http://www.mail.com/subjects/1332-consumer-products-services.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.20/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/1332-consumer-products-services.html http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1763186-smartphones-used-to-e-hail-nyc-taxis.html NEW YORK (AP) — Raising your arm and yelling "taxi!" is the old-fashioned way to nab a New York City cab. Soon, all you'll need is a smartphone app. New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission on Thursday approved a pilot program allowing riders to "e-hail" yellow cabs, starting Feb. 15 on a test basis. Until now, the city has banned yellow taxis from p... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:27:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1763186-smartphones-used-to-e-hail-nyc-taxis.html 2012-12-13T22:27:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1763438-dozens-sue-pharmacy-compensation-uncertain.html NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dennis O'Brien rubs his head as he details ailments triggered by the fungal meningitis he developed after a series of steroid shots in his neck: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, exhaustion and trouble with his speech and attention. He estimates the disease has cost him and his wife thousands of dollars in ou... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:05:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1763438-dozens-sue-pharmacy-compensation-uncertain.html 2012-12-13T22:05:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1765036-us-holiday-sales-slowly-pick-up-sandy.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers shook off Superstorm Sandy last month and stepped up holiday shopping, helped by a steady job market and lower gas prices. Retail sales rose 0.3 percent in November from October, reversing the previous month's decline. Sales increased mostly because Americans spent more online, bought more electronics and began to replace ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1765036-us-holiday-sales-slowly-pick-up-sandy.html 2012-12-13T20:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763580-fda-review-tobacco-products-grinds-to-halt.html RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Talk about a smoke break. Tobacco companies have introduced almost no new cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. in more than 18 months because the federal government has prevented them from doing so, an Associated Press review has found. It's an unprecedented pause for an industry that historically h... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763580-fda-review-tobacco-products-grinds-to-halt.html 2012-12-13T18:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1763992-apple-e-book-publishers-eu-find-competition-deal.html BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's competition watchdog has accepted proposals by four publishers and Apple to end agreements that set retail prices for e-books — a practice the EU feared violated competition rules. The decision reached Thursday is legally binding on Hachette Livre; Harper Collins; Simon & Schuster; and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrin... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:59:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1763992-apple-e-book-publishers-eu-find-competition-deal.html 2012-12-13T14:59:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763678-spanish-botched-fresco-artist-sells-work-ebay.html MADRID (AP) — The 80-year-old Spanish artist who became famous because of her botched restoration of a Christ fresco in a small-town church is auctioning one of her works on eBay for charity. Celia Gimenez's oil painting "Las Bodegas de Borja" ("Borja's Wine Cellar"), was fetching €620 ($808) Thursday, doubling its starting price after 31 bids. The sale c... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:06:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763678-spanish-botched-fresco-artist-sells-work-ebay.html 2012-12-13T11:06:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760350-hands-heritage-wary-chinas-reach.html GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN, France (AP) — Life in this French village revolves around wine. The backyards of its tidy houses nurture the grapes that have made Burgundy famous the world over. At an auto repair shop, everyone seems to have an opinion about the recent sale of a local vineyard to a Macau casino magnate. "It's a piece of French heritage that's heading ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:14:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760350-hands-heritage-wary-chinas-reach.html 2012-12-13T00:14:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1762476-right-to-work-law-michigan-unions-task.html LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Now that Michigan has become a right-to-work state, unions in this stronghold of organized labor confront a new and urgent problem: convincing members to continue paying for their services instead of taking them for free. Brushing aside protests from thousands of labor supporters, the Republican-controlled state House approved measur... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1762476-right-to-work-law-michigan-unions-task.html 2012-12-12T22:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760866-honda-recalls-than-870000-minivans-suvs.html DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling more than 870,000 minivans and SUVs worldwide because they can roll away even though drivers have removed the keys from the ignition. The recall announced Wednesday affects older-model vehicles sold mainly in the United States. They were big sellers with families because of their ample space and reputation for quality. Pr... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:41:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760866-honda-recalls-than-870000-minivans-suvs.html 2012-12-12T13:41:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1760704-us-economy-withstand-fall-cliff.html WASHINGTON (AP) — It's the scenario that's been spooking employers and investors and slowing the U.S. economy: Congress and the White House fail to strike a budget deal by New Year's Day. Their stalemate triggers sharp tax increases and spending cuts. Those measures shrink consumer spending, stifle job growth, topple stock prices and push the economy off ... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:18:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1760704-us-economy-withstand-fall-cliff.html 2012-12-12T10:18:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760468-zara-owner-inditex-sees-9-month-profit-up-27-pct.html MADRID (AP) — Spanish clothes retailer Inditex, which owns the Zara store chain, has posted a 27 percent increase in net profit for the first nine months of 2012 as it continued expanding in Asian and North America. Inditex said Wednesday that profit for the first nine months rose to €1.65 billion ($2.14 billion) from €1.32 billion in the same period last... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 07:41:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760468-zara-owner-inditex-sees-9-month-profit-up-27-pct.html 2012-12-12T07:41:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1759538-why-efforts-to-factory-fires-failed.html About a year and a half before a fire at a clothing factory in Bangladesh killed 112 people in November, executives from Wal-Mart, Gap and other big retailers met nearby to discuss ways to prevent the unsafe working conditions that have made such tragedies common. Representatives from a dozen of the world's largest retailers and fashion labels gathered wi... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:25:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1759538-why-efforts-to-factory-fires-failed.html 2012-12-11T21:25:00Z http://www.mail.com/sports/other/1759450-earnhardt-jr-2013-car-solid-review-test.html CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR spent almost the entire year developing its 2013 car in hopes the "Gen 6" model will dramatically improve the racing. After his first test drive Tuesday, NASCAR's most popular driver approved of the car. "This sport is going to be revolutionized again with this car," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. That's a ringing endorsement for NAS... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:57:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/sports/other/1759450-earnhardt-jr-2013-car-solid-review-test.html 2012-12-11T20:57:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1758282-oil-prices-rise-federal-reserve-meeting-starts.html Oil moved a little higher as a meeting of the Federal Reserve got under way Tuesday. Benchmark oil rose 23 cents to finish at $85.79 per barrel in New York. It was the first time crude closed higher after falling for five straight sessions. The Fed holds a two-day policy meeting and is expected to unveil a new bond-buying program designed to perk up the s... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:13:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1758282-oil-prices-rise-federal-reserve-meeting-starts.html 2012-12-11T19:13:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1757572-tests-hamper-food-outbreak-detection.html WASHINGTON (AP) — New tests that promise to speed up diagnosis of food poisoning pose an unexpected problem: They could make it more difficult to identify dangerous outbreaks like the one that sickened people who ate a variety of Trader Joe's peanut butter this fall. The new tests could reach medical laboratories as early as next year, an exciting develop... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:00:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1757572-tests-hamper-food-outbreak-detection.html 2012-12-11T19:00:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1758414-fifty-shades-dominates-publishing-2012.html NEW YORK (AP) — The story of 2012 in publishing was the story of "Fifty Shades of Grey," in more ways than one. E L James' erotic trilogy was easily the year's biggest hit, selling more than 35 million copies in the U.S. alone and topping bestseller lists for months. Rival publishers hurried to sign up similar books and debates started over who should sta... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:05:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1758414-fifty-shades-dominates-publishing-2012.html 2012-12-11T16:05:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1758186-us-wholesalers-boost-stockpiles-october.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesale businesses increased their stockpiles in October but their sales fell sharply, a mix sign for economic growth. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that stockpiles grew 0.6 percent in October. That's slower than September's 1.1 percent increase, which was the biggest gain in nine months. Sales in October fell 1.2 percent, ... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:43:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1758186-us-wholesalers-boost-stockpiles-october.html 2012-12-11T15:43:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1757826-german-vice-chancellor-slams-gm-opel.html BERLIN (AP) — Germany's vice chancellor has sharply criticized General Motors Co. over its decision to end car production at a German plant, arguing that the U.S. automaker was wrong to keep its European unit out of lucrative overseas markets. GM's Opel subsidiary said Monday it will stop making cars at Bochum, one of four German factories, in 2016 — thou... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:06:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1757826-german-vice-chancellor-slams-gm-opel.html 2012-12-11T10:06:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1756440-solid-evidence-elusive-right-to-work-debate.html LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder says one reason he supports right-to-work legislation in Michigan is the economic boost a similar law has given Indiana, although officials have provided no conclusive evidence that the policy by itself has drawn new businesses to the state next door. It's an example of the flurry of claims supporters and opponents w... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:16:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1756440-solid-evidence-elusive-right-to-work-debate.html 2012-12-11T00:16:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1756720-oregon-lawmakers-to-vote-nike-expansion-plan.html SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Athletic footwear and apparel giant Nike Inc. plans to expand its operations in Oregon and hire hundreds of workers but wants the government to promise that tax rules won't change, prompting a special session of the Legislature. Gov. John Kitzhaber said he'll call lawmakers together Friday in Salem to create a new law authorizing him to... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:10:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1756720-oregon-lawmakers-to-vote-nike-expansion-plan.html 2012-12-11T00:10:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1755678-mcdonalds-november-sales-figure-rises.html NEW YORK (AP) — McDonald's Corp. said Monday that a key sales figure rebounded in November, as U.S. customers snapped up the world's biggest hamburger chain's breakfast offerings and limited-time Cheddar Bacon Onion sandwiches. The increase follows a decline in October, the first drop in McDonald's key monthly sales gauge in nearly a decade. The company, ... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:28:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1755678-mcdonalds-november-sales-figure-rises.html 2012-12-10T20:28:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1756350-ford-software-update-will-fire-problem.html DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford will update software on 2013 Escapes and Fusions to stop their engines from overheating, a problem that has caused a small number of fires. Reports of nine fires prompted the automaker to recall more than 89,000 of the SUVS and midsize cars in the U.S. and Canada last month. No injuries were reported and only models with 1.6-li... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1756350-ford-software-update-will-fire-problem.html 2012-12-10T19:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1755884-maserati-confident-italy-output-despite-turmoil.html NICE, France (AP) — The CEO of Italian luxury carmaker Maserati is confident that parent company Fiat's €1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) investment to boost production in Italy will bring results despite political instability that once again was endangering the country's financial health. "I am a guest in this country and I won't make comments on the Italian p... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1755884-maserati-confident-italy-output-despite-turmoil.html 2012-12-10T18:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1755680-us-futures-fall-eu-political-strife.html NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. futures are lower after the surprise resignation of Italy's prime minister sent a jolt through European markets. A strong sales report from McDonald's lifted futures off earlier lows, however. Dow Jones industrial futures are down 1 point to 13,142. The broader S&P futures have given up 1 point to 1,415. Nasdaq futures are down 4.25 p... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:36:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1755680-us-futures-fall-eu-political-strife.html 2012-12-10T12:36:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1755326-gms-opel-to-car-production-german-plant.html BERLIN (AP) — General Motors Co.'s Opel unit said Monday that it plans to end car production at one plant in Germany in 2016, but a slimmed-down factory may continue to make components. Employees at the Bochum plant in northwestern Germany, one of four in the country, were told that vehicle production will end when the company stops making the current Zaf... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1755326-gms-opel-to-car-production-german-plant.html 2012-12-10T12:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1755374-dc-lottery-contract-subject-federal-probe.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal grand jury is investigating the awarding of the $38 million contract to run the District of Columbia lottery, a process that raises further questions about corruption in a city government already beleaguered by criminal prosecutions. Although no one has yet been charged in the lottery probe, authorities are looking for evidence... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:14:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1755374-dc-lottery-contract-subject-federal-probe.html 2012-12-10T09:14:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1754794-chinese-company-wins-bid-battery-maker-a123.html NEW YORK (AP) — Bankrupt battery maker A123 Systems Inc. on Sunday said it will sell most of its assets to the U.S. arm of Chinese auto parts conglomerate Wanxiang Group Corp. for $256.6 million. Wanxiang America Corp. won an auction conducted under the supervision of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. A123's government business will ... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 21:14:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1754794-chinese-company-wins-bid-battery-maker-a123.html 2012-12-09T21:14:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1754622-no-alcohol-ala-county-votes-dry-drinks-wet.html LINEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Clay County has almost 14,000 residents, around 100 churches and not a single place where you can buy a beer legally. There's no Bud Light in the cooler at the corner convenience store and no fine wine for sale at the Piggly Wiggly supermarket. But bootleggers a few streets away will sell you a can of beer for $1.25. ... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:24:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1754622-no-alcohol-ala-county-votes-dry-drinks-wet.html 2012-12-09T19:24:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1752892-booze-smokes-agenda-quirky-govt-group.html BELTSVILLE, Md. (AP) — Deep in a secure laboratory just outside Washington sits the federal government's heaviest smoker. It is a half-ton hulk of a machine, all brushed aluminum and gasping smoke holes, like a retrofit of equipment used on an Industrial Revolution production line. It can smoke 20 cigarettes at once and conclude which are unsafe because t... Sat, 08 Dec 2012 14:29:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1752892-booze-smokes-agenda-quirky-govt-group.html 2012-12-08T14:29:00Z