Timeout

There comes a time for all writers (and bloggers) when they need to take a sabbatical. This allows the author to refresh and reboot the spring of creativity. I have reached that point. I am going to take a few months off to pursue other activities. I appreciate the loyalty of my readers and hope that you take this time to reread some of my earlier work from my library of archives. If not, I look forward to serving you in the future when I return.

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You Are What You Do

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

-Frank Outlaw

Why Are We So Far Behind?

The US is ranked 35th in Math and 29th in Science worldwide.* Could this be the reason why are we so far behind?

Where To Live On $1,500/Month

Where to retire for $1,500 a month or less: Jason and Elizabeth Pearce found a place to live on Social Security income alone.

How to Retire Comfortably for Under $1,500 a Month: Jason and Elizabeth Pearce moved from Canada to Belize three years ago. They bought a piece of property on the sea. A year later, they built a house. Today, they live in a beautiful Santa Fe adobe-style home with gardens all around. The pair lives very comfortably, without wants or financial worries. They've had no trouble making friends in their new community because the folks in Belize speak English. They eat out three or four times a week. They barbecue lobster and filet mignon at home. They have reliable Internet to keep them connected to the outside world. By choice, they do not have a television. "I used to think that the news was important," Jason explains. "But not anymore." The retired couple has a maid and a gardener, each of whom visit once a week. And here's the best part. Jason and his wife are living on their Social Security income alone. In fact, they're living on Jason's Social Security income alone. Elizabeth's Social Security check goes into savings each month.

Everyone's spending habits are different, but here's a sample monthly budget for a couple living a comfortable expatriate lifestyle in Belize:
--Rent: $300
--Utilities, telephone, and Internet: $500 (Your biggest expense in this country.)
--Groceries: $150
--Health insurance: $50
--Entertainment: $100
--Car expenses: $300

One of the most appealing things about Belize as an overseas retirement choice is that it can make sense even if you're nowhere near conventional retirement age. Through Belize's Qualified Retired Persons program you can establish foreign residency as young as age 40. Belize is a beautiful little country. It's a peaceful, eco-tourist retreat home to more than 540 species of birds, 4,000 species of flowering plants, and 700 kinds of trees. Nearly 40 percent of the country is protected as parkland and natural preserves. Belize boasts the second-largest barrier reef in the world. This incredible underwater resource teems with colorful fish, coral, and unusual marine life, making the waters off this country's coast a fisherman's and diver's paradise. Despite all these natural attractions, Belize has managed to remain largely off the world's radar. It's a small country of about 350,000 people. It's also a young country, having gained independence from Great Britain in 1981. There are a lot of market niches waiting to be filled. Living here, you'll discover that life can be not only super affordable, comfortable, and adventure-filled, but also full of potential. Retirees in Belize are finding many interesting and sometimes lucrative ways to fill their days. Lara Lennon moved to Belize from Philadelphia in 2006 and developed a luxury swimwear line, Lemon Crush Belize. "Sitting on a friend's porch in San Pedro chatting about this and that in our tropical lives, I realized something: There existed nowhere in Belize a place to shop for dress bathing suits, the kind glamorous enough for a beach wedding or special enough for a honeymoon," Lennon says. Lara's swimwear is now featured in luxury boutiques in Belize and internationally. Starting a business takes drive and determination, Lara admits, but she has found the experience in Belize rewarding. "Best of all, I'm right where I want to be--with my friends on a Caribbean island, enjoying life," Lennon says. "Only now in better bathing suits."

'Material Girl', Ex Have Reason to Party

This Week's Celebrity Birthdays: 1. Monday, Aug. 16 - Madonna, 52: The 'Material Girl' turns a year older on Monday. See which other stars are celebrating birthdays this week.
2. Monday, Aug. 16 - Steve Carell, 48: Star of 'The Office' and several hit movies.
3. Monday, Aug. 16 - Timothy Hutton, 50: Star of TV's 'Leverage'.
4. Monday, Aug. 16 - James Cameron, 56: 'Avatar' and 'Titanic' director.
5. Monday, Aug. 16 - Kathie Lee Gifford, 57: TV personality and wife of Frank Gifford.
6. Monday, Aug. 16 - Frank Gifford, 80: Football legend, TV personality and husband of Kathie Lee Gifford.
7. Tuesday, Aug. 17 - Donnie Wahlberg, 51: Former member of New Kids on the Block and star of the upcoming TV show 'Blue Bloods'.
8. Tuesday, Aug. 17 - Sean Penn, 50: Academy Award-winning actor.
9. Tuesday, Aug. 17 - Robert De Niro, 67: Academy Award-winning actor.
10. Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Edward Norton, 41: 'Fight Club' and 'The Incredible Hulk' star.
11. Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Christian Slater, 41: Actor first rose to fame thanks to 'Heathers'.
12. Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Denis Leary, 53: Comedian and star of TV's 'Rescue Me'.
13. Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Robert Redford, 74: Academy Award-winning actor and director and founder of the Sundance Film Festival.
14. Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Roman Polanski, 77: Acclaimed but controversial film director.
15. Thursday, Aug. 19 - Matthew Perry, 41: Actor best known for his role on 'Friends'.
16. , Aug. 19 - Kyra Sedgwick, 45: Star of 'The Closer' and longtime wife of actor Kevin Bacon.
17. Thursday, Aug. 19 - John Stamos, 47: Actor known for his role on 'Full House'.
18. Thursday, Aug. 19 - Tipper Gore, 62: Former Second Lady of the U.S., she and husband Al recently separated.
19. Thursday, Aug. 19 - Bill Clinton, 64: 42nd President of the United States.
20. Friday, Aug. 20 - Demi Lovato, 18: Singer and actress who recently dated Joe Jonas.
21. Friday, Aug. 20 - Amy Adams, 36: Actress known for her role in 'Julie & Julia'.
22. Friday, Aug. 20 - Fred Durst, 39: Lead singer of music group Limp Bizkit and movie director.
23. Friday, Aug. 20 - Al Roker, 56: Longtime weather anchor on NBC's 'Today Show'.
24. Friday, Aug. 20 - Robert Plant, 62: Lead singer of rock group Led Zeppelin.
25. Friday, Aug. 20 - Connie Chung, 64: Longtime TV news anchor and wife of Maury Povich.
26. Saturday, Aug. 21 - Hayden Panettiere, 21: Actress who stars on TV's 'Heroes'.
27. Saturday, Aug. 21 - Usain Bolt, 24: Multi-gold medal winner at 2008 Olympics and world record-holder at 100 meters.
28. Saturday, Aug. 21 - Kim Cattrall, 54: Actress who starred in 'Sex and the City'.
29. Saturday, Aug. 21 - Kenny Rogers, 72: Country music legend.
30. Sunday, Aug. 22 - Giada De Laurentiis, 40: Celebrity chef and Food Network star.
31. Sunday, Aug. 22 - Tori Amos, 47: Acclaimed alternative rock singer-songwriter.
32. Sunday, Aug. 22 - Valerie Harper, 70: Starred in '70s hit TV shows 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and 'Rhoda'.
33. Sunday, Aug. 22 - Carl Yastrzemski, 71: Longtime Boston Red Sox star and baseball Hall of Famer.
34. Sunday, Aug. 22 - Norman Schwarzkopf, 76: Retired U.S. Army General who led the Coalition Forces in the Gulf War in 1991.

St. Vincent's Hospital Squandered Millions, Exaggerated Debts

Officials at the now-closed St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan grossly exaggerated their debt as their executives and consultants spent millions of dollars, according to papers set to be filed later today in Manhattan Supreme Court by a group of former employees. The documents say the hospital paid $278,000 for a golf outing, paid its top 10 executives a combined $10 million a year, spent $17 million for management consultants and spent nearly $4 million on professional fundraising. The petition also says the former Greenwich Village hospital's federal tax returns claim the facility spent $104 million on unspecified costs listed as "other." The lawyers filing the claim said they hope the suit will force the state Health Department to release documents that will explain what went wrong. St. Vincent's closed in April, citing a billion dollars in debt. "We estimate the amount of public money that we can track at this point that was going to this hospital was approximately $700 million," said attorney Thomas D. Shanahan. "The public deserves better than to hear a hospital was 'bankrupt' under a crushing $1 billion debt, when it seems they had substantial public monies coming in and that the hospital was mismanaged." "We're trying to compel the Department of Health to do the right thing, not only in disclosing the records that they already have receipt of, but also they should be holding public hearings," said attorney Yetta Kurland. "There is a greater imperative and a greater responsibility that the DOH has to ensure the health and safety of Lower Manhattan." The lawsuit will also push for a new medical center to be opened on or near the site of the former hospital. The lawyers also claim the billion-dollar debt was exaggerated in part by hundreds of millions of dollars in loans dumped on St. Vincent's by other medical entities run by the Sisters of Charity, which is affiliated with the Diocese of Brooklyn. A spokesman for the Diocese of Brooklyn disputed that claim, saying the debt should have been settled during a 2007 restructuring plan, after the hospital filed for bankruptcy five years ago. As of Sunday evening, the state Health Department and former St. Vincent's officials had not yet commented on the case.

Political Name-Calling Heats Up

Insults, nicknames get ugly as votes loom: Election-year tensions turn one race into a contest between a "mob banker" and a "serial liar."

Insults abound in 2010 campaigns: WASHINGTON – Name-calling is a winner this campaign season. By a landslide. In Illinois, dueling political wordsmiths long ago cast the Senate race as a choice between a "mob banker" and a "serial liar." The rivals are more generally known as Alexi Giannoulias, the Democrat, and Rep. Mark Kirk, the Republican. One of them will soon trade in his label for another: the distinguished senator from Illinois. Then there's Connecticut, and a statement the Democratic National Committee sent around referring to the Republican Senate candidate as Linda "crotch-kicker" McMahon. Asked about his choice of words, spokesman Brad Woodhouse said in an e-mail: "Well — her opponent ran that ad ... showing her doing it." She is a former executive of World Wrestling Entertainment. In the current election environment, calling an opponent extreme evidently isn't sufficient. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's latest television commercial attacks Republican challenger Sharron Angle as "too extreme." Political insults are as old as America itself, morphing into ever-new forms as television, the Internet, bloggers and Twitter replaced more technologically primitive forms of communication. Then, as now, they were intended to render a target loathsome. "(James) Garfield has shown that he is not possessed of the backbone of an angleworm," said Ulysses S. Grant, one president speaking ill of another. William McKinley "has no more backbone than a chocolate eclair," said Theodore Roosevelt, speaking of a man whom he served as vice president. Perhaps that partnership — and the fact that Roosevelt moved into the White House when McKinley died — led him to add that he had twice voted for the man he derided. But as the technology has become less primitive, name-calling seems more so. Instead of attacking a politician's views, many critics now choose to call the politician names and leave it at that. As in Kentucky, where Republicans recently aimed a sour shout-out at Jack Conway. The Democrat running for the Senate is "a mudslinging liberal trial lawyer," they said. If you're keeping score at home, that's three separate insults in a single phrase. Hypocrisy is also in this year. Or at least allegations of it. When Connecticut's Richard Blumenthal aired his first television commercial of the fall campaign, the Republican Senate campaign committee swiftly announced that his "hypocrisy is astonishing." The same idea is in the Democratic playbook. "How do you spell hypocrite? Toomey," read the headline of a recent Democratic attack on the Republican running for the Senate in Pennsylvania. True, not everyone may wish to engage in this type of name-calling. But in the Illinois Senate race, it seems everyone already has. For weeks now, Republicans have been calling Giannoulias a "mob banker." In April, federal regulators shut down his family's Chicago bank after it failed to raise new capital. Separately, the Chicago Tribune has reported that the bank in previous years had lent large sums to convicted felons Michael "Jaws" Giorango and Demitri Stavropoulos. Then it turned out that Kirk, a veteran of 21 years in the Navy reserves, claimed he won an award that went to his entire unit. And a letter from his office said erroneously that he served in the first Gulf War. He referred to taking part in the invasion of Iraq although he remained stateside. He has also said his reserve work sometimes includes running the Pentagon war room, even though it does not. The phrase "serial liar" was born, courtesy of the Democrats. Sometimes, the name-calling is intramural, rather than across party lines. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum recently referred in a statement to his Republican rival for governor as "career fraudster Rick Scott." Arizona Sen. John McCain aired an ad not long ago calling GOP primary opponent J.D. Hayworth "a huckster." In Georgia, one Republican candidate for governor, Karen Handel, said the other needed to "put on big boy pants." Memorable, for sure. But effective? Former Rep. Nathan Deal's choice in trousers seemed fine with Georgia GOP voters. He won the primary.

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To Reach The Top You Have To Survive The Valleys

Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

-Winston Churchill

Star's Daughter Turns to Porn

Celebrities and Porn: 1. Montana Fishburne, the 18-year-old daughter of acclaimed actor Lawrence Fishburne, made waves recently when she released a porn tape and talked candidly about her decision to pursue pornography as a career. See other celebrities who have had interesting links with the adult industry.

2. McCarty (left), who was crowned Miss USA in 1991, transitioned over to porn after a career as a TV actress. 'I enjoy acting, and I really like sex,' McCarty explained. 'So this was the perfect opportunity to combine two of my passions.'

3. Sasha Grey is looking to make the opposite move of McCarty. After becoming a highly popular porn star, Grey is trying to move into mainstream acting. She recently starred in the Steven Soderbergh film 'The Girlfriend Experience'.

4. Shortly before she committed suicide in 1999, former 'Diff'rent Strokes' star Dana Plato (center) ventured into softcore pornography, including 1997's 'Different Strokes: The Story of Jack and Jill ... and Jill'.

5. Like Plato, Jaimee Foxworth is a former child star who turned to porn. After appearing on TV's 'Family Matters', Foxworth battled personal issues before turning to adult movies, in which she usually appears under the name 'Crave'.

6. With his career floundering after his run as Screech on 'Saved by the Bell', Diamond allegedly attempted a publicity stunt by leaking a sex tape in 2006.

7. One of the most famous porn stars of all time, Lords quit the industry at an early age to pursue a career in music and as a mainstream actress. She has appeared in numerous TV shows and several of her songs have been hits. She also wrote a best-selling autobiography in 2003.

8. Earlier this year many were surprised when the news came out that troubled actress Lindsay Lohan would star in 'Inferno', a movie based on the life of early porn star Linda Lovelace.

9. Bobbitt became notorious in 1993 when his wife Lorena attacked his private parts with a knife. He tried to capitalize on his new-found fame by starring in two porn films.

10. Before he became known as Sandra Bullock's husband, and then ex-husband, motorcycle maven Jesse James created a stir with his 2002 marriage to porn actress Janine Lindemulder. Their marriage lasted just one year.

11. At least two porn stars were linked romantically to Tiger Woods, including Joslyn James, who claimed that the golfer got her pregnant.

Dr. Laura's Racial Rant

Dr. Laura apologizes for saying N-word on the air: LOS ANGELES — Talk radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger has issued an apology for saying the N-word several times in an on-air conversation with a caller that she said was "hypersensitive" to racism. Schlessinger said on her website Wednesday that she was wrong in using the word for what she called an attempt to make a philosophical point. "I articulated the N-word all the way out _ more than one time," Schlessinger said in comments from the opening of her radio show that she posted on her site. "And that was wrong. I'll say it again _ that was wrong." She said she "realized I had made a horrible mistake, and was so upset, I could not finish the show." Schlessinger said she pulled herself off the air at the end of the hour. During the exchange on Tuesday's show, Schlessinger said the woman who called herself Jade was too sensitive for complaining that her husband's friends made racist comments about her in their home. When the woman asked if the N-word was offensive, Dr. Laura said "black guys say it all the time," then went on to repeat it several times. Schlessinger did not direct the epithet at the woman, but said she used it to suggest how often she hears it, and that it should not automatically be cause for offense. When the caller objected, Schlessinger replied: "Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians." Schlessinger also said that if the caller did not have a sense of humor about race, she shouldn't have entered into an interracial marriage.

Flight Attendant Wants Job Back

Lawyer: NY flight attendant wants to return to air: NEW YORK — The renegade flight attendant who cursed out a passenger and emergency-chuted to folk-hero status thanked the world for its support and said he wants to go back to work. Steven Slater, 38, said through his lawyer Thursday that he loves flying. "His hope is to return to the aviation business," attorney Howard Turman told reporters as Slater stood by his side outside his home in Queens. Slater's career appeared to end Monday when he went on the public address system after a JetBlue flight from Pittsburgh, swore at a passenger who he said had treated him rudely, grabbed a beer and exited via an emergency chute. He was later arrested. Asked about Slater's desire to return to work, JetBlue spokesman Mateo Lleras said: "As of right now, he has been released of duty pending the investigation. There's nothing more I can say." Turman portrayed his client as hardworking, loyal and surprised by his own overnight fame. Slater "wants to thank the world for its understanding," Turman said, referring to the Internet and media response to his client's public unraveling. "This is a man who only cares about his industry," the attorney said, adding that Slater especially cares about JetBlue, which "has been a fair and understanding airline." While Slater's actions have prompted support from people who have fantasized about making a similar exit from an unpleasant job, some passengers have come forward to criticize him as brusque and cranky throughout the 90-minute trip. One passenger portrayed Slater as the instigator, saying he cursed without provocation at a woman who had asked about her bag. Slater would not talk about his actions Thursday. He smiled silently for most of the 10-minute news conference, then offered a brief thanks to the public, saying, "It's been amazing, the support and love ... everything that's been brought to me." Turman denied Slater was belligerent and said the entire affair can be blamed on a "lack of civility on the part of one passenger." Passenger Lauren Dominijanni, 25, of Pittsburgh, said that during the trip, when she asked Slater for a wipe to clean up coffee that had been spilled on her seat, he rolled his eyes, blurted an exasperated "What?" and gestured to the gash on his head. He then told her he needed to take care of himself first, she said. Later, after the plane landed, passengers said they heard Slater and other crew members repeatedly instruct a passenger to remain seated until the jet reached the gate. The traveler apparently didn't listen. Slater ultimately had to leave his seat to get the person to sit down. Authorities said Slater had grabbed at least one beer from the jet's galley before jumping out. Turman denied that his client had been drinking during the flight. Asked about Slater's references on a social networking site about his battle with addiction, Turman would not comment. Slater faces charges of criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing.

Famous Bike Sold At Yard Sale

Man finds hidden gem at yard sale: A bicycle bought in Kentucky ends up being worth much more than the $5 price tag.

Bike bought for $5 at yard sale belonged to Floyd Landis: The bicycle at a Kentucky yard sale had two flat tires, broken pedals and carried a $5 price tag. That didn't stop Greg Estes from buying the bike in hopes of flipping it for a small profit. He should get his wish, to the tune of a few thousand dollars. It turns out the broken-down bicycle was originally owned by Floyd Landis, who rode it in a race in 2007. The bike was built especially for Landis, complete with custom pedals that look foreign to those unfamiliar with professional cycling (hence the original seller's belief that the pedals were broken). It retailed for $8,000. Landis rode the bike in a mountain-bike race one year after winning the Tour de France. That title, of course, was later stripped after the American cyclist tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Landis is currently banned from the sport, but has stayed in the spotlight with his accusations against Lance Armstrong and other athletes. Estes told the Owenton News-Herald that the bike was found abandoned on an interstate and nobody ever reported it lost or stolen. He says he'll return the bike if someone claims it. For now though, authorities say it belongs to him. I can understand someone thinking the bike wasn't worth a few thousand dollars. After all, how many abandoned bikes are custom-built jobs for Tour de France winners? But five dollars? That seems a little low. If I were having a yard sale I'd have probably put a $5 tag on the bike's water bottle. Even if the bike were an actual piece of junk, wouldn't, say, $25 be a more appropriate asking price?

Anyway, just like he said, the Owenton, Ky., resident showcased his new bike at his own yard sale. Estes' asking price? Six-thousand dollars.

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Books Come In Many Shapes & Sizes

Every time we open our mouths, men look into our minds.

-Reginald P. Carelock

Mysterious Death Of Olympic Star

Prominent Sports Deaths in 2010: 1. Aug. 10 - Antonio Pettigrew, 42, U.S. Olympic star: Pettigrew, who was part of the 1,600-meter U.S. relay team that won gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, only to have the medals stripped after Pettigrew admitted doping, was found dead in the backseat of his car. See other top figures from the world of sports who died this year.

2. July 28 - Lorenzen Wright, 34, NBA player: Wright's body was found in woods outside Memphis after he had been missing for 10 days. He was shot to death in what police are calling a homicide.

3. July 27 - Jack Tatum, 61, NFL player: All-Pro safety for the Oakland Raiders best known for his hit that paralyzed Darryl Stingley in an NFL preseason game in 1978.

4. July 23 - Kaye Cowher, 54, wife of former NFL coach Bill Cowher: Kaye Cowher died of skin cancer in her native North Carolina.

5. July 21 - Ralph Houk, 90, baseball manager: Former manager of the Yankees and Red Sox.

6. July 13 - George Steinbrenner, 80, baseball owner: Rebuilt the New York Yankees into a sports empire with a mix of bluster and big bucks that polarized fans all across America.

7. July 11 - Bob Sheppard, 99, baseball P.A. announcer: Longtime Yankees public address announcer.

8. July 8 - Mel Turpin, 49, NBA player: Turpin, a former NBA player and All-American Kentucky center, committed suicide.

9. July 5 - Bob Probert, 45, NHL player: Probert died after suffering chest pains while boating with his family. He played for the Red Wings in 1985-1994 and for the Blackhawks in 1995-2002.

10. July 1 - Don Coryell, 85, NFL coach: The innovative coach whose Air Coryell offense produced some of the most dynamic passing attacks in NFL history.

11. June 4 - John Wooden, 99, NCAA basketball coach: College basketball's gentlemanly Wizard of Westwood who built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and became one of the most revered coaches ever.

12. May 23 - Jose Lima, 37, baseball player: Former pitcher for several teams.

13. May 9 - Erica Blasberg, 25, golfer: Had her bags packed for a tournament in Alabama when she died suddenly at her home in Nevada. Blasberg's sudden death is being investigated.

14. May 6 - Robin Roberts, 83, baseball player: Hall of Fame pitcher who starred for the Phillies.

15. May 4 - Ernie Harwell, 92, baseball sportscaster: Beloved by generations of baseball fans who grew up enraptured by his rich voice, Southern cadence and quirky phrases on the radio.

16. April 2 - Mike Cuellar, 72, baseball player: Former cy Young Award-winning pitcher who starred for the Orioles.

17. March 11 - Merlin Olsen, 69, football player: NFL Hall of Fame player for the Los Angeles Rams and popular television actor and sports broadcaster.

18. March 9 - Willie Davis, 69, baseball player: Won two World Series and three Gold Gloves during 14 seasons with the Dodgers.

19. February 23 - Mosi Tatupu, 54, football player: Popular member of the New England Patriots and father of Seahawks star Lofa Tatupu.

20. February 16 - Jim Bibby, 65, baseball player: Played 12 years in the majors and pitched the first no-hitter in Texas Rangers history. He was a member of the Pittsburgh team that won the 1979 World Series, starting two games against Baltimore, including the deciding seventh game.

21. February 12 - Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, Olympic athlete: Crashed during a training run on the Olympic luge course in Vancouver and died a short time later.

22. January 17 - Gaines Adams, 26, football player: Fourth overall pick in 2007 draft died of a sudden heart attack.

K-Rod In Custody Following Scuffle With Relative

Mets relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez was taken into police custody Wednesday night after allegedly getting into a fight with a relative at Citi Field. The 28-year-old will be charged with third-degree assault. Police say Rodriguez' father-in-law suffered minor injuries to the head and was taken to a local area hospital. The incident reportedly took place after the Mets' 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

Wells Fargo Must Return Fee

Judge slams Wells Fargo for overdraft fees: There is "no doubt" that the bank is profiteering from its fee policy, a U.S. district judge says.

Judge orders Wells Fargo to pay back $203M in fees: A federal judge in California ordered Wells Fargo & Co. to change what he called "unfair and deceptive business practices" that led customers into paying multiple overdraft fees, and to pay $203 million back to customers. In a decision handed down late Tuesday, U.S. District Judge William Alsup accused Wells Fargo of "profiteering" by changing its policies to process checks, debit card transactions and bill payments from the highest dollar amount to the lowest, rather than in the order the transactions took place. That helped drain customer bank accounts faster and drive up overdraft fees, a policy Alsup referred to as "gouging and profiteering." Wells Fargo adopted the policies beginning in 2001, and they became widespread across the banking industry. It is unclear how the ruling would apply to the rest of the industry. The ruling detailed the experiences of two Wells Fargo customers who used their debit cards for multiple small purchases, and were then charged hundreds in overdraft fees because the order the purchases were cleared by the bank depended on the amounts. The judge found the customers, who were part of a class action, were not properly informed of the bank's policies on processing payments and were unaware the bank would allow debit purchases to go through when their accounts were overdrawn. "Internal bank memos and e-mails leave no doubt that, overdraft revenue being a big profit center, the bank's dominant, indeed sole, motive was to maximize the number of overdrafts," Alsup wrote. That policy would "squeeze as much as possible" from customers with overdrafts, in particular from the 4 percent of customers who paid what he called "a whopping 40 percent of its total overdraft and returned-item revenue." The judge dismissed Wells Fargo's arguments that customers wanted and benefited from the policies, and detailed evidence he said showed efforts to obscure the practices in statements and other materials. Wells Fargo's online banking system, for example, would display pending purchases in chronological order, "leading customers to believe that the processing would take place in that order." "The supposed net benefit of high-to-low resequencing is utterly speculative," he wrote. "Its bone-crushing multiplication of additional overdraft penalties, however, is categorically assured." Alsup also criticized the bank for allowing overdraft purchases after accounts had been drained by offering a "shadow line of credit" that customers were unaware existed. The decision noted that the Federal Reserve has outlawed some of the practices detailed in the case, most notably debit card overdrafts permitted without customers agreeing to accept overdraft protection. Judge Alsup ordered Wells Fargo to stop posting transactions in high-to-low order by Nov. 30 and to reverse overdraft fees charged to customers from Nov. 15, 2004, to June 30, 2008, as a result of the policy. A study cited in the decision by a Wells Fargo witness put the restitution at "close to $203 million." Wells Fargo spokeswoman Richele Messick said the bank is "disappointed" with the ruling. "We don't believe the ruling is in line with the facts of this case and we plan to appeal," she said. Messick noted that Wells Fargo changed its policies earlier this year, and customers can no longer incur more than four overdraft charges in one day. Wells Fargo shares closed Wednesday trading down $1.47, or 5.3 percent, at $26.30, as the broader markets dropped sharply on economic concerns, with banks being particularly hard hit. The case, heard in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, is Gutierrez vs. Wells Fargo.

Huge Mistake On NHL Trophy

Huge mistake made on NHL trophy: A Blackhawks fan questions his sanity until officials finally admit to crediting the wrong team.

No hoax: Capitals mistakenly engraved on Prince of Wales Trophy: No hoax: Capitals mistakenly engraved on Prince of Wales Trophy He posted several images to his online gallery and sent them around to Chicago media. But it failed to garner any reaction; perhaps an alleged mistake that egregious, in this electronic media age, felt as if it could have been a hoax or a practical joke created by Photoshop. Professional journalists, bloggers, fans ... none were willing to accept the images' validity, especially with one random fan in Chicago as the only person writing about it. "I was getting frustrated as a fan, but I'm a cynical guy myself. I had my family look at the pictures for me, [saying] 'Can you guys tell me I'm not crazy?'" said Millhouser. "But it's not like I thought someone put the Capitals on there on purpose." RockTheRed.net, a Capitals blog, finally gave a spotlight to the engraving faux pas last week. But it didn't make headlines until Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia became suspicious of the photos. It contacted the Hockey Hall of Fame, and a spokesperson "confirmed" that they were a fabrication. CSN Philly labeled them a hoax, and closed the case. One problem: The images were completely accurate. Hockey Hall of Fame spokesperson Kelly Masse told Puck Daddy on Wednesday that for a brief moment this summer, and at the Blackhawks Convention, the Washington Capitals were listed as 2009-10 Eastern Conference champions on the actual Prince of Wales Trophy. "It was not Photoshopped. It was a real picture," she said. "What happened was that it was incorrectly engraved, and the Hall of Fame people with the trophy realized it in Chicago. When they got back from Chicago, they got it properly engraved." When his photos were labeled a hoax, and a probable Photoshop manipulation, Millhouser went on the offensive, starting and writing a blog that offered evidence and justification for their validity. From the blog: It took the word of the Hockey Hall of Fame, who couldn't just take a current photo to end all of the speculation right there and then. It went on to say decisively that it wasn't real and the photos were somehow altered. Despite the fact, that I reported it right away, took shots from many angles, and then immediately uploaded them from my phone, they had to be altered, right? Not to mention that I don't own a computer, and rely on my droid for all my internet connections. (I had to go to my parents' house 30 miles away to finally reach a computer and write this.) Why did the Hockey Hall of Fame label the images a hoax, only to reverse its position? "The person that was speaking with the media thought they meant the trophy at the Hall of Fame at that day," said Masse. "When the Prince of Wales Trophy is traveling, there's a secondary trophy here for the fans to see at the Hall. That one has not been engraved yet. The one that was in Chicago was engraved." Engraved, it turns out, incorrectly. So how did that happen? How did the Washington Capitals, eliminated in the first round of the 2009-10 playoffs, end up where the Stanley Cup runners-up Flyers were supposed to be? "My guess is that not all trophies were engraved at one time. I think that they wanted to engrave the trophies that were going to Chicago as fast as they could," she said. "The Washington Capitals won the President's Trophy [for the league's top regular-season point total]. I think the engraver made a mistake and [mixed up] Prince of Wales and President's Trophy." Alphabetically close ... a hurried process ... a wandering eye ... it's not all that outlandish to believe that's the source of the error. Millhouser said Wednesday night that he's glad to finally have vindication. "It feels good, man. I can feel like I'm sane again. It was a surreal experience."

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Popular Coach Killed in Crash

Principal: 2 HS grads among 3 dead in Calif. Crash: BISHOP, Calif. — A California university and a high school mourned Tuesday after a fiery crash involving cross-country teams from both schools killed three people and left 16 injured near the eastern Sierra Nevada. Four people remained hospitalized in extremely critical condition, California Highway Patrol Officer Dennis Cleland said. California Baptist University cheerleading coach Wendy Rice, 35, of Corona died when an out-of-control sport utility vehicle struck the van she was driving. The team was headed to a high-altitude training camp in Mammoth on Monday night, the Riverside school said. Two recent graduates of Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego who were traveling in the SUV also were killed. They were identified as Amanda Post, 18, and Natalie Nield in a notice posted on the school's website by Principal Michael Deely. "This is a severe shock to all of us and our prayers are with our family and friends affected by this tragedy," Deely said. One student-athlete in the van and three people in the SUV were in extremely critical condition, Cleland said. The SUV patients had third-degree burns. Deely identified two of the severely burned high school graduates as Derek Thomas, 19, and Drew Constantine Delis, 22, both of Encinitas. No further information on victims was released on the school website. Post, Nield and Delis ran cross-country and track, said girls varsity track coach Dan Geiger. Nield was planning to attend Loyola Marymount University, according to a press release on the Los Angeles university's athletics department website. Thomas, who also graduated in the spring, ran track and played football, remains in critical condition with burns over most of his body, school officials said. Delis graduated in 2005 and played men's soccer for the University of San Diego in 2009, according to a team roster on the university web site. Athletes and their friends at school were taking the news hard, said Geiger. "The team is unbelievably close," he said. "You have 15 to 20 girls who are like sisters. Now some of them are like little sisters who just lost their big sisters." The close-knit California Baptist University community also was trying to cope with the grief and shock caused by the worst single accident in its history. Officials worked on a crisis response, and a memorial service could be held later. "This kind of tragedy touches us in many ways," university spokesman Mark Wyatt said. Rice was starting her third year at the school, Wyatt said. She left a husband and two children. "She was remembered for being loving and very caring," Wyatt said. "And in fact, she was helping out with the cross-country team as a driver." The cause of the crash remained under investigation, but there was no evidence that alcohol or drugs were involved, Cleland said. Three vans carrying about 45 members of the men's and women's cross-country teams at the university were on northbound U.S. Highway 395 a few miles from Bishop when the southbound Ford SUV with five people inside drifted onto the shoulder. The SUV then veered back, overturned and rolled through the center divider, striking the van and bursting into flames, the CHP said. A Subaru traveling behind the vans also hit the flaming SUV. A deputy pulled a man from the burning vehicle and went back for a second person who was screaming for help. The deputy couldn't get back inside the SUV because of the flames and heat, according to a CHP report. A third person who was burned and hurled from the SUV walked past the deputy then died on the pavement, the report said. One student-athlete in the van and three people in the SUV were in extremely critical condition, Cleland said. The SUV patients had third-degree burns. Deely identified two of the severely burned high school graduates as Derek Thomas, 19, and Drew Constantine Dellis, 22, both of Encinitas. No further information on victims was released on the school website. The woman driving the Subaru suffered third-degree burns to her arm and had moderate injuries, Cleland said. University students with serious injuries included Alicia Catanese, 21, of Corona, and Rebecca Trupp, 20, of Riverside. At least six students were treated for minor injuries and released. The statement from Cathedral Catholic indicated some of the students in the SUV had been on the cross country team at their school. "They did have some athletic and running gear," Cleland said. University students who were unharmed continued to the training camp and spent the night but cut short their scheduled weeklong stay and were expected to return to the school Tuesday. Many high school and college track and cross country teams travel to the Mammoth area for weeklong, preseason running camps where they train by running long and scenic fire roads at high altitude. The 4,100-student private university was mostly closed until the fall session begins on Sept. 1, although a few athletic and other programs continued.

Levi Johnston: From Playgirl to Politico

Manager: Reality show to focus on political run: JUNEAU, Alaska — From Playgirl to ... politico? That's right: Levi Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, is confirming a report that Johnston is planning to run for city office in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, as part of a reality TV show. Wasilla is where Sarah Palin got her start in politics, moving up from City Council to mayor before winning election as Alaska's governor in 2006. Johnston, 20, is the father of Palin's grandson, Tripp, and the recently off-again flame to her daughter Bristol. Jones said Johnston is serious about a run, either for mayor or City Council. "Let me put it to you like this: If you live in a town and things are happening in that town, and you're displeased with it, what do you do? You try to change those things," Jones said. He declined to give specifics on what Johnston wants to change but insisted the run is real. "This is not a spoof. This is not a joke," Jones said. According to the Wasilla city clerk, the next mayoral election is in 2011. The candidate filing period for council elections this October closed July 30. Johnston isn't listed among those candidates. Wasilla's outspoken current mayor, Verne Rupright, was at a meeting Monday and didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. Johnston has seemingly come to embrace the spotlight since first being thrust into it in 2008, amid Palin's bid for vice president, when he and Bristol were unwed teenagers expecting a child together. Since then, he's gone on to pose for Playgirl and appear with Kathy Griffin on her reality show. On Sunday, he walked the red carpet at the Teen Choice Awards with singer Brittani Senser, with whom he agreed to shoot a music video. Asked whether he believed people would take Johnston's run for office seriously, with TV cameras rolling, Jones said: "People questioned Jesus Christ, so I definitely don't care about these mere mortals questioning Levi Johnston. "People can question whatever they want. I mean, he's going to keep on doing his thing," he said. "He was going to do this, even if this wasn't a reality show."

Pippen Chooses Jordan For Honor

Pippen chooses Jordan for huge honor: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen will team up one more time at the Hall of Fame.

Scottie Pippen picks some guy to give his induction speech: If you've never read David Halberstam's "Playing for Keeps" or Sam Smith's "The Jordan Rules" — both about the 1990s Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, duh, and both essential — then you might not know how much Michael Jordan hated Scottie Pippen early in their careers. Jordan realized Pippen's immense talent, maybe even before Pippen did, and seeing Scottie's inability to mold and develop those game-changing skills infuriated Jordan. He saw Pippen as mentally weak, soft and basically a disappointment. Then Scottie Pippen became one of the best players in the NBA, the Bulls won titles and Jordan accepted Pippen as a legit superstar, forming a bond the two would have through the rest of their lives. That's a YertNotes version of the Jordan and Pippen saga, but that's the gist of it and you're the one who didn't read two of the best basketball books ever written. Deal with it. Anyhow, now that we're all hip to the history behind the greatest duo of the 1990s, we can talk about how cool it is that Jordan will be giving the introduction speech for Pippen's Hall of Fame induction this Friday. Hint: it's George Clooney cool. "I can't think of a better person to do it," said Pippen on Monday. "Michael is someone I shared my career with, accomplishing most of what I have accomplished thus far. He was a great teammate, teacher and admirer. I'm excited to have an opportunity to be the first person that he has presented into the Hall of Fame. I figure if anyone deserves to be on the stage with me, it's him." Pippen said Jordan was "thrilled and overwhelmed" by the invitation. "I had other guys that I thought about, but Michael was by far the obvious choice and an easy one for me to make," said Pippen. So perfect, you guys. Like Scottie said, it's "by far the obvious choice" and an "easy one," but it's still the right one. So happy. It's just good on so many levels. Pippen finally getting his moment in the spotlight and being honored by Jordan after years of being the second fiddle is really, really cool. I wish there were a more eloquent way I could say this, but the 7-year-old me is freaking out right now, and the 26-year-old version isn't reacting much differently. Totally radical, dude. Of course, with Jordan returning to the scene of his final score-settling there's a little danger in giving him the microphone first so he can bust like a bubble. But honestly, I don't see that being a problem. Even when Jordan was taking shots at each and every person who ever wronged him at any point in his life, he had nothing but kind words for Pippen. Scottie's a guy he really cares for, and if his heartfelt performance when the Bulls honored Johnny "Red" Kerr is any indication of how he'll act Friday, then this will go smoothly. I'm not even that worried about Jordan wearing mom jeans. I'll let it slide this time. Seriously, guys, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan sharing a stage. They're great. That's great. Great.

Bikers, Babes And Pee-wee, Too

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally: 1. Pee-wee Herman, doing his "Tequila Dance" with the contestants of the Miss Buffalo Chip Contest, is just one of the attractions at the 70th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Up to 600,000 bikers are visiting the small South Dakota town this week.

2. Fifty-year-old Nancy Kerr of Holland, Mich, draws the attention and cameras of a large group of bikers.

3. Comedian Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman.

4. Greg Pike, 50, of Bisbee, Ariz. , poses with Booger the dog, Kitty the cat and Mousey the rat.

5. Jonnetta Young, 35, of Whitewood, SD and Ron Ulmer, 49, of Newton, KS relax on Ulmer's Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

6. ZZ Top was the headline act Monday night.

7. Pee-wee Herman leads 300 bikers on the 3rd Annual Legends Ride charity event.

8. From left, Martin Lecane, 45, John Lecane, 55, David Hayes, 38, and Greg Cullagh, 48, from Cork City, Ireland, attend the Buffalo Chip Campground concert.

9. Linda Moore, 55, of Smokey Point, Wash. , attends the ZZ Top concert.

10. Pee-wee Herman poses with actor/motorcycle builder Lorenzo Lamas.

11. Crystal Hoyt and Marc "Butter" Fortney of Trailer Choir perform as the the opening act.

12. The streets of Sturgis, a normally quiet town of 6,000 residents at the foot of the Black Hills of South Dakota, are lined with motorcycles.

13. Will Villalobos, 45, of Riverside, Calif. , a 22-year Marine Corps veteran and a member of the Riverside Charter of Hells Angels, works at the group's merchandise and information booth.

14. The Buffalo Chip Campground concert grounds is packed.

15. Scott Crosby, 49, of Denver, Colo. , stops his motorcycle to snap a photo of an unusual "trike" sporting a distinctive John Deere theme.

16. Greg Pike poses with Booger the dog, Kitty the cat and Mousey the rat in front his souped-up riding lawnmower.

17. John "Six Pack" Sands, 56, rides his motorcycle.

18. Rupert Boneham, a favorite on the reality TV series "Survivor," chats with friends and poses for photos on Main Street.

19. Steven Aagenes, 38, of Helena, Mont. , and Alycia Holley, 24, of Olympia, Wash. , enjoy the concert at the Buffalo Chip Campground.

20. The infield at the Buffalo Chip Campground concert stage fills early with bikes and bikers.

21. Dale Jones, 73, a lifelong resident of Sturgis, chats on the phone.

22. Neil Hultman, 81, enjoys the sights and sounds of his 63rd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Hultman joined the Jackpine Gypsies, the group that organized the rally 70 years ago, when he moved to the town after World War II.

23. Comedian Paul Ruebens, in the character of Pee-wee Herman, is serving as a special correspondent for NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" this week.

Why High-Paying Jobs Go Unfilled

Even now, some companies struggle to hire: Jobs that pay more than $40,000 a year go unfilled despite the slow economy.

Some Firms Struggle to Hire Despite High Unemployment: In Bloomington, Ill., machine shop Mechanical Devices can't find the workers it needs to handle a sharp jump in business. Job fairs run by airline Emirates attract fewer applicants in the U.S. than in other countries. Truck-stop operator Pilot Flying J says job postings don't elicit many more applicants than they did when the unemployment rate was below 5%. With a 9.5% jobless rate and some 15 million Americans looking for work, many employers are inundated with applicants. But a surprising number say they are getting an underwhelming response, and many are having trouble filling open positions. "This is as bad now as at the height of business back in the 1990s," says Dan Cunningham, chief executive of the Long-Stanton Manufacturing Co., a maker of stamped-metal parts in West Chester, Ohio, that has been struggling to hire a few toolmakers. "It's bizarre. We are just not getting applicants." Employers and economists point to several explanations. Extending jobless benefits to 99 weeks gives the unemployed less incentive to search out new work. Millions of homeowners are unable to move for a job because the real-estate collapse leaves them owing more on their homes than they are worth. The job market itself also has changed. During the crisis, companies slashed millions of middle-skill, middle-wage jobs. That has created a glut of people who can't qualify for highly skilled jobs but have a hard time adjusting to low-pay, unskilled work like the food servers that Pilot Flying J seeks for its truck stops. The difficulty finding workers limits the economy's ability to grow. It is particularly troubling at a time when 4.3% of the labor force has been out of work for more than six months—a level much higher than after any other recession since 1948. Some economists fear the U.S. could end up with a permanent caste of long-term unemployed, like those that weigh on government budgets in some European countries. "It is a very worrisome development," says Steven Davis, an economist at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. "It leads over a long period of time to social alienation as well as economic hardship." Matching people with available jobs is always difficult after a recession as the economy remakes itself. But Labor Department data suggest the disconnect is particularly acute this time around. Since the economy bottomed out in mid-2009, the number of job openings has risen more than twice as fast as actual hires, a gap that didn't appear until much later in the last recovery. The disparity is most notable in manufacturing, which has had among the biggest increases in openings. But it is also appearing in other areas, such as business services, education and health care. If the job market were working normally—that is, if openings were getting filled as they usually do—the U.S. should have about five million more gainfully employed people than it does, estimates David Altig, research director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. That would correspond to an unemployment rate of 6.8%, instead of 9.5%. Of course, many jobs remain easy to fill. Companies offering middle-skilled jobs can be flooded with applicants. Laquita Stribling, a senior area vice president in Nashville for staffing firm Randstad, says she received several hundred applications for a branch manager job that might have attracted a few dozen candidates before the recession. "The talent pool has swollen to the point where it's almost overwhelming," says Ms. Stribling. But other employers with lots of applicants say the pool of qualified workers is small for specialized jobs. Carolyn Henn, head of hiring at environmental consultancy Apex Companies, says she recently received about 150 applications for an industrial hygienist job paying as much as $47,000 a year, which requires special certifications and expertise to oversee projects such as asbestos cleanups. That is about three times the amount she received for similar jobs before the recession. But she says the number of qualified applicants—about five—is less than she got before. "We've always been looking for a needle in a haystack," she says. "There's still only one needle, but the haystack has gotten a lot bigger than it was before." Longer-term trends are at play. For one, the U.S. education system hasn't been producing enough people with the highly specialized skills that many companies, particularly in manufacturing, require to keep driving productivity gains. "There are a lot of people who are unemployed, but those aren't necessarily the people employers are looking for," says David Autor, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Manufacturers of high-precision products such as automobile and aircraft parts are in a particularly tough spot. Global competition keeps them from raising wages much. But they need workers with the combination of math skills, intuition and stamina required to operate the computer-controlled metalworking machines that now dominate the factory floor. At Mechanical Devices, which supplies parts for earthmovers and other heavy equipment to manufacturers such as Caterpillar Inc., part owner Mark Sperry says he has been looking for $13-an-hour machinists since early this year. The lack of workers is "the key limitation to the growth of our business and to meeting our customers' expectations," says Mr. Sperry. He estimates the company could immediately boost sales by as much as 20% if it could find the 40 workers it needs. Trips to several job fairs yielded almost nothing, so the company set up a 10-week training program to create its own machinists. Out of the first group of 24 trainees, 16 made it to graduation. Mr. Sperry sees extended jobless benefits as one of the main culprits behind his company's hiring difficulties. Many of the applicants he saw at job fairs, he says, were just going through the motions so they could collect their unemployment checks. Some workers agree that unemployment benefits make them less likely to take whatever job comes along, particularly when those jobs don't pay much. Michael Hatchell, a 52-year-old mechanic in Lumberton, N.C., says he turned down more than a dozen offers during the 59 weeks he was unemployed, because they didn't pay more than the $450 a week he was collecting in benefits. One auto-parts store, he says, offered him $7.75 an hour, which amounts to only $310 a week for 40 hours. "I was not going to put myself in a situation where I was making that small of a wage," says Mr. Hatchell. He has since found a better-paying job at a different auto-parts dealer. Unemployment benefits, though, can't explain the whole problem. Researchers at the Federal Reserve have estimated that the benefits could account for between 0.4 and 1.7 percentage points of the unemployment rate. That doesn't cover the 2.7-percentage-point gap between the current jobless rate and what Mr. Altig's analysis of job openings suggests the rate should be. Some of the people who dropped out of the Mechanical Devices training program aren't collecting unemployment benefits and offer other reasons why they couldn't or wouldn't do the work. Former truck driver Troy Arnett says the prospect of standing in front of a machine all day was just too restricting after a career spent making about $60,000 a year on the open road. "I figured in these economic times you've just got to bite the bullet, and I couldn't do it," says the 42-year-old Mr. Arnett. He considers himself among the lucky ones: He has since found a job installing railroad crossings that he expects will pay about $50,000 a year. Employers say getting people to move for work has been especially difficult this time. Often, that is a function of the mortgage and credit problems many potential employees face. In a recent study, Fernando Ferreira and Joseph Gyourko of the University of Pennsylvania, together with Joseph Tracy of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, found that people who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth are about a third less mobile. At Emirates, four cabin-crew job fairs the airline held in Miami, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle attracted an average of about 50 people each, compared to a global average of about 150 and as many as 1,000 at some events in Europe and Asia. "I would have liked to have seen more and would have expected to see more," says Rick Helliwell, vice president of recruitment. The jobs require little more than a high-school diploma and fluency in English. They include free accommodation and medical care, and starting pay of about $30,000 a year. Mr. Helliwell speculates that Americans might be hesitant to move to Dubai, where the jobs are based. "Maybe they have less of an adventurous spirit" given the uncertainties they face at home, he said. The obstacles to moving are aggravated because many employers no longer provide the same job security they have in the past. Temporary jobs, for example, have increased 21% since September 2009 as more employers—including Mechanical Devices—hire through staffing agencies to help control health-care costs and maintain flexibility. David Denton, a 63-year-old quality-control expert, recently quit a temporary job at Mechanical Devices. He says the terms of employment simply weren't attractive enough to make him pick up stakes and move. The one-hour commute from his hometown of Mt. Zion, Ill., proved to be too burdensome, he says, as the cost of gasoline cut into his $15-an-hour wage. Like a number of older workers, Mr. Denton has decided to leave the work force rather than accept a lower-paying job. Mr. Denton says he plans to live on savings until he can collect full Social Security benefits at age 66. "I'm trying to hang on the best I can," he says. The disconnect between workers and jobs could constrain the economy for some time. It makes it hard for even small firms, which as a group typically account for an outsize share of job growth in a rebound. Paul McNarney, owner of The Mower Shop in Fishers, Ind., says he has been looking for a good lawnmower mechanic so he can guarantee a one-week turnaround on repairs. He received only two responses to an Internet ad he placed a couple of months ago, even though the job can generate income of more than $40,000 a year, depending how many mowers the mechanic repairs. Similar ads he placed before the recession attracted more than a dozen candidates, he says. "My thought was that in a cr— economy I could probably find somebody good because a lot of people were looking," says Mr. McNarney, who has been in business for 13 years selling everything from simple lawnmowers to big riding models for large properties. "I didn't find anybody."

New Challenges For ‘Outsiders’

New challenge for victorious 'outsiders': A tea party favorite and an ex-wrestling exec must now appeal to moderates and swing voters.

Primary votes show limits of anti-incumbent wave: In an election year dominated by a desire for change in Washington, voters in Colorado and Connecticut on Tuesday nominated a trio of Senate candidates who positioned themselves as political outsiders. But Colorado's results proved there are limits on how much change voters actually want, a telling sign that November's pivotal midterm elections may be even more unpredictable than polls suggest. In Colorado's hotly-contested Democratic Senate primary, Sen. Michael Bennet fended off a challenge from former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. Bennet, who was appointed to the seat two years ago, repeatedly cast himself as a political change agent even though he was backed by President Obama and Democrats in Washington. Romanoff, meanwhile, got an endorsement from former President Bill Clinton and even sold his house to fund his upstart Senate campaign. While Romanoff seemed to have momentum in the final weeks of the race, Bennet still held on—a sign that Democrats, at least, aren't yet willing to toss incumbents aside. In the state's Senate GOP primary, local district attorney Ken Buck narrowly defeated former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton in a race that was seen as a microcosm of the Republican Party's internal ideological struggles. Both candidates were backed by factions of the so-called Tea Party, even though Buck tried to distance himself from the groups late in the primary. But Norton was also backed by the GOP establishment, including Sen. John McCain, who stumped on her behalf last weekend. In Connecticut, former World Wrestling Entertainment chief Linda McMahon soundly defeated former Rep. Rob Simmons in the state's GOP primary. Simmons initially suspended his campaign in May only to make a last minute push for the nomination. McMahon, who has spent more than $22 million of her own cash on the race, faces the state's Democratic attorney general Dick Blumenthal this fall. So what now? With results suggesting voters are still spooked by the economy and unhappy with Congress, all three candidates will no doubt continue positioning themselves as a fresh face that will counter the status quo in Washington. On the Republican side, both Buck and McMahon will no doubt cast their Democratic opponents as "insiders" but, aside from that, the two look to run very different anti-incumbent messages. McMahon has largely focused on her experience as a businesswoman and has not been forced to talk much about immigration reform or other issues pushed by the tea party activists or social conservative groups. And that will help her against Blumenthal. Connecticut is a liberal state and the race is likely to be decided by moderates and swing voters. According to a recent Quinnipiac poll, indy voters are now evenly split between McMahon and Blumenthal, though the Democrat has yet to attack his GOP opponent in any substantial way. Buck is likely to push a far more conservative plank in Colorado, where the issue of immigration has been a driving force in elections for years. He's also come out against same sex marriage and abortion—two issues that will play big with evangelicals in the state. Still, while Buck's rise has been driven by Tea Party support, it was largely a marriage of convenience—they wanted anyone but Norton—and in recent weeks he's tried to focus more on issues like taxes and the economy and less on issues that might alienate moderates. He recently trashed some tea party activists as "dumbasses" for bringing up the question of whether Obama is really a U.S. citizen, and he supports hate crimes legislation. One likely target for Buck: Bennet's vote for health care reform, which Buck opposes and has made a central plank of his campaign. In the end, Buck and McMahon now face the same challenge as scores of other 'outsider' candidates running in swing districts from South Carolina to California: how to retool their anti-incumbency message to appeal to the swing voters and moderates who will decide the November elections. That challenge may be more significant this year than in years past. After all, while primaries generally attract the most passionate, most committed voters from both parties, partisan passions are running particularly hot in 2010. And there seems little reason to believe they will cool off with the weather.

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Relationships Require constant Work

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work.

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Who Will Win Miss Universe?

Miss Universe Contestants: 1. Tara Vaitiere Hoyos, Miss Great Britain 2010: poses in her swimsuit during the registration and fitting process in preparation for the Miss Universe 2010 competition at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Following are some of the other contestants in this year's event.

2. Marelisa Gibson, Miss Venezuela 2010: poses in her Dar Be Dar swimsuit.

3. Linda Fah, Miss Switzerland 2010.

4. Yendi Phillipps, Miss Jamaica 2010.

5. Safira de Wit, Miss Curacao 2010, and Giuliana Zevallos, Miss Peru 2010.

6. Mariana Paola Vicente, Miss Puerto Rico 2010.

7. Fonthip Watcharatrakul, Miss Thailand 2010.

8. Rozanna Purcell, Miss Ireland 2010, and LaToya Woods, Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2010.

9. Rozanna Purcell, Miss Ireland 2010, and LaToya Woods, Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2010.

10. Jessica Scheel, Miss Guatemala 2010.

11. Jurema Ferraz, Miss Angola 2010.

12. Melinda Victoria Elvenes, Miss Norway 2010.

13. Claudia Arce Lemaitre, Miss Bolivia 2010; Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010; and Marelisa Gibson, Miss Venezuela 2010.

14. Jessica Schell, Miss Guatemala 2010, gets her Dar Be Dar swimsuit fitted by swim wear designer Tala Raassi.

15. Costumer David Profeta adjusts the Dar Be Dar swimsuit of Anna Poslavska, Miss Ukraine 2010.

16. Maiko Itai, Miss Japan 2010, tries on a pair of Nina Shoes as she starts the registration and fitting process.

17. Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010, has her makeup done by Kryolan makeup artist Linda Rasstanie.

18. Tara Vaitiere Hoyos, Miss Great Britain 2010, has her makeup done by Emilie Guillermin.

19. Miss Russia Irina Antonenko at a photo call overlooking Red Square in Moscow. Antonenko will participate in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant.

20. Alexandra Catalina Filip, 19, right, receives the Miss Universe Romania 2010 crown from last year's winner. Filip will represent Romania in the Miss Universe contest.

21. Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih appears at the House of Blues Foundation Room inside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fakih will represent the United States in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant.

22. Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez attends City Harvest's Summer in the City restaurant tasting and cocktail party at Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City.

23. Jesinta Campbell is seen during the 2010 Miss Universe Australia. Campbell won the final.

24. Sarodj Bertin, top, is crowned as 2010 Miss Haiti. Bertin will represent Haiti in the Miss Universe beauty contest.

Tragedy Strikes Unusual Event

Tragedy at Sauna Competition: 1. Russia's Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy, left, and Finland's Timo Kaukonen compete in the finals of the World Sauna Championships in Heinola, Finland. The endurance challenge, in which the contestants sit in a 230-degree room until one gives up, ended in tragedy.

2. Both Ladyzhenskiy (above) and Kaukonen had to be removed from the sauna after about six minutes. The men were bleeding from what seemed to be severe burns.

3. Ladyzhenskiy later died at a hospital while Kaukonen was listed in serious condition. A crowd of about 1,000 people had come to watch the event, only to be left in shock at the horrible conclusion.

4. Video showed workers pouring cold water over the two men and administering first aid as organizers tried to cover up the scene and calm spectators.

5. 130 competitors from 15 countries competed at the event, including Silvia Pfuhl of Germany, who won the women's final. The annual contest has taken place every year since 1999, but organizers say it will never be held again.

It Still Stands True To This Very Day

“A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste.” United Negro College Fund (1972-Present): Founded in 1944, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has grown to become one of the nation's best-known charitable organizations. Funds contributed to the UNCF make it possible for 43 UNCF member colleges and universities to keep tuitions low and the dream of an education within every student's reach. In 1972, the UNCF partnered with the Ad Council to launch a public service advertising campaign encouraging Americans to support the fund. The campaign slogan, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste," has remained unchanged for more than three decades and has become part of the American vernacular.

At the time of the campaign launch, graduates from UNCF member schools represented more than half of all black elected officials in the United States, 75% of the country's black Ph.D's, and 85% of the country's black doctors. In addition, 90% percent of these graduates were the first in their families to receive a degree and 70% percent came from families with a gross income level of $5,000 or less. Though the nation was in the midst of a business recession, contributions to the UNCF doubled in the first five years of the campaign.

Some public service advertisements (PSAs) reminded the public that for every student UNCF sends to college there is another equally deserving student who cannot attend because of lack of funds. Other PSAs made use of the business term "return on investment" and noted that an investment in the UNCF yields a successful college graduate.

Although UNCF member schools represented fewer than 4% of United States colleges in 1984, they enrolled an impressive 35% of all blacks attending 4-year colleges. During that same time, contributions to the UNCF continued to grow, with a 250% increase recorded between 1978 and 1989.

To date, the campaign has helped to raise more than $2.2 billion and has helped to graduate more than 350,000 minority students from 43 UNCF member colleges and universities. Through the decades, many celebrities have lent their talent to UNCF PSAs, including Maya Angelou, Leontyne Price, Samuel L. Jackson, then-Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell and his wife Alma, Michael Jordan, and Spike Lee.

Fingerprints Get 47,000 Deported

47,000 deported amid fingerprint flap: A program designed to snare the "worst of the worst" criminal immigrants has critics crying foul.

Fingerprint sharing led to deportation of 47,000: WASHINGTON – Records show that about 47,000 people have been removed or deported from the U.S. after the Homeland Security Department sifted through 3 million sets of fingerprints taken from bookings at local jails. About one-quarter of those kicked out of the country did not have criminal records, according to government data obtained by immigration advocacy groups that have filed a lawsuit. The groups plan to release the data Tuesday and provided early copies to The Associated Press. As issue is a fingerprint-sharing program known as Secure Communities that the government says is focused on getting rid of the "worst of the worst" criminal immigrants from the U.S. Immigration advocates say that the government instead spends too much time on lower-level criminals or non-criminals. Immigration and Customs Enforcement divides crimes into three categories, with Level 1 being the most serious. Most of those deported committed Level 2 or 3 crimes or were non-criminals, a monthly report of Secure Communities statistics shows. "ICE has pulled a bait and switch, with local law enforcement spending more time and resources facilitating the deportations of bus boys and gardeners than murderers and rapists and at considerable cost to local community policing strategies, making us all less safe," said Peter Markowitz, director of the Immigration Justice Clinic at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York. Markowitz's clinic, the National Day Laborer Organizers Network and the Center for Constitutional Rights had requested and sued for the statistics. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released some of the documents late Monday. Richard Rocha, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman, said non-criminals still may be people who have failed to show up for deportation hearings, who recently crossed the border illegally or who re-entered the country after deportation. He also said it's important to remember that more people commit crimes that are considered Level 2 and 3. Secure Communities is "a beneficial partnership tool for ICE and state and local law enforcement agencies helping to identify, prioritize and remove convicted criminal aliens not only from the communities, but also from the country," Rocha said. The Obama administration wants Secure Communities operating nationwide by 2013. As of Aug. 3, 494 counties and local and state agencies in 27 states were sharing fingerprints from jail bookings through the program. From October 2008 through June of this year, 46,929 people identified through Secure Communities were removed from the U.S., the documents show. Of those, 12,293 were considered non-criminals.

Cowell’s Show May Ban Songs

Simon Cowell bans songs from 'X Factor': The former "Idol" judge reportedly says that certain pop tunes aren't welcome on the British talent show.

Simon Cowell's Blacklist: Songs Reportedly Banned From 'X Factor': The past nine "American Idol" seasons have been filled with enough versions of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" to make even rumored prospective "Idol" judge Steven Tyler blanch. But on Simon Cowell's U.K. talent show "The X Factor," which starts airing in Britain on August 21, there are a few other oversung songs that contestants will be reportedly forbidden to perform. British paper News Of The World reports that Simon is concerned that viewers will be bored if the songs remain the same on "The X Factor," so he has advised contestants not to perform typical reality standards. A source told the paper: "This is about people's real honesty and personality. It's about them and their stage presence."

The list of Simon's banned songs includes:
Kings Of Leon - "Sex On Fire"
Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours"
Paolo Nutini - "Last Request"
Paolo Nutini - "New Shoes"
Eva Cassidy - "Songbird"
Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars"
So, will these songs be banned from "The X Factor U.S." when it premieres in fall 2011? That remains to be seen (Paulo and Eva aren't exactly household names Stateside), but regardless, I think Simon left quite a few egregious offenders off the list. Reality Rocks' blacklist is as follows:
Phil Collins - "Against All Odds"
Bill Withers - "Ain't No Sunshine"
Jennifer Holliday - "And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going"
Elton John - "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
Nina Simone - "Feeling Good"
Leonard Cohen - "Hallelujah"
R. Kelly - "I Believe I Can Fly"
Gavin DeGraw - "I Don't Want To Be"
Aerosmith - "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"
John Lennon - "Imagine"
Seal - "Kiss From A Rose"
The Beatles - "Let It Be"
Janis Joplin - "Piece Of My Heart"
Judy Garland - "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
The Righteous Brothers - "Unchained Melody"
Which songs would you never want to hear on "American Idol," "The X Factor," or any other talent show ever again?

Owning Less But Happier Now

Owning less makes some much happier: Tammy Strobel and her husband got off the "work-spend treadmill," and escaped $30,000 of debt along the way.

But Will It Make You Happy? She had so much. A two-bedroom apartment. Two cars. Enough wedding china to serve two dozen people. Yet Tammy Strobel wasn't happy. Working as a project manager with an investment management firm in Davis, Calif., and making about $40,000 a year, she was, as she put it, caught in the "work-spend treadmill." So one day she stepped off. Inspired by books and blog entries about living simply, Ms. Strobel and her husband, Logan Smith, both 31, began donating some of their belongings to charity. As the months passed, out went stacks of sweaters, shoes, books, pots and pans, even the television after a trial separation during which it was relegated to a closet. Eventually, they got rid of their cars, too. Emboldened by a Web site that challenges consumers to live with just 100 personal items, Ms. Strobel winnowed down her wardrobe and toiletries to precisely that number.

Her mother called her crazy. Today, three years after Ms. Strobel and Mr. Smith began downsizing, they live in Portland, Ore., in a spare, 400-square-foot studio with a nice-sized kitchen. Mr. Smith is completing a doctorate in physiology; Ms. Strobel happily works from home as a Web designer and freelance writer. She owns four plates, three pairs of shoes and two pots. With Mr. Smith in his final weeks of school, Ms. Strobel's income of about $24,000 a year covers their bills. They are still car-free but have bikes. One other thing they no longer have: $30,000 of debt. Ms. Strobel's mother is impressed. Now the couple have money to travel and to contribute to the education funds of nieces and nephews. And because their debt is paid off, Ms. Strobel works fewer hours, giving her time to be outdoors, and to volunteer, which she does about four hours a week for a nonprofit outreach program called Living Yoga.

"The idea that you need to go bigger to be happy is false," she says. "I really believe that the acquisition of material goods doesn't bring about happiness." While Ms. Strobel and her husband overhauled their spending habits before the recession, legions of other consumers have since had to reconsider their own lifestyles, bringing a major shift in the nation's consumption patterns. "We're moving from a conspicuous consumption — which is 'buy without regard' — to a calculated consumption," says Marshal Cohen, an analyst at the NPD Group, the retailing research and consulting firm. Amid weak job and housing markets, consumers are saving more and spending less than they have in decades, and industry professionals expect that trend to continue. Consumers saved 6.4 percent of their after-tax income in June, according to a new government report. Before the recession, the rate was 1 to 2 percent for many years. In June, consumer spending and personal incomes were essentially flat compared with May, suggesting that the American economy, as dependent as it is on shoppers opening their wallets and purses, isn't likely to rebound anytime soon.

On the bright side, the practices that consumers have adopted in response to the economic crisis ultimately could — as a raft of new research suggests — make them happier. New studies of consumption and happiness show, for instance, that people are happier when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects, when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it, and when they stop trying to outdo the Joneses. If consumers end up sticking with their newfound spending habits, some tactics that retailers and marketers began deploying during the recession could become lasting business strategies. Among those strategies are proffering merchandise that makes being at home more entertaining and trying to make consumers feel special by giving them access to exclusive events and more personal customer service. While the current round of stinginess may simply be a response to the economic downturn, some analysts say consumers may also be permanently adjusting their spending based on what they've discovered about what truly makes them happy or fulfilled.

"This actually is a topic that hasn't been researched very much until recently," says Elizabeth W. Dunn, an associate professor in the psychology department at the University of British Columbia, who is at the forefront of research on consumption and happiness. "There's massive literature on income and happiness. It's amazing how little there is on how to spend your money." Conspicuous consumption has been an object of fascination going back at least as far as 1899, when the economist Thorstein Veblen published "The Theory of the Leisure Class," a book that analyzed, in part, how people spent their money in order to demonstrate their social status. And it's been a truism for eons that extra cash always makes life a little easier. Studies over the last few decades have shown that money, up to a certain point, makes people happier because it lets them meet basic needs. The latest round of research is, for lack of a better term, all about emotional efficiency: how to reap the most happiness for your dollar. So just where does happiness reside for consumers? Scholars and researchers haven't determined whether Armani will put a bigger smile on your face than Dolce & Gabbana. But they have found that our types of purchases, their size and frequency, and even the timing of the spending all affect long-term happiness.

One major finding is that spending money for an experience — concert tickets, French lessons, sushi-rolling classes, a hotel room in Monaco — produces longer-lasting satisfaction than spending money on plain old stuff. "It's better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch' is basically the idea," says Professor Dunn, summing up research by two fellow psychologists, Leaf Van Boven and Thomas Gilovich. Her own take on the subject is in a paper she wrote with colleagues at Harvard and the University of Virginia: "If Money Doesn't Make You Happy Then You Probably Aren't Spending It Right." (The Journal of Consumer Psychology plans to publish it in a coming issue.) Thomas DeLeire, an associate professor of public affairs, population, health and economics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, recently published research examining nine major categories of consumption. He discovered that the only category to be positively related to happiness was leisure: vacations, entertainment, sports and equipment like golf clubs and fishing poles. Using data from a study by the National Institute on Aging, Professor DeLeire compared the happiness derived from different levels of spending to the happiness people get from being married. (Studies have shown that marriage increases happiness.) "A $20,000 increase in spending on leisure was roughly equivalent to the happiness boost one gets from marriage," he said, adding that spending on leisure activities appeared to make people less lonely and increased their interactions with others.

According to retailers and analysts, consumers have gravitated more toward experiences than possessions over the last couple of years, opting to use their extra cash for nights at home with family, watching movies and playing games — or for "staycations" in the backyard. Many retailing professionals think this is not a fad, but rather "the new normal." "I think many of these changes are permanent changes," says Jennifer Black, president of the retailing research company Jennifer Black & Associates and a member of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors in Oregon. "I think people are realizing they don't need what they had. They're more interested in creating memories." She largely attributes this to baby boomers' continuing concerns about the job market and their ability to send their children to college. While they will still spend, they will spend less, she said, having reset their priorities. While it is unlikely that most consumers will downsize as much as Ms. Strobel did, many have been, well, happily surprised by the pleasures of living a little more simply. The Boston Consulting Group said in a June report that recession anxiety had prompted a "back-to-basics movement," with things like home and family increasing in importance over the last two years, while things like luxury and status have declined. "There's been an emotional rebirth connected to acquiring things that's really come out of this recession," says Wendy Liebmann, chief executive of WSL Strategic Retail, a marketing consulting firm that works with manufacturers and retailers. "We hear people talking about the desire not to lose that — that connection, the moment, the family, the experience."

Current research suggests that, unlike consumption of material goods, spending on leisure and services typically strengthens social bonds, which in turn helps amplify happiness. (Academics are already in broad agreement that there is a strong correlation between the quality of people's relationships and their happiness; hence, anything that promotes stronger social bonds has a good chance of making us feel all warm and fuzzy.) And the creation of complex, sophisticated relationships is a rare thing in the world. As Professor Dunn and her colleagues Daniel T. Gilbert and Timothy D. Wilson point out in their forthcoming paper, only termites, naked mole rats and certain insects like ants and bees construct social networks as complex as those of human beings. In that elite little club, humans are the only ones who shop. AT the height of the recession in 2008, Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT - News) realized that consumers were "cocooning" — vacationing in their yards, eating more dinners at home, organizing family game nights. So it responded by grouping items in its stores that would turn any den into an at-home movie theater or transform a backyard into a slice of the Catskills. Wal-Mart wasn't just selling barbecues and board games. It was selling experiences. "We spend a lot of time listening to our customers," says Amy Lester, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, "and know that they have a set amount to spend and need to juggle to meet that amount."

One reason that paying for experiences gives us longer-lasting happiness is that we can reminisce about them, researchers say. That's true for even the most middling of experiences. That trip to Rome during which you waited in endless lines, broke your camera and argued with your spouse will typically be airbrushed with "rosy recollection," says Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside. Professor Lyubomirsky has a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to conduct research on the possibility of permanently increasing happiness. "Trips aren't all perfect," she notes, "but we remember them as perfect." Another reason that scholars contend that experiences provide a bigger pop than things is that they can't be absorbed in one gulp — it takes more time to adapt to them and engage with them than it does to put on a new leather jacket or turn on that shiny flat-screen TV. "We buy a new house, we get accustomed to it," says Professor Lyubomirsky, who studies what psychologists call "hedonic adaptation," a phenomenon in which people quickly become used to changes, great or terrible, in order to maintain a stable level of happiness. Over time, that means the buzz from a new purchase is pushed toward the emotional norm. "We stop getting pleasure from it," she says. And then, of course, we buy new things.

When Ed Diener, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois and a former president of the International Positive Psychology Association — which promotes the study of what lets people lead fulfilling lives — was house-hunting with his wife, they saw several homes with features they liked. But unlike couples who choose a house because of its open floor plan, fancy kitchens, great light, or spacious bedrooms, Professor Diener arrived at his decision after considering hedonic-adaptation research. "One home was close to hiking trails, making going hiking very easy," he said in an e-mail. "Thinking about the research, I argued that the hiking trails could be a factor contributing to our happiness, and we should worry less about things like how pretty the kitchen floor is or whether the sinks are fancy. We bought the home near the hiking trail and it has been great, and we haven't tired of this feature because we take a walk four or five days a week." Scholars have discovered that one way consumers combat hedonic adaptation is to buy many small pleasures instead of one big one. Instead of a new Jaguar, Professor Lyubomirsky advises, buy a massage once a week, have lots of fresh flowers delivered and make phone calls to friends in Europe. Instead of a two-week long vacation, take a few three-day weekends. "We do adapt to the little things," she says, "but because there's so many, it will take longer."

Before credit cards and cellphones enabled consumers to have almost anything they wanted at any time, the experience of shopping was richer, says Ms. Liebmann of WSL Strategic Retail. "You saved for it, you anticipated it," she says. In other words, waiting for something and working hard to get it made it feel more valuable and more stimulating. In fact, scholars have found that anticipation increases happiness. Considering buying an iPad? You might want to think about it as long as possible before taking one home. Likewise about a Caribbean escape: you'll get more pleasure if you book a flight in advance than if you book it at the last minute. Once upon a time, with roots that go back to medieval marketplaces featuring stalls that functioned as stores, shopping offered a way to connect socially, as Ms. Liebmann and others have pointed out. But over the last decade, retailing came to be about one thing: unbridled acquisition, epitomized by big-box stores where the mantra was "stack 'em high and let 'em fly" and online transactions that required no social interaction at all — you didn't even have to leave your home. The recession, however, may force retailers to become reacquainted with shopping's historical roots. "I think there's a real opportunity in retail to be able to romance the experience again," says Ms. Liebmann. "Retailers are going to have to work very hard to create that emotional feeling again. And it can't just be 'Here's another thing to buy.' It has to have a real sense of experience to it."

Industry professionals say they have difficulty identifying any retailer that is managing to do this well today, with one notable exception: Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - News), which offers an interactive retail experience, including classes. Marie Driscoll, head of the retailing group at Standard & Poor's, says chains have to adapt to new consumer preferences by offering better service, special events and access to designers. Analysts at the Boston Consulting Group advise that companies offer more affordable indulgences, like video games that provide an at-home workout for far less than the cost of a gym membership. Mr. Cohen of the NPD Group says some companies are doing this. Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News) is promoting its Geek Squad, promising shoppers before they buy that complicated electronic thingamajig that its employees will hold their hands through the installation process and beyond. "Nowadays with the economic climate, customers definitely are going for a quality experience," says Nick DeVita, a home entertainment adviser with the Geek Squad. "If they're going to spend their money, they want to make sure it's for the right thing, the right service."With competition for consumer dollars fiercer than it's been in decades, retailers have had to make the shopping experience more compelling. Mr. Cohen says automakers are offering 30-day test drives, while some clothing stores are promising free personal shoppers. Malls are providing day care while parents shop. Even on the Web, retailers are connecting on customers on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, hoping to win their loyalty by offering discounts and invitations to special events.

For the last four years, Roko Belic, a Los Angeles filmmaker, has been traveling the world making a documentary called "Happy." Since beginning work on the film, he has moved to a beach in Malibu from his house in the San Francisco suburbs. San Francisco was nice, but he couldn't surf there. "I moved to a trailer park," says Mr. Belic, "which is the first real community that I've lived in in my life." Now he surfs three or four times a week. "It definitely has made me happier," he says. "The things we are trained to think make us happy, like having a new car every couple of years and buying the latest fashions, don't make us happy." Mr. Belic says his documentary shows that "the one single trait that's common among every single person who is happy is strong relationships." Buying luxury goods, conversely, tends to be an endless cycle of one-upmanship, in which the neighbors have a fancy new car and — bingo! — now you want one, too, scholars say. A study published in June in Psychological Science by Ms. Dunn and others found that wealth interfered with people's ability to savor positive emotions and experiences, because having an embarrassment of riches reduced the ability to reap enjoyment from life's smaller everyday pleasures, like eating a chocolate bar.

Alternatively, spending money on an event, like camping or a wine tasting with friends, leaves people less likely to compare their experiences with those of others — and, therefore, happier. Of course, some fashion lovers beg to differ. For many people, clothes will never be more than utilitarian. But for a certain segment of the population, clothes are an art form, a means of self-expression, a way for families to pass down memories through generations. For them, studies concluding that people eventually stop deriving pleasure from material things don't ring true. "No way," says Hayley Corwick, who writes the popular fashion blog Madison Avenue Spy. "I could pull out things from my closet that I bought when I was 17 that I still love." She rejects the idea that happiness has to be an either-or proposition. Some days, you want a trip, she says; other days, you want a Tom Ford handbag. Ms. Strobel — our heroine who moved into the 400-square foot apartment — is now an advocate of simple living, writing in her spare time about her own life choices at Rowdykittens.com. "My lifestyle now would not be possible if I still had a huge two-bedroom apartment filled to the gills with stuff, two cars, and 30 grand in debt," she says. "Give away some of your stuff," she advises. "See how it feels."

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