Economy

Why It's Easier To Scam The Elderly

4:23pm December 06, 2012

by Patti Neighmond

New research suggests older adults may have less activity in the area of the brain that processes risk and subtle danger. Another possible reason older adults don't pick up on warning signs is an increasing bias against negativity.

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French President Francois Hollande (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take part in a bilateral meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels on Nov. 22 as part of a European budget summit.

What Should The U.S. Learn From Europe's Woes?

4:21pm December 06, 2012

by Tom Gjelten

As President Obama and lawmakers try to find a formula for spending cuts and tax increases, they might look across the Atlantic for insights from those who have been wrestling with budget problems. The first lesson from Europe's "fiscal consolidation" experiences: It will hurt.

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Fixing The Budget, While Protecting The Middle Class

1:58pm December 06, 2012

House Republicans and the White House are at a stalemate over how best to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. As the deficit deadline approaches, the priority for Senate Budget Committee member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), is to protect the middle class.

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House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, takes questions as House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., look on during a Capitol Hill news conference on Wednesday.

Obama And House GOP Engage In Fiscal Cliff Talks, Only Briefly With Each Other

6:30pm December 05, 2012

by Mara Liasson

The president and House Republicans continued to snipe at each other Wednesday over the impending set of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff. President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner later spoke briefly by phone for the first time in a week, according to reports.

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Alan Krueger, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, warns that consumer spending will drop if Congress and the White House fail to reach a deal on spending cuts and tax increases.

Looming Spending Cuts Would Hit Hard All Over

6:09pm December 05, 2012

by Jim Zarroli

If Congress fails to reach an agreement on tax increases and spending cuts this year, it will mean sharp reductions in a broad swath of federal spending, from defense and Medicare to education and unemployment benefits. Economists say the cuts would be a serious setback for the economy as a whole.

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Social Security's COLA At Stake In 'Fiscal Cliff' Talks?

10:34am December 05, 2012

by NPR Staff

The Republican plan to avert the "fiscal cliff" includes a proposal that would change the way inflation is calculated. The change could result in savings of billions, but its getting pushback from Democrats and groups like AARP.

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When The Art Of The Deal Includes Improv Training

9:09am December 05, 2012

by Julia Flucht

Some top-tier business schools — Duke, UCLA, MIT and Stanford — are teaching improv as a way for students to increase collaboration, creativity and risk taking. An instructor at MIT says success in business, as in improvisation, can hinge on your ability to rebound.

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Despite their recent woes, "daily deal" companies Groupon and Living Social can be profitable, says analyst Arvind Bhatia.

What's Next For The Daily Deal Business Model?

8:22am December 04, 2012

by NPR Staff

Are the days of "daily deal" coupons about to expire? Shares of email coupon company Groupon are down nearly 80 percent since going public last year. And its smaller rival, Living Social, plans to lay off as many as 400 employees, after reporting a net loss of more than $560 million in the third quarter.

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In the presidential debate on Oct. 16, Mitt Romney presented a hypothetical way to cap deductions and raise revenue.

Pick A Number: Let's Play 'Cap Those Deductions'

8:35am December 03, 2012

by Scott Horsley

Mitt Romney may have lost the election, but the tax policy he floated is sticking with congressional Republicans. Rather than raising rates, the GOP would prefer to shrink or eliminate deductions. So what would that do to the deficit — and to the middle class?

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In an image from an Eye Tribe video, a man uses his eyes to play the Fruit Ninja game, slicing fruit in half as it appears on the screen.

Economy

In Eye Control, A Promise To Let Your Tablet Go Hands-Free

4:57am December 03, 2012

by Sidsel Overgaard

Forget touch screens and voice recognition. What if you could control your computer just by looking at it? Gaze-based interaction has been around for 20 years, but it may be poised to become more widely available — and affordable.

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