Business

MindMaze Software Engineer Nicolas Bourdaud demonstrates a virtual reality system at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Developers Continue Push To Make Virtual Reality Mainstream

12:09am March 09, 2015

by Laura Sydell

As virtual reality becomes more lifelike and the technology more consumer friendly, developers continue to push it as the new heart of the video game and movie experience.

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Construction workers in Washington, D.C., in December. The latest jobs report will further drive the "misery index" to its lowest level in more than half a century. But economists say meager wages and big debts are still problems.

More Jobs, Less Inflation Drive Down 'Misery' — So Where's The Joy?

9:22am March 07, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

With unemployment dropping, the "misery index" is at its lowest level in more than 50 years. So why aren't Americans feeling cheerful? Economists say meager wages and big debts are still problems.

Gayland Regier carries buckets of feed to his cattle in southeast Nebraska. Imported cattle make up a small portion of the American beef supply, but many American farmers and ranchers are concerned that foreign-sourced meat could distort their markets.

National

Should Labels Say Meat Was Made In USA? Ranchers, Meatpackers Disagree

10:54pm March 06, 2015

by Grant Gerlock

U.S. ranchers want consumers to know their meat came from cattle "raised in America." Meatpackers argue such labels add cost without much benefit. A trade dispute could soon make the labels disappear.

Note: Seasonally adjusted, in millions, for each February (2007-2015)

Part-Time Workers Struggle With Full-Time Juggling Act

8:05pm March 06, 2015

by Yuki Noguchi

By the numbers, February was a good month for job creation. But while there is plenty of hiring, there are still many part-timers who want more work and struggle to balance the jobs they do have.

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For the past two years, Chicago college and career coach Alana Mbanza has raffled off tickets to prom for students who've submitted their FAFSA.

The School Where Everyone Fills Out The FAFSA

7:38pm March 06, 2015

by Owen Phillips

At a Chicago high school, 100 percent completion isn't the goal. It's expected.

Owner Heidi Rogers Tuesday at her famous Manhattan shop, Frank Music Company, before the store's final closing Friday. Judging silently from on high is composer Igor Stravinsky.

Music & Culture

Saying Goodbye To A Manhattan Classical Music Mecca

7:04pm March 06, 2015

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

The last store in Manhattan devoted exclusively to classical sheet music is closing its doors — having been lapped by online retailers and free file sharing.

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In Boston, nearly 9 feet of snow this winter has kept shoppers out of stores, putting a strain on the local economy.

Boston Economy Will Escape Big Freeze Of Historic Snowstorms

6:38pm March 06, 2015

by Curt Nickisch

New England businesses are taking stock after weeks of record-setting winter storms disrupted transportation, stopping many workers from doing their jobs. Telecommuting is helping Boston get by.

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U.S. taxpayers have poured $30 billion into funding electronic records systems in hospitals and doctors' offices since 2009. But most of those systems still can't talk to each other, which makes transfer of medical information tough.

Sharing Patient Records Is Still A Digital Dilemma For Doctors

5:11pm March 06, 2015

by Eric Whitney

There's good news and bad news about electronic medical records. They're now in most doctors' offices — but most doctors still can't easily share them.

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A "ballet" of Brussels sprouts dazzles at the Food Porn Index, a site that tracks which foods are trending in social media part of an effort to heighten the appeal of healthy eating.

Voluptuous Veg: Can Food Porn Seed Lust For Healthy Eating?

5:01pm March 06, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Tempting-looking spoonfuls of chocolate are plentiful online. Beautiful Brussels sprouts? Not so much. A campaign aims to boost the number of these images and whet our appetites for healthy foods.

FDA Approves First Of New Type Of Generic Drugs

4:40pm March 06, 2015

by Scott Neuman

So-called biosimilar drugs closely mimic existing drugs but are made from living cells, blood components and tissue. In some cases, they could substantially reduce the cost of drugs.