Business

William Knoedelseder spent 12 years as an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times. He lives in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Books
Arts

The 'Bitter' Tale Of The Budweiser Family

9:05am December 24, 2012

by Acacia Squires

That trademark brew, Budweiser, is known to the world as the "King of Beers," and the Busch family was once considered practically royalty. Their early success led to a reign that lasted 150 years, but the end, when it came, wasn't so glorious.

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Without Magic, Santa Would Need 12 Million Employees

4:31pm December 21, 2012

by Chana Joffe-Walt

How do you deliver presents to 760 million children in one night? Experts at FedEx and UPS talk us through the numbers.

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Health & Safety

When The Doctor Works For The Insurance Company

11:16am December 21, 2012

by Tracey Samuelson

Big insurance companies are opening their own doctors' offices and clinics — a strategy that has previously met with mixed results.

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Bernie Madoff's Brother Is Headed To Prison

11:16am December 21, 2012

A federal judge sentenced Peter Madoff to the maximum sentence, 10 years, after he pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy.

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Yes Virginia, There Is A Smartphone-Controlled Toilet

11:16am December 21, 2012

A Japanese company recently announced it has such a device. Using a smartphone app, you can flush without touching the handle. You can also raise and lower the seat, and there are built-in speakers.

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Plug Pulled On 'Plan B,' House Breaks For Christmas

11:16am December 21, 2012

by Tamara Keith

House Speaker John Boehner was dealt a major defeat Thursday night. After spending most of the week trying to round up votes for his "Plan B" to extend tax cuts for virtually everyone, he pulled the measure without a vote. The clock keeps ticking toward the end of the year, when automatic tax increases and spending cuts are set to hit.

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In this photo illustration, a Rock River Arms AR-15 rifle is seen with ammunition.

Financial Ties Bind NRA, Gun Industry

10:51am December 21, 2012

by Peter Overby

NRA leaders say that when they break their silence on the Sandy Hook shootings Friday, they will be speaking for the group's 4 million members. But they will also be speaking for the gun industry, which has close financial links to the association.

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Instagram was the target of a storm of outrage on Twitter and other sites after the company announced a change in its user agreement that hinted that it might use shared photos in ads.

The Day Instagram Almost Lost Its Innocence

3:16pm December 20, 2012

by Heidi Glenn

The wildly popular photo-sharing site Instagram nearly caused a user revolt when it revamped its terms of service and privacy policy to suggest it could allow uploaded photos to be used in ads without users' permission. Instagram later clarified its position in an effort to quell concerns.

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High school student Jon Ledbetter designs his own "NikeiD" sneakers. Ledbetter can post his designs on Nike's website, where other shoppers can also order them.

Economy

From Shoes To M&M's, Custom-Made Products Take Off Online

1:53pm December 20, 2012

by Kathy Lohr

The ability to customize products began with computers more than a decade ago. Now, you can create your own T-shirts, jeans, custom-blend cosmetics and candy. Even luxury brands like Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton now let customers design their own looks.

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Dentist Bribes Young People To Come In For Cleanings

11:37am December 20, 2012

A dentist in Sweden is offering $45 gift cards to give to 20-somethings who stop coming in for cleanings once they live on their own.

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