Health-care industry lobbies Congress over reform
The nation’s largest insurers, hospitals, and medical groups have hired more than 350 former government staffers and retired members of Congress to help them shape health-care reform legislation. The hirings are part of a record-breaking influence campaign by the health-care industry, which is spending more than $1.4 million a day on lobbying.
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Tonight Show sheds older viewers
Since Conan O’Brien took over as host of The Tonight Show last month, the median age of the NBC program’s viewers has fallen from 55 to 45. But while O’Brien has picked up younger viewers, he has shed many more older ones, recently drawing the smallest audience—3.3 million viewers—in Tonight Show history.
The New York Times
Manhattan housing prices fall nearly 20 percent
Manhattan housing prices have fallen nearly 20 percent in the past 12 months, with high-end properties taking the biggest hits. Buyers can now look forward to “bargains” like studio apartments for $400,000 and one-bedrooms for $600,000.
CNNmoney.com
52 banks have failed since January
The FDIC shuttered seven banks last week, bringing the total of failed banks thus far in 2009 to 52, compared with 25 for all of 2008.
Associated Press
Wall Street to trade California IOUs
Entrepreneurs and Wall Street firms are gearing up to trade IOUs issued by California in lieu of cash payments to vendors. Traders expect to pay about half of face value to IOU recipients who want their cash now, rather than whenever the state resolves its budget mess.
Financial Times