Republican Paul Ryan and Democrat Ron Wyden have introduced a bipartisan proposal today to overhaul Medicare. The Labor Department is trying to get better working conditions for home health care workers. Gold has taken a sharp downturn over market uncertainties. Weekly jobless claims fell to the lowest level since May 2008. Department stores are back this holiday season. The EU was once the hottest club in town, but with its continuing woes and shrinking currency, who wants to join now? And we hear about the qualities of olive oil.

Which professions do Americans trust the most? Gallup’s Frank Newport reveals his poll info in the latest Attitude Check. The payroll tax cut bill is still going through Congress. The governor of California wants to cut state aid to universities. There’s a shake-up in leadership at Avon. U.S. troops are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq but what does that mean for Iraq’s economy? We catch up on the latest in Europe, and why the continent still matters to the U.S. economy. And Kai talks to a man who built his own toaster.

The FCC says it will regulate the volume of TV ads. A for-profit book recycling company collects books for charity, but then also sells them. The smog in China could cause economic delays. California’s Napa Valley has a booming economy, but no middle class — although education may soon play a role in changing that. Freakonomics Radio’s Stephen Dubner talks about the hidden side of American food (and its bad reputation). And we look into what happened to the $1.2 million missing from MF Global’s coffers.

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron continues to defend his decision not to sign the EU’s treaty last week. U.N. delegates in South Africa decided to extend their climate talks this weekend to reach an agreement. Post-revolutionary Egypt tries to figure out to handle its food supply. Zynga might become the second-largest IPO behind Google. And we hear recommendations for the best books of 2011.

European leaders have agreed on a new deal to help its economies, but it won’t save everything. The electric car is getting some racing stripes — we look into a growing group of people getting excited about gas-to-electric converted cars. Poland has high hopes of becoming major exporter of gas. Meanwhile, the U.N. climate talks are wrapping up in South Africa. And we have the weekly wrap, letters and small talk from Dinner Party.

As public education funding continues to get cut, we look at the role of philanthropy in education and hear about philanthrophist Eli Broad’s ideas. Congressman Barney Frank talks about the future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was a key part of his Dodd-Frank financial reform act. Experience will be an important quality in the 2012 presidential election. European leaders are meeting in Brussels to try and save the euro once again. And baseball player Albert Pujols just signed a major deal with the Los Angeles Angels that could be big for marketing too.

We launched our new series with the Gallup poll called Attitude Check, weekly conversations about what the American people think about everything from the latest news to their own economic security. We continued our series on philanthropy, with stories on daily deal websites joining with charities and on micro-giving. Martha Stewart has a new retail collaboration. Credit card agreements are going to get easier to understand. The EU is set to meet in Brussels on Friday. Climate change is having a big impact on transit. And we look at who benefits from payroll tax cuts and jobless benefits.

President Obama channels Theodore Roosevelt in his latest economics speech. The S&P gets into some political fare by putting the eurozone on watch for downgrade. Economy 4.0 looks at which countries have fared the best in the global recession. Attorneys General Kamala Harris and Catherine Cortez Masto want to investigate mortgage fraud. Costs to broadcast football games could shake up the cable industry. And we kick off our philanthropy series with a visit to the local Boys & Girls Club and an interview on giving.

The leaders of Germany and France are meeting to discuss a solution to the euro crisis. Commentator Liaquat Ahamed says it’s slow growth that created the financial crisis in Italy and Greece. Asian countries have managed to steer clear of trouble so far. Pollution in China is making its way to the U.S. The role of alternative energy is changing in some economies. The U.S. Postal Service says budget cuts will cause some mail delays. Insider trader Raj Rajaratnam reports to prison today. And are you ready to start watching TV on an Xbox?