Posted by Katharine Crnko
For Marketplace Morning Report, Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Funding for unemployment benefits officially runs out today, although Democrats are pushing for a $12 billion extension. In the meantime, the two million long-term unemployed could find themselves cutting back drastically, and this could affect local businesses in a big way.
Troubled Asset Relief Program, otherwise known as TARP, was expected to cost taxpayers $700 billion. Now we have an updated cost of just $25 billion.
While the U.N. summit in Cancun undertakes big environmental initiatives, some small businesses are already taking up the green cause. What they’re discovering is that beyond the environmental factors, going green is helping out their bottom line, too.
As food safety moves toward the legislature, bioengineers are already creating new kinds of foods to regulate. Take the “botox apple,” which won’t brown after cutting. Will genetically modified food catch on?
Swiss Re, and insurer, has issued a report, saying that the cost of this year’s global catastrophes is $220 billion.
Considering its current economic crisis, Ireland seems a unlikely choice for a new public attraction. But for those who believe that a little magic can help tough times, there’s the new National Leprechaun Museum, the world’s first to honor the small being.
Comcast is slapping new fees on Level 3 communications — that’s the company that helps Netflix stream video to customers. The new fees could increase the price we pay to stream movies online.
European investigators opened an inquiry into whether Google illegally pushes competitors out of its search results. It’s the first major investigation into the online company’s business practices.
Here are the songs we played:
- Milton Road (My Skull With Flowers mix by Kim Hiorthoy) — Mice Parade Buy
- The Repudiated Immortals — Of Montreal Buy
- O.N.E. — Yeasayer Buy
- A New Career In A New Town (1999 Digital Remaster) — David Bowie Buy
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