CITY LIMITS: With the crisis on Wall Street and its choking traffic and its nagging crime rate, you would expect to see New York at the top of the stress barometer, right? Wrong. I don’t know why or how one measures such things, but they do and the verdict is: Chicago. Its rising unemployment, expensive gas, high population density and relatively poor air quality create a perfect storm of stress to make the Windy City the stress capital of the country. New York did nail the second spot in the survey with its densely packed population competing for subway seats, cabs, apartments, elite preschools, dinner reservations and bartenders’ attention. Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco are ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

LITTLE IS BIG: In a tough economy, businesses are seeking new ways of saving money. Talk about lean is on the rise and we’re not talking diet, we’re talking budget. Under the heading of little things adding up, one executive used the example of 35-cent pens used by 50,000 employees in the company. He said if each worker used one fewer pen each month (or lost one less pen a month) the company would save $17,500 per month. Maybe not much for a company that size but it’s a couple of classy vacations or a few months of greens fees or a tuition-free year. Without penny-pinching, installation crews could effect some savings and so could salespeople since they work with several disposable items: pens, pads, order forms, to name a few. Sounds like parsimony now, but it could be a game-changer.

WORRY-FREE: While some businesses might be on an austere budget in order to cope with today’s sagging economy, the country’s wealthiest consumers are curtailing their spending on luxury goods and services but their willingness to fund travel is trending up. A recent survey showed that the affluent among us are forgoing the acquisition of jewelry, fashion accessories and other personal items but untie the purse strings for jaunts to exotic destinations. New floor or new ring or other diamond trinket, you have a shot. New floor or an unforgettable journey to an unforgettable place, that will take salesmanship. The wealthiest 10% of American households participated in the study. Seven out of 10 said the recent financial turmoil has affected the value of their assets and their feelings of economic security. Really.

WELL DONE: CCA Global Partners held its sixth annual golf tournament in Stone Mountain, Ga., and raised $145,000 for the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF). Renamed last year the Alan Greenberg Charity Golf Tournament in honor of its co-founder, it was attended by more than 150 industry leaders from all over the country and the CCA contribution this year brought its six-year total donation to the FCIF to nearly $750,000. After golf, dinner and the awards program, Howard Brodsky, chairman of CCA Global Partners, presented a check for $145,000 to Larry Nagle, FCIF Fundraising Committee chairman, who has been a member of the Foundation since its inception in 1980.

DESIGN 2009: Ceramic Tiles of Italy is seeking entries for its 2009 Design Competition, now in its 16th year, which celebrates the outstanding work of North American architects and designers who feature Italian ceramic tiles in their projects. Entrants are asked to submit domestic and international new construction and renovation projects completed between January 2004 and January 2009. A panel of experts will judge the entries based on their creativity, functionality and aesthetic appeal. Winners in each category will receive a $5,000 prize and a trip to Coverings in Chicago on April 21 to 24, 2009. Submissions must be received by Feb. 6. For additional information: www.tilecompetition.com.