The IRS will change some of the ground rules when it comes to the unlimited and anonymous spending that groups have been able to do in political races after the Supreme Court’s ruling on Citizens United. Sunday is December 1, which is also a big day for the Obama administration’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act. What’s the latest on health care? And finally, Thanksgiving week is always a big week for movies, which means this week will be big for the latest movie in the Hunger Games franchise. The film is already going great guns at the box office, but it’s not just kids who are watching. 

Men’s Wearhouse turns the tables on its would-be acquirer, Jos. A. Bank. What one suits-for-the-masses retailer has to gain by buying another. The pope dished out a searing critique of capitalism today. But what influence does the Papal office have these days? We take another look at why the 30-year fixed mortgage is our home loan of choice. And finally, the economics of airline cancellations: How airlines anticipate and react to big storms barreling down at peak travel periods like Thanksgiving.

With a six-month agreement in place to thaw some of the restrictions on doing business in Iran, international firms are now making calculations about whether to get involved in that marketplace, or wait and see what comes next. Also, Yahoo! is hiring Katie Couric. It’s the latest in a number of high-priced recruitments by the internet company, but Couric is unusual. She’s older, she’s a TV icon, and she’s a host, not a reporter. Finally, the Affordable Care Act has turned insurance brokers into a legion of private navigators for individuals and families faced with insurance decisions. The brokers are frustrated by the law’s complications and the failures of healthcare.gov, but also have a wave of new business.

Justin Rowlatt of the BBC talks about helium’s impact on the world, and what’s being done to conserve it. Wall Street bankers take a turn on the stand-up comedy stage.  Cable TV has been losing subscribers to satellite and phone companies—not to mention a growing online video presence. How will merging Time Warner with another company affect the cable TV business? Social media art sales are breaking down the white walls of the traditional art gallery business model. Now that the rules for breaking a Senate filibuster have changed, what will be President Obama’s first move?

Target is the latest low-price retailer to lower expectations because consumers aren’t spending freely. The problem appears to be lower-income consumers, worried about jobs, food and gas. Also on the show: Many would say that the unveiling of Obamacare has been one of the worst product launches in history. Now comes the do-over: New branding (Only refer to it as the ACA — not Obamacare). And finally, United Airlines and Delta are tweaking their frequent flier mileage plans. American and US Airways will to, following their merger. The changes will devalue miles earned by frequent fliers, potentially alienating customers.

It’s shaping up to be a good holiday for people looking to get a deal on consumer electronics. Best Buy says it’s preparing deep discounts – even if they put profit margins at risk – to win the holiday season. Rivals are expected to follow. Next, the FCC is moving toward allowing phone companies to replace their century-old land lines with internet-based phone service. Finally, our series The New Math of Health Care continues with a look at what ‘value’ means in the context of health.

Most banks with legal exposure to the financial crisis are dealing with the lawsuits one-by-one. But today, J.P. Morgan Chase decided to deal with the whole issue in one go, and settle for $13 billion. We begin a special collaboration with the New York Times that we’re calling The New Health Care Math. Plus, meatpackers and ranchers are fighting each other over new labeling rules that take effect Saturday, requiring packaged meat to state where the animal that contributed said meat was raised, slaughtered and processed. And finally, the Obama administration launches a $100 million race-to-the-top-style competition meant to overhaul career and tech education by pairing high schools with colleges and employers. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 16,000 today. The record-high means something to the trading and investing community, but how important is that mark to the rest of us? Also, Walmart has signaled that the ACA requirement that most Americans either carry insurance or pay a penalty could hurt sales. Plus, a Senate committee is trying to understand Bitcoin today. Will the rest of us have to understand the idea of a virtual currency some day? Right now Bitcoin functions mainly among early Bitcoin adopters – who have pushed the currency’s value to a record level.

The latest revelations about government snooping have to do with money transfers – the CIA is building a database of transactions through firms like Western Union and MoneyGram. Also, health insurers have spent retooling their business plan in order to prosper under the ACA.  What do those companies do now that the President has announced a change that upends their strategy? Finally, Google Books gets the legal go-ahead to continue scanning copyrighted works into its enormous database.