WBUR: The Bottom Line

Jan. 2: Humbug! An Ebenezer Scrooge Christmas

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:00:00 GMT

A not-so-merry Christmas for the U.S. economy. Host Curt Nickisch re-visits a Boston cookie company that believes flat is the new up. Andrea Shea re-examines literature's stingiest skinflint. Here and Now's Robin Young asks how we calculate the unemployment rate. Curt examines the Massachusetts hospital industry, which shows signs of sickness. And Anthony Brooks reports on a family just getting by on $150,000 a year.

Dec. 19: How Madoff Made Off With Billions

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

This week on the Bottom Line podcast: Wall Street Journal reporter Amir Ephrati explains how Bernie Madoff engineered the biggest Ponzi scheme ever; being "middle class" is about more than just money; veterans of the Great Depression put today's crisis in perspective; a Boston cookie expands as the economy crumbles. Hosted by WBUR's Curt Nickisch.

Dec. 12: Bailing Out The Bailout, Praying For The Auto Industry, Squatting In Foreclosed Homes

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Two big thinkers on the auto bailout debate; a Detroit pastor praying for the industry's salvation; a Wall Street Journal reporter on help for struggling homeowners; and a Miami housing activist putting homeless people into foreclosed houses. Hosted by WBUR's Andrew Phelps.

Friday, Dec. 5: Infrastructure

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

New York Times columnist David Leonhardt says we need to get smarter about infrastructure spending to stimulate the economy. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick says the states deserves a big share of the next economic stimulus. And a transportation expert ranks the Mass Pike the most inefficient toll road in the country. Hosted by WBUR's Curt Nickisch.

UAW Holds Emergency Meeting

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Here and Now host Robin Young speaks with Michael Ramsey, reporter for Bloomberg News, about the emergency meeting being held in Detroit today by the United Autoworkers Union.

Tracing the History of the Wall Street Collapse

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Here and Now host Robin Young speaks with Michael Lewis, who writes in Conde Nast Portfolio about the rise and fall of the subprime mortgage market.

Holiday Shopping and the Economic Crisis

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Here and Now's Deborah Becker speaks with shoppers and a mall developer about retailers grappling with the economic crisis.

Crunching the Economic Numbers

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Here and Now host Robin Young speaks with David Leonhardt of the New York Times about the latest U.S. economic indicators.

Like A Good Berry, The Mass. Cranberry Biz Bounces

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Amid the grim economic news, there is a bright spot: Massachusetts has enjoyed a record cranberry harvest this year.

Obama Adds to His Economic Team

wburnewmedia@yahoo.com (WBUR) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Here and Now's Deborah Becker speaks with Greg Ip of the Economist Magazine and Gail Chaddock of the Christian Science Monitor about the latest economic bailout proposals from the federal government, and the newest additions to President-elect Obama's economic team.