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Rising pump prices demand sacrifice elsewhere. A survey of new-car shoppers finds 44% eating out less and 40% cutting back on entertainment. Incumbent politicians may also be forsaken.

The Dow falls 195 points after a Bear Stearns rescue by JPMorgan and the New York Federal Reserve Bank. But Bear Stearns may still be sold. Markets may be jittery until Tuesday's Fed meeting, but one Wall Street analyst sees a big rally ahead.

Details of Washington, D.C's. new law requiring all city businesses to provide paid sick leave to their employees were finally released this week, clarifying the last-minute amendments to the legislation that will exempt recent hires and certain classes of workers, as well as allowing hardship exceptions for employers.

Dear FSB: I'm considering either leasing or buying a BMW SUV for my IT consulting business. Which is the better option?

Dear FSB: I run a small tavern in Wisconsin from mid-April through mid-November. I do not collect sales tax from the customers, but do pay in monthly to the state. Does this become a business expense deduction on Schedule C?

Dear FSB: My wife paints and sells original artwork. What are the benefits and protections of signing and dating her work?

My public relations agency, NettResults, based in Irvine, Calif., and Dubai, employs 18 people speaking a total of nine languages. Through a partner, we work with 58 other agencies in 26 countries. So I was excited to test three new language-translation software suites: If they worked, I could e-mail clients myself and cut down on the pricey human translators we use every day.

The giveaway strategy -- creating a huge pool of cash to loan to securities dealers, with risky mortgage-backed debt as collateral -- is little but stalling for time.