Business

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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Books
Arts

It Still Isn't Easy, But Independent Bookstores Are Doing Better

3:36pm November 27, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

Despite intense competition from Amazon and big-box retailers, there are more independent bookstores now than there were four years ago. Borders' bankruptcy, the "buy local" movement and cooperative publishers have all contributed to the renaissance.

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John Brown, the head of Zion Oil & Gas, believes the Bible will help him find oil in Israel. The company, which is listed on Nasdaq, has so far spent $130 million and drilled four dry holes. Brown is shown here at one of the company's drilling rigs in Isr

Drilling For Oil, Based On The Bible: Do Oil And Religion Mix?

12:44pm November 27, 2013

by John Burnett

The born-again head of Zion Oil believes the Old Testament and an office full of geologists will lead him to oil deposits in Israel. So far, the company has spent $130 million and only hit dry holes.

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Star Trek's George Takei Adds Perfume Mogul To His Resume

7:09am November 27, 2013

The scent is being sold through Amazon and of course it's called EAU My, which is Takei's catchphrase. But for the perfume, the oh is spelled EAU.

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Men's Wearhouse Goes 'Pac-Man' On Joseph A. Bank

5:25am November 27, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

The retail company Men's Wearhouse has announced it is launching a takeover battle for rival Joseph A. Bank. What makes the effort unusual is that just last month Joseph A. Bank was trying to take over Men's Wearhouse. The turnaround is an example of what Wall Street calls a Pac-Man defense.

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