The European Central Bank unveiled its bond-buying program today. Lawmakers hope it will strengthen the euro. How does it work? Sr. Producer Paddy Hirsch explains with a candy store analogy. President Obama’s big speech got us wondering, what is the value of good public speaking? And you hear this a lot: Are you better off than you were four years ago? We asked our listeners that question, and many of you weighed in. Plus, Frank Newport from Gallup tells us what the polling data says. Also, stories on Google’s super-fast Internet service in Kansas City, why milk sales are so low, H&M’s latest environmental move, and how subsidies pay for your lifestyle.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has left the Obama campaign to help raise money for a pro-Obama super PAC. As the Democratic National Convention continues in Charlotte, just how much does trending on Twitter matter for lawmakers? One North Carolina farmer tell us the importance of immigration when it comes to casting his vote. Plus, we check in with a nuclear processing plant in New Mexico that was brought in to create jobs. We speak with one teacher who was laid off due to budget cuts. We look at the job situation for NFL refs on strike. We explore the possibility of adding another work day in Greece. And, a look at the @ symbol.

Home prices are up and household debt is down, and that’s got car sales on the rise. Toys ‘R’ Us implemented a new layaway program that has no service fee and does not require a minimum purchase amount. Teens are getting a job boost from the national political conventions. David Gura reports on a fourth-generation furniture maker who sold his factory, watched it move overseas, then bought it (and some of its jobs) back to North Carolina. Kai Ryssdal talks to the people behind the documentary “Detropia.” And Freakonomics Radio’s Stephen Dubner talks about how selling beer at college football stadiums could actually reduce alcohol abuse on game days.

It’s Labor Day. So ahead of the Labor Department’s jobs report released this Friday, we take a look at the job opportunities that are out there. As the end of summer draws near, we explore how a song becomes a summer hit. And are you planning to cook today? We look at the (dying?) business of cookbooks. Plus, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pushes China on territorial disputes, France mulls the costs of preserving its old churches, two expatriates in the U.K. discuss life from across the pond, and there’s a new way of building affordable housing in Mexico.

One new report finds that one way to define ourselves as “middle class” is simply having a job. We look at the economic advantages of being a presidential nominee — even if you don’t win. Lego’s choice to start marketing directly to girls was criticized for reinforcing gender stereotypes, but company sales have gone up. Kai Ryssdal checks in with two small businessowners in Louisiana and Missouri to see how they’re faring after Hurricane Isaac. Queena Kim reports on the viral success of “Gangnam Style.” And we hear from an owner of a furniture company about all the empty-chair hoopla surrounding Clint Eastwood’s speech at the RNC.

What happens when fact-checkers have to check fact-checkers? Gallup’s Frank Newport talks about what Americans think about the two presidential candidates. With college becoming more and more expensive, many students are looking for new paths to enter into their chosen career. Another elusive Apple secret is out in the open: their customer service manual. Sears, one of the oldest members of the Standard & Poor’s 500, is getting the boot. Pandora, the online streaming music service, is trying to back new legislation to lower their royalty charges. And Kai Ryssdal talks to culinary historian and author Andrew F. Smith about his new book on tuna.

With the end of summer nearing, we look at the economics of the ice cream man. Retailers are catching the marriage bug. After a month long vacation, European politicians are back at work. Kai Ryssdal talks to Myles Porter from the American judo team about what it’s like to be legally blind and compete in this year’s Paralympic Games. Reporter David Gura stops into Port Orange, Fla., where tax problems and plummeting land prices are creating major issues for those who live there. And we learn how the Times Picayune’s role in the community has evolved since Katrina, even among downsizing.

A new report out today says that America’s big auto plants are operating at more than 100 percent capacity — an impressive comeback from just a few years ago. Home prices are going up and even the hardest-hit cities are seeing a rebound. Weather is becoming a major business. The Postal Service has approved a junk mail discount plan. Kai Ryssdal talks to a small business owner in Tampa, Fla., about how the Republican convention is affecting her business. Senior producer of personal finance Paddy Hirsch discusses consumer confidence versus consumer sentiment. And reporter David Gura takes a road trip to see how Florida is faring after the housing boom collapsed.

Tropical storm Isaac is expected to bring extreme rain and winds up to 95 miles an hour. Kai Ryssdal talks to Sal Sunseri from Louisiana about how his oyster company is faring. Meanwhile, car rental company Hertz says it will buy its rival Dollar Thrifty for $2 billion, and keep all three companies intact. A small town in South Dakota is home to a large population of foreign workers. A teacher describes the ‘pink slip anxiety’ that’s become common at the end of school years. And our Food for 9 Billion series continues with a look at food waste in Senegal and in suburban California.