For the Jobless, Little U.S. Help on Foreclosure

By ANDREW MARTIN

Programs already plagued by delays and poor participation were not designed to fully address unemployment, now the primary cause of foreclosures.

Stew Milne for The New York Times

Mary Ernest of Blackstone, Mass., lost her job as a school aide and was “reduced to begging, more or less,” to keep her home.

“I'm doing the same thing I've always done, which is zealously representing my clients,” says Michael Loucks, a lawyer.

Drug Makers’ Feared Enemy Switches Sides, as Their Lawyer

By DUFF WILSON

Michael K. Loucks, arguably the nation’s most influential prosecutor of health care fraud, has emerged in recent months as zealous a corporate defender as he was a prosecutor.

Temperature Rising

Victor Valenzuela selects wheat plants for breeding at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.

A Warming Planet Struggles to Feed Itself

By JUSTIN GILLIS

As global warming puts stresses on farmers feeding a growing world population, financing to develop new crop varieties and new techniques has been slow to materialize.

At an exposition in Orlando, Fla., Debbie Bohlken sold her company's dog treats, which taste like ginger snaps. Americans spent $55 billion on pets last year.

‘For the Dogs’ Has a Whole New Meaning

By ANDREW MARTIN 5:44 PM ET

The pet industry has proved remarkably resilient to the downturn, as humans buy gourmet meals and bottled water for dogs.

DealBook

Accused of insider trading in 2002, Nelson Obus refuses to settle: “That is the same as guilty to me.”

The Curious Case of Nelson Obus

By SUSANNE CRAIG

Nelson Obus's case has become one of the longest-running civil actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission in recent memory, but he refuses to settle.

Novelties

Bend Me, Shape Me: The Heavy-Metal Version

By ANNE EISENBERG

Researchers have found a way to solidify metal alloys into a range of shapes, as if they were plastic, and possibly cut manufacturing costs.

Ping

Focusing on the Social, Minus the Media

By JENNA WORTHAM

A start-up, Grubwithus, tries to connect people the old-fashioned way: over dinner.

Square Feet | The 30-Minute Interview

T. J. Gottesdiener

By VIVIAN MARINO

Mr. Gottesdiener is a managing partner in the New York office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the world’s largest architectural firms, best known for its skyscrapers.

Getting Started

For Renters-to-Be, the High-Tech Lowdown

By JOSEPH PLAMBECK

Cracking New York’s real estate code can be daunting. But one starting point is visiting a handful of helpful Web sites.

Download The New York Times Real Estate App »

Career Couch

Between College and That First Job

By EILENE ZIMMERMAN

In a tough economy, many new college graduates will have much trouble finding employment. But instead of suspending the search, they should take time to develop skills and build a network.

The Boss

Kristi Mailloux, president of Molly Maid, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Farming to Franchising

By KRISTI MAILLOUX

Kristi Mailloux, president of Molly Maid cleaning services, joined the company for what she thought was a short stint in college. But she wound up staying on.

Letters: How the Debt Ballooned, and How to Deflate It

Fair Game

Inciting a Revolution: The Investor Spring

By GRETCHEN MORGENSON 1:26 PM ET

Disgruntled shareholders of Celgene Corporation have used the Web to rally holders of 2.7 million shares to vote against the company’s pay practices.

Corner Office: Bing Gordon

Bing Gordon, a partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, says that “I'm kind of teacher-consultant more than wielder of power.”

Power? Thanks, but I’d Rather Have Influence

By ADAM BRYANT 1:02 PM ET

Bing Gordon, a partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, says that “I’m kind of teacher-consultant more than wielder of power.”

Catherine Rampell on the slowdown in jobs growth and rise in unemployment; David Gillen and Andrew Martin on the transformation of the pet business; Richard Thaler on annuities; and Jeff Sommer with Phyllis Korkki on compulsive trading.

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Economic View

The Annuity Puzzle

By RICHARD H. THALER

The market still hasn’t figured out a good way to dispel myths and sell the advantages of annuities for retirement investing.

Strategies

The Guilt of Trading Too Much

By JEFF SOMMER 1:36 PM ET

Affluent people feel compelled to trade frequently, a recent survey found, though they also believe that their trading is excessive.

Mortgages

When the Seller Is the Lender

By MARYANN HAGGERTY

Owner-financed deals can provide sellers with interest income while helping buyers unable to secure a convention bank loan.

More Mortgages Columns

Off the Shelf

Fresh Tomatoes for Inner Cities

By NANCY F. KOEHN

In “Fair Food,” a new book, Oren B. Hesterman suggests fixes for what he sees as a broken American food system.

Slide Show: This Week’s Business News in Photos

Elusive home ownership, climate change, rethinking packaging, protesting austerity in Greece and more.

From the Sunday Magazine and Week in Review

Can Bill Simmons Win the Big One?

By JONATHAN MAHLER

He became the most popular sportswriter in America by championing the fan against the powers that be. Now that he’s got his own magazine and a blank check from ESPN, he is the powers that be.