Business

Wind turbines twirl above farmland on the outskirts of Madison, Wis. Not all locals are pleased.

Slashing Fossil Fuel Consumption Comes With A Price

8:56am December 03, 2013

by Richard Harris

The U.S. aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Wind and solar power can help. But folks doing the math say other pricey, controversial technologies — such as burying carbon gas underground, and expanding nuclear power — are also likely to be part of a low-carbon future.

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Workers process applications for Oregon's health exchange program. The state paid tech giant Oracle to build its online exchange, but with the site still not functional, people shopping for insurance have been forced to apply on paper.

Could A Tech Giant Build A Better Health Exchange? Maybe Not

8:48pm December 02, 2013

by Steve Henn

Since the rollout of HealthCare.gov, many have wondered whether a private company could have avoided the federal site's many pitfalls. Oregon took that route, hiring Silicon Valley titan Oracle to create its state insurance exchange. But two months after its scheduled launch, the website is still not working.

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Could Hawaii Become A Same-Sex Wedding Destination?

1:27pm December 02, 2013

by Molly Solomon

Starting Monday, gay marriage is legal in Hawaii. The state has long been a destination for weddings and honeymoons. And now state officials, as well as hotels and restaurants, are hoping the latest marriage-equality law will spur a new market for wedding tourism.

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Companies Revisit 'Rank And Yank' of 1980s

1:27pm December 02, 2013

by Yuki Noguchi

Longtime General Electric CEO and management icon Jack Welch popularized a management style in the 1980s that critics dubbed "rank and yank." The system ranks employees — with under-performers getting yanked from their jobs or the company. This old practice is in the news again. Microsoft recently did away with it. But other companies are embracing it.

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HealthCare.gov Team Working Through Holiday To Meet Deadline

4:07pm December 01, 2013

by Elise Hu

Workers on the "tech surge" to fix the error-riddled website have just days to meet the Obama administration's self-imposed deadline for a functioning site. Public confidence in HealthCare.gov has already taken the kind of hit that may be hard to overcome.

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A screenshot of Half the Sky, where virtual successes sometimes lead to real-life donations.

World News

For Advocacy Groups, Video Games Are The Next Frontier

4:07pm December 01, 2013

by Laura Sydell

As video games become more mainstream, some social action organizations are using them to raise awareness or raise funds. They advocate for a range of causes, from the struggles of women in the developing world to the effects of power in Congress.

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National

Boston Says It Has A Plan To Erase The Gender Wage Gap

5:08pm November 30, 2013

by Asma Khalid

If you're a woman, you're probably paid less than your male colleagues — 77 cents on the dollar, to be exact. Now Boston thinks it has a solution to eradicate the wage gap. It starts with getting businesses to sign a pledge.

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Customers at Honeygrow in Philadelphia can charge their cellphones while they dine using one of Doug Baldasare's kiosks.

Economy

Businesses Woo Customers With Free Phone-Charging Stations

11:42am November 29, 2013

by Elizabeth Fiedler

It's not an uncommon experience for smartphone owners: You're out for lunch or running errands, you suddenly realize your phone battery is low, and you panic. A Philadelphia entrepreneur thinks he's found the solution, and it's supposed to help phone owners and stores.

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Theater Chains Upgrade To Attract Homebodies

11:42am November 29, 2013

Movie theater seats are getting more deluxe. A couple chains are installing recliners in the latest effort to give movie goers more of the comforts of home.

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Lara Imler has tried to cancel her enrollment on HealthCare.gov, but to no avail.

Breaking Up With HealthCare.gov Is Hard To Do

4:43pm November 28, 2013

by Annie Feidt

Lara Imler was one of the first people in Alaska to sign up for health insurance on HealthCare.gov. Turns out, the website miscalculated her subsidy. She wants to start over and get a new plan. But a stubborn software kink is standing in her way.

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