Marketplace for Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007

Segments From This Episode

• Learn a lesson from the Dark Ages

  by Marketplace Staff

  Commentator David Frum says that buying local is laudible, but globalization of the consumer economy has brought unprecedented wealth to more people than ever before. So, do we really want to repeat ancient history?

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• A local model for global sustainability

  by Sam Eaton

  The northern Washington town of Bellingham may be the epicenter of a new economic model for a post-consumerist economy: Locally produced goods and services focused on what surrounding communities need and can sustain.

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• Bush offers plans to ease air-travel woes

  by John Dimsdale

  President Bush today announced plans intended to make Thanksgiving air travel go more smoothly. He also proposed longer-term regulatory changes to make sure passengers are treated more fairly by the airlines. John Dimsdale reports.

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• GE fund reports ‘breaking the buck’

  by Amy Scott

  A bond fund managed by General Electric has had its value fall below 100 cents on the investor's dollar, setting off some alarm bells. Amy Scott reports.

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• Africa’s resources get global attention

  by Gretchen Wilson

  Finance leaders from industrialized and major emerging economies are converging on Cape Town, South Africa for meetings of the Group of Twenty, or G-20. Gretchen Wilson reports that Africa is getting more notice thanks to a strain on global resources.

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• House bill targets subprime lending

  by Stacey Vanek Smith

  

  In an effort to make sure the subprime mortgage meltdown doesn't happen again, the House was set to vote today on a bill that would lay down rules for lending. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.

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• Gem buyers back away from Myanmar

  by Alisa Roth

  The generals who run Burma's military junta also control a company known as Myanmar Gem Enterprise, whose sales of precious stones bring nearly $300 million into the Burmese economy every year. But the haul might be a little lower this time around. Alisa Roth reports.

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• Afghan business group eyes fruitful talk

  by Marketplace Staff

  The Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce is trying to increase foreign investment in Afghanistan. They're not having much luck while the shooting's still going on, but they've got some ideas they're working on. Paul Brandus reports.

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