Marilyn Geewax

Can A Huge Hog Deal Pose A National Security Risk?

Marilyn Geewax — Fri, 31 May 2013 15:14:00 +0000

Americans do love their bacon, but is that romance a national security issue?

Maybe.

This week, China's biggest pork producer announced plans to buy Virginia-based Smithfield Foods Inc. Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa wants a national security review by an interagency panel known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., or CFIUS.

"To have a Chinese food company controlling a major U.S.

What's Under Youngstown May Help What's On Top

Marilyn Geewax — Wed, 29 May 2013 19:21:00 +0000

A century ago, when fiery steel mills were roaring to life in Youngstown, Ohio, builders were racing to put up homes, storefronts, barbershops and more.

Today, many of those buildings sit empty and rotting. With the mills mostly gone and the population down 60 percent from 1960, to just 67,000, the city needs millions of dollars to tear down roughly 4,000 vacant structures.

This year, they may get help. It's possible that what's under the city could be converted into cash to help clear away what's on top.

U.S. Airlines Forecast a Sunnier Summer

Marilyn Geewax — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:09:00 +0000

After a long bumpy ride that started five years ago, the domestic airline industry seems to be pulling up and smoothing out.

The number of passengers planning to fly this summer will tick up 1 percent from 2012, climbing back to the highest level since 2008, an industry group said Thursday.

The airlines' profit outlook is also brighter, as jet fuel prices have settled down a bit.

Comp Time Or Cold Cash. Which Would You Pick?

Marilyn Geewax — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:12:00 +0000

Overtime or comp time? Which one suits you best?

Both you and your boss may agree it would be best for you to work a sixth day when a big project is due in March, and then take off for a long weekend in June. No big deal.

But under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, private employers must pay time and a half to workers who put in more than 40 hours on the job in any one week.

In most cases, workers are eager to get that overtime pay.

Flight Delays Push Congress To End Controller Furloughs

Marilyn Geewax — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:53:00 +0000

The U.S. Congress — a body not exactly known for its swift feet — raced Friday to complete legislation to help travelers avoid delays at airports.

The House voted 361-41 to approve legislation that the Senate passed without objection late Thursday.

Still In The Middle Class, But Standing On A Banana Peel

Marilyn Geewax — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:55:00 +0000

Most U.S.

Airport Delays Raise Questions About Controller Furloughs

Marilyn Geewax — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Some air travelers faced delays Monday as furloughs of air traffic controllers began taking effect.

The Federal Aviation Administration said that with fewer eyes on the skies, it was forced to delay some flights.

Will You Be Chained To A Smaller Check In Retirement?

Marilyn Geewax — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:46:00 +0000

When President Obama on Wednesday unveils his blueprint for the government's 2014 budget, he'll offer lots of ideas for changes in taxes and spending.

But the proposal likely to grab the most attention will be the one dealing with cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security recipients.

Cheap Natural Gas Pumping New Life Into U.S. Factories

Marilyn Geewax — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:16:00 +0000

The millions of Americans who lost factory jobs over the past decade may find this hard to believe, but U.S. manufacturing is coming back to life.

The chest compressions are applied by the pumping of cheap, domestic natural gas.

"We are entering a new era," says economist Jerry Jasinowski, a former president of the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group. He and other optimists are cheered by the increase in industrial production, which has grown at a 5 percent annualized rate since the Great Recession ended.

5 Things The Jobs Report Tells Us About The Economy (Or Not)

Marilyn Geewax — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:59:00 +0000

If you enjoy having a good argument, Friday's report on the labor market gives you plenty to chew over. Find a debate partner and let's get started.

First, these are the facts: The Labor Department data showed February was a good period for job creation. During the short, cold month, employers added 236,000 jobs — far more than the 160,000 most economists had been predicting.

Surely Congress Would Know Better Than to Hurt Airlines. No?

Marilyn Geewax — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:19:00 +0000

Those baggage fees, cramped seats and tiny pretzel bags to the contrary and notwithstanding, airline passengers enjoyed good times in 2012, according to an annual recap from Airlines for America, the industry trade group.

Last year was good because no U.S. commercial airline crashed, nearly 82 percent of flights arrived on time and only about three bags were mishandled for every 1,000 domestic passengers. Back in 2007, only 73.4 percent of flights were on time and seven bags were lost for every 1,000 travelers. Average fares ticked up, but only by a few dollars.

How The American-US Airways Merger Might Affect You

Marilyn Geewax — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:15:00 +0000

American Airlines and US Airways on Thursday announced they plan to merge to create the country's largest airline, with a route network stretching from coast to coast, and covering large swaths of Latin America, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean and Africa.

The merger would knit together American's parent company, Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corp., and Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways Group Inc. to form a new company worth about $11 billion.

Transportation Secretary: Duration Of Dreamliner Review Is Unknown

Marilyn Geewax — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:57:00 +0000

If you were dreaming of flying soon in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, you have to wake up: Federal Aviation Administration isn't rushing its review of the grounded aircraft.

"We need to get to the bottom of the recent issues with the batteries in the 787 and ensure their safety before these aircraft can be put back in service," U.S.

Investors Shun Gun Makers As Gun-Control Talk Increases

Marilyn Geewax — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:31:00 +0000

(Scroll down for a Tuesday morning update.)

On Wall Street, investors appear to be listening closely to the growing talk in Washington about curbing assault weapons.

Share prices for gun makers were down when the stock market closed Monday, on an otherwise positive trading day. The S&P 500 Index, a broad measure of stock performance, was up nearly 1.2 percent, but shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. tumbled 5.2 percent, to $8.65.

Red Alert: Aerospace Industry Counts Down to Cutbacks

Marilyn Geewax — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:05:00 +0000

It's red alert time for aerospace industry executives, workers and contractors.

As they mingled today at the Aerospace Industries Association's annual Year-End Outlook luncheon at a Washington Grand Hyatt, the bright red electronic digits kept counting down for them.

The ever-changing figures on the large digital clock, set up on the ballroom stage, reminded the roughly 300 luncheon participants of the time left before they feel the effects of massive, au