With few mothers working, shop opening hours could be short, schools could open for only half the day (most start at 8am) and child-care assistance was superfluous.

ECONOMIST: A changing relationship between a nation and its clocks

Scottish National Party fisheries spokesman Richard Lochhead wished the new council well - but agreed that it would be "nothing short of a worthy but glorified talking shop".

BBC: NEWS | UK | Scotland | First meeting for fishing summit

Food prices have fallen a real 7% since 2000 (though they are rising again with higher international commodity prices), choice has widened as some 2, 000 new products have been added to the shelves each year and most people in Britain live a short drive away from at least one large shop.

ECONOMIST: Competition in retailing

But the economic slump had caused the most impact and had forced the directors of CAT plc to hand over control of a shop, restaurant, a cliff railway, short courses and consultancy to the charity.

BBC: The Quarry Cafe closed on Friday

In a short 15 years, the Internet has changed the way we work, shop, communicate, and think.

FORBES: Why I Believe That This Will Be The Most Innovative Decade In History

Boston-based quant shop, ClearStream Investments, says the top four BRIC exchange traded funds are duds short-term.

FORBES: BRIC ETFs Unattractive, Says ClearStream Investments "Black Box"

There also are funds that offer one-stop-shop exposure to a variety of strategies traditionally associated with hedge funds, including long-short equity or nontraditional bond strategies.

WSJ: How to Streamline and Simplify a Complicated Investment Portfolio

In short, universal care, mandates and fees on business to help pay for it has not made companies close shop, or caused residents to buy into a program they cannot really afford.

FORBES: The One Success Story Romney Can't Discuss