In Brief

By Mike Eskenazi

WHY TO BUY AMERICAN The biggest innovation of the 2001 auto season may have to do less with in-dash satellite-navigation systems than with lower sticker prices. Consumers last year rushed to buy foreign cars, and economists now predict an overall spending slowdown. The combination has forced Detroit's Big Three to offer sizable rebates--up to 35% higher than last year's--on next year's models.

OPEN ACCESS While both church and state have recently wavered on how to acknowledge same-sex partnerships, private industry has taken the lead. According to a recent Human Rights Campaign study, 25% more employers--including 46% more FORTUNE 500 companies--are offering health benefits to their employees' same-sex partners than did last year. Among the firms that have come out and expanded benefits in the past year are IBM, Coca-Cola and the Boeing Co.

VIRTUAL PEACE OF MIND While your teenage shoppers may be bugging you less for a trip to the mall, are you concerned that they'll run amuck on the Web with your credit card? Fortunately, savings account-linked debit cards designed for teenagers have been sprouting as quickly as virtual vendors. Firms such as PocketCard and Cobaltcard now offer prepaid Visa debit cards. In separate ventures, Visa and M2Card are set to introduce debit cards aimed at teaching prudent online-spending habits. The M2Card will even feature a rewards system for teen cybershoppers that will enable them to accrue bonus credit in stores on- and off-line. Shop on.

--By Mike Eskenazi