The Bottom Line

 With the weak dollar drawing European tourists to New York City, some local merchants have started to accept euros as payment. “I get mail saying I’m un-American,” says antiques store owner Billy Leroy. “But it’s American to adapt.”The New York Times

Builder Shea Homes is opening a “green” retirement development near Orlando. The homes feature solar attic fans, lighting triggered by motion sensors, and garages outfitted with electric-vehicle charging stations.Marketwatch.com

The high price of oil is spurring the airline industry to search for alternative energy sources. Boeing recently flew a 747 fueled with a mix of 80 percent conventional jet fuel and 20 percent fuel derived from babassu and coconut oils.The Boston Globe

Due to the surging price of gold, each gold-plated Oscar statuette handed out at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony cost $500 apiece, up from $400 last year. Financial Times

To deal with the boarded-up windows and unraked lawns that characterize foreclosed properties, Minneapolis officials are urging neighborhood associations to “adopt” foreclosed homes. Ongoing maintenance of abandoned properties can help prop up sagging market values.Minneapolis Star Tribune