Tess Vigeland reflects on her time in the Big Easy, her emotional connection to the people whose stories she heard, and her sadness over the devastation that still haunts the city.
Kids at Camp Millionaire learn how to save, how to cut back on expenses, and how investing can lead to financial freedom as adults. Caitlan Carroll reports.
So how do prepare your finances for an emergency? Tess Vigeland asked some of the folks she talked to in New Orleans what they learned and what advice they have for you.
Meet Ian McNulty, one of the latest entrants in Hurricane Katrina storytelling. We found him hunched over a beer at a neighborhood bar in New Orleans' Mid-City.
Host Tess Vigeland explores the bureaucracy, decision-making, and financial hardships of homeowners rebuilding in the Crescent City. While some are determined to build at higher elevations, others are taking their chances at ground level.
Chris Farrell looks at the opportunity to improve the lives of poor people in New Orleans that appears to have been lost. He says the mortgage crisis might have a silver lining for some: affordable housing.
Shares in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac suffered yet another meltdown this week, and the government might step in to bail them out. If that happens, shareholders risk losing all their money. Even so, some of them are staying put. Rico Gagliano reports.
About 70% of New Orleans' pre-Hurricane Katrina population is back. Many have moved to higher ground, leaving one-third of residential addresses empty. Tess Vigeland talks with Tina Marquardt of the nonprofit Beacon of Hope about what's keeping people away.
Ruth Bender remembers how her family was always lending their boat to neighbors when she was growing up in Wisconsin. She turned that memory into a business, renting canoes on the Wisconsin River.
Marketplace Money host Tess Vigeland took a trip to New Orleans recently to see how it's recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina three years ago. She tells Kai Ryssdal about how much reconstruction is yet to be done.
Host Kai Ryssdal goes over the week's big financial stories with stockbroker and business analyst David Johnson in Dallas, Texas. Fannie and Freddie, the Russians and gyrations on the stock market come up.
With the 2008 Summer Olympics ending Sunday in Beijing, Steven Beard checks on preparations for the Summer Games set for London in 2012. He gets an earful from Brits who aren't confident their country has the necessary organizational skills.
Recent high school grad Kate Stoeckle and her friend Louisa Strauss made headlines by finding something fishy on their sushi plates. Kai Ryssdal talks to the Manhattan teen.
McCain has seven homes. Obama has one, but it's worth more than a million. Does that mean they're rich? Steve Henn reports on where the presidential candidates fall on a scale of American wealth.
The Federal Reserve chairman says the financial storm isn't over, but inflation should ease. He also speaks of ways to discourage the risk-taking that started the credit crunch. Amy Scott reports.
Three more big banks have settled a fraud probe into the sale of auction rate securities, but billions in these securities aren't covered by settlements so far. Dan Grech reports around 40 other companies remain under investigation.
Now NBC says it's on track to turn a $100 million from the Olympic Games, which is a profit the network shouldn't take for granted. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to Variety's Mike Speier about NBC's success.
Puma had an excellent jump in sales thanks to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who won a gold for the 200-meter run. But other Olympic athletes have had less success selling their official products, as Scott Tong reports.
The CME Group's acquisition of NYMEX is expected to close today. The deal will give CME Group control of 98 percent of all contracts traded on U.S. futures exchanges. Adriene Hill reports why this deal is so big.
The closing ceremonies for the Summer Olympics are Sunday night, and only so many winners will walk away with big-money endorsements. Bob Moon talks about the gold medal deals with sports commentator Diana Nyad.
Companies are reporting their profits for the second quarter, and oil and energy have profited from high prices. But Amy Scott reports if you don't count banks and other financial companies, earnings actually improved a bit.
Foreign investors have pulled billions of dollars out of Russia in response to its invasion of Georgia. Official figures show the sharpest fall in the country's foreign currency reserves for a decade. Stephen Beard reports.
A new search company isn't using algorithms to find answers on the Internet — it's using humans instead. Text in a question and someone will text you right back. Dan Grech checks it out.
Sponsors spent a lot of money to have giant versions of their logos at Olympic venues. Was it money well spent? What lessons can be learned for London in 2010. Kai Ryssdal talks with Scott Tong in Beijing.
When China filtered news and blocked Web sites during the Beijing Olympics, it helped increase concern about censorship on the Internet. Commentator Jonathan Zittrain says there are ways to fight back.
Never mind the sagging economy, investment in American clean energy companies reached an all-time high last quarter. But is this just another bubble waiting to burst? Curt Nickisch reports.
Those calls you get with recorded messages? They're known as "robo-calls" and they're legal, even if you're on the Do-Not-Call list. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports on how Congress is closing that loophole.
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will be the pitchman for Microsoft Windows in an upcoming ad campaign. Can Jerry help the software giant shed its image and become cool? Jeremy Hobson reports.
Pension and health care costs are on the table as Boeing sits down with its machinists union. But costly delays in delivery of its Dreamliners are putting pressure on Boeing to avoid a strike. Steve Henn reports.
Prices have eased at the gas pump lately, but not in the grocery stores. We're seeing the highest food price inflation in 20 years, and the government's forecasting more increases in 2009. John Dimsdale reports.
The Federal Reserve's annual symposium is getting underway today in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the landscape looks a lot different from last year. Dan Grech explores the Fed's role as a lender of last resort to banks.
South Africa is busy building up its infrastructure in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. The tournament will pump about $3 billion into the economy and create about 200,000 jobs. Gretchen Wilson has more.
Luxury stores like Saks Fifth Avenue are losing sales as shoppers cut back. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports that hipsters are still attached to their brands, but Ross and TJ Maxx offer significant discounts.
Twenty-six airlines globally went out of business or into bankruptcy protection in the first half of this year. And the International Air Transport Association anticipates more airlines going down. Stephen Beard reports.
An environmental group wanted to see whether scuba divers would be willing to pay to help protect populations of ocean wildlife. A majority of divers surveyed said they would. Janet Babin reports.
Politicians have been using campaign accounts as personal legal defense funds for years. But Steve Henn reports in Senator David Vitter's prostitution case, the Federal Election Commission is starting to draw a line.
This week, wholesale inflation is jumping at the fastest pace in 27 years. But economics editor Chris Farrell says the focus shouldn't be on inflation, but on the decline in wages. He speaks with Bob Moon.
If you wonder where the candidates are on dividend and capital gains taxes, commentator Glenn Hubbard can fill you in. Then, he'll explain why he thinks the government needs to keep them low.
The loudest noises in big city apartments often come from the smallest culprits — the kids upstairs. That's giving acoustic consultants good business. Ashley Milne-Tyte hears them out.
Iraqi officials say they have a draft of a deal to reduce American troops there. The White House said not so fast. Host Kai Ryssdal talks about the U.S. in Iraq with Ken Pollack, author of "A Path Out of The Desert."
International Creative Management has agreed to a pay $4.5 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the talent agency of discriminating against TV writers older than 40. Renita Jablonski has the story.
Online auction site eBay is lowering its seller fees for fixed-price sales to compete with rivals like Amazon. Dan Grech has more on whether users are buying into the changes.
Sales of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac plummeted today on fears that if the government steps in to save the mortgage giants, taxpayers will benefit but shareholders will be wiped out. Steve Henn reports.
Today, eBay is announcing a new fee structure that emphasizes fixed-price listings. In a move to attract more sellers, eBay will be slashing its fixed-price listing fee by almost 70 percent. Dan Grech reports.
The country's national debt is on its way to hitting $9 trillion next year. How did we get here? Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to Christine O'Malley and Patrick Creadon, who produced and directed the documentary IOUSA.
Major airports in London have been privately held by a company called BAA for about 20 years. Now regulators are calling for a break-up. Stephen Beard reports what BAA has been criticized for in the past.
Online travel agencies have been working to gin up business in a slow travel season. One idea: Orbitz will start offering vacation rentals. And Renita Jablonski reports if it works for Orbitz, other companies may follow.
Campaign finance laws may limit the donations lawmakers can accept, but companies and unions can give as much as they want for conventions. Steve Henn looks into how much sponsors can get for a million dollars.
From weak or inconsistent signals to dropped calls and poor battery life, Apple has been dealing with a bunch of problems since rolling out its latest iPhone. Jeff Tyler reports why it needs to work these out fast.
Traffic deaths in the United States reached their lowest level in more than a decade last year, but no major change have been made to our cars or highways. Commentator Robert Reich says it's because of the economy.
Hugh Grant is the head of Monsanto, which creates technology to increase harvests. It's also the world's biggest producer of genetically modified seeds. Grant talks about the controversial topic of technology and food.
The novel is not dead. Nor is any other kind of book. Self-publishing technology has empowered wanna-be writers — no matter how strange their pitch. Cash Peters checks out the DIY crowd at a book expo in LA.
The forcefully unemployed now have a new way to spin their misfortune into something admirable. Just say you're a freelancer. Commentator — and freelance writer — Megan Hustad weighs in on the trend.
You're never too young to get an ulcer. The College Board is planning to roll out a new college assessment exam for eighth graders in 2010. Marketplace's Janet Babin reports.
A Merck & Co. study of Vioxx that recruited 600 doctors to prescribe the drug was actually a marketing strategy, researchers say. Host Kai Ryssdal looks at how widespread the practice is.
NATO wagged a finger at Russia today, warning that the invasion of Georgia was jeopardizing Russia's relationship with NATO. Russia's response was stern. From London, Steven Beard has the story.
JP Morgan Securities predicts investment bank Lehman Brothers will take a huge hit in the third quarter from bad mortgage investments. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports on speculation Lehman might not survive.
Housing starts hit a 17-year low in July and a wholesale price report rose to a 27-year high, monthly statistics say. John Dimsdale puts the numbers in perspective and asks — What's next?
A survey out this morning finds that U.S. nameplates are losing ground to foreign luxury brands in customer satisfaction. Dan Grech reports the gap between Japanese and U.S. car brands is widening.
Keeping dogs and cats is no longer frowned upon in China, and that's fueling a lucrative new industry. Bill Marcus reports why some families are willing to spend thousands on their pets.
Domestic air travel is expected to drop this Labor Day weekend from last year, but international travel is expected to rise slightly. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports this is partly due to logistics — and business travel.
Since launched 14 years ago, England's National Lottery has poured $7 billion into sports. And Stephen Beard reports the investment is finally paying off at the Olympics through rowing, sailing, cycling and swimming.
China now has the most Internet users in the world, and Olympic advertisers are taking advantage with a slew of online ads. But some marketers aren't so sure the aggressive ad campaigns work all the time. Lisa Chow reports.
Scientists have identified a new group of air pollutants that can expose a person to 300 times more pollutants than smoking one cigarette. Janet Babin reports what can be done to avoid these toxins.
Home Depot has been trying to build momentum for when the housing slump finally turns around. But Renita Jablonski reports homeowners aren't making home improvements beyond what's necessary, and that hurts business.
One up side of high gas prices is that many people are choosing alternate and more environmentally friendly means of transportation. bicycling is on that list. Sean Cole reports on a bicycle hand made for commuters.
Sen. John McCain's been getting heat for having lobbyists on his campaign staff. But commentator Jeff Birnbaum says it's becoming difficult to avoid hiring experts with connections.
Lobbyists aren't dumb. When a political convention is in town, it's time to party — and to promote their causes — by inviting all the Congress people and other convention VIPs. Jeremy Hobson asks, is that allowed?
High gas prices aren't all bad. They've prompted furniture manufacturer Thomasville to localize manufacturing and give some Americans their jobs back. Dave DeWitt has more.
Mitsubishi Financial Group, Japan's largest bank, has raised its bid for California's second biggest bank. The deal could become the biggest takeover of a U.S. bank this year. Alisa Roth gets some prespective.
NBC says the high ratings from the Beijing Olympics are proof that there's hope for TV networks. But will the success carry over once the games are over? Marketplace's Jeff Tyler has more.
