Marketplace for Thursday, December 24, 2009

Segments From This Episode

• Health bill would offer high-risk pool

  by Gregory Warner

  Many major provisions in the House and Senate health care reform bills wouldn't take effect for a long time after passage. But one part that would start right away could help unstick the economy — if it works. Gregory Warner reports.

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• States pitch bonds to foreign buyers

  by Amy Scott

  Cash-strapped state and local governments this year have sold more than $60 billion worth of Build America Bonds, subsidized by the U.S. Treasury. To drum up interest in their debt, states are taking their marketing message overseas. Amy Scott reports.

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• Weekly Wrap

  by Kai Ryssdal

  Megan McArdle of The Atlantic magazine and Mike Mandel, author of the textbook "Economics: The Basics" size up the week in business with Kai Ryssdal.

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• Town rises against prince’s bright idea

  by Marketplace Staff

  One of Germany's wealthiest families wants to cash in and build a giant solar park on its land. But residents of a nearby town are saying nicht in my backyard. Kyle James reports.

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• Divorced couples aren’t the half of it

  by Marketplace Staff

  Commentator Betsey Stevenson says that, despite all the bad news this year, something positive is going on — the U.S. divorce rate is now the lowest it's been in 30 years.

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• Stalled condo projects dot NYC

  by Alisa Roth

  New York City's construction boom went bust so fast some of the condominium buildings are standing unfinished. But proposals to turn them into affordable housing units have been a tough sell. Alisa Roth reports.

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• Christmas wishes from Iraq

  by Marketplace Staff

  Contingency Operating Base Speicher is a U.S. Army base in Northern Iraq. Correspondent Jake Warga went there to see what some of the soldiers want for Christmas.

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