My new weekend ritual is watching "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" for the thank-you notes -- the absurd messages of sarcastic gratitude that the NBC host writes on Fridays. "Thank you, the gym, for being exactly like my grandpa: Always there for me, even though I only visit you twice a year," joked Fallon in a typical one. One of the things I like about Fallon's comedy is that it's never cynical.

"I used to not use them because I thought they were really impersonal and not a lot of thought was put into them," said Joseph, a Pleasant Hill resident. "They are more specific to different stores. But while they are a popular holiday gift, consumers need to be aware that general use gift cards issued by credit card companies are likely to have fees that can take away from their value.

BLOOMINGTON -- Crime Stoppers of McLean County needs the public's help in finding a woman who has passed six counterfeit travelers' checks. The suspect, whose image was captured by a security camera, is a white woman between 25 and 30 years old. Police said she used six fake $100 American Express travelers' checks at businesses along Veterans Parkway in early October.

A bankruptcy trustee accused Ex-Luzerne County Human Resources Director Doug Richards and his wife Thursday of hiding income from a debt payment plan they filed last month. Trustee Charles J. Dehart 3rd claimed Richards and his wife did not disclose the full amount of their monthly disposable income and urged a bankruptcy judge to reject the plan.

Shoppers are expected to shell out some $25 billion for gift cards this holiday season, making the little pieces of plastic cash the No. The best news is that gift cards have become more consumer-friendly. In general, retailer cards -- those good at a particular store or chain of stores -- have the simplest terms.

Dear Action Line: I was considering gift cards for my nephew for Christmas when I found gift cards from last Christmas in my wallet. Gift cards are popular gifts to give and receive, but 25 percent of them go unused, according to the National Retail Federation Web site.

Change is good. Baja Grill in Pewaukee, with a new chef, is clear proof. I first visited the restaurant serving pan-Latin-inspired dishes in late summer and took advantage of the patio with a view of Pewaukee Lake.

“OPEN for Government Contracts: Victory in ProcurementSM for Small Business” Lays Out $1 Billion Contract Goal.

American Express Inc. said Thursday it is starting a consulting unit to help business clients analyze customers' spending trends. The credit card company based in New York said American Express Business Insights will use data from its payment network to aid in business planning and marketing.

In business, sometimes opposites do attract. American Express agreed to buy startup rival Revolution Money for $300 million from AOL co-founder Steve Case's investment firm on Wednesday, marrying the most prestigious credit card issuer with the lowest-cost issuer. Revolution Money's Internet platform processes payments inexpensively, the company says.