Week of September 3rd, 2012

You’ve always heard that student debt is the one thing you cannot get rid of in bankruptcy. Turns out, there are exceptions — but not many. We’ll hear what the courts are saying to people who declare themselves “hopeless.” It’s easy to always feel like you never have enough money. Even wealthy people claim there’s just never enough. Why? Actor Hill Harper on curing our financial ills. And we’ll hear from a married couple about what it’s like to have a relationship that moonlights as a business partnership.

Reviewing the week's headlines on Wall Street and beyond. This week: jobs. Reaction to the latest jobs report and what steps the Federal Reserve might take next.

The news that didn't quite make the headlines. This week: A social media site for the 1 percent, explaining the Bob Dylan bond, and the longest-running flight attendant in the history of aviation retires.

The unemployment rate has fallen to 8.1 percent, but that’s not necessarily good news. Much of that drop has been attributed to so-called “discouraged workers.” We look at a Nevada organization that is training unskilled workers to fill manufacturing jobs. Plus, businesses in the U.S. and Europe are preparing for a possible “Grexit.” And both Republicans and Democrats want to appeal to the middle class, but are they talking about the same middle class?

From adjusting computer systems to moving cash, U.S. companies are putting contingency plans in place in the event Greece bolts the euro.

Both President Obama and Mitt Romney spoke about the middle class in their nomination speeches. But are they speaking about the same middle class?

Discouraged workers give up after months of fruitless job seeking.

The plan to buy up bonds from troubled Eurozone economies creates a firewall for nations like Greece and Italy — expelling Greece may now be less risky.

Is it your boss or co-workers? Commentator Teresa Ambile weighs in.

August's unemployment numbers are out today. Next week, all eyes turn to the Fed, which will detail its next big move, small move, or… no move. A University of Chicago study shows grandparents are giving more financial support and providing more babysitting help in recent years. The San Antonio school district started making its lunches healthier with a goal of fighting obesity — and it's making money. And when it comes to home insurance, read the fine print.

Public employee union opens attack on GOP Senate candidates

The Red Sox continue to extend their record-long streak of Fenway Park sellouts, even though there are many empty seats as the team struggles.

The August jobs numbers come below expectations, though the unemployment rate drops to 8.1 percent.

August’s unemployment numbers are out today. Next week, all eyes turn to the Fed, which will detail its next big move, small move, or… no move. A University of Chicago study shows grandparents are giving more financial support and providing more babysitting help in recent years. The San Antonio school district started making its lunches healthier with a goal of fighting obesity — and it’s making money. And when it comes to home insurance, read the fine print.

Amazon has added new weapons to its arsenal as it tries to take on Apple in the tablet computer war. Several new versions of its Kindle Fire tablet were announced yesterday as the company gears up for holiday shopping season. Plus, it’s the last show from John Moe, Larissa Anderson and Marc Sanchez. They look back at their favorite Tech Report moments.

Consumer advocates say there's a trend in the home insurance industry to lower coverage in order to keep rates from increasing too much.

The European Central Bank says it will buy sovereign bonds to prop up ailing economies. What will the Federal Reserve do next week?

New surveys show grandparents are providing financial support to grandchildren even when it hurts their retirement savings.

Consumer advocates warn that some home insurers have been holding premiums steady by providing less coverage.

Schools in San Antonio found that when they replaced fatty foods on their lunch menu with healthier options, they sold more lunches and made more money.

Why the retail giant doesn’t mind not making money on Kindle Fire tablets.

All kinds of loans can get dismissed in bankruptcy work, except for student loans. But there are some exceptions to this rule.

Louisiana has one of the largest pay disparities between men and women in the U.S. But new legislation and a coastal restoration project may help bridge that gap.

Bank regulation and personal finance is just as simple as catching a frisbee — even a dog can do it.

Thanks to financial disclosure rules, we know what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pays on his mortgage.

The European Central Bank unveiled its bond-buying program today. Lawmakers hope it will strengthen the euro. How does it work? Sr. Producer Paddy Hirsch explains with a candy store analogy. President Obama’s big speech got us wondering, what is the value of good public speaking? And you hear this a lot: Are you better off than you were four years ago? We asked our listeners that question, and many of you weighed in. Plus, Frank Newport from Gallup tells us what the polling data says. Also, stories on Google’s super-fast Internet service in Kansas City, why milk sales are so low, H&M’s latest environmental move, and how subsidies pay for your lifestyle.

In 1980, President Ronald Reagan famously asked Americans if they thought they were better off than they were four years ago. Gallup asked that same question this year and editor-in-chief Frank Newport discusses the results.

Making good on earlier promises, European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi has unveiled a huge bond-buying program aimed at tackling the European debt crisis.

Speech coaches say effective presentation is key to getting ahead in business.

How tax exemptions and subsidies help pay for the American lifestyle.

Chemicals that protect clothing from water or stains do so because they're tough — so they stick around in the environment a long time. Apparel makers are looking for alternatives.

Americans are drinking less milk as sports drinks, water and other beverages pour it on.

Ads by anonymous political groups bash Obama on big night

The European Central Bank's plan to buy bonds is reminiscent of the Fed's quantitative easing.

August job creation may have been good. But it's not clear any improvement can change voters' minds now.

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Despite — or maybe because of — recent mass shootings in the U.S., gun manufacturers are reporting peak profits. The European Central Bank announces a bond-buying plan. McDonald's is opening two all-vegetarian restaurants in India. David Gura reports on a father and son in North Carolina who have differing views on the upcoming election. And Gallup asked American workers how satisfied they were with 13 aspects of their jobs.

European Central Bank president Mario Draghi announced a plan today to buy bonds and relieve market pressure on troubled eurozone countries. But will it work?

Google picked Kansas City to be the test market for its super fast Internet service. Now neighborhoods are competing with one another to see who will get the service first.

Target countries will have to agree to more austerity and economic reforms.

According to job placement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas, the number of planned layoffs at U.S. companies dropped 37 percent from a year ago.

Gallup's latest polls reveal only 1 in 10 Americans say that they are dissatisfied with their jobs. It's a major jump from the results from two decades ago.

Investors in Europe are calling today "Super Thursday": the day when the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi rides to the rescue and saves the euro. Draghi is set to unveil his much-heralded plan to end the eurozone debt crisis.

The fast food giant makes a bold move in a country where about 50 percent of the people are vegetarian.

French designer Christian Louboutin wins trademark protection on red-soled women's shoes.

Here’s what we know: There’s been a hack that involved information about at least 12 million Apple devices being posted online. It’s been in the news and it sounds kind of scary, especially because if you have an iPhone or an iPad, data about that gadget could be involved. First thing: Don’t freak out. Second: Keep changing your passwords.

Despite — or maybe because of — recent mass shootings in the U.S., gun manufacturers are reporting peak profits. Oxfam warns that food prices will soar due to climate change. McDonald’s is opening two all-vegetarian restaurants in India. David Gura reports on a father and son in North Carolina who have differing views on the upcoming election. And Gallup asked American workers how satisfied they were with 13 aspects of their jobs.

Two decades after he moved to North Carolina's Research Triangle from Russia, Dmitiri Moundous started a new business called Alera Labs, and his son Gene, is among his first employees. One intends to vote. The other…

AntiSec claims it stole data off an FBI laptop, the Bureau denies it. What does it mean for you?

Global food prices are expected to rise in the long term as population grows, but a new study warns that severe weather events like this year's drought in the U.S. could spike prices higher suddenly.

Smith & Wesson's quarterly earnings to look sharp.

Rahm Emanuel’s resignation from the Obama campaign to raise big-money funds shows the primacy of newly empowered super PACs

A trip to the airport paid off for former technology teacher Chris Bjuland.

The surprising origin of the "@" sign and how it went from obscurity to communication rock star.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has left the Obama campaign to help raise money for a pro-Obama super PAC. As the Democratic National Convention continues in Charlotte, just how much does trending on Twitter matter for lawmakers? One North Carolina farmer tell us the importance of immigration when it comes to casting his vote. Plus, we check in with a nuclear processing plant in New Mexico that was brought in to create jobs. We speak with one teacher who was laid off due to budget cuts. We look at the job situation for NFL refs on strike. We explore the possibility of adding another work day in Greece. And, a look at the @ symbol.

New York's highest court is hearing legal arguments by a strip club about whether nude lap dancing is art — and therefore eligible for state tax exemption.

Inspectors from the troika of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund are checking up on Greece’s austerity measures.

Some pay to have their their views considered as hot topics on Twitter, but what do they get for their money?

Cotton grower thinks immigration reform will help farm workers become upwardly mobile.

The NFL season kicks off when the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys, but regular referees won't be there because of a contract dispute. We check out the financial lives of the men who wear black and white to make some green.

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Youth Radio checks out a pilot program that tries to connect young people with manufacturers who are struggling to fill open jobs.

3M — best known for making Scotch tape and Post-it notes — had been interested in acquiring Avery Dennison Corporation, known for labeling and packaging materials.

Majority PAC ad accuses North Dakota U.S. Senate candidate Rick Berg of being on a 'short leash'

Nokia unveils new smartphone today, loaded with Microsoft's new operating system. U.S. productivity rose last quarter. Next Monday, Chicago public school teachers may vote to walk off the job, marking the first big strike since 2006. FedEx downgrades its quarterly earnings. We look into the marketing of high school athletes. And China ponders the need for a stimulus package.

Eunice, in a dusty corner of New Mexico, rode the ups and downs of the oil business for decades. Then a nuclear-processing plant came calling, and Eunice welcomed its jobs.

That's more than originally thought, and it means that businesses are doing more with less.

Terry Coleman, a restauranteur from Lenoir, N.C., talks about who she's voting for this fall, and why.

FedEx has downgraded — again — its quarterly earnings estimate for the period ending in August.

Many of our most private and sentimental possessions are stored on laptops and smartphones. But do we truly own the music we buy online, or the photos on our Facebook account?

The International Monetary Fund is said to be close to a multi-billion dollar deal to aid the country currently grappling with major budgetary problems. The Obama administration is also looking to contribute another billion.

For the last year, union leaders have tried to push Mayor Rahm Emanuel into focusing on other issues: smaller class sizes, more art and music programs and job security.

Two artists ruffled some feathers at the Venice Biennale this year.

The two companies are hoping to capitalize when they introduce their new designed-from-the-ground-up smartphone today, based on the same Windows 8 system that'll run next-generation PCs.