Marketplace

As many as 200,000 people have marched through Brazil's major cities protesting economic imbalances. The Kremlinology of Ben Bernanke. And what Jay-Z’s deal to offer his new album to every new Samsung customer and what it says about the future of music distribution.

American Airlines plans to make coach seats thinner and adjust legroom in the economy section. How much is an inch worth, to both parties? How much more money with American Airlines make from the move? And will passengers be more willing to pay for upgraded seats? Also, how the NSA surveillance story may be a harbinger about the future of the internet.

Happy Birthday -- to copyright? Documentary filmmaker Jennifer Nelson is challenging the copyright to the happy birthday song after being  asked to pay $1,500 to use the tune in her film. And we wrap up our series on the consumer economy by looking at opportunity cost and the value of things.

Every once in a while we like to take a step back and look at the big picture. This week, the Sustainability desk did just that with "Consumed."

You think our housing collapse was bad? Try thinking about what the homesteaders went through 100 years ago. Our series looking at the consumer economy continues. Also, the Supreme Court decides that human genes can't be patented. 

Google, Microsoft and Facebook are calling on the U.S. government to reveal how often they get national security requests for information. The Internet companies are fighting the perception they were willing participants in the National Security Agency's widespread monitoring of electronic communications. Also, Pandora buys a small radio station South Dakota for what it hopes are big savings. And our "Consumed" series continues, as we delve deeper into the half-life of the consumer economy.

We continue our special "Consumed" series from the Sustainability Desk, exploring whether we can really afford all the things we're buying. Today we focus on the technique of 'upselling' -- companies getting you to buy something you don't actually want. Also, we look at how much a secret security clearance is worth to your career ... And the cost of the immigration debate.

Can we really afford all the things we're buying? We explore the consumer economy in our new series "Consumed." First up: how we're pushing our kids to get ahead in the consumer arms race. Plus, Google is buying crowd-traffic-mapping app Waze. In light of the whole PRISM deal, how does voluntary data compare? Also, business bankruptcies are way down.  We take a look at who is still going bankrupt and why.

PRISM is no longer about rainbows any more. The government is listening, at least somewhat. We look at what we can do as consumers to pressure internet and telecommunications companies to fight back against government surveillance of personal  data. Plus, Grumpy Cat has taken the Internet by storm. So much so that the frowny kitty has a movie deal. We talk to the feline agent who represents Grumpy.

PRISM is no longer about rainbows any more. The government is listening, at least somewhat. We look at what we can do as consumers to pressure internet and telecommunications companies to fight back against government surveillance of personal  data. Plus, Grumpy Cat has taken the Internet by storm. So much so that the frowny kitty has a movie deal. We talk to the feline agent who represents Grumpy.

Today we head to a graduation, but not just any graduation. It's Oyler School's graduation — the school we've been following for a year. In the news, Verizon is handing over telephone data, but for what? And how is the government going about finding its needles on the digital haystack? Plus, all of the junk in the ocean, documented. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has been doing so for 23 years. Our story is on the cost of the junk: what we paid to get it and what we'll pay to get rid of it.

Team-building isn’t just for the IRS. How big is the workplace teambuilding business, and is it a scam or a smart way to create an engaged and productive workforce? In the private sector, the NHTSA asked for a recall on 2.7 million Jeeps. Chrysler Group said, "No."  How much of a risk is that? Plus, we talk to the CEO of Whole Foods about plans to expand into Detroit.