Week of July 30th, 2012

Meg Favreau of Wisebread.com shares tips on how to travel well without emptying your wallet.

The news that didn't quite make the headlines. This week: Missile Defense staff warned to stop surfing porn sites, an entire industry of consultants to help you raise money on Kickstarter, and counterfeit $100 bills in Arizona.

Companies spend dearly to get consumers to "like" them on Facebook, hoping that the promotions and freebies will pay off with greater business.

The monthly jobs numbers are out and they show we’re doing the same amount of work but with a much smaller workforce. Tess Vigeland talks to Michael Kocher from the International Rescue Committee about where all the thousands of Syrian refugees are fleeing. The drought is still parching parts of the country, and with a government relief package, taxpayers may end up paying for the major losses in crops.  Clothing designer Lacoste just hit a milestone: 10 million likes on Facebook. And we say hello to Silicon Valley’s summer camp for techies.

Writer Jen Miller used to dread being away from her e-mail inbox. But after taking a real vacation, her attitude about unplugging has changed.

A banker doesn't listen to her own advice and falls deep into credit card debt. She takes on a blue collar job to get herself back in the black.

Glenn Hubbard, an adviser to the Romney campaign, talks about the most recent U.S. jobs report and about Mitt Romney's economic plans if he wins the presidency.

When it comes to haggling for a pay raise, women have been told that factors such as poor negotiating skills are reasons they’re not getting what they want. Well, ladies, new research shows it’s not all your fault. And, whatever happened to that whole good things come to those who wait idea? Turns out procrastination is good for you. And the first in a series of conversations about religion and money. This week, Islam.

Throw another app on the campfire. Kids are crowding into computer camps hoping to be the next Steve Jobs.

The nation's output of goods and services is back to the level it was before the recession began in 2007. But five million fewer people are working. Who got left out of the economy?

Even in severe drought, farmers who grow commodity crops such as corn and soybeans are significantly protected by insurance they buy from private insurers. The ultimate insurer in a disastrous year? Taxpayers.

Alan Krueger, chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers, discusses what President Obama can do to create more jobs.

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A Democratic super PAC is spending heavily against businessman John Brunner who has yet to win the GOP nomination.

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In his remarks yesterday, the European Central Bank's Mario Draghi compared the evolution of the euro to that of a bumblebee. Entomologists say that's a confusing metaphor.

The U.S. economy added 163,000 jobs last month, but the unemployment rate ticked up from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent. FTN Financial's chief economist discusses the good and the bad of the report.

The July jobs report from the Labor Department is out. Last month, unemployment rose from 8.2 to 8.3 percent, while 163,000 jobs were added — the most in five months.

DirecTV is reporting its first-ever quarterly loss of customers. And it appears those customers are not flocking to the competition — Time Warner Cable also lost subscribers for the tenth quarter in a row.

Today the world is watching us here in the U.S. The Labor Department is about to tell us how many jobs were created in the U.S. last month and what the new unemployment rate is. It's seen as a key indicator for the health of the U.S. economy, which is still the largest in the world.

The Curiosity is the latest Mars rover and it’s set to land on the red planet on Sunday. It’s the heaviest rover ever, 2,000 pounds. But besides being bigger than previous rovers, Curiosity is a big step forward in technology: It’ll have cameras that’ll produce the highest resolution images that we’ve seen from Mars yet, and a laser that will pump the energy of a million lightbulbs into the spot the size of the pin for five billionths of a second. Plus, Tech Report Theater with actors in the roles of Yelp reviewers.

In just a couple hours we'll get the most important economic numbers of the month. The Labor Department will tell us how many jobs were created in the U.S. in July, and what the new unemployment rate is.

Today, the Labor Department will tell us how many jobs were created in the U.S. in July, and what the new unemployment rate is. Here in the U.S., women represent almost half of the labor force. But in the Palestinian territories, the number is far lower — which is where Maysoon Oday comes in. She has started a radio station to get more women into the workforce. And this Sunday night, NASA’s Curiosity Rover will be landing on Mars. The $2.5 billion mission will be getting some big time publicity, broadcasting live on the huge Toshiba Screen in New York’s Times Square.

Charging less than a dime per gallon, Venezuela sells cheapest gas on the planet. Norway has some of the highest fuel prices in the world.

Maysoun Odeh Gangat, CEO of the women’s radio station NISAA in Ramallah, explains why there are fewer Palestinian women in business compared to other women in the Middle East — and how that seems to be changing.

Hedge fund boss Bill Ackman already owns some $2 billion worth of P&G shares. The company’s poor results may now attract more activist investors.

Rust Belt manufacturing isn't just about steel — an uptick in business is boosting plastics, aluminum, and other products as well.

If you want to be surrounded by other earthlings as you watch NASA's Mars rovers land on the red planet, head for Times Square. The rovers, the space agency's biggest hits, will be live on the big screen.

Curiosity Rover will drop to Mars from ropes on Sunday night.

Monks on the island of St. Honorat, near Cannes, France, run an upscale restaurant and grow wine so they can make money to give to the poor.

Knight Capital’s faulty software sent trading haywire and could sink the brokerage firm. Is technology helping or hurting investor confidence?

Chick-Fil-A’s CEO is in hot water for his recent comments opposing gay marriage. Activists have taken to the streets to express their anger, but what happens to those stuck in the middle? The Olympic medal counts are big news for any country in the Games, but one particular country has a bad case of gold fever. Meanwhile, reporter Mark Garrison hands out gold medals to the people who correctly predicted the effects of last year’s debt downgrade. In the run-up to the presidential election, online ad space is running out. New York Times’ Amy O’Leary talks about sexual harrassment against women gamers. And we hear about monks in Cannes, France, who are taking advantage of the masses who come for the famous film festival there.

Americans love hamburgers — we each eat an average of three a week. But what are the hidden costs?

A year after Standard & Poor’s cut the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA+, interest rates are lower than ever. Who made the right — and wrong — predictions?

Gallup's latest data reveals Americans' priorities for whichever man wins the fall presidential election.

The fallout over perceived anti-gay comments by the president of the national restaurant chain has some franchise managers and employees sandwiched between gay and lesbian protesters and restaurant supporters.

Demand for the 15- and 30-second spots that automatically play before online videos are sold out in some markets or being auctioned off at record prices in others.

After Texas win, the tea party super PAC looks north

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The program in New York City is designed to keep young men from re-offending.

Investors had been hoping that ECB President Mario Draghi would unveil something big to help solve the European debt crisis. Instead, Draghi offered only vague commitments.

In Frankfurt, the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi held a press conference. Everyone was waiting to see whether Draghi would announce new stimulus measures, after saying last week that he'd do whatever it takes to save the euro.

The head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, is holding a press conference right now in Frankfurt. And global markets are hanging on his every word. That's because he said last week he'll do whatever it takes to save the euro, and today is the day we find out what that means.

Tomorrow, we'll get a reading on job creation for the month of July from the Labor Department, and whether it's a good or bad report, it's sure to have impact on the presidential race. Plus, the latest data on how many people in America are drinking coffee.

In Japan, two big electronics companies are reporting disappointing earnings this morning. Sony is reporting a $316 million quarterly loss. And Sharp announced a $1.2 billion loss, which was much worse than expected.

The Fed announced yesterday that it is prepared to act if the economy gets worse — But for now, nada. Which brings us to the European Central Bank, which is holding a meeting today in Frankfurt and might have a little something up its sleeve for the global economy.

The Fed announced yesterday that it is prepared to act if the economy gets worse — But for now, nada. Which brings us to the European Central Bank, which is holding a meeting today in Frankfurt and might have a little something up its sleeve for the global economy. On Capitol Hill today, a House Committee is looking into the effects of the Supreme Court’s ruling on health care; Specifically, just how the IRS will assess a tax on people who don’t carry health insurance. Later this morning, Freddie Mac will tell us what the average interest rate is right now on a 30-year fixed mortgage. Last week, the rate fell below 3.5 percent for the first time in 60 years of record keeping. You might think a housing recovery is near.

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act may get its first update since Mark Zuckerberg was a 15-year-old, or April 2000. Since then, Zuckerberg built Facebook and we’ve seen the rise of online social networks lead to growing concern over privacy online, especially for kids. Yet COPPA is pretty much the same as it’s always been. The FTC, which proposed changes to the law, sees a world where online companies have a stricter code of conduct and parents will need to be more hands-on. Plus, according to a recent study, most apps are total failures.

Don't believe those real estate agents when they say the housing market's hit bottom and is going to rebound. The market is going to be flat for a long time to come.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act may get its first update since Mark Zuckerberg was a 15-year-old.

The House Oversight Committee examines how the IRS will collect taxes from people who fail to buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

China's government sees winning gold medals as a key affirmation of the country's worth. Athletes who don't come first can get a frosty reception.

Central Florida city is a top locale for both GOP and Democratic fundraisers, in a swing state that will play a key role for either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama winning the election.

Immigration and the migration of retirees are key factors in the growing trend of urban economic segregation.

A look at the bigger societal implications of air conditioning and why some Americans are against it.

To get herself out of debt, one banker had to take a very different kind of job.

Chrysler's sales surge and buoy Fiat, the company that rescued it. The reversal reflects the relative strength of the U.S. economy over Europe.

This summer’s drought is affecting more than just farmers — it’s been drying up supplies for food banks across the nation too. Meanwhile, genetically modified crops are creating a headache for famers and the tires on their equipment. We visit a microbrewery in Oakland, Calif., to see how the decrease in lending to small businesses has affected them. Krissy Clark reports on people who pick up a second job to help pay the credit card bills in our “Money Matters” series. And Kai Ryssdal talks to two big winners today: a physicist who just won $3 million for his work in particle physics; and a poker player who will be reimbursed for playing a site that was declared a type of Ponzi scheme.

A brewer in Oakland says he'd love to expand, if he could only get a loan. His story illustrates a common complaint among small business owners.

Food banks across the plains are being hit with a triple whammy — fewer donations from farmers, a decline in donations from the federal government and an uptick in demand.

Some online poker players are expecting a big payout soon, thanks to a multi-million dollar settlement between the Justice Department and two online poker companies. The companies were accused of running a Ponzi scheme.

The Fundamental Physics Prize is brand new and recognizes "transformative advances in the field." One of the winners, Alan Guth, talks about the big win.

The stalks of genetically modified corn are tough, so tough that they're puncturing tractor tires. Farmers are fighting back.

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A new study out now says that Americans are increasingly overconfident — inside the workplace and out. And in large part, that's due to our need to say something nice, or not say anything at all.