This holiday season, J.C. Penney (JCP) CEO and Chairman Myron E. Ullman III is armed with a lineup of exclusive fashion brands he helped bring to the department store chain, and he's ready to battle

As companies hire extra workers for the holidays, some of these seasonal employees are already wondering: How do I turn this temporary position into something permanent? And, in this economy, can I?R

Many people are finding the holiday tradition of making charitable donations difficult again this year, particularly if they're unemployed or worried about the economy. Charities, many of which norma

Peggy Noonan, maybe the most gifted essayist of our time, wrote a few weeks ago about the vague concern that many of us have that the looming monster has the potential (my interpretation) not only to

It's now July, and millions of schoolchildren across the country are celebrating summer vacation.But for many parents, summer vacation is anything but. In single-parent and 2-income households, those

Every family’s tragedy is unique, but the problems that grow out of a parent’s death have a horrible sameness in the world of middle-class American economics.An elderly person dies, leavi

Editor's Note: 5 Things will not be published tomorrow (Friday) and will return as usual on Monday.1. The FalloutWell, that was fun, wasn't it? I must admit to being taken aback by the magnitude of t

Editor's Note: James Quinn is a senior director of strategic planning for a major university. James has held high-level financial positions with a retailer, homebuilder and a university in his 22-yea

“Oh to live on Sugar Mountain . With the barkers and the colored balloons.” –Neil YoungWe knew it was coming, right? At the beginning of the week, we mapped numero

Equity markets had their biggest rally this year after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke outlined steps to fix the banking industry in a morning address. His remarks, delivered to the Counci