Top headlines:

Ad for nanny: 'My kids are a pain': It was an unusually honest ad for a live-in nanny, a 1,000-word tome beginning, "My kids are a pain." But it worked, attracting a brave soul who's never been a nanny before. ›22:59 28 Aug, Thu

Phone companies plan backups for Gustav: The tropical storm bearing down on the Gulf Coast could be a test for the country's wireless carriers, which faced criticism and a regulatory push after Hurricane Katrina took out networks. ›16:48

How you can downsize without compromise: Here are 10 of the safest cars on the market that prove you can downsize without compromising. ›15:15

Diners offering certain meals for less this fall: After a second quarter of too many empty tables and falling profits, restaurant companies are planning to woo diners back with lower-priced dishes as the weather grows colder. ›17:25

'Grease to Greece' racers run on cooking oil: Fuelled only by used cooking fat, eight teams completed a 2,500-mile car rally from London to Athens on Wednesday in a bid to promote awareness of cheap and environmentally-friendly bio-fuels. ›16:10

Go girls! Alpha female adventures 08: Girlfriend getaways? Old hat. In their place are adventurous female-only forays into the Great Outdoors, from heli-skiing in Banff to Patagonian mountaineering and more. ›18:28 28 Aug, Thu

400-year-old ships found under Oslo mud: The largest collection of antique shipwrecks ever found in Norway has been discovered under mud at the building site for a new highway tunnel in Oslo, the project's lead archaeologist said Friday. ›16:25

World champ in wacky competitions? Finland: They carry their wives, sit on ants, throw milking stools, boots and mobile phones here in the home of weird world championships, participants will do just about anything to win their offbeat crowns. ›22:14 26 Aug, Tue

Flyings a literal headache for many travelers: Headaches associated with air travel appear to be a huge and painful problem, Israeli researchers report. ›12:44 28 Aug, Thu

Newsweek: Students bummed at the pump: Rising fuel costs have forced students to find new ways of getting around. To help, commuter colleges are picking up the transportation costs for their students as well as their faculty and staff. ›14:25

Realtors peddle homes to bike-happy clients: With gas prices high, bicycles flying out of stores and a buyers' market for houses, a handful of real estate agents around the country are touting the two-wheeled appeal of their listings. ›18:56

Cervical cancer advances give hope to poor: New screening tests and effective vaccines from Merck & Co and GlaxoSmithKline make tackling cervical cancer in poor countries a real possibility for the first time, researchers said on Thursday. ›23:29 28 Aug, Thu

Pageant for nuns canceled: An Italian priest who had planned an online "pageant" for nuns has suspended the project, saying he was misinterpreted and had no intention of putting sisters on a beauty catwalk. ›15:14 26 Aug, Tue

Report: Oxygen bottle burst on Qantas jet: Air safety investigators confirmed Friday that an exploding oxygen cylinder ripped a gaping hole in a Qantas jet's fuselage mid-flight last month, but said they were no closer to solving the mystery of why the tank failed. ›15:47

Still in a home, by the skin of her teeth: Gut Check America profiles a single mom in Minnesota who found herself buried in debt after raising three kids. It took an unexpected windfall to save her from foreclosure. Msnbc.com's Kari Huus reports. ›09:50

Steroid abuse scars a young muscle man for life: For one 21-year-old muscle man, the quest to build a perfect body ended in grotesque, lifelong scars. ›23:57 26 Aug, Tue

Tips for staying connected in disasters: Preparation is key if you want keep your communications alive in a disaster such as a hurricane. ›18:32

Automakers find safety in U.S. doesnt translate: It seems like an easy solution: Americans are looking for more fuel-efficient vehicles, so Ford Motor Co. is bringing over some of the small, gas-sipping cars it's been selling to Europeans for years. ›14:18

Gulf Coast's tourism industry readies for storm: As Tropical Storm Gustav approaches, the Gulf Coast's tourism industry is gearing up for the key holiday weekend while keeping a wary eye on the storm and preparing for the mixed bag it may bring next week. ›20:23

Sony to launch world's thinnest LCD TVs: Sony Corp said on Thursday it would launch the world's thinnest liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs this year, broadening its product line-up ahead of the critical year-end shopping season. ›14:57

Drunken-driving deaths fall in 32 states: Drunken-driving deaths fell in 32 states in 2007, the government reported Thursday, but alcohol-related fatalities increased among motorcycle riders in half the states. ›22:06 28 Aug, Thu

Relaxing ocean getaways this fall from only $85: As the calendar turns to September and October, posh seaside havens such as Cape Cod and Marthas Vineyard become enticing tranquil outposts and the expansive ocean shores reveal even more of their rugged natural beauty. ›15:24

Top celebrity-owned vineyards: We tour 10 of the world's finest wineries that just happen to be owned by celebrities, including those by Francis Ford Coppola, Sam Neill, Mario Andretti and Gerard Depardieu. Could a Brangelina Sauvignon Blanc be far behind? ›21:53

Consumer outlook up more than expected: Americans became more optimistic in the economy amid declining gas prices in August, marking the biggest jump in two years. ›16:30