to hire new wait staff. The manager of this location — one of three in the city — said skilled short-order cooks are in especially short supply these days.

Mitchell Hartman/Marketplace

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To fix security flaws, CPU chips need a redesign, not a hotfix

by Amy Scott and Sean McHenry

Jan 4, 2018

A report issued by cybersecurity experts on Wednesday described two pretty serious security flaws that, in all likelihood, affects your computer. The flaws, known as Meltdown and Spectre, may have different ways of accessing private information, but both stem from design flaws in the chips themselves. While Windows, Apple and Linux have all issued patches […]

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Feds change marijuana policy, which could affect businesses involved

by Reema Khrais

Jan 4, 2018

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions today rescinded an Obama-era policy that helped legal marijuana thrive in parts of the United States. Sessions, a longtime critic of marijuana legalization, says it causes spikes in violence and crime. He has likened marijuana to heroin. What Sessions repealed today is known as the “Cole memo.” It discouraged federal […]

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A seven-year uphill ride for auto sales has hit the brakes, sort of

by Scott Tong

Jan 4, 2018

Sales of light trucks keep tears for auto dealers at bay.

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Spectre? Meltdown? The security flaws found in CPU chips this week sound pretty bad, and it’s true that they affect basically all computing we do. We’re kicking off today’s show with everything you need to know, and how Intel and other tech giants can avoid these vulnerabilities in the future. Then: Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded an Obama-era policy that helped legal marijuana thrive in parts of the United States. We’ll look at what the order could mean for the nascent multibillion-dollar industry. Plus, the latest on earnings from the auto industry, and why some companies could be limiting growth because there just aren’t enough people to work.