Top Stories - U.S. News & World Report

For those looking for sizzling sales on electronics and other hot gift items for this holiday season, Cyber Monday will not disappoint. Coined by Shop.org in 2005, Cyber Monday is the day when most people return to the office after their Thanksgiving holiday and continue their holiday shopping online. Traditionally, Cyber Monday has been the biggest online shopping day of the year, but in recent years Black Friday and the days leading up to Christmas have posted just as strong--if not stronger--sales figures. Full Story »

Performance evaluations often get a bad rap by people who see them as a bureaucratic waste of time. Full Story »

I hear some of the folks in Washington talking about creating jobs and I just cringe. Full Story »

A reader writes to ask why her husband isn't losing weight--and in fact, seems to be gaining--despite exercising for over a year (jogging/walking for 30 to 45 minutes three to five times a week) and eating a generally healthful diet. Before I get into the specifics: I'm a journalist, not a nutritionist or M.D. If you worry your difficulty losing weight is from a medical condition, talk to a doctor, and if you are really having a tough time losing weight or planning meals, consider a visit to a nutritionist. ... Full Story »

The new year will move us one year closer to retirement. But few Americans are more prepared than last year. We may be tracking the stock market more closely than ever, but we still need better saving and investment strategies to get ready to retire. Here are 10 New Year's resolutions for retirement. Full Story »

One of the ways affordable colleges are trying to keep their prices down is to pack more students into every classroom. In these hard economic times, colleges are laying off professors and admitting more tuition-paying students, so courses are getting even more crowded. Full Story »

During the past year, mutual fund manager Stephen Shipman has regularly transformed his Quaker Small-Cap Tactical Allocation Fund. At one point in 2008, he had virtually the entire portfolio in cash, but at times this year he has been around 85 percent invested in the stock market. Full Story »

Although home sales surged last month, many housing experts--and even real estate agents' own trade group--are expecting the market to retrench in the coming months as the jolt from a tax incentive's previously impending deadline subsides. On a seasonal basis, existing home sales jumped 10 percent last month from September and nearly 24 percent from October 2008, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday. ... Full Story »

To lure more customers into their stores this holiday shopping season, several big-box retailers are opening on Thanksgiving Day in addition to extending their Black Friday hours. U.S. News spoke with some shopping experts to find out how consumers can score the best deals this year and make the most of the longer store hours. Full Story »

I'm heading to the gynecologist next month for my annual checkup and am expecting not to get my usual Pap smear. That's because the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued new recommendations today advising women not to be screened so frequently. Women like myself who are over 30 and have had three consecutive negative test results should be tested just once every three years. Those ages 21 to 30 should be tested every two years instead of every year. ... Full Story »