'Fiscal Cliff' Talks Temporarily Stall
The deadline for the fiscal cliff is fast-approaching. NPR's David Welna is at the Capitol and talks with host Jacki Lyden about where congressional leaders are on a deal.
Economy
Cautious Optimism For Behind-The-Scenes Fiscal Dealing
The deadline for the so-called "fiscal cliff" is fast-approaching. The combination of automatic spending cuts and tax hikes go into effect in just three days. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with host Jacki Lyden about where congressional leaders are on a deal.
Music-Streaming Services Hunt For Paying Customers
Services like Pandora and Spotify have been trying to win over two types of customers: younger people who don't buy music at all and older people who still like physical albums. But it's been difficult to lure customers willing to pay for music they won't own or that they can find for free online.
5 Days Left To Avoid 'Fiscal Cliff" Extremes
President Obama returns to Washington Thursday as do members of the U.S. Senate. They're cutting holiday plans short in hopes of coming up with a deal to avoid the tax hikes and budget cuts set to take effect on Jan. 1.
Measuring The Impact Of Your Charitable Donations
As the year comes to a close, many people turn attention to giving back through charitable donations. With the economic recovery, many are seeking out more information to be sure that the donations go to the intended cause.
Worst CEO List, Who's On It?
David Greene talks to Sydney Finkelstein, who teaches management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, about his list of the worst CEOs of 2012. Of interest is not just who made the list this year, but who didn't.
Back To The Economy Of The '90s? Not So Fast
As the parties wrangle over taxes and the "fiscal cliff," there's been a lot of talk about the golden days of the 1990s — and each party's role in creating it. Yet economists say a lot was happening outside Washington as well.
Plug Pulled On 'Plan B,' House Breaks For Christmas
House Speaker John Boehner was dealt a major defeat Thursday night. After spending most of the week trying to round up votes for his "Plan B" to extend tax cuts for virtually everyone, he pulled the measure without a vote. The clock keeps ticking toward the end of the year, when automatic tax increases and spending cuts are set to hit.
Low-Profile Power Player Jack Lew May Be In Line For Treasury Post
Now the White House chief of staff, Lew finessed the 2011 deal that set up the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes set for the new year — and did it in a way that put President Obama in the catbird seat for the current talks. Now he's a possible pick to be the next Treasury secretary.
From Shoes To M&M's, Custom-Made Products Take Off Online
The ability to customize products began with computers more than a decade ago. Now, you can create your own T-shirts, jeans, custom-blend cosmetics and candy. Even luxury brands like Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton now let customers design their own looks.