Gay-partner benefits growing at Fortune 500 firms
SAN FRANCISCO — Corporate support for gay and transgender rights is reaching workers in new corners of the country and economy six months after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense...
View ArticleExtension of jobless aid at risk for thousands in region as Congress wrangles
WASHINGTON – A reported 6,240 people in Erie and Niagara counties stand to lose their extended unemployment benefits late this month unless Congress acts to renew the program, which was designed to...
View ArticlePrevent financial abuse of elderly acquaintances
It started when an alert broker called to let Alan Sims know that $3,360 was being withdrawn weekly from his 103-year-old friend’s brokerage account. Turns out that a live-in caretaker was padding her...
View ArticleWatch fees, time limits on gift cards
I get a lot of gift cards, and I bet you do, too.Since it’s often hard to buy for people, our friends and family have resorted to giving us these cards. Once seen as the lazy person’s go-to present,...
View ArticleThink twice before setting price
If you want to get the best price for your home, should you:A. Ask for more than you think it’s worth?B. Ask for exactly what you think it’s worth?C. Ask for less and count on a bidding war to push...
View ArticleHoliday shopping simplified
Overall, holiday shopping can be stressful from choosing the right gifts, sticking to a budget, avoiding the last minute-scramble and more. The December 2013 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from Consumer...
View ArticleGoogle extension enables voice search
Google has released an extension for its Chrome browser that will allow users to search the Internet with voice commands.With Google Voice Search Hotword, users can begin a search by simply saying the...
View ArticleXbox One vs. PlayStation 4
If you’re a serious gamer, these are exciting days. If you’re not a serious gamer, you can be excused for wondering what the fuss is all about.After a longer-than-usual product cycle, Microsoft and...
View ArticleThink before giving a pup as a present
Is there anything cuter than a puppy under the Christmas tree? It’s the gift that keeps on giving. And chewing. And barking and shedding and pooping and needing to go out exactly when nobody feels...
View Article5 shopping apps for the best prices
Looking to save a few bucks while you shop for holiday gifts? Don’t hit the mall without these shopping apps.Many retailers, for instance, will match deals you find elsewhere, so these apps can help...
View ArticleConsumers favor online retailers over stores
Americans who plan to shop for electronics this holiday shopping season might best be served by shopping online. In Consumer Reports’ latest ratings of electronics stores, websites as a whole outdid...
View ArticleOffers could tempt you to spend more
Head into the mall this holiday season, and you won’t just be bombarded by 50 percent off signs or two-for-one deals. Once you hit the cash register, someone is bound tempt you with more deals if you...
View ArticleDoes your driving deserve a discount?
We all think we’re good drivers. Now we can get data to back up our beliefs – and save money with our safe driving habits.Some of the country’s largest insurance companies are making available...
View ArticleGM names Mary Barra CEO
DETROIT — General Motors product development chief Mary Barra has been named the company’s new CEO, the first female head of a U.S. car company.Barra, 51, will replace Dan Akerson on Jan. 15. Akerson,...
View ArticleCuomo panel suggests tax cuts for individuals, utilities and businesses
ALBANY – In a likely preview of what Gov. Andrew Cuomo will propose in his 2014 budget, an advisory panel this morning recommended that the governor authorize a property tax “circuit breaker" that...
View ArticleOn the Record / Dec. 11, 2013
Hires/Promotions/Honors Lakelet Advisory Group, a service firm that specializes in assisting distressed companies and local governmental agencies, appointed Robert A. Campo manager – school districts...
View ArticleReport lists this year's risky toys
Dubbed “My first Disney princess,” and labeled as safe for children age 2 or older, Disney Baby Snow White looks like the perfect baby doll for a toddler.But a closer look by the New York Public...
View ArticleLake Shore hospital now expected to close Jan. 14
Lake Shore Health Care Center in Irving is now expected to close Jan. 14, more than two weeks earlier than previously planned, according to a union representing more than 200 TLC employees.SEIU 1199...
View ArticleStock market slips from record high
NEW YORK – Stocks fell modestly Tuesday as investors took a breather from a market that had notched yet another record high the day before.The market has hit several all-time highs in recent months,...
View ArticleFederal regulators OK Volcker rule to curb bank risk
Federal regulators voted Tuesday to approve a rule that strikes at the heart of Wall Street risk-taking, a moment that punctuates three years of internal squabbling and bank lobbying over an effort to...
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