TEXT OF INTERVIEW

KAI RYSSDAL: This final note today, a break from the headlines. A chance for Rico Gagliano and Brendan Newnam to do their thing. Ask the Marketplace staff about the news that didn’t make it to air. Something you might want to talk about at a dinner party.

Brendan Newnam: George Judson, managing editor for Marketplace, what’s your story this week?

George Judson: How to choose a grocery line.

Newnam: How do we choose a grocery line, the fastest line?

Judson: Well, mathematicians would say it’s random, you can’t do it. But this is a great world and someone has taken hours and hours to investigate “Is the express lane faster?”

Newnam: And? So what did we find out?

Judson: No.

Newnam: Is my name mentioned anywhere in this article, because I think…

Judson: You’re the guy who’s trying to pay with a check in a cash-only line?

Newnam: I’m the guy who went to buy milk and it turns to feta by the time I get out of there, because it’s taking me so long.

Rico Gagliano: Jeremy Hobson, New York reporter. What story are you going to be talking about this weekend?

Jeremy Hobson: Well Rico, there’s always a problem keeping doctors awake, because they work such long hours.

Gagliano: Indeed.

Hobson: Well, Queensland, Australia has a really interesting idea to save a little bit of money: Just give them more coffee.

Gagliano: So, instead of hiring more doctors, they’re saying how many cups of coffee should a doctor drink?

Hobson: Four to six cups a day and they’ve also recommended sugary snacks.

Gagliano: And then when they get all stressed out and jittery, I guess the prescription is a bottle of gin.

Newnam: Stacey Vanek-Smith, senior reporter for Marketplace. What’s your story?

Stacey Vanek-Smith: Well the prime minister of Bangladesh has banned government employees from wearing suits, jackets and ties.

Newnam: Why would he do that?

Vanek-Smith: Because he wants to save money on air conditioning, so people are supposed to have untucked shirts and you know.

Newnam: So this is the sort of things we need to do for the environment, like not wear ties, shorter work weeks. I think we can get into it.

Vanek-Smith: I know. Save the planet, wear hot pants.

Newnam: Just like we all do at Marketplace.

Vanek-Smith: That’s right.

Newnam: Speaking of, there goes Kai in his clamdiggers.