The activists' main idea for Carrefour was to get the company to spin off part of its enormous property portfolio into a separate entity.

ECONOMIST: Business in France

But what diplomats are saying on the sidelines is that the main idea of the draft document that the host nation China put forward is to get North Korea to shut down its main reactor at Yongbyon and to reintroduce the international inspectors that they kicked out in 2002.

NPR: 'Sticking Points' Remain in North Korean Talks

To get an idea of the gulf between the ivory tower and Main Street, take a look at the essay by Yale professor Robert Shiller.

FORBES: Taking the Plunge