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October 17, 2008
Insider Newsletter A weekly summary of the best in BusinessWeek and BusinessWeek.com

NEWS THIS WEEK'S TOP STORY

The Feds'
Next Step

Many argue the
government must stem
the surge in
foreclosures

Editor's Memo

The "F" word: Could it happen to you or your neighbor?

Now that banks are being bailed out, BusinessWeek focuses on struggling homeowners in our Top Story: "The Feds' Next Step." One reason government help hasn't been forthcoming, says BW Washington Bureau Chief Jane Sasseen, is that "no one has figured out how to untie the Gordian knot created by the mass securitization of mortgage loans."

Avoiding foreclosure is the theme of our featured video, while the pros and cons of a "short sale," when a homeowner sells for less than the value of his mortgage and asks his lender to forgive the difference, is the topic of BW's Hot Property blog.

Banks and homeowners aren't the only ones looking to Washington for help these days. The nation's automakers are bleeding red ink. Given the Big Three's outsize role in the U.S. economy, it may make sense for taxpayers to lend Detroit a helping hand, argue David Kiley and David Welch in a provocative essay.

While Republicans in Washington have been expanding the role of government in financial services, microcredit pioneer Muhammad Yunus, of Bangladesh's Grameen Bank, is advocating a market-based solution to the financial crisis.

Innovation could prove to be a lifesaver for companies during the downturn. We profile the 10 companies that won the annual Chicago Innovation Awards.

If you want to drink a toast to innovation, BW columnist Robert Parker recommends 15 California wines, each for under $25. Now, that's reason to celebrate.
--Monica Gagnier

FROM THIS WEEK'S ISSUE OF BUSINESSWEEK

THE FUTURE OF KAPITALISM
Automakers Rev Up for a Bailout, Too
And given the Big Three's outsize role in the U.S. economy, it may make sense for taxpayers to ante up

REAL ESTATE
Vultures in Miami's Real Estate Market
They're flocking to the city to make lowball, all-cash offers for batches of properties

INSURANCE
AIG's Breakup Sparks a Price War
CEO Liddy vows to hang onto the lucrative commercial insurance segment, but wary customers are driving some hard bargains

FROM BW.COM'S TECHNOLOGY CHANNEL

TECH & YOU
Android's Shaky Start
Android, Google's open-source smartphone software, makes its debut Oct. 22 with the T-Mobile G1. The software breaks down barriers between applications, but Android could be hampered by poor handset design and T-Mo's limited 3G U.S. network

SEMICONDUCTORS
Intel's Surprisingly Sunny Earnings Report
The chipmaker reported record third-quarter earnings, but what really cheered worried investors was the upbeat sales outlook

GLOBESPOTTING
Outsourcing: The Sky Isn't Falling for Infosys
Infosys reports a 30% rise in quarterly profit, suggesting big Indian tech firms are on fairly solid ground

FROM BW.COM'S SMALLBIZ CHANNEL

STARTUPS
Startups Feel the Squeeze
With the IPO market bleak and venture capital scarce, innovative new companies are running low on cash

IN DEPTH
'Do I Look Like a CEO?'
Bram Cohen has Asperger's, which makes it hard to deal with everyday life. Even so, he started his own company, BitTorrent

SMALL BIZ
What Angel Investors Want Now
Leading angel investors across the country offer advice for startups seeking funding

FROM BW.COM'S ASIA & EUROPE CHANNELS

INSIGHT
Muhammad Yunus on the Financial Crisis
The microfinance pioneer, of Bangladesh's Grameen Bank, advocates a free market solution, not government takeovers

BANKING
The Stunning Collapse of Iceland
Even after the government's seizure of top banks, Iceland may face bankruptcy, with dire effects for huge Icelandic investments overseas

KOREA
Korea: Credit Crisis Sinks In; Won Plunges
South Korea's currency fell to a 10-year low Wednesday as Asian markets were battered in the wake of Wall Street's recent woes

FROM BW.COM'S LIFESTYLE CHANNEL

REAL ESTATE NEWS
Some Cities Will Be Safer in a Recession
Cities with a strong presence in health care, education, law, energy, and the government will feel the impact of a downturn less

PARKER ON WINE
Fifteen California Wines for Under $25
It's easy to drop three-figures on a top California pinot, but these bargain West Coast wines are almost as good—and a fraction of the price

NEWS & FEATURES • From Gizmag.com
Audi's New A1 Sportback Hybrid
Audi's compact 5-door variation of the 3-door A1 project quattro car hybrid mode the car offers fuel consumption of 72.4 mpg

FROM BW.COM'S INNOVATION & DESIGN CHANNEL

CHICAGO INNOVATION
Innovation—Chicago Style
From tiny startup PrepMe to giant Abbott Labs, the 10 winners of the annual Chicago Innovation Awards are hot

The Dirty Secret of Recycling E-Waste
Lax rules and weak enforcement allow scrap companies to profit by sending junked electronics overseas

ARCHITECTURE
Undaunted, Skyscrapers Reach Higher
Eager developers want to shrug off the current economic crisis, but the global downturn could yet quash future high-rise plans

FROM BW.COM'S INVESTING CHANNEL

LEARNING CURVE
Retirement Boot Camp
Two Wachovia Securities advisers put clients through a rigorous training process to test if they're prepared to retire

REAL ESTATE
Is a Short Sale Right for You?
Short sales are a big topic on BusinessWeek's Hot Property blog. Here are some blog-reader questions—and experts' answers

FUND INVESTOR : FUND INSIGHT • From S&P
A Contrarian's Guide to Ugly Munis
Oppenheimer Funds' Ron Fielding likes to find gems among tax-exempt bonds that others dump�?"and often winds up scoring big

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