Economy Florida Towns May Feel Homeowners' Tax Pains May 31, 2007 • Years of rising home values have brought local governments buckets of property tax money. But now, in Florida and other states, taxpayers are saying "enough." Florida's legislature is expected to roll back property taxes next month — imposing big cuts on cities and counties. Local officials say the rollback may force police and firefighter layoffs.
Lawyer Files Gender Bias Suit Against GE May 31, 2007 • A high-ranking lawyer fighting her demotion has sued General Electric, accusing the company of gender discrimination. The lawsuit alleges that GE pays female lawyers and women in entry-level executive jobs less than it does men in similar positions.
Technology Prolific Spammer Faces Fraud, Theft Charges May 31, 2007 • Don't be surprised if you have fewer unwanted e-mails in your inbox today. One of the world's most active spammers, Robert Alan Soloway, was arrested Wednesday in Seattle. Soloway is accused of sending millions of unwanted e-mails and has been charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.
Marketplace Report Marketplace Report: Coke Hunts for New Sweetener May 31, 2007 • Coke hopes it has stumbled on the holy grail of artificial sweeteners. It's natural, calorie-free and also derived from a controversial South American herb. However, it has not been approved for use as a food additive in the United States or the European Union. Marketplace's John Dimsdale talks with Madeleine Brand.
Products Aplenty in 'The Starter Wife' May 31, 2007 • The new television mini-series The Starter Wife is awash in Pond's beauty cream. From the online magazine Slate, a look at the latest efforts at product placement in the new USA Network miniseries.
Environment President Bush Outlines Plan for Climate Change May 31, 2007 • President Bush unveiled a long-term strategy on climate change. He called on the world's top 15 greenhouse-gas emitting countries to come up with a goal for reducing the greenhouse gases that spur global warming. The president's statement comes ahead of a summit next week in Germany where global warming will be a major topic.
Media Effectiveness of Anti-Smoking Ads Questioned May 31, 2007 • Big Tobacco's public service ads aimed at steering kids away from smoking could be having the opposite effect, according to a recent study by The American Journal of Public Health. So what sort of ad would work?
Northwest Exits Bankruptcy May 31, 2007 • Northwest Airlines is the last of the top five U.S. carriers to shed billions of dollars of debt and exit bankruptcy. To get back into the black, Northwest had to slash pay and benefits for its 30,000 workers. Flight attendants and pilots rallied Wednesday against the airline in Minneapolis, saying executives are profiting on their 40 percent pay cuts.
Diversions Plus-Size Catalog Extends Product Line May 31, 2007 • It's the nature of catalogs to offer specialty products and this month, the parent company of the nation's largest chain of plus-size men's clothing debuts LivingXL, its catalog of "other" products. Among them: seat-belt extenders, a telescoping backscratcher, and a lawn chair supporting up to 800 pounds. Of course, probably best to skip the super sturdy hammock and go straight to the oversized bicycle seat.
CNBC Investigates Contest for Cheating May 31, 2007 • The financial news network CNBC announced it is investigating illicit trading in its own contest, called the "CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge." The CNBC contest had 375,000 entrants, or so-called aspiring moguls. They each got a fictional trading account and $1 million CNBC bucks. It seems some of them were tempted to cheat — even with fake money. The grand prize: $1 million.
S&P 500 Hits Record May 31, 2007 • Although the Dow has set many records this year, the Standard & Poor's 500, considered a better measure of market health, finished at a record high Wednesday for the first time in seven years. Stock prices increased after a Federal Reserve report that was upbeat on the economy.
Insider Trading Cases on the Rise May 31, 2007 • The Securities and Exchange Commission says insider trading is on the rise. Insider trading occurs when someone who has information that's not available to the general public trades on that information to make a profit. Some market watchers are comparing the current period to the 1980's, another period of Wall Street excess.
World Argentina's Unusual Approach Leads to Big Gains May 30, 2007 • Argentina's President Nestor Kirchner has overseen one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America. The turnaround followed three years of economic collapse in Argentina that left more than half the nation in poverty.
Technology Microsoft's 'Surface' Unveiled at Conference May 30, 2007 • Microsoft's new tabletop computer responds to human touch and can interact with devices like digital cameras and cell phones. The Surface was unveiled at the All Things Digital conference in Carlsbad, Calif. Michele Norris talks with Glenn Derene, senior technology editor for Popular Mechanics.
Opinion Analysis World Bank Continues Zoellick's Rise May 30, 2007 • In nominating Robert Zoellick to lead the World Bank, President Bush chose a former U.S. trade representative and deputy secretary of state who is often described as smart, capable, even brilliant. But Zoellick, who replaces Paul Wolfowitz, is also known for being tough, demanding, even arrogant.