Managers might send out dozens of “great job” emails each day — but does it help motivate employees? Freakonomics finds out. Adriene Hill takes a look at why the Dow Jones Industrial Average still commands so much attention. The FAA has released a list of 173 airports that could have their control towers closed next month because of budget cuts. Freight railroad operator BNSF announced it’s switching from diesel fuel to natural gas. Families are hiring financial advisers to help them squeeze out every possible penny for college. And author Jonah Berger talks about why things become trendy.

The Venezuelan government announces the death of President Hugo Chavez. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record high, but does that mean the overall economy is better? Americans lost an average of 40 percent of their wealth from 2007 to 2010. Fox is launching a new 24-hour cable sports network that will directly compete with ESPN. And the Chinese government is moving ahead with legislation to combat land seizures from the nation’s 650 million farmers.

President Obama announces his nomination for the next White House budget director, Wal-Mart’s Sylvia Mathews Burwell. A new analysis by the Tax Policy Center says that the tax bills of the one percent are the highest they’ve been since 1979. In a new book, author Steve Boggan examines the life of a bank note by following a $10 bill around the U.S. for 30 days. Amy Scott teams up with the Chronicle of Higher Education to find out just what employers want from today’s college graduates. And as part of our disappearing jobs series, we talk to shoemaker Raúl Ojeda about what it’s like to be one of the last in the business.

President Obama said Friday that budget cuts beginning to go into effect this month would not be apocalyptic — but how could things look a year from now? Krissy Clark and David Weinberg do some time-traveling. An unemployed steel worker talks about the challenges he’ll face if his unemployment benefits decrease in the coming weeks because of budget cuts. We hear about those who spend their tax refunds before even receiving the money. The Centers for Disease Control has an app aimed at educating people. And Smithsonian Magazine’s Colin Schultz discusses why America objects to the slaughtering of horses for meat.

Recent veterans not only have higher unemployment than the rest of the population, they also have higher unemployment rates relative to other veterans. If sequestration happens, America’s meat inspectors may be furloughed. Gun-maker Sturm, Ruger and Co.’s sales were up 50 percent last year. The CEO of The Veggie Grill talks about the business of making vegetarian fast food that tastes good. Jack Lew was sworn in today as the new Treasury Secretary, and with massive federal spending cuts possibly on the horizon for tomorrow, he probably didn’t have an easy first day. We explore how you can avoid pitfalls on the first day of a new job.

The College Board announced today that it’s redesigning the SAT again to better meet the needs of today’s students. Several Budweiser drinkers have filed a class action suit because they feel the company’s watered down its product so much that the labels are misleading. Apple agreed to settle a lawsuit today brought by angry parents whose kids racked up big bills on iTunes. Mark Garrison examines what taxpayers awaiting their refund from the IRS will face this year, after the fiscal cliff delays and with the impending sequester cuts. a double whammy. And we hear about the racial wealth gap in the United States, and why it’s tripled in the past 25 years.

Yesterday Yahoo’s CEO announced that employees who work from home for the company must start coming to the office instead — will other companies follow suit? Home prices are up more than six percent in most places, pushing some to worry about another housing bubble. Peter G. Peterson, who helped pave (and pay) the way for our national obsession with debt, talks about the state of our country. We hear about the big business of bullets in the U.S. In Britain, many people are alarmed by the prospect of a quarter million Romanian and Bulgarian migrants moving there. And a commentator offers his cover letter for the newly available position of pope.

The founder of Barnes & Noble wants to buy back the company’s 700 remaining bookstores. With federal budget cuts expected to trigger by the end of the week,  we run through the consequences — which may not be as nightmarish as predicted. David Gura takes a look at Pete Peterson, the billionaire who’s spent millions of dollars, over decades, campaigning for a long-term solution to the national debt. Do rising gas and food prices prove inflation is alive and well? We hear about why you might expect to see more robots in your doctor’s office in the future. And music producer Clive Davis discusses his autobiography, “The Soundtrack of My Life.”

Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter talks about deciding which defense employees would face furloughs if sequestration triggers next week. Meanwhile, budget cuts have already sidelined the refurbishment of the USS Lincoln. We look at how cable news networks are using the Oscar Pistorius case to their advantage. Google’s creating splashes in the tech world with its announcements of retail stores and a high-end laptop. David Weinberg investigates the vulnerability of our power grid against cyber attacks. And a look at Durham, N.C., and how a number of foreclosures have gone wrong there.