Hiring managers provided the following 10 examples of the most unusual excuses employees offered for arriving late to work: 1. I dreamed that I was fired, so I didn’t bother to get out of bed. 2. I had to take my cat to the dentist. 3. I went all the way to the office and…

NASHVILLE (AP) NISSAN ALTIMA Problematic engines that have forced Nissan to recall 97,000 Altima and Sentra vehicles were manufactured in Tennessee, the automaker said. Nissan North America Inc. announced the recall Thursday after reports that the 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine made at its Decherd factory, about 50 miles northwest of Chattanooga, could quickly consume oil, potentially…

From the editors of Consumer Reports Going out to eat used to be reserved for special occasions, but it?s now an everyday occurrence for some people. Cracker Barrel was rated by Consumer Reports as one of the top family restaurant chains in America. Dining out is no longer a treat; it’s a way of life.…

Bruce Williams DEAR BRUCE: I hope it?s not too late already, but we could really use your help! I am not completely sure how far in debt we are, but I think it?s around $70,000 in credit cards. I have definitely done my share of going overboard with the spending. But, my daughter helped herself…

James Clark Karate champion Michael Grubbs, left, has opened McMinnville School of Karate on Mullican Street and has Joshua Davenport as his head instructor. The phone number is 474-2777. Ladies and gentlemen, I?m pleased to pass along an announcement made earlier this month by a San Diego firm that?s working on a new invention. It?s…

By KRYSTEN CRAWFORD Business 2.0 Magazine Associate Editor SAN FRANCISCO ? There is no polite way to say this: Americans are fat, and they’re getting fatter. More than 60 million Americans are obese, up from 23 million in 1980. Another 28 million are expected to join their ranks by 2013. Forget the stereotypes: It’s not…

James Clark photos Prater?s BBQ does a mean business every year at Bonnaroo because people from far and wide have come to realize it?s some good BBQ. Pictured in the Prater?s food trailer are hard-working employees, from left, Amy Pellar, David Dodd and Lacey Nash. Last week, Billboard said Bonnaroo is the most profitable music…

Business Roundup By The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) ? Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods fell in May, reflecting a second straight month of weakness in demand for commercial aircraft. The Commerce Department reported Friday that orders for durable goods dropped by 0.3 percent last month after an even bigger 4.7 percent plunge…

Baby Girl Aaryn Elizabeth Cowan is the name chosen by her parents, Stormi and Wayne Cowan, at the time of her birth on May 22. She arrived at Erlanger Hospital weighing 1 pound, 9 ounces and 13 inches long. Grandparents are Linda and the late Gerald R. Jones, Annette Walls and David Cowan. Great-grandparents are…

Wedding traditions can and do change. And, sometimes, traditions should change. So says Peggy Post, the great-grand-daughter-in-law of Emily Post, today?s leading authority on etiquette and the author of a dozen books. As 1-800-FLOWERS.COM?s etiquette expert, Post provides enlightened solutions to weddings questions. Here are a few established wedding traditions that have taken on a…