This weekend San Francisco hosts "Slow Food Nation" — a celebration of locally grown food and sustainability. A handful of participating farms are experimenting with a new way to boost profits — meat subscriptions. Lauren Sommer reports.
There's about a month left in Major League Baseball's regular season. But the minors have a long, hard season, too. To see what that world was all about, we went to Portland, Ore. to get the play-by-play. Last in a series.
In his final appearance on our regular Friday segment, stockbroker and business analyst David Johnson reflects with host Kai Ryssdal on his 19 years of watching the markets.
Republicans have chosen a backdrop for their convention — Minnesota — that reflects some of the same economic problems the country, and the new president, are going to have to deal with. Annie Baxter reports.
New Orleans is right in the middle of the area where Hurricane Gustav is projected to make landfall. Kai Ryssdal talks with Tom LaGrange of the Port of New Orleans about the preparations being made.
In the mid-90's Alabama's Jefferson County issued $3 billion in bonds to pay for a new sewer system. But now the loan might end up dragging the county, which includes Birmingham, into the gutter. And Wall Street's not happy. Andrew Yeager reports.
The nation's biggest cable company is setting a limit on how much data its customers can transfer to and from their computers in a month. But the cap isn't really about the Internet. It's about TV. Dan Grech reports.
Being a stay-at-home mom could be a precarious move, according to Leslie Bennetts, author of "The Feminine Mistake." She talks with host Tess Vigeland about the consequences passing on the workplace could have down the road.
Marriage takes a lot of work. Running a business isn't cake either. So what happens when your life partner is also your business partner? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
In this edition of Getting Personal, Chris and Tess talk about saving for a child's education, getting a mortgage in retirement, American Depositary Receipts and providing health care for a family member.
The business of online networking is growing, partly because people are using their networks to recruit and job-seek. As Jeremy Hobson reports, just like offline, it's not what you know, it's who you know.
A new study says uninsured Americans will spend upwards of $30 billion on health care this year. Economics editor Chris Farrell sets the story straight on the prospects for real reform.
Sometimes it's hard to ask for what you want, but as author Linda Babcock tells host Tess Vigeland, getting over your fear of negotiation could literally mean millions of dollars over the span of your career.
Did you know that if you borrow from your Social Security early and pay it back later, the government will call things even? Bob Moon reports on an option that almost sounds too good to be true.
In this fast-food obsessed country, one group of foodies holds huge festivals to celebrate dinner in the slow lane. Krissy Clark gets details from one of the organizers.
U.S. companies are increasingly relying on China and other booming economies to grow, with some companies seeing increased earnings only because of their sales abroad. Nancy Marshall Genzer asks how long this will last.
Labor Day marks the official end of blockbuster summer movie season. Now comes the dry spell as audiences await the Oscar warm-up. But cinema chains have come up with unusual ways to put empty theaters to use. Rico Gagliano reports.
The American auto industry's economic woes have spread to England. Toyota will be the first major car maker in that country to scale back output. As Stephen Beard reports, it's a sign the slowing European economy is taking its toll.
The Shanghai World Financial Centre is 1,600 feet high and has 101 floors. Does having the mega-skyscraper mean Shanghai has arrived as a global financial hub? Marketplace's Scott Tong reports.
Today is the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest hurricanes in American history. Scott Jagow marks the occasion by getting back to a New Orleans business owner we talked to a few months after the hurricane.
What's all this talk about a recession? The government today said gross domestic product, which measures the economy's overall output, rose 3.3 percent in the quarter that ended in June. John Dimsdale asks if it will last.
Inside South Africa's nature reserves, herds of elephants are growing. So the government's come up with a new plan — with an eye toward the bottom line. Gretchen Wilson reports.
The Graduate Management Admission Council says MBA applicatons are up this year. Joel Podolny, dean of the Yale School of Management, discusses with Kai Ryssdal how students are now using the tools of the Internet to study business cases.
After Enron, the federal government cracked down on corporate misbehavior like tax fraud. But after much complaining by businesses — and some unintended consequences — the government is changing its ways. Janet Babin reports.
At a six-way security meeting in Central Asia with Russian and Chinese participants today, Russia's invasion of Georgia got tepid support from four of its Asian allies — leaving China stuck in the middle. Scott Tong reports.
Political party conventions are as much about money as platforms and funny hats. Politico's Jeanne Cummings is in Denver for the Democratic convention. She talks with Kai Ryssdal about the event's bottom line.
The approach of Tropical Storm Gustav is only adding to the stress level in the Gulf states. Reporter John Pope of the New Orleans Times-Picayune talks with Kai Ryssdal about the preparations underway.
Nearly 1 million people and businesses went into bankruptcy in the first half of this year, according to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
If you go strictly by the numbers, the economy's 3.3% growth in the second quarter looks great. It beats the historical record by just a bit. But before you get excited, listen to John Dimsdale's report on why the momentum might not last.
The government is expected to announce it will no longer penalize companies it is investigating for using attorney-client privilege or paying an employee's legal fees. Janet Babin reports.
Firewood brings up images of roaring fireplaces and getting all cozy around them. But firewood distributers in New York are going a steady business in another way. Mark Foggin reports.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today issued its top economic priorities, and the list includes more than housing, credit and energy costs. From Washington, Danielle Carson reports.
Diageo, the world's largest liquor maker, reports full-earning results this morning. Stephen Beard checks to see if alcohol sales are up in these economic hard times.
The odds of walking away with a prize on a game show are much better than winning the lottery. But Jeff Tyler reports why you may want to avoid that Hawaiian vacation and shoot for the cash.
Abercrombie and Fitch employees say they're being discriminated against for not being attractive enough. Ashley Milne-Tyte explores the chain's "hierarchy of hotness" and why not everyone can work the floor.
High fuel costs have companies reconsidering their shipping methods. One strategy is to get goods made closer to home and use trains for your cargo instead of planes. Janet Babin looks into what else companies are doing.
Commentator Robert Reich says Democrats have acknowledged the obstacles racial minorities face in hiring and education for a long time. Now, he says, they ought to look at the economically disadvantaged, too.
Sometimes you find economic truths in offbeat places. Marketplace's Jeremy Hobson visited an anxiety clinic in Washington, D.C., for a measurement of how consumers are coping.
When Marie Osmunson received a huge order for her vegetarian burgers from one of the Northwest's most popular fast-food chains, she had a problem: How to deal with success. Mitchell Hartman reports.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association is telling its players, many of whom are Korean, they'll be suspended if they can't pass an oral English exam next year. Why? Sponsors speak a language everyone understands. It's called money.
Germans' confidence in their economy — Europe's largest — has plummeted with second-quarter performance actually shrinking. What could be the impact on Europe and the U.S.? Stephen Beard reports.
The latest forecast calls for Tropical Storm Gustav to make landfall on the Gulf Coast Monday morning. Kai Ryssdal talks with oil worker Buddy Bollfrass about how oil companies are getting ready.
Cities and states need an estimated $1.5 trillion to fix crumbling bridges, roads and utility plants. Taxpayers traditionally have paid for those kinds of projects. But governments are heading for Wall Street to get the job done. John Dimsdale reports.
Kai Ryssdal jumps into the pool with Kevin Pereira of G4's "Attack of the Show" to try out some of the latest technology that doesn't have any trouble getting wet.
The rising price of corn has hit many consumers hard, but it's been good news for Monsanto, one of the world's largest providers of corn seed. Kai Ryssdal talks with the company's CEO Hugh Grant in the second of his Corner Office interview.
TiVo may be a household name, but it hasn't posted many profitable quarters. Dan Grech reports what the company is doing to try to better its earnings and why it has such stiff competition with other digital video recorders.
The long-running dispute between the U.S. and Brazil over cotton subsidies is coming to a head, and Brazil wants the World Trade Organization to impose $4 billion in sanctions on the U.S. Stephen Beard reports.
A new study finds that over-fishing actually changes a fish's biology and makes it smaller. Janet Babin looks into depleted fisheries in New England, where shrinking cod are on the brink of economic extinction.
Citigroup is refunding $18 million to customers across the country for taking money from accounts without notification. Renita Jablonski has more on the "account sweeping program" that brought the company penalties.
China's the world's second-largest auto market after the U.S. And like the U.S, China is trying to reduce its thirst for foreign oil by pushing smaller cars. Scott Tong has more.
A new survey finds that many companies are trying to help employees deal with the cost of gasoline, from having four-day work weeks to offering telecommuting. Nancy Marshall Genzer explores whether this is productive.
The environmental impact of food production has been a big story over the past year. But commentator Will Wilkinson says making sure you eat local doesn't do as much to improve your carbon foodprint as the way food is produced.
Commentator Will Marshall says there's a missing element in the Democratic party's platform that needs to be looked at more closely — the future of nuclear power.
Big budgets and cheap labor are fueling rapid development in many Chinese cities. But with all the opportunity for architecture and construction firms comes a bit of risk — the workforce. Lisa Chow reports.
When the flow of traffic just isn't in your favor, the thing to remember is that it's not really about you. It's likely your fellow drivers who are responsible. Tom Vanderbilt, who makes that point in his book, "Traffic," explains to Kai Ryssdal.
For all the talk about building smaller, more fuel-efficient models, Detroit's automakers are just now taking some simple steps to improve the mileage of the cars they sell. Steve Henn reports.
Today the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation warned of more bank failures ahead, with bank earnings dropping 80% from a year ago. John Dimsdale reports.
Some experts are whispering that the economy may be bouncing back. Key indicators released today might bolster their opinions. But poke around the credit markets and not everybody likes what they see. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Kai Ryssdal reviews listener comments to our coverage of New Orleans three years after Hurricane Katrina, college exams for 8th graders, and the Monsanto CEO's views on genetically modified crops.
Scientists are working with a new technological system that will help people with spinal cord injuries control electronics with their tongue. Janet Babin explains how the technology works and how it's helpful.
The Latino food and beverage market in the U.S. is expected to grow to $8.4 billion in the next three years. Dan Grech reports how Latino grocery chains are assimilating with mainstream supermarket culture.
Mining giant Rio Tinto announced earnings more than doubled for the first half of this year. The company is hoping that will help it fight off a hostile takeover bid from rival BHP Billiton. Stephen Beard reports.
The bad news in the housing market has been good news for people interested in preserving the land. Jennifer Collins explores why it's been easier for conservation groups to create more green spaces.
Honduras has joined a Central American trade pact on a sweetheart deal with Venezuela for cheap oil. Dan Grech reports why the U.S. may want to pay attention to the deal and maybe try to procure an attractive counteroffer.
In this year's back to school shopping season, finding bargains and going to discount stores are the trends. Nancy Farghalli looks into how families are cutting back on their spending on clothes and school supplies.
A measure on a Homer, Alaska ballot would limit pollution from mining operations to avoid threatening salmon fisheries. But some say this is a way to avoid construction of a copper and gold mine. Emily Schwing reports.
The dollar is up this morning against the trend over the last several months. Stephen Beard talks to Scott Jagow about fears of a continued struggle in the Eurozone economy and why the dollar is rising again.
While studies show that most workers want their firms to do more for the environment, some individual employees are going above and beyond the call of the carbon footprint. Beth Teitell reports.
Trouble's not new to Caribbean banana growers. Author Peter Chapman chronicles the rise and fall of the company at the center of a lot of that trouble, the United Fruit Company, in his book, "Bananas!" He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
Denver's not a town that normally gets a whole lot of media attention, because it's far from bigger economic and political centers of power. But some in the city think they can show the rest of us the shape of our economic future. Jeremy Hobson reports.
National polls consistently show Americans think Democrats are better at dealing with education than Republicans are. But commentator Steve Barr says that impression is misguided.
The Census Bureau on Tuesday will release its updated figures on how many Americans are living in poverty. But there's actually a big debate about what the federal poverty line really measures. Steve Henn reports.
Despite Russia's decade-and-a-half of negotiations to enter the World Trade Organization, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin now says his country won't benefit from joining the WTO and might back away from promises it's made. Stephen Beard reports.
Despite speculation that some sort of federal intervention was likely, nothing happened with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac today. But the pair aren't out of the woods just yet. John Dimsdale reports.
British press reports say hackers penetrated Best Western's European online reservation system late last week and stole names and credit card details. But Stephen Beard reports damage control is underway.
