Boeing

On Sept. 29, 2011, the first module of a new space station blasted into orbit, initiating an era of space exploration different in one key respect: We didn't launch this station; China did. And while China's ascendance to space superpower confirms changes in the global economy, you shouldn't count the U.S. out of space just yet.

Last year, 24/7 Wall St. put together a list of CEOs who need to retire, basing its judgment on quarterly earnings, stock price, and innovation. Now, with most large public companies having reported their second quarter results, 24/7 is back with a list of nine CEOs who are performing so poorly that they ought to be removed immediately. Read on to find out who, and why.

Several signs seem to point to a downward trend in the value of the dollar, which pundits would have you believe means financial catastrophe for Americans. But it doesn't have to be like that. There are ways to make money if our currency falls. Here are three things to look for.

The debt-ceiling discussions may be over, but the fallout for states is just starting. Many states, still struggling to recover to pre-recession levels, have depended on federal money to make up their shortfalls. As the flow of money slows, which states will take the biggest hits?

Following Congress's debt deal, the Pentagon faces up to $600 billion in cuts, on top of $400 billion previously demanded by the president. What might this mean for Lockheed Martin, the contractor whose F35 Joint Strike Fighter -- intended to be a "cost effective" project -- has already become a fiscal and logistical disaster?

Massive layoffs were both a cause and a symptom of the recent recession, but job creation began to revive late last year. Unfortunately, in May, the U.S. added only 58,000 jobs, and layoffs may be on the rise again. This time, they're taking a particular toll on state and local government workers.

The airplane maker and defense contractor's first-quarter profit topped expectations by 8 cents a share. Boeing also said its profit and revenue expectations for the full year are unchanged. And it still expects to deliver the new 787 during the third quarter.