More Americans bike to work

The number of Americans who bike to work jumped by about 60% since 2000, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau. Though nearly 90% of commuters still drive to work, the number of those biking grew the most over the past decade when compared to other types of transportation. One reason for the spike in bike riding could be that cities are encouraging cyclists by creating bike lanes and bike-share programs.


By riding bikes, many people are saving money as well as time. Biking cuts down the amount of time in traffic, and you also do not need to pay for gas or other repairs. Biking to local places such as jobs and activities is a good way to save money and a quicker, more efficient, way to travel.


http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/08/news/economy/bike-commuters-census/index.html?iid=SF_E_Lead

Hiring is up in April, unemployment down

"The jobs recovery is still chugging along, although at this pace it will still take years to get back to a pre-recession labor market." The U.S. economy added 288,000 jobs in April. While that's an encouraging sign that the economy is continuing to improve, the unemployment rate told a different story. That number, which comes from a survey of households, shows fewer Americans are joining the labor force and fewer people report they're employed. These trends led to the unemployment rate falling to 6.3%, its lowest level since September 2008.


Given the millions of jobs lost in the financial crisis, even modest hiring is still not enough to put the huge backlog of unemployed Americans back to work. But this is a good start as the countries economy begins to recover. 

http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/02/investing/april-jobs-report/index.html

Wal-Mart goes all, like, 'granola' on us

"The world's largest retailer and No. 1 purveyor of groceries in the U.S. is making a huge push into Whole Foods' territory of organic food." Walmart already sells 1,600 organic products, but Walmart is offering a new line of products under the Wild Oats brand. The difference is that they'll be offered at the same price as non-organic national brands and 25% cheaper than the organic national brands in its stores. The move reflects a bigger shift in the national consciousness around food. As we detail in the cover story, healthy, natural, and organic products make up a $150 billion segment that's set to grow 50% by 2018, according to one of Walmart's sales divisions. Shoppers in general aren't as brand conscious when it comes to organics because it's a new niche, says Phil Howard, a professor at Michigan State University, who teaches community, food, and agriculture. That's helped the ascent of the 365 brand and will likely also help       Wal-Mart get customers to try Wild Oats products. These new organic products will help customers to shop healthier for a cheaper price.

Falling soda sales: Not a trend, but a fundamental shift

"Coca-Cola and Pepsico must be judged not on whether they can resurrect their flagship brands, but on how well they can manage those brands' decline." Over the past nine years, soft drink sales have been declining. But this is much more than a trend. It is a fundamental shift in consumer taste and is a growing problem for soda makers. By the end of 2013, soda sales fell by 3%. This is the lowest it has been since 1995. Because of this, many companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsico have begun to invest in alternatives like new kinds energy drinks, sports drinks, and flavored water.

http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2014/04/01/soda-sales-coke-pepsi/

Candy Crush company founder left $1 billion on the table

          The game, candy crush, has become very popular in the past few years. In 2003 co-founder of the game, Toby Rowland, did not believe the game would be a success. In 2011 he then cashed out his stake in the company for just under $3.1 million dollars. Since that time the game has rapidly increased in value. It is among the most well know games world-wide. Today, the game is worth $7.6 billion, which would've made his share in the company worth over $966 million. The game averages 93 million players a day. It is very popular among social media sites such as Facebook. When Rowland was questioned about why he did not think the game would succeed, he did not reply.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/17/technology/social/candy-crush-ipo/index.html?iid=SF_T_Lead

The Hidden Costs of a Minimum Wage Hike

In the future as states, cities, and the government raise their minimum wage, workers taxes increase. "The minimum wage increase is not just the dollar an hour, but it's also a raise in our taxes," said Jason Lerner of Little Learner Academy. In New Jersey the minimum wage rose from $7.25 to $8.25 on Jan. 1. This adds an extra 10.5% of taxes from the pay of workers and local businesses. Although this will affect workers and their pay, businesses say that it will not have a large affect on them.


http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/22/smallbusiness/minimum-wage-taxes/index.html?iid=SF_E_River

Apple's CarPlay draws safety criticism

"Apple is making it easier than ever to use your iPhone in the car. Some auto safety experts think that's not such a good idea." The new CarPlay system from Apple allows drivers to make hands-free calls, dictate text messages and many other iPhone functions. This can very useful, but it also serves as a large distraction to drivers. David Teater, senior director at the nonprofit National Safety Council, says they are very concerned about the auto industry and the consumer electronics industry overlapping and allowing drivers to do many things other then driving. Although it is a hands free operating system, research has shown that it can be just as dangerous as holding a phone while driving. "The idea that people want to be on their phones, and therefore let's give them a way to do that -- that's not putting safety first, that's putting convenience and the desire to be in touch first," says Bruce Hamilton, manager of research and communications at the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. I agree that both can be dangerous but I also think it can benefit many people if you are responsible and use it for the right reasons.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/05/technology/mobile/apple-carplay/index.html?iid=H_T_News