BackgroundCheck

Pieces on Earth: Christmas 2011 Saw Record Gun Sales

In the movie A Christmas Story, Ralphie had his sights set on just one gift: a Red Ryder BB gun. But many Americans this season clearly had heavier arms on their minds: Background checks on gun buyers hit a single-month record in December.

How to Be a Savvy Tenant in a Landlord's Market

It's simple supply and demand: More people are looking to rent apartments than are buying homes and moving out of them. The result: Rising rents, fewer concessions, and more competition for good apartments. If you're in the rental market -- and more than a third of Americans are -- what can you do?

How to hire a private investigator