Shopping

When Clifton Moore ran the Los Angeles airport system from 1968 to 1993, there wasn't much emphasis on dining and shopping for people waiting for their planes at LAX. About all they could get were the basics: a newspaper, a cup of coffee, cafeteria fare and a preflight libation. The mantra was "We are an airport, not a shopping mall," and people on the staff were proud that Los Angeles International Airport had the least concession space of any major airport in the United States.

On a recent evening, only one customer lingered in a local Best Buy's cushy Magnolia showroom, where the chain store shows off its high-end, state-of-the-art televisions.

Dreaming of a green Christmas?
From biodegradable greeting cards to solar-powered Santa decorations, consumers have countless ways to celebrate an eco-friendly holiday season this year.

Courtney Hamilton's mound of credit card debt turned her into a first-rate penny pincher this year. But as the holiday gift-giving season approaches, her finances may force her to really switch on her inner Scrooge.

You will surely need good eyesight to find Shanghai's underground eyeglasses market. It's near the city's main train station, where masses of people wait in long lines and carry bundles so large you wonder whether they're catching the last train off Earth before destruction comes.

Ken Locke of Moscow, Idaho, usually eats at home. "I have ramen multiple times each week," he says. "Of course, I add stuff to it -- carrots, green onion, spinach, egg -- but the ramen is the foundation.

By Karen Ravn >>> Prices are way down on the stock market and way up at the grocery store. Just thinking about it could make you lose your appetite -- or, alternatively, give you a serious craving for some comfort food.

Teri Gault stops in her tracks in the personal care aisle at Ralphs when she learns someone has never heard of a BOGO. "How about peelies or blinkies?" she asks, with disbelief.