Business

Heard It Through The Grapevine: Raisin Grower Goes Rogue

6:26am August 16, 2013

by Zoe Chace

In this "Planet Money" report, we learn about a man many call an outlaw. His crime? Growing raisins and then selling them all. For the last 10 years, he's violated the law and gone against the Raisin Administrative Committee.

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Ford Lowers Mileage Rating On C-Max Hybrid

5:45am August 16, 2013

by Tracy Samilton

On Thursday, Ford issued a statement lowering the vehicle's stated performance for combined city and highway to 43 miles per gallon. The car had been advertised at 47 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving, but tests reportedly showed the figure to be inflated.

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Part of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant in Lewiston, N.Y., is seen from the air on Aug. 14, 2003, during a massive power outage that stretched from New York to Detroit and into Canada.

National

The Next Disaster Scenario Power Companies Are Preparing For

8:49am August 15, 2013

by Tom Gjelten

Ten years after a cascading power outage across a broad section of the U.S. and Canada, utility operators and regulators are concerned about another blackout scenario: a massive cyberattack that could threaten the U.S. electric grid.

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Dave Dierig, research leader at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, stands among the ceiling-high shelves that hold the 600,000 seed packets in this cold storage vault.

Colorado Vault Is Fort Knox For The World's Seeds

7:59am August 15, 2013

by Luke Runyon

At Colorado State University, billions of seeds and other genetic material sit inside a giant storage vault. They're kept there in case of a loss of plant or animal life on a regional or global scale. But the investigation into GMO wheat in Oregon has raised questions about security at the facility.

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A Closer Look At Elon Musk's Much-Hyped Hyperloop

7:59am August 15, 2013

by Elise Hu

Existing concepts in science like linear induction motors and magnetic levitation are back in the spotlight thanks to Elon Musk's proposal for a rail system that can travel faster than the speed of sound.

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Speech-language pathologists Jill Tullman (left) and Mendi Carroll (right) work with Bryce Vernon at Talking with Technology Camp in Empire, Colo., on July 25.

Obamacare: People With Disabilities Face Complex Choices

7:59am August 15, 2013

by Eric Whitney

The Affordable Care Act sets up categories of essential health benefits that insurance plans must cover. Some categories, such as maternity care and drug abuse treatment, are straightforward. But "habilitative services" — including treatments like physical and speech therapy — are much more subjective.

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Economy

Why Modern Latinas Are A Challenge To Marketers

7:59am August 15, 2013

by Shereen Marisol Meraji

The market research firm Nielsen has published a report on the Latina consumer. According to Nielsen, Hispanic women are a key growth engine in the American marketplace. The Latina population is growing while the white, non-Hispanic female population is dropping.

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Economy

Attorney Dispenses Legal Advice As Well As Shaving Cream

5:24am August 15, 2013

by Diane Orson

A Connecticut attorney has opened a shop that combines his passion for the law with his barber skills. Donald Howard says he first got the hybrid-business idea working as a paralegal for a personal injury attorney who doubled as a sports agent. And, a California attorney opened Legal Grind, a coffee house and law office.

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2 Ex-Traders Accused Of Covering Up JPMorgan Losses

5:24am August 15, 2013

by Ilya Marritz

Federal prosecutors in the U.S. have charged two former traders in JPMorgan Chase's London office with securities fraud. The two men were part of the so-called "London Whale" case, which ended up costing the company more than $6 billion. U.S. officials say the men lied about the value of some derivatives trades to cover up mounting losses.

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Economy

Auto Industry's Pent-Up Demand Expected To Ease Slowly

5:24am August 15, 2013

by Sonari Glinton

The average car on the road these days is more than 11 years old — a historic high. Some analysts say that means there soon will be a surge in car buying. Others are skeptical.

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