Week of June 11th, 2007

Psychotherapy working a little slow? Sometimes it's easier to sing what you're feeling than to say it.

Putting a new spin on the term "life savings," a company wants to help you bank your own stem cells while you're still healthy. Andrew Phelps sits in on a deposit.

Associate producer Rico Gagliano's been tagging along with a friend getting into the Los Angeles housing market. But there's one crucial word he still needs to add to his lexicon.

The best way to pay tribute to Dad is by learning valuable lessons from his example. Kevin Palmer brings us the story of a son who worked hard helping with his father's business – and then branched out on his own.

The government is starting to look towards the kitchen as a place to save on greenhouse gas emissions. John Dimsdale went to the experts to grade his dishwasher.

The battles between the Palestinian Fatah and Hamas political parties in Gaza has devastated the economy of the region. We talked with Yousef Douad, professor of economics at Birzeit University, about the impacts on daily life.

Former U.S. senator and actor Fred Thompson is expected to join the presidential race. If he does, commentator Jeff Birnbaum says voters should keep his work experience in mind.

Stockbroker and business analyst David Johnson discusses with host Bob Moon what happened on Wall Street this week and what may lie ahead.

Washington's drive to develop energy alternatives is chewing up commodities like corn that we'd otherwise be feeding ourselves. And that's raising grocery prices. John Dimsdale reports.

The National Park Service is relying increasingly on volunteers to staff its facilities. But some park service employees are complaining that the quality of service is suffering — and so is morale. Jeremy Hobson reports.

Some lawmakers are moving to make sure one of the world's biggest private-equity firms can't take advantage of tax laws by becoming a publicly-traded company. Steve Henn reports.

The Chinese have enthusiastically embraced text messaging. However, they recently discovered its power to spread disinformation — sometimes with economically disastrous results. Scott Tong reports.

In part three of our series following engaged couple Michael Fox and Tiffany Lee-Youngren, Tess Vigeland watches the pair sample wine for their special day – and explores how far the two are willing to go on expenses.

How do you like your spam? The FBI prefers it extra fried.

It hasn't gone unnoticed by Congress that private equity firms are starting to go public. Or that they pay less than half the tax rate public companies do. So yesterday it introduced a bill to even the playing field. Steve Henn reports.

With the series finale of "The Sopranos" last week, HBO finds itself for the first time with no smash hit and nothing in the pipeline. But it'll be interesting to watch how they handle that huge transition, says Daily Variety's Mike Speier.

The Swiss Central Bank has raised interest rates by 0.25 percent and some analysts are warning investors to be prepared for dramatic moves in global currency markets in the months ahead. Stephen Beard explains.

No surprise that fewer than 1 percent of the world's private equity deals happen in Africa, the world's poorest continent. But with the potential for higher returns, more investors may be lured to take the risk. Terry FitzPatrick has the story.

Not exactly shocking information given the wage disparities between the U.S. and our neighbor to the south. But, say researchers, that doesn't mean if borders were opened that a third of Mexicans would really leave. Dan Grech reports.

Marriott is teaming with famed boutique designer Ian Schrager to develop a new, edgier brand to compete for a new, younger class of business travelers. Ashley Milne-Tyte has details.

When economic bubbles burst, a ripple of devastating effects inevitably follows. Investors can lose everything, tens of thousands of workers may lose their jobs. But there's usually an upside says author Daniel Gross, even in the deflating housing market.

Marketplace Money for Friday, June 15, 2007

There's no shortage of ideas on how to deal with ailing borrowers and lenders. Fed officials heard some of them at a hearing in Washington. But the central bank's being urged not to overreact. Bob Moon reports.

Kodak says it's got a new technology that will let photographers take sharp pictures in low light. Jill Barshay reports on what it might mean for the company, whose outlook in the digital era has lacked some definition.

JP Morgan Chase said today it's moving back to Lower Manhattan at the World Trade Center site. Officials hope it will lure other businesses to locate there, too. But Alisa Roth reports the bank didn't come cheap.

Kai Ryssdal reviews some of the comments we've received about Ben Stein, China's currency, Avandia and Red Bull.

The war between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands ended 25 years ago today. We talked with some people there about the economic growth the islands have enjoyed in the ensuing years.

Reporter Ashley Milne-Tyte noticed that many professional women in their 20s and 30s speak in ways that are, well, not very direct. She asked around about how women's voices matter to their careers.

Once we get past stories about subprime mortgages and whether or not rising interest rates will sink real estate even lower, is there a way to bring the market back? Commentator John Vogel has a plan.

Starting tomorrow you'll be able to buy a powerful over-the-counter weight loss pill called Alli. It's only half the strength of its prescription counterpart, but much cheaper. Jaime Bedrin reports.

Sales of Alli are projected to be as high as $3 billion a year, but angry critics say once it's available over-the-counter there's nothing to stop it from becoming a dangerous drug for teens and people with eating disorders. Helen Palmer reports.

Southwest carries more passengers than any other U.S. airline, but profits are sagging and there are seats to fill so it's finally going to sell tickets through the same booking engine other airlines use. But you're still not getting an assigned seat, Jill Barshay reports.

Chris Farrell says the inflation fears gripping the economic community are being addressed to such a degree that inflation is likely to just disappear. And they might actually be creating a buying opportunity for bonds.

Britain's largest defense contractor managed to escape U.K. inquiries into secret payments made in a massive arms deal, but now that those payments have been traced to a U.S. bank account, the DOJ will likely launch its own investigation. Stephen Beard reports.

About a quarter of Americans currently infected with HIV don't know they're living with the virus, but the public health community is divided over the best way to find and treat that population. Janet Babin explains.

The sub-prime loan market collapse is tearing apart neighborhoods. But hedge fund managers are worried their insurance policies won't pay out if the federal government intervenes. Steve Henn reports.

It seems there are no exceptions to passport complications, not even for a former high-ranking federal official like commentator Robert Reich. He tells his story.

The White House has dispatched Commerce Secy. Carlos Gutierrez to lobby businesses and Latino groups to get the immigration bill back on track. He tried out his sales pitch on Kai Ryssdal today.

U.S. manufacturers have long complained that China depresses the cost of its currency to gain an unfair trade advantage. A bipartisan group of senators wants the administration to do something about that. Steve Henn reports.

The State Department recently relaxed passport requirements for travel abroad so it could dig out of a mountain of applications. But the temporary fix isn't working. A lot of travelers are stuck and losing money. Bob Moon reports.

Democrats on Capitol Hill are horse-trading their way toward a new energy bill. But in the Senate some controversial amendments are threatening to derail it. Sarah Gardner reports.

Once again the American consumer is riding to the economic rescue. The government says retail sales were up 1.4% in May. But retail consultant Howard Davidowitz figures there's less to the numbers than meets the eye.

Cuban migrants who actually set foot on American soil get to stay as refugees. Anybody caught at sea is sent home. So, many migrants no longer take a boat to Florida. Lygia Navarro reports on what they're doing now.

Farm workers usually start and end their careers in the same kind of job. Doing back-breaking work for someone else. A training program in Salinas, Calif., is trying to change that. Rachael McDonald reports.

Leaders in Europe are bracing for harsh criticism from the White House over their new Clean Sky project designed to cut jet carbon emissions and reduce noise pollution, but they say they're just playing catch-up with the U.S. Stephen Beard explains.

A bipartisan group of Senators today is expected to unveil a bill intended to protect U.S. trade interests, in spite of a warning from Beijing that it would react swiftly to American tariffs. Jeremy Hobson reports.

Sudan has finally agreed to a peacekeeping force for Darfur, and last week the G8 reaffirmed its 2-year-old pledge to help African countries out of poverty. But commentator Glenn Hubbard says what Africa really needs is a customized Marshall Plan.

Rich clay deposits once made St. Louis the nation's brick capital. Today its distinctive red bricks are a hot commodity for builders — so hot that some people are stealing entire walls off old buildings. Matt Sepic has the story.

News that Ford's trying to unload its British luxury brands Land Rover and Jaguar set off alarms among U.K. labor unions. They're lobbying hard to keep the companies out of the hand of private equity. Stephen Beard reports.

The GOP's annual gala used to be a hot ticket, even at $25,000. But with President Bush's job approval ratings at an all-time low, organizers expect to rake in just half of last year's $15-million haul. Steve Henn reports.

Looks like we haven't seen the worst of the foreclosure crisis yet. New data shows filings are up significantly. The outlook for the real estate market is grim, and it could be bad news for the economy as well, Steve Tripoli reports.

As health care prices continue to soar, employers are getting more creative about ways to cut costs. The University of Michigan is having its employees cut high-dosage prescription pills in half. Then they share the savings. Helen Palmer has the story.

More social networking sites are being targeted at the Latino and Spanish-speaking markets. And that means competition for English-language sites chasing limited advertising dollars. Ambar Espinoza reports.

Uncertain investors are making some unusual moves these days as they look for places to put their money. Our senior business correspondent Bob Moon explains what's going on in the markets.

The Senate is working on an energy plan that would set new fuel economy standards for automobiles. Commentator Ben Stein says he's all for sound energy policy, but lawmakers are going about it all wrong.

Owners of Ohio's strip clubs and adult video stores say their businesses are being threatened by some tough, new state laws. They may end up taking their fight straight to voters. Bill Cohen reports.

New rules requiring bond prices to be made readily available is making it somewhat easier to invest in them. And brokerages are adapting, lowering fees to attract buyers. Janet Babin reports.

Ford announced today it's hired bankers to help figure out how to sell off its Land Rover and Jaguar lines. Kai Ryssdal talks with The New York Times' Micheline Maynard about the changes.

An online report out today tracks billions of dollars in farm subsidies for the past three years. And you might be surprised who got government checks. Steve Henn has the story.

The automaker is looking to sell its high-end brands Land Rover and Jaguar. The move is probably about concentrating on volume back home says analyst Andrew Wright, but Ford is taking a risk driving away from the luxury and SUV markets.

His country is desperately cash poor, so Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega is looking for investment money any which way he can. But it's going to require some crafty negotiating, Dan Grech reports.

Lots of small-business owners say they never would have succeeded if they hadn't failed first. Steve Tripoli brings us the common lessons of some failed entrepreneurs.

Yahoo CEO Terry Semel is probably in for a rough day. The annual shareholder meeting gets underway this morning and a lot of the people in the room are mad that his pay keeps rising even as profits and stock prices sink. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

American brewer Anheuser-Busch has won the latest round in the ongoing legal battle with a small Czech rival over the use of the name Budweiser. It gets to use it on merchandise sold in Europe. But this is far from over, Stephen Beard reports.

Avian flu has claimed more victims in Asia recently and that's sparked renewed concerns about the possibility of a pandemic — but not so much among the American public. Most of us haven't prepared at all, Helen Palmer reports.

Congress is putting together legislation that would increase the amount of time workers have to file discrimination lawsuits against their employers. Supports say the current limits aren't reasonable.

Recently-released financial disclosures show that seven of the nine Supreme Court justices are millionaires. That might be expected, but the ways some of them acquired their wealth isn't. Steve Henn reports.

Some new corporate rankings came out today. A group called Climate Counts is scoring popular companies based on their response to climate change. It's starting with fast food and the scores are low. Really low. Sarah Gardner has details.

The Show Me state is spending half a billion dollars to rebuild a 10-mile stretch of I-64 in the heart of St. Louis. The project's so big it's causing some businesses to take their own detours. Tom Weber reports.

A New York nonprofit group is serving as a guardian for persons who for reasons of age, illness or disability can't care for themselves. It's good for the people — and the state, too. Alisa Roth reports.

Some independent brokerage houses are seeing their business shrinking, which has some analysts predicting that they might be ripe for a takeover. Bob Moon reports.

British architects and builders have unveiled the nation's first carbon-neutral home. It's designed to emit no greenhouse gases and save a small fortune in energy bills. Stephen Beard reports.

The Supreme Court released four, unanimous business-related opinions today. There was some bad news for Big Tobacco. And, as Steve Henn reports, it wasn't such a good day for unions either.

Commentator Sandra Tsing Loh shares her latest obsession with a game that's gaining widespread popularity. It takes luck and absolutely no skill.

The activist group Privacy International issued a report about Internet companies it says are the worst about protecting consumer privacy. It ranked Google as the worst. Lisa Napoli reports.

Economists are guessing milk prices will be up 80% this summer. Jill Barshay reports on why the dairy product is suddenly getting so expensive.

There's been a lot of speculation in the papers the last several days that the recent rise in Treasury yields will cool down private equity…

Domestic Chinese stocks trade at stratospheric price/earnings multiples. It's essentially a closed market to foreign buyers. There is a search on…

Stagnating wages combined with a growing number of house-hungry families could lead to a housing affordability challenge that could have ripple effects for the U.S. economy. Steve Tripoli reports.

Author Cam Marston's new book details how Baby Boom managers are having to deal with so-called New Millenials — young workers accustomed to praise who need more motivation to perform even simple job tasks.

Hardly anyone watched the Stanley Cup playoffs. Now the hockey league is hoping a high-tech method of posting Web video of live games can make its audience grow, online. Janet Babin reports.

A commission is meeting in The Hague to hammer out trade laws to help save species in peril. But the panel's actions can have some unforeseen consequences on niche industries. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

A watchdog group says four factories making official gear for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing overwork their employees and use child labor. Sponsors already have contingency plans for bad news.

Next year's smoking ban on all Dutch restaurants and bars will have a unique effect on shops that specialize in selling marijuana and hashish. At least, that's what correspondent Rico Gagliano seems to remember…

Advisors from outside Congress will be able to report potential violations to the House Ethics Committee. But critics say that without subpoena powers, the panel has no teeth. Jeremy Hobson reports.

Like women, middle-aged men can often experience the side-effects of decreasing levels of hormones. A Scottish company hopes for a U.S. license for a gel that could change all that. Stephen Beard reports.

The New York Times has a compelling story on the surge in private student loans. The private student loan market is disturbing. Students are taking…