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Zoe Chace

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Episode 553: The Dollar At The Center Of The World

English economist John Maynard Keynes attends the United Nations International Monetary and Financial Conference at the Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

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Planet Money

Episode 553: The Dollar At The Center Of The World

Today on the show, how a New Hampshire hotel filled with boozing economists saved the global economy.

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Planet Money

YY Changes Its Tune After Karaoke Is A Hit

Chinese social network site YY originally allowed customers to watch other people play video games, but users realized that the site had more potential. It could be a place to perform virtual karaoke.

YY Changes Its Tune After Karaoke Is A Hit

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Planet Money

Kansas Gov. Brownback's Radical Tax Cut Has Mixed Results

When Gov. Sam Brownback proposed a radical tax cut for small businesses in Kansas, people cheered. Now four years later, his "real live experiment" may cost him his political career.

Kansas Gov. Brownback's Radical Tax Cut Has Mixed Results

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Why Raising Money To Fight Ebola Is Hard

Medical workers in Monrovia, Liberia, put on their protective suits before treating Ebola patients Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images

Planet Money

Why Raising Money To Fight Ebola Is Hard

Donors like being part of a recovery story. It's hard to tell that kind of story about Ebola.

Why Raising Money To Fight Ebola Is Hard

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Planet Money

When Investors Buy Alibaba Shares, They Won't Get What They Paid For

When the Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba goes public, it's going to the biggest public offering ever. But when investors buy their shares, it will be in a Cayman Islands-based holding company.

When Investors Buy Alibaba Shares, They Won't Get What They Paid For

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Dead Chickens, A Tiny Motor And The Story Of Alibaba

Shawn Hector and Steve Deutsch hope to invent a chicken coop that can protect chicks like this one. Ana Rodríguez Carrington/Flickr hide caption

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Ana Rodríguez Carrington/Flickr

Planet Money

Dead Chickens, A Tiny Motor And The Story Of Alibaba

Alibaba is the biggest e-commerce company in the world. It may also save the lives of a few chickens in Northern California.

Dead Chickens, A Tiny Motor And The Story Of Alibaba

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The Toughest Class In Nursing School Is The First One
Team Daniela Grimm/Flickr

Planet Money

The Toughest Class In Nursing School Is The First One

For people who want a good-paying, stable nursing job, one class stands in the way: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology. We follow one student who is starting that class.

The Toughest Class In Nursing School Is The First One

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Asia

The Ballad Of The 13-Year-Old North Korean Capitalist

In North Korea, tiny private markets have emerged where people can buy and sell food and clothing. In fact, one 13-year-old girl went into business for herself, and the government of North Korea tried to stop her support of capitalism.

The Ballad Of The 13-Year-Old North Korean Capitalist

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Business

Regulators Debate Effective Punishments For Guilty Banks

It's hard to figure out how to punish a bank when it does something wrong. With so many banks getting in trouble with regulators lately, our Planet Money team examines the ways to punish a bank.

Regulators Debate Effective Punishments For Guilty Banks

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Economy

Germany's Economy Is Doing Well — And That's Bad For The Eurozone

A recent report out of Brussels says Germany's economy is prospering — and that's a big problem for the rest of the eurozone. Our Planet Money team reports on how doing extremely well can cause trouble when you're a member of a group.

Germany's Economy Is Doing Well — And That's Bad For The Eurozone

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Economy

Penny Hoarders Hope For The Day The Penny Dies

A pre-1982 penny has about 2 cents worth of copper in it. Some people hoard them, betting that the U.S. will kill the penny and then it will be legal to melt them down and they can make a killing.

Penny Hoarders Hope For The Day The Penny Dies

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Arts & Life

Like So Many Magazines, 'Ladies' Home Journal' Cuts Back

Ladies' Home Journal, famous for its "Can This Marriage Be Saved" column, will no longer be published monthly. Instead, the magazine will be sold quarterly and will only be available on newsstands.

Like So Many Magazines, 'Ladies' Home Journal' Cuts Back

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Planet Money

Across The Atlantic, Glimpse An Alternate Internet Universe

Americans have very little choice over their cable Internet provider. This is largely because of a decision made 12 years ago, when the U.S. went one direction and the rest of the world went another.

Across The Atlantic, Glimpse An Alternate Internet Universe

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