Business

Ongoing beach nourishment, like this project in Viriginia Beach, has been the topic of debate. Some people say it's needed to protect beach communities; others decry the costs.

National

Debate Over Rebuilding Beaches Post-Sandy Creates Waves

12:49pm January 30, 2013

by Jennifer Ludden

Federal disaster aid could mean billions more for rebuilding eroded beaches. Supporters say doing so offers crucial protection against storms. But longtime critics charge it's counterproductive and a waste of taxpayer dollars, especially in an era of sea-level rise.

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Nearly 44 percent of Americans don't have enough savings or other liquid assets to stay out of poverty for more than three months if they lose their income, according to the Corporation for Enterprise Development.

Study: Nearly Half In U.S. Lack Financial Safety Net

11:03am January 30, 2013

by Pam Fessler

In his inaugural address, President Obama envisioned a nation where even "the poorest child knows she has the same chance to succeed as anyone else." But a new report finds that 44 percent of Americans do not have the savings to cover basic expenses for three months if they lose their income.

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A man sells surveillance cameras at the main electronics market in Tienhe district, Guangzhou, in southern China's Guangdong province, on Aug. 8.

World News

In China, The Government Isn't The Only Spy Game In Town

10:44am January 30, 2013

by Frank Langfitt

Increasingly, China's surveillance state has extended to include Chinese individuals spying on one another. Former journalist Qi Hong has helped ordinary citizens and government officials alike detect bugs and hidden cameras planted by others. In one year, his bug hunt turned up more than 300 devices for a hundred friends.

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Apple Trademarks Its Interior Store Design

10:44am January 30, 2013

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office recently granted Apple's request to protect pretty much every single thing you see in its stores. This includes "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and "an oblong table with stools set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."

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Fourth-Quarter Reports: Boeing Profits Up, Amazon Down

10:44am January 30, 2013

Despite the groundings of its 787 because of battery trouble, the aerospace company plans to deliver dozens more Dreamliners this year. The cyberspace retailer, meanwhile, reported a big drop in profits.

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Competition, High Bills Hurt Cable Companies

10:44am January 30, 2013

by Neda Ulaby

It's called cord-cutting when people give up their cable TV subscriptions because they feel they get enough to watch over the air and the Internet. Cord-cutting is a big fear for cable TV companies. But there's something new for them to worry about: Young people who never get cable subscriptions in the first place.

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Economy

In 4th Quarter, Economy Shrank For First Time Since '09

10:44am January 30, 2013

New figures out Wednesday morning show the U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted during the last quarter of 2012.

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Economy

Paul Krugman's Unconventional Outlook On The Economy

6:24pm January 29, 2013

Throughout the debate over the debt and deficit, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman has argued that the deficit isn't so bad in the short run. Krugman, who received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, explains why he believes fiscal austerity is not the solution to debt problems.

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According to the American Staffing Association, the U.S. temp industry has added more jobs than any other over the past three years.

A 'Permatemp' Economy: The Idea Of The Expendable Employee

2:00pm January 29, 2013

by NPR Staff

Nearly 13 million people head to work as temporary and contract employees each year, according to the American Staffing Association. In an opinion piece for The New York Times, sociologist Erin Hatton argues that it's time to get rid of the "anti-worker ideology that has come to accompany it."

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Rising Postal Rates Squeeze Small Record Labels

10:51am January 29, 2013

by Sami Yenigun

When postal rates went up this week, labels who ship CDs and LPs saw rates jump. They say the costs will make their way to music fans.

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