Week of January 30th, 2006

So we're six years into the 21st Century. Shouldn't we all be tooling around in flying cars? Aries Keck takes a look at the state of this Jetsonian technology.

More companies are likely to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy this year than last. Tess Vigeland looks at why.

Del Monte will no longer grow Hawaii's signature fruit in the Aloha State, because it's too expensive. Alisa Roth has more on the end of an era.

This installment of The Job Files goes out onto the gridiron with football referee George Grieger.

Marketplace Money for February 3, 2006

The savings rate is as low as it's been since the Great Depression. But personal finance expert Chris Farrell tells host Scott Jagow that's not necessarily bad news.

The hip air carrier with leather seats and individuals TVs has long been considered a model for the struggling legacy carriers to pattern themselves after. But as Stacey Vanek-Smith reports, Jet Blue's star has fallen with its recent earnings report.

A bill to cut nearly $40 billion in government spending is on its way to President Bush for his signature, but the final vote in the House was a squeaker. John Dimsdale reports.

Today, the world's nuclear watchdog holds an emergency session. The US wants the agency to report Iran to UN Security Council over its nuclear program. Among those attending the vote is India — a country which developed its own nuclear weapons program in secret. But this time, India is under pressure from the US to vote against an old friend. Miranda Kennedy explains from New Delhi.

Reports that Google was looking to buy digital music provider Napster sent shudders through the music industry yesterday. Google later denied the reports, but many want the search engine to join the music distribution fray and change the rules. Janet Babin has more from the Innovations Desk at North Carolina Public Radio.

A novel conference gets underway in Wisconsin this week. State agriculture officials are gathering farmers together to teach them how to turn manure into money. Brian Bull has more.

In his State of the Union speech, President Bush said the country should reduce its reliance on foreign oil. He laid out a specific goal to wean the country of crude, and said it could be accomplished in the most American of ways: Going high tech. Ethan Lindsey reports on the plan.

Commentator Robert Reich offers incoming Fed chief Ben Bernanke some advice on his new role as the nation's top economic watch dog.

In the first installment of our new segment "Conversations from the Corner Office," Kai talks with Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly about building a corporate culture, and why the customer isn't necessarily always right.

With one day left, January 2006 is expected to go down in the books as one of the warmest Januarys on record. Jeff Tyler looks at what impact the abnormal temperatures have had on snow-dependent businesses.

Outgoing Fed chief Alan Greenspan didn't just leave his mark on the economy. He also had an impact in the art world. Scott Tong looks at one artist who's made some green from painting portraits of Greenspan.

New rules that go into effect today allowing foreign investors to own a larger percentage of Chinese companies. Alisa Roth has the details.

President Bush expects to make health saving accounts a highlight of his State of the Union speech tonight. But how exactly do they work at the consumer level? Helen Palmer has the details.

While Ford moves ahead with plans to cut 30,000 jobs, Newsweek Wall Street Editor Allan Sloan tells host Scott Jagow the company got $250 million in tax breaks last year to create jobs that never materialized.

Britain has the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths of any country in Europe. Stephen Beard reports on the economic toll.

As the Big Easy rebuilds in the wake of Katrina, some are calling for a Dutch-style network of levees and flood control structures. But a study to be presented this week warns such coastal protections would destroy the region's wetlands. Sam Eaton reports.