Americans approve of Obama’s jobs bill

Senate Republicans Tuesday may have blocked President Obama's jobs bill, but a new poll suggests that's not what a majority of Americans want.

Nearly two-thirds of the respondents to a survey from NBC/Wall Street Journal voiced their approval when pollsters were told them the details of the president's "American Jobs Act"-- including that it would cut payroll taxes, fund new road construction, and extend unemployment benefits. NBC reports that 63 percent of respondents said they favored the bill, with just 32 percent opposing it.

But the numbers for the bill only spike when Americans learn about its provisions in some detail. When NBC pollsters asked for a simple up-or-down appraisal of the bill, minus any policy details, the same group of respondents expressed less than half the level of support that they later showed. "When asked simply if Congress should pass the legislation or not, 30 percent of respondents answer yes, while 22 percent say no; 44 percent have no opinion," according to NBC.

One element of the bill in particular enjoyed wide support--Obama's proposal to remove tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans. Sixty-four percent of respondents said it is a "good idea" to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Thirty-one percent said it was a bad idea.

The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points is set for release Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

On Tuesday evening, senate Republicans joined together to filibuster the president's jobs bill--denying efforts to begin formal debate on the legislation even though a majority of senators had already voted to advance the bill in a 50-49 vote.

In time of need, Jordan silent in labor talks

Michael Jordan won six NBA championships and delivered several of the league’s most iconic moments during his remarkable career. The greater the pressure, the greater he played. Even now, more than eight years after his retirement – and more than 11 years after his unforgettable shot over Bryon Russell gave the Chicago Bullsthe last of those six titles – Jordan’s legacy remains as vibrant as ever. This generation’s players still wear his No. 23 jersey, and, yes, his shoes remain among the most popular in the world. He’s gone from the court to the owner’s suite, and somehow he makes more in endorsement money now than he did as a player.

All of which makes it distressing that Jordan has been largely invisible in the NBA’s ongoing labor standoff. He fought in this battle as a player and now he’s on the opposite side as owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. He can offer a unique perspective at the negotiating table – if only he’d take a seat at the table.

The awkwardness of Jordan’s position – many of the same star players his ownership peers are negotiating against are part of his Jordan Brand stable – might have contributed to him distancing himself from the talks. But with NBA commissioner David Stern just cancelling the first two weeks of the season and putting the rest of the 2011-12 schedule on notice, the league would benefit from having Jordan’s presence at any future negotiations. Players Association executive director Billy Hunter said he and Stern will meet with a federal mediator next week – a positive step – but if there’s any one person within the league who can coax the two sides closer toward a middle ground, it’s likely Jordan.

In simpler terms: The NBA once again needs its greatest player to come through in the clutch.

Jordan’s background in the league is as diverse as anyone’s: He’s gone from star player to general manager to owner. He played (and worked) in big markets in Chicago and Washington, and is now trying to make the small-market Bobcats relevant in Charlotte. He entered the league making $630,000 as a rookie and earned as much as $33 million for a single season. He’s the only African-American majority owner in a league predominantly made up of African-Americans.

Royal wedding captivates tiny kingdom

PUNAKHA, Bhutan (AP) — The beloved king of the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan married his commoner bride Thursday in an ancient Buddhist ceremony at the country's most sacred monastery fortress.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, wearing the raven crown, came down from his golden throne in front of a huge statue of Buddha to place a smaller, silk brocade crown upon the head of his bride, Jetsun Pema. Monks chanted in celebration as she took her seat beside him as the new queen of the country.

The wedding has captivated the nation, which had grown impatient with their 31-year-old bachelor king's lack of urgency to find a bride and start a family of his own since his father retired and handed power to him five years ago.

Children composed poems, flight attendants practiced celebratory dances and posters of the couple were nearly ubiquitous.

The celebrations began at 8:20 a.m. — a time set by royal astrologers — when the king, wearing the royal yellow sash, walked into the courtyard of the 17th century monastery in the old capital of Punakha and proceeded up the high staircase inside. A few minutes later, his 21-year-old bride arrived at the end of a procession of red-robed monks and flag bearers across a wooden footbridge over the wide, blue river beside the fort and followed him inside.

Singers chanted songs of celebration amid the clanging of drums and the drone of long dhung trumpets. She wore a traditional wraparound skirt with a gold jacket with deep red cuffs.

Inside, the nation's top cleric, who presided over the wedding, performed a purification ceremony for the couple in front of a massive 100-foot Thongdal tapestry of Bhutan's 17th century founder, the monk-king Zhabdrung.

The pair then proceeded to the temple for a ceremony broadcast live on national television, save for a few minutes when the king, his father and the cleric, known as the Je Khenpo, entered the sacred tomb of Zhabdrung, where only they are allowed.

The king's father then gave the bride an array of five colored scarves representing blessings from the tomb. Hesitantly, she then approached the king's throne with a golden chalice filled with the ambrosia of eternal life. They held it together for several seconds and then he drank.

The king, wearing his red Raven Crown, with an image of the protector bird rising from the top, came down from the throne and placed a smaller crown on her head. After she took her place as queen, the newly married couple was feted by monks playing deep tones on traditional trumpets and pounding drums.

The Je Khenpo presented them a series of gifts — a mirror, curd, grass, a conch — representing blessings for longevity, wisdom, purity and other well wishes.

Unlike this year's other royal wedding — that of Britain's William and Kate — there were no foreign princes, no visiting heads of state, no global celebrities. Just the royal family, thousands of nearby villagers gathered at a nearby field waiting for the royal couple to celebrate with them and the rest of the country's 700,000 people watching live on TV.

"The whole theme of the wedding was to keep it a simple family affair, that is the Bhutanese family," said Kinley Dorji, Bhutan's secretary of information.

The Oxford-educated king is adored for pushing development and ushering in democratic reforms that established a constitutional monarchy and legislature in 2008. His teen-idol looks — slicked back hair, long sideburns — his penchant for evening bike rides through the streets and his reputation as a laid-back, accessible leader, also make him the rare monarch whose picture adorns the bedroom walls of teenage girls.

His bride, the daughter of a pilot, has been on an introductory tour of the remote villages of the nation since the king told Parliament in May, "It's now time for me to marry."

The remote nation began slowly opening up to the rest of the world in the 1960s. Foreigners and the international media were first admitted in 1974. Television finally arrived in 1999.

The country has not had a royal wedding since the fourth king held a mass ceremony in 1988 with his four wives — four sisters whom he had informally married years earlier. The current king says he will take only one wife, so the country is unlikely to see another such celebration for a long time.

China's soaring new skyscraper

REFILE - CLARIFYING CAPTION The newly inaugurated skyscraper tower of Huaxi village is seen in Huaxi village, Jiangsu province, October 7, 2011. Huaxi, also know as China's richest village, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the inauguration of a massive 328-meters (1,076 feet) high skyscraper that screams for attention from its lowly skyline. A solid gold bull weighing a tonne also greets visitors at a viewing area on the 60th-floor of the tower, a testament to the wealth of the village. In Huaxi, those from the original 2,000 residents have at least a house, a car, and $250,000 in the bank and enjoy universal health care and free education. Officials from elsewhere in China tour Huaxi to find out how this once sleepy village, with just 576 residents in the 1950s, is now so rich and why non-local businessmen would donate million-dollar factories to buy the privilege of a local residence permit. Picture take on October 7, 2011. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (CHINA - Tags: ANNIVERSARY BUSINESS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY WEALTH)

Sea Monster Possibly Discovered

A giant sea monster, the likes of the mythological kraken, may have swum Earth's ancient oceans, snagging what was thought to be the sea's top predators — school bus-size ichthyosaurs with fearsome teeth.

The kraken, which would've been nearly 100 feet (30 meters) long, or twice the size of the colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis, likely drowned or broke the necks of the ichthyosaurs before dragging the corpses to its lair, akin to an octopus's midden, according to study researcher Mark McMenamin, a paleontologist at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. [Rumor or Reality: The Creatures of Cryptozoology]

There is no direct evidence for the beast, though McMenamin suggests that's because it was soft-bodied and didn't stand the test of time; even so, to make a firm case for its existence one would want to find more direct evidence.

McMenamin presented his work Monday (Oct. 10) at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Minneapolis.

Cause of death

Evidence for the kraken and its gruesome attacks comes from markings on the bones of the remains of nine 45-foot (14 meter) ichthyosaurs of the species Shonisaurus popularis, which lived during the Triassic, a period that lasted from 248 million to 206 million years ago. The beasts were the Triassic version of today's predatory giant squid-eating sperm whales.

McMenamin was interested in solving a long-standing puzzle over the cause of death of the S. popularis individuals at the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada. An expert on the site, Charles Lewis Camp of U.C. Berkeley, suggested in the 1950s that the ichthyosaurs succumbed to an accidental stranding or a toxic plankton bloom. However, nobody has been able to prove the beasts died in shallow water, with more recent work on the rocks around the fossils by Jennifer Hogler, then at the University of California Museum of Paleontoloy, suggesting they died in a deepwater environment. [See image of kraken's lair]

"I was aware that anytime there is controversy about depth, there is probably something interesting going on," McMenamin said. And when he and his daughter arrived at the park, they were struck by the remains' strangeness, particularly "a very odd configuration of bones."

The etching on the bones suggested the shonisaurs were not all killed and buried at the same time, he said. It also looked like the bones had been purposefully rearranged, likely carried to the "kraken's lair" after they had been killed. A similar behavior has been seen in modern octopus.

The markings and rearrangement of the S. popularis bones suggests an octopus-like creature (like a kraken) either drowned the ichthyosaurs or broke their necks, according to McMenamin.

The arranged vertebrae also seemed to resemble the pattern of sucker disks on a cephalopod's tentacle, with each vertebra strongly resembling a sucker made by a member of the Coleoidea, which includes octopuses, squid, cuttlefish and their relatives. The researchers suggest this pattern reveals a self-portrait of the mysterious beast.

The perfect crime?

Next, McMenamin wondered if an octopus-like creature could realistically have taken out the huge swimming predatory reptiles. Evidence is in their favor, it seems. Video taken by staff at the Seattle Aquarium showed that a large octopus in one of their large tanks had been killing the sharks. [On the Brink: A Gallery of Wild Sharks]

"We think that this cephalopod in the Triassic was doing the same thing," McMenamin said. More supporting evidence: There were many more broken ribs seen in the shonisaur fossils than would seem accidental, as well as evidence of twisted necks.

"It was either drowning them or breaking their necks," McMenamin said.

So where did this kraken go? Since octopuses are mostly soft-bodied they don't fossilize well and scientists wouldn't expect to find their remains from so long ago. Only their beaks, or mouthparts, are hard and the chances of those being preserved nearby are very low, according to the researchers.

With such circumstanial evidence of "the crime," McMenamin expects his interpretation will draw skeptics. And, in fact, it has. Brian Switek, a research associate at the New Jersey State Museum, writing for Wired.com, is extremely skeptical, writing, "The McMenamins' entire case is based on peculiar inferences about the site. It is a case of reading the scattered bones as if they were tea leaves able to tell someone’s fortune. Rather than being distributed through the bonebed by natural processes related to decay and preservation, the McMenamins argue that the Shonisaurus bones were intentionally arrayed in a 'midden' by a huge cephalopod nearly 100 feet long" (McMenamin worked with his wife, Dianna Schulte McMenamin on the study.)

As for how McMenamin would respond to critics: "We're ready for this. We have a very good case," he said.

Champ defends belt against nemesis

Edgar then dove on top and brutally finished Maynard with a series of ground strikes – which Maynard couldn’t do to him in the first round of either of their two championship fights – to retain the belt. Referee Josh Rosenthal jumped in to stop it at 3:54 as Edgar won the final fight of their trilogy to keep the lightweight belt.

It was a dramatic turnaround for Edgar, who looked like he was on the verge of being finished early. Edgar ended the fight with his left eye virtually closed and blood pouring from his nose and mouth.

The main event was one of two title fights on a stacked card that featured some of the UFC’s biggest names.

The co-main event, a featherweight title bout between Jose Aldo Jr. and Kenny Florian, didn’t bring anyone out of their seats. Aldo wasn’t spectacular and he did not have any devastating strikes. But he did enough to hold on to his belt in a grueling unanimous decision victory over Florian.

Domestic abuse no longer a crime?

A bitter argument over money in Topeka, Kan., means that city and county authorities have neglected to prosecute or charge people suspected of domestic battery since Sept. 8.

In other words, the local justice system has spent a month effectively sending the message that misdemeanor domestic assault will go unpunished--at least for now.

The dispute started last month, when Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor announced that a 10 percent budget cut to his office in 2012 meant he would no longer be prosecuting any of the city's misdemeanors, effective immediately. Topeka city council members say they can't afford the estimated $800,000 yearly cost of prosecuting those misdemeanors and jailing offenders--and that they want the county to continue carrying out misdemeanor prosecutions as it has for the past 25 years. The county continues to insist that the jurisdiction for these prosecutions should shift to city prosecutors, but the Topeka City Council says that none of the city's five attorneys has any recent experience prosecuting domestic violence cases.

Next week, the council will vote on a measure that will strip domestic battery from a list of crimes that are illegal in the city. The vote is a tactical bid to force the county to take those cases on again.

City Council member Larry Wolgast told The Lookout he's opposed to that tactic, since there's no guarantee that the county will actually prosecute domestic battery cases just because the city decriminalizes the offense. But Wolgast also says the city cannot find the money to prosecute the cases themselves. "If we could just solve this by taking them over, that would be great to do. But the people aren't there," he said. He added that the most severe cases of domestic battery would be written up as felonies, which are still prosecuted by the county.

Karen Hiller, another City Council member, tells The Lookout that the county already has the resources needed to prosecute these kind of cases, while the city--which doesn't even have its own jail--would have to build from the ground up. Taylor would need an extra $200,000 to continue prosecuting them, while the city would have to spend nearly $1 million.

"How could we possibly do this on 10 minutes notice?" she said.

A domestic abuse survivor and activist, Claudine Dombrowski, told Fox4 that the city is sending the message that it's OK to beat your wife or husband.

"They need to invest in headstones, because these women are going to end up in cemeteries," Dombrowski told the station. She said she was hit with a crowbar in a domestic violence incident classified as a misdemeanor 16 years ago.

Wolgast says he's not sure when the jurisdictional dispute will end. When asked to address potential victims of domestic abuse whose perpetrators are not being prosecuted, he said: "We're working to solve the situation. I don't know what more I can say at this point."

According to James Anderson at the Topeka Police Department, city authorities have arrested 20 people on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery since Sept. 8. Anderson said he doesn't know how many were charged, but Shawnee County court data suggests that all of the suspected offenders were released and not charged. One man was arrested twice over the month, both times on suspected domestic battery, and released both times. Their cases will be brought up for prosecution again once the city and county resolve their dispute, according to Hiller.

In Kansas, domestic battery is defined as "intentionally or recklessly causing bodily harm by a family or household member against a family or household member," or intentionally physically contacting a family member in a "rude, insulting or angry manner." The third time someone is convicted of domestic battery within five years, the offense becomes a felony.

Should you wait for the iPhone 5?

Apple has unleashed all the juicy details on the newest member of the iPhone family, the iPhone 4S — and with it, a torrent of consumer angst over whether or not to buy the latest and greatest Apple smartphone when it launches October 14, or hold out for the inevitable iPhone 5.

Whether or not an iPhone 4S purchase makes sense for you will depend on a number of factors: are you currently under contract with an earlier iPhone model or other smartphone? Do you have the now last-generation iPhone 4, or the even older iPhone 3GS model? Are you hankering to switch cell carriers?

Read on for some advice on whether or not the iPhone 4S would be a good purchase, depending on which of the following camps you're currently in. The ultimate decision is all yours, and of course a very personal one: let us know what your gameplan is in the comments!

Current iPhone 3GS or earlier owners

If you bought the iPhone 3GS when it first came out back in June of 2009, or are still rocking either the iPhone 3G or the original iPhone, you should be clear of the 2-year contract you signed then, making the iPhone 4S a very sensible upgrade for you. In fact, Apple knows full well it needs to craft its phone hardware strategy around this typical 2-year cycle, and the arguably less than earth-shattering upgrades between the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and now the 4 and 4S, were actively designed to appeal to consumers two generations behind (you can check out a feature comparison of the latter three devices here).

Apple tribute logo a Web hit

When Steve Jobs resigned from Apple in August, 7,000 miles away in Hong Kong, graphic design student Jonathan Mak Long, "shocked" by the CEO's departure, did what he knew best: He created a design to honor the Apple co-founder.

The 19-year-old posted the image, the Apple logo with the bite changed to a profile of Jobs, to hisTumblr blog. Known as Jonathan Mak, he initially received about 80 notes on the image. Then word came this past Wednesday that Jobs had died, after a long battle with cancer. Mak reposted the homage, which this time caught fire on the Web, attracting an almost immediate response of 10,000 likes and reblogs on his Tumblr site and surging to 180,000 -- in one day. Comments included "awesome invention like steve jobs." One thought it should be the "new Apple logo." Another wanted to "use it as a tattoo."

Speaking in fluent English (which he said he learned from watching the TV show "Friends"), thePolytechnic University School of Design student told Yahoo! in a Skype interview that the image was a tribute to Jobs's contributions to the world: "I wanted to commemorate him. He's such an integral part of Apple. I thought it would be fitting to include him in the Apple logo." Long added, "With Jobs gone, Apple is literally missing a piece."

The artist was inspired by the uncompromising personality of the creative genius. He said of Jobs: "He had this vision that he was not afraid to commit to. That's how he broke new ground. His commitment and belief in himself is what inspire me." The designer's vision for his own work is an aesthetic that joins a simple graphic element with a richer meaning, giving the viewer, as he put it, an "a-ha moment."

The cyber tribute that became a hit, and along with attracting media attention, the logo found itself as the preferred profile pic on Ashton Kutcher's Twitter account and on merchandise featured on eBay. While the design prodigy has received several job offers, but he hasn't acted on them; "I'm still a student," he said. The artist has a portfolio of minimalist design, but don't call him an Apple fanboy. "I just got my first MacBook Pro a year ago," he admitted -- and he still doesn't own an iPhone.

Asked whether he'd gotten any response from Apple, Mak said he had emailed CEO Tim Cook but so far hadn't heard back.

Bold Mansion Owners Are Raising Prices

Trying to unload a mega-mansion in today’s market? Instead of making it seem like a fire sale, join the contrarians playing hardball. Rather than lowering the listing price when the manse doesn’t sell, buck conventional wisdom and hike up the asking price. After all, if they really want your trophy home, what’s another million or two?

Using data from listing sites Trulia.com, Zillow.com and Realtor.com, along with help from the folks at Sotheby’s International Realty, Prudential Douglas Elliman and the Corcoran Group, we tracked upscale homes where the ante’s been upped. The hike sometimes occurs with a change in brokers and strategy, when the furniture’s tossed in to sweeten the deal, or when construction is finally finished.

For prospective buyers, a raised price on a luxury residence may make the home “even more special or desirable than he or she first considered and worth the extra dollars,” explained Dr. Barry Farber, a psychology professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College. While spiking the price tag may deter buyers on a shoestring budget, “it may intrigue those for whom a higher price reflects their own sense of worth and success in the world.”

“If it’s one of a kind, if you really want that house, you are going to get it” said Dottie Herman, president and CEO of Prudential Douglas Elliman. “If you can afford $3 million, you can afford $4 million.”

Here are five mega-homes

Alpine, N.J.

Behind the gates of this 30,000-square-foot, 12-bedroom palace, a heated driveway leads to a motor court with an 11-car garage. The grand reception rooms, including a ballroom, have 12-foot ceilings. For fun, there’s an indoor basketball court, an 18-seat home movie theater, a 4,000-bottle wine cellar, a 65-foot saltwater pool and separate pool house with kitchen and two baths, and a tennis court. Demonstrating how serious he was about the price, the owner raised it without losing multiple bidders.

East Hampton, N.Y.

It's all about location and the views at this cedar shingle-sided home, where the price was recently jacked upon completion. Situated “south of the highway” in East Hampton, the .85 acre property abuts Further Lane Farm, a 40-acre reserve and has views of the ocean from the second floor. Outdoor amenities include a heated Gunite pool and spa, three showers and a fireplace and a separate pool house has a full bath and kitchenette.

Boca Raton, Fla.

Like a private resort, this contemporary seven-bedroom home on 2.32 acres has its own dock on 600 feet of lakefront within a gated community. Other splashy amenities include a front courtyard fountain, a central atrium with a waterfall, a backyard pool, tennis court and guest house. The price was hiked because the owners decided to sell the home fully furnished.

Bel Air, Calif.

A touch of Tuscany with a stone and stucco façade imbued with a contemporary flair and walls that open for indoor/outdoor living set high in the hills in the gated community of Bel Air Crest with golf course views. Finished last year, the owner/builder is selling the three-level mega-home fully furnished and stocked with over-the-top amenities from a dine-in wine cellar, game room, elevator and three bar areas to a luxe spa with whirlpool, sauna, steam room and massage area. An appraiser was apparently wowed, jacking the price up $2.3 million.

Yonkers, N.Y.

A one-of-a-kind historical home, it was difficult to appraise this 14,000-square-foot historical castle with Tiffany and John La Farge windows and a copper-clad conservatory sitting on the Hudson River in Westchester County. After showing it over the summer, the owner, a well-known museum curator who spent a decade restoring the fantasy manse, decided that buying a castle isn’t usually a logical decision -- therefore hiking the price by $1.3 million wouldn’t deter buyers. Besides, a million-dollar-plus new slate roof, installed two years ago, cost nearly the difference, a private chapel still has its original three-story-high organ, a sitting room fireplace is embellished with semi-precious stones and the octagonal-shaped ballroom sports a hand-carved 17th-century ceiling. Priceless.

For the past two years, Herman Cain has written a weekly column for WorldNetDaily, a website that is the online hub for people who believe that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Not one of Cain's 113 columns broaches the topic of Obama's birth. He has used his WorldNetDaily column to build support for his presidential candidacy, outline his policy ideas on health care and economics and clarify his positions on the campaign trail.

Cain, a Georgia businessman who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, has catapulted in recent polls into the field's top tier, following his victory last month at the Florida straw poll. His decision to associate himself with the birther movement's flagship publication could hinder his attempt to shift from a tea party star into a leading Republican presidential candidate.

Best New-Car Deals For October

Automakers seem to have missed the news that the nation was still suffering from a recession last month, as new-car sales continued to swell, with some brands posting record numbers. Concurrently, incentives on some vehicles are becoming slimmer and in many cases nonexistent, particularly among smaller and more fuel-efficient models that continue to be in demand among fuel-price-sensitive shoppers.

This month we’re seeing the first real round of model-year 2012 sales incentives, particularly on larger cars and SUVs that have fallen off many consumers’ shopping lists. Even better bargains can be found on closeout 2011 models that sit like ticking time bombs on dealer lots racking up financing costs while current model-year rides usurp their positions on showroom floors. As an example, the richest incentive we could find this month was a $10,000 additional dealer discount on the limited production 2011 BMW Alpina B7, which is the ultimate expression of the full-size 7 Series luxury sedan at a whopping $128,900.

Normally we wouldn’t necessarily recommend choosing one of what are now last year’s models to save an extra thousand dollars or two, especially since they would be subject to an additional year’s depreciation. But residual/used-car values have skyrocketed in recent years, which flatten out the depreciation curve considerably and make these year-end closeouts better deals. According to Kelley Blue Book, given a shrinking supply of used models in recent years from slow new-car sales and other factors, the average price of a pre-owned vehicle has risen from $15,000 in 2008 to more than $23,000 in 2011, which amounts to an increase of 15.8 percent per year.

With incentives tending to be the richest on larger and more practically minded vehicles this month, and with football season in full swing, we’re focusing on models that are not only offering the deepest discounts but also happen to be best suited for tailgating. These include models featuring direct-to-consumer cash rebates, discounted financing promotions and so-called marketing-support incentives, which we call additional dealer discounts. Typically favored by luxury automakers, the latter are cash allowances given to dealers to lower the prices on select models without seeming to cheapen the brand by offering cash rebates. The only catch is that a dealer may or may not automatically pass them on without some hard-nosed negotiations.

And just to prove that you can park a suitable tailgating vehicle that’s small enough to leave enough room in the allotted slot for a table and chairs, we include the diminutive and fuel-efficient Suzuki SX4 Crossover hatchback.

Read on for the 6 new car deals that can help make even a losing season enjoyable.

The Fine Print: Additional incentives may apply, such as those often offered to recent college graduates and members of the military and/or owners or lessees trading in same-brand or competing models. Offers may vary by region and are subject to subsequent modification or termination by the manufacturer; cited financing rates are typically open only to qualified buyers with top credit ratings and may vary based on eligibility. And no matter how great a rebate deal you may be offered, keep in mind that the final transaction price is always open to negotiation. We expect dealer discounts on any of these vehicles will be substantial for hard-nosed hagglers.

2011 Dodge RAM 1500
Deal: $4,250 cash or 0.0 percent financing to 72 months. With its big and bold styling, the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck is easy to spot, even in a crowded parking lot. Offered in a choice of three cab styles, with rear- or four-wheel-drive and a choice of V6 and V8 engines, the Ram 1500 can please a wide variety of pickup aficionados. It offers a full assortment of tailgating features, including an optional “RamBox” cargo system with lockable, illuminated and drainable storage bins built into the cargo bed rails that can hold up to 10 cases of 12-ounce beverages. Crew Cab versions feature two floor-mounted storage bins with removable liners that are large enough for ten 12-ounce cans and ice. An available cargo rail system can help secure the grill, folding table and other essentials. Also on the options list is a fan-friendly rear entertainment system with hard-drive media storage for digital music, and a dealer-installed Wi-Fi system that turns the Ram 1500 into a rolling Internet hot spot for checking sports scores and highlights.

2011 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
Deal: $3,500 additional dealer discount and 2.9 percent financing to 36 months, 3.9 to 72 months. Essentially longer and taller versions of the BMW 5 Series sedans, the 535 and 550 Gran Turismo models sport a sleekly curved roofline and a rear hatchback for a unique combination of coupe-like stylishness and wagon-like convenience. Best of all, both retain the sedan’s adept ride and handling characteristics with a choice of a 300-horsepower six-cylinder engine or a V-8 with 400 horses and rear- or all-wheel-drive. The Gran Turismo caters to affluent technology mavens with a wealth of advanced gadgetry that includes a Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection system that uses an infrared camera to display the reflected image of the road ahead on the instrument panel’s monitor, which should at least be good for a few laughs in the stadium parking lot once the sun sets.

2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Deal: $3,000 cash or 0.0 percent financing to 60 months, 1.9 to 72 months. The station wagon rendition of the popular midsize Cadillac CTS delivers a winning combination of luxury, sportiness and practicality. It comes with rear- or all-wheel-drive, automatic or manual transmissions and offers a choice of V6 engines. The top CTS-V wagon version is costly at around $63,000, but is a true guilty pleasure with a 556-horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine that blows away every car in this list. Entertaining options include a rear seat DVD array and a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather reports, a hard-drive for digital media storage and a TiVo-like function that allows users to pause and rewind live radio broadcasts for instant replays or to put the action on hold while answering a phone call.

2011 Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan
Deal: $2,500 cash or 0.0 percent financing to 72 months. Arguably among the top tailgating and road-tripping vehicles at any price, the near-twin Town & Country and Grand Caravan minivans were updated for 2011 with a higher-quality interior treatment and a new 3.6-liter V6 engine. Both come with a unique “Stow ‘n Go” arrangement that can store second and third row seats within the floor or provide large storage bins with the seats upright. Anti-stain/anti-odor upholstery is standard. Other available tailgate friendly features include a built-in AC power inverter, a dual DVD system with available Sirius Backseat TV to keep the kids occupied before the game, hard-drive media storage for digital music and a system that turns either vehicle a rolling Wi-Fi hot spot for connecting to the Internet via laptop computers, iPads and the like.

2012 Dodge Journey
Deal: Up to $1,500 cash or 0.0 percent financing to 36 months, 1.9 to 48 months, 2.9 to 60 months, 4.9 to 72 months. 2011 models: $2,500 cash or 0.0 percent financing to 72 months. Like the Chrysler/Dodge minivans, the Journey received a welcome makeover for 2011 that featured a nicely revamped cabin design and a 3.6-liter V-6 engine offering that’s both powerful and efficient. A newly optional “Uconnect Touch” infotainment system incorporates a Garmin-based navigation system and features a touch-screen video interface for the audio system and other functions. Two removable rear-seat bins in the floor can hold a dozen 12-ounce cans plus ice or can stow gear out of sight for added security. Tech-heads can connect their portable devices to the Internet via a dealer-installed Wi-Fi accessory.

2011 Suzuki SX4 Crossover
Deal: $1,000 cash or 0.0 percent financing to 48 months, 1.9 to 60 months, 2.9 to 72 months. Getting the best fuel economy of any model in our top tailgaters list at 23/30 mpg, the bargain-priced SX4 Crossover is a four-door hatchback that proves practicality need not be boring. Packing a peppy 150-horsepower four-cylinder engine, it rides on a sporty suspension that delivers entertaining handling qualities, with all-wheel-drive standard for top foul-weather traction. It’s a tight fit inside, but a 60/40-split back seat can be folded flat and tumbled forward to create maximum cargo room. Best of all the SX4 can nimbly weave its way around gargantuan RVs and SUVs toward the parking lot exits post-game to get a head start home.

America's Best Family Hotels

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas,Orlando

Don’t be fooled by its name: Colorado’s Bachelor Gulch is well suited for families, with wide-open spaces and tons of activities. And if you stay at the Ritz-Carlton here, you’ll find enough amenities (and nannies) to ensure that parents get a vacation, too.

Family-friendly activities, attentive service, and beautiful landscapes are hallmarks of America’s Best Hotels for Families, as voted by readers in T+L’s annual World’s Best Awards survey. The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is a prime example.

Connecting kids to the outdoors is a priority for many parents, so it’s no surprise that America’s Best Hotels for Families includes plenty of properties in natural settings. But even if the call of the wild is getting louder, Walt Disney World remains an indisputable kid-pleaser. This year, six resorts at the Happiest Place on Earth made the list. Here are some of the best family-friendly hotels:

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch

Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, 
Beaver Creek, CO

Winter heaven, this hotel has something for every family member: air hockey and video games in the teen lounge; a 21,000-square-foot spa with claw-foot copper tubs; and access to Vail Valley’s numerous golf courses. There's also an affordable ski-nanny program, doggie spa treatments, and fire pits. Doubles from $549.

Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa

Courtesy of Terra Resort Group

Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa,Jackson Hole, WY

Tall-timber resort abutting the entrance to Grand Teton National Park; the new 16,000-square-foot spa has a rooftop yoga studio that offers kids’ classes. Doubles from $389.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

The Walt Disney Corporation

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge,Orlando

Next to the theme park, a little piece of Africa: spot free-roaming zebras and antelope from your private balcony overlooking 33 acres of savanna. Doubles from $350.

The Sagamore Resort

Courtesy of The Sagamore

The Sagamore Resort, Adirondacks, NY

Storied 1883 hotel on the shores of shimmering Lake George, where cruises take place on a handsome replica of a 19th-century wooden boat. Doubles from $189.

Trapp Family Lodge

Courtesy of Trapp Family Lodge

Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT

Yes, it’s owned by that von Trapp family—thus the Austrian-style décor and the weekly Sound of Musicsing-alongs. Doubles from $325.

Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, SC

Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, SC

Barrier-island resort that has wide-ranging activities: tie-dye lessons, all-ages golf, and Surf Kayak Rodeo.Doubles from $460.

The Greenbrier

Courtesy of The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV

Recently renovated 1913 property with a Cold War-era bunker that’s open for tours. Doubles from $359.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Susan Seubert

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, 
Kailua Kona, HI

Inspired by the golden age of Hawaii; keikis get to make kiddie-size leis and snorkel Kealakekua Bay. Doubles from $795.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

The Walt Disney Corporation

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Anaheim, CA

Takes its cues from California’s Yosemite National Park, down to an Ahwahnee-like lodge and a redwood waterslide. Doubles from $265.