The food crisis rages on. Though prices overall are a bit off their record highs reached earlier this year – the much-watched global food price index calculated by the Food & Agriculture Organisation dipped slightly in May – they are still way above the level a year ago. And with new fears of bad weather creating bad harvests, the …
Billion-Dollar Swipe Fee Battle Inches Toward Senate
Senator Jon Tester, the Montana Democrat who kicked off a flurry of lobbying from retailers and bankers when he sponsored legislation to delay the implementation of a reform on debit interchange or “swipe” fees, took to the Senate floor along with his co-sponsors today to present a proposal.
Why is Chronic Joblessness on the Rise?
The quip “don’t quit your day job” isn’t the insult it used to be. In this economy, it’s the key to staying afloat.
Not only is joblessness on the rise again, according to Friday’s jobs numbers, which showed May unemployment ticked up to 9.1%. But the longer you’re out of work, the harder it is to get back in. Roughly 45% of …
Is Bernanke Doing Enough to Save the Recovery?
Surprise, surprise. Fed Chair Ben Bernanke’s much-awaited speech today at the Atlanta conference didn’t really say much. Markets tumbled on fallen hopes that he’d offer the sputtering recovery yet another bond-buying boost.
There was no grand announcement of QE3, another round of the monetary stimulus that’s been keeping markets afloat. …
Who is Your Financial Role Model: Elmo or Cookie Monster?
One of them learns how to avoid impulse buys and save up in order to achieve longer-term goals. As for the other: “Me really want cookie!”
The Case Against High-End Rentals
Today’s piece by Diane Cardwell in The New York Times made the case that demand is robust and living is easy at high-end rentals, apartments or townhouses — where monthly rent starts at $10,000. The picture is half-right. As an …
“History suggests that business doesn’t always know what’s good for it.”
The Mounting War Over 32 Cents
It’s a Deal: Southwest Airlines Flights from $29
During a Southwest Airlines sale, flights start at just $29 one way on routes such as Louisville to Birmingham; $39 (Baltimore-Norfolk, Boston-Philadelphia, Midland-Albuquerque); $49 (San Diego-Phoenix, Pittsburgh-Baltimore); $59 (Reno-Boise, Phoenix-Los Angeles); and $74 (Detroit-Chicago, Sacramento-Las Vegas, Newark-Baltimore). Tickets …
Customer Service Hell
The modern-day world is seriously lacking in satisfied customers. A new report reveals that 64% of consumers stomped out of a store in the past year because of frustration with the awful customer service, and 67% hung up the …
Fighting the High Cost of Fuel — with My Feet!
As gas prices soar across the United States, I decided to spend a month walking instead of driving whenever possible.
What Can You Do To Help Greece? Go There
It now appears that Greece will once again be bailed out of its financial morass. A year ago at this time, the world was roiled by the prospect of Greece defaulting on its considerable debts, and only the reluctant decision of …
