the new york times

2 Ways Walmart Is Making You Pay for Its Mexican Corruption

First, executives at Walmart de Mexico facilitated more than $24 million in bribes; then the parent company covered it up. Obviously, now that the crimes have come out, it's bad news for Walmart. Here's why they were bad news for consumers.

Why Gen Y Can't Get a Job: No Gumption, No Get Up and Go

You could just as well call them "Generation Why Bother." Amid our current hard times, the risk-averse and sedentary Gen Y-ers exhibit little of the gumption that helped prior generations survive their own periods of economic trouble.

Another Ex-Goldman Banker Confesses: Firm Is 'Toxic'

The fallout is still evolving from Greg Smith's public resignation from Goldman Sachs, a firm he called "toxic and destructive," where clients were mocked and their interests sidelined. In a DailyFinance exclusive, we have a response from another ex-employee who backs his claims -- and defends her former colleagues.

3 Simple Tax Terms That Have Been Redefined to Confuse Us

Is the U.S. tax code designed to be confusing? At more than 70,000 pages, its complexity is hard to overstate. But forget its size: Even in its most basic terms, the IRS seems determined to muddy the waters. To help you out, we've unpacked a few of the most weaselly weasel words.

A Free E-Reader? Yes ... But With a Pricy Catch

Want a free $99 Nook? It'll cost you. Barnes & Noble is offering its entry-level Nook Simple Touch free to people willing to pay $19.99 a month for a year's digital subscription to The New York Times. So is this a good deal, or not?

Why the NY Times Co. Will Never Be Great Again

New York Times is a survivor, but it's bleeding internally. Its stock has floundered in the single digits since March. It hasn't dished out a dividend in three years. Revenue has fallen every year since 2006. And its unclear if its Internet plans can sustain a traditional publisher.

Lean Bonus Season Ahead for Wall Street Bankers

With unemployment still high, late mortgage payments rising, and the number of Americans in poverty at record levels, it seems that Main Street is headed for a hard, cold holiday season. But, somewhat surprisingly, so too are the fat cats of Wall Street -- relatively speaking.

Save Your Sole and Your Budget: Run Barefoot

Want to save $500 a year, be as fit as a lion, and stick it to big corporations? If you're a runner, it's easy. Give up running shoes and go barefoot. Your gait will improve, you'll suffer fewer injuries, and you'll be making great strides toward easing your budget, devotees insist.

Halloween's Eerie Evolution Into a $6 Billion Industry

Looking for a last-minute costume is easy these days. In strip malls across the country, temporary Halloween stores have popped up like an orange-spotted rash. But not so long ago, it was a very different holiday.

The Financial Landscape: Are the Unemployed Against Their Benefits?

The New York Times has found some unemployed people to argue against an extension of jobless benefits: "In a recent survey of the unemployed by Rutgers University, more than one in four respondents was opposed to renewing the current extended unemployment benefits.

Was Dr. Oz's Apple Juice 'Crisis' a Ratings Ploy?

Last week, TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz took on apple juice, declaring that the classic drink may be slowly poisoning America's children with arsenic. But the FDA and the juice companies have credibly refuted his claims. So was Dr. Oz's announcement meant to be a legitimate health warning, or just a cynical attempt to boost ratings?

Is Your Doctor on Big Pharma's Payroll?

Drug companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year to influence doctors' prescribing habits -- money that often goes directly into physicians' pockets for "consulting fees" and "educational presentations." Wondering if your doc is one of them? The nonprofit journalists at ProPublica can tell you.

Starbucks CEO Invites Concerned Citizens to Chat

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has grand plans to cut through the partisan noise and remind our country's politicians of their problem-solving duties: On Tuesday, he's hosting a gigantic, public telephone town hall, and asking all "concerned Americans" to join his movement and participate.

Irene's Aftermath: Economic Boost or Partisan Battlefield?

Now that Hurricane Irene has passed, it's time to get back to discussing the country's biggest unnatural disaster: the economy. But here, too, Irene is making her impact felt, as economists and pundits across the country debate whether the hurricane will help or hurt America's bottom line.