Small Talk
Marketplace staffers share the stories that you may not have noticed in the headlines this week -- from virtual marriage to North Korean designer jeans. (And yes, Brendan, there were sidewalk Santas.)
On the air radio microphone (iStockPhoto)
More on Dinner Party Download: Small Talk
Links
TEXT OF STORY
KAI RYSSDAL: This final note: We find ourselves on another Friday afternoon, wanting a break from the big news and ready to hear what didn't make the headlines. Courtesy of Brendan Newnam, Rico Gagliano and the Marketplace staff.
A word before we begin: Menu items one and two aren't necessarily meant for younger ears.
Brendan Newnam:Stacey Vanek-Smith, senior reporter for Marketplace, what's your story?
Stacey Vanek-Smith: Well, a man in Japan just got married to a virtual girl from a video game.
Newnam: And they say that video games make people isolated and act strange.
Vanek-Smith: Yeah, clearly, that's not the case here! It was part of a video game called "Love Plus" and there was a virtual lady and they got married.
Newnam: I guess it's one way to stop cyber sex -- virtual marriage.
Vanek-Smith: The virtual headache. It's coming.
Rico Gagliano: George Judson, managing editor, what story are you going to be talking about this weekend?
George Judson: There will be no sidewalk Santas in New York this year.
Gagliano: I don't understand. What?
Judson: Well, the sidewalk Santas work for the Volunteers of America and there's no money to pay them.
Gagliano: I don't get it. Sidewalk Santas...?
Judson: The men in Santa costumes collecting money for the needy?
Gagliano: There's only one Santa, George. And he lives in the North Pole.
Judson: I think I need to tell you something.
Gagliano: I'm not listening.
Newnam: Millie Jefferson, production assistant at Marketplace. What story are you going to be talking about this weekend?
Millie Jefferson: Well, apparently North Korea is putting its first pair of designer jeans on the market.
Newnam: Are you serious?
Jefferson: Yeah, they're going to be sold in Sweden for 215 American dollars.
Newnam: Wow, so the nuclear centrifuge everyone was concerned about was really this humongous stonewashing machine.
Ryssdal: Dinner Party Download is the podcast. Marketplace.org is where you'll find the link.
Comments
Comment | Refresh
Post a Comment: Please be civil, brief and relevant.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. All comments are moderated. Marketplace reserves the right to edit any comments on this site and to read them on the air if they are extra-interesting. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting.
You must be 13 or over to submit information to American Public Media. The information entered into this form will not be used to send unsolicited email and will not be sold to a third party. For more information see Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.