Marketplace for October 13, 2009 | Marketplace From American Public Media

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

In this show. . .

Goldman bonuses raise Wall Street bar

Goldman Sachs' bonus pool is reportedly $23 billion -- a figure Goldman disputes. Whatever the number turns out to be when Goldman reports profits on Thursday, it won't convince anybody that Wall Street has changed its ways. Jeremy Hobson reports.

More Agent Orange vets to benefit

The Veterans Administration plans to expand the list of illnesses it recognizes as caused by exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange, making Vietnam vets with those illnesses eligible for government-paid treatment. John Dimsdale reports.

Facebook to discern companies, fans

Facebook is home to hundreds of pages dedicated to companies and products, and lots of them look official. But how do you separate real pages from pages established by fans? The social networking giant is going to find out. Alisa Roth reports.

How to pick jurors for Wall Street trial?

As jury selection continues in the trial of two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers, Kai Ryssdal talks with trial consultant Susan MacPherson about how lawyers pick jurors for such complex and high-profile cases.

Case checks business roles in apartheid

A lawsuit against several multinational companies accused of working with South Africa's former apartheid government could set a new standard for corporate accountability overseas. Gretchen Wilson reports.

Overwhelmed by check-out-line charity

It's becoming more common for grocery store shoppers to be asked to contribute to charities while they're in the check-out line. Those small contributions can add up for worthy causes, but there are hidden costs involved. Michael May reports.

Depression diary has recession lessons

A diary written during the Great Depression by a young lawyer named Benjamin Roth is now a book edited by his son, Daniel Roth, and James Ledbetter. The editors talk with Kai Ryssdal about what the diary means for today.

Kai Ryssdal's final note

Out of Amsterdam comes word that Phillips Electronics and the Dutch Bank ABN Amro have teamed up to create a device that'll let you know when you're too emotionally attached to your stocks.

It's called the Rationalizer. It comes in two parts: You put the emo-bracelet -- that's the name -- on your wrist. It basically measures how much you sweat. That information gets transmitted to an emo-bowl that sits near your computer. The more you sweat -- that is, the bigger reaction you have to a trade -- the redder the emo-bowl glows.

Just one problem, though: the guy who designed it says the thing can't tell the difference between a positive reaction to a trade and a negative one.

Marketplace datebook for Wednesday, October 14, 2009

In Washington, the Commerce Department reports on retail sales for September.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee discusses distracted driving.
And I can only describe it as . . . delicious. Chocolatiers from around the globe gather in Paris to compete for the title World Chocolate Master.