Your customized news for Wed, Feb 15, 2012

There are two interpretations of the Republican offer to extend the payroll tax cut without any offsets or preconditions. Interpretation the first: Huge cave by the GOP! Interpretation the second: Look out, Democrats! It's a trap!

Throughout the ups and downs of Washington real estate, Wheaton has maintained a stable of locally owned funky and unique restaurants and small businesses. Consider Full Key for shrimp dumpling soup or Barry's Magic Shop for "The Ultimate Vanishing Coin."

Yahoo has reportedly broken off talks with its partners in Asia to work out a deal to drop its holdings in China and Japan and save Yahoo over $4 billion in U.S. taxes.

All Things Digital's Kara Swisher reported Tuesday that "sources close to the situation" have said that the discussions have reached an impasse. Those sources blame Yahoo for changing its demands.

Hackers working from China have reportedly had access to Nortel's networks since breaching the telecommunication company's networks as far back as 2000. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, hackers stole seven passwords from Nortel's top executives, granting them access to reports, business plans, employee e-mails and other documents.

Europe's proposal for a new bailout of Greece would pump $170 billion into the country in the next three years and slice the value of the Greek bonds held by private investors by more than half.

But even if all goes well, the country would still labor under a mountain of debt that it may not be able to afford. If Greece misses its economic growth targets by even a small amount, this new bailout would run aground, international debt experts and analysts said.

Europe's proposal for a new bailout of Greece would pump $170 billion into the country in the next three years and slice the value of the Greek bonds held by private investors by more than half.

But even if all goes well, the country would still labor under a mountain of debt that it may not be able to afford. If Greece misses its economic growth targets by even a small amount, this new bailout would run aground, international debt experts and analysts said.

- Conor Clarke thinks the structure of the online dating market makes it destined to fail.

- A real marriage proposal, in one infographic.

- Five places where Valentine's Day is banned.

- Fourteen ways economists say "I love you."

Normally, gas prices don't spike until the summer, when driving picks up. Not this year. Gas prices are already surging to $3.50 per gallon nationally, in part because a number of refineries in the Northeast, Texas and Louisiana shut down early for maintenance (they usually do this each year around March to switch from winter to summer fuel blends). Many analysts are predicting $4-per-gallon gas or higher by May. Is this survivable?

When the White House offered up accommodations on the health reform law's mandated coverage of birth control Friday, it felt like a momentary detente. The new provision — which would have insurance companies pay for an employee's birth control rather than a religious employer who objected — came with a wave of endorsements. It won over many liberal Catholics who had initially opposed the requirement, such as the Catholic Health Association's Carole Keehan.