The Internet lets us manage our own travel plans, but it's not always that easy or cheap. Tess asks Scott McCartney when it's best to leave things to the professionals.
On this week's "A Day In the Work Life," we meet Deb Cage, a hairdresser with a unique salon that helps those for whom a haircut is usually out of reach.
In this edition of Getting Personal, Chris and Tess talk about property values, dealing with a collection agency, savings bonds and switching life insurance.
Student loan rates may reset to new lows in July, but as Stacey Vanek-Smith explains, deciding to consolidate now or after the rate change involves rolling the dice.
Mortgage companies may not want to hear it, but economics editor Chris Farrell has an idea to help fix the housing crisis. Chris sets the story straight on strip-downs.
In their new book, "The Levity Effect," Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher contend that having a sense of humor in the office can actually help the bottom line. They shared that view with Kai Ryssdal.
Billboard and other outdoor advertising is the fastest growing division at CBS. And just this week the company spent $100 million to expand in South America. Dan Grech reports.
Fortune Magazine's recent list of 10 businesses facing extinction includes record stores, crop dusting, telemarketing and . . . gay bars? That one caught our eye because gay business in general is booming. Stacey Vanek-Smith checked it out.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry is asking the Bush administration to waive some federal requirements for renewable fuels that he says are hurting his state and adding to rising food prices. Kai Ryssdal gets reaction from Joseph Romm of the Center for American Progress.
Luxury brands usually don't suffer much when the economy tanks. But Gucci is struggling and making a big shift to cheaper down-market goods. Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton is growing like gangbusters. Jill Barshay reports.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has a big decision to make this weekend — how hostile he wants his bid for Yahoo to be. Microsoft set Saturday as a deadline for Yahoo to accept its $44 billion offer. Or else…? Alisa Roth reports.
Tomorrow is the day CEO Steve Ballmer said Microsoft would make a hostile bid for Yahoo, if Yahoo didn't accept Microsoft's buyout offer. Yahoo has indicated the offer isn't high enough. Alisa Roth looks at the possibilities.
Malaria kills more than a million people around the world every year, and most clinical cases are in Africa. On World Malaria Day, Gretchen Wilson talks about the disease, its effect on the continent and new efforts to control it.
Higher gas prices and living expenses are cutting into the pros of living outside an urban area and commuting in to work. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports on how the economic downturn might affect urban sprawl.
EADS, parent company of Airbus, and Boeing are in India trying to land a contract for an $11 billion fighter jet, the latest bruising battle the two companies have fought over military aircraft contracts. Mehul Srivastava reports.
Do married women do more housework than their husbands? It can be a touchy subject, but a study by an economist at the University of Michigan has some statistics. Lisa Napoli talks with Frank Stafford about the study's results.
The FCC rule allowing media companies to own both a newspaper and one TV or radio station was overturned by a Senate committee today. Ashley Milne-Tyte asks if the decision affects Rupert Murdoch's bid for Newsday.
Sixteen states are reporting budget shortfalls this fiscal year. More are expected to do so next year. The options? Make cuts or make money. Illinois, for example, might sell its lottery. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Several multibillion-dollar hedge funds have disappeared in the past couple of weeks, without benefit of a bailout from the Federal Reserve or JPMorgan. Analysts say dozens more could be looking at the same fate. Stephen Beard reports from London.
Congress today gave itself until next week to consider the $280 billion farm bill, which includes funding for food stamps, nutrition programs and subsidies for farmers over five years. Which means a little something for everyone. Jeremy Hobson reports.
There are about 2 billion square-feet of self-storage space for rent in this country. Almost 7 square-feet of storage outside the home for every man, woman and child — and demand is rising. Andrew Phelps decided to revisit his.
Product recalls, from pet food to toys, have prompted calls for tighter import inspections. The House is considering a proposal to charge food and drug producers hundreds of millions of dollars to improve product safety. Dan Grech reports.
Just like food and energy, garment costs are going up. In fact, the increases are, in part, because of food and energy. Sarah Gardner unravels the cost of clothing.
Target says it's had to write off a chunk of its outstanding credit-card debt. It's bad news for one of the country's biggest retailers, and worse for card holders who are discovering they can't pay what they owe. Jeff Tyler reports.
While Congress considering a supplemental spending request Iraq and Afghanistan, Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson is among the lawmakers who say it's past time for the U.S. to stop paying for reconstruction. He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
Special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction Stuart Bowen has issued a report that says the country could net $70 billion in oil revenues this year — more than enough for Baghdad to begin paying its own way. He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
The automaker beat the odds today, posting a net income of $100 million. Strong sales in Europe and South America, and employee buyouts are cited as contributing factors. Jill Barshay reports on the turnaround.
Tonight, you'll start to see new episodes of popular shows on television. That's right, despite what it says on the calendar, today is the beginning of May sweeps. Marketplace's Jeff Tyler brings us up to speed.
The automaker bucked the odds today, posting a net income of $100 million. Strong sales in Europe and South America, and employee buyouts are cited as contributing factors. Marketplace's Jill Barshay reports on the surprising news.
The cost of flour has almost tripled for some bakeries, leaving owners with the uncomfortable option of raising prices and possibly losing customers at the same time. Ashley Milne-Tyte visits bread makers in New York.
Switzerland's second-largest bank is writing off $2 billion for the first quarter. But then again, UBS, Switzerland's biggest bank, lost $37 billion. Reporting from London, Stephen Beard looks into possible cautious optimism for Credit Suisse.
America's hunger for energy-efficiency cars isn't doing much for auto makers whose lineups favor pickup trucks and SUVs. One of those, the Ford Motor Company is expected to report a fourth-quarter loss today. Jill Barshay reports
The newest wave of entrepreneurs in China is foreigners. Like Matteo Gonella, who's introducing the Chinese to salami by making it in his factory there. Jamila Trindle looks into how such business pioneers are doing.
Here we are in an economic downturn and, in Las Vegas today, workers are breaking ground on infrastructure for a $6 billion project that includes residential space. Jeremy Hobson asks why that's not a bad idea.
A House bill, passed late last night, now allows venture capitalists to invest in up to 49.1 percent of a small business. Nancy Marshall Genzer looks into how the change affects competition for government contracts.
The nationwide average price for a gallon of gas is now $3.53, and there's not much doubt it's going to hit $4 soon enough. But the Energy Department says gasoline demand is actually lower than a year ago. So what's going on? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
To reduce its dependence on foreign workers, Saudi Arabia's government is hiring more women and encouraging the private sector to do the same. But change isn't coming easily. Kelly McEvers reports from Riyadh.
When the economy and the stock market were humming right along, a lot of people thought it might be a good idea to invest Social Security funds in the market. But commentator Robert Reich says we're lucky we didn't.
A new marketing study has found Mac owners tend to think they're more extraordinary than the average Joe. They're also more likely than PC users to whiten their teeth, drive hybrids, drink Starbucks coffee and eat organic food. Andrea Gardner reports.
The price of rice is up 146% over a year ago. It's become expensive for Americans and dangerously scarce for the world's poorest consumers. Public policy professor Per Pinstrup-Andersen talks with Kai Ryssdal about the scarcity of the world's main grain.
The U.S. Senate is expected to take up a bill that would outlaw "genetic discrimination" — cutting someone's insurance or job based on test results that show a predisposition for a disease. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Delta and Northwest airlines lost $10.5 billion in the first quarter, with jet fuel costs a big chunk of that. The two companies are hoping to merge, but first they have to persuade antitrust officials. John Dimsdale reports.
Sam's Club, Wal-Mart's warehouse retailer, has joined Costco in limiting sales of some rice to four bags per customer. Sarah Gardner reports on rising food prices and consumer habits.
Security matters become the key issue in the Treasury Department's new rules for overseas investors. Companies involved in defense or homeland security are most likely to be scrutinized. Jill Barshay reports.
Every fifth apartment in Central Jerusalem is owned by someone from abroad, and many visit only on holidays and vacations. Hebrew University students want to rent them the rest of the time. Daniel Estrin reports.
The Italian government will loan Alitalia about half a billion dollars to prevent the troubled airline's collapse. But Alitalia is losing $1 million a day and facing ever higher fuel costs. Stephen Beard reports from London.
Waits for disability benefit hearings now average 16 months. Today, Congress considers President Bush's request for $600 million to hire more judges and support staff. John Dimsdale reports from Washington.
On Tuesday, we ran a story about the so-called "Millionaires' Amendment." That federal law allows congressional candidates to accept larger contributions if opponents finance their own campaigns. We reported Congressman Tom Reynolds of New York qualified for larger contributions under this rule. But he didn't qualify and he didn't accept higher donations.
We regret the error.
Food shortages and the subsequent spike in food prices have caused a U.N. program to stop providing meals to schools in three countries. Commentator Will Wilkinson says the U.S. political process contributed to the worldwide food crisis.
Government approval of a Delta-Northwest airline merger is pending, but today Delta Airlines flight attendants begin voting on whether to unionize. Ashley Milne-Tyte looks at what affect, if any, a union could have on the merger.
Today, Congress is considering extending a rule that would allow home builders to apply any current losses to tax returns up to four years back. That could set builders up for big rebates. Jeff Tyler has more.
Delta Airlines and would-be partner Northwest both reported losses for the quarter. Their market values dropped, too. Earlier in the week, United posted a bad quarter. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Crops such as corn and wheat have jumped 50% or more in price in the past year. Those prices are hitting everyone in the food chain, including a group stuck squarely in the middle — grain elevator operators. Adriene Hill reports.
Contributions continue to grease the political skids in Washington. Jeanne Cummings of Politico tells host Kai Ryssdal that some of the key players in the subprime mess still have enough loose change to lobby for their causes.
Jim Buckmaster isn't much interested in maximizing profits. The chief executive of Craigslist says the rapidly growing website's business model is all about the social good. He talks with host Kai Ryssdal in our latest Conversations From the Corner Office.
China's government says it's ready to move past a proposed boycott of a major French retailer. But talk of boycotts has been making multinationals nervous, since they all want in on the massive Chinese market. Scott Tong reports.
The Department of Homeland Security says it wants foreign visitors fingerprinted as they leave the U.S. from airports and seaports. It also says airlines and cruise lines would pay for the equipment, training and maintenance. Jeremy Hobson reports.
While most of the business world frets over the future of newspapers, Rupert Murdoch keeps buying them up. His NewsCorp is going after the Long Island paper Newsday for about $580 million. Alisa Roth reports.
On a day when crude oil topped out just shy of $120 a barrel, the Transportation Department issued new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks — the first major changes to automobile mileage rules in 30 years. Sam Eaton reports.
The federal government releases proposed fuel efficiency standards for new cars and trucks today. If enacted, the new standards would be the first change to the vehicle mileage rules in 30 years. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
The World Energy Council meets in London today to work on plans for an $80 billion hydropower dam on the Congo River that could double the electricity available on the continent. Gretchen Wilson reports.
London's Heathrow Airport has more to worry about than flight delays. The company that runs Heathrow also owns six other U.K. airports, and a British regulator is expected to press it to sell one off. Stephen Beard reports from London.
Today, Senate Banking Committee members are expected to take the chairman of the SEC to task for lax oversight of Wall Street credit rating agencies while those agencies were approving risky loans. John Dimsdale has a preview.
Should candidates up against millionaires be allowed to raise more money than campaign finance laws permit? The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments against the so-called "millionaires amendment" today. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
In Washington today, small-town water suppliers compete in an annual taste test. Sam Eaton from Marketplace's Sustainability Desk reports that the real battle in many rural communities is dealing with polluted sources.
Today's edition of the Microsoft-Yahoo saga features quarterly earnings from Yahoo. If Yahoo comes out ahead, it has ammo against Microsoft's takeover bid. If not…? Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Banks haven't been doing so well this earnings season, to put it gently. But a good number of companies, from drug maker Merck to toy maker Hasbro — have been doing well. What do they have in common? Customers overseas. Alisa Roth reports.
Some of the world's poorest consumers in Africa and Asia have rioted recently over rising prices of wheat and rice. Economist Jeffrey Sachs, author of "Common Wealth," talks with host Kai Ryssdal about how more food riots and skyrocketing energy costs may be on the way.
American businesses save tons of money buying parts and products from overseas suppliers. But sometimes they're buying worries, too — from tainted pet food to poisonous toothpaste — which have led some to work on ethical supply chains. Curt Nickisch reports.
A low-budget comedy movie in France with no big-name stars and little marketing is setting box-office records. Critics say the response to its feel-good message is a backlash against President Sarkozy's flamboyance, or to fears of globalization. John Laurenson reports.
Commentator and economist Peter Lindert says that for all the talk about a Social Security crisis, the real problem is with private pensions and the risks they hold for retirement.
It would stand to reason that countries with oil would be trying to increase production so they could cash in on the increasing prices. But that's not the case, as Jeff Tyler reports.
Ohio-based National City bank, the nation's 10th largest, says it's going to be seeking $7 billion in new capital. It will be looking to private equity firms and hedge funds for help. Ashley Milne-Tyte explains how the mortgage crisis is moving to Main Street.
Bank of America's first-quarter earnings were expected to be disappointing, but analysts learned today that they were even worse than predicted. The subprime and credit crises are blamed. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
