Google hosts all-girl coding party

Actress and producer Mindy Kaling was the host at an event geared toward getting more young girls interested in tech.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Made With Code aims to address what, according to Google's own research, are the top two reasons women don't get into computer science -- exposure and encouragement.

Actress and producer Mindy Kaling hosted the Made With Code launch event for the initiative in New York on Thursday night, where supporter Chelsea Clinton was also among the 150 in attendance. Clinton is Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, whose No Ceilings project works to further the full participation of women and girls in all parts of society.

"It was really powerful for the girls in the room, some of whom have never coded, to see the connection between art, music, dance -- the things they love -- and coding," said Reshma Saujani, founder & CEO of Girls Who Code, a partner of the Made With Code initiative.

Girls Who Code places high school juniors and seniors in coding classes within the walls of major private sector corporations like Google (GOOGL, Tech30), Twitter (TWTR, Tech30), eBay (EBAY, Tech30) and others.

The Made With Code website is a hub for interactive coding projects, video profiles of female coders merging their tech skills with their other interests, and a directory for coding classes, camps and opportunities from partner organizations.

Video profiles on the site include women and girls working in music engineering, studying human robot interactions and at the intersection of fashion and technology.

Related: Black girls take on tech's diversity woes

For the initiative, Google recruited partners and supporters including Girls Inc., Girl Scouts of the USA, MIT Media Lab, National Center for Women & Information Technology, Seventeen magazine, and the influential industry news site TechCrunch.

Google has also pledged $50 million to support nonprofits working to teach girls computer science.

Just a few weeks ago Google released a report revealing a severe gender gap within its own ranks. Only 30% of Googlers are women, with just 17% women on their tech teams. This week, Yahoo (YAHOF) followed suit by releasing numbers on their own staff. Despite having Marissa Mayer as CEO, Yahoo is only 15% female on the tech side of its business.

Related: Google: Overwhelmingly white and male

The numbers illustrate the industry's serious gender gap. In the United States, women make up only 28% of the science and engineering workforce, according to the National Science Foundation.

"We're building a movement here," said Saujani. "We're trying to reach millions of girls and teach them to code. We have a lot of work to do. This is just the beginning."

First Published: June 20, 2014: 4:06 PM ET

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Starbucks prices are going up

A tall latte will cost between 15 and 20 cents more after Tuesday.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

On average a drink will cost between 5 and 20 cents more, depending on what you order and where you're making the purchase.

The price of a tall or venti sized latte will go up by between 15 and 20 cents, for example. But the price of a grande (medium in plain-speak) sized latte won't change at all. The cost of a tall brewed coffee and any sized frappuccino won't change either.

The company estimates that the orders of fewer than 20% of its customers will be affected. The price is only changing in U.S. stores, but it will change more in some markets than others.

Related: Starbucks workers could pay $23,000 for 4-year tuition

Starbucks is also raising the price of its packaged coffee sold in grocery stores by about 8%, beginning July 21. While retailers ultimately set the price, customers can expect to pay about $1 more per 12 oz. bag.

The change will actually bring the price back up to what it cost in April 2013, when the company cut the cost, spokesman Zack Hutson said.

He would not specify why the price hike is going into effect, but said the company considers factors like "competitive dynamics" and its overall cost structure.

Hutson said the price hike is not a knee-jerk reaction to the recent rise in coffee prices, which have skyrocketed due to a severe drought in Brazil. Starbucks buys its coffee beans ahead of time and already has enough for the rest of the fiscal year, and some of the next, he said.

The price hike at Starbucks (SBUX) comes about two months after J.M. Smucker (SJM) raised the price of its coffee products, including those for Folgers and Dunkin' Donuts, by 9%.

First Published: June 20, 2014: 2:54 PM ET

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Friday Links

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A weekly collection of design, data and interactive links.

Photo/Video
Seismik | Herman Kolgen explores vertical layering dislocations
8-Bit 3D Art | Ron Burgundy and Boba Fett rendered in 3D printed pixels
Kodama | 20syl's new music video
Milky Way | Michael Shainblum shares 3 tips for photographing the Milky Way

Design/Data viz
Maschinenangst | Vera Idelson's costume and set design illustrations for the Italian Futurist play The Anguish of the Machines
The Story of EBoy | Watch the video, it's great
Visualizing MBTA Data | An interactive exploration of Boston's subway system
LazerBlade | The affordable laser cutter and engraver
Can you find Benghazi? | Can you accurately locate Benghazi?

Code
ArnoldC | A programming language based on the one liners of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Web Starter Kit | Boilerplate & tooling for multi-device development from Google

See last week's links

Have a nice weekend!
@dubly and @talyellin

First Published: June 20, 2014: 4:21 PM ET

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Which natural disaster will likely destroy your home?

What are the chances your home will get damaged by a tornado, hurricane, earthquake or fire? Click on the map above to find out.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi boast the dubious distinction of having the highest risk of getting hit by a natural disaster -- whether it be a tornado, earthquake or hurricane, according to RealtyTrac, which analyzed data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess natural disaster risk for more than 3,000 U.S. counties.

In Alabama's Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties, for example, tornadoes are seven times more likely to occur than the average U.S. county. The last huge tornado, a multi-vortex, hit three years ago causing 64 fatalities and $2.4 billion in damage.

Not only that, but hurricanes are another threat to the region. And that double whammy means premiums for property insurance can be much more expensive. Alabama's average homeowner's policy cost more than $1,100 a year versus a little more than $500 a year for Idaho, where insurance is the cheapest, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Related: Damaged home? How to get an insurer to pay up

RealtyTrac reported that 55% of homes in the U.S. are either in "very high" or "high" risk zones.

"The potential risk of a natural disaster may not be the first item on most homebuyer checklists for a dream home, but prudent buyers will certainly take this into consideration," said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.

As those who lost homes in Superstorm Sandy discovered, one major storm can be costly.

Sandy hit in 2012, killing 48 people and causing $32 billion in damage in New York State, most of it in New York City's five counties.

People who have rebuilt or bought homes in the hardest hit areas are facing sky-high flood insurance premiums of as much as $10,000 or more.

Finding a home that lasts

When buying a home in a hurricane-prone area check out the home's quality of construction and its ability to withstand a storm, said Blomquist.

Houses built in flood zones should be built on pilings high off the ground so storm surge waters can flow beneath without damaging the upper parts of the home.

Related: Dream beach homes for sale

With homes built in areas with high earthquake activity, like California, pay attention to how the home is framed and what can happen to some architectural details during an earthquake.

There's not too much one can do to withstand a fierce tornado but storm shelters can at least increase the odds of surviving a storm, even if your house does not.

Want to avoid all of these natural disasters altogether? Try moving to Minnesota or Montana. RealtyTrac reported that 23% of homes were located in medium risk counties while 22% were in low or very low risk counties.

Three of the four lowest risk counties are in Minnesota, outside Minneapolis, and on the prairie lands of Montana, around Billings. In these places, the biggest risk may be frost bite or bursting a water pipe.

First Published: June 19, 2014: 7:03 PM ET

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Coach to close 70 stores, stock tumbles

Coach has plunged nearly 37% this year. Click the chart for more information.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The stock tumbled 9%.

The move will shutter about one of every eight North American retail locations it operates. The company will also renovate key locations.

Coach (COH)'s handbags sell for several hundred dollars to mostly upper-middle class customers. Sales recovered after the Great Recession, but have since slumped, dropping 7% in the most recent quarter.

"The competitive landscape has shifted and we have not responded effectively," CEO Victor Luis told analysts Thursday.

Related: Coach is going out of fashion

So far this year, the company's stock is down nearly 37%. Its rivals, however, are seeing green. Michael Kors (KORS) is up 10% and Kate Spade (KATE)is up nearly 20%.

One bright spot for Coach is China. It said its market there would grow by 60% in the next four years.

First Published: June 19, 2014: 4:38 PM ET

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Damaged home? How to get an insurer to pay up

What are the chances your home will get damaged by a tornado, hurricane, earthquake or fire? RealtyTrac crunched the data in more than 3,000 counties nationwide to find out.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

And now some insurers are looking for ways to limit their losses by denying claims and sticking homeowners with the bill, said David Barrack, executive director at National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. "They've gone from 'good hands' to boxing gloves," he said.

Some insurers may write policies with exclusions that absolve them from paying for certain damages or use legal jargon that's difficult to understand, said Chris Maranges, a Miami-based attorney with Higer Lichter & Givner, who represents homeowners in property insurance litigation.

The insurance industry refutes such claims. "Insurers strive to pay all legitimate claims as rapidly as possible," said Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group. He also noted that policyholders are protected by laws in all 50 states.

Here are some steps you can take to help make sure you get paid when filing a property claim.

Document your holdings: Technology has made it easy to keep track of your belongings -- and the condition of your home.

Now, you can do a walk through with your smartphone and take photos or videos of your furniture, electronics, appliances, everything of value, including the home's physical features. Then email the visual evidence to yourself so you won't lose it.

Related: Which natural disaster will likely destroy your home?

Pay particular attention to documenting architectural details, said Maranges. Many policies have exclusions that enable insurers to turn down claims for wear and tear. If a roof is in poor condition, for example, and gets blown off in a storm, the insurer can say it was not maintained and it won't pay for the resulting water damage.

Keep records of previous repairs and maintenance so you can prove that the windows, roof, siding and other home features were in good shape. You can even take photos of these records in case you lose the hard copies in a disaster.

Move fast. Gather information as quickly and completely as possible. Try to make sure you uncover and document every bit of damage.

Many policies require prompt and early notice of a claim, said Maranges. In some cases, insurers may deny claims that were discovered later.

Especially in the case of disasters that cause widespread damage, it helps to contact insurers early on so you're at the top of the adjuster's list.

Prevent further damage -- but don't disturb the evidence: Board up broken windows, but don't start cleanup or other significant work until after the insurance adjuster comes.

Do not throw out damaged belongings until they have been examined and recorded by your insurer. That carpet that was ruined when a pipe burst may be a moldy mess but resist the urge to kick it to the curb until the adjuster gets there and tells you it's okay to dispose of it.

Also, if you have to live in a hotel for a while, or a rental apartment, keep the receipts. Those expenses should be reimbursed.

Consider hiring a public adjuster: If the claim is large, you might want to hire a public adjuster.

Public adjusters work for policyholders, not the insurance company. Typically, they are veterans of the insurance industry or they worked as contractors or engineers. In most cases, they are paid with a percentage of the claim, usually 5% to 15%.

Related: For sale -- dream beach homes

They can prepare objective estimates and describe the extent of the losses to the insurance adjuster. And they can help you withstand pressure from insurers to settle, said Maranges.

Often, policyholders accept low-ball offers from insurers because they don't know what they're entitled to, don't realize how much repairs cost or they're just worn down.

If all else fails, get help: If your claim is turned down, you can lodge a complaint with your state regulator.

Otherwise, Maranges advises that you hire an attorney to take a look at the denial letter. And if you succeed in proving your claim it doesn't have to cost you too much money.

In some states, like Florida, courts may order attorney fees be paid by the insurance company if the plaintiffs succeeds. That could mean $10,000 in legal fees on a $5,000 claim.

"That empowers homeowners," said Maranges.

First Published: June 19, 2014: 8:11 PM ET

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Ay, caramba! Argentina on verge of default

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The South American nation might not make its next interest payment that's due by July. Time is short, and Argentina is running out of options, especially after a major court ruling earlier this week went in favor of the creditors.

At this point Argentina only has one path: Negotiate with its remaining creditors, including several American hedge funds. That's what the country plans to do, according to reports Wednesday from Reuters and Bloomberg. Argentine officials are expected in New York next week.

Argentina's stock market tumbled a whopping 10% Monday as the default worries escalated, but it has since reversed some of those losses.

How did it get this bad? Back in 2001, Argentina's economy was in serious trouble, and the country defaulted on $93 billion in debt. In the years since, it managed to convince a large contingent of its creditors to take new bonds worth a fraction of the old ones. But some very patient hedge funds, including Elliott Management subsidiary NML Capital, decided to hold out for a fuller payment (they're nicknamed "the holdouts").

Meanwhile, Argentina paid its more agreeable creditors and ignored the holdouts.

Related: Despite risks, investors rush into risky debt

In 2012, Federal Judge Thomas Griesa of New York's southern district ruled that this wouldn't do. He ordered Argentina to turn over $1 billion to the spurned debt investors. Argentina appealed, but the Supreme Court declined to hear the case Monday.

The country's stock market fell 10% after the court decision, although it has rebounded the past two days and is now only 4% down for the week. The country's bonds have not been as lucky: both yields and the cost to insure Argentinian debt have spiked in the wake of the ruling. Yields rise when bond prices fall.

There's a lot riding on this for Argentina. This is "World Economic Cup" kind of pressure. If Argentina messes this up, U.S. investors will be far less likely to loan to the nation, and it needs the money. Annual GDP growth was just 1.4% last quarter, a slow rate for an emerging market economy, and the country had to devalue its currency in January.

Related: Here's some background on how rough things are in Argentina.

Henry Weisburg, a lawyer from firm Shearman & Sterling who specializes in international financial disputes and has been watching the case closely thinks that this week's developments mark the end of Argentina's court wrangling and open the door to other venues.

"I think that period is about to end, and this is going to become a much more political and financial matter," Weisburg said.

First Published: June 18, 2014: 5:34 PM ET

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Apple leads share buyback binge

Apple was one of the many S&P 500 companies buying back stock in the first quarter.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The companies in the S&P 500 spent a combined $159.3 billion to buy back their own stock stock during the first quarter of 2014, according to preliminary figures from S&P Dow Jones Indices. That's up 59% from the same period 2013. It was also $30 billion more than what those companies spent in the fourth quarter.

"Companies reached into their deep pockets this quarter," said Howard Silverblatt, senior analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. He added that companies bought back more stock than they issued during the quarter, reducing their overall share count.

It's a bit of financial engineering. By reducing the number of shares outstanding, companies are able to report higher earnings per share because profits are spread among fewer shareholders.

Earnings for 99 companies were boosted by at least 4% in the first quarter due to reduced share counts, said Silverblatt.

Some companies may have been attempting to offset the impact of bad weather on earnings during the first quarter. But the question now is whether there is a broader "shift towards more enhanced earnings via share count reduction," added Silverblatt.

In any case, Apple (AAPL, Tech30) has been one of the biggest spenders.

Related: Apple stock just got cheaper

The iPhone maker's buybacks reduced the company's overall share count by 7% over the past 12 months. That boosted earnings per share by 7% in the first quarter, according to the report.

Apple announced plans in April to increase its share repurchase program to $130 billion, up from $100 billion. The company also hiked its dividend by 8% to $3.29 per quarter, up 24 cents from the previous $3.05.

The moves came in response to pressure from activist investors, such as Carl Icahn and David Einhorn, who have pushed Apple to return some of its cash with shareholders. At one point, Apple had more than $100 billion in cash sitting on its balance sheet.

For the most part, Apple has financed its share buybacks by selling bonds.

Related: Investors hungry for corporate bonds

In addition to buybacks, companies have been rewarding shareholders with higher dividend payments.

The amount of money S&P 500 companies spent on buybacks and dividends combined was a record $241.2 billion in the first quarter. The previous record was set in the fourth quarter of 2007, when companies spent $233.2 billion to buy back stock and increase dividends.

First Published: June 18, 2014: 3:35 PM ET

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The million-dollar app that says 'yo'

The new 'Yo' app revolutionizes communication as we know it with one simple word.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A new mobile app called Yo lets users interact with friends and contacts in zero characters -- yes zero. And you thought 140 characters was tough! In place of an actual message, users send and receive push notifications with one simple, single, predetermined greeting: "Yo."

Here's how it works according to the app's how-to lesson; "Wanna say 'Good morning' to friends? JUST YO THEM. Wanna say 'Thinking 'bout you' to your love? JUST YO. Wanna say 'Are you up?' YO."

Yes, "yo" (present participle "yoing") is now a verb. No, it's not a joke.

Yo has garnered $1 million from investors according to its creator, Or Arbel. He just moved to San Francisco from Tel Aviv last week to pursue Yo full-time after quitting his gig as the co-founder and chief technology officer of a social investment startup.

Related: Amazon unveils 3-D Fire Phone

"The 'yo' means everything," says Arbel. That's a profound statement coming from the guy who first called the idea for the app "stupid."

The former iOS engineer at Mobli was asked by the company's CEO, Moshe Hogeg, to quickly cook him up an app he could use to ping his personal assistant in lieu of cumbersome texts and phone calls. After dismissing the idea and getting on with his busy schedule, Arbel eventually realized the genius. After an eight-hour coding session, Yo was born.

There is no email registration, no connecting with Facebook (FB, Tech30) or Twitter (TWTR, Tech30). You actually don't even have to open the app itself to reap its benefits. The "yo" can mean anything to anyone. It's totally up to you. It can mean you've arrived to meet your friend at the movies. Your kid is ready to be picked up from school. It's the new passing notes in class. The new smartphone side-eye without the side-eye emoji.

Related: Mobile apps overtake PC Internet usage in U.S.

Arbel sees real potential for the app to change communications beyond the social sphere, as well. Imagine ordering a tall double caramel macchiato at Starbucks (SBUX) and simply waiting for a "Yo" to come through your phone when it's ready, instead of straining to listen for a barista to shout your name. Or receiving a "Yo" from your airline at the airport when it's time to board your flight. In a recent real-life iteration, the user WORLDCUP is now sending out "Yo"s every time a team scores a goal in a championship football match.

The app is currently available for download from the Apple (AAPL, Tech30) app store and Google (GOOG) Play.

If you still don't get it, don't worry. "In the beginning, I didn't get it either," Arbel admits. It'll hit you soon...

First Published: June 18, 2014: 4:47 PM ET

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Government seeks to regulate maps apps

The Department of Transportation will issue guidelines on handheld devices behind the wheel.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently in the process of developing guidelines to address the use of handheld devices behind the wheel. The guidelines are expected to be released later this year.

"Safety is our top priority," the Department of Transportation said in a statement. "We're working to address all forms of distraction to reduce the amount of deaths and ensure drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel."

The move will follow the NHTSA's voluntary distracted driving guidelines released in 2013, which address drivers' use of in-vehicle electronic devices, including GPS navigation tools. News of the impending guidelines for handheld devices has led to speculation about the potential impact on the mobile navigation app market, including the wildly popular Google (GOOG) Maps, Waze, MapQuest and Apple (AAPL, Tech30) Maps.

Related: Get ready for car software updates

NHTSA maintains that it already has the authority to regulate and recall specific electronic devices, including certain apps on handheld devices, including those that can be considered accessories or additions to vehicles.

NHTSA is not currently planning on introducing mandatory regulations, however. It is seeking, as part of the GROW AMERICA Act transportation bill, to clarify its authority in the area as new technologies develop.

Currently, texting-while-driving is banned in 44 states and Washington, and the use of handheld cell phones while driving is prohibited by 12 states and Washington.

NHTSA's 2013 study on the impact of handheld and hands-free cell phone use while driving found that there is an extreme risk associated with drivers taking their eyes off the road in order to interact with mobile devices.

In April, NHTSA launched an $8.5 million National Distracted Driving Enforcement and Advertising Campaign, including a call-to-action for drivers to power down their electronic devices and put them out of reach while behind the wheel.

First Published: June 17, 2014: 2:23 PM ET

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