NPR : Talk of the Nation

Binges Of 'High-Beta Rich' Shake Up U.S. Economy

November 16, 2011
comments

"The rich are not only getting richer, they are becoming more dangerous," Robert Frank writes in his new book The High-Beta Rich: How the Manic Wealthy Will Take Us to the Next Boom, Bubble and Bust.

The spending binges of the top 1%, he says, are "the most unstable force in the economy."

Frank talks with NPR's Neal Conan about how some of the inhabitants of Richistan — a land of private jets, yachts and million-dollar watches — have lost their fortunes, and taken average Americans with them.

Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Arts & Culture

NPR

Brooks: 'I'm An EGOT; I Don't Need Any More'

The screenwriter, producer, director and actor, whose name has become synonymous with American comedy, talks about his penchant for spoofs and his decades-long friendship with Carl Reiner. Brooks is the subject of a new American Masters documentary on PBS.

Food

NPR

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Despite its name, the "pot pig" experiment isn't an attempt to develop a new meaty treat for stoners. Instead, a Seattle butcher is feeding marijuana seeds, stems and root bulbs to swine as a cheeky money-saving measure.

Politics

NPR

Turnabout Is Fair Play: Senators Have Many Questions For IRS

The IRS gave some conservative groups extra, improper scrutiny. Now there's a bipartisan request for the IRS to answer dozens of questions. Read the queries and demands for information from the top Democrat and top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.

Technology

NPR

Navigating Silicon Valley As A 'Woman Programmer'

Prominent women such as Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Yahoo's Marissa Mayer are proving that women are finding their place at the table. But in an op-ed for The New York Times, former programmer Ellen Ullman argues that women in the field today face "a new, more virile and virulent sexism."

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.