When David Spade's tasteless DirecTV ad went out in late October, it was immediately hit with a hail of criticism.

Writers, including our own Jami Bernard, were quick to point out that the commercial, which used footage from 1995's Tommy Boy, essentially came off as a cruel and shameless exploitation of deceased actor Chris Farley.

Although Spade has repeatedly stated that he considered the commercial a tribute to Farley, he recently told People magazine that "The movie is important to me, and I would hate to offend [anyone] because that's one of my favorite things I've ever done. So I would apologize to someone who took it that way." He went on to state that "I wouldn't want anyone to get a whiff that I'm trying to get something off Chris."

As Bernard pointed out on WalletPop, the Farley estate was complicit in the ad. Farley's brothers have already received $25,000 for a billboard bearing his likeness; presumably, they accepted a lot more cash for this ad.

According to a story by Reuters Friday, a recent study determined that moustache-wearers earn 4.3 percent more than their clean-shaven compatriots. The survey -- which claimed to have randomly sampled 2,000 moustachioed men, 2,000 bearded men and 2,000 fully-shaved men -- went on to assert that those with hairy lips also tended to spend 11 percent more and saved 3 percent less than their bearded and barefaced brethren.

As the proud owner of a handlebar moustache, I would love it if this story were true. Unfortunately, the study appears to be a joke. It was commissioned by the American Mustache Institute, a tongue-in-cheek advocacy group tasked with "protecting the rights of, and fighting discrimination against, moustached Americans by promoting the growth, care, and culture of the moustache." Even ignoring the study's occasionally bizarre assertions, there doesn't seem to be any evidence to corroborate the existence of principle researcher Hans Menjou-Bärtchen, or his company, "Menjou-Bärtchen Research Consultants."

It's hard to imagine a pleasant foreclosure. Like root canals or appendicitis, they don't really come with a silver lining; after all, it's hard to find a way to put a smiley face on being turned out of one's home. However, while there are few things that can make a foreclosure enjoyable, there are many factors that can make it considerably worse. Perhaps the worst of these is the notion that the bank, an entity that is ethically charged with making the foreclosure process as impersonal as possible, would allow its employees to reap a personal benefit from a customer's pain.

For Lawrence and Linda Elins, their forced relocation from their Malibu beach house was traumatic, as it came on the heels of a massive financial crisis. The Elins, who had invested much of their money with Bernard Madoff, were devastated by the December 2008 revelation that he was a fraud. In the ensuing months, they attempted to piece together the broken parts of their financial life, finally deciding in May 2009 to surrender the house that they had owned for 13 years.

Poor Subway. The sandwich chain was already smarting from bad press for its mistreatment of Leon Batie, a franchise owner stationed in Afghanistan. Now it finds itself fighting another battle -- a strip club owner has used Subway-branded wrappers and menus in his combination sandwich shop and "all-nude private club."

When Anthony "Cousin Vinny" Agnello opened a Subway franchise in a Bronx, N.Y., neighborhood last year, he hoped it would be his "golden parachute," a reliable, profitable business that would help him branch out from the strip club business that had previously been his bread and butter. However, the larger-than-life Agnello quickly found himself at loggerheads with the popular sandwich company.

With preppy clothing going through yet another resurgence and camping coming into vogue as a vacation option, L.L. Bean has embarked on a business decision that could be incredibly lucrative ... or completely devastating: it is changing its design.

According to a recent article in The New York Times, the company has hired Alex Carleton, a popular, edgy designer, to be the creative director of its new "L.L. Bean Signature" line. Coming out in March, the new products promise to be more tailored and contemporary, with buffalo plaid shirts and tailored linen blazers.

While this may seem to be a minor change, it cuts to the heart of what, exactly, "preppy" means. For many, the prep look seems to consist of adding a few key elements into one's wardrobe. The idea is that one can take a ribbon belt here, a pair of cranberry pants there, add in some Sperry topsiders, stir with a fresh gin and tonic and -- presto! -- prep is attained.

One of the most oft-cited benefits to military service is that it gives members training and skills that they can use in private life. But few companies seem eager to help veterans convert these disciplines to civilian employment. In fact, a stint in the military is often not a career salvation but a job killer.

A couple of months ago, I wrote about Leon Batie, an Army reservist and Subway restaurant franchise owner who lost his shops while serving in Afghanistan.

Although many deserve some blame for the loss of Batie's business and his credit rating -- including his brother and his business partner -- the fact that one Subway executive pocketed $100,000 from the sale was more than a little disturbing.

So I was reassured by the story of Maid Brigade's Veterans Franchise Giveaway program. Between now and November 11, the Atlanta-based cleaning company is waiving its $14,500 franchise fee for qualified veterans seeking to open their own business. At the same time, it's running a contest for new veterans looking to go into business; the grand prize is a full franchise, valued at $45,000. Second and third prizes are similar packages, worth $27,500 and $17,000.

Don Hay, Maid Brigade's president, explained why the chain is so eager to recruit former soldiers: "We've had good experiences with veterans. They have good training, and know how to follow a system. Also, many are used to managing personnel."

A few months ago, Marc Verzani, an attorney based in New York City, filed a lawsuit against Costco, alleging that the discount superstore was shorting its customers on its $9.99 shrimp trays. District Judge Judge Colleen McMahon rejected the lawsuit, stating that it was "simply ridiculous."

On one level, you have to feel bad for lawyers. Barely a year ago, there was tons of money floating around and a law degree was second only to an MBA as a license for snatching it up.

As massive companies inked gargantuan deals, battles over little details put millions of dollars into the pockets of the lawyers who were tasked with greasing the skids of commerce. For Verzani, a real estate and general business lawyer, it was a lucrative time, indeed.

According to the old Beatles song, money "Can't Buy Me Love." However, a recent article in Psychological Science suggests that greenbacks may be able to do the next best thing.

According to the study's authors, money can help users deal with pain, social discomfort, and even the loss of love.

One one level, this revelation isn't all that surprising: as anybody who has ever undergone "shop therapy" can attest, the rush that comes from brand new purchases can sometimes help dilute -- or at least cover up -- the pain of heartbreak, disappointment, or anxiety.

Generally, this seems to be a matter of distraction and misdirection. Rather than being forced to deal with amorphous, unpleasant feelings, the mind gets to focus on pretty baubles. Beyond that, some studies have shown that compulsive spenders also get a rush of dopamine and endorphins that can translate into feelings of comfort and security.

While previous research has uncovered a link between purchase and pleasure, this study goes a bit further, suggesting that money itself can help users to tolerate physical pain.

Most of us think of Wal-Mart as the perfect store for buying cheap videos or get deals on breakfast cereal. Recently, however, a California couple demonstrated that it is also a great place for picking up a ball and chain.

On Wednesday, Keri Cheadle and John Gates, employees at West Sacramento's Wal-Mart Supercenter, exchanged vows in their store, where they first met, began dating, and fell in love.

Oddly enough, pledging one's eternal troth in the land of the blue vests and yellow dots is not all that uncommon. For years, the company has offered its outlets as low-cost places for employees to tie the knot. One Wal-Mart manager, in fact, noted that she has seen three in-store weddings during her time with the company.

This is not all that surprising; after all, as some sites have noted, Wal-Mart has great deals on many wedding necessities, from rings to invitations to music.

For economizing wedding planners, it seems like using it as a venue would be a natural move for trimming costs. After all, why pay for a chapel or hotel ballroom when you can gather with friends and family in the lawn and garden section?

Speaking of friends and family, for Wal-Mart employees, getting married at work makes it a lot easier to gather loved ones together. In the case of the Cheadle/Gates nuptials, some of the wedding guests were even on the clock.

While Wal-Mart seems to be a natural place for its employees to get married, it seems worthwhile to start thinking about it for the rest of us.

After all, even with a drop of almost $6,000 from the year before, the average American wedding cost $21,814 in 2008.

If Wal-Mart could take a page from the Las Vegas playbook, add in a little of its famous cost-cutting measures, and hire a full-time justice of the peace, recession weddings could be the company's next big trend!

Toan Lam, founder of GoInspireGo.com, recently wrote about Jorge Munoz, a bus driver who provides the homeless in his neighborhood in Queens, New York, with 120 to 140 meals every night. Over the past four years, Munoz and his family's personal outreach program has prepared an estimated 70,000 dinners.

Munoz funds this program by himself, earmarking roughly half of his $700-per-week paycheck for his unpaid "second job" of preparing food for strangers. In the course of his crusade, he has broken his stove and is using his sister's kitchen to keep up his strict delivery schedule.