My name is Asher, and I'm a recovering iPod junkie. Last fall I kicked my three-year habit when the earphone jack on my black, 30-gigabyte iPod Classic came loose, leaving me with fuzzy sound on the right side. I didn't have time to get it fixed--and funny enough, after a few days I didn't much miss it.

Even so, when an editor asked me to compare Microsoft's Zune to Apple's iPod Touch, I was sure my affinity for any and all hardware incubated in Cupertino, Calif., (I've been a Mac user since age 5) would destroy my objectivity.

Having given my disclosures, here's my verdict: The Zune is pretty nifty. The Touch, however, is a superfluous addition to Apple's (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) iPod roster.

Cheaper than the highest-gigabyte Touches and about the same price as a Classic, the Zune has a bigger screen than the latter and graphics quality as strong as the former. The 120 GB Zune goes for $250, just $21 more than an 8 GB Touch. The 32 GB Touch goes for a savings-busting $399.

In Pictures: Top 10 Most-Sought-After Gifts

And what do you get with a Touch? As anyone who's ever used one knows, it's an iPhone...without the phone. The Touch has Web applications in case you're in a wi-fi area, but who wants to go hunting for a hotspot when you're out and about?

Most people who buy the Touch are hankering for its iPhone-sized screen, which provides a better video-watching experience than any other iPod. But the storage room just isn't enough: Even if you've got the 32 GB, good luck squeezing in all your favorite music, photos and movies.

LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said insufficient fiscal stimulus by governments to tackle the global slowdown may make a bad 2009 even worse, according to an interview released on Sunday.

Strauss-Kahn told BBC radio that the IMF may need to cut its next economic growth forecasts, due in January, referring to "2009 as really being a bad year".

"I'm specially concerned by the fact that our forecast, already very dark ... will be even darker if not enough fiscal stimulus is implemented," he said in an interview.

The IMF has called for higher government spending and temporary tax cuts worth $120 trillion, or 2 percent of global annual economic output, to fill the gap caused by slumping private demand following the credit crunch.

Britain has announced fiscal stimulus worth around 1 percent of output, and despite "disturbing" level of public debt, Strauss-Kahn said more public borrowing would be the lesser of two evils.

"The question of having social unrest has been highlighted by journalists and I can understand that, but it's only part of the problem," he said. "The problem is that the whole society is going to suffer." (Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)

As part of his plan to revive a flailing economy, President-elect Barack Obama recently pledged to "Create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s."

His plan would include potentially hundreds of billions of dollars for infrastructure projects. And while economists debate whether this is the most effective form of fiscal stimulus, the mayors of the nation's cities line up at the trough. Schools, roads, rails, pipes and airports? Can we have some more, sir?

Even by Washington standards this would be a once-in-a-lifetime spending spree on projects that would be called pork in less-prodigal times. Cities across the country are ready to pig out.

On Dec. 8, just two days after Obama's pledge for massive infrastructure spending, the U.S. Conference of Mayors released an 803-page report--a wishlist of some 11,391 infrastructure projects they would love to press ahead with.

Talk about a dream scenario. Build all those projects, do it with federal money, say you're rescuing the economy with the spending and, since it's not your local taxpayers' money, don't even stress too much about whether or not the project's cost effective.

Give the money to banks or individuals and they might just horde it. Give it to states or the federal government and it will get stuck in the bureaucracy. But give it to the cities and they'll spend, says Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, the president of the Conference of Mayors. (Not that the governors are sitting idly by--they have $136 billion in plans they'd like to initiate.)

A new Forbes study finds that companies that hire their own CEOs perform better than ones that use executive recruiters.

Stocks have ended a choppy day mixed as investors remain uncertain that a $17.4 billion lifeline for automakers will make a lasting difference for the beleaguered industry.

The Dow rose by as much as 182 points in the early going, turned lower at midday, recovered in the afternoon but then lost ground again in the last hour of trading.

Investors are relieved that the White House's efforts have staved off a bankruptcy that could have sent a blow to the economy, but they're worried that the conditions of the financing might be difficult for GM and Chrysler to meet.

At the close, the Dow is down about 25 points to the 8,579 level. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index and Nasdaq composite index are up less than 1 percent.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Facing a growing chorus of angry investors, disgraced financier Bernard Madoff lost his right to leave his home Friday and was ordered to hire private around-the-clock security guards to protect him. U.S. Magistrate Judge Theodore H. Katz approved the revised bail conditions after prosecutors sent a letter requesting them earlier in the day. The letter, signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc O. Litt, did not explain why the bail conditions needed to be tightened.

Madoff, 70, a former Nasdaq stock market chairman, has become one of the most vilified people in America since word broke last week that he allegedly plundered $50 billion from investors.

The changes eliminated a curfew established this week that allowed Madoff to leave his Manhattan apartment during the day. Now, he will be confined to his apartment at all times, except for court appearances.

The order calls for Madoff's wife to pay for a security firm to provide 24-hour video monitoring of Madoff's apartment doors. It also requires communications devices and services enabling the firm to send a direct signal from an observation post to the FBI if there is an "appearance of harm or flight."

"The security firm will provide additional guards available on request if necessary to prevent harm or flight," the order said.

Madoff's lawyer, Ira Lee Sorkin, said the order "speaks for itself."

About his client's safety, Sorkin said: "We are always concerned about the health and well-being of high-profile clients and we take whatever measures are appropriate."

Madoff's bail conditions have been gradually increased as angry investors who lost billions seek information about what happened to money they thought was safely invested with someone who was widely respected on Wall Street for nearly half a century. A week ago, he was released on $10 million bail only on the signature of he and his wife. When he could not get a total of five signatures on his bail package to vouch for him, a curfew was imposed.

The bail development occurred a day after Madoff was ordered to provide a written list by year-end of his assets and liabilities, a key step in finding what is left for investors.

U.S. District Judge Louis L. Stanton signed an order late Thursday requiring Madoff to provide a verified accounting of all his assets, liabilities and property to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The court filings came as investigators spent another day trying to untangle Madoff's operation. Investigators have started serving grand jury subpoenas requiring witnesses to testify and seeking documents, according to an official familiar with the case. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, declined to identify who was served or specify what documents were wanted.

Also Friday, Tufts University became the latest group to come forward as a Madoff victim, saying it lost $20 million, or about 2 percent of the school's endowment.

The school invested the money with an investment firm called Ascot Partners LP, managed by the chairman of GMAC Financial Services, J. Ezra Merkin. Other universities also lost a bundle with Ascot through the Madoff connection, including New York Law School.

The judge's order, agreed to by Madoff, demanded details of all assets, funds or property held by Madoff and the names and locations of entities, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, investments or assets held by his business, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC.

The order also puts control of all of his artwork, property, cars, jewelry and other items in the hands of a court-appointed receiver.

The order also requires that the receiver, lawyer Lee Richards, prevent the disposal of any of the assets of Madoff Securities International Ltd. and determine to what extent funds were comingled between Madoff's U.S. operations and any businesses overseas.

Madoff and his family essentially turned him in to authorities last week, blowing the whistle on what authorities said he confessed was a "giant Ponzi scheme."

Authorities say Madoff confessed to family members that he had for years been paying returns to certain investors out of the principal received from others until he had only $200 million to $300 million remaining.

The charge against Madoff carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Other charges could be added as the case is presented to a grand jury.

The trustee in charge of the Madoff liquidation has hired Lazard Freres & Co. LLC to assist in the sale of the trading operations of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC., the global financial advisory and asset management firms.

Associated Press Writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.

Wall Street drifted into the dusk on Friday, as investors closed out positions ahead of a holiday-shortened week and mulled the much-anticipated rescue plan for Detroit's auto industry.

The U.S. Treasury will use $17.4 billion of its Troubled Asset Relief Program piggybank on bridge loans for General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) and Chrysler designed to keep the automakers afloat while they restructure. The money will be doled out in two parts, an immediate $13.4 billion outlay followed by another $4.0 billion in February, with the goal of putting the car companies on a path to survival by the end of March. (See "A Band Aid Or A Bailout?")

GM shares jumped 15.3% but the broader market stalled Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 26 points, or 0.3%, to 8,579, losing 0.6% on the week, and is down 35.3% in 2008. The S&P 500 gained 2 points, or 0.3%, to 888, adding 0.9% for the week to shave its year-to-date loss to 39.5%; and the Nasdaq climbed 12 points, or 0.8%, to 1,564 Friday, to lock in a 1.5% five-day gain and trim its 2008 decline to 41.0%. Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ), which requested a credit line from the government but not a bridge loan, gained 1.8% late in the session.

The banking sector was under the gun after Standard & Poor's cut its long-term debt ratings on a dozen firms. Morgan Stanley (nyse: MS - news - people ) and Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) were among the hardest hit of the companies affected by the cut, down 4.1% and 5.9%, respectively, which S&P attributed to continued pressure on complex financial institutions and the likelihood of ongoing volatility in funding markets. The SPDR KBW Bank (nyse: KBE - news - people )exchange-traded fund was off 1.5% near the close.

Traders in the energy pits sent oil prices lower Friday, as crude dropped $2.35, to $33.87 a barrel. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries announced a 2.2 million barrel production cut on Wednesday, but move has been greeted with skepticism, as market watchers question whether the output decrease can overcome plunging demand caused by the global economic downturn. United States Oil Fund (nyse: USO - news - people ), an exchange-traded vehicle that tracks crude and other products, gained 0.9% though, as prices ticked higher in electronic trading after the January crude contract expired at day's end. (See "Market Judges OPEC Goal A Mere Paper Cut.")

Gov. David Paterson says the loss of tax revenue from just six executives of Goldman Sachs will cost New York $178 million.

The executives complied with the urging of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and others who said in November that major Wall Street companies benefiting from federal bailouts shouldn't pay out the usual huge bonuses to executives.

Paterson says it is the right thing to do, but the result is a further hit to the fiscal crisis of state government.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

, Ford Motor Chief Executive Alan Mulally sat shoulder-to-shoulder with the bosses of General Motors and Chrysler like a line of delinquent schoolboys.

But now that the Bush administration has agreed to lend GM and Chrysler $17.4 billion to stave off bankruptcy, Mulally is running as fast as he can from those other guys. "We're in a different place," says Mulally, whose company had $19 billion in cash on Sept. 30 and isn't seeking an immediate cash infusion.

Don't be so sure. Ford, which lost $8.7 billion through September, may yet need taxpayer money. It is burning more than $2 billion a month and has asked for a $9 billion line of credit as a safety net in case industry conditions worsen. And it's looking more and more like Ford will need it.

Ford's financial projections are based on a rosier industry sales forecast--12.5 million vehicles (including heavy trucks) in 2009 and 14.5 million in 2010--than most industry experts predict. JD Power & Associates is forecasting 11.4 million light-vehicle sales in 2009 and 13.6 million for 2010.

IHS Global Insight is even more pessimistic. It now forecasts sales of 10 million to 10.5 million light vehicles for 2009, and 12.5 million units for 2010. GM's best case scenario is 12 million units in 2009 and 14 million in 2010, though its business plan is based on more conservative estimates. Last year, the industry sold 16.1 million light vehicles.

If Ford's assumptions prove too optimistic--as is likely--it too will be approaching Uncle Sam for help. "All automakers, including Ford, are going to need government money," says IHS Global Insight analyst Rebecca Lindland.

Self-interest required Mulally to stand up for his weaker competitors. A collapse of one or both would hurt suppliers and could potentially bring down Ford as well. But in the meantime, Ford is shrewdly portraying itself as the healthiest U.S. carmaker and quietly stealing market share from its crosstown rivals. Ford gained 1.4 points of market share in November, while GM lost 1.6 points and Chrysler lost 2.3 points.\

updated 2 minutes ago

Winter storm rips into Midwest, Northeast

Milwaukee's airport was shut down and travel treacherous across the upper Midwest as a major winter storm plowed eastward Friday, the National Weather Service said.

"This is essentially the reincarnation of the same storm that brought the heavy snow to parts of California, southern Nevada and northern Arizona," Steve Corfidi, lead forecaster with the weather service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, told CNNRadio.

As much as 10 inches of snow was predicted for southern Wisconsin and Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport before dawn Friday.

To the south and east, snow and ice were creating havoc at major airports, from O'Hare International in Chicago, Illinois -- almost three-hour delays -- to New York's John F. Kennedy International -- 2½ hour delays, the Federal Aviation Administration reported.

And the storm's effects were felt far from its icy grip. It was a sunny 77 degrees at Florida's Palm Beach International Airport at noon Friday, but those with travel plans to Boston or New York saw their flights canceled, CNN affiliate WPBF-TV reported. Florida fliers could still get to Newark Liberty International, WPBF said, but the FAA reported Newark arrivals were delayed up to 5½ hours.

Almost a foot of snow was predicted for parts of central Michigan, CNN affiliate WNEM-TV in Saginaw reported. Classes were canceled in hundreds of schools across the state, according to the station's Web site.

Police in Buffalo, New York, shut down the city's Skyway highway because of winds and snow, CNN affiliate WGRZ-TV reported. Western New York had several inches of snow on the ground by noon, the station reported.

To the north in Ontario, Canada, southbound Highway 400 was shut down outside Toronto after an multi-vehicle accident in near whiteout conditions, CNN affiliate CTV reported.

"Lots of blowing snow. Visibility is next to nothing," CTV senior cameraman Tom Podolec reported from the scene.

Ontario Provincial Police reported 70 accidents in less than five hours Friday morning.

Forecaster Corfidi said the storm is expected to maintain intensity into Saturday, continuing eastward and "spreading a swath of very heavy snow and freezing rain all the way into Pennsylvania and New York."

Storm watches and warnings extended from the central Plains to the mid- and north Atlantic coast, he said.

"There could easily be up to a foot of snow over parts of Illinois, northern Indiana, perhaps into parts of Michigan and southern Wisconsin, eastward into parts of New York and Pennsylvania," Corfidi said. Watch Arizonans cope with snowfall »

The system should move quickly, Corfidi said. It was not shaping up as an extraordinary winter event, he said.

"It is December, and winter storms certainly raise their ugly heads this time of year," Corfidi added.

But in New Hampshire, still reeling from an ice storm last week, crews worked feverishly to restore electricity service to more than 30,000 customers remaining in the dark, CNN affiliate WMUR-TV in Manchester reported.

Southern New Hampshire could get 10 new inches of snow before midnight Friday, WMUR said.

While the weather focus was east of the Rockies on Friday, forecasters in the Northwest had dire predictions for the weekend.

"It's going to be a real mess," National Weather Service forecaster Brad Colman told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

A major storm with wind gusts up to 90 mph and snowfall that could be a much as a foot deep was moving in from the Pacific, the newspaper reported.

This accumulation could pile on top of ice and snow left over from earlier this week. All major schools in the Seattle-Tacoma area were closed Friday, CNN affiliate KIRO-TV in Seattle reported, as roads were too icy for buses to navigate.