Planet Money http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94427042&ft=1&f=94427042 Money makes the world go around, faster and faster all the time. At Planet Money, a multimedia team of reporters tracks down the economists, investors and regular folks who are trying to make sense of the rapidly changing global economy. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Wed, 26 Dec 2012 04:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Planet Money http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94427042&ft=1&f=94427042 Firefighters Deal With Community Backlash In the East Bay area outside of San Francisco, a community has turned against its firefighters. The Contra Costa Fire Department is set to close four firehouses after voters failed to pass a tax to keep them open. Some say they want to see changes to firefighter pensions before they give the department more money. The firefighters say they feel like they are under attack. Wed, 26 Dec 2012 04:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/12/26/168059128/firefighters-deal-with-community-backlash?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/2012/12/26/168059128/firefighters-deal-with-community-backlash?ft=1&f=94427042 In the East Bay area outside of San Francisco, a community has turned against its firefighters. The Contra Costa Fire Department is set to close four firehouses after voters failed to pass a tax to keep them open. Some say they want to see changes to firefighter pensions before they give the department more money. The firefighters say they feel like they are under attack.

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]]> The Secret Genius Of Taylor Swift Taylor Swift's new album sold more than a million copies in its first week — a rare feat these days. She did it by answering a surprisingly complex question: What's the best way to sell an album? Fri, 09 Nov 2012 03:17:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/11/09/164742426/the-secret-genius-of-taylor-swift?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/11/09/164742426/the-secret-genius-of-taylor-swift?ft=1&f=94427042 Taylor Swift's new album sold more than a million copies in its first week — a rare feat these days. She did it by answering a surprisingly complex question: What's the best way to sell an album?

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]]> A Revival In American Manufacturing, Led By Brooklyn Foodies Artisanal food makers in Brooklyn have a lesson for America's manufacturers: Focus on the picky customers who are willing to pay extra for quality products. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:01:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/02/24/147291416/a-revival-in-american-manufacturing-led-by-brooklyn-foodies?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/02/24/147291416/a-revival-in-american-manufacturing-led-by-brooklyn-foodies?ft=1&f=94427042 Artisanal food makers in Brooklyn have a lesson for America's manufacturers: Focus on the picky customers who are willing to pay extra for quality products.

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]]> What It Feels Like In China When Europe Comes Asking For Help "Twenty-two years ago China was a basket case — a very poor developing country. So I really feel quite proud." Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:01:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/02/17/147006422/what-it-feels-like-in-china-when-europe-comes-asking-for-help?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/02/17/147006422/what-it-feels-like-in-china-when-europe-comes-asking-for-help?ft=1&f=94427042 "Twenty-two years ago China was a basket case — a very poor developing country. So I really feel quite proud."

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]]> Housing Starts Have Been Singing The Blues An uptick in hiring is leading to more optimism about the economy. But housing remains stuck in a funk. New figures on housing starts are released Thursday. <em>Morning Edition</em> has a musical preview in this Planet Money report. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:13:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/02/15/146908258/housing-starts-have-been-singing-the-blues?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/2012/02/15/146908258/housing-starts-have-been-singing-the-blues?ft=1&f=94427042 An uptick in hiring is leading to more optimism about the economy. But housing remains stuck in a funk. New figures on housing starts are released Thursday. Morning Edition has a musical preview in this Planet Money report.

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]]> Greece Waits For Bailout After Meeting EU Conditions Greek politicians on Thursday agreed on massive cuts to bring their budgets in line with what the European Union has demanded. It's the latest act in a months-long drama to bring down the Greek debt load. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/02/10/146680453/greece-waits-for-bailout-after-meeting-eu-conditions?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/2012/02/10/146680453/greece-waits-for-bailout-after-meeting-eu-conditions?ft=1&f=94427042 Greek politicians on Thursday agreed on massive cuts to bring their budgets in line with what the European Union has demanded. It's the latest act in a months-long drama to bring down the Greek debt load.

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]]> Why IMF Loans Always Get Repaid Greece is trying to make a deal to slash the amount of money it owes bondholders. Hedge funds will take significant losses. But the International Monetary Fund also loaned Greece a lot of money, and it will be paid back in full. If the IMF isn't paid back, most countries will not lend Greece any more money. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:16:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/02/03/146327391/why-imf-loans-always-get-repaid?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/2012/02/03/146327391/why-imf-loans-always-get-repaid?ft=1&f=94427042 Greece is trying to make a deal to slash the amount of money it owes bondholders. Hedge funds will take significant losses. But the International Monetary Fund also loaned Greece a lot of money, and it will be paid back in full. If the IMF isn't paid back, most countries will not lend Greece any more money.

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]]> Coconut Water Companies Sell Image, Not Taste For people who see soda as a sugary poison and fruit juices as loaded with calories, coconut water evokes glowing, healthy people. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:50:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/12/30/144440775/coconut-water-companies-sell-image-not-taste?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/12/30/144440775/coconut-water-companies-sell-image-not-taste?ft=1&f=94427042 For people who see soda as a sugary poison and fruit juices as loaded with calories, coconut water evokes glowing, healthy people.

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]]> The Return Of Toxie Last year, Planet Money bought a toxic asset — a bundle of bad mortgages that quickly went bad. We declared our toxic asset dead last fall. But a recent lawsuit could bring it back to life. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/09/12/140314566/the-return-of-toxie?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/09/12/140314566/the-return-of-toxie?ft=1&f=94427042 Last year, Planet Money bought a toxic asset — a bundle of bad mortgages that quickly went bad. We declared our toxic asset dead last fall. But a recent lawsuit could bring it back to life.

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]]> The Dollar Is Still Central To The Global Economy. That May Not Last. The dollar's role in the global economy is a boon to the U.S. But in the coming years, its place in the world may slip. Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/08/22/139564854/the-dollar-is-still-central-to-the-global-economy-that-may-not-last?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/08/22/139564854/the-dollar-is-still-central-to-the-global-economy-that-may-not-last?ft=1&f=94427042 The dollar's role in the global economy is a boon to the U.S. But in the coming years, its place in the world may slip.

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]]> What's Next: Life After Fannie And Freddie There's widespread agreement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be abolished. But what will the mortgage market look like when they're gone? Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:28:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134863027/whats-next-life-after-fannie-and-freddie?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134863027/whats-next-life-after-fannie-and-freddie?ft=1&f=94427042 There's widespread agreement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be abolished. But what will the mortgage market look like when they're gone?

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]]> Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The Bailout Of Fannie And Freddie Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac grew too big to fail. Then the mortgage giants followed the subprime lending industry into the abyss. Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134863767/self-fulfilling-prophecy-the-bailout-of-fannie-and-freddie?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134863767/self-fulfilling-prophecy-the-bailout-of-fannie-and-freddie?ft=1&f=94427042 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac grew too big to fail. Then the mortgage giants followed the subprime lending industry into the abyss.

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]]> 'Kill Them, Bury Them': The Rise Of Fannie And Freddie How Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac used ferocious lobbying and implicit government backing to grow rich and powerful. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/22/134863603/kill-them-bury-them-the-rise-of-fannie-and-freddie?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/22/134863603/kill-them-bury-them-the-rise-of-fannie-and-freddie?ft=1&f=94427042 How Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac used ferocious lobbying and implicit government backing to grow rich and powerful.

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]]> Why Japan Will Bounce Back "One of great things about modern economies is they have tremendous redundancy, resilience, robustness in the face of damage," an economist says. Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134830408/why-japan-will-bounce-back?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134830408/why-japan-will-bounce-back?ft=1&f=94427042 "One of great things about modern economies is they have tremendous redundancy, resilience, robustness in the face of damage," an economist says.

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]]> Why Are Credit Card Agreements So Long? We talk to a lawyer who writes credit-card statements — and to an expert who tries to make them simpler. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134633336/why-are-credit-card-agreements-so-long?ft=1&f=94427042 http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/04/21/134633336/why-are-credit-card-agreements-so-long?ft=1&f=94427042 We talk to a lawyer who writes credit-card statements — and to an expert who tries to make them simpler.

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