Broadway's miseries have spilled over to the fishing industry.

Jeremy Piven, the cocky little actor who made his name playing cocky little agent Ari Gold on HBO's Entourage, has bailed on his role in a revival of David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow, sending producers of the three-man play into a tizzy of re-casting so it can complete its run as scheduled on February 22.

Piven's doctor, Dr. Carlon M. Colker, blamed the reported toxicity of Piven's blood on his consumption of sushi and Chinese herbs. Naturally, the doctor doesn't really know for sure what's behind Piven's malady, but the nigiri gets the rap in the press anyway.

Fine. Blame the fish. They can't really defend themselves, and sushi's reputation was wrecked after the New York Times declared there were dangerous levels of mercury in bluefin tuna. Most other varieties of sushi, even other types of tuna, were not reported to be much of an issue, but the bad rap for raw fish appears to be sticking.

But if for all those fans of raw fish, the Center for Consumer Freedom has an interesting tidbit to point out: If the story is true, then Piven would be the first documented case of someone getting mercury poisoning from sushi sold in American restaurants or grocery stores. It doesn't happen.

Inquiries to attorneys and financial advisers about such issues as how to protect property during a divorce are increasing dramatically in China on fears of a prolonged recession, according to a Reuters story.

You've probably heard of the long-held tact of holding off on asking for a divorce until after the holidays in order to give relatives and any children involved a peaceful Christmas. And with the holidays now over, couples now face a double whammy with a global recession in full swing. According to the Reuters story, it looks like low home values and a recession can strain marriages, leading to divorce.

Wealthy spouses were looking to strike a deal while asset values were down, the China Daily reported.

"While facing tough financial times is not usually the main reason couples split, it can serve as the last straw for already strained marriages or add new concerns to divorces under way," the newspaper said, quoting "marriage advisers."

The China News Service reported the number of people seeking divorce advice increased 30% in the second half of the year. A worker at China's first marriage and finance firm said it is receiving many questions about how to avoid paying off debts after the divorce and that telephone inquiries have increased from 200 to 300 in recent months.

But the high cost of divorce in China may be putting some off, considering the difficulty of selling their homes at a reasonable price and maintaining two separate households.

There were 2.1 million divorces in China in 2007, nearly seven times the figure in 1980 when nationwide economic reforms were launched, the China Daily quoted the Ministry of Civil Affairs as saying.

Aaron Crowe is an unemployed journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read about his job search at www.talesofanunemployeddad.blogspot.com

It has been just over a week since Iraqi journalist Muntader al-Zaidi hurled his shoes at American President George Bush, but the pieces of flying footwear have already become a powerful symbol for worldwide frustration and anger.

In the United States, 236.com had a field day with the incident, setting the clip to classical music and suggesting ways for readers to show their solidarity. Meanwhile, numerous grass-roots groups have developed, some suggesting that mailing shoes to President Bush might be the best way to express dissent with his Presidency.

It's hardly surprising that the symbolic shoes are so powerful to so many people. To a great extent, a political history of the past few decades could simply be a catalog of symbols and sound bites. In the late 1980's, for example, a burger commercial became a cultural phenomenon when a Presidential candidate asked his opponent "Where's the beef?" In the intervening years, ribbons of red, pink, white and yellow have gained massive meaning for huge segments of the population, while wristbands of various colors have become markers of causes ranging from testicular cancer to Goth rights. In the recent election cycle, candidates were accused of being unpatriotic or even treasonous based on their wearing of traditional clothes or eschewing of flag pins. Symbols as disparate as a rainbow flag or the middle name Hussein have, in a very real way, become replacements for convictions and strongly verbalized beliefs.

"Sunday dinner" was a regular thing for my siblings and I when my parents lived in town; and a great way for the family with the mostest to play hostess to those of us with less fabulously-well paying jobs. My sisters are all working in industries celebrated far more for their contribution to society than for their paychecks (two private school teachers, one missionary). My brother and I each have three very young children. Eating at my parents' house was the one way we could guarantee a healthy meal in good comopany without having to anxiously gauge the pennies left in our bank account at every glass of milk. Sadly, my parents moved 50 miles away from the city a few years ago, making the Sunday dinner a little more costly and reducing the frequency to bi-monthly.

I have to admit occasionally feeling a little jealous of my youngest sister, who's still single, and can take advantage of an even more entertaining way to save money: going on dates. I vicariously live through her and my other friends who are single, suggesting great restaurants in which to meet new men or to visit on special occasions. *I* could only afford these restaurants once or twice a year, but I eagerly send them out to take financial advantage of men in search of love.

I do not know if my parents told my single sister this, but they were a little mournful when she broke up with her most recent boyfriend. "I have to say, I was happy to see that one of my children had a chance at marrying someone who's financially stable!" mom said. It's not in the cards. At the very least we can advise Abby to find a lovely man whose parents cook up a mean Sunday dinner... it's a great way to save cash if she, too, marries for nothing but love.

When is a tax accountant also a relationship counselor? When your boyfriend 1099's you. Howard Shih is involved in tax court proceedings over the questionable use of the term "wages" to refer to payments he made to his girlfriend in 2005. Jue-ya Yang moved into his house at some point during the year, and though she had no skills or experience pertaining to his work (as an artist and calligrapher), Howard noted on checks he gave her for spending money "salary" or "wages."

That should have been her first clue. Later, he reported the money he'd paid her, $10,500 in all, on a 1099-MISC form. Eventually Yang was asked to pay taxes on that $10,500 (and another $40,000 of unreported income that she didn't dispute, did she have other boyfriends for whom she did work, I wonder?), and complained to the tax commissioner that the money from Shih was, in fact, a gift.

Tax court ruled in her favor, though she still owes taxes on the $40,000 not in dispute. There is no evidence of why the two broke up; I'm thinking irreconcilable tax brackets may have been a factor.

Yesterday, I received a phone call asking for "Mr. or Mrs. Hanson" -- my husband's last name, which I generally attribute to either telemarketers or those affiliated with the Army Reserves, for which he's a Specialist. The woman said she was with the American Legion, and wanted to talk about a gift basket. My first thought was that she wanted a donation -- but no. She wanted to give us a basket.

I'm not going to lie and say we're flush with cash, but I don't consider us to be in need of charity; we have a house with a mortgage we can (barely) afford, we pay our gas bill and power bill before the shut-off notices start coming, we buy organic produce from the farmer's market (though we trade off many things -- like entertainment and travel and home electronics -- so we can afford healthy, toxin-free food). For a split second, I thought about saying, "no! we don't need it silly!" but realized that would be rash at best, ungrateful and insulting at worst. I asked many of my friends their advice, and to a one, they told me I should accept the basket with grace and, if I didn't need what was inside, give it to someone else who did.

Now I'm looking forward to picking up the basket this weekend, and wondering how I'll decide to whom the contents should go; perhaps I'll visit a local nonprofit servicing homeless families, as this is one cause about which my heart really breaks (especially as my hometown is experiencing 10 days of a cold snap just in time for the holidays). But I'm wondering what WalletPoppers think: if you were offered charity, but felt you didn't totally need it, what would you do?

One of the toughest aspects of holiday gift giving is the fact that most presents have a very short shelf life. It is almost inevitable that this year's toy will become next year's piece of broken plastic, while a dress that is perfectly in style in 2008 is almost guaranteed to be an embarrassing relic within five years. Even those precious few items that stand the test of time are prone to breakage, disappearance, or, in the case of a beautiful piece of luggage that my parents gave me when I hit 16, cat pee damage. Sadly, there simply aren't that many things that will last for 20 years, much less 100.

With that in mind, one gift giving option that you might want to consider is a part of the World Trade Center memorial. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum is currently asking for donations to help build a monument to the lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks. For $100, you can sponsor one of the granite cobblestones that will line the pathways surrounding the two memorial pools in the center of the monument. Each cobblestone will be numbered, and your friends, family, and descendants will be able to find your stone with the help of a kiosk that will be located at the site.

Until December 19, if you give a cobblestone sponsorship, your recipient will receive a holiday card. After the 19th, the stones will still be available, but the cards will not. However, regardless of whether you order your gift before or after the deadline, this is definitely a present that your loved one will never forget!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He still has a few hard-to-please people on his list.

When most people think of TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshall's, AJ Wright, or other discount retailers, the first thing that comes to mind is cheap, name-brand clothing. This is quickly followed by visions of home decor, kitchen necessities, and the occasional framed print. However, the greatest bargains offered by these stores sometimes lie in their food sections. From top-notch olive oil to premium shortbread, discount retail stores often stock great ingredients at outstanding prices.

For me, the TJ Maxx food epiphany occurred when I was living in southwest Virginia. I like to cook, but found that it was hard to get reasonably-priced, high quality olive oil, chocolate, and balsamic vinegar. While my local gourmet grocery store stocked these items, I wasn't really inclined to pay $20 for a quart of extra virgin olive oil or $40 for a bottle of balsamic. On the other hand, my local grocery store carried Pompeiian and Goya olive oil, but wasn't really very much use if I was looking for something with a little more flavor.

My wife's was a huge fan of TJ Maxx, and would often drag me there to wander aimlessly while she perused the winter coats, purses or shoes. Admittedly, I enjoyed looking at the horrifying framed prints and scary mass-produced sculptures, but these delights quickly paled when I found the food section. There, on a top rack, the store had a nice selection of cheap, first-rate oils from Greece, Turkey, and Italy. Some of these were priced in the $11 range, but most were around $7. Meanwhile, a few steps away, there were gourmet mustards, balsamic vinegars, exotic chocolates, and a veritable cornucopia of reasonably-priced goodies. While some of these were from companies that I had never heard of, several were the same brands as my local gourmet grocery stocked; the only thing that was different was the price.

Earlier this year, Budweiser introduced Bud Light Lime, a citrus-flavored competitor for Miller Chill, the lime-flavored beer that Bud's major competitor launched in 2007. The new Bud Light joined Bud Light Clamato, a chelada-style beer that is currently sold in predominantly Latino neighborhoods. Accompanying the release of this new beverage, Bud launched a $35 million ad campaign, a strategy that paid off with a 2% rise in sales in the first three quarters of 2008.

Popular flavors tend to go in waves, and limes have been ascendant for a couple of years now, showing up wherever a crisp, summery flavor seemed appropriate. As they have wormed their way into corn chips and sodas, it was only a matter of time before they became part of the beer market. After all, the idea of mixing beer with citrus dates back to at least the first days of hefeweisens in Austria, and a slice of lime has long been the traditional accompaniment for a bottle of Corona. This makes sense; the clean, sharp flavor of lime juice cuts beautifully through the thick, yeasty tones of beer, yielding a combination that is both tasty and refreshing.

Every once in a while, a story comes along which gives us goosebumps while reaffirming the belief that people are all basically good and honest. The Daily News Journal, serving Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has provided us with one of those rare and lovely stories.

At the insistence of one of her 12 grandchildren, Billie Watts reluctantly reveals what had happened . She had gone to a local Cracker Barrel restaurant, and upon entering the restroom she discovered a tapestry bag hung on a hook.

Inside that bag, she discovered an envelope with a picture of two women and a child. She also discovered a whole big bundle of $1,000 bills. Billie told The Daily News: "I said 'Oh my goodness, I have never seen that much money in my whole life. I counted the money. There was $97,000 in $1,000 bills. They were neatly stacked inside the bag. "

In September, 2008, Georgia-Pacific took toilet paper further than it has ever gone before. With the introduction of Quilted Northern Ultra Plush, the world's first premium three-ply toilet paper, they not only broke tissue boundaries, but may have changed the "face" of America's bathrooms forever. Although this advance seems less impressive than a five-bladed razor or a micro-thin cell phone, it nonetheless represents a quantum leap forward in toilet technology. Thanks to the fine people at Georgia Pacific, Americans are no longer slaves to the two-ply dictatorship that has so long ruled their rear ends with an iron hand.

Toilet tissue has always been a touchy topic in my household. When I was growing up, my father only let us use one brand: single-ply Scott tissue. Although he endlessly swore that his loyalty to Scott was based on concerns about the septic system, my sisters and I speculated that he was actually motivated by some weird Puritan psychosis. After all, our neighbors, with similar systems, stocked super-soft two-ply paper, while we were stuck with the brutal scratchiness of Scott's tush-tearer. All in all, it just seemed a little too perverse to be easily blamed on plumbing.

After I moved out, I liberated myself from the cruel world of Scott toilet totalitarianism. Remembering the sensuous images of Mr. Whipple squeezing the Charmin, I soon tried out the sweet embrace of what was to become my new septic siren. Charmin was everything that I had always expected: soft, luxurious, and durable. I never looked back.

With the economy officially in a recession and thousands of people searching for work, Christmas 2008 has been looking pretty bleak. Even those who are currently employed and relatively stable are thinking about ways to economize, and those who are newly unemployed are wondering how to keep the Christmas spirit going.

Luckily, Restaurant.com's Feed It Forward Program is offering an opportunity for people to give presents to friends and family members who might otherwise have gotten bumped off the Christmas list.

It works like this: every day between now and Christmas, you can visit the Feed It Forward website, choose three friends that you want to treat to a night out, and send them $10 gift certificates. They, in turn, can redeem the certificates at more than 5,000 restaurants. This doesn't cost you any money, and your friends only pay for any food or drinks in excess of the original $10. While you can only send three certificates per day, you can log in every day between now and Christmas. With two weeks remaining in the holiday season, you should be able to send presents to most of the people on your list.

Although Restaurant.com has allocated $30 million for this program, they have only spent 10% thus far. With $27 million left to give, they're sure to make this a brighter season for a lot of people!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He has already sent certificates to his Aunt Evie, his sister Sue, and his wife (hey, he had to make sure that this thing worked)!

It is well known that couples in long term relationships are healthier and wealthier. The best relationships are friendships that catch fire. How well do you know your partner and their view of the world? Answer the following questions "yes" or "no" to find out.

1. I understand my partner's philosophies about life.
2. I consider my partner to be my very best friend.
3. We often touch and kiss for no particular reason.
4. I call my partner several times a day.
5. I understand my partner's dreams for the future.
6. We find our sex life is fun and satisfying.
7. We touch base everyday about how our day is going.
8. If I have a problem, I talk with my partner.
9. We have scheduled activities that we look forward to.
10. We have similar values and goals.
11. I think that my partner has high integrity.
12. I can't wait to get home at the end of the day.
13. We have favorite traditions for many of the holidays.
14. I feel that my partner respects me.
15. We enjoy many of the same activities.
16. My partner understands my family.
17. My partner makes me laugh.

How many "Yes" answers did you have?

15 or more: You have a strong relationship built on friendship.

9-14: You have a good base but additional work will enhance your relationship. This is a good time to utilize additional tools.

8 or fewer: Get busy or you and your partner risk drifting apart.

Barbara Bartlein is the author of Why Did I Marry You Anyway? Overcoming the Myths That Hinder a Happy Marriage. For more marriage tips, please visit: Marriage Advice

As the foreclosure crisis continues to drag down the economy, it might be worth taking a moment to consider the next step in our ongoing tale of economic misery.

As Joe Nocera pointed out in the December 1 New York Times, credit cards, which are easier to get (and easier to screw up) than mortgages, are headed for the same sort of meltdown. With cardholders facing unemployment or reduced salaries, it seems likely that they will also have problems making their minimum monthly payments. This will probably translate into serious problems for card companies.

In many ways, the excesses of the mortgage market are mirrored in the credit card industry. For example, the tendency of some borrowers to exaggerate their income and downplay their expenditures has been blamed for a large percentage of the bad mortgages out there.

On December 1, the Federal Trade Commission closed one of the major loopholes that were still open to telemarketers. Although the 2003 Do-Not-Call Implementation Act made it illegal for telemarketers to contact registered phone numbers, the law did not extend to charities and companies with whom the residents had a prior relationship. This meant that, every time you applied for a credit card or ordered a magazine subscription, you effectively opened the door to an endless series of annoying phone calls. As of Monday, however, electronic phone calls from marketers must offer you a way to opt out of future solicitations.

For those of us who had phone numbers in 2003, this feels like the final battle in a long, brutal war. Prior to the implementation of the Do-Not-Call Registry, telemarketers seemingly had total carte blanche. They would call for most of the day and a large portion of the night, offering deals, demanding donations, and generally breaking up the flow of one's routine. Admittedly, this led to a little bit of fun, as I used to tell them that I was dead, act out domestic disasters on the phone, or ask for the caller's home phone numbers so I could call him at an inconvenient time. However, even the most ridiculous reverse harassment didn't change the fact that they had the legal right to regularly interrupt my life.



When the registry went into effect, it was like I had been liberated. Call volume in my house massively dropped, particularly after I began answering the phone with the words "I'm on the registry. If I don't know you, you're breaking the law." With every hurried click of a phone hanging up, my heart became a little lighter. Soon, however, telemarketers found the great loophole: If I had previously done business with them, they were legally allowed to call me. While the phone calls never returned to pre-registry numbers, they were still pretty high.

Time will tell if this new technique works or if it is merely opening the door to the next twist in the battle. The irony, of course, is that these phone calls are not very effective. In fact, when the McCain/Palin team began using "robocalls" in the final days of the last presidential campaign, they drew criticism from both parties. Even Governor Palin criticized the tactic. Maybe, with any luck, the days of unsolicited phone calls may be drawing to a close!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. Now if they could only apply the death penalty to habitual spammers...