The Afterlife Of American Clothes
The U.S. exports a billion pounds of used clothes every year. Much of that winds up in used clothing markets in sub-Saharan Africa.
Business
Teens Dig Digital Privacy, If Snapchat Is Any Indication
The track record of products designed for digital privacy has been abysmal — at least until recently. Snapchat, wildly popular among teens, is changing assumptions about young people's desire for digital privacy. But it's not clear whether the trend will stick.
New York's Insurance Exchange Readies For Holiday Rush
As a Dec. 23 enrollment deadline for health insurance that starts Jan. 1 looms, New York state is staffing up its call center and smoothing out the rough spots on its application to meet growing demand. As time runs down, the state is trying to fix technical and design issues that came up when the site debuted in October.
Fishery Closure Puts New England's Shrimp Season On Ice
After several years of declining shrimp stocks, regulators have imposed a moratorium on shrimping in New England waters. The closure could hurt commercial fisherman and future demand for the Gulf of Maine shrimp, but scientists say the move may be the only way to prevent the population from collapsing.
The Giant Book That Creates And Destroys Entire Industries
The book lists the tax that importers have to pay on approximately every single thing in the universe — and raises a key question about the Planet Money T-shirt.
HealthCare.gov Now Allows Window Shopping, And A Do-Over
Probably the best feature of the retooled HealthCare.gov website is that you can actually use it. People are now able to get a customized list of plans and prices, and click through to see an insurer's provider directory. Still, better though it is, it's clearly not 100 percent.
Help-Wanted Ad Shows Depths Of Spain's Unemployment Problem
Having trouble wrapping your head around southern Europe's staggering unemployment problem? This week, Ikea advertised for 400 jobs in a new megastore on Spain's Mediterranean coast. It got more than 20,000 online applicants in 48 hours, before the retailer's computer servers crashed.
Banks Come Under Fire For Filling In The Payday Loan Gap
Federal regulators are cracking down on banks that are offering services called deposit advances. Many argue that the service is the same as payday loans and could lead consumers into a cycle of debt.
Reviewers On Amazon Poke Fun At $40,000 TV
About Samsung's HD TV, one reviewer wrote, "I was going to send my kids to college but I had to do what was best for my family." Another reviewer added, glad it has "low energy costs, as I am on a very tight budget."
Pipeline On Wheels: Trains Are Winning Big Off U.S. Oil
Railroads are increasingly becoming the preferred means of shipping the masses of oil being produced in North Dakota and surrounding states. The railroad industry is eager to fill in for the lack of pipeline capacity. But some say the train growth needs to slow down.