In fact, just make it a week. Lots of folks are taking advantage of the Wednesday holiday and plunking down a couple vacation days to enjoy an extended July 4 break. But will consumer spending stretch along with it? Alisa Roth reports.
Some of life's little mysteries have simple economic explanations behind them. Econ professor Robert Frank shares a few, and the philosophy behind his book and the assignment that gets everyone thinking about everyday life in cost-benefit terms.
Universal Music is refusing to renew its annual contract with Apple to make its music available on iTunes. The at-will arrangement means Universal could yank its big name artists at a moment's notice. But that seems unlikely, Dan Grech reports.
McDonald's plans to recycle its used cooking oil to run its delivery trucks in the U.K. by year's end. The move may not save the company money, but it says it'll reduce its carbon emissions by 78 percent and it could boost sales along with its green image.
New evidence suggests 2007 is on track to become the planet's second warmest year on record and climate experts predict that droughts, floods and heat waves will only get worse. That doesn't bode well for the nation's aging power grid, Sam Eaton reports.
Today China is the No. 1 destination for foreign direct investment among developing nations, but with taxes and labor costs are rising, some are worried about companies leaving for countries like India and Vietnam.
Starting this fall, the nation's public schools will have less money to spend on abstinence-only sex ed. The Democrats who now control Congress have different priorities for the $50 million grant that used to fund it. Stuart Cohen reports.
Now's the time of year when many people who heat their homes with oil get a chance to lock in prices for next winter. But there's no guarantee prices won't fall. Steve Tripoli looks at whether it's worth the gamble.