Enquirer staff and wire services

Today's number: 9.6% - How much spending on privately insured Americans for health care jumped in 2002, down slightly from the 10 percent boost in 2001 and the first slowdown in the growth in spending in five years, according to the Center for Studying Health System Change, a Washington, D.C.-based policy research organization.

--The Associated Press

Today's career talk

American Mary Read lived the life of a pirate - clearly a man's world if there was one, Milton Meltzer says in the book Piracy and Plunder: A Murderous Business. Read was captured after a fierce battle with a British sloop off the coast of Jamaica, and while fellow crewmen and her Captain Jack stayed below decks, she fought topside with pistol and cutlass. Her words to Captain Jack as he headed to the gallows? "If you'd fought like a man, you need not have been hanged like a dog." The takeaway? Fight every battle like it's your last.

--John Eckberg

Today's money tip

Some companies use fiscal years that don't coincide with the calendar year. Instead, they may align their fiscal schedules with a "natural business year." This 12-month reporting period is chosen so that the end of the period coincides with a low point in activity or inventories. For example, many retailers use Feb. 1 to Jan. 31 as their fiscal year to keep holiday purchases and returns within the same accounting period.

--Amy Higgins

TODAY'S COMPANY: WALT SWEENEY FORD

SWEENEY TIMES THREE: Walt Sweeney Ford opened its doors in 1988 on Glenway Avenue in Westwood. The company's family of dealerships has since grown to include a Pontiac-GMC franchise in downtown Cincinnati and a Chrysler Dodge Jeep store in Lebanon.

SEAL OF APPROVAL: This west side company is the first Ford dealership in the Greater Cincinnati area to earn certification of its collision repair center by Ford Motor Co. The designation is awarded based on a center's repair procedures, quality and customer satisfaction; ongoing quality checks are performed. Seven major insurance companies in the Tristate use the center as a direct repair provider.

HIGH SCORER: For three years in a row, the dealership has achieved Blue Oval Certification from the manufacturer. This award is earned by dealers with consistently high customer satisfaction scores, "Fix It Right the First Time" scores and individual accountability scores. Earning the honor requires a collaborative effort by all employees.

--Jenny Callison