Week of January 24th, 2011

Vodafone Saturday said it has restored cell phone services to its customers in Egypt following a two-day forced shut down of mobile and internet…

Germany raised its retirement age by two years to 67. Now companies and employees are discovering the unexpected consequences.

Cars are getting equipped with technology that are aimed at changing bad driving habits. It may also help to save some cash, too.

It's that time of year — to try and pay off the debt you piled up during the holidays. Here's a tip on how to get started.

Art supplies like paints and glues can contain lead and other dangerous compounds. For artists, exposure to art supplies could damage their lungs, or even the brain.

There are hopes that trans-Arctic shipping may become more possible with the historic amounts of ice melting there, but it won't be easy.

In its merger with NBC Universal, Comcast will now be overseeing NBC's news divisions. Some worry it could compromise news operations.

Sometimes it's not exactly clear what the difference is between an investment advisor and a broker. The Securities and Exchange Commission is trying to remedy that.

Columnist Timothy Noah held a complaint letter-writing contest on Slate. He talks with Tess Vigeland about where to go if you have a complaint. And the contest's winner, Keith Bertrand, weighs in on what he wrote in his letter to get a response.

How has the Egyptian government's shutdown of social media, mobile services and the Internet affected protests? Marwan Kraidy, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, talks with Kai Ryssdal about how the protests are hurting Eygpt's business community and how it might affect the nation economically.

Posted by Chau Tu…

Kai Ryssdal talks to Leigh Gallagher from Fortune Magazine and Reuters blogger Felix Salmon about the week on Wall Street, at Davos, and beyond.

The debate over whether to let states declare bankruptcy adds a new element of uncertainty to the jittery municipal bond market.

Posted by Chau Tu…

That old slogan, "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee" doesn't apply anymore. After years of declining business, and failed attempts to sell itself, Sara Lee is splitting into two companies. One domestic. One foreign. And, yes, there will still be cheesecake.

People write to us all the time with questions asking for help, but a note from San Diego resident Karin Andreen (pictured above) was a little di…

Neil Barofsky, special inspector general for TARP, said the government's mortgage modification program has been "abysmal." Karin Andreen has been through the modification process and talks with Tess Vigeland about her horror story.

Americans soon could be crying 'Where's the beef?' — until the cows come home. Cattle herd may be the next casualty of the struggling U.S. econ…

Our guest blogger this week is Barbara Friedberg. she wants to "to educate, inspire, and motivate for wealth in money and life." Her advice in t…

The following excerpt is from "Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry, and Challenge Yourself."…

Debt and retirement don't mix. Imagine the financial stress from not working while still paying a monthly debt tab….

Tess Vigeland and MoneyWatch's Kathy Kristoff talk about why Twitter isn't good for investing advice and answer your questions about non-loan options to pay for college, paying down student debt and whether you can have too much money to qualify for a loan.

The regional bank pulls in customers with lattes, community events, and even virtual bowling. It's becoming a pretty big bank by acting small.

Question: The company I work for just introduced the opportunity to choose a Roth option for our 401K investments. I've been working for ~19 years…

Title: Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry, and Challenge Yourself Author: Bill Taylor Pub…

With so many presidents, prime ministers, and billionaires in one place all jostling for the spotlight, it may be more interesting to note who di…

Jeremy Hobson speaks to Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial, about last quarter's GDP growth.

The U.S. economy grew by 3.2 percent last quarter, the Commerce Department said Friday, in its report on the nation's gross domestic product. Jill…

This morning we heard from the Commerce Department that last quarter's GDP growth was up 3.2 percent. Steve Chiotakis speaks with Jill Schlesinger, editor at large at CBS/MoneyWatch to interpret and understand that number.

This morning we'll get the GDP number — telling us how fast the economy grew — from the U.S. government. Alisa Roth explains how we can interpret that number, and what it means.

Posted by Katharine Crnko…

After 5 people associated with Anonymous were arrested in the UK, the FBI announced Thursday they've got 40 search warrants for people in the US…

Netflix has come out with an eye straining chart measuring all the different internet service providers in terms of how well they deliver streaming…

Cable giant Comcast Corp. takes over NBC Universal today, or rather NBCUniversal – at least according to the new purple logo. The space, the…

Trent at The Simple Dollar used to play Magic: the Gathering at competitive tournaments. He says he's left that part of his life behind. But he…

In Egypt today, anti-government protests continue as riots in the streets clash with police. The Egyptian government has shut off the Internet and cell phone service as a means to control the violence. David Butters, head of the Intelligence Unit with the Economist magazine, explains how this will affect global economics.

The World Economic Forum continues today in Davos, Switzerland, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner addressing the attendees. Geithner discussed U.S. debt and resources, as Stephen Beard explains.

After record-level floods hit Australia earlier this month, the country is left to clean up after the damage. But economists are predicting that despite the recovery's bottom line, the increase in jobs and retail sales could benefit the country. Bloomberg's Jemma Daily explains. Don't miss our photo gallery of Australia's clean-up effort.

Marketplace for January 28, 2011

Marketplace Tech Report for January 28, 2011

Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, January 28, 2011

Marketplace Money for Friday, January 28, 2011

A few months ago on our program we talked about Firesheep. It's a little program that you can use to spy on anyone on an unsecured public Wi-Fi network. Using it, it's easy to tap into Facebook accounts since those run on an unsecured protocol. But now Facebook has done something about it, allowing users to select an "https" setting instead of "http".

Facebook is now requiring that app developers and users buy credits for virtual goods from its own system. It may be another sign of a booming virtual economy.

A year ago today, President Obama pledged to double exports in the next five years. But Congress still hasn't voted on deals inked in 2007 with South Korea, Columbia and Panama.

At the end of last year, half the nation's biggest metro areas saw fewer foreclosures. The other half saw more. We explore why foreclosures are falling in some cities.

Steve Chiotakis talks to Harvard economist Ken Rogoff about the resiliency of the global recovery in light of currency wars and growing concern over trade.

Rico Gagliano and Brendan Newnam talk to Marketplace staffers about the stories that didn't make the headlines. This week: the return of video store clerks, a new way to smuggle drugs, and the band that scared off wolves.

Ben Willman tells us why he doesn't have a typical "man wallet" and what he carries in it.

Whatever you call it — soda, pop, cola — it's hard to deny the simple pleasure of a cool, sugary, soft drink, despite how unhealthy it may be….

Comcast gains control of NBC Friday, seeking to restore the network's lineup of shows after a string of primetime fiascos.

Big banks have repaid government bailout funds and are profitable. But smaller banks that got TARP money face challenges.

But critics say the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's report lacks concrete recommendations for preventing another crisis.

Posted by Chau Tu…

In the 1970s, California faced growing concerns about the supply and cost of energy, in addition to worries about running out of landfill space….

The new WindMade eco-label, unveiled by business leaders at the Davos World Economic Forum, introduces a new standard for renewable products.

This final note today. A commentary on the fleeting nature of real estate booms. Back in the good old days, like what — six or seven years ago? …

Being a green consumer can be difficult when there are over 400 eco-labels to wade through that identify everything from saving energy to being v…

Question: Cathleen is 63 years old and she's a lifelong renter. Cathleen works as a clinical educator in Minnesota, helping children who need con…

The NFL's head honcho Roger Goodell vows to reduce salary from $10 million to $1 if current player negotiations end in a work stoppage. The commissioner's move is the latest instance of a top executive offering to take a dollar salary in the face of adversity. That got us wondering: How did this whole ritual get started?

Question: Recently I've been considering new opportunities that would result in leaving my current employer. I am not yet fully vested in the…

Not all CEOs earn a handsome salary. Some corporate leaders have worked for a lot less — a whopping $1. It's a noble gesture, but most CEOs in the $1 salary club are really earning millions when you consider their stock holdings, bonuses, and other compensation. See a slideshow of CEOs who are members of this elite club.

Throwing trash into a pit is as good as throwing money into a pit. One landfill manager in Los Angeles tells us how to convert that trash into cash.

Demonstrations continue in Egypt over President Mubarak's government. One major issue driving the unrest: The lack of jobs.

After analyzing a report from the Congressional Budget Office, the Associated Press found that the Social Security program will pay out more than it takes in this year. Gene Steuerle, a former Treasury Department official, talks with Steve Chiotakis about why the program is running out of money.

The World Economic Forum is underway in Davos, Switzerland, and already we're hearing from forum participants. A senior executive of Goldman Sachs…

The Internal Revenue Service may have a reputation as a lumbering bureaucracy, but the government agency is embracing smartphones. Yes, you can now…

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission has concluded its report into the financial crisis, and is releasing the 545 page document to the public today. Alisa Roth has more on the report.

Posted by Katharine Crnko…

In a report being published today, Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission concludes that the financial crisis was the result of mismanagement, risk-taking and regulatory failures. Simon Johnson, former chief economist of the IMF, explains.

Hulu is jointly owned by News Corp (which runs Fox), NBC Universal, and Disney (which runs ABC). The fact that it even exists is a miracle of…

In a shareholder letter that accompanied its quarterly report, Netflix gave some details on how they plan to make the service more social. The idea…

The Egyptian unrest has provided a real test case in how social media and web culture can be used in political hotspots. Now, Anonymous, the…

The rating agency S&P has cut Japan's long term credit rating for the first time in nine years. The country has been downgraded to a AA- rating due in part to its debt load.

As the World Economic Forum gets underway in Davos, Switzerland, a senior executive from Goldman Sachs says that tougher bank regulation could trigger the next financial crisis. Stephen Beard has more.

Marketplace Morning Report for Thursday, January 27, 2011

Marketplace for Thursday, January 27, 2011

Marketplace Tech Report for January 27, 2011

Does your Internet service provider keep track of where you've been online and how long you spent there? They might. Or they might not. There are no laws requiring ISPs to keep records of their customers. The Department of Justice says there should be. This week they called for ISPs to keep records for an as yet unspecified amount of time.

Local and state governments are facing millions of dollars in deficits, but some are taking the opportunity to get innovative with how to do more with less.

The ratings company becomes 2011's first big private equity IPO and could set the standard for other privately held companies considering their own public offerings.

In barbed ads, Gov. Christie plays pitchman to lure Illinois firms to New Jersey with a pledge not to raise the state's (already high) taxes.

Jeremy Hobson speaks to Diane Swonk, Chief Economist at Mesirow Financial about the FCIC report released today outlining the financial crisis of 2008.

Guess who French President Nicolas Sarkozy invited to dinner at the World Economic Forum in Davos? The take-from-the-rich, give-to-the-poor hero …

Kai Ryssdal talks to Marketplace New York bureau chief Heidi Moore about the current state of the municipal bond market.

Kai Ryssdal goes over listener responses. This week, if gamers like to fail, and about the possible similarities between Chinese and the United States constitutions.

Americans are expected to spend more than ever on food, TVs, and other Super Bowl accessories. What it means for advertisers, and for the economy.

President Obama proposes budget cuts of $400 billion over a decade. Senator Rand Paul proposes cuts of half a trillion in a year. Cutting what's realistic is the issue.

A 576-page tale of greed, betrayal and near-global doom hits bookstores Thursday. Will anyone "buy" the official report on the financial crisis?

Posted by Chau Tu…

This final note today, an ode to the $3 check-off box on your tax return. The one that lets part of your tax check be used to help publicly finance…

The annual gathering of national, business and financial leaders to discuss pressing economic issues begins today in the Swiss Alpine resort town.

If you're on Facebook, that is. Facebook has rolled out a new feature called Sponsored Stories. If a brand name comes up in your activity, say you…

If you want to find out what caused the 2008 financial crisis, you can pick up a copy of the 576-page report by the U.S. commission appointed to …

The driving force behind the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, has a new gig – he's the director of creative innovation at the chip maker Intel Corp. …

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and to mark the occasion this year, Google has launched a project with Israel's national…

Prescient, no? Check out other Super Bowl ads that the Marketplace staff picked here.