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The figure is astonishing: $700 billion for a proposed bailout of financial firms. How could this affect you, American taxpayer? Will it affect you at all?

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About two and a half million men and women serve in the U.S. military. These days, it's a job that almost certainly involves serving in a war zone, as American soldiers continue to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. So who chooses to serve in the volunteer military? In many cases, it's not people without other options. [Editor's note (9/23/2008): The number of men and women serving in the military was corrected.]

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Fall is the planning and giving season for individuals and corporations to the non-profit and foundations worlds. How much will the Wall Street meltdown erode donations and the social safety net?

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Making environmentally friendly dining decisions can be a challenging and cumbersome proposition. When it comes to responsibly choosing fish, it just got easier with the development of a phone-friendly service, Fish Phone, that advises you on the sustainability of your fish of choice.

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Economy troubles are reverberating across the globe and the United Kingdom is no exception. The political pressure there is being directed towards Prime Minister Gordon Brown as his Labour party threatens to split itself in two over America's finances.

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India has become the first country to convict a person of a crime based on a brain scan. This past summer, a woman was given a life sentence for murder after prosecutors strapped her to memory-scanning electrodes and ran a test called Brain Electrical Oscillations Signature, or BEOS. Could this be coming to America anytime soon?

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It's one small step for — no, scratch that. It's one giant step for the Mars rover Opportunity, which is about to set out on a two-year, seven-mile mission to the largest Martian crater ever investigated. Opportunity is wobbling along with some minor damage to its right front wheel and can only travel about 110 yards per day. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory say the rover may never even make it to its destination. But there are enticing possibilities if it does.

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Last week, the U.S. government loaned insurance giant AIG $85 billion, which has had unforeseen consequences for American taxpayers. Now that American taxpayers effectively own AIG, we're now bigger contributors to the arts and entertainment, and we're sponsors of the soccer team Manchester United. The Takeaway checks in on our new investments.

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The Bush administration and leading lawmakers have agreed to include mortgage aid and strong congressional oversight in a plan to provide unprecedented help for failing financial institutions. But that doesn't mean that the bailout deal is done.

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Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has asked Americans for $700 billion to bailout financial institutions. This morning The Takeaway asked listeners and readers how they would ask for that much money. How would you ask for $700 billion?

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