Week of November 26th, 2012

The Mississippi River hovers at record lows as a result of the drought in the Midwest. It could soon mean big problems for the shipping industry on the river.

Millions of young people are out of school and have no jobs.

The Weekly Wrap talks about the stalemate in Congress over the fiscal cliff. A strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has entered its fourth day. Meanwhile, FedEx and others that hire large amounts of seasonal workers can’t find enough people to fill the jobs. The gaming company Zynga has loosened its ties with Facebook, but both companies see this as a positive. Rob Schmitz takes a look at China’s sex shops and the role they play in couples’ love lives. And Eve Troeh explores why reality shows these days have become so niche.

The Weekly Wrap talks about the latest fiscal cliff discussions and the roles of the debt ceiling and the markets.

Online retailers and shippers say that despite high unemployment, they have unfilled temporary positions.

The game company and the giant social network loosen the ties that have bound them.

Amid the street's noodle stands, one store dispenses sex aids and advice for shoppers in this conservative culture.

Almost any kind of job can become the basis of a reality show, television producers say. Competitively growing beards. Grooming possums.

Already the strike has idled thousands of trucks and trains that take containers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to factories and distribution centers.

Most of the chatter we've heard about the fiscal cliff focuses on the deal or no deal deadlock strangling Capitol Hill. So what if, in the end, there is no deal? Commentator Megan McArdle says that might be a good thing.

Lawyers say Walmart can be held accountable for working conditions, despite contracting out operations and staffing.

The economic damage from Sandy: Is it worse than we thought? New data on consumer spending and a big port strike at the country's most critical port. And aside from Mitt, who's got the biggest regrets post-election? It could be the guy with the Romney face tattoo.

Much of the buzz about the fiscal cliff has been about how it will affect the wealthy and middle class. But how might it impact children living if poverty if a deal isn't reached?

For decades, the story of American manufacturing has been all about outsourcing. Lately though, some new terminology has come into vogue — 'insourcing.'

The opening of the L.A. auto show comes at an interesting time; the market for cars in the U.S. has rebounded even as the broader economic recovery continues at a painfully slow pace.

The European Central Bank has won a legal battle against Bloomberg News to keep some of the ECB’s internal documents about Greece's debt private.

Markets fell yesterday just moments after House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said no substantive progress had been made in the latest fiscal cliff negotiations.

If a deal isn't reached on the fiscal cliff, the Defense Department faces half-a-trillion dollars worth of cuts across the board. So why can't lawmakers come to an agreement?

President Obama signed a bill this week protecting U.S. airlines from an emission tax when they fly in and out of Europe. The EU's carbon tax is so unpopular, it's been suspended for all carriers for a year.

Unionized clerical workers who staff the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have entered the fourth day of their strike. If the dispute continues, the ripple effects could soon be felt across the country.

Ohio's Cuyahoga County will start a college savings account for every kindergartener.

It was exactly two years ago that Ireland faced a similar problem and got an international bailout. How is the country faring now?

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) joins us to share his thoughts on the ongoing negotiations to avoid the 'fiscal cliff.'

The late George Romney had a card entitling him to free burgers for life.

It's nice to dream about winning the lottery, but if you got lucky and came into a big windfall of cash, would you know how to prepare your personal finances in a responsible way?

As other carmakers in Europe struggle for their very survival, VW is flourishing thanks in part to its worldwide appeal.

One moment terabytes of data are flowing through the Internet in Syria. The next minute, next-to-nothing. The digital lights went out in the strife-torn country on Thursday, with experts suspecting the Syrian government shut off the net as a tactical measure in its fight against the rebel uprising. You can’t hide from marketing that wants you to buy a smartphone. Who are the 40 percent of Americans who remain immune to smartphones and why?

As other carmakers in Europe struggle for their very survival, Volkswagen is flourishing thanks in part to its worldwide appeal. Republicans have reportedly rejected an opening offer from the White House which calls for a $1.6 trillion tax increase over ten years and the ability to raise the federal debt limit without Congressional approval. Rand Paul (R-KY) joins us to share his thoughts on the ongoing negotiations.  

Who’s afraid of the fiscal cliff? Well, everyone in Washington seems to be afraid of making a decision! We explore how the fiscal cliff might affect military spending and children living in poverty. Plus, did you buy a Powerball ticket this week? We talk with one lottery winner about what winning really gets you. And a look at co-working… with kids.

An Internet and telecom blackout hits Syria, Pew research numbers get to the bottom of why some avoid buying smartphones, and the video game Pong turns 40-years-old.

Mothers who have cut back on work to spend time raising children find themselves with few affordable options when they look for child care that fits their schedule. A new business in Austin, Texas, is trying to fill the void.

Personal finance columnist Liz Weston answers listeners' questions about creating credit history, paying off student loans early, the pros and cons of annuities and realizing the dream of living a debt-free life.

What happened when students at New York University discovered they could spam 40,000 people at once, and three stories on 3D printing.

"Casual" and "frequent" seem to be the formula for campaign fundraising emails.

A walk-out by workers at several fast-food chains in New York marks latest effort to organize an industry with high worker turnover.

For one iPad owner, a void that even Apple's magical gadget could not fill.

Fast food workers in New York walked off the job in protest of low wages. A new census study shows that the top job for men is in truck driving and more women are employed as secretaries than any other job. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports on how people are getting around data tracking on the Internet. We get a look at the coolest new cars at the Los Angeles Car Show. Gil Kerlikowske, drug policy advisor for the Obama administration, discusses the future of the war on drugs. And The Onion’s Sam Weiner tells us what the iPad won’t do for you.

The U.S. Census Bureau today released a burst of data on who works in which profession and where. We plucked out a few interesting facts from the release.

Strong unions and labor laws have kept struggling carmakers from cutting plants in Germany, but that may be about to change.

The administration's drug policy after the "war on drugs."

More women employed in secretarial work than any other job, but they make inroads in other fields.

The Commerce Department has revised up its GDP growth estimate for the previous quarter, but it's what's inside that counts. And two scintillating new reports: One on the British phone-hacking scandal, another looking into what happened to turn a major bank in Afghanistan into a 'Ponzi scheme.'

Several new electric and hybrid cars were introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but high prices are expected to keep alternative-fuel vehicles a small part of the market. Ford's shot at efficiency: a three-cylinder Fiesta.

A new report says that the now collapsed Kabul Bank in Afghanistan acted as a 'ponzi scheme.'

Consumer confidence at a five-year high according to new data this week. But what exactly makes us so confident?

Though the latest GDP numbers are up and jobless claims are down, the economic details tell a gloomier story.

The polling firm Gallup has gathered new data on how Americans feel about certain key economic phrases such as free enterprise, capitalism, and federal government.

UK officials are expected to recommend a new, tougher media regulatory body following a series of phone-hacking, bribery, and data theft abuses by the country's newspapers.

But how might the NYC-based Zucker get to CNN headquarters in Atlanta?

An effort to build the Western Hemisphere's largest seawater desalination plant faces a crucial test today, as San Diego's regional water agency votes on whether to buy all the water the plant would make.

Insider trading charges could be coming to one of the nation’s biggest hedge funds: SAC Capital Advisors. But will investigators implicate the hedge fund's owner?

Think of life’s most embarrassing moments. Now imagine that embarrassment multiplied thousands of times. At New York University, a technical foul-up meant that that hitting “reply all” to an email sent it to 40,000 people. It all started with one guy who just wanted to forward an email from the school to his mom. Some argue 3D printing is the next manufacturing revolution: Computer printers that go beyond flat images to squirt out three dimensional objects. But could it also start a revolution for a unique hobby? An engineering professor and pair of student brothers at the University of Virginia have built and flown a drone made out of parts from a 3D printer. Along with quick manufacturing capabilities, 3D printing drones could result in design improvements.

Insider trading charges could be coming to one of the nation’s biggest hedge funds: SAC Capital Advisors. But will the hedge fund’s owner be implicated? Strong unions and labor laws have kept struggling carmakers from cutting plants in Germany, but that may be about to change. An effort to build the Western Hemisphere’s largest seawater desalination plant faces a crucial test today. San Deigo’s regional water agency will vote on whether to buy all the water the plant would produce.  

The spinach-chomping sailor loses his contract as a fast-food pitchman.

On the verge of hiring former NBC head honcho Jeff Zucker, cable news expert Gabriel Sherman thinks it's time for CNN to do a branding exercise.

Faced with the costs of alcoholism and alcohol-related crime, Britain's government wants to introduce a mandatory minimum price for alcohol. Cheap drink is believed to cost the country billions of dollars each year.

A proposal in Congress would let Internet radio sites pay lower royalties.

The Obama administration is using #My2K to raise awareness about middle-class tax increases.

Economists are a notoriously self-interested bunch. But one British outfit is giving away its services.

University of Louisville shifts to the ACC, the latest conference shift in college sports.

President Obama is asking Americans to speak out about the fiscal cliff and middle class tax cuts by using the hashtag #My2k on Twitter — but how much influence can a hashtag have? In the wake of news that Jeff Zucker could soon lead CNN, we dissect how the news channel has been doing. Britain’s government has set a minimum price for alcohol to help combat excessive drinking. Freakonomics Radio’s Stephen Dubner talks about pro bono economics. And in the last part of our series on Walmart and labor, a look at how organized labor is trying to hold marquee retailers responsible for the low-wage workers who move their goods.

Protests put Walmart in the public eye, and legal strategy targets Walmart as industry giant.

The issue isn't "Hobbit" action figures and merchandise, but intangible uses like a Hobbit ringtone.

Damage from the Bangladeshi garment fire continues to spread. A new penalty for BP, a fight over royalties from online radio stations, and the renting out the pope-mobile for parties.

A growing number of U.S. companies — including Wal-mart, Sears, Disney, Dickies, and hip-hop star Sean Comb's clothing line — have been linked to the deadly garment factory fire in Bangladesh.

The ban means BP will not be able to receive government contracts, loans or grants — at least for a while.

The hotel room lock that uses not a key but a card may present a big problem: A simple hack that can make for an easy burglary. It requires a $50 piece of hardware called a microcontroller. A software engineer showed off how to do it at what’s called the “Black Hat” hacking conference last summer. What is a black hat hacker? It’s the more mischevious version of a white hat hacker.

Last month, Peugeot secured a $9 billion lifeline from the French government to stay out of bankruptcy. In return, French politicians want the struggling company keep jobs, not cut them.

Microsoft's Bing is doing all it can to gain market share from Google.

Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors in history, so what does he know about the economy that few others do? Buffet discusses the biggest investment mistake he’s ever made, his economic concerns in the year ahead, and how to get the U.S. to grow again.

Burglaries are popping up after a hacker showed off a vulnerability in keycard locks at hotels, and a UN meeting of the International Telecommunications Union next week could change the Internet as we know it.

Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors in history, so what does he know about the economy that few others do? Buffet discusses the biggest investment mistake he's ever made, his economic concerns in the year ahead, and how to get the U.S. growing again.

An author compares users' relationships to companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft to that of serfs asking feudal lords for protection.

Walmart's flexible supply chain depends on low-wage "permatemp" workers.

Wednesday's big Powerball jackpot is one reason more people are playing the multi-state lottery at record levels.

Food giant ConAgra is buying private-label food producer Ralcorp for nearly $5 billion. Colin Angle, CEO of the iRobot Corporation, discusses why he wants to let robots take a bigger role in our lives. The OECD is calling on its members to shape up. And Americans aren't taking their earned time off. Why?

Recent votes to legalize marijuana in Colorado and Washington state have some Mexicans calling on their government to reconsider its drug policies.

Colleges and universities are on a quest for a cheaper college degree. But not everyone gets a bargain.

Kai Ryssdal talks to business magnate and investor Warren Buffett about who should be the next Treasury Secretary, how much the wealthy ought to pay in taxes, and whether he’s worried about the future of democratic capitalism. Florida’s governor has issued a challenge to colleges to offer a $10,000 degree. The packaged food giant ConAgra is now the largest private label food manufacturer after acquiring Ralcorp. With Powerball jackpot now at a record high of $500 million, thousands of people are willing to pay the new, higher price of a ticket for a chance to strike it rich. And in part two of our series on Walmart and labor, Mitchell Hartman takes a look at whether ‘permatemping’ in warehouses is designed to keep costs and prices low at Walmart and other big-box retailers.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is reaching out to its members — the rich governments of the world — to shape up or risk a global economic calamity.

In the fight against ever encroaching online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores are going all out this season to draw in consumers.

Colin Angle, CEO of the company iRobot which makes the Roomba, is pushing industry to let go of old conventions and let robots take a bigger role in our lives.

Food giant sees Ralcorp purchase as a way to enter the growing store brand market.

Giant food company ConAgra is getting a little more giant. It's agreed to buy private-label food producer Ralcorp for about $4.95 billion.

As Congress tries to reach a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, lawmakers are considering a cap on the mortgage interest deduction.

Bangladesh is holding a day of mourning following a deadly garment factory fire. It has emerged the factory was making products for western companies, including Wal-Mart.

Now it’s time to get Medieval on your digital lives. What if computers and the Internet are turning us into serfs, and we’ve become dependent on the protection of feudal lords by the names of Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook? According to Internet security expert and author Bruce Schneier, we pledge allegiance to these feudal lords by handing over our data. The hope, at least, is that these lords safeguard our credit card numbers and our privacy.

Carmakers in Europe are seeing plunging sales and rising costs — sound familiar? Will European automakers rebound like their U.S. competitors?

Mary Schapiro’s departure from the Securities and Exchange Commission leaves the board politically split – with thorny market issues to resolve.

A survey finds people will leave an average of nine days of paid vacation unused this year. The stress that comes from not taking a break can affect their health.

Mary Schapiro’s departure from the Securities and Exchange Commission leaves the board politically split with thorny market issues to resolve. As Congress tries to reach a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, lawmakers are considering a cap to the mortgage interest deduction. With holiday season upon us, we’re likely all going to be spending a little more over the next month. How can you prepare for the holiday dent in your wallet?   

Cyber Monday can offer windfalls to hackers as well as shoppers, and even though our space travel ability is improving, we still use plenty of simple technologies to push it forward.

Critics say a system of contracting out warehouse operation and hiring allows discounters to avoid responsibility for workers.

Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest retail days of the year, we explore what’s in a name when it comes to shopping. Bob Moon reports on the similarities and differences between a corporate raider and an activist investor. California businesses are becoming easy marks for plastic thieves looking to make a profit. The Wealth & Poverty Desk kicks off its series on labor and Walmart with a look at the temporary staffing agencies contracted by the retailer to distribute goods. And Kai Ryssdal talks to Jean-Jacques Dethier of the World Bank about which James Bond movie villain’s plan would have actually worked.

Carl Icahn used to buy companies and break them up. These days, he’s an activist investor, using large stakes to influence corporate strategy.