We’ve all been stuck in long meetings that bounce aimlessly from one topic to the next. Instead of rolling your eyes, take control. Be brave enough to propose a solution:
Plotting the Future of Fannie and Freddie
One of the many cans being kicked down Washington’s boulevards these days is the government conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In 2008, at the height of the financial crisis, Congress and the Bush administration …
Yelp Heads Toward an IPO, But Can It Thrive on the Social Web?
It’s four o’clock, and you need to make a dinner reservation. The problem is, you have no idea which restaurants are the highest rated in your area. Chances are that you’ll do what 66 million others do each month: search Yelp.
The CFPB Wants to Give You Better Overdraft Fee Protection
It’s hard to overstate how much bank customers hate overdraft fees, but we still shelled out nearly $30 billion on them last year. The Federal Reserve attempted to rein in the “gotcha” factor with new rules in 2010, but banks have exploited loopholes in them and increased the fees. Now, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is trying …
Google Takes Another Experimental Step Toward Delivering TV
Google, which was founded by two graduate students, has always made research a top priority. Now it appears that the company is turning a metropolitan area in the Midwest into its latest laboratory. The tech giant, which is …
The Tooth Fairy Was Kind of Cheap Last Year
The average amount given to sweet, adorable children by the Tooth Fairy last year was a mere $2.10. That’s down 17% from the year before, representing one of the largest declines in spending for the tightwad sprite since 1998. …
Curious CapitalistEconomy & Policy
Why Lower Corporate Taxes Won’t Create More Jobs
Yesterday, President Obama announced a long-awaited proposal to cut corporate taxes in America, which U.S. businesses complain are much too high by international standards. The proposed reform is intended to prevent companies …
5 Ways to Score Cheaper Gas
Retail Recovery: Solid 4th-Quarter Earnings from Saks, Macy’s
The holiday season might seem like the distant past, but fourth quarter earnings numbers released yesterday prove that top retailers adapted remarkably to lackluster sales that plagued most of last year.
Housing Recovery at Last? Evidence Mounts
While experts continue to warn that housing has not yet hit bottom, a slew of indicators suggest otherwise. The latest is a stellar quarterly earnings report from Home Depot, which is benefitting from hopeful owners sprucing up …
Why You’re Supposed to Be Extra Focused on Saving Money This Week
If you’re been splurging and throwing money around lately, perhaps you didn’t get the memo: February 19 to 26 is officially dubbed “America Saves Week.” Feel free to go back to your freespending ways starting February 27.
Apple Fights for iPad Rights in Chinese Trademark Dispute
Apple’s escalating trademark dispute with a Chinese company over the rights to the term “iPad” reached a courtroom on Wednesday — and the result was a contentious four-hour hearing that was long on theatrics but short on …