Week of January 30th, 2012

The Facebook IPO. Yes, yes, we’ve heard plenty about what it means for investors. But how might the public offering affect the rest of us? We look at the ins and outs of a social network on Wall Street. Helping out elders in your family can be a trying task. There are warning signs that loved ones might not be able to handle their finances on their own. We’ll look at how to cope with the financial challenges of an aging population. And in a world where women are constantly told to reach for all of the stars, well, you might end up with a bunch of mediocrity instead. We chat with Mrs. Moneypenny about what it means to have it all. Plus, we break down the latest job numbers.

Here’s the line: “Honey, good news. I got the job.” Now repeat that 243,000 times. That’s one way to appreciate the news of a surge in hiring last month. The government’s monthly unemployment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that the unemployment rate dropped from 8.5 to 8.3 percent in January. Randall Wray teaches economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He says that with 24 million Americans looking for a full-time job, if we keep at this current pace, it’ll take a decade to put them all back to work. And the Daily Pulse is flat on news the federal government collected less than half as much in corporate tax receipts in 2011…a 40-year low.

You might want to keep an eye on a site called Pinterest. It had 4,000 percent growth from July to December of this year and currently boasts 2.5 million members even though it’s still invitation-only. This is a meteoric rise reminiscent of the early days of, well, Facebook. Also in this program, Purdue University scientists are working on a way to harness the power of hip-hop bass beats to power medical devices.

Nevada led the nation in the number of home foreclosures last year, a fact that could help steer the caucus there tomorrow. States have until Monday to decide if they want to join a national settlement with banks over abusive mortgage practices. In the U.K., restaurants and bars have declared war on the straw. And we dig into the January unemployment numbers from the government.

Ahead of the Nevada caucus on Saturday, Kai Ryssdal hosts the show from Las Vegas. He takes an inside look at the foreclosure crisis that’s overtaken the state, and talks to Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh about the company’s move to Vegas’ downtown. Plus, we look at the recent influx of Latinos hoping to open businesses in Sin City. Nationwide, the January jobs report shows the unemployment rate has dropped to 8.3 percent. And The Susan G. Komen Foundation reversed its decision to cut funding for Planned Parenthood.

Yeah, this could be really bad

What if the U.S. economy is becoming the economic engine that keeps the global economy out of recession?

People coping with elderly parents in failing health face tough decisions. But there are warning signs indicating when loved ones should step in.

Reviewing the week's headlines on Wall Street. This week: The January unemployment report and Washington policies.

Thanks to “bonus depreciation,” corporations paid the feds only 12.1 percent of their profits in taxes in 2011.

Hooray for CHOICES!

I have the opportunity to refinance from 5-1/4 percent to 4-1/4 percent. The savings will be $249 a month, which we really need because we probably will need a new car next year. The payback for the closing costs (rolled into the refi) would take 2 years. However, there is a small chance we could be moving due to my job before 2 years. Should I take the lower rate to get the monthly savings or find the money for the car elsewhere? My wife's and my credit scores are high — about 800. (Yes, Tess, I checked FICO per your constant reminding on the show.) Eric, Ringwood, NJ

Las Vegas currently holds the title for the city with the highest number of foreclosures in the country. Here, an inside look at the way people are dealing with this crisis.

The jobs market is showing signs of life – but these positive prospects are being enjoyed by maybe the last group you would expect: baby boomers.

After a huge outcry, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation says it will not cut funding to Planned Parenthood. But Komen may not be able to reverse the damage it has done to its organization.

The Latino population in Las Vegas has increased dramatically over the last two decades. But Latino business ownership hasn't kept pace.

Set to open on Feb. 14, the new attraction will feature cool mafia things like John Gotti's suit and machine gun simulators.

Indianapolis will be hosting the Super Bowl this weekend. The attention could bring about $200 million by some estimates, and the city hopes it'll calculate to long-term growth.

Many college grads feel betrayed when they can't find a job commensurate with their education. But Ramit Sethi of "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" says that it is possible to get your dream job — if you're willing to work for it.

The Labor Department reported the unemployment rate has fallen to 8.3 percent. The White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Alan Krueger on what that means for the future of the American workforce.

Else we send a linebacker to your house

The unemployment rate dropped in January, and December and November jobs were revised upward.

There was some good news from Washington for a change. For the second month in row, U.S. job creation rose, leading some to believe the economy might finally be showing signs of a sustained recovery. But there were some skeptics.

January unemployment was down from 8.5 to 8.3 percent. That's good news, but there's still work ahead, says economist Randall Wray.

Over by the Android Orange Julius

One year after the Egyptian revolution, the country's youth have free speech — but still face massive unemployment levels.

Tony Hsieh is spending $350 million of his own money to revitalize downtown Las Vegas. He discusses why he's moving his company's headquarters there and what he hopes to achieve.

States consider the pros and cons of a mortgage settlement with banks.

Today's monthly unemployment report from the government might be a little out of the ordinary, as January usually is for employment.

Bars and restaurants in London are no longer handing out straws with their drinks, waiting until customers request them.

The housing bust and recession have left many Nevada families with little room to move.

Didn't just click through without reading it, evidently

Tess Vigeland and economics editor Chris Farrell discuss the possibility of more transparency on 401(k) fees. Plus, callers ask questions about supporting retired parents and the pros and cons of uprooting a family for a new job.

The first jobs report of 2012 shows a bright sign for the U.S. economy, with 243,000 jobs added in the first month of the year.

Hey, I can quit any time I want.

A small social site is growing fast.

The unemployment number in the U.S. has dropped from 8.5 percent in December to 8.3 percent in January.

Authorities from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently seizied around $5 million worth of counterfeit NFL merchandise.

Hooray for emotional unfairness!

Most entrepreneurs in the U.S. are male, but more and more women are starting businesses. Meet two women who've taken very different paths to entrepreneurship and growth.

"We can't EAT these PlayBooks!" RIM doesn't really say

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg will take a huge pay cut this year. His new salary: $1. Will Facebook’s culture change with the company going public? Law schools are getting sued for allegedly attracting students through deception. Walmart is succeeding in going green. With the unemployment rate in double digits, there just aren’t many opportunities for Nevada’s new college graduates. And London bureau chief Stephen Beard reports on what the Queen of England does for work.

Facebook’s initial public offering means that the general public now knows more about the company than it did yesterday. In Nebraska, farmers don’t typically save, but instead invest back into their farm, with more land or new equipment. Happy Groundhog Day!

Robert Pavlik, the chief market strategist at Banyan Partners in New York, says he’s getting calls, emails and even letters from clients  asking if they can get in on the $75 billion Facebook IPO. “Everybody and his mother wants a piece of this deal,” says Pavlik. “The honest to God answer is that you’re probably not going to get some unless you’ve been doing a tremendous amount of commission business with one of these big institutional-type firms.” The Pulse is up today on news that the American worker is finally running out of productivity bandwidth, which could mean it’s time for companies to hire if they want to increase output.

Facebook has finally filed to become a publicly traded company. So how does a publicly held Facebook act different than a privately held one? Big web companies have traditionally had a hard time sticking around. And there’s the issue of balancing privacy and profitability when the business model depends on getting users to share information. Also in this program, The Robot Roundup: Animal Edition.

College seniors in Nevada have endured budget cuts and tuition hikes. They now face a less-than-promising job market.

So how does a publicly held Facebook act different than a privately held one? Also, crazy hummingbird robots fly in formation!

A frightening thing

A number of law schools across the country are being sued by former students who claim they inflated the numbers on post-graduate job placement.

In October, Walmart's facilities in Texas and California were ranked 15th by the Environmental Protection Agency for the amount of clean energy it uses. Now it is number three, thanks to a big going-green initiative.

After close to a decade in graduate school, a post-doc, 24 job interviews, and almost as many rejections, I am elated to have started my first bone-fide adult job. Which in this day and age is not only a blessing, but a miracle, for which I am truly grateful for. While I have mastered the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level, I am pretty clueless about how to manipulate my finances. My question: what should my financial priorities be? repayment of school loans? saving for retirement? putting money into an emergency fund?… Romas, Berkeley, CA

According to early numbers out ahead of official unemployment figures from the government out tomorrow, planned layoffs went up in January — but that is actually fairly typical.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel ends her trip to China today. Chinese leaders don't promise Europe any specific help to resolve its debt crisis.

A group of recent law graduates sues a dozen law schools, saying the institutions misled them about job and salary prospects.

German chancellor Angela Merkel is in China this week, telling Chinese leaders that European Union plans to solve its debt crisis can work.

Nevada's unionized workforce could play a huge role in deciding who wins the swing state come November. Professor Ruben Garcia discusses Nevada's union landscape.

As part of the required government filing that goes along with an initial public offering, the social networking giant had to expose a lot about itself.

What will happen to the economy in the next six weeks?

China is a huge potential market for Facebook but to get in the company may have to modify its uncensored software.

The government was set to impose new rules limiting the work kids are allowed to do on farms, but those rules are being reconsidered after an outcry from farmers.

More connections for Kinect

Economist Diane Swonk discusses what is it about a strong market that makes it good for a company, like Facebook, to go public.

Becoming a public company also means Facebook will be facing more scrutiny, from investors, sure — but also from government regulators.

Productivity is up amongst American workers, but how much longer can we expect to squeeze blood from that stone?

The number of Americans who receive food stamps is up and the cost to taxpayers has nearly doubled since the last presidential election year. See where your state stands on this election issue.

When it goes public, Facebook is likely to be worth $75 billion or more. But, odds are, you aren't getting in on the real action.

This is the sound of the other shoe dropping

A lot of people like to be board

The number one wants to stay number one

Farmers in the Midwest hardly notice it's an election year. When times are good, as they are now in Nebraska, farmers make high-priced investments in hopes of more profitable crops next year.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth still handles a strenuous program of foreign trips and public ceremonies. Some ask how much longer she should carry on.

A bus company in Australia recently sold his company, and decided to share the profit with with 1,800 staff members.

The new law means workers can't be forced to join a union in order to get or keep a job. Proponents say it'll bring more jobs into the state; opponents say it could lead to a decline in working conditions.

More about our retraction of the first-person commentary, titled "Returning Veteran has Few Marketable Skills"

No, not fish. Bass (long 'A'). Bootsy Collins. Get it?

Outsourcing privacy concerns

Gallup data shows the employment picture is improving slightly, and that many Americans support President Obama's plan to create tax breaks that bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

Now that it has gone public, will Facebook start buying up other startups to grow?

Super PACs are allowed to spend unlimited cash, as long as they reveal where the money’s coming from — but it is often still hard to know who is making the donations. Gambling isn’t the only thing the Nevada economy has to offer in this election year. And does a foreclosed home down the block hurt your chances of staying above water?

In January, ADP says there were 170,000 people added to payrolls, slightly underthe 182,000 experts predicted. In addition, ADP revised its strong December number of 325,000 down significantly to 292,000. Joel Prakken is the senior managing director of Macroeconomic Advisors, the group that issues the report with ADP.  He says, “In the fairy tale, slow and steady wins the race, but I wish we were running a little bit faster here in terms of job creation.” And the Daily Pulse is down today on news that 28 percent of Americans are currently underwater on their homes.

Facebook is expected to file paperwork for its IPO as soon as today. The company may be valued as high as $100 billion. The way Facebook makes money, remember, is from advertising to you. And the more they know about you, the more they can tailor those ads. Also on the show, the enormous pile of presidential campaign money, and the technological ways the candidates are using to get more.

Continuing our election coverage on The Real Economy, David Gura reports from Nebraska on how agricultural subsidies may change or disappear altogether as the country cuts spending and tightens budgets. Facebook finally files for its IPO. President Obama’s plan to help struggling homeowners refinance their mortgages could affect more than the housing market. And Super Bowl Sunday — and its entertaining ads — are almost here. Kai Ryssdal talks to the creative director of the ad agency that worked on the Volkswagen Super Bowl ad for this year and last.

President Obama announces a new program to help eliminate what he calls a stubborn drag on the economy.

Today payroll giant ADP announced 170,000 new additions to payrolls.

The two struggling companies reveal more cuts.

Too busy to read the full prospectus from Facebook announcing its initial public offering? Here are the highlights – from it's $5 billion offer to Mark Zuckerberg's $1-a-year salary – via my Twitter feed.

This is a Marketplace.org Reader

Drug giant Pfizer is asking women around the country to return certain birth control pills under fears they weren't packaged correctly.

Is it coming? Oh yes.