Week of September 7th, 2009

Question: What is the best way to add some gold to your investment portfolio? It is best to buy shares in a mutual fund, or just buy gold? Andrew,…

My weekly podcast, After the Bell, is now available. This week — the lessons of defining moments. Plus, I talk my friend Allan Sloan at Fortune…

The pick of Ellen Degeneres as the next American Idol judge is being overshadowed today by the news that big record companies are suing her TV show…

Marketplace's Brendan Newnam and Rico Gagliano talk with fellow staffers George Judson, Jeremy Hobson, and Stacey Vanek-Smith about under-the-radar business stories: the fastest grocery line, sleepy surgeons, and no suits to save costs in Bangladesh.

People throughout the country are remembering 9/11. For many, the memory of the terrorist attacks has faded a bit. But in New York, it's very much present in people's minds. Amy Scott reports.

At a Congressional hearing, businesses warned they might need a little government help to get them through a flu outbreak. Mitchell Hartman reports.

T. Rowe Price's Andy Brooks and Fortune's Leigh Gallagher talk with Kai Ryssdal about why people are jumping back into the markets despite sobering economic realities, and whether reform can be expected.

The University of California Board of Regents is mulling a tuition hike to fill a budget deficit. Joel Rose reports.

Dubai's sovereign wealth fund is stopping investments. Jeremy Hobson reports these types of funds haven't had the greatest year.

White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers talks with Kai Ryssdal about what the Obama administration has done so far about the financial crisis, and what it plans to do to keep it from happening again.

One of the issues I'll be talking about on the podcast today is whether the big banks need to be dismantled and reorganized. As a supplement to…

True to its name, the 99-Cent Only chain charged nine lucky couples less than a dollar for a wedding ceremony at one of its stores in Hollywood on 9/9/09. Host Tess Vigeland talks to two of the newlyweds.

Commentator W. Hodding Carter and his wife have committed to a frugal lifestyle. Carter says that by sticking to that commitment even on special occasions, such as their recent wedding anniversary, he rediscovers what he values in her.

Host Tess Vigeland talks to RealtyTrac CEO Jim Saccacio and Vice President Rick Sharga about tracking the housing market throughout the market's boom and bust cycle.

On a lark, the general manager of the Rancho Bernardo Inn near San Diego thought he'd try to attract more business to the four-star resort by tweeting an offer for a $19 room. Marketplace's Cash Peters checked in to check it out.

Host Tess Vigeland and Economics Editor Chris Farrell answer questions about how same-sex couples should handle their assets and how to protect retirement money from over-taxation.

Those of us lucky enough to have health insurance usually get it through our employers. But that only obscures the real cost of health care. Joel Rose reports.

The National Bank of Orwell in Vermont is one of the smallest banks in the nation with just 5,000 customer accounts. But for almost 200 years it's played a big role in its tiny community. Jane Lindholm reports.

Steve Chiotakis talks to Juli Niemann from Smith, Moore and Company and Marketplace's John Dimsdale about consumer sentiment and President Obama's upcoming speech to Wall Street on economic recovery.

General Motors is starting a new promotion on Monday that will let you return your car or truck within 31-60 days for a full refund if you don't like it. So we wondered what some people's excuses would be.

The BBC says that the G20 group of countries shelled out $10.8 trillion bailing out global economies. The U.S. spent the most overall: $3.6 trillion, breaking down to $10,000 for every single American. Stephen Beard reports.

I'll give the Treasury Secretary credit. He put himself out there last night. Mr. Geithner held a town hall meeting and took questions from…

E.U. officials will meet in Zimbabwe this weekend for the first time since 2002, when Zimbabwe's economy was in a tailspin. The visit is seen as a new effort to normalize ties between the two economies. Gretchen Wilson reports.

Day laborers and activists are on Capitol Hill today pushing for immigration reform. They argue the economic crisis has meant growing abuse of illegal workers — and the practice is spreading to legal ones, too. Steve Henn reports.

You couldn't make this stuff up. Neighbors say an executive from Wells Fargo moved into a $12 million Malibu Beach home after the bank foreclosed…

President Obama is expected to tell Wall Street Monday that the government will start winding down its rescue efforts, echoing a similar message Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner delivered yesterday. John Dimsdale reports.

Starting this month, Wal-Mart will stop issuing paper checks. Employees can either get paid through direct deposit or a pre-paid debit card. But some consumer advocates worry this pushes people away from traditional banks. Alisa Roth reports.

Britain has pumped billions of dollars worth of fossil fuels out of the North Sea. Now, it could make billions more by pumping CO2 back down under the same sea, which could be one of the best ways to tackle climate change. Stephen Beard reports.

Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, September 11, 2009

Marketplace for Friday, September 11, 2009

Marketplace Tech Report for September 11, 2009

Marketplace Money for September 11, 2009

One of our key protections against privacy invasion, the stripping of personally identifiable information from databases, is not working.

Question: Is it possible to move the majority of my balance in my company's 401k to a self-directed IRA without penalty (or quitting my job)? I'm…

I missed this when it came out a few days ago, but I thought it was worth mentioning. IBM's annual commuter pain index has some interesting data…

A film festival later this month in New York City has made The Great Recession its theme for this year. The entrants are a collection of short…

As football season kicks off, the state of the economy has commentator and sportswriter Jon Wertheim rethinking about how cavalier he will be in calling for coaches to get canned.

Monsanto, the world's largest seed company, will be falling short on their earnings this year. That'll end eight years of gain. Jeremy Hobson reports.

The European Union may offer nearly $22 billion a year by 2020 to developing nations to fight global warming and sing on to a climate change treaty. Is it an offer too good to refuse? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

In his prime-time speech, President Obama said fixing health care would cost $900 billion over the next decade and help millions of uninsured people get coverage. Tamara Keith checks out a few of his claims.

The chasm between US imports and exports grew by a 16% in July to $32 billion, according to the Commerce Department. While that sounds like a bad…

The government said first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, and the number of people continuing to receive benefits fell as well. Steve Chiotakis talks to Doug Foreman with Highmark Capital.

Today, the Census Bureau came out with its annual report on incomes, poverty and health insurance. I'll spare you the depression of reading…

General Motors says the deal to sell its European unit Opel still needs more financing guarantees from the German government, but it's confident those will come through. Bill Radke has the latest.

This morning, Congress re-opens its investigation into how government investigators missed Bernie Madoff's $65 billion Ponzi Scheme, starting with a 500-page report from the SEC. Steve Chiotakis talks to Marketplace's John Dimsdale.

At a banking conference in Frankfurt, Germany, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein spoke out against excessive banker pay, calling for guaranteed bonuses to be banned. Is this justified coming from him? Stephen Beard reports.

The decision about what to do with Opel, General Motors' European subsidiary, has been taking a long time. But if a deal is going to work, it needs to move swiftly. Alisa Roth explores the hold-up.

President Obama made another push for health care last night, but is he making a mistake by focusing too much on that and not enough on the economy…

Ray Artigue helped bring the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team to Arizona from Canada, but now says early criticism that the sport wouldn't thrive there may have turned out to be justified. The bankrupt team is up for auction. Peter O'Dowd reports.

Encouraging statistics suggest efforts by lenders to modify troubled mortgages may be slowing the spread of foreclosures. But the number of foreclosures is still near July's record high. John Dimsdale reports.

Lehman Brothers' demise deepened the nation's financial crisis. It also left thousands of people out of work. One of them was Dave Demuro, the firm's director of global compliance and regulation. He reflects on his 24 years there.

Maliha Mustafa was an analyst at Lehman Brothers. After losing her job, she moved back home to Illinois to write a book and apply for business school.

Elizabeth Moran, was a vice president of talent management at Lehman Brothers. She tells how she's adapting to her new life away from Wall Street.

Lehman Brothers' collapse a year ago shattered the blind faith that Americans at all levels of society had placed in the financial system. Kai Ryssdal examines how trust was abused and what it will take to rebuild it.

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, September 10, 2009

Marketplace for Thursday, September 10, 2009

Marketplace Tech Report for September 10, 2009

Self-diagnosis for health problems using the Internet leads many Americans to conclude they have a rare illness.

Reporter Tamara Keith talks with Kai Ryssdal about what President Obama had to say in his speech to Congress, whether he still favors a public-insurance option, and what happens next.

Question: I always enjoy listening to your comments and hope that you have a moment to settle a discussion a friend and I are having. Is the …

Social media could take us in all kinds of directions. I'm about to show you one direction it's taking people in droves right now. I'm not…

A baby boom in the U.K. paired with a rise in immigration is causing some economic pundits to express alarm. Stephen Beard reports.

Director Doug Pray talks with Kai Ryssdal about his latest film, "Art & Copy," which explores the creative forces behind some of the most famous ads of the 20th century.

BusinessWeek's Michael Mandel talks with Kai Ryssdal about how consumer spending is based on false pretenses.

While some sectors of the economy are improving, the labor market is still hurting. Commentator Robert Reich says that's bad news for a real recovery.

New York Fashion Week will soon be underway, and there are hints of recovery on the runway. Sally Herships reports.

McDonalds' sales growth has slowed in the U.S. and fell in Asia. Steve Henn reports the recession is tarnishing the performance of even the best-positioned brands.

In his prime-time address to Congress this evening, President Barack Obama will lay out his plan for overhauling the health-care system. And he hasn't given up on the public option. Tamara Keith has a preview.

This isn't an antitrust blog post. Today, Google launched the world's biggest game of Monopoly. Google Maps is the game board, and you can buy…

A panel of experts advising the British government on climate change says air travel will cause severe damage to the environment unless it's curbed. Some are pressing for a global deal to cap the aviation industry's carbon emissions. Stephen Beard reports.

The Troubled Asset Relief Program spent $81 billion on GM and Chrysler, and now the government's auto task force wants to sell taxpayers' shares over the next couple years. But Congress doesn't see a full return on investment. John Dimsdale reports.

At a speech in Frankfurt today, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein said some investment banking products are socially useless. And so are…

This weekend, CBS will mark 50 years of broadcasting pro football. But the network may not have much reason to celebrate, given the drop in the number of people watching the game. Adam Allington reports.

Gas prices may be lower than they were this time last year, but they're still relatively high. But if oil producers increased production, and caused oil prices to fall, it would have bad longer-term consequences. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

"The Beatles: Rock Band" is in stores today. The game allows players to sing and play the Fab Four's songs on Beatles-modeled instruments. Steve Chiotakis explores the business angle with Billboard Magazine's Rob Levine.

The Lower Brule Sioux tribe is acquiring financial services firm Westrock, and is said to be the first Native American tribe to own a financial services firm. The purchase comes with several advantages for a minority group. Jeremy Hobson reports.

The former CEO of Lehman Brothers won't talk about what happened a year ago, but he will tell the press that his mother loves him. Plus, a test…

Government border checks and passenger screenings have made the U.S. a less attractive destination for international travelers since 9/11. But the Senate is likely to approve a bill to help change that. John Dimsdale reports.

Marketplace Tech Report for September 09, 2009

Marketplace Morning Report for Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Marketplace for Wednesday, September 9, 2009

A survey by the nonprofit Conference Board shows that nearly a quarter of households in the U.S. now watch television programs on the Internet.

Question: My husband and I are looking for ways to help our two nieces (currently ages 1 and 3, and in two different families) with future college…

The amount of credit outstanding plummeted in July by $21.6 billion. That's a record. It's the sixth straight month Americans have reduced their…

You've probably read that the price of gold surged past $1,000 an ounce today to its highest level in 18 months. It's a clear sign that investors…

Companies are currently banned from paying for ads that take sides in an election campaign. But a case before the U.S. Supreme Court could bring about a change. Steve Henn reports.

Kai Ryssdal reviews what listeners had to say about stories involving college majors, light bulbs, and commentaries about running and about higher education's placebo effect.

Asia correspondent Scott Tong talks with Kai Ryssdal about why China's economy is recovering much faster than the United States'.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched an ad campaign opposing the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Bob Moon reports.

The health care debate is putting climate change on the back burner, which means the U.S. may not pass a law to cut down greenhouse gas emissions anytime soon. Commentator Dan Esty says that's a cop out.

The price of gold soared past the $1,000-an-ounce mark for the first time since February. Why are investors going for gold right now? Alisa Roth reports.

Newspaper ads in Washington, D.C. are purporting President Obama's proposal for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Steve Chiotakis talks to John Dimsdale about what these ads are saying and points being made in the debate.

Is the rise of the price of gold foreshadowing inflation to come? Steve Chiotakis searches for the silver lining with analyst Juli Niemann from Smith, Moore and Company in St. Louis.

That's the subtitle of Wall Street 2, Oliver Stone's sequel to one of the greatest business movies of all time. Stone starts shooting this week in…

The United Nations has given Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad until the end of the month to stop enriching uranium. The country's gas imports may be at stake if he doesn't comply. Stephen Beard reports.

Israel's West Bank is seeing some economic growth, thanks to Israel removing some checkpoints and allowing Israeli Arabs to come in and shop. But some businessmen say it'll take more to create a thriving economy. Michael May reports.