Thanks to Mother Nature and power grid glitches, American households in Connecticut, San Diego, and many parts in between have been without power for extended periods of time in recent weeks. Now, in the wake of cell phones that …
What Happened? Gas Prices Were Supposed to Be 30¢ a Gallon Cheaper By Now
A month ago, with crude oil prices plummeting and the economy pointing to weak demand, conditions seemed primed for a significant drop in gas prices for consumers. The experts predicted that by mid-September, the national average …
The Most Overlooked (and Important) Proposal in Obama’s Jobs Plan
It’s no big secret that young Americans are hurting. Youth unemployment is double the national average, college debt loads and defaults are the highest in history, and only 25% of young people had traditional jobs lined up upon …
It’s Time to Admit the Euro Has Failed
The breakup of the common European currency is inevitable and will shake U.S. stock markets. Here’s how investors can prepare – and even profit.
Does Europe need a Tea Party?
I was just in Paris, reporting a story for TIME magazine, and watching Europe unravel around me. Concerns about a Greek default are escalating, sending the yields on one-year bonds soaring up near 100%. The Greek prime minister is scrambling to close a yawning budget deficit and appease his creditors to keep rescue funds flowing, while …
Got a Job Offer? Why You Should Ask for an Implausibly High Salary
Upon being offered a job, the first step should be to pause and enjoy your good fortune. (Jobs are pretty scarce, if you haven’t heard.) Then, to start salary negotiations, toss out a ridiculously high dollar figure. The request …
Would a Slow Economic Recovery Be That Bad?
The good news about President Obama’s $447 billion jobs plan? A lot of analysts think it would boost growth. The bad news? The bump would likely be temporary. But before we go on ranting about the perils of an ineffectual Washington and the doom facing this economy, let’s just consider how catastrophic an only temporary boost would be. …
FTC: That $1.99 Smartphone App Won’t Cure Your Acne
Entrepreneurial techies have been selling thousands of smartphone apps that claim to treat acne for 99¢ and $1.99 a pop (excuse the pun). Now, however, a Federal Trade Commission investigation reveals that (shocker!) the claims—that weird colored lights emitted from one’s smartphone could eliminate pimples—have no scientific basis. …
Curious CapitalistThe Economy
Obama’s Jobs Plan: Will it be Enough to Revive the Economy?
President Obama’s jobs plan, which he outlined Thursday night in a televised speech to the nation, is more ambitious than many people might have predicted. It’s a $447 billion package including lots of tax cuts and some serious …
How Fixing a Phone is Like Fixing a Portfolio
My recent phone problems remind me a lot of my retirement planning issues. You are on your own out there – whether fixing your phone line or your portfolio.
How Consumers Are Coping: Layaway, More Gardens and Pet Adoptions
Consumer activity gives a good indication of how the economy is holding up, and here are five trends indicating that consumers are having a particularly hard time lately.
How to Protect Your Kids From Commercial Culture
I recently walked through the children‘s section of a big box bookstore for the first time in a long time, and I was stunned. Then depressed. Then angry.