Marketplace for Friday, December 3, 2010

Segments From This Episode

• Small talk: Electric eels, Corleones and Kardashians

  by Marketplace Staff

  Brendan Newnam, Rico Gagliano and the Marketplace staff updates you on the latest interesting stories to bring up at your next dinner party. This weekend: electric eels power up Christmas, the Corleone mansion goes on sale, and the Kardashians opt out of debit.

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• How toys are surviving the recession

  by Kai Ryssdal

  It's holiday season in a down economy. If you wanted to get an indication of how America is doing right now, the world's biggest toy store might be the best place. Toys"R"Us CEO Jerry Storch talks about the role of toys in today's economy.

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• Weekly Wrap: Jobs and politics, the Fed and banks

  by Marketplace Staff

  Kai Ryssdal talks to John Carney from CNBC and Lee Gallagher of Fortune magazine about the politics over the jobs number, the Federal Reserve's data dump and the deficit commission this week.

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• Juarez businessmen find peace of mind across the border

  by Marketplace Staff

  Several Juarez businessmen have moved their businesses across the border to El Paso, Texas, to escape the drug violence. Reporter Monica Ortiz Uribe takes a look at a what benefits and challenges the business owners have.

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• Wealthy countries agree to give poorer countries $100 billion

  by Eve Troeh

  The pledge was made to help poorer nations to cope with the effects of climate change. But one fundraising idea — taxing air travel and shipping — may be challenging to implement.

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• Deficit plan fails, but commission still wants to talk

  by David Gura

  The deficit plan failed by just three votes, but members of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform said they want to keep working towards a plan.

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• Get used to this high unemployment rate

  by Mitchell Hartman

  The jobs report released today was a huge — and surprising — disappointment: the economy only added 39,000 jobs and unemployment rose to 9.8 percent. Economists had predicted better results. But as Mitchell Hartman reports, we may have to get used to these numbers for a while.

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• FULL TRANSCRIPT: Marketplace’s conversation with Toys "R" Us CEO Jerry Storch

  by Kai Ryssdal

  Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal talks to Toys "R" Us CEO Jerry Storch about the role of toys in today's economy.

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