ArcaMax

SEATTLE -- In the six weeks since Amazon said it was seeking a site for a second headquarters, cities have preened. They've sent delegations to Seattle, bragged about their university engineering programs and tried to ship cactuses to Jeff Bezos.

Thursday evening, the curtain will close on the first act of Amazon's civic beauty pageant.

...Read more

Over the years, I have spent way too much in an attempt to furnish bedrooms and bathrooms with high-quality towels and bedding. What I have discovered through a lot of trial and error is that a high price does not always guarantee great results.

Today I want to tell you about my picks for the best inexpensive bath towels, mattress pad and down ...Read more

Although October can still be flip-flops-and-shorts weather, there are a number of fall maintenance tasks to undertake, no matter what the temperature gauge says.

We asked Lucinda Hoe, field services director of the West region for Associa OnCall, for some tips to keep a home as functional as possible. The company offers maintenance services, ...Read more

Q: I live in a 55-plus condominium community and many residents, myself included, feel that the board is doing a terrible job at maintaining our community, despite the high dues that we pay. We have spoken out at board meetings, but it seems our concerns are ignored. Can we withhold our dues, or perhaps pay them into an escrow account, to let ...Read more

In this age of information, where it's easy to find facts and statistics about nearly anything, Temple University graduate Ofo Ezeugwu found a gap: Renters struggle to find information about landlords and their properties.

"We are constantly looking for affirmation through information," Ezeugwu said. "On Amazon, you read reviews before you make...Read more

A reader question I answered recently brought a small avalanche of mail, mostly from readers who were aghast that I would suggest they save such significant portions of their paychecks for retirement. It was money they just didn't think they could afford to save. I can imagine that for people who save nothing, my suggesting they should be saving...Read more

While there is no shortage of retirement advice or retirement advisers, many consumers who distrust both slide into retirement with little preparation -- other than having grown older. Some of the reasons for this lie deep in the human psyche, beyond any practical remedy. But there is one important factor that discourages retirement planning ...Read more

While there is no shortage of retirement advice or retirement advisers, many consumers who distrust both slide into retirement with little preparation -- other than having grown older. Some of the reasons for this lie deep in the human psyche, beyond any practical remedy. But there is one important factor that discourages retirement planning ...Read more

I have a long list of reader questions that I'd intended to answer today. But I got so taken away with Sandy's question, I used up all the space! I promise to get to the rest of the list really soon.

Dear Mary: Can I use my Polident denture cleanser to soak/clean my mouth guard for several days in a row, or is it really necessary to start with ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The deadly wildfires that roared through Sonoma and Napa counties last week, destroying thousands of homes, might also scorch the Bay Area's already brutal housing market for months or years to come, experts warned Friday.

An estimated 2,800 homes have been destroyed in the wind-whipped infernos in Santa Rosa alone, and a ...Read more

I have to admit that my readers' comments -- the good, the grateful, the bad, ugly, glowing, hilarious and even puzzling -- are some of the best entertainment I get every day. You make me think and keep me on my toes. But mostly, you make me smile, and that's why I love to hear from you.

Though I am unable to personally acknowledge every ...Read more

Dear Edith: We are buying a house in Cape Coral, Florida, and are supposed to close soon. The seller has evacuated and may not return.

If there is more than $5,000 damage, I can get out of the contract. But how is the amount of damage determined? Because of the scope of the storm, it may take weeks just to get an insurance adjuster there. -- to...Read more

Fall Frolic

Fall Frolic is the time of the year which is a preamble to all the end of year holidays. In certain parts of the states it is markedly noticeable as leaves start to change from green to red to orange until they decimate to nothingness. In some parts telltale signs are a bountiful harvest, in others, coats get dusted off and in less ...Read more

It's easy to imagine that illegal insider trading is mostly a game played by slick bad guys or aggressive traders who sometimes cross the line.

The story that federal prosecutors tell in the recent indictment of former Life Time Fitness Vice President Shane Fleming and eight others is a lot different. What's striking is the very ordinariness of...Read more

Consumers who are caught in a financial squeeze might one day be able to skip the payday loan store and turn to banks and credit unions for lower-cost, quick-fix loans.

That's one possibility being raised by consumer advocates who want to see an end to gruesome, triple-digit rates that are charged to vulnerable consumers who take out payday ...Read more

Despite department store woes, national retailers have started to seek seasonal help -- and at levels close to those seen last year, according to some estimates.

Many of the seasonal jobs are focused on stocking additional inventory, customer service, and helping in shipping and distribution centers, an area that is growing as online holiday ...Read more