In Brief

By Anamaria Wilson

WHEN IGNORANCE IS BLISS If those mutual-fund ads that tout amazing returns look too good to be true, it could be because they're ignoring NASDAQ's 23.5% nose dive since March 10. Such backward-looking ads reflect the previous quarter's or even the previous year's returns. And with many funds driven by weighty tech holdings, last year's results may look brighter than those of the recent past. Of course, some funds may have thrived despite the latest downturn. But the NASD and the SEC are taking a hard look at what could be overly rosy ads.

1-YR TOTAL % RETURN TOTAL % RETURN FUND NAME (3/31/2000) (3/10-4/27)

American Century New Oppor. Inv. 217.34 -31.20 Scudder 21st Century Growth 118.07 -31.95 Fidelity New Millennium 97.05 -28.33

Source: Morningstar

MONEY HELP We know, we know, there seem to be websites out there for your every wish. And now there's one that provides one-stop shopping for many of your financial needs. At FinanCenter.com you can pick out a home loan, get insurance for your family or even find a website that offers the best deal on the car of your choice. The online financial center ranks goods and services according to such criteria as price and availability. It also calculates potential expenses--so you can choose an item that you can afford.

BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS We've long known that football fans can go gaga over their NFL heroes. And now, for a pretty penny, they can own sports equipment and apparel that their idols used or wore, with the proceeds going to charity. On the Dallas Cowboys' website, fans can purchase keepsakes such as Emmitt Smith's game-worn shoes for $999.99 a pair or Deion Sanders' practice jersey for $699.99. Particularly prized are jerseys with stains or traces of blood. When the Denver Broncos offered such macho-mentos, hard-core fans snapped them up.

--By Anamaria Wilson