From an elegant diamond ring to a 1960 Hofstra class ring. A rare Rolex "Monoblocco" watch to a personalized New York Mets jacket. Luxurious furs to fishing rods. Bernard and Ruth Madoff's personal possessions, seized by the Feds earlier this year, will be auctioned this weekend.

Which wines to bring—or serve—with a holiday meal? It's a question that plagues many at this time of year, when plans for turkey, ham and root vegetables conquer your to-do list. Choosing which wine pairs well with what is being baked, roasted or frosted can compel one to reach for the boxed Franzia. No worry. We've consulted a handful of wine and food experts to do the work for us. Click ahead and read which wines experts like Royal wine advisor Jancis Robinson and Wine TV creator Gary Vaynerchuk recommend for your holiday soiree.

According to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, conducted by BIGresearch, consumers are expected to spend an average of $56.31 on Halloween, down from $66.54 last year. Total spending on the holiday is expected to reach $4.75 billion. An estimated 47 million adults and 58 million children across the country plan to dress up for Halloween this year.

Whether current market and political pressures will ultimately succeed in eliminating powerful American pickups, SUVs and V-8-powered cars from showrooms and roadways entirely or just significantly shrink their number, enthusiasts could soon find their high-horsepower American vehicles of choice relegated to car museums and collectors' garages. The disappearance of the V-8 is unlikely, says Ken Gross, who was director of the Petersen Museum, a world-class automotive collection in Los Angeles. But he lists a few V-8-powered American automobiles enthusiasts might consider purchasing while the selection is still relatively substantial.

The Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act (CARS), or Cash for Clunkers program, allows US residents to get a $3,500 or $4,500 credit toward the purchase of a new, more fuel efficient vehicle when trading in their existing vehicle. The hugely popular program exhausted it's $1 billion appropriation in less than a week and the government acted quickly to provide an additional $2 billion to the program. Click ahead to see the most popular trade-ins and new vehicles purchased under the CARS program, according to the Transportaton Dept.

The past year has been a rocky time for the US auto industry, but the high-end has been more insulated from the recession. Automobili Lamborghini, owned by the Volkswagen group, recently announced that it actually experienced 1 percent sales growth for 2008, when orders increased to 2,430 from 2,406 the year prior. A new breed of companies is looking to tap this demand by making the high-end, turbocharged experience more affordable. One company, New York-based Gotham Dream Cars, maintains a fleet of 18 super cars and offering a range of products, from exotic rentals and club memberships, to the increasingly popular "Dream Car" tours—a six-hour, 150-mile journey allowing drivers to experience multiple cars in a single day.