Twisted consumer catalog takes flight

A San Francisco comedy troupe has unleashed its dark humor on in-flight catalogs. SkyMaul has everything you never knew you didn't want, from Llamacycles to Banana-ganizers. And it might be the funniest thing you read this year.

Buying biological insurance for baby

More parents are opting to have their newborns' umbilical cord blood collected and stored. It's expensive and at this point chances they'll ever use it are slim, but what if. . .

A tax hike for the rich?

As Republicans work to win back public favor, there's word today that President Bush may be willing to tax the rich to take the Alternative Minimum Tax burden off the middle class.

Congress trying to save the middle class

A House committee is holding hearings to figure out why the gap between the wealthy and the middle class just keeps getting wider — and what to do about it.

TiVo-ers watch ads after all

When digital video recorders gained popularity in the consumer market, advertisers were in a panic. Some folks predicted the death of TV as we know it. Turns out, we're still watching the commercials.

A better flu vaccine?

Flu vaccine administered as a nasal spray not only lets kids avoid scary needles, a new study shows it may actually be more effective at preventing the flu.

American defense firms go shopping

Boeing and Lockheed Martin are prepared to spend as much as $10 billion buying British defense companies in order to win more contracts in the U.K.

Faster drug approval . . . for a fee

The FDA and the pharmaceutical companies have come up with a new proposal for a program that charges drugmakers fees to speed up FDA approval process, but critics say it doesn't do enough to protect consumers.

Johnnie's walking into new markets

Rising middle classes in Asia and South America's emerging markets are developing a taste for better whisky. So Johnnie Walker scotch parent Diageo is making a major investment to meet demand and fill their glasses.