How are you supposed to decrypt the changes to the tax code for 2007? Tess asks Tom Herman to walk us through what we need to know before filing our returns.
Credit doctors promise to clean up your credit and help you qualify for loans in the midst of the credit crunch. Tess asks Ed Mierzwinski if their prescription really works.
The U.K. is giving out big tax breaks to British movies in an attempt to boost its film industry. But defining what makes a film British isn't always easy. Stephen Beard reports.
The Democratic Republic of Congo wants to revise mining contracts it considers unfair to the state. Its action is part of a growing trend in which developing countries are seeking better terms for their natural resources. Bob Moon reports.
GM, Ford and Chrysler have offered $100,000 buyouts to many of their hourly auto workers. But for some of those employees the money isn't worth the uncertainty of getting another job. Dustin Dwyer reports.
Microsoft says it will make available about 30,000 pages of once-secret technical information on its products. Lisa Napoli reports on what the company may be hoping to gain by giving out the documentation.
U.S. government officials are raising the fines for companies hiring illegal immigrants by 25%. But some business owners believe the tougher penalties ignore a fundamental problem. Dan Grech reports.
Though the White House has proposed rescue plans for halting the mortgage crisis, analysts still predict more trouble ahead. Kai Ryssdal talks to Sharon Price at the National Housing Conference about what else the government can do.
Just because you unlock locks for a living doesn't mean you always remember your own keys. On this week's A Day in the Work Life, we get a locksmith to open up.
You've got questions about the stimulus package, the IRS has answers and we get you connected. Tess has Frank Keith of the IRS answer your refund questions.
Inflation talk may have been pushed to the back burner, but that won't distract our economics editor Chris Farrell. Chris sets the story straight on inflation and protecting yourself.
Our listeners weigh in on our stories about a Supreme Court decision, insuring college loans, the digital TV conversion and free advice to entrepreneurs.
In this edition of Getting Personal, Chris and Tess talk about covering a relative's debt, declaiming property, short sales, being too responsible with credit, and saving for college.
The popularity of text messaging has put cell phone bills on the rise. What to do about the the compulsive texter on your plan? Lisa Napoli has some answers.
Homeowners aren't the only ones who will end up paying more for resetting loan rates. Cities, schools, even museums will also see a critical spike. Jill Barshay reports on the struggle with auction rate bonds.
After the Oscar nominations were announced, "Best Picture" contenders saw a bump at the box office. Will this continue? Doug Krizner asks Variety's Mike Speier, and discusses his picks for potential award winners.
China wants to extend its primetime TV ban of foreign cartoons an extra hour. The initial ban was implemented two years ago and was a prosperous move for domestic animators. Bill Marcus has more.
Microsoft says it will make the blueprints of some of its key software available free on its website. But regulators in Europe are skeptical, as Stephen Beard reports they've heard similar promises from the company before.
A critical change in eBay policy has upset longtime users enough to stage a week-long boycott of the auction site. Lisa Napoli reports buyers and sellers upset that they can no longer rate each other might take business elsewhere.
A government regulator of mortgage lenders is putting together a refinancing option to help avoid foreclosures. John Dimsdale reports how the government hopes it will help and how the plan might benefit homeowners.
Cell phone companies are cashing in on the popularity of texting with continually rising prices. Lisa Napoli has more on ways to keep the cost of messaging addiction in check — including cell phones you can't talk on.
Some of the Internet economy's leading-edge companies were born at high-tech incubator Idealab. And then came the dot-com bust. Idealab survived but it's taken a new direction. Kai Ryssdal talks with CEO Bill Gross in Conversations From the Corner Office.
Commercial real estate has been hit with a 90% drop in sales in the last year due to the subprime crisis. And now developers are having to pay higher borrowing costs, which could mean higher rents and lower tax revenues. Lisa Napoli reports.
The National Football League's annual job fair, known as the scouting combine, gives prospects a chance to show their stuff. It's also turned into a revenue opportunity. Kai Ryssdal talks with business of sports commentator Ed Derse about the money behind the combine.
The threat of foreclosure has hit millions of Americans. But commentator Angela Glover Blackwell says the housing bust may finally put affordable homes within reach, allowing communities to rebuild.
Some of Sen. Hillary Clinton's wealthy supporters have reached the legal limit on donating to her campaign. So they've started an independent group that's running ads in Ohio and Texas that argue her case. Steve Henn reports.
Societe Generale reported that Jerome Kerviel, the rogue trader, cost the company around $5 billion. Though the company claims he did the trading on his own, an internal report revealed he had received big bonuses. Stephen Beard reports.
Bond issuers and banks are joining with big-time investors in getting out of the auction-rate securities market which, among other things, has helped state and local governments fund public works projects. Bob Moon reports.
Sir Richard Branson's space carrier, Virgin Galactic, is scheduled to launch in two years. But Branson is already planning to add five more spaceships to his fleet. Alisa Roth has more on this frontier.
Private universities are taking strikes to eliminate student debt by covering more of the cost for lower-income families. Scott Jagow gets down to the bottom line with economics correspondent Chris Farrell.
German treasure hunters may have discovered a long-lost room carved out of amber and gold leaf stolen by Nazis from Russia during World War II. Reporter Brett Neely explains to Doug Krizner who could take the Amber Room.
Societe Generale managed to report a $1.3 billion profit last year — an 82 percent drop on the year before, thanks largely to the faux pas of trader Jerome Kerviel. Stephen Beard reports more red flags tagged in his case.
It may take up a minuscule part of the music market, but vinyl records saw a 15 percent spike in sales last year. Brendan Newnam visits a record-pressing plant in California and learns more about the business.
The California Public Employee Retirement System, or CalPERS, is investing more than $2 billion in forest projects in a move environmentalists are calling trend-setting. Sarah Gardner reports on sustainable forest investments.
The Cato Institute is petitioning for the legal sale of human kidneys as a way to snuff out the kidney black market. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports the ethical issues involved and the recommended selling process.
GMAC will be closing most of its North American auto-financing offices and even cutting jobs to save money. Jill Barshay reports this doesn't mean you can't get a General Motors car loan, but it may take longer to get approved.
Threatened by ethnic violence that has killed more than 1,000 people, many small-business owners in Kenya have had to leave behind their livelihood. And some will not have businesses to return to. Sara Nics reports.
Commentator Robert Reich says that when it comes to technology the government doesn't know what should be sold to foreign countries and what should be kept secret.
Medicine has been found in treated wastewater, which flows into rivers, lakes and oceans, harming fish and other marine life. Sarah Gardner reports on new efforts to encourage proper disposal of drugs.
Microsoft is reported to be considering a proxy fight in its continuing bid to take over Yahoo. Kai Ryssdal talks to Professor James Brock about how Microsoft could force a deal by appealing directly to Yahoo's shareholders.
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile say they'll offer unlimited-use cell phone plans at around $100. Some of the plans even include text messaging and Internet access. Janet Babin reports on the flat-rate trend.
NBC has decided not to attend the annual network upfronts in New York in favor of introducing programming directly to advertisers throughout the year. Lisa Napoli reports on why NBC thinks a staggered schedule will attract more viewers.
This month's inflation statistics show that, along with higher food and energy costs, consumer prices have risen all across the economy. John Dimsdale reports on why the price hikes are so widespread.
With the stimulus rebate checks on their way, many are considering how they will use the money. But almost half the people polled said they wouldn't be spending it. Alisa Roth hit the streets of New York for answers.
A subsidiary of major private equity group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has delayed repaying billions of dollars in debt, leading to a turbulent ride in the stock market overseas. Stephen Beard reports.
Pledging $100 million to Darfur peace efforts, President Bush noted human suffering should preempt commercial interests. Gretchen Wilson reports what China is saying and that the country is calling on the West to do more.
Last year's toy safety recalls didn't take into account dollar-store importers, and the discount retailers are now at risk of carrying contaminated toys. Michael May reports consumers should be wary.
A report out says the nation's wealthiest children still have a 23 percent chance of staying on top, even if they don't go to college. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports reasons include built-in advantages and learned behavior.
National law in China says kids under 18 aren't supposed to be in Internet cafes and that online games breed juvenile crime. Bill Marcus reports the government crackdown could hurt the cafes' business.
A 101-carat diamond could fetch millions of dollars in a spring auction in Hong Kong. Sally Herships reports Asia's love of luxury and increased wealth has raised the demand for gemstones.
Some critics of consumer society say we'd be happier if we pared down our consumption. But commentator Will Wilkinson says everyone has different frames of reference for what they define as want versus what they feel they need.
Airbus warned that it's likely to sell only half as many planes this year as it did in 2007. Scott Jagow talks to European correspondent Stephen Beard about how the value of the euro is affecting Airbus' bottom line.
Cuban-Americans are hoping Fidel Castro's resignation will prompt economic reforms in the country. Dan Grech reports on the immigrants' increased influence on US-Cuba policy.
Though alcohol is prohibited by Islamic law in Morocco, Moroccan wineries are turning out 40 million bottles a year. John Laurenson reports from Meknes on the delicate business of winemaking there.
The mailbox is bursting with your comments: your thoughts on Netscape's demise, wearable nanotechnology, Washington lobbyists, Girl Scout cookies and Valentine's Day gifts.
A special kind of honey derived from the Manuka plant is showing up in doctor's offices as a wound remedy. Caitlan Carroll reports how some patients have seen dramatic results from the bee by-product.
Commentator Charles Handy says that the U.S. president is expected to be both head of state and prime minister — two very different roles that are hard to fill adequately by one person. Third in a series.
China reported its inflation rate surged 7.1% from a year ago — the biggest increase in 11 years. Since Chinese manufacturers have been absorbing much of the inflation, will Chinese export prices be affected? Scott Tong reports.
Amtrak announced it is ramping up security to keep passengers safe. But some fear the move will cause train travel to get bogged down with airport-like delays. John Dimsdale reports.
Signs of fallout from losses in auction-rate securities issued by cities, hospitals, and schools are beginning to rattle those institutions. Jill Barshay reports on how local governments are considering refinancing into more old-fashioned municipal bonds.
The FAA wants airplanes to use satellites to help ease congestion, but some aren't happy with a plan to charge a toll in the sky to pay for it. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports delays could get much worse if nothing is done.
Several hundred wealthy Germans are suspected of evading taxes with the help of a bank in Lichenstein. Scott Jagow talks to reporter Brett Neely in Berlin about the scandal and the "sport" of tax evasion.
Anthony Flynn was fed up with nutrition bars with ingredients that weren't very nutritious, so he decided to let people have the option of customizing their own. Lisa Napoli reports on his fast-growing business.
The presidential candidates are working hard to differentiate themselves, but most of them do agree on one thing. Sarah Gardner reports all the leading candidates endorse a limit on CO2 emissions.
Today Credit Suisse lowered the value of some of its securities by $2.85 billion. But Stephen Beard reports the size of the write-down isn't spooking investors as much as the lack of information from the bank.
China has said its inflation rate is now over 7 percent, and the government has been deploying price controls for weeks to try to calm things down. Scott Tong reports the hope is that the inflation is only temporary.
Now that Toshiba has pulled the plug on its HD DVD business, retailers who sold customers HD DVD CDs and players will have to deal with returns. Jill Barshay reports there's at least a slight silver lining.
Turns out our first president wasn't the teetotaler some revisionists have made him out to be. In fact, George Washington was once the nation's largest producer of whiskey. Hillary Wicai reports from a rebuilt version of his distillery.
Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway says she's OK with lying on the job. In fact, she believes the corporate world can't function without little white lies to get through the day.
Cosmetic dentistry offers many ways for you to put your money where your mouth is. And some dentists are already plotting the next big thing to attract you to their chairs. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Twenty-somethings have one of the lowest rates of charitable giving of any demographic group. Alex Goldmark reports on a New York City charity that's using facial hair to make fundraising hip for younger people.
Commentator and international economist Dan Drezner says inflation and high zinc and copper prices have made the penny too expensive for the U.S. to produce.
President's Day is time to honor American leaders, and many of us traditionally do that by going shopping. Bob Moon talks to NPD Group's Marshall Cohen to find out how profitable the holiday actually is.
With Toshiba looking ready to abandon the HD DVD format, Blue Ray seems to have finally won the high-definition DVD wars. Bob Moon reports on what retail stores are doing with their HD DVD inventory.
Westland Meat Company is recalling 147 million pounds of beef — the biggest beef recall in U.S. history — much of which was to go to school lunch programs. John Dimsdale reports on how the recall will affect future demand.
While online advertising continues to pummel its competitors in print, one sect of print publishing is expanding. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports on how the growing market for niche publications works with the Web.
President Bush is visiting Africa and signing an aid package worth nearly $700 million. Doug Krizner talks to Gretchen Wilson in Johannesburg, South Africa about the conditions African countries meet for U.S. aid.
Senators John McCain and Barack Obama signed a pledge last year to accept a limit on public financing in the general election. But John Dimsdale reports there may soon be a change to those ground rules.
The New York Stock Exchange's parent company is buying 5 percent of India's number one commodities exchange. And if it weren't for India's cap on foreign purchases, the NYSE would have bought more. Jill Barshay reports.
