The economy may be tanked but people are still eager to have their furry friends at their sides. An Associated Press poll released this week found that over half of American pet owners consider their pets as much a part of the family as any other person. Another 36% said their pet is part of the family but not a full member. Nearly half of pet owners admit to feeding animals human food, giving them human names, and nearly a third let them sleep in their beds.

All this camaraderie does not come cheap. There is the cost of purchasing the pet, followed by one-time and annual costs that can add up, according to the ASPCA.

One Time Expenses

Stevie Wonder is grieving Michael Jackson. This was very clear at the Summerfest Concert on Sunday night, when he opened the gig with a rambling speech about MJ and honoring him for his gifts to music.

OK, I have no problem with that. I loved Michael, especially his dance moves. He was probably the best dancer to ever grace a stage.

But the concert seemed slow in getting going. Then Stevie piped in a Michael Jackson song and began to cry on stage. His tears turned to sobs and then his head collapsed in his arms over his piano.

Neither I or the audience had a clue what was happening. Did he faint? Have a stroke? His daughter walked over and said a few words in his ear while she comforted him. He slowly regained composure and went on to the next song.

I understand that Stevie and MJ were close friends. I get it. But I paid a lot of money for that ticket, $69, and it wasn't to do therapy for Stevie. He said later in the concert that "I'm not afraid to show my heart." Fine, but does it have to be on my dime?

Family breakdowns including divorce, unwed mothers, and absentee fathers are costing millions to society according to a new study.

A senior family division judge for England and Wales, Justice Paul Coleridge, accused mothers and fathers who fail to commit to each other of engaging in a game of "pass the partner" that has left millions of children "scarred for life."

Seem dramatic? Maybe so, but it is true. According to the US Census Bureau, 29.1% of women who had a birth in 2004 were not married and that half of such unmarried mothers were living below the poverty level. This compared with 12% of married women at the poverty level. Too often, the failure to commit leaves children without a father, without stability, and without money.

And who picks up the tab? You and me. The societal cost of unwed mothers and divorced families is estimated to cost taxpayers at least $112 billion per year. A 1% reduction in family fragmentation would save taxpayers an estimated $1.1 billion per year.

I recently pulled up at the corner by my house to mail some last minute bills. Jumping out of the car with the door open, I looked in disbelief when I couldn't find the familiar blue box. Glancing around, all I could find was some old rust marks on the sidewalk where the box stood for the last 30 years. So where did it go?

I found out the answer when I picked up the evening newspaper: boxes are being eliminated. The United States Postal Service is attempting to cut costs by removing boxes that are not used extensively. I guess it makes sense, but I wish someone would have told me. Or better yet, inform me where boxes still are available.

Information from the post office lets consumers know that they can simply "mail" a letter right in their box by leaving it for the mail handler. Well, maybe that works for some people, but not if you have the old crab that comes to my house everyday. He's grouchy on even the nicest days and never smiles or says "hi." I can just see him muttering under his breathe if I were to ask for any extras.

Now I know that I am dating myself, but I still remember when mail delivery was twice a day. Really. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They stopped that a long time ago but I still remember it. I also recall when the postman was not only friendly, but he stopped to chat and talk for awhile.

I guess I have enough friends without the mailman, but I sure would like to know where to mail a letter.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro

A recent survey by online banking business HSBC Direct reports that people who are longtime active savers are enduring this economic downtown virtually unscathed.

Nearly half, or 46%, said they remain comfortable with their financial situation and have not had to cut back on spending, eating out or making large purchases. By contrast, 37% of non-active or periodic savers said they had to scale back on living expenses.

The old adage of saving for a "rainy day" is still good wisdom. But how many people are really willing to save? According to the survey, 85% were wiling to save more and spend less in order to get through the recession but more than 76% indicated they would return to old ways once the economy improves.

The survey also showed that most active savers started at a young age with the "saving" value taught early by their parents. Makes me wonder how many parents are teaching the value of saving in this age of "affuensa."

Think working long hours is bad for your marriage? Think again.

According to a new study out of Australia, working long hours may help prolong a marriage.

"The optimal work arrangement appears to be where the man works a 41- to 49-hour week," according to Melbourne Institute economist Mark Wooden, who conducted the research, and was quoted in the Australian newspaper the Telegraph.

"Beyond this, the risk of separation does rise, but it is still lower than for couples where the male works a 35- to 40-hour work week."

Wooden used data which tracked Australian families between 2002 and 2006, to conclude that long work hours do not result in higher divorce rates.

The markets responded last week to the outbreak of swine flu that started in Mexico and expanded to the U.S and now it is officially a pandemic.

Swine flu has reached 74 countries, infecting nearly 29,000 people and now has been declared unstoppable. Experts are watching the Southern Hemisphere to see what the incidence will be this summer, yet, to date, the spread has not slowed.

What is amazing to me is how complacent and unconcerned most folks are. They report to me that people die every year of the flu, what is the big deal? I have heard a least a dozen people say the media has overblown the whole thing to which I reply, "No, they haven't."

This flu is particularly worrisome. It is a combination of avian, swine and human flu that has mutated to become contagious between people. This combination has not happened before and we do not have resistance to it.

Too many employees dislike their jobs and view them as "have to" instead of "get to," according to Roxanne Emmerich in her new book, Thank God It's Monday: How to Create a Workplace You and Your Customers Love. This creates a negative culture of excuses, whining, gossiping and complaining with little focus on making the customer successful. And now, with all the layoffs, it seems those "left behind" are stressed and so fearful with twice the work and half the friends, they have lost their ability to get results.

According to Emmerich:

• More than 91% of people spend a large portion of their day frustrated by their co-worker's dysfunctional behaviors, and regularly think about quitting their jobs.
• Managers waste 37% or more of their day dealing with dysfunctional and unproductive behavior.
• More than two thirds of the workplace is considered to be "disengaged" according to polls by Gallup.
• One dollar out of every three payroll dollars is lost due to disengaged employees.

Ever wondered why Red Bull gave you so much energy? It could be the cocaine.

Six German states have told retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after a test found a trace amount of cocaine. The bans started Friday after a sample test conducted by authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia state found 0.4 micrograms per liter in the drink.

Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said Monday that the cocaine level was too low to pose a health risk but will be doing additional testing.

Home prices have fallen 32.2% since peaking in the second quarter of 2006 and are at levels not seen since the end of 2002. Even in areas that never had the huge run up in real estate prices, like in Milwaukee where I live, assessed values are decreasing.

For those of us not interested in selling, could this be good news? I was pleasantly surprised when I received my latest tax assessment. Our assessment actually went DOWN for the first time in 26 years. Reportedly, the assessed values of duplexes went down with ours decreasing $14,000. Though we live in our whole house and no longer rent part of it, it is still classified as a duplex so we were included in the falling assessments.

The question, of course, is whether that will really translate into any decrease in actual taxes due. With all the falling assessments across the city, there is a shortfall in the city/county/state coffers. The probability that the mill rate will be raised to cover the deficit is a real possibility. That means, even though my assessment went down, my taxes could go up.

I remember as a little girl, my parents complaining about taxes. Now, I really know what they mean. It is especially frustrating to pay our fair share and find our roads are falling apart, we have no mass transit system, and our park system, once the shining jewel of Milwaukee, is falling into disrepair.

I'll let you know what happens when I get the tax bill in December.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. Have a good story about negative people? Submit your Energy Sucker story at The People Pro.