By BOB SHALLIT, Sacramento Bee
Businessman offers to build basketball court for Obama
A California businessman has a fix for President Barack Obama's basketball addiction.
Jeff Barker of El Dorado Hills is offering to install -- for free -- a new hoops court on the White House grounds.
Workers grant wishes for poor children
The public relations firm Augustine & Associates usually gives and gets plenty of corporate gifts during the holidays. Candles, wine bottles, fruit baskets and the usual frivolous stuff, says company founder Debbie Augustine.
But this year, "especially with so many people struggling, we wanted to make a difference," she says.
Virtual kisses earn real money for Calif. business
California entrepreneur Mark Otero isn't flirting with success. He's found it with "Kiss," a new Internet tool that allows people to search popular Web sites like MySpace or Hi5 and plant virtual smooches on people they like.

