Week of November 11th, 2013

This weekend, Marketplace Money’s host Carmen Wong Ulrich calculates the cost of homeownership with a first time home buyer.  Jennifer wants to buy, but does the math and her motive align with the investment?  Plus, what do you do with $500,000 in a savings account?  When you meet a fee-only financial planner, how do you prepare yourself to get the most out of that conversation?  Author Amy Tan talks pickles and soup.  Eating out shaped the way she lives money.  And Carmen also gets a guide to rating charities. 

With the Playstation 4 released and Xbox One not far behind, a look back at past video game launches.

Chatting with CNBC's John Carney and Nela Richardson, from Bloomberg Government.

Costco, Nordstrom and BJ's Wholesale Club will stay closed on Thanksgiving Day.

We get a lot of questions on when to buy a home. Carmen Wong Ulrich shares some tips to make sure you're ready.

China to ease restrictions on one-child policy among other reforms.

The latest revelations about government snooping have to do with money transfers – the CIA is building a database of transactions through firms like Western Union and MoneyGram. Also, health insurers have spent retooling their business plan in order to prosper under the ACA.  What do those companies do now that the President has announced a change that upends their strategy? Finally, Google Books gets the legal go-ahead to continue scanning copyrighted works into its enormous database.

Author Dana Goodyear dives into the implications of Americans eating weirder stuff

When disaster hits, a lot of people want to give back and support those in need. But how do you make sure your money is going where it needs to go?

IBM is putting the supercomputer into the cloud.

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Amazon is debuting a new series today, but competition between it and Netflix may hinge on who has the most data.

Janet Yellen testified before the Senate Banking Committee yesterday. China said today it's easing its one-child policy, but economics could still stand in the way of more children. And, the new PlayStation comes out tomorrow, and the battle for the living room ramps up another notch.

The latest revelations about government snooping have to do with money transfers.

Health insurers have spent millions retooling their business plan in order to function under the ACA.

Google Books gets the legal go-ahead to continue scanning copyrighted works into its enormous database.

Health insurance companies are trying to adapt after the president announced a policy reversal to let people with cancelled policies keep their insurance.

China said today it's easing its one-child policy, but economics could still stand in the way of more children.

Swiss voters will consider new restrictions limiting CEO pay to 12 times that of the lowest paid worker at a company.

For Obamacare to work, the "young invincibles" need to sign up. And, so far, they're not.

Newer technology means ski resorts can cover more ground earlier, and stay open longer.

Recycling is expensive but good — up to a point.

20 sharks. 23. $3,000. 7.5. 3.4 million. $579. 10.1 million. 8. 4 years. 16. Do you know what these numbers mean?

In the U.S., there’s an increased focus on how much chief executives are paid versus everybody else at a company. Three years after it was passed into law, this fall, the SEC proposed rules for requiring companies to publicize the ratio of CEO pay over employee pay. In Switzerland next week, some sharp curbs on executive pay are under consideration. Parts of the Northeast got the season’s first dusting of natural snow this week, but the region’s skiing industry wasn’t waiting for nature. And, a look at the economics of recycling in the United States on this “America Recycles Day.”

The new PlayStation comes out tomorrow, and the battle for the living room ramps up another notch.

While a lot of gamer talk over the next few weeks will be all Xbox and Playstation, there’s been a lot of buzz this fall about a whole different way to play. Valve is a company that makes games for PCs, but also consoles and mobile devices. It delivers its games with a distribution company called Steam. Many consider Valve and Steam to be more of a big gaming tent, and in that tent is a new console called the Steam Box.

Britain's National Health Service offers free treatment at the point of service. The government says many foreigners are abusing the system and now need to pay up for the services they receive.

Want to retire early? Make sure you properly plan ahead with these tips.

Two hours of Senate testimony, countless pages of written documents. Peel away the caution, the Fed-speak, and the dense economic language, and what can we now say about The (economic) world according to Janet Yellen?Plus, #AskJPM’s attempt at social media community engagement on Twitter was shut down not long after it was launched.  What are the pitfalls businesses should watch out for as they try to engage their communities? Finally, you’ve got a business that’s never earned a dollar and someone offers you $3 billion for it. And you say no. For Snapchat, started by two college students a couple years ago, was it not enough money?

Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy enters the Newseum.

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Companies are closely watching employees — tracking everything from smartphones to big-rigs.

Marketplace Money's Carmen Wong Ulrich talks about stores opening earlier than ever for the holiday shopping season.

#AskJPM's attempt at social media community engagement on Twitter was shut down not long after it was launched.

You've got a business that’s never earned a dollar and someone offers you $3 billion for it. And you say no.

Two hours of Senate testimony, countless pages of written documents. Peel away the caution, the Fed-speak, and the dense economic language.

A JPMorgan Twitter Q&A quickly turned into a public relations disaster

Janet Yellen was the advocate for more transparency by the Fed. What will she do as chair? A JPMorgan Twitter Q&A quickly turned into a public relations disaster. And, there are still people who make a living selling typewriters to law offices.

Wikileaks has leaked a new document, one that shows an evolving international conversation about intellectual property in the digital world.

The head of the Federal Reserve doesn't have to listen to Congress after confirmation, but a nominee does have to listen before hand

Venezuela has a terrible inflation problem, and the government's dramatic steps to fix them problem aren't likely to make a real impact.

There are still people who make a living selling typewriters to law offices, funeral parlors, and anybody else who fills out a lot of forms.

Walmart and other retail chains are rolling out plans for making the most from a short shopping season.

Janet Yellen was the advocate for more transparency by the Fed. What will she do as chair?

The social media service reportedly declined a $3 billion offer from Facebook

Federal Reserve chair nominee Janet Yellen starts the confirmation process in front of the Senate Banking Committee today. The text of her prepared remarks is already out and there are four key words in it: The Fed has, Yellen will say, “more work to do.” That might mean the Fed has more stimulus to do, and stocks are rallying today. Walmart will announce its quarterly profits this morning. The National Retail Federation projects that average American shopper will spend $737.95 on holiday shopping — that’s down 2 percent from last year. And, Venezuela has a terrible inflation problem. Consumer prices jumped 54 percent last month alone. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro blames what he calls “hoarding and speculation,” and he’s taking some dramatic steps to combat the problem.

If you want to know how hot social networks are right now, no need to look farther than self-destructing messaging app Snapchat. The Wall Street Journal reports the company recently got an offer from Facebook to the tune of $3 billion. Snapchat owners apparently turned down the social network. And the website Wikileaks has leaked a new document, one that shows an evolving international conversation about intellectual property in the digital world.

Jason Clampett, cofounder of travel news website Skift, joins the show to talk holiday travel planning.

As the president's pick to lead the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, is considered a "dove" in the sometimes arcane parlance of monetary policy. But what does that mean?

As he travels for The Atlantic and Marketplace's American Futures project, Jim Fallows says there's an economic narrative for the cities and towns forging a way into the future.

An investigative report into the assets of Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran suggests shady dealings and land thefts.

A group of Occupy activists says it's bought almost $15 million of people's personal debt on the cheap.

Stack ranking is the office equivalent of grading on a curve.

New guidelines on the use of statins to lower cholesterol hold the promise to dramatically increase the number of Americans who take those drugs.

Many Filipinos send care packages back home, even in good times.

Nearly 27,000 people signed up through healthcare.gov.

Stack ranking is the office equivalent of grading on a curve. Jack Welch, at GE, brought stack ranking to the fore. And Microsoft used to use it — but has now killed it; even as Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s glamorous CEO, is ramping it up. Plus, new guidelines on the use of statins to lower cholesterol hold the promise to dramatically increase the number of Americans who take those drugs. Most of them are available as generics. Finally, a group of Occupy Wall Street activists has started to buy securitized personal debt on the cheap – and then forgive the debtors — not only to lift the burden from individuals, but to raise awareness about the debt collection industry and how to resist credit. 

Believe it or not, there’s no place to get a haircut in the world’s busiest airport.

A massive hack last month is having a continuing impact on the social network.

New guidelines say not to focus too much on your cholesterol levels.

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The Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday in a case that could weaken union-organizing efforts. Sports Authority stores in Chicago are getting hit by "flash robs," gangs of shoplifters who are triggered all at once. And, people around the world want to help the Philippines. But what’s the best way to donate after disaster strikes?

"Joy Luck Club" author Amy Tan tells us what money lessons she learned from her family, growing up in China.

Randi Zuckerberg has two new books out about achieving balance between life and technology.

Last night, a Francis Bacon triptych sold for $142.4 million. Tonight, an Andy Warhol painting may top it. And one art critic says that may actually make it better as art.

People around the world want to help the Philippines. But what’s the best way to donate after disaster strikes?

516,000 acres in Afghanistan are dedicated to growing opium poppies.

The Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday in a case that could weaken union-organizing efforts.

Sports Authority stores in Chicago are getting hit by "flash robs," gangs of shoplifters who are triggered all at once.

Netflix hopes to keep customers coming back with a new, unified user interface that looks the same on all different kinds of smart TVs and gaming consoles.

This week, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons may decide whether to consider a ban on autonomous machines of the future that could kill without command.

The United Nations said today that production of the plant used to make heroin has hit a record high in Afghanistan. This comes after more than a decade of trying to wean the Afghan economy from this deadly cash crop, which is now expanded to more than half a million acres. And, last night at Christie’s, a triptych by Francis Bacon went for $142.3 million. That’s the most ever for a work of art, which sold after what the auction house called six minutes of fierce telephone bidding. At Sotheby’s in New York tonight, it’s possible the new record will be broken again when Andy Warhol’s “Silver Car Crash, Double Disaster” goes on the auction block.

This week a debate is heating up at the Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva. At issue is whether or not we will outsource to machines not only the act of killing, but the act of deciding when to kill. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are calling for a ban on so-called “killer robots.” They’ve even got a website: StopKillerRobots.org. Sounds a little sci-fi right? Science? Yes. Fiction? Not really. 

The famous Sriracha hot sauce faces a production stoppage after a judge ruled against the company.

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Sam Weiner and Daniel Kibblesmith give their tips for playing (and winning at) the stock market.

The Atlanta Braves push for a small stadium in the suburbs. But why?

In which Marketplace finds a reason to bring Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to attention.

It seems like people have been talking themselves hoarse with apologies lately — a lot of them for the flawed roll-out of Obamacare.

Michelle Obama has a new pet project: Getting kids into college. But will her involvement help or hurt the initiative?

Typhoons beat on the Philippines regularly, destroying roads, bridges and buildings in an already poor country.

By all accounts, about 50,000 people have made it through the federal exchanges.

By all accounts, about 50,000 people have made it through the federal exchanges. So, what does it mean? We keep hearing 500,000 as a magic number that the Obama administration was counting on. Next, typhoons beat on the Philippines regularly, destroying roads, bridges and buildings in an already poor country with bad roads, bridges and buildings, where the population has tripled in 50 years. Finally, Michelle Obama has a new pet project: Getting kids into college. What are the economics of the First Lady?

The aging grid's main protection against attack is that it's too sprawling and complicated to all go down at once.

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Congress is considering a bill, the Credit Access and Inclusion Act, that would make it easier for nontraditional borrowers to build a credit history.

Facebook tries to replace Twitter as the social network of choice for celebrities.

Chinese leaders emerged from a four-day policy meeting today.

Want to get folks talking about money? Throw in some religion.

The Philippines does have an important longer-term asset: The underlying strength of its economy.

According to Chinese state media, the country's leaders are announcing a shift toward a more market-based economy.

For firefighters, there can be too many solar panels on a roof. Fire officials and the solar industry are paying attention to the concern.

At a time when everyone is trying to help out, a look at the top charities that will make good use of your donations.

By requiring users to sign up for Google+ in order to comment on YouTube, Google has sparked outrage.

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew plans to visit five countries in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Relief organizations are searching for survivors in the aftermath of the super typhoon that struck the Philippines on Friday. Survival in natural disasters can often be linked closely with better access to technology. And sometimes the technology is far from fancy. In the Philippines, where 99 percent of the country’s residents have access to mobile phones, simple text messaging has saved lives. So what about when cell service is down? One possible solution to keep people communicating is a so-called mesh network.

India is looking for investors in its state-owned oil and coal companies, a big shift for a country that is famously protective.