The surveillance state comes for grocery stores
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What recent events have impacted the community in Altadena?
They say sock some money away in case of emergency, like the California fires one year ago. I'm David Brancaccio in Pasadena, California. This week I've been checking in with my neighbors on my burned street a year after the Hurricane Force firestorm destroyed so much of Altadena, California. This along with the concurrent fire on the coast in and around Pacific Palisades were the costliest fires for property damage anywhere ever destroyed. Today, nurse Pauline, did her house burn or did her house stand in the smoke and the soot? In Pauline Gray's case, the answer is both at the same time. It's late fall of our fire year. People from our block gather in a park on a Sunday for lemonade, iced tea, and burritos donated by Home State, a local eatery.
Pauline Gray owns the property about five addresses from ours, same side of the street.
The carport burnt down and the fence, but the house is still standing.
How did the fire affect local residents and their properties?
My neighbor across the street was instrumental in helping to save my house. And I just put on a new roof. So with the ventilation system, no smoke went in the house.
So what do you have to do there to make it habitable for somebody?
Well, we're in the process of testing to check the dust inside. And the house is going to be 100 years old next year. So I have two windows that I need to upgrade.
And that was, what, a rental property, or do you have family in it?
No, a rental property.
So where do you live then?
0.8 miles from my rental property.
So 0.8, not even a mile.
Not even a mile.
Did that house stand?
No. Everything is gone. All my paintings, my Swarovski crystal, my jewelry I've been having is from the 60s. Everything is gone. Not even a pair of shoes.
What are you thinking of doing?
Rebuilding, yes. I have the architect and the builder and the plans were submitted.
Maybe you'll get them back soon then.
I always say I will. I don't like maybe and I don't like if. If is not a word and but. Those I try to keep out of my vocabulary. I'm very positive.
Do you have a contractor yet?
Yes.
What is the current state of surveillance technology in grocery stores?
I'm ready to go.
So, I mean, how? Insurance or what?
Insurance and if I need to contribute. Yeah, I'm a planner.
Yeah, so maybe you saved.
I did, yeah.
All right, well, we're always doing on my program the importance of savings because you just don't know what life will throw your way.
Pay yourself first. I pay myself 20% of every check I earned.
What type of work do you do?
I'm a neonatal intensive care nurse.
Oh, where? Still?
Huntington Hospital. No, I'm retired.
How long ago did you retire?
Twelve years. I wanted to do this from when I was five years old. When I was 35, I went back to school. Went to LACC, then I went to USC, and I only wanted to take care of children. So I did PEDS in general, then I did PEDS ICU, and then I transferred in 1990 to NICU.
So then, what does 2026 look like?
2026 is going to be a beautiful year because 2025 was not. So, 26 is going to be a good year.
Altadena, California, retired neonatal nurse, homeowner, landlord, and saver, Pauline Gray. I have a new video up now with Teachable Moments from my burned street. It's on, for instance, Instagram. Marketplace APM is the handle.
Stocks of big military contractors are surging this morning in both the U.S.
How are retailers using biometric technology to track shoppers?
and Europe after President Trump yesterday called for a $1.5 trillion U.S. military budget versus $900 billion now. Northrop Grumman up 8.7 percent pre-market trading. Lockheed Martin up 8 percent now. European defense company stocks are also up with Trump talk about acquiring or taking Greenland from Denmark. The supermarket chain Wegmans is using biometric tech to track shoppers movements in stores by identifying their faces. Marketplace's Kristen Schwab reports not just Wegmans.
Before businesses had cameras to keep an eye on shoplifters, they had notes. John Talbot is a lecturer of marketing at Indiana University.
And they had a book behind a cash register, and they knew who the people were that were high potential for stealing something from the store.
These days, cameras track eye movements, voice patterns, and gait. Talbot says the technology also helps offer new services to customers, like checkoutless checkout.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What recent events have impacted the community in Altadena?
0:01–1:03
2
How did the fire affect local residents and their properties?
1:03–2:26
3
What is the current state of surveillance technology in grocery stores?
2:26–4:11
4
How are retailers using biometric technology to track shoppers?
4:11–6:15
5
What are the ethical concerns surrounding customer surveillance?
6:15–7:06
6
What challenges do consumers face regarding privacy in retail?
7:06–7:52