Economy

In The Long Wait For Aid From Washington, Job Hunters Despair

6:20pm January 17, 2014

by Tovia Smith

After failing to agree upon an extension for federal jobless benefits to the long-term unemployed, Congress is vowing to keep trying. The help can't come soon enough for many of the 1.4 million unemployed who saw their checks suddenly cut off last month.

Queue Listen Now

Protesters in San Francisco block a Google bus, which shuttles employees from the city to its location in Silicon Valley.

Economy

Hackers? Techies? What To Call San Francisco's Newcomers

4:59pm January 17, 2014

by Geoff Nunberg

Linguist Geoff Nunberg lives in the Mission and says young tech employees have been pouring into the neighborhood. But what to call these new residents? He says the term "techie" used to suggest a computer whiz with no social skills; now it suggests one with no social conscience.

Queue Listen Now

A woman hangs a National Industrial Recovery Act poster in the window of a restaurant.

The Birth Of The Minimum Wage In America

4:46pm January 17, 2014

by David Kestenbaum

For decades, the Supreme Court ruled that laws regulating things like wages and working conditions were unconstitutional. That changed during the Great Depression, when one of the justices switched sides, paving the way for the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Queue Listen Now

Lunch at the West Salem School District in Wisconsin.

Cash Or Credit? How Kids Pay For School Lunch Matters For Health

1:39pm January 17, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

A study in the journal Obesity found that students who used credit or debit cards in the school cafeteria chose fewer fruits and vegetables and more desserts than kids paying with cash. But the researchers say schools should work with the bias instead of trying to fight it.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

Triad Manufacturers Are Making Smart Fabrics

1:27am January 17, 2014

Technology is making even the clothes on your back a little smarter.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

Exporting Provides Big Opportunities for Business Owners in the Piedmont Triad

4:11pm January 15, 2014

by Keri Brown

The export business is growing nationally, especially in the Tar Heel state. According to the federal International Trade Administration, in 2012, North Carolina's export shipments of merchandise totaled $28.8 billion.

Queue Listen Now

In a $16 billion deal this week, Japanese beverage giant Suntory announced it plans to purchase Beam Inc., maker of Jim Beam and owner of other popular bourbon brands, including Maker's Mark.

Soon To Be Big In Japan, Jim Beam's Roots To Stay In Kentucky

10:48am January 15, 2014

by Rick Howlett

In a deal worth some $16 billion, Japanese beverage giant Suntory is buying Beam Inc., maker of Jim Beam bourbon and owner of well-known American brands such as Maker's Mark. Industry leaders say it's a reflection of bourbon's exploding popularity in Asian markets, but some wonder if the new owners will preserve bourbon's Kentucky heritage.

Queue Listen Now

Target Co. estimates that at least 70 million individuals may have had information including their "names, mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses" stolen in a recent data breach.

Economy

Security Experts Say Data Thieves Are Getting Harder To Fight

8:53am January 14, 2014

by Yuki Noguchi

Even retailers that invest heavily in sophisticated security systems are seeing new vulnerabilities from rogue hackers who are buying software tools on the black market.

Queue Listen Now