Week of January 21st, 2013

Selection of Wealth and Poverty stories for Marketplace Dupont Awards submission, June 2013. 1. Houston janitors fight for fair pay in economic boom.  By Krissy Clark.  July 31, 2012 2. From banker to janitor — all in a day’s work. By Krissy Clark.  August 1, 2012 3. Economic mobility in Chicago’s projects. By Sylvester Monroe.  […]

We ask Ethan Zindler of Bloomberg New Energy Finance if a clean energy boom and the expansion of fracking are mutually exclusive.

Twitter disproved skeptics of the 140-character tweet. Will it be able to turn a profit from six-second videos? Its new service, Vine, will try.

You can get odds on more than the score and game play during the Super Bowl. These proposition bets, or prop bets, let you wager on everything from the Super Bowl going into overtime, to Beyonce's hairstyle at halftime.

The report on supplier responsibility from Apple indicates progress on working conditions and excessive overtime requirements at the tech giant's Chinese suppliers, including its largest supplier, Foxconn. But the report also revealed one supplier was employing child workers.

The latest housing market numbers seem to show that home buying has bounced back, thanks to record low interest rates. But experts like Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, say not so fast when it comes to buying a home.

One final look back at Secretary Timothy Geithner's time at the Treasury Department. Plus, why you'll start hearing the word 'sequester' a lot more soon.

Guest host David Lazarus grills the head of the hospital where he was recently treated for a cat bite to the tune of $53,000.

David Gura pays a visit and reports from inside a Virginia gun store. Twitter’s newest service lets users post six-second videos, but some are complaining that’s too short. Apple’s latest supplier responsibility report goes deeper than ever into its Chinese supply chain. We look into whether the legal costs in the fight between Barbie and Bratz has been worth it. The European Union’s market for carbon emissions credits is crashing, but the EU isn’t ready to bail it out. And Las Vegas oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro talks about proposition bets related to the Super Bowl.

Is it ever appropriate to ask someone how much money they make? How much they paid for something? Who is supposed to pay for dinner? Is it polite to remind someone that they owe you money? Personal finance columnist Liz Weston schools us on common financial faux pas.

Gun stores are busy since the school massacre in Newtown, Conn., revived concern about gun laws. Shops like Blue Ridge Arsenal in Virginia are sold out of some models, but are a gathering place for training and target shooting.

Mattel first sued MGA over its Bratz dolls nine years ago, contending their designer worked for Mattel when he came up with the idea. The legal battle goes on, long after Bratz faded.

Europe has the largest market for carbon permits in the world. The idea is, the more a company has to pay for permits to pollute, the greater incentive it has to reduce pollution. But the economic slowdown has greatly reduced the cost of permits.

Housing is making its way back into the headlines, and most of the news is good. We take a look at whether the real estate market is making a comeback. And boy does guest host David Lazarus have a story for you! It starts with a cat bite and ends with a $55,000 hospital bill. We’ve got a medical bill explainer. Plus, teaching your kids to be financially independent starts with good manners. And stories on the retireless and technological changes to your church’s collection plate.

The number of people 75 and older still working has grown over the last two decades — some from need, but many because they want to.

U.S. housing sales are the highest in three years and now's the time to stock up on stamps — the U.S. Postal Service is increasing costs this Sunday.

Despite a dip in home sales last December, new data reveals that overall sales for 2012 were the highest in three years.

More churches are adopting devices that allow cashless worshipers to donate digitally.

Days after David Cameron announced a referendum on U.K. membership in the EU, figures out today revealed that Britain is at risk of slipping into its third recession in a row, leading to further uncertainty about the U.K.'s future.

Many young people say they have no interest in ever owning a home. So these days, more and more people are renting. But commentator Chris Farrell says buying is still a better option for all concerned.

One of the reasons prices are going up in many U.S. neighborhoods is because investors are buying houses, sprucing them up and then renting them out. Landlords like these don't have a great image. But in Oakland, Calif., they can be an enormous force for change and good.

Twitter new acquisition, Vine, allows users to share short videos. And, privacy advocates are demanding Skype be more transparent about what data it shares with the government.

A thought for a Friday: If you had a public radio Hunger Games, who would win?

Marketplace Morning Report wraps up our week reporting live from South Florida on the New American Dream with our Wealth and Poverty Desk. Today, we take you to one of the wealthiest places in America — an island where few outsiders have ever been — with a look at Fisher Island, one of the most exclusive zip codes in the country. And, we take you on a cruise. Ten million Americans a year take their vacations on cruise ships, and we speak with the CEO of one of the largest cruise companies.

Royal Caribbean president and CEO Adam Goldstein tells Marketplace who's taking cruise vacations and why.

Now your tweets can be videos, thanks to Twitter’s acquisition of Vine. Privacy activists are asking Skype to be more transparent. They want Skype to be more like Google, which just issued a new Transparency Report. That report gives insight into the data they share with government entities, which could benefit a debate over what information the government can acquire without a warrant. And Joe Biden gave a fireside chat using Google Hangout.

Just off the coast of Miami is one of the richest places in the country. Marketplace takes a tour of the ultra-exclusive enclave.

The Postal Service is raising all rates an average of about 4 percent, but that's not enough to wipe out its losses.

Glenn Kelman, CEO of real estate website Redfin, answers listeners questions about short sales, home renovations and what to do when your family outgrows its house.

Some of the attendees at Davos are there doing big business. And Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta has a free place to stay.

In the age of social media and oversharing, how has money etiquette evolved? The combination of tact and common sense still go a long way. Here are some tips to help you mind your money matters.

The business world isn't all that different from the military. You need to be on the front lines to get ahead.

The 49er QB looks to trademark the name of his signature move, but is it worth it?

Alan Blinder, an economist and former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, discusses why he thinks the government doesn't get enough credit for saving the U.S. economy from a much worse fate.

Smartphones and tablets are changing the equation for desktop computers. And an entire industry is feeling the pain.

A look at China's 'sandwich generation,' Chinese people in their 30s who carry the burden of caring for both their children and their parents. Being stuck in the middle is intensified for China's 30-somethings because they're typically only children and because of the historical arc of China's economy, they have almost nothing in common with their parents.

Three big employers dependent on defense spending, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamic all expect cuts to their contracting services.

President Obama made nominations for the heads of the SEC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today — how will this affect consumers? Now that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to end the ban of women in combat, we compare women in combat to women on the corporate ladder. Queena Kim reports on how mobile devices have led to the death of personal computer. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick could be the latest sports star using trademarks to score big bucks. Chris Nassetta, the CEO of Hilton Worldwide, talks about solving youth unemployment worldwide. And on the Street of Eternal Happiness, Rob Schmitz reports on China’s 30-somethings and the ‘sandwich generation.’

Belgium is building an artificial island in the North Sea to store water pumped by wind turbines in periods of low electricity demand. When electricity is needed, the water will be released.

The former U.S. Attorney brings her background in white collar law and mob prosecutions to the role of Wall Street's top cop.

A hunter of terrorists and mobsters takes aim at Wall Street and a look inside Hispanic broadcaster Univision in Miami.

In an open letter to college and university leaders, the National Commission on Higher Education Attainment says that college completion must be a priority in the U.S.

Whitney Maxi, a community organizer at the Miami Workers Center, discusses the American Dream in one Miami's poorest neighborhoods — Liberty City.

Reporting from WLRN's studio in Miami, Marketplace host Jeremy Hobson holds a roundtable discussion about the economic issues affecting Miami.

The Jewish Daily Forward newspaper recounts an anecdote where Lew was once asked to serve as the treasurer at his local synagogue.

Host Jeremy Hobson reports from Miami in day three of our special Marketplace Morning Report broadcast on the theme “The Next American Dream.” From WLRN’s Miami studio, Jeremy holds a roundtable discussion about economic issues affecting the Miami area. And with Hispanics projected to become the majority by 2050, we take a look at one company that is uniquely positioned to grow along with the demographic group — Univision, headquarted in Miami-Dade County.

With Hispanics projected to become the majority by 2050, one company is uniquely positioned to grow along with the demographic group.

At the 43rd annual World Economic Forum in Davos, global leaders are meeting to discuss more than just business and politics. Technology is also on the agenda this year. And telemedicine — providing medical care over the internet — takes off in the smartphone age.

Business and political leaders are gathered in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, but they’re also talking about technology. Telemedicine started as a way of reaching those stuck at home. But in the smartphone age it’s taken off, and is saving lives of pregnant women in rural Nicaragua. A new ranking of broadband shows that the U.S. is slow. What’s the city that’s in first place?

A recent report from the World Bank revelas a fifty percent increase in the size of Latin America's middle class. Broad economic growth brought more jobs and more women are joining the workforce.

Apple made $55 billion in revenue in the final three months of 2012, making it one of the most profitable companies on the planet. But investors were hoping for more, and the company's stock price has slipped in after-hours trading.

A report in the Wall Street Journal reveals that $1.7 trillion in "foreign" cash is being held in U.S. banks.

Apple announces its first quarter earnings for 2013. We consider whether Congress really needs to pass a budget at all. The number of unionized workers decreased again last year. McDonald’s reported a $1.4 billion profit today, for which it can thank its dollar menu. The global economy’s biggest names are converging in Davos, Switzerland, for a week to talk big ideas, but some argue the conference is meaningless. Freakonomics Radio’s Steven Levitt has a novel idea for helping people make tough decisions. And in the last of our author series on ‘hope,’ Margaret Atwood says hope is what keeps us going.

Author Margaret Atwood reflects on the word 'hope,' and its importance since Barack Obama's campaign message four years ago.

Steve Levitt has a novel idea for helping people make tough decisions.

Congress hasn't always had a hand in crafting federal spending plans.

As the world's political and business elite gather for the annual economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, some skeptics question the value of the event.

Political attacks on unions have hurt. But the economy is also replacing old manufacturing jobs, often unionized, with jobs that haven't been union.

Cheap food draws customers, but also cuts into profits.

Microsoft could chip in as much as $3 billion to the buyout of computer maker Dell, why U.S. firms are stashing foreign cash in American banks, and the second-most popular tourist destination in Florida is not what you think.

A good deal of the estimated $1.7 trillion in foreign assets American companies have is actually sitting in U.S. banks.

Microsoft is reportedly considering investing billions of dollar in Dell, as part of a deal to take the company private.

Forget coal mining in Appalachia and mineral mining in Africa, a new outfit called Deep Space Industries aims to take drilling to the final frontier. The company is seeking investors for a project to mine asteroids. Also, Google shows just how much employers can benefit from employee benefits.

Miami Herald business reporter Doug Hanks on what the Miami Heat and star LeBron James means to the city.

As the housing market revives, investors paying cash crowd out middle-class home shoppers

Host Jeremy Hobson reports from Miami in day two of our special Marketplace Morning Report broadcast on the theme “The Next American Dream.” We take a look at the real estate market from two sides — from the point of view of billionaire developer Jorge Perez and from the point of view of realtors dealing with the low-end of the housing market. We’ll also hear from Miami Herald reporter Doug Hanks about what the Miami Heat and star LeBron James mean to the city, and take a tour of one of Florida’s hottest new tourist attracations — the Sawgrass Mills mall.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced today that he was lifting a military ban on women in combat, opening up thousands of positions on the front lines.

Microsoft is reportedly considering investing billions of dollar in Dell, as part of a deal to take the company private. A new outfit called Deep Space Industries is seeking investors for a project to mine asteroids — and eventually establish a long-term human presence in space. Google’s quarterly earnings beat estimates, but its focus is beyond the next quarter. Their data-driven HR department tries to maximize employee happiness, while making sure those policies pay off.

Luxury real estate developer Jorge Perez talks about the highs and lows of selling ritzy condos to the rich and famous.

South American tourists flock to Sunrise, Fla., to shop at one of the biggest discount malls.

His own cat bit him. Then David Lazarus got an infection. Surgery, tests and a hospital stay later, his total bill came to $55,000.

Michelle Obama has long been the trendsetter; now it's her daughters' clothes that are turning heads.

The crises Obama inherited have passed. But to push his new agenda, he’ll have to tackle thorny budget and debt issues constraining the economy.

It’s the first day of President Obama’s second term, so how will he secure the progress he made, while funding the second-term agenda he laid out in yesterday’s inauguration speech? The high school graduation rate in the U.S. is the highest it’s been in nearly 40 years. The daily deal site Groupon has halted all gun related promotions. Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus talks about how a cat bite turned into a $55,000 medical bill. Fashion journalist Kate Betts discusses how the First Family’s fashion choices could impact those designers and the fashion industry. And Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jeffrey Eugenedies describes the meaning of hope.

U.K. Prime Minster David Cameron will give a major speech tomorrow that sets the tone for his country's future relations with the European Union. Many in the U.K. want more decisions made in London and fewer in Brussels. Is the U.K. on the way out of the EU?

The legendary video game company could be facing the end after years of sagging business.

The trend could be a boon for the economy.

Writer Jeffrey Eugenides on the notion of hope, four years after Barack Obama used it in his presidential campaign.

Two of the major stock indices closed at five-year highs today, while the CBOE Volatility Index drops to its lowest since April 2007.

You may have heard that vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin,” when taken in sufficient amounts may provide added protection against wintertime colds and the flu. Is it true? Physician Russell Greenfield explains.

What happens if the U.K. leaves the EU? World leaders will be all ears tomorrow when British Prime Minister David Cameron delivers a high-stakes speech on Britain's role in the European Union. U.S. airlines make more money by offering fewer seats. Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza discusses the business of bargain basement travel.

A month after the school massacre in Connecticut, the daily deal site pulled all offers related to guns, including firing ranges and firearms training.

Tough economy has more hunters keeping more of their take for themselves.

World leaders will be all ears tomorrow when British Prime Minister David Cameron makes a high-stakes speech on the European Union. He is expected to talk about potential new terms for Britain's EU membership, which could have impacts around the globe.

As business and political leaders from around the globe descend on the picturesque ski resort town of Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, the rest of us are asking one question: does it really matter?

The eccentric Megaupload founder is back with a new service that's sure to be a stick in the craw of the U.S. federal prosecutors pursuing a copyright infringement case against him. Also, libraries may be moving to a bookless future, but not if patrons have anything to say about it.

The founder of Megaupload — the file-sharing website shut down after being accused in the largest criminal copyright case in U.S. history — has a new project. It’s called Mega, and it’s a lot like Megaupload. But a new report suggests that piracy on the part of users may not be such a bad thing. Also, the future of libraries seems to be shifting away from books — but not if the library patrons have anything to say about it, according to a new report. 

Today, as President Obama begins another four years in office, Marketplace Morning Report travels to South Florida with our Wealth and Poverty Desk to examine the New American Dream, starting with the people of Miami. One resident living out the American Dream is Tomás Regalado, who came to the United States as a boy and, today, is the mayor of Miami. He tells us what makes his city so unique. We’ll also hear from one of South Florida’s top business leaders, Ben Baldanza, CEO of Fort Lauderdale based budget airline, Spirit. He’ll tell us why Spirit is investing heavily in the region.

One of South Florida's top business leaders runs one of the country's cheapest airlines.

He came here as a boy from Cuba, worked hard, became a local reporter, and, today, he's the mayor of one of the largest cities in the country. Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado talks about his city and his American Dream.

Nathalie Nahas Cortes talks to host Jeremy Hobson about why she came to America from Venezuela and what her version of the American dream looks like.

President Obama will use a deep campaign database and volunteer network in a new nonprofit. Some are concerned because it can take corporate money.

Hong Kong tailoring has long had a reputation for quality but many of the tailors were old and their premises old-fashioned. Now a new breed of young clothing entrepreneurs is shaking things up.

People born on Inauguration Days past talk about how it's affected their lives and how American has changed in their lifetimes.

Airlines to turn profit offering fewer — but fuller — flights.

That staple of '50s kitchen counter tops is being embraced by young architects as a green alternative to stone.

Politico's senior technology reporter Steve Friess says if you look to the past, inaugurations have never really been a showcase for technology.