The good news was the deficit is shrinking, but some think it’s bad news and the deficit is shrinking “too” fast. How can that be? On television, the sitcom “The Office” ends this week. What happens at the end of a show’s life and how can it live on? Overseas, France just entered a double dip recession which goes to show Europe is still struggling to find the fix for its economic woes.

Today we continue our series on the cycle of debt created by installment loans. In the news, Angelina Jolie’s move to get a preventative double mastectomy will probably spur others to do the same. The problem? Only one company offers the genetic test and it costs $4,000 Plus, America will soon be energy independent – but what change, if any, does that signal for actual consumers? Or does this just mean more profit for energy exporters?

Today begins our series “Beyond payday loans,” a investigation in collaboration with Propublica that focuses on installment loans, a kind of loan that can trap borrowers in a cycle of debt for years. In Washington, D.C., 501(c)4 nonprofit groups are increasingly partisan lobbying machines on both the left and right. Who can get this tax-exempt status and what are the boundaries for political activism? Also, we track the life of a soybean — sort of. A Supreme Court ruling protect Monsanto, which controls 90 percent of the expanding soybean production in the U.S. and Latin America.

In wake of the Great ATM Heist, we look at why a swipe card’s magnetic strip is vulnerable, and why U.S. banks haven’t moved to a more secure system. In other technology, media companies and wireless operators are working together to make sure you won’t max out your data plan while watching you favorite sport or show. Is it a win-win? Plus, it’s Friday, so get ready for the Weekly Wrap!

“The Great Gatsby” is getting released soon and everyone is buzzing with excitement for the adaptation of the life of the rich. But, in reality, the life of the rich and poor is rarely anything like it is in the movies. In jobs numbers news today, jobless claims are falling and we wonder is that is a good thing or if it means employers have hit peak layoff. In world news, another factory fire in Bangladesh brings to light the fair trade movement. Does it hurt businesses and are consumers really buying?

JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is shopping for votes lately in a bid to keep his other title: chairman of the board. How’s his campaign going? In losses — and not the stock market kind — Manchester United is losing its longtime leader. We look at how a global brand manages that transition. Plus, historical homes are getting attacked by the paparazzi of the public, thanks to social photo sharing sites like Instagram. 

Now that tax season is well over, we find out there’s a proposal to raise taxes on airline tickets. How much do we already pay on taxes for goods and services? Health care costs are also on the rise, but at a slower rate than the past four years. We look at whether the recession is solely to blame or of there is more afoot. In money possibly not well spent, it turns out money slated for restoration on the Gulf by BP is not really being spent on things related to the oil spill at all.

Just in case those emails weren’t enticing enough, Pfizer has decided to buck a business trend and sell Viagra direct online to combat conterfeits. Will it work? In another “will it work” question, YouTube is rumored to be putting up paywalls for content. We check in on whether your favorite cat videos will be behind it. On your original (TV) screen, USA networks paid a hefty price for reruns of “Modern Family,” a laugh track-less show. Does the canned laughter make a difference?

What do you do if you’re a lobbyist and want to create a message for an audience of one? Get creative, apparently. We look at the unexpected ways interest groups have gotten the eye of the White House. In housing news, big investors have been snapping up foreclosed homes and turning them into rentals. But, now some of those investors are hoping to capitalize on their bottom feeding – and share the spoils with the general public – by going public.