Week of December 24th, 2007

Janne K. Flisrand:…

When Hurricane Katrina swamped New Orleans, thousands of relief workers poured into the region to help. This encore Day in the Work Life revisits one of those workers on the scene.

A new breed of philanthropists is using business strategies to determine how they give. Tess Vigeland explores this group with analyst Eric Kessler, who released a list of "high impact giving opportunities."

There are around 350,000 charitable organizations to donate to in this country. How do you decide where your money should go? Mary Stucky reports there are ways to give that benefit both you and the charity.

She donates about a quarter of her income a year, but never reveals her identity to her recipients. Amy Radil brings us the story of a mystery donor, why she gives close to home and what she's learned about the art of charity.

Hedge funds have drawn fire for their methods in buying companies and selling off the pieces. But one London-based fund has largely escaped criticism, depite its fearsome reputation. Stephen Beard reports.

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has a tongue-in-cheek list of resolutions for the New Year. These are resolutions you can…

The business model for TOM's Shoes gives an impoverished child a pair of shoes for each customer that buys a pair. Brett Brune reports the for-profit nature of the company helps it stay in motion.

The role-playing board game for self-professed geeks is getting a facelift. David Chong takes a look at how it's being reinvented and going electronic.

Stockbroker and business analyst David Johnson chats with host Amy Scott about what happened on Wall Street in 2007 and what may lie ahead.

Big real estate developers and the newly rich are eying some of Ireland's most beautiful rural towns. But local authorities would like them to take their mansion-building money elsewhere. Stephen Beard reports.

Stories of lead paint and other hazards in Chinese-made goods hit the headlines in 2007. Our Shanghai correspondent Scott Tong takes a looks back with host Amy Scott.

Head to any of the big retailers and you're likely to find some crazy sales — a short-term fix for a lackluster holiday shopping season. But are deep discounts good for the long-term health of these stores? Jeremy Hobson reports.

First Warren Buffett bought up a Chicago manufacturing giant. Now he's insuring municipal bonds and buying another insurance company. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.

Commentator and entrepreneur Ben Casnocha, 19, says marketers may claim to know how to reach his generation, but young people today have stronger individual identities that make them harder to reach through mass campaigns.

Boston's Public Library has landed a grant to digitize its collection of government documents, which includes an archive of the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings from the 1950's. Steve Tripoli reports.

Warren Buffett is launching a municipal bond insurance business today, taking advantage of a troubled market. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports Buffett is expected to do well by staying away from subprime.

The slump in residential real estate is the worst in 16 years, but that's given a boost to a little-known industry called mortgage field servicers. Mhari Saito reports on the largest privately-owned property caretaker.

Question: How can I hedge against the falling value of the dollar? I have 400K in TIAA/CREFF, half in TIAA and the other half split between Social…

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani today launches one of the first national television ads of the presidential campaign season. Jill Barshay reports it's a cost-effective way for him to reach 23 key states.

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto rippled through the Pakistani stock market. Doug Krizner talks to Jo Johnson from The Financial Times in London on the future outlook for investing there now.

Dutch bank ING is unloading its re-insurance unit to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Stephen Beard reports the official reason for the sale is streamlining, but analysts suspect other motives are involved.

Negotiations between the United Auto Workers and the Big Three automakers were expected to be considerably more friendly than they became. Alisa Roth reviews the year in auto industry news with host Renita Jablonski.

When sizing up the latest new home sales figures with other key economic factors, things can get confusing. Jeremy Hobson reports how the numbers stack up against jobless claims and durable goods orders.

Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, December 28, 2007

Marketplace Money for Friday, December 28, 2007

A lot of stock traders might have a drink or hit the gym when they lose money. Tom Moran paints. And his trades are his inspiration. Amy Scott visited his studio for this report.

Remember the woman who 15 years ago sued McDonald's for burns she suffered when she spilled their hot coffee on herself? Commentator Karl Meyer certainly did when he bit into some canned tuna.

Wannabe parents from the United States, Taiwan and Britain are traveling to India in increasing numbers, seeking babies from surrogate mothers. Is it exploitation or opportunity for the mothers, who are highly paid? Sunita Thakur reports.

Credit was the big story on Wall Street this year. With 2008 just a few days away, our Senior Business Correspondent Bob Moon takes a look back with host Amy Scott at the crunch that still has a tight grip on deal-making.

If pinching pennies is one of your New Year's resolutions, take note: Coupons are going digital. Next week Valassis Communications plans to launch a website it hopes will reinvent the lowly paper coupon for the Internet age. Marketplace's Sam Eaton reports.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that companies can cut their retirees' health-care benefits once they turn 65, when Medicare kicks in. The ruling means employers can shift the burden of insuring retirees to the federal government. Nancy Marshall-Genzer reports.

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has sent Pakistan spiraling into increased turmoil. Host Amy Scott talks with professor Sumit Ganguly of Indiana University about the tragedy's impact on the nation's democracy movement and economy.

Question: I'm newly married and trying to put together a plan for budgeting and saving for our future. The book I've been reading suggests…

In the 1980s, there was a lot of concern about foreign companies and investors snapping up U.S. assets. Most of the worry was concentrated on the…

A new ruling says employers can shift health care to Medicare once workers become eligible for benefits at age 65. Some businesses like the idea, but the AARP calls it age discrimination. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.

After 25 years, several billion dollars and many mistakes, Boston's massive underground highway construction project known as the "Big Dig" will be finished New Year's Eve. Monica Brady-Myerov reports on the lessons learned.

It's been a bad year for bear-market mutual funds. Steve Tripoli reports besides trailing all other mutual funds, future prospects are also looking grim, and economic optimists should be warned.

A law in Norway requires at least 40 percent of positions in the country's boardrooms be taken by women. The deadline to fulfill the law is Monday, and Stephen Beard reports the mandate is working.

With the middle class strapped for cash, Americans have turned to home equity — and the well is running dry. Marketplace's Steve Tripoli talks to host Doug Krizner about a long-term pay-off for a short-term solution.

The housing slump and weak dollar may be hurting much of the U.S., but the economy in Seattle is doing surprisingly fine. Phyllis Fletcher reports what may seem bad for everyone else can be good for Washington state.

What was supposed to be the year of comprehensive immigration reform became the year of cracking down on illegal immigrants. Host Lisa Napoli takes a year-end look at illegal immigration with reporter Dan Grech.

The Japanese prime minister's visit to China will focus on improving the countries' relations, but the issue of the water boundary between the two countries might make things hairy. Scott Tong reports.

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, December 27, 2007

Ever been out shopping the morning after Christmas? It's kind of busy, actually. People sneaking out of work to spend gift cards and snap up a few post-holiday bargains. Amy Scott caught up with one shopper — the kind retailers are counting on.

Lack of oversight and regulation paved the way for the subprime lending collapse and the nation's current credit crunch. Steve Tripoli has been covering the story and says the root problem was people forget about risk. He explains with host Amy Scott.

The armoire is the workhorse of the modern luxury hotel room. Or it was until the flat screen TV came along. Mary-Rose Abraham reports on how hotels are thinking outside of the big, wooden box.

Illegal immigration is still a hot topic on the campaign trail. But commentator Robert Reich says the current debate over the issue misses the mark.

Some 2 million certification exams are taken in the I.T. profession alone every year. The Boston Globe has been investigating a new industry that helps people cheat on those tests. Correspondent Kevin Baron discussed his findings with host Amy Scott.

Three years ago a tsunami in Indonesia killed more than 230,000 people. It also spurred an outpouring of $13 billion in aid from around the globe. Jeremy Hobson reports on where the money went.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway agreed to buy 60% of the manufacturing giant Marmon Holdings. At $4.5 billion it's the biggest deal Buffett's done outside the insurance business. Jill Barshay reports.

Question: I recently inherited a small life insurance from my mother's passing. There are no guidelines how I should spend the money, but it was…

Plenty of executives and their companies were exposed for questionable behavior this year. Michelle Leder, editor of Footnoted.org, dug up many of these indiscretions from the fine print of SEC filings. She talks with host Amy Scott.

Car maker BMW announced it's going to cut thousands of jobs next year. Although the company wants to cut its costs, it's not squeezing its staff because of the same problems facing Detroit. Alisa Roth reports.

Last-minute shoppers helped boost retail numbers before the holiday, but overall buying was still weak. Jill Barshay reports women's clothing was a particularly big casualty, and tells us where to go for bargains now.

After MAXjet filed for bankruptcy on Christmas Eve, other business-only carriers have come forward with their own economic hardships. Stephen Beard reports which airlines may not be taking off as expected.

Many private-equity stories on Wall Street had disappointing endings this year. Amy Scott recaps some of the deals with Doug Krizner, and looks into why many investors started turning away from risky debt.

In talks between China and the two Koreas, North Korea is being offered economic aid if it discloses information on its nuclear program. Scott Tong reports the deal could fall apart if North Korea reneges.

If you're out shopping today and you want to know how safe that toy is before you buy it, you can peruse with more confidence if you've brought your cell phone. Rachel Dornhelm has more on toy safety texting.

From tainted toys to cheap currency to enormous investment power, China had a wealth of economic stories this year. Shanghai correspondent Scott Tong puts things into perspective with host Renita Jablonski.

Are you at work on this day after Christmas? Plenty of people are. But, as Ashley Milne-Tyte reports, unless you're working retail your business is probably about half as productive as usual right now.

Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, December 26, 2007

You know that harmonic convergence of your television set and PC you've been hearing about? Nancy Marshall-Genzer reports that it's finally on its way.

More than 100 million Chinese invest in the stock market, four times the number there were last year. And, as Scott Tong found out, some of them are closer to home than he expected.

Crisco is a staple in many American kitchens and a must-have for homemade pies. But it's also an invented food made by chemists, and the story of how the white stuff became a must-have has become a marketing legend. Sarah Gardner reports.

Sometimes it's not how much you pay but where you find things. Commentator Mary Annette Pember says for Native Americans the town dump has historically been a key part of the economy.

Gift cards and online registries are partially to blame for developing a more efficient system of gift-giving. Shia Levitt looks into the value we place on items we buy ourselves versus the way others value them.

Ski resorts in the Northeast hit a dry spell last year, causing a sharp visitor decline. But this season, everything is in full swing. Sean Cole reports from his own "Hell," also known as a snowy Boston.

Attendance at Hong Kong Disneyland is down significantly since its first year open. Kate Woodsome reports the government may be willing to help the theme park if it can bring economic benefits to the city.

The tiny town of Knock, Ireland has become a popular Catholic pilgrimage since residents say they saw an apparition of Virgin Mary in 1879. Rico Gagliano visited a community business centered around the devoted.

Knowing the powerful influence Santa has on children, a marketing campaign wants to slim down the jolly fat man's image. But Cash Peters says trading cookies for carrot sticks ruins the holiday spirit.

Peer-to-peer lending websites have made it increasingly possible for everyday people to lend to entrepreneurs around the world. Rachel Dornhelm reports the down-to-earth businesses tend to get the most cash.

Christmas day is one of the most popular days for movies, and the studios are expecting hotter box office sales this year than last. Sarah Gardner tells us what flicks might catch an audience this season.

Marketplace Morning Report for Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Most of Canada's crude oil is out west, in the oil sands of Alberta. Thirty-thousand people work there. Blair Ghent lives in Newfoundland, on the other side of the country. He makes the long commute alone, but he's not the only one dealing with the hardship. Chris Brookes reports.

Retailers aren't the only ones counting on the Christmas rush. December is high season for church going. And while year-end isn't exactly make-or-break time for churches, the way it is for stores, it is a key time to fill up those coffers. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

Among the films opening this week is "There Will Be Blood." Daniel Day-Lewis stars as a wildcat oil driller in this loose adaptation of an Upton Sinclair novel. Commentator John Brady says the film offers a look at some uniquely American themes.

With Zimbabwe's inflation out of control and about 80% of its workforce unemployed, thousands of its citizens are crossing into South Africa illegally to find work. Many of them are children who make that journey by themselves. Gretchen Wilson reports.

A community of Cistercian monks in Wisconsin has developed a Web business reselling ink and toner cartridges for printers at a discount. Sarah Caniglia wrote a book about her experiences helping the "laser monks" run their website. She talks with host Amy Scott.

If you were getting in your last-minute shopping today, chances are you're either a hardcore procrastinator or you're looking for deep discounts just before Christmas. Jeremy Hobson took a look at the holiday's final retail rush.

MAXjet Airways filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, leaving some passengers stranded on Christmas Eve. Nancy Marshall-Genzer takes a look at what sent the airline into freefall.

Merrill Lynch, which lost more than $2 billion last quarter on bad subprime mortgage investments, got some help today from Singapore's Temasek Holdings, Davis Partners, and GE Capital. Jill Barshay reports.

A mall is helping boost its Santa presence by using NORAD to track his sleigh's whereabouts. Jeff Tyler reports millions the world over are actually looking to the skies tonight.

The Justice Department says a court ruling that puts legislative materials off-limits is handcuffing its investigations. John Dimsdale reports.

Once the world's largest wealth manager, UBS is now staying afloat by selling shares to foreign investors. Stephen Beard reports Switzerland is upset, and officials want to figure out who's to blame.

As budgets tighten through a rough economy, consumers are looking at holiday gift-giving more prudently. Andrea Gardner reports that gift cards for practical things such as groceries and oil changes are on the rise.

Being a mall Santa may not be the most glamorous job — unless you like being punched and sat on by kids — but it does have its upside. For one, a good Santa can pull up to $10,000 in one season. Scott Shafer has more.

The average annual income in Lesotho is $100 a year, but a $195 donation can buy a family an income-generating piglet that can boost that income substantially. Gretchen Wilson reports.

Event promoter Live Nation's new deal with Germany ticket company CTS Eventim could be advantageous for consumers, who likely won't even notice the company is there. Janet Babin reports.

As Domino's debuts a multimillion-dollar ad campaign, mom-and-pop pizzerias without big marketing budgets compensate by trying to serve an authentic slice of culture. Lisa Napoli reports.

Marketplace Morning Report for Monday, December 24, 2007